2016 End Year Review

As 31st approaches, how has the year gone and what should I look forward to in 2017?

Reading the 1/2 year post and the "growth" theme for 2016, I find it surprising that my body / mind seems to be adapting to the challenges of 4 jobs quite well.  People say I look relaxed and personally I feel quite relaxed.  But if I look deeper into each of the tasks, I can see that there are still many areas that need to be improved on.

1. Corporate job - Unfortunately I have not been able to secure more work internally, as projects have struggled with their own timelines.  So (much like how I envisaged a consultant's role would be) there is a lot of pitching and not much success.  This spinning of wheels does make me feel less energy going into work.  In order to be effective in this role, I need to become more of a "thought leader" in technology, with stronger opinions on how I should shape the future.  I struggle with that and honestly do not know if that is a role that I can play well.  I think for the next 6 months, do more research, think more and see if that gets me somewhere.
    
2. Ownership job - The achievement is that number 3 outlet is up and operating smoothly, but the issue is that performance is/was a bit lacking in Q4 this year.  Culturally at that outlet there is a feeling of "cannot" instead of "can", which needs to be slowly chipped away at and fixed.  Overall business I made a promise to be more focussed on operational efficiency and we have made some gains, but I need to tighten up more and have a better cost view of the business and enforce this view to Jo and Pat.  Number 4 will come in July 2017, just need to find the place (should be not too hard) and money (maybe slightly harder!).
    
3. Tech start-up job - Bringing on Shuai and Dexter have made the system come across as a professional piece of software, which is great.  Functionality continues to improve, and it is helping reduce costs across the Morgans operations.  I just cannot seem to get anyone else to buy it!  So I think something in my pitch is not hitting the right notes for that audience.  Reading the book "Pre-Suasion" recently has helped me see how to influence the message better and will adopt this into the pitch deck.  "Coffee is for closers", as Dex said to me, and I definitely do not deserve coffee at the moment.  Let us hope 2017 will provide better fruits for my labours.  On a separate personal note, I am so glad I wrote this software.  I used to think my creativity was not there, but I realise I just need a specific problem set to be creative.  If software could be art, this is my creation. 
    
4. Party job - Whilst weekly parties did not work, we end the year with twice-a-month parties (at the same location instead of a new location) and the chance to finish with a bang with a New Years Eve Street Party (also in collaboration with the same bar owners).  I realise the "adjacent possible" is a powerful opportunity, and we should take more advantage of that.  People like familiar but with a slight edge, as opposed to a new concept in a new location, which requires marketing education at the very least.  Still no pool party? :(

I started Crossfit in Aug and it has made a difference to my body shape.  Those guys are hardcore!  I am aware of not trying to go too crazy but it helps to have people around me push.  Nutrition is ok, more protein required.  Someone told me not to go too hard on the supplements and keep the eating natural because the supplements become addictive (and in SG, quite costly!).  The funny thing about Crossfit is that they do so many squats, the biggest change to my clothing is that my pants are now tighter, which may not be a bad thing.  I think I will stick to Crossfit for another year.    Still might consider white collar boxing, to bring back the skills I learnt in Seoul!

Idea generation is still poor.  Have not done any exercises in that area.  How can I make it more engaging?  Let's apply idea generation across each of my jobs, one a day, which means 4 things per week.  See if that makes it easier to do.

Last post I redefined my "cute alpha girl" to "cute self-assured girl".  Happy to say that I have found someone that fits the bill!  I think due to some of her personal circumstances she has lost a bit of self-assurance, but I see the potential. She also has a daughter whom I have not met yet, but I think we are both focused on making our relationship strong first.  I recall telling friends of mine that I have always wanted to adopt a kid, so perhaps that is why this situation does not give me too many alarm bells.  Either that or I am still in the "honeymoon" phase of the relationship :)   Since she is Chinese, I have decided to ditch the Korean learning and attempt to rekindle my Mandarin (for the 7th time!).  This is a perfect opportunity to try!

I read that Warren Buffet has a 5/25 rule, which is write the 25 things you want to do, find the top 5 and forget about ever doing the next 20.  From this review, it seems that I am trying too many things.  I think I need to focus.  Maybe the next 6 months should be about determining what really does work for me.

