Consequences

The quotation above is one of my all-time favourites, perhaps most often used in answer to my children's questions about the choices they make in life.

On 17th March 2020, following a practice visit in East Lancashire, I decided to "stay at home" the next day and pull off the road.

I recall that Tuesday afternoon, I was standing on the platform waiting for my train back to Manchester, when Kevin Rose called and we chatted for a while about "this coronavirus thing" and what we thought might happen.

Phillippa contacted my clients to explain my decision (about being over-65 and a possible super-spreader) and they were gracious as always. We quickly re-arranged some forthcoming workshops as Zoom conference calls and the following day I hunkered down in The Barrow Bunker to rethink my own business strategy.

Just 6 days later, Boris announced "lockdown" and the rest, as they say, is history.

What a journey we have all been on since then.

During the last 17 weeks we have had to make decisions, every one of which carries a "banquet of consequences".

Decisions about people, money and time.

Decisions about how we care for ourselves and others.

Sometimes decisions made inevitable and dictated by external and uncontrollable forces.

Other times decisions made ourselves after difficult reflection.

You might recall one of my first webinars after lockdown, in which I described the difficult balancing act between our moral compass and financial reality.

It has been my privilege, during this journey, to listen to and advise many people on that balance and then to observe them making selfless decisions because they felt compelled to do the right thing.

Recent months have, indeed, strengthened my faith in human nature. There have been so many examples of Good Samaritans.

Whatever decisions you have made in the last few months, many of the consequences are yet to manifest themselves.

I remain confident that "the good guys" will ultimately prevail.

“The word “karma” means “action,” not “fate.” In Buddhism, karma is an energy created by willful action, through thoughts, words and deeds. We are all creating karma every minute, and the karma we create affects us every minute.It’s common to think of “my karma” as something you did in your last life that seals your fate in this life, but this is not Buddhist understanding. Karma is an action, not a result. The future is not set in stone. You can change the course of your life right now by changing your volitional (intentional) acts and self-destructive patterns.”

Barbara O'Brien

The Thinking Business daily blog is taking a holiday and will be back with you on Monday 3rd August 2020 - stay safe and well.