Hitting the half century is a big milestone for many and it forces a period of reflection for me. What is my greatest achievement in the past fifty years as I celebrate my birthday? Quite simply, raising a family.
At the same time as trying to provide others with the opportunity to explore purpose, progress and fulfil potential, we have been raising our family somewhat unconventionally. It’s not about being different for different’s sake – that has never been my motivation, it’s more that I wanted to redirect the course that others in my family have walked before me.
I wasn’t interested in entrepreneurship just as a means to get rich, I wanted to build a brand that would stand the test of time, our family name. As a brand marketer, for me, the most important brand is a name and what it stands for. Living up to a family name can indeed be hard when someone before you has been quite successful, but that shouldn’t be your focus.
Your name has a meaning, and in many cultures, names are given as a promise of the future.
My name is Darrell, which means beloved. I used to hate the name as it seemed odd. Then the film D.A.R.Y.L came out about a boy who is a robot (Data-Analyzing Robot Youth Life-form) and I started to warm up to my name. Ironically, my life has been far from robotic!
Now the word beloved means being deeply loved, and while I am not asking you to love me deeply, I do look to help others so that they feel loved. Have I got it right? I am sure there are a few out there who didn’t get what I was trying to do, but on the whole, as I scroll through my birthday messages in my social feeds it looks as if I might have got it more right than wrong.
Another reassurance for me is that one of the qualities I see in our children is the way that they love to engage with people. They don’t seem so intimidated by age, experience or title, they see people as humans first.
Conversely, early on in my life, I bought into the “title chase” until, at 27, I quit that game. I didn’t want to build a life around a title and fall prey to impostor syndrome. Then I discovered that pursuing purpose enabled me to avoid the title race!
However, whenever I’ve felt slightly off, misaligned or frustrated, I’ve found myself getting caught up in comparison again and thinking I should be retired on a beach sipping pineapple juice. Then I get a grip and I go again! The funny thing is, a strong desire to serve others will always bring with it an opportunity to help and that pursuit of purpose will pervade everything you do. Purpose removes the need to compete and focuses on completing the lives of others.
I’ve found that some people don’t want help and aren’t willing to invest in their vision, but you can’t take the world on at the cheapest price, and neither can you have all the rewards for none of the risks. Other people are willing to invest in their vision rather than expecting me to do it for them. Others simply need a hand up, they need me to invest in their vision to simply get them started.
I love to help people to fulfil their vision and to work with those who want to invest to be the best.
On the edge of the £2 coin is the inscription, ‘Standing on the shoulder of giants’
From the Royal Mint…
The design on the reverse of the £2 coin traces the story of technological development with four concentric circles representing from inner to outer, the Iron Age, the Industrial Revolution, the Computer Age and the Internet.
The inscription complements this theme, being taken from a letter written in 1676 by Sir Isaac Newton to his fellow scientist Robert Hooke, acknowledging the debt he owed to other scientists: ’if I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants’.
This quotation, stressing that today’s achievements would not be possible without the discoveries of the past, was felt to sum up the spirit of the reverse design. Since Sir Isaac Newton was himself Master of the Royal Mint, from 1699 to 1727, the choice of the quotation seemed particularly appropriate.
I am no scientist, but I have learnt a few things about purpose and telling stories. Now, I help others achieve their dreams and elevate their story and if I can inspire a few people each day to take brave steps and walk a few miles with them on the journey then I believe I am living right.
Next month, I’m going to begin writing my next book, following on from The Crisis Catalyst, and while the title hasn’t yet been crystallised, the outline is down. The premise of the book is how to live life as a bridge, making a connection between two worlds, and then helping people over it. At Holy Week, with Easter upon us, I’m thinking about someone who did just that.
“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13 NLT
Jesus died and created a bridge between this world and the next and still represents my greatest role model. At times, I have felt beaten and bruised on this journey but, thankfully, there has always been the joy of resurrection and faith has carried us through.
As I headed to London on the day of my birthday, we talked about how, over the next decade, our children will leave home, get married, have children of their own and start a new generation of entrepreneurship. I realised that all I want from them is to remain their beloved Dad and leave them a legacy of peace, hope and joy.
So, all that said, I hope you enjoyed your Easter Break!
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