When one door closes…

Many of us are guilty of being too attached to the past, we tend to prefer what we are familiar with, and therefore, risk missing opportunities that stand right in front of us.

Doors will invariably close, they’re meant to that’s why they’re called doors, but conversely there are always, other, unlimited number of doors that open, new opportunities. Granted it can be difficult to think like this when one has been slammed in your face, for whatever reason, however the world is full of opportunities, if we can only see them.

Not every plan works out, sometimes there are disappointments and failures and we don’t always have control over these events, but we can exercise control over our mind and attitude. For many, myself included, the first half of this year has thrown up some unique challenges, none less so than COVID.

Turning your back on a company you’ve helped transform from profit losing to successful 7-figure acquisition, is a bold move in many people’s eyes, but being true to yourself and driven by professional integrity meant I chose, for personal reasons, to prematurely close this door myself.

At first, it’s not so easy to move your eyes elsewhere, due to attachment to the old and familiar, and also fear of the new and unknown. You can find it difficult to stop the stream of uncontrolled negative thoughts, as your mind keeps focusing on the loss, frustration and in some respect’s failure to protect valued colleagues and yourself better from a door that was inevitably going to slam shut, with all our fingers still in it!

However, do these thoughts help you in any way, or will they create suffering and prevent change and improvement?

Choosing to set up your own business (Your Guardian), is a brave enough step in itself, even when you and your long term business partner (Paul Dorkings) are confident in your abilities, but to then have a once in a lifetime pandemic and lockdown occur just two months in, is a curve ball you definitely don’t see coming!

More than ever these are the moments you need to free yourself from past attachments and seek new opportunities, we still needed to bring ourselves to see and enter the new doors that could now open for us.

How? Well we needed to be more aware of our thoughts, to have a desire to free ourselves from the thoughts that keep you stuck in one place but perhaps more importantly develop a strong sense of self-discipline and take ownership of our actions.

Whilst a number of our early Your Guardian clients understandably pulled back, as COVID lockdown took its toll, we decided to reach out to a small number of key contacts within our network, those whose work we admired and felt were likeminded in terms of professional integrity and work ethic.

In short, those on our wish list of people we’d love to work alongside but in these challenging times, respected the fact the current climate meant more than just asking for business.

Therefore, our intentions were genuine, we wanted to ask how they and their families were getting on during the crisis. To share thoughts and ideas, to see if we could offer each other mutual support, not necessarily in terms of prospecting for business, but on a more humane and practical level, to see if we could help each other whilst being confined to our homes.

Most, if not all, have resulted in some seriously strong alliances, with one project in particular blossoming beyond expectations. So much so that in May, at the height of lockdown, our collaboration with Pete Banbury resulted in us forming The BodyMapper together.

A similar background, in having all at one point or another been on the board of Premier Training International, our paths have crossed on numerous occasions in the past. A shared passion for wanting to provide engaging, non-linear education to the modern learner, we soon discussed taking Pete’s creative vision and turning it into something more tangible.

So, what was the cost in creating all of this?

The most valued commodity of all, our time, along with a healthy dose of desire, self-discipline and ownership. Yes, some will be quick to point out there’s been no fiscal return on this project yet, and of course there has been some minor financial outlay and opportunity cost, but we feel the fruits of our labour go well beyond this and believe this will be reflected in the product itself… our why.

Now, looking back, yes one door did close in January, but as a direct result two have since opened. Not necessarily in the form of the two new companies that I’m now privileged to be a co-owner of, Your Guardian Ltd and The BodyMapper Ltd, but far more exciting than that. It’s the opportunity to work closely with two respected colleagues who have, in the words of Simon Sinek, an infinite mindset coupled with a strong desire to help others learn, that and being in control of our own destiny.

Welcome to the ‘The BodyMapper!’