If you die tomorrow, how will you be remembered?
It’s been far too long since my last blog post. Truth be told, I’m not a blogger but in all my crazy antics this year. I seem to be inspiring a few people, so let me try write about it.
If you’re 20 something and reading this. I encourage you to look long and hard at what interests you and see where you would like to make a difference before you have a midlife crisis. Just because you feel invisible now, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start thinking about the impact you will make in your lifetime.
If you’re 30 something and reading this. You should be ready to make a difference if you’re not already. You too can make an impact, so now is the time to start making a positive change. Choose two (or more) charities and pour every cent you raise into them. Check out my previous post to see how I chose my two.
If you’re 40 something and you’re reading this. You may have a long forehead that starts at the back of your head, a beer belly, girls might not find you attractive anymore, you’ve bought a Porsche to compensate. Or you may just feel like you’re in a rut. I am talking directly to you. You should be thinking about others and not just yourself.
Two events that happened this year cemented my reasoning as to why I am determined to live my life by what people will say at my funeral.
I lost my Mum in February to cancer. She was a massive influence in my life. She force fed me the “power of positive thought” from a young age which made me an eternal optimist and the man I am today. For that I will be eternally grateful. My Mum was 68.
I also lost a good mate last week. Keith was my tenant in my granny flat for eight years and he has moved in when my second daughter was three months old. Keith was only 63 but lived a full life of sex, drugs and rock and roll but was also a really positive mentor in my life. He had a humble and carefree attitude to life that was as rare as a snakes’ armpit.
The impact of both these deaths was massive, but it has brought out some new perspective which I would like to share with you.
“Live your life by what people will say about you at your funeral.”
With this thought in mind I’m committing to doing more and making more of a difference which will be tough as my teams and I have had an amazing year. More about that later.
Progression. A simple word. I think about it each day. How am I going to be better today than I was yesterday? We could be like a selfish politician who’s interested only in filling his pockets and not benefiting all the voters who voted you into power. But I promise you, in giving you shall receive way more than receiving.
In the last two years since joining the Cows I feel I have achieved a lot but need to take stock and see how I can progress and make more of an impact.
Achievements:
- Celebrated 20 years with my wife this year and she still loves me.
- Remained married and faithful to my wife of 13 years in tough times.
- My company turned 10 years old.
- I have two amazing daughters who are thriving in sport and school.
- Total distance cycled, swum and run in competition: 1803,5km
- Total raised directly from 2013-2015: R200 000.
- Total raised by KZN Herd in 2015: R600 000.
- Rode 106km Amashova on an Ice Cream Bike.
- Rode 94.7km Momentum Cycle Challenge on an Ice Cream Bike.
- Finished Ironman 70.3 taking 50 minutes off previous best time.
- Finished the 42.2km Deloitte Marathon.
- Honored by Rotary Umhlanga for my charity work.
- Honored by The Cows as the top individual fund raiser for 2015.
In essence I think what I’m trying to say is:
- Stay true to yourself.
- Make clear cut goals.
- Be selfless and not selfish.
- Keep stock of achievements and set bigger goals all the time.
Prepare yourself for some cliches.
- Surround yourself with winners and you too will become a winner.
- Life is short.
- Get a life.
- Get a new lease on life.
- When life gives you melons, your probably dyslexic.
- Today is the first day of the rest of your life.
- Life’s a bitch.
- Life’s a beach.
These are all so true and need to be lived and not just preached. At the end of the day, your life is exactly what you make of it.
My teams I alluded to earlier are my secret to success. I owe everything to them.
Firstly my wife is extraordinary. The very best mother to my kids. My partner in crime who puts up with all my crazy antics.
My business partners and PA are gold too. Without their support none of this would be achievable.
The KZN CHOC Cow Herd are some of the best people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Selfless human beings indeed.
Next year’s goals are even bigger, in fact I’ve declared it The Year of the Family, so I’ll be doing Midmar Mile with my eldest, Tour Durban on a tandem with my wife, 100 miles to nowhere with the whole family, Gabran with both my daughters and Amashova with the whole family on tandems.
If you’re interested in becoming a cow or getting involved please mail me on durbsdaisy@thecows.co.za or merely make a comment.
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