And there came a day when we were told we had to stop. And I didn’t stop. I remembered a conversation with a client* who shared with me one of his references in difficult times. He told me that, in a car racing film, the champion saw an accident race offer him opportunities. I didn’t want them, but I couldn’t do anything to avoid them either, so I kept going.
Leaving aside the personal drama that we obviously don’t want to happen to anyone, the reflection comes from the analysis of the attitude of the one who managed to win the race: he had observed that when an accident occurred, the rest of the runners used to loosen their speed. He concentrated on not reducing his and if he could even accelerate. Just by addition-subtraction effect, he got an advantage. And that advantage led to victory.
*Thank you Lluís for your conversations beyond projects.
It’s not opportunism, it’s an opportunity. It is not to take advantage of the misfortunes of others, it is to look forward when stopping doing is not a benefit to anyone. It’s opening windows when the doors close us. It is to think beyond today, it is to think that tomorrow will never be like yesterday, it is the obligation to reinvent ourselves when the rules of the game change us, it is to translate the word crisis well.
We are in times of adaptation and already said someone who knew that: A man who allows himself to waste an hour of his time has not discovered the value of life (Charles Darwin). And that’s what it’s about, to keep living. Keep going when everything seems stopped, keep pressing the throttle when the flames are all around us. Madness? Call it FOCUS.
Anyone who has a business in hand has once said that he lacks time to do everything the company requires. Some businesses can’t continue with the usual tasks, but it doesn’t mean they can afford to stand.
And now think, what are you doing?
The race will win those who see that this crisis is a gift in the form of time.
Time to re-read and reflect on the classics: How foolish is the man who lets time pass away sterilely (Goethe). Time to keep going. Maybe without customers, but on the move.
It’s time to adjust the nuts, tune strategies, take momentum. The countdown to D-Day begins, the new day we’ll have no time again.