Looking forward to 2017!  I think the word for 2017 is "consolidate".  Bring together the learning and experience from these different facets of my life to define new possibilities.  Set targets and deliver on those targets.  Work out what needs to be given up in order to focus on the better things.

P.S.  Shout out to Justin, Bec, Reenie and Boges who still read this thing!

Birthday Review - 38 Years

The first half of 2016 was good.  Was the "growth" theme maintained?  What were the key events?

1. Lendlease job started.

2. Opened and operating a third Morganfield's.
3. Started (but failed) on the weekly Rewind event.
4. Redeveloped Morganfield's website.
5. Developed Restaurant Ordering System.

As part of my check in, I have learnt more in the last few months and I think "growth" is being achieved.  Mentally I am handling all this different stimulus and balancing out all the different work areas and if anything the latter half of this year is about consolidating this growth and being effective in all the different parts of my life.  

If I break down "growth" to now the individual components of the items above, they would be:

1. For Lendlease: Get a better handle on the technology elements of buildings through research and drive this business unit more as the GM as opposed to a BD.  Re-learn the corporate structure but also learn how to "hustle" within a large corporate.

2. For Morganfield's:  Learn to be more of an outsider looking into the performance of the business unit to be able to drive better efficiency in our costs.  Get better data analytics to compliment our operations knowledge.
3. For Rewind:  Maybe we pushed too hard with the weekly event, so let's move from monthly to twice a month.  Smaller, more manageable step but still some growth.  Still one pool party?
4. Website:  Learn how to use external contractors better to develop an ecommerce website.
5. Restaurant Ordering System: Learn how to be a tech start up!  And get some revenue through the door.

My body did take a bit of a hammering the last few months, due to overexercising and then low immunity from too much partying!  People do compliment me for my energy, but I find that it comes and goes and I do need more sleep.  The work side is not affecting my health too much so I think it is ok.  I do need to get back into the "healthy" theme a bit more.  Better and more regular eating will help.  I find that I lose discipline on eating easily, probably because I don't see any visual effects of it e.g. not getting fatter.  Re-framing the eating to be about improved body shape (more muscle) might be a start!  External goals is good, I need to find a good one to start me back on track.  Maybe white collar boxing?

Idea generation is still a very weak part of my day to day routine.  Make it something I do as part of my wake up routine and have a space on the whiteboard for it.  The problem is thinking about idea generation as an "exercise" makes me not see the value of it.  Try doing 10 ideas related to those 5 components listed above?  But this narrows my thinking, which is not the aim of the idea generation.

My relationships were a bit up and down the last few months.  I heard an interesting comment from some dating coach on the radio.  He advised that we all make "motherhood" statements about qualities and virtues we look for and avoid, but what are the actual events/statements/actions that would make me validate the person has those qualities?  I talk about "cute alpha girls", but what do I mean?  And is it really still true? 

• I think someone is "alpha" when they are willing to speak their opinions but also humble enough to listen to others.
• I think someone is "alpha" when they will are aware of their own flaws/faults and takes responsibility for them.
• I think someone is "alpha" when they demonstrate their ability to take care of themselves and those around them.

Now that I write more about it, the word "self-assured" becomes slightly more relevant than "alpha".  

Other traits

• I think "cute" is in looks, but not in actions.  And in a moment of horrific self-awareness, I realise that I can act cute when I am with someone in a relationship! *shakes head*
• I think someone cares when they unexpectedly buy something for me or asks about me e.g. cake, gift.

• I think someone is self-absorbed when they talk about themselves a lot.  I am getting better at being less sensitive to this one but it still irks me.

• I dislike when people check their phones during a one-on-one conversation, it shows they are focussed elsewhere and hence the conversation cannot be as engaging.

Overall being 38 is a solid age.  Keep up the discipline and focus.  Continue to be self-aware and use that self-awareness for continued improvement in all facets of life.  Fuck Yes or No.  

2016 and Sydney

I like reading old posts.  The last new years one (http://sundayswithkev.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/new-year-2015.html) was interesting, in that it was less about less about goals and more about themes of life.  I am going to try to continue with this.

