Four years ago, if you told me I would be in Oconomowoc, Wi, helping a VAR go national and rediscovering the future of office print - I would have slugged you in the head.
Well, this is PRECISELY the situation I find myself in. In a land of fried cheese, beer, and cities named after Indians.
"Sassenach"
Through the hoopla, laughter, and tears, when I look back to 2011, I can't help but shake my head, roll my eyes and ask,
'Change'? Transformation? Both are wonderful but considering either as special is bullshit - everything changes. As you read these words, you're changing this very second - it ain't all that exceptional.
Life moves, not from one disruption to another, but through a constant, four-dimensional flow. Around we go, traveling our path, the ups, and downs, light and dark, we muddle through iterations of the same mistakes.
Looking in my rearview mirror I see a world filled with managed print services, imaging industry shenanigans, and personal moments I might want back - A frustrated me might say,
I want those stage presentations back. Give me the PowerPoint decks, proposals, promises, assessments, opened doors, quotes, and Sunday morning coffee in bed.
The whispers, fires, handshakes, rollouts, client meetings, lunches, 1,000-word blogs, and 2AM sessions - yeah, I want those back, too.
The dead flowers, after parties, airplane trips, bus ride discussions with Leo, and nights on our hands and knees - yeah, I want those too.
The consulting gigs, conversations about the death of paper, print, copiers, and love - I want it all back.
But don't be confused, as I want the notions and motions back, but not again. To reclaim those memories would be akin to plucking the stars from the sky - why? How dark would the night be, absent those specks?
I can't open the doors, write love letters, create proposals, pour coffee, or hang Christmas ornaments until those fluttering moments return. I feel like I have nothing left to give.
What I've learned about:
Our Industry - "...The wise men were all fools, What to do..."
The OEMs have gotten much smaller - no longer controlling demand.
The Future - "...baby, don't you fret, We're livin' in the future, And none of this has happened yet..."
There is a difference between predicting the future and seeing the future.
Love - "...it ought to be easy ought to be simple enough...Man meets woman and they fall in love..."
If it hurts, it is real. Never stop. Leave it all on the field.
The Past - "...everything dies baby, that's a fact..."
You've heard about 'living in the present, not the past or the future' - which is great, but in reality, who isn't living in the present? Extending further, some confuse honoring and remembering the past with living in the past. Not true. On the other side of the mountain, there are those who believe we who recognize the future, are dictating the future. Again, not true.
Friendships - "...Thunder Road me and Billy we'd always sing, Thunder Road, take it all and throw it all away..."
There was a period of time when I didn't really want to know the last name of people in my sphere. I've had so many friends move through, it seemed useless. As I transitioned from obscurity to notoriety, it seemed I picked up more friends - a nice
Promises - "...Tonight we're on our own, Tonight we're all alone..."
I've broken promises. The ripple is telltale. Intentionally breaking a bond is one thing, backing out of a promise or redefining the "SLA" is another. I don't believe broken promises are always the result of bad intent, unfortunately, today, I don't believe in promises. A promise is a prediction, predictions are like forecasts and everyone knows forecasts are never right.
Transformation of a Man - "...Walk like a Man..."
Women, if your man is trying to transform, don't remind him of his past.
Transformation does not have a timeline.
Men, never lie to your significant other. We are wired to lie as a defense mechanism. Work on it. Every time we lie, we take a bit of freedom away from her.
Greg Walters - "...I went out for a ride and I never came back..."
Two ex-wives, two daughters, and one wandering twin flame. According to the astrological realm, my wound is in my first house. This means this time around, I am to live smack dab in the middle of my greatest fears...every day, every second, all my futures, present, and pasts will be in the shadow of loss, rejection, acceptance, and abandonment.
Well, further examination of the interpretation illuminates me as the "Wounded Healer" - which means while I sail my sea of desperation, those around me move through their personal journey, outgrowing their fears and progressing to a higher level of awareness. "I'm here for you" has a significant meaning.
Wow.
"Is a dream a lie, if it doesn't come true, or is it something worse..."
Over the years, I made promises to myself -
"Don't get too involved..."
"Stay on the surface..."
"Everything is temporary..."
"Don't get to know anyone's last name..."
"There is somebody out there who can see you..."
"Believe in deep, passion..."
"Believe there is someone like you..."
