Take a break to celebrate

Well, it seems that we’ve almost come to the end of another year. I’m sure you’ll agree that 2016 just raced by!

Do you ever wonder, like me, why the years appear to go by faster as you get older? I’m sure you do; no one’s immune from that feeling.

I did a little research, courtesy of Google, and found that a certain Phil Yaffe in Belgium offers a good explanation. It’s all to do with ‘anticipation’ and ‘retrospection’.

No matter what lives we lead, we all anticipate things important to us. Then afterwards, we look back.

Think how, as children, we all looked forward to Christmas and Santa, and thought the day would never come! Growing up through those school years there is excruciating anticipation for many significant events.

The same goes for the transition into adulthood – that first love, the big job promotion, marriage, first house (if you can afford one!) – the milestones often seem impossibly distant, yet once achieved, they quickly recede into memory.

The older you get, the more milestones to reflect on, and the farther and faster they appear to recede. As Yaffe points out, “the clock may seem to have stopped, but the calendar always continues racing ahead”.

Which is perhaps why the years go by so fast for ageing business owners – so many milestones to look back on, but increasingly fewer to look ahead to.

I think at this time of year it’s especially good to take some time out and just reflect on your past business milestones and successes. Sure, in all likelihood there will have been some nasty, tough calls – who could forget those? Better to remember and celebrate the wins – those special moments when you achieved what you set out to do.

In our cover story this month, that’s exactly what Compass Communications’ CEO Karim Hussona does – he reflects on a remarkable business journey filled with great achievements.

As we anticipate 2017 and all that it promises, remember to take a break and celebrate the special moments from 2016.

Merry Christmas everyone!