The Personal Business Plan: A Blueprint for Running Your Life

10

What Have I Learned?

“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago.

The second best time is today”

Chinese proverb

I now have a very simple – albeit demanding exercise for you.

It would be very beneficial for you if you could synthesize your specific needs. Very often, when working with leaders over a longer period of time, it is at this junction that they see the light. They came to me with one or two questions on their mind – now they see some existential themes emerge.

Inspiration: Your Existential Themes

I would like you to go through the chapters again and from the whole book identify three key learning themes that apply to you – and then implement them without further discussion.

Theme 1:

 

 

Theme 2:

 

 

Theme 3:

 

 

If you haven't already done so, it is also time to construct your own Four-Leaf Clover. The most differentiating dimension is the pivotal concept at the center of the leaves. Some of the potential candidates for central concepts, that we have discussed, are Happiness, Leadership, and Reinvention. Another potential candidate could be Personal Development. It's important that you define the themes in your life. Refer back to Chapter 7 How Do I Reinvent Myself? if you need to.

As a source of inspiration you may want to revisit my examples of Four-Leaf Clovers in Figure 1, page ix and Figure 17, page 113. Your aim is to synthesize the existential themes that have emerged in your life. It is a question of defining the cross-fertilization that will create ...