As I’m aging, and I’m not old, I found my mind easily distracted and slower to retrieve information. Sometimes at the most inopportune times, I’d have trouble shutting out the mental chatter and concentrating on the work I had to do.
Ever go to the front door and you’ve lost your keys again? And they were just in my hands a minute ago? My wife Danni, could tell you the multiple times she has had to help me find them, or my wallet. I do this less often now, but I used to do this regularly. I haven’t cured the condition, but my friends know I’m an education addict. Not always traditional, NLP, Tony Robbins walking on fire etc, but also Diploma’s, Certificate courses etc.
My greatest love of the real estate industry, is that you deal with people, it’s also what I love about security and being an entrepreneur. Human beings spend most of their time telling or re-enacting stories, and conditions. But let’s be honest, how many times will you watch a movie, over again. The people change, but the stories over time meld together.
Now I love people, but when things aren’t changing and everyone seems to be going through the grind, it gets to me. I start to get forgetful, lazy, distracted. But every time I enrol in an education course, or a seminar, my brain comes alive again. It’s like I’m revived, I have even been compared, by a friendly observer, to a
born-again Christian. I don’t take offence.
One of the things I look for in my thirst for life long education, is value, and an experience. Walking on fire was great, so has been breaking boards, etc. But in the last 2 years, one of my favourite experiences has been, my security course, through Eagle Training Service, and a Trainer named Andy.
A mixture between bad Dad jokes, military humour, lifetime experience, shares, and intense questions, and physical roleplaying led me into a break-off career in Security. Many of the great people I did my course with, I am still in contact with, and that’s how I determine a great experience.
I’ve done Tony Robbins and will be expanding on that even more next year. I’m completing, Darren Hardy in a couple of months, and I’m completing a Diploma in Security, threat and Risk Management as well. But the reason’s I do it, is less about learning, and more about my long term mental health.
I’ve read many a time that education decreases the risk and slows the onset of dementia. I have a very egalitarian mind-set. I don’t wish to be a burden on my family or society in any way. So my habitual enrolment and completion of courses isn’t about changing careers, although I don’t mind expanding my experiences, it’s about staying the course.
Bouts of distraction have created some of the most damaging effects in my life. So I keep myself occupied. I exercise regularly, even if it’s just 30,000 steps at work, I volunteer painting graffiti, or just donate my time to organizations, I talk (probably) too much, and actively listen. I do this all to relieve, and avoid, what a psychologist would call depression (the past), or anxiety (the future), to remain in the present.
I have a good life, I have an amazing supportive wife, 4 beautiful and loving children. But I have learnt that if I don’t plan to stay healthy, strong and vital, I start losing my keys again.