2015 was good.  The things that I wanted to do I did, especially with the Korea trip.  3 months away from a business and coming back to find it was still running well is a testament to the people that we have in the business and the resilience of that business.  As I have already written about Korea, no need to rehash that stuff here.  I maintained if not increased my energy levels with the sad realisation that I have gone clubbing for more years of my life than not clubbing!  Surely the knees will give out on of these days.

I really relaxed and as a friend has said to me, I am in a very strong mental state.  Calm, mostly positive,  and inquisitive of things and of people.  But 2015 could be considered "lazy", with the exception of Korea, I was not really "challenging myself" last year.

So whilst maintaining my physical, mental, spiritual and social themes, the word for 2016 is "growth".  Growth of the business, growth of my abilities, growth of my effectiveness and productivity.  And with growth there is usually growing pains, or at least some uncomfortable feelings.  And that uncomfortable feeling is what I am looking for.

Since I will be multi tasking with Lend Lease, Morganfield's, Rewind and back office app (need a cool name for this!), I need to work out how to be effective quickly.  Which means ramping up quickly and making decisions quickly.  I also need to improve my "current status of things" and be aware of where things are, what to follow up, what to review, what to not worry about at the moment.

But let's make sure I have commitment to the 4 basics:
1. Physical - Boxing helped me feel fitter, but in reality I was not stretching properly for my muscles to be supple, leading to injuries over Christmas.  However, awareness is the starting point.  More stretching prior but keep it up!  New habit - 50 pushups every day.

2. Mental - I have a new problem to solve, which is the application problem.  Also I will have another new problem which is how to build up a business unit in Lend Lease.  I am sure these things will keep my brain active,  New habit - 10 ideas a day.

3. Spiritual - This one was good from travelling solo around Korea.  I liked the feeling on being aware of the "now". but keep having to travel to cool nature places to experience it.  Would like more of that "being present" feeling on an every day basis.  New habit - 1 min meditation every day.

4. Social - I continue to meet new people, which is good.  New habit - every time I go to a bar, say hi or make a comment to someone new.

With all these new challenges, I need to be focussed.  With the corporate job, I am not there to make friends, I am there to build a business unit.  Stick with the 9-5pm, but make sure every minute counts.   Make myself consistently available.  I will be available all of Tuesday and Thursdays.  I will work on Lend Lease stuff on Wednesday. With Morganfield's, I will build a new outlet, focus on cost savings. I will save my Monday and Friday for it, make it 10am to 5pm (could be done at home).  This leaves Saturday to work on my app (9pm to 3pm).  With the app, I want to launch and have at least our company and 2 suppliers using the app.  I think the app will bleed into Fridays as well.  I should still have all dinners free, and at least one club night!  And with Rewind, at least one pool party :)

What this means is that I need to set up my environments to allow seamless work transitions and to reduce the amount of "thinking" for things that should not need thinking.   One example is food.  Breakfast should always be the same, lunch should always be the same.  Even clothes make be required to be the same, at least the corporate gear.  Having a maid will remove the stress of cleaning.  Think a bit more about how to work with two different computers (LL and GAP).

It is good to have habits, but also it is good to know when to really push.  I want to really push and see what the boundary is for my capacity.  As a safety valve, I will do a reassessment in June and see how I am handling it, and if my health or mental state is being compromised in any way.

One additional note:  I believe the key to success lies in the ability to shed identity and to assume new identities and embrace the learnings.  The challenge here is to be able to be a corporate worker and my own boss and a start up all at the same time, and perhaps even bring those different skills sets together in ways someone from a pure corporate background cannot.  Be aware of those opportunities.

~*~*~*~*~*

On a separate note, Sydney was great, it is a beautiful city.  Catching up with old friends, it is very easy to slip back into a routine lifestyle here.  Reminiscing about old times,  talking about current events, seeing kids galore, it is familiar and yet it feels very distant.  I feel I can achieve more if I am not in Sydney, but in Sydney it feels quite relaxing, maybe almost too relaxing.   I did tear up a bit when on the cruise boat they sang "I Still Call Australia Home"!  So given that I would want 2016 to be a year of growth, definitely Sydney does not give me that impression.  Perhaps when I have a yearly theme of "Relax" I should move back here!

I was so happy to spend time with family on the cruise boat, not even to do stuff, but just to sit in the rooms and catch up.  I will make it more of a theme to come back to Sydney even for short holidays to hang out.