I had lunch today.
Not surprising, you’ll say… Indeed!
But I had lunch with a very promising young man, soon to become a very talented entrepreneur.
He has worked hard for the last nine years, nine long years, learning from both struggling cities in the north of England and the fast moving and economically booming Far East. He has been working endlessly, with only one objective in mind: building the skillset he needs to fulfill his dream.
His dream: to join the family business, a tax and finance advisory firm in the east of England, and take it national.
He admitted willingly that every career decision, every assignment he decided to take, always had the same motive: to get him one step closer to him feeling ready to jump to – and excuse the emphasis – his awakening.
I forgot to mention, this young man just turned thirty two weeks ago.
The inner strength, the focus, the drive he shows, even in the simple settings of an impromptu lunch at a local sushi place, are impressive and a sign of an inherent maturity.
There is not a shadow of a doubt in my mind that he will be hugely successful in his future endeavors…and quite frankly in any direction he should ever choose in the future!
Why? Because such focus, paired with such an ability to strategize and execute, seems almost miraculous. I’ve now been left wondering: is it all about focus?
I recently interviewed heavy weight entrepreneurs in both France and the UK, discussing success and potential. Over the course of the last 18 months, I have also interviewed very prominent women who made it to the C-Suite, following their own dream. What came out of all discussions was the importance of passion, luck serendipitous encounters and observation. What was, also, at the forefront was risk-taking, trial and error, persistence and knowing what you want. But never have I seen the paramount importance of focus so clearly articulated.
And here I am, having my own moment of being enlightened, from a thirty something.
It is all about focus, paired with self-confidence in your own ability to succeed.
It is about focus, underpinned by a certain humility of knowing what your shortcomings are, and valuing the experience of the elders.
It’s a great lesson that I have learnt today…
So what are you focusing on?