When my dad was 29 he had been married for 4 years and a father to me for 2 years. He owned and ran his own business for 5 years. He had his own house and a car (Mercedes no less). And he was to become a father again very shortly to my younger brother. My father had arrive in the UK with nothing more than instructions to work to feed his family at the age of 16.
Looking even further back... When my Grandfather was 29 he had already been a father 3 times over. He had left his native home and travelled by boat for a month in order to reach England where he had to find his way to his friend in Jersey. He could not speak English and there were no mobile phones. When he was 29 he was in a business partnership with his friends and they owned 3 businesses and my grandfather also had his own business too.
From feeling a sense of success I look back and I feel humbled and an underachiever. If I go forward another 29 years.... my grandfather at the age of 58 had been a grandfather 9 times over. He was already close to retiring and he has established a steady income from rent for life. He goes about his day doing gardening, playin mah jong and visiting family and friends.
My father... he is only 56 so has another 2 years before living the second 29 year cycle, semi retired when he was 48. He afforded private education for both my brother and I. He has owned 14 Mercedes Benz only one of which was second hand. He has properties in London, HK, China, Macau and Taiwan. His elder son has a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree and works in a software company. His younger son owns his own business thanks to financial backing from our parents. My father has finished the mortgage on our 5 bedroom house worth over £500k....
The question I wonder is how far will I get in life after another 29 years. I have been brought up around success. Yet what can I demonstrate as success of my own?
Even my mum's youngest brother is demonstrating extraordinary achievement and success and he is only 40. I can remember when he was 29 and was merely working as a consultant at DataMonitor in London. He had been married for a couple of years, he was a father, and he had finished his Ph.D. not long ago. 11 years later he is the CEO of a £75million pharmaceutical company who has just bought out the company he used to work for and is now the boss of his previous employer....
I still have my chances and to be perfectly honest, I am well within my capabilities to exceed those around me. I just need to drive myself and make it happen.... which leads me onto Patience..
Patience. It is something our parents and our grandparents have. It is also the reason they have been so successful. Yes, the era we live in is faster paced with technology aiding the speed of business exponetially. But at all times, we need to be patient. Nothing happens overnight and everything takes time. Time which we, the next generation, do not have. We want things done yesterday. We EXPECT money to fall from trees. The reality is I have been very fortunate to come from a family whose success has brought wealth. I could be a lazy bastard and not work for the rest of my life and I would not starve. But I choose to earn my crust. It's my life and I am in control of it. But within that control, time is something I have not grasped until recently. At 29 years of age, I own my own car, a house and a flat. I still live with my parents as a means of reducing costs and I spend my money on crap most of the time... but recently I have improved. Firstly I have stopped smoking. and secondly I am not spending money on my girlfriend!
If I had been patient 10 years ago and taken my time, worked my way up in a steady job, I would probably be on £50-60K per annum as opposed to £20-30K I am on now! I would be living in my own house and possibly renting out a second too. In fact I would probably be in a better postion than I am in now! But alas I had no patience and I had my fun instead. I do not regret what I have done, but I know what I should have done and what I would do if I could do it again. In this day and age the reason why more and more of our generation are living at home is because we are immature. We have not grown up into real men. We talk as though we know the world, but at 20 years of age it's better to listen and take note of what people say. Work hard and you will be rewarded. Take on responsibility early and you will grow. Be patient and everything you want will become yours... money, house, car and family...
Family... yesterday my friend became a father for the first time. He is 30 years old and yesterday he lost 18 years of his life. He will probably go on to lose a few more years once a second child arrives, but he has to take responsibility now and for the rest of his life.
His baby son, Ethan, appeared in our world at 11.15am Tuesday 30th January 2007, weighing in at 8lbs 13oz. I saw him earlier tody and he was a fit and healthy baby. And in 18 years time he will be as big as me....
Time is passing us by. I have 29 years to match my father's achievements as well as my grandfathers. I have 29 years to become a father and raise children of my own. 29 years is a long time to me as it is my entire lifetime right now. But after 29 more years will I get another 29? Will I reach 87 years old? It's time to make things count and do things that matter. But I have to know that this will take time and more importantly patience... good things will come to those who wait.
I am waiting..... but helping things along with a little push! ;)
