This is the end.
The end of our naiveté about just how connected we really are. The end of invincibility and thinking our money, our power, or our status can protect us from everything. This is also the end of some relationships. And most certainly the end of some businesses, some careers, hopes and dreams, and, unfortunately, many lives.
But it’s also the beginning.
Because like every ending, we are also at a beginning. And it’s up to us to determine what it’s the beginning of.
At a global level, I hope it’s the beginning of a real effort to address the health and wellbeing of us all, including our planet. For too long we’ve leveraged time as the solution for our biggest problems. Falsely thinking we have more of it than we have, and, denying how fast things can change, we have kicked the proverbial can down to the end of the road.
At a business level, I hope this is the beginning of new financial responsibility. It’s completely unacceptable that so many incredible entrepreneurs are nearly bankrupt after 5 weeks of lost revenue. Few of us were prepared for the speed or extent of this crisis, nonetheless, that does not excuse the financial mismanagement of our businesses. Our families and our communities rely on us, we can and must do better going forward.
At a personal level, I hope this is the beginning of a new commitment to self-care, self-awareness, and mental and emotional health. Happiness is elusive for too many. All of us must prioritize the productivity of our minds and support one and another in a very transparent fashion.
Do not be sad and anxious, longing for what life once was. Turn the page. Be inspired by what’s possible. We have much work to do.