To Reap, Sow
One of the wealthiest men on earth...in fact, one time the richest man on this planet, Bill Gates, it was who said a few weeks ago that he wished he had kicked up his feet and just chilled out a bit more. In a speech to the recent graduates of an American University, an important piece of advice Gates gave the crowd was “you are not a slacker if you cut yourself some slack.” Acknowledging that it took a long time to let that lesson sink in for himself, he highlighted the many benefits of greater work-life balance. In his very words, “Take a break when you need to. Take it easy on the people around you when they need it, too.”
A colleague of mine saw this interview and scoffed at it. "After all the money you've made, it is easy for you to say that now...after all your future is not in any doubt." He was of the opinion that this hindsight view usually happens when there's virtually nothing left to be conquered. It is very unusual for a young or middle-aged individual to see the hustle from this perspective, especially in less privileged societies. In all honesty, it is hard not to want to constantly stay hard on the grind.
I don't know how it is up there (yet), I am still trying to work my way but I can take the word of someone who has been there for many decades. He would berate his co-workers for acting lazy and he would wonder why they had time for other stuff. Work to him was supposed to be the start and end of everyone's life. Any other thing is a distraction and should be treated as such. We devote so much time to work that we lose touch with some of the things that truly matter in life.
One thing I've learnt in my years of work is that relationships work wonders. They open doors where even the strictest regulations fail. The goodwill that comes with having valuable relationships can never be truly quantified. On countless occasions, I have enjoyed the benefits that come with it, and even extended it to friends and members of my team.
Many people think that there is a magic formula for getting what you want more easily than others but it isn't exactly rocket science. It is as simple as the "Law of Giving and Receiving", which is based on the fact that everything in the universe operates through dynamic exchange. Every relationship is one of give and take because giving and receiving are different aspects of the flow of energy in the universe. It is just exactly the way banking works: you cannot withdraw from your savings account if first you have not deposited money there.
Like many good things in life, relationships take time to build. They require sustained efforts and sometimes, deliberate sacrifices. You are never going to build relationships if you use people like an umbrella...you only carry it when there is a threat of rain. For those of us who remember how we used calendars on the walls in those days, that is how some people view friendship...they only turn to the calendar when they need to check a date back in time or plan for one in future.
I know someone in an organisation I work closely with. The day he left, I heard of people rejoicing because the person left the organisation. I could only imagine how toxic this person made the environment around the office. The people who worked with this person must have interesting stories to tell.
Reminds me of a tale of two bosses that I once worked with at different times. One of them, till date, any time he steps into my office, everyone would get up to exchange handshakes with him or give him a warm hug. He still remains one of the best individuals I have ever shared an office space with. The other "boss" I worked with, let's just say he has not even bothered to show up since the day he left the organisation. But I can imagine if he did, not many people would be so enthusiastic about greeting him.
It perpetually reminds me of how truly transient power and position are. A farmer who plants corn isn't expecting to harvest it the next morning. He cares for and nurtures it and hopes mother nature is kind to him and his crop till maturity. It is the same way relationships should be cultivated. You should not treat people like tissue and expect the same people to treat you like a winter jacket.
My older cousin always told us while we were growing up to be careful the way we close a door, 'cos we might need to walk through that door again.