Beyond Adventure - Graduation speech 2012 "MOMENTUM"

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(This was my husband's speech tonight at the graduation of the gap-year students of "Beyond adventure" - you might just need this to get your MOMENTUM back!)

Have you ever meditated or thought on the name “Beyond adventure”? Have you started thinking what you will be doing beyond the adventures of 2012? It has surely been a year filled with endless challenges that has pushed you to new limits you didn’t know you had. But again…what next? What lies beyond this adventure? Are you willing to take the momentum of this challenging year and continue to push yourself to do things that seem beyond your capabilities?

Newton’s theory on motion is as follows:

• “An object that is at rest will stay at rest unless an unbalanced force acts upon it.

What does it mean to have momentum? It means that the faster an object moves, the harder it is to stop. You might be able to stop your car rolling on an even road, (because you forgot to put the handbrake on), by standing in front of it and using the force of your muscle strength, but there is no way that you are stopping a guy on a bicycle going down a hill at 70km an hour.

Your power does not lie in your size or how intimidating you’re credentials or even your family history may be.

It is about staying on the move. Constantly evaluating your situation, your thinking patterns and the people you hang out with.

I will explain to you, what I mean when is say: “don’t be a body at rest” – “Keep the momentum”…

Ever since I can remember, I wanted to be a director for film and television. When I hit high school, my uncle at that point was head of the SABC (Wynand Harmse) so I was privileged enough to literally spent my holidays at the SABC roaming the halls and indulging in the behind the scenes creation of the amazing 1980s television era.

After school, I went to University of Cape Town and studied drama, (to the horror of my dad). I took opera lessons form a famous opera star and made my first commercial music album at the age of 21. I worked as a waiter, I did puppet and performance shows on Green Market square, I worked as a radio presenter for Radio 2000, reviewed films for Sterkinekor, had a successful rock band that toured the country with 5FM and other top South African bands.  I worked at a Hydrological Research Laboratory and was offered a full Bio-chemistry scholarship, which I thankfully declined. I Studied law for a very short while, I also went for auditions for every major television series, movie and musical made in this country and made sure I had the best agent. I played in TV commercials and series like “Agter Elke Man” and  “Sonkring”, before I had left school and later landed roles in Egoli, Generations, Suburban Bliss, and many more. I also had assistant lead role in a French television series called “Due South”, and played in many TV commercials. A talent scout had organized to fly me to England for a meeting with Virgin Records for a record deal, before I was 23, but I gave up the opportunity for a more romantic one…my wife. At that point I was a regular lead-performer and actor in the top musicals performing at some of our countries major theaters.

I then went on to study Film & Broadcast Design as well as, marketing, and started working for a UK advertising agency during which I proposed to my wife (to the horror of my now Father - in-law – he is a medical Dr.) He advised my wife not to reconsider marrying me because I was a “dreamer”.

Ironically it is the dreamer in me that has lead me to many of my successes to date.

Soon after, I had a rare opportunity to join the then top advertising agency in South Africa, FCB Lindsay Smithers in Sandton. Their New York office bills in one month what the entire advertising industry of South Africa bills in a year!

After the first 2 weeks of starting there, I got my first promotion. One year later I was made a Manager and 2 years after I started there, I was asked to start up a new division for the group in Cape Town, and so became the youngest Managing Director that FCB had ever employed.

2 years later, after I successfully built up and established the Cape Town division with an amazing team, I got tired of making money for other people and decided to start my own company called Eclipse Media. I got a capital investment company to back me financially and got the guy who started Kalahari.net to join me. I got some of the advertising and design industries best people to join us, and the industry took serious note of our company,even before we officially opened our doors. I was 26 years old at this point in time.

After 4 months of giving it all I had, the investment company that backed us was liquidated because of fraudulent deals on their part adding up to billions of Rands, and our little company, in the trendy loft apartment office, situated in the heart of Cape Town died over night.

My wife Zania often says that she has no idea how I managed to pull myself together without shedding a single tear or showing any sign of self-pity. I re-opened the company (now called ORIJIN), with new investors a mere 2 weeks after this event.

I just don’t understand why people take so much time licking their wounds when the whole world is out their waiting for the next great idea or opportunity.

Today, ORIJIN is a fully-fledged broadcast design and production company responsible for designing most of the tv channels on DSTV such as Supersport, MNET, Movies, MK, Kyknet, Series as well as a variety of international channels like BBC, HBO, Disney Europe and also 2 partnered feature Films. Funny how this giant was born out of the ruins of a failed first try (12 years ago). We started with 6 members and grew to a team of 62 with offices in JHB and Cape Town and representation in Europe and America. With an Emmy nomination and winning more than 100 various local and international television and advertising awards. 2 Years ago in NY, Orijin was ranked as one of the top international broadcast design companies in the world.

Over the past 3 to 4 years whilst leading Orijin, I also recorded my second commercial music album, because despite all my successes, music is still my passion, and I also took up studying again - a BA degree in ministry, before God called me, to bring my secular experiences and lead a change in Christian TV.

I have traveled many times to America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. I sailed on a yacht through the Indian ocean, trekked through the African continent, walked the red carpet in Hollywood, skied down snowy mountains in 5 different countries, drank Campaign underneath the Eiffel tower and climbed up the Great Pyramids.

