Realising What Matters... and getting on with it.

Once you hit the floor and your brain is dying you realise a lot of what you thought was important isn't.

Eleven months ago I had a stroke. No warning signs, no chest pains, reasonable cholesterol, fit for my age, non smoker etc etc. But a blood clot had made it's way to my brain and I hit the floor, literally. Thanks to my wife, the paramedics, the hospital team and some cutting edge drugs, I survived.

A few days later I was able to walk (albeit slowly) out of the stroke ward leaving behind people who probably wouldn't walk again. A few weeks later, it was discovered that the blood clot had got to my brain through a hole in my heart which was closed by even more amazing medical specialists.

I had dodged not one bullet but two... and now I have another chance to live my life.

The road back from this has been slow-ish. My memory has been affected. I have struggled to remember nouns; names of people, books, songs, shows, neighbours, even our dog's name at one point. I used to be able to hold lots of topics in mind at once - which is really handy when you are coaching groups, but now if I don't blurt out what's on my mind straight away, it's gone by the time I want to remember it.

The biggest lesson is that life is terminal! It is short and I want to spend more time on what I value with the people I value. I've loved work, I loved helping others, in fact throughout my life that's what every one of my jobs/roles has been about. So I don't want to give it up totally but I only want to work with people who want to be helped and are willing to work on themselves and their businesses.

I also want to spend more time with the people I love and to get out and see more of this wonderful country.

In regards to work... I love working with the restaurateurs who have been with us for years. This is because our work has gone beyond marketing their restaurants (though we still do that) into helping them achieve their dreams. I haven't taken on any new restaurant clients this year because I honestly don't have the energy to battle with people who don't want to do what (we already know) works. Life's too short - literally.

I have started working with more entrepreneurs who want a mixture of personal development, business coaching and accountability and I am loving this. Bringing to them and their businesses everything I have learned that works over the last 20 plus years. This little blog, website and my socials reflect this and I am enjoying this process - blogging and posting every day is tough but I am willing (thus far lol).

In the coming months whilst still coaching, I am setting off around Australia in a new camper van. Yes I am joining the grey nomads. I am joining a bit early as I keep telling people, I have had one foot out of the exit door already and life's short so I am getting on with things while I still can. Thanks to Starlink I will be coaching from wherever I am and I'm looking forward to seeing some of my clients along the way too.

Howard

As well as business and marketing I coach and mentor many people re their personal and professional lives. If you want to explore your personal development or an issue that's keeping you stuck, I'd be very happy to have a chat with you, to do so contact me here