If not Now then When?

The second quarter of 2019 is already here and as I was looking back at the year so far, a thought occurred…..why is the New Year the start of a journey towards a ‘new and improved’ version of anything? On January 1st resolutions are written, determination strengthened, promises made, new budgets allocated – each with the intent of making positive improvements to what already exists.

But why look for external factors to ‘reset’ ourselves and start afresh? Why not instead focus on doing things 'Now'? If, each day, we work harder than we have the day before, we will move forward. Looking back, we’d see a long journey of consistent improvement and growth. In reality there is no such thing as the ‘perfect moment’. As human beings, we are programmed to resist change and this is what needs to be challenged on a consistent basis.

What does it take to keep moving forward? I have always believed in getting the foundations right first. Once this is done everything automatically falls into place. Equally important is to stay task oriented and focused on the present moment. While one cannot dismiss the past, it is imperative to learn our lessons from it quickly and continue marching ahead.

During my tenure as CEO of Scientechnic, I’ve been in several situations that have demanded immediate change, without the luxury of waiting for anything and sometimes, anyone. The focus is on implementing what is right for the business and reaping the benefits earlier rather than later.

This ability to bring about change differs from person to person. Some are aggressive while some, calculated and patient. I believe being a combination of both is important, having patience to ensure that strategic analysis is carried out, then implement the next steps and actions swiftly, thereby balancing the two.

One mistake businesses often make is that when they find something is not working out, they give the task or process several ‘second chances’ - always hoping for a turnaround. Sometimes it is better to be decisive to avoid feeding a problem and watch it grow with every passing day. The best parallel I can draw is to ones’ health. If a small symptom is not treated in time, it could lead to something fatal. The human body is a machine that needs regular maintenance, hence the emphasis on routine check-ups and integrating a healthy diet and moderate exercise into ones’ daily routine. That holds true for almost everything, be it proactively preparing solutions for potential problems, or carrying out preventive maintenance to prevent equipment breakdown, to restructuring in your organization even when times are good (one great example for this is Siemens AG and the continuous improvements they bring about towards their organization on a yearly basis).

I would like to leave you with the following thought: there is no such thing as a ‘perfect moment’ to get started on something – instead, every moment should be seen as the ‘perfect moment’ and in my vocabulary that moment is always ‘Now’.