Thomas Dreller's Virtueller Lebensraum

One of the things I learned a long time ago is to celebrate every single success. No matter how small the step, it’s one more step towards your objective. An example: Tonight I decided to run a 10k – spontaneously, just for fun, unintended. I had originally planned this milestone event for September, but I have some very good excuses for the delay. And despite the lack of training I thought tonight would be a good night and Sao Paulo is an attractive venue anyway. So what the heck.

Some 40 minutes later I was a bit disappointed at first, but while thinking about the result the analytic brains came to rescue. Compared to my last 10k,

• My time increased by a little less than 40%,
• My weight increased by nearly 75%,
• My age increased by 175%.

So taking these environmental conditions into account I feel I’ve achieved a terrific result. Actually I think I’ve done much better than last time. I’m also sure to be able to improve the result – was too dehydrated today. Though not sure if I’ll ever get to the sub-30 again, we’ll see.

But my key message here is about motivation: Nobody asked me to do this, there’s no incentive for doing it, and no reward for the result. It’s just me, wanting to do it. Or, as Ayrton Senna had conveyed it 1988: Success, it’s a mind game.

Maybe I’m really starting to get old now ….

“The biggest risk is the question you forgot to ask, because the danger is always something you don’t know.” (Wilbur Ross)

Having all the answers definitely doesn’t mean that you understand the subject matter. It only means that you haven’t been looking hard enough for people asking the right questions. Try again, fail better.

“This country doesn’t avoid problems. It solves them.” (Warren Buffett)

Sure, you have to pick your fights,but you also have to know what you stand for. And instead of looking backwards, and grieve, it seems to make much more sense ‘to boldly go where no one has gone before’.

“If you want anything said, ask a man; if you want anything done, ask a woman.” (The Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven, a.k.a. TINA)

Being in business since three decades for getting things done I think I should have a word with The Right Honoureable. But the fact that I hesitate to gout on a limb does not prove her wrong. Especially not when observing the typical American loudmouth sales executive in action. By and large her point is well taken.

“Great feedback from the sales force on loss reports: We don’t suffer any losses. We only see postponed wins, or disengaged opportunities.” (Jeffrey Kahn).

“Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.” (Douglas Adams)

"There's one thing you're expected to do when you're in command: Command."(Admiral Chester Nimitz's advice to Admiral William Halsey) Had to think a lot about this quote when a friend provided me with feedback on my directs: "These are the people you want go to war with ..." Problem is that I am at war, since several years. Maybe I should demote myself, to Rear Admiral. "The horror. The horror." (Captain Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness)

“Market risk can hurt you, but liquidity risk can kill you.” (Rob Goldstein, BlackRock Solutions)

"Ale to the Chief" (Offshore Ale in Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard, today) I love America's spirit :-) "Live is simple. Sleep. Eat. Have fun." (On a t-shirt in my gym, yesterday). Yeah, as long as one doesn't deal with humans, or other strangely behaving alien creatures. Hale to the Master Chief.

Enlightening