A nightlong discussion with an old friend spurred these thoughts, which I shall pen down here, as my personal point of view.

Before we answer the question, I believe it is important, for those who have embarked on the path less travelled, to look back at where it all began, and ask oneself “why did I start it all in the first place?” Did you start for money, for a reward of endless wine and women, for love of a trade or simply because being self employed is the best way in which you function?

It is true, that staff and peers from one’s social circle will gauge your success in business in the most visually measurable manner – your wares. By this I mean the material things you decorate yourself and your life with. Your clients pretty much look at the same thing – your staff strength, your office size, your equipment, your expertise, etc. This gives them the basic assurance that you are able to deliver as you promised.

Image is important, yes it is. But does it overwhelm the importance of purpose? Also, realise that the friends that surround you and sing praises to glorify your deeds only surround you because of the lifestyle you lead, which rubs off in a glittering manner on them. The ambience surrounding such lifestyle hardly attracts the like minded, simply because everyone else of equal or more success have to put up with that same lifestyle in fulfilling business functions.

The high life is a veil, used to impress more than to self-gratify. So many business people would have agreed that they would rather spend a week off at some secluded island paradise, as opposed to being dead drunk day and night at pubs and clubs, surrounded by the human flies that revolve around their putrid stench of alcohol and vomit.

Unless the purpose IS the high life, there is no need at all to associate oneself with such an “obligation”. A simple way to differentiate – are you looking for attention or respect, praises or correspondence, flutterbies or friends?

We each started off with a purpose to fulfil, whatever that may be. That purpose is the top priority, and all else, pieces of the jigsaw to fulfil that purpose. We may indulge in the moment since we are made by consequence of decision to be there, but never, never let that could the vision, your vision of the future.