“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one, which has been opened for us.” – Helen Keller –
Reflection:
When I got my first job offer after graduation, I called my father and happily told him that I was going to be working for Raytheon Semiconductor. At that time, my father who was a lifelong businessman told me “Son, You are working for yourself and consider that Raytheon is going to be your first customer.”
Those practical words of wisdom stayed with me through my entire life and resulted in incredibly successful ventures for 40 years.
Thinking any job as my own business allowed me to operate with the mentality that every day I must provide a great value to customers, investors and fellow partners who have put trust in my services. I needed to continue to reinvent and provide new products, services and solutions to grow my business. I had to be efficient and frugal; even more for people who have trusted with me their resources and money. I continued to build relationships to expand my customer, investors and partner portfolio. And not to forget enhancing skills to keep up with times.
And there were times when the business deals went sour for whatever reason. It happened on a few occasions and I learned from them and moved on to the next one. On one occasion one small company client Fired me. Yes it did hurt: Ego. How could they do that to me; so successful through the years in many ventures, liked by so many people?
Well that is the part of the business world. The small company owners and I had different visions of the future. After initial anger wore off, took about an hour, I called a travel agent and told her to book a two month long trip for my family, far far away.
According to my wife that was the best decision I made; took me away from the normal surroundings where I would still see and hear things that could have made me angry or dwell on negatives.
What a wonderful, peaceful time it was with my family; no distractions and in harmony with new places and people.
Upon return, I found an opportunity that resulted in memorable times, incredible value generation for a big customer, many innovative solutions and an opportunity to work with a great group of people.
And year ago, after 18 years of great relationship, I moved on Happily Thereafter in to the new phase of life.
Story Line:
“Everything is OK in the end. If it is not OK then it is not the end.” Analisa