Welcome to Planet Possibility

So my Father is gonna hate this post ’cause it’s about him.
Well, it’s actually about possibilities.. but he makes a cameo.

“Ladies and Gentlemen… please make welcome to the blogosphere, my dad… Rrrrrron Haaaarper” (announced in a cheesy voice by the guy who does the Las Vegas fights… followed by some polite applause).
I probably shoulda asked him but he woulda said no… and then you would have all missed out on a potentially life-changing five minutes of insight and revelation… and who am I to deprive you of such an opportunity… even if it is at the expense of Harper Senior?
So saddle up Ron, I’m pushing you out onto the blogostage.
(Quick.. fix your hair).

Today I’m gonna take off my Drill Sergeant hat and put on my big brother hat, because I want to encourage you.
No yelling today.
No sarcasm either (phew).
Just some hand holding and gentle coercion.
Doesn’t happen too often, so embrace the moment.

Carpe diem Dudes.

Today I want to encourage you to seriously consider a new world of possibilities.
To think about addressing the things you need to address (changing the things you need to change) by stepping off planet self-imposed-limitation… and onto Planet Possibility.
It’s a fun place; it’s where I live.

Drop over some time.

I want you to stop rationalising, excusing, blaming and waiting.
And I would love for today to be the day.
For you.
Okay, I’m being bossy again.
But in an encouraging kinda way?
Or not.
Sorry, I have the bossy gene.
It’s hereditary.

Ron gave it to me.

A story:
A few years ago my father hung up his corporate boots (retired).
Now apart from the fact that I thought my mother (Mary) may murder him within the first two weeks of him being at home all day, I didn’t know how the old fart would deal with moving from a situation of negotiating and managing massive responsibilities (huge emotional and intellectual stimulation) on a daily basis to…. “maybe I’ll move the couch over there… waddya think Mary?”
(Well not exactly… but you get my point).

So the bloke who had been in charge of multi-million dollar organisations, many staff and daunting commercial responsibilities for years, instantly had an extra twelve hours a day to fill in.
Poor Mary.

So after he’d sprayed the tomatoes, cut the grass, cleaned the car and generally manicured the garden within an inch of it’s life… there wasn’t that much that needed to be done.

While many people anticipate their retirement with much excitement (and make a great success of it), for some, it is the beginning of the end; physically, emotionally, creatively, financially and psychologically.
For some, the day they stop working is the day they stop stimulating their brain and their body; the day they start deteriorating.

It’s amazing how many people get ‘old’ within twelve months of retirement… just like it’s amazing how quickly we lose muscle mass, strength and function (within days) when we don’t use our muscles.
Some seventy year-olds are ‘younger’ than their fifty year-old friends, not because of the number of years they’ve been on the big blue ball but because of their attitude, their choices and their typical behaviour.
Chronologically they’re older but practically and functionally, they’re twenty years younger.

So it was with great delight that my mother informed me that Harper Senior had decided to develop his considerable, but largely ignored, artistic ability.
I say delight for four reasons:

1) It would mean numerous hours of him being occupied.
2) It would provide significant creative and psychological stimulation.
3) It would provide him with a level of personal and emotional satisfaction.
4) It would mean he was out of the house (painting in the garage)!!

As most of you know, I believe it’s imperative for our health that we remain stimulated and challenged (physically, creatively and psychologically) no matter what our age.
When some people retire from work, they also retire their brain and their body.
For people who do this, what invariably follows is physical illness and/or depression.

So anyway back to the story…

The completely untrained would-be artist produced his first work within a week and it was amazingly good.
For someone who had never had an art lesson in his life, it almost defied logic.

When I showed some of my friends his art they thought I was lying to them; they didn’t believe he had done the work.
If I had lessons every day for twenty years, I couldn’t have produced what he did.
So a flame was ignited.
We always knew he had a talent but he had never done anything with it.

While his innate ability is something special, what has interested me more over the last three years is the massive improvement and learning which has taken place within the sixty eight year-old artist (not two things normally associated with people heading into their seventies).
Every week he learns something new.
Every month the quality of his work is improving.
He is getting better.
His skill level is improving dramatically.
He is winning art shows.
People are commissioning him to paint for them.
Freaky.

We’re not talking about patronising some old guy here because he has an interest… “Oh, isn’t it nice to see him out of his wheel chair and enjoying himself.”
No, we’re talking about an amazingly talented individual who is producing some incredible art.
His age is irrelevant… and that is one of the key differences.

Isn’t it fantastic when we see a sixty eight year-old learning, growing, adapting, developing new skills and being stimulated, challenged and excited by a new world of possibilities?
What’s amazing is that he’ll be a better artist when he’s seventy than he is now.. and better again at seventy five.

No, it’s not conventional thinking.. but isn’t it great when we start to find reasons to learn, grow, develop, adapt and change despite our age.
Despite our lack of education.
Despite our personal situation.
Despite our fear
And despite our history.

We (you and I) can learn and grow in any situation or environment if we want it enough.
And isn’t it fantastic when we get a bit excited about what we might be, do and see in our lifetime?
It is for me.

Remember: if you want to create exceptional results then you need to do exceptional things; what most people won’t.
(Not what they can’t.. just what they won’t).

Most people won’t find a way to keep learning, growing and improving; they’ll find a reason to complain, blame, rationalise and give up.
Do nothing.

Is it typical to keep learning, growing and improving as we age?
No.
Wanna be typical?
Me either.
Is it (necessarily) an easy process?
No.
But is it possible?
Very.
Is it rewarding?
Incredibly.

Imagine if we lived in a world where (almost) anything was possible.
A world where we had more talent and ability than we could ever fully use.
A world where you and I could do incredible things every day… if we chose to.
A world where you and I could accomplish more in a month than we’d ever dreamed of achieving in a lifetime.
Despite our age.
Despite our lack of education.
Despite our lack of emotional support.
Despite our crappy childhood.
Despite our numerous issues.
And any other excuse we might like to wheel out.

Well, of course we do live in that world.
But sadly, the majority of us don’t take advantage of it.

So why don’t you come over to my planet… the air’s clear, the birds are singing, every day is a new lesson and a new possibility.
Sure there are a few challenges but the good always outweighs the bad… plus none of those annoying glass-half-empty people live here!

Let me know if you wanna come, I’ll send a cab.

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