Ripinator
Old Man with a Hat
Thirty-five years ago today, my wife and I got off a plane at National Airport in DC. We had been in the Bahamas for a week-long vacation, which we took because my new business as a head hunter had been very successful during the previous quarter. The revenues were so good, I thought we were on our way to making it BIG, so we spent a lot of money taking that little vacation.
As we headed for the baggage claim area, everyone we saw was somewhat distraught or upset outright. It was then that we learned President Ronald Reagan had just been shot. . . In that instant, everything changed - surely for the entire country, but especially for me and my new business.
For the next ninety days, the business produced absolutely zero, and it didn't recover again for another year.
Moral of the story: The world is unpredictable, and there are many things that can happen which we cannot control. For me and probably for many, Reagan's shooting was a "Black Swan" event, for which no one was prepared. Even so, at the time, I wish I had the wisdom to know that success is great, but it can be lost in an instant - through no fault of my own.
I also wish we hadn't spent all that money on that self-congratulatory vacation. . .
As we headed for the baggage claim area, everyone we saw was somewhat distraught or upset outright. It was then that we learned President Ronald Reagan had just been shot. . . In that instant, everything changed - surely for the entire country, but especially for me and my new business.
For the next ninety days, the business produced absolutely zero, and it didn't recover again for another year.
Moral of the story: The world is unpredictable, and there are many things that can happen which we cannot control. For me and probably for many, Reagan's shooting was a "Black Swan" event, for which no one was prepared. Even so, at the time, I wish I had the wisdom to know that success is great, but it can be lost in an instant - through no fault of my own.
I also wish we hadn't spent all that money on that self-congratulatory vacation. . .