Today I am in my late 30s and everything I had ever done so far has culminated in what makes me “Me”. To do what I do today, I needed to understand acting, to direct actors, music and the integration of design in and with motion picture. Nothing I ever did was a waste of my time. It made me who I am. Even waitering will teach you a level of humility, which few people will ever understand. The best part of giving you this “toilet-roll” rundown of a part of my life is that it might sound like a lifetimes worth of adventures but I can honestly tell you that I see myself as standing on the starting line of my career, the beginning of great things to come. I don’t dwell on the past, and I don’t feel that I have by any means “arrived” now or at any point before…

What is my secret? Or rather what has worked for me?

Discover what brings momentum to your life and never loose your speed. Don’t dwell on your losses, and never under-estimate the power of being a dreamer. You might start as a so-called dreamer, but you will end up being remembered as a visionary.

Do you have momentum in life or are you "a body at rest"? What are you actively doing to discover what you enjoy and what you are good at?

Michael Dell, founder of Dell Computers, started his company with $1,000 and the idea to sell computers directly to customers. Dell says there’s not much to learn from success.

Here’s the gem guys - “Don’t spend so much time trying to choose the perfect opportunity, that you miss the right opportunity. Recognize that there will be failures, and acknowledge that there will be obstacles. But you will learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others, for there is very little learning in success.”

There’s a saying that sums up how life can be perceived sometimes: “Good judgement comes from experience, Experience comes from bad judgement.” 

The powers that stand against your momentum in life are:

1.   Fear

2.   Lowering our standards

3.   Giving in to our perceived circumstances

4.   Laziness

5.   Procrastination – (the putting off of things that needs to get done.)

Step up and be clear on what you want! The faster an object is moving, the harder it is to stop.

Life is about momentum, not about motions!

Don’t accept your physical environment as the definition of how you are going to live your life.

You need to stand still and truly contemplate “resolutions” to better your life – a resolution is a true resolve to a matter. It means cutting off all possibility of going back on your decision or your old way of doing things. A resolution is not expressing your desire with no plan, no action, and ultimately no follow through. You have to have enough reasons to follow through.

1.   Get clear

2.   Get focused

3.   Make the changes you want, in order to make the outcome an absolute must to achieve.

4.   Get a proven plan

5.   Find a role model

Where focus goes, energy flows. If all you ever focus on is your losses, then you will inevitably become a loser.

Know what you want.

1.   Don’t just do what you have done in the past.

2.   Don’t repeat the sins of your fathers and grandfathers.

3.   Don’t believe that the family you where born into will be the measure with which God molded you.

Genetics does not mold us. Life and Life experience does, Faith in God, the studying of His Word, and the operation of the Holy Spirit in us, is what molds us.

Proverbs 26:14 (AMP)

As the door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man [move not from his place] upon his bed.

Proverbs 24 (AMP)

³⁰ I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;

³¹ And, behold, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles were covering its face, and its stone wall was broken down.

³² Then I beheld and considered it well; I looked and received instruction.

³³ Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—

³⁴ So shall your poverty come as a robber, and your want as an armed man.

Kevin Spacey once said:

“A lot of young people meander around and they have no idea what they are doing. To want to be successful is not enough – That is just desire.

You have to:

1.   KNOW what you want

2.   UNDERSTAND why you are doing it

3.   and DEDICATE every breath in your body to achieve it.

If you feel that you have something to give, if you feel that your particular talent is worth developing, is worth caring for, then there is nothing that you could not achieve.”

Creating momentum in your life takes increasing the things that move you forward and decreasing those that hold you back. I know that living a life that we desire is not always easy to achieve. We have ‘habits’ and ‘repeat cycles’ to overcome. But by creating momentum, we can move past those and move toward the life we want.

Momentum, by its nature, requires a lot of upfront push to get the ball rolling. Here are some tips I found to jumpstart the momentum in your life:

1.   Create your picture of success and make it a reality. If you can’t see your vision of success, you’ll never get there.

2.   Know what you love and do what you love. If you hate your job, get a new one. Go to school and learn a new profession. Start that business you’ve always dreamed of. Pick up that crazy hobby you’ve been thinking about.

3.   Eliminate your energy drains and recharge yourself. Energy drains are those things that drag you down. Things that recharge your energy can be anything that inspires you and puts you in a good mood, like a place to relax, an activity, or a person.

4.   Remove your fears. The greatest source of procrastination is often a deep-seeded fear – fear of success, change, failure, ridicule and the unknown.

5.   Create a “braintrust”. Identify a handful of people in your life who can help you move your life forward. Consider pulling from a wide range of backgrounds, ages, experience and opinions. Sometimes those who are most critical provide the best insights.

6.   Find the time. Be creative and find the time to do what you love to do, instead of what you have to do.

7.   Let things evolve. When the flywheel of momentum starts to turn, pay attention to clues, connections, and opportunities that are presented to you.

8.   Commit to your dreams. Creating momentum starts with commitment.

Momentum is more than just moving. Momentum is a mental shift. It’s a gratifying sense of progression that gives your life stamina, inspiration, joy and that push you need! When it’s working, elusive or not, momentum can be an amazing and abundant force for change in your life. How do we get the momentum we need for change that lasts, that inspires and that infuses every day with purpose?

“Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.

  

Hubby a few years back in New York