Written by: Robin Currie
The end of a calendar year is always a time for deep reflection, at least for me. After a grueling nearly 200 days on the road as a travelling consultant, it’s been a time to rest, catch up with my beloved family and friends, and contemplate what I’ve learned. In organizing my thoughts, I came across my year-end 2019 thoughts. It’s truly remarkable, yet eerie to remember what I was thinking at that moment. Some clients call me psychic, visionary, and a little eccentric–all are fitting.
As I wrapped up the 2019 Currie Leadership Model, the annual book exchange was incredibly telling of where we are as equipment distribution companies, and what was on the minds of the management team. Here’s the 2019 Reading List.
Now here’s a blast from the past and an exact copy and paste of what I wrote that day, in January of 2020. After this blog was posted, a stream of bizarre and devastating world events ensued, including the rise of the Black Lives Matters movement; the Covid-19 pandemic which killed millions of people; and the dramatic increase of politically motivated divisions in our own country. Although my 2020 mantra had been “peace”, we experienced anything but. As the pandemic led to national shut-downs of schools and businesses, people died, families were divided and companies closed their doors forever.
Here are my 2019 musings:
“I almost hate to see 2019 end—it was a fantastic year. The keywords for Currie have been growth, resilience, breakthroughs, and prosperity. With great excitement, we witnessed these things occur for nearly all of our dealer clients. You’ve heard it said: “Count Your Blessings”? This phrase comes to mind when I reflect on 2019, and all that it brought to us–and the words within sparked some introspection.
“The phrase originates from a hymn, written in 1897 by Johnson Oatman, Jr. It is a song of praise and gratitude. And though this piece was created for the purpose of Christian worship, the mindset of being “surprised” by good things made for an interesting connection. I’m discovering that many people live in a state of conflict over the subject of abundance. One foot is firmly rooted in a paradigm of ambition, hard work, the fulfillment of dreams, and the creation of a joyful life, as considered honorable by many faith groups. Yet, for so many of us, there is a tension. Some straddle the line, and lean towards where humility and meekness fall, as also so commanded. This represents another manifestation of the natural paradigm of humanity. The philosophical thinking pattern emerges as a question of worthiness. And this reminds me of a teaching that my father, Bob Currie, always repeats: “never forget to give to those who are considered undeserving”. The season of giving has the Currie family returning to this practice of recognizing societal stigmas and thus releasing judgement. The consideration of worthiness would have us withholding true charity, and true compassion from those who need it most. If we ascribe to the belief that all are worthy, that, then, would include each of us specifically—you, and me. I mention this because in my executive coaching practice, I see many professionals struggle with a deep conditioning of doubt when it comes to evaluating worth. This, indeed, presents as an obstacle to success.
“Whatever your faith, belief system, or paradigm, let us enter into 2020 with the same momentum, the same spirit of accomplishment, and the same strength of conviction. And, in doing so, let us acknowledge the countless ways that we can extend that joy and excellence to those who surround us and look to us as leaders. Let us remove obstacles and teach success for everyone. In my research of the statement: “Count your blessings”, I also learned that the faithful Jewish offer 100 blessings per day to God. This is closely connected to a verse in the book of Deuteronomy that presents the exponential power of gifts from God to humanity as exceeding 100 times that which we humans offer to Him. This piece was not meant to be about religion, but rather a remembrance of good things, and the expectation of more to come. I hope that resonates for you.
“Our mantra for 2020: Peace”