This Year Has 11 Months, From Alf Orpen

Many years ago a friend of mine Miyaki-san said to me there are 11 months to each year, and that the so-called 12th month is really a time to plan for the next year! I took that advice straight to heart and as it was December I began outlining my objectives for the next year.

The results for that following year were so close to what I had designed, that I have continued this practice ever since with results that always reflect a striking resemblance between the years outcome and my formative plans – what is also so remarkable is that the more I place a reality-check on my plan, without being limiting, the more precise it has been. I am not suggesting that I have perfected this process by any stretch of the imagination, in fact, I am still learning. What is clear to me however is that there is a process to creating an outcome and one important aspect is planning, or as I like to call it “designing”.

One of my loves is the etymology of words, that is; the root word as well as its original intended meaning. The word design is taken from the Latin root prefix “de” meaning form, from or about, and “sign” from signare meaning a mark or sign (as in signature). That is: a true design must have ones form or signature on it. After all a design does require a designer. The point here is that for any plan (design) to work, it must have your signature (your nature) on it. That is, it must come from you, if it is to work for you.

The design dictum states: “One does not plan and then try to make the circumstances fit those plans, one makes plans to fit the circumstances.In other words, don’t force anything – check the lay of the land and plan accordingly. One of the most important aspects of planning is the budget. In today’s society the most important things for us to budget are our time & money. It is clear from my personal experience that this is the stumbling point for many people, in most cases over-stretching both in the usage of time & money end up causing suffering of one kind or another. So what’s a budget? Simply put (and that’s always the best place to start: simplicity)it is the “reality check” aspect I mentioned above and from one dictionary definition it is “an itemised allotment of funds, time, etc., for a given period”.

What are your circumstances? How much time will reality allow you to grow your enterprise? How much money will reality allow you to grow your enterprise? Once you have ascertained the answers to those fundamental questions, the rest is quite simple (no one is saying “easy”). Just go for it. One step at a time, persistently, resting when necessary and applying yourself when necessary. As one person once wisely put it, business is a long-distance run and not a sprint. The balance of non-self-limiting planning and reality-check budgeting are indeed to borrow a principle; two sails of the same ship. Wishing you all a splendid 2008, full of enjoyment in your relationships and success in your business!

With Warm Regards,
Alf Orpen
ONE Group Founding Director
(This article is from the Dec. 2007 Representative Newsletter)