...broke them all; can't wait to find more promises...
Click to email me.
Well, this is PRECISELY the situation I find myself in. In a land of fried cheese, beer, and cities named after Indians.
"Sassenach"
Through the hoopla, laughter, and tears, when I look back to 2011, I can't help but shake my head, roll my eyes and ask,
'Change'? Transformation? Both are wonderful but considering either as special is bullshit - everything changes. As you read these words, you're changing this very second - it ain't all that exceptional.
Life moves, not from one disruption to another, but through a constant, four-dimensional flow. Around we go, traveling our path, the ups, and downs, light and dark, we muddle through iterations of the same mistakes.
Looking in my rearview mirror I see a world filled with managed print services, imaging industry shenanigans, and personal moments I might want back - A frustrated me might say,
I want those stage presentations back. Give me the PowerPoint decks, proposals, promises, assessments, opened doors, quotes, and Sunday morning coffee in bed.
The whispers, fires, handshakes, rollouts, client meetings, lunches, 1,000-word blogs, and 2AM sessions - yeah, I want those back, too.
The dead flowers, after parties, airplane trips, bus ride discussions with Leo, and nights on our hands and knees - yeah, I want those too.
The consulting gigs, conversations about the death of paper, print, copiers, and love - I want it all back.
But don't be confused, as I want the notions and motions back, but not again. To reclaim those memories would be akin to plucking the stars from the sky - why? How dark would the night be, absent those specks?
I can't open the doors, write love letters, create proposals, pour coffee, or hang Christmas ornaments until those fluttering moments return. I feel like I have nothing left to give.
What I've learned about:
Our Industry - "...The wise men were all fools, What to do..."
The OEMs have gotten much smaller - no longer controlling demand.
The Future - "...baby, don't you fret, We're livin' in the future, And none of this has happened yet..."
There is a difference between predicting the future and seeing the future.
Love - "...it ought to be easy ought to be simple enough...Man meets woman and they fall in love..."
If it hurts, it is real. Never stop. Leave it all on the field.
The Past - "...everything dies baby, that's a fact..."
You've heard about 'living in the present, not the past or the future' - which is great, but in reality, who isn't living in the present? Extending further, some confuse honoring and remembering the past with living in the past. Not true. On the other side of the mountain, there are those who believe we who recognize the future, are dictating the future. Again, not true.
Friendships - "...Thunder Road me and Billy we'd always sing, Thunder Road, take it all and throw it all away..."
There was a period of time when I didn't really want to know the last name of people in my sphere. I've had so many friends move through, it seemed useless. As I transitioned from obscurity to notoriety, it seemed I picked up more friends - a nice
Promises - "...Tonight we're on our own, Tonight we're all alone..."
I've broken promises. The ripple is telltale. Intentionally breaking a bond is one thing, backing out of a promise or redefining the "SLA" is another. I don't believe broken promises are always the result of bad intent, unfortunately, today, I don't believe in promises. A promise is a prediction, predictions are like forecasts and everyone knows forecasts are never right.
Transformation of a Man - "...Walk like a Man..."
Women, if your man is trying to transform, don't remind him of his past.
Transformation does not have a timeline.
Men, never lie to your significant other. We are wired to lie as a defense mechanism. Work on it. Every time we lie, we take a bit of freedom away from her.
Greg Walters - "...I went out for a ride and I never came back..."
Two ex-wives, two daughters, and one wandering twin flame. According to the astrological realm, my wound is in my first house. This means this time around, I am to live smack dab in the middle of my greatest fears...every day, every second, all my futures, present, and pasts will be in the shadow of loss, rejection, acceptance, and abandonment.
Well, further examination of the interpretation illuminates me as the "Wounded Healer" - which means while I sail my sea of desperation, those around me move through their personal journey, outgrowing their fears and progressing to a higher level of awareness. "I'm here for you" has a significant meaning.
Wow.
"Is a dream a lie, if it doesn't come true, or is it something worse..."
Over the years, I made promises to myself -
"Don't get too involved..."
"Stay on the surface..."
"Everything is temporary..."
"Don't get to know anyone's last name..."
"There is somebody out there who can see you..."
"Believe in deep, passion..."
"Believe there is someone like you..."
...broke them all; can't wait to find more promises...
Click to email me.
No comments:
Post a Comment