Finding The Courage To Rebuild

Finding The Courage to Rebuild

By Mark Wager

This last week has been tough for everyone in Fiji. I was in Fiji myself when the cyclone hit. I had just finished delivering a leadership training programme to a group of companies and individuals and had decided to stay a few extra days to enjoy a relaxing holiday in Fiji and then quite unexpectedly the cyclone warning came and flights were cancelled. The next thing I knew is that we were being hit by cyclone Winston. We've all seen the pictures. Many people have been impacted and if you are one of those people whose business has been impacted and you are facing the harsh reality that you have to rebuild your business under such challenging circumstances, then this article is for you.

I know the pain you are going through. All the time and energy you have spent for so long building your dream business is now in pieces. You may consider yourself a failure and you are questioning yourself whether you have the drive, the motivation or the passion to rebuild. Well! I'm here to answer that question. Yes! you do and not only can you rebuild but you will rebuild better than before and not only that, but this moment in your life will define you and it's in this moment that you will meet the real version of yourself. The version that doesn't give up and will rebuild your business.

During this rebuild period you will have several significant advantages, the first is that you've done it before. You've already built this business and that was when you were younger and had no experience. Just imagine everything you've learnt since then and now all that experience and knowledge will go into your new business and not only that but this time you won't make the same mistakes you made the last time because you are a better businessman now than you were then. Secondly there's more at stake. This time it's about your legacy and leadership is all about legacy. You remember the feeling you had the first time you built your business, the pride you felt? Well! just imagine how much pride you will feel when you show the world the courage not only to build one business but to build up two, now that is how to create a legacy.

In the business world there are many examples of businessmen who have had to overcome the odds and rebuild and when they rebuilt they did so armed with all the knowledge and experience that one can only find when discovering the courage to rebuild. With this courage they built something far greater than they ever achieved before.

Donald Trump has had to rebuild several times. In fact, Donald Trump has been declared bankrupt four times. Some people dislike him and some love him but you can't ignore the impact he has had on the business world. Each and every time he has come back stronger than before and today is currently the leading Republican candidate for President of the United States.

"Sometimes by losing a battle you find a new way to win the war." - Donald Trump

Steve Jobs was thirty years old when he was removed from his job at Apple, a company he had built himself. He had to overcome depression and self-doubt but he found the courage to rebuild and when he was asked to rejoin Apple he turned them into one of the world’s most profitable companies and was behind the inventions that have transformed the world. If he didn't find the courage would we ever have had the iPhone and the iPad?

"Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow know what you truly want to become" - Steve Jobs

Henry Ford is well known for creating the Ford Motor company but not so well known is that Henry Ford had twice before started automotive companies that both failed and left him broke. Yet he found the courage to rebuild and when he did he changed the industrial world by creating automobiles that were within the economic reach of the average household.

"Whether you think you can or think you can't you're right" - Henry Ford

Richard Branson is one of the world’s most famous and successful businessmen and his business career is perceived as a great success with Virgin records and Virgin airways and are both recognised as a worldwide brands yet Richard Branson has also suffered some high profile failures with his forays in the soft drinks industry with Virgin Cola and the spirits industry with Virgin Vodka being complete failures. but he always found the courage to continue.

"If you don't learn to walk by following rules, you learn by doing and falling over." - Richard Branson

If any of these people didn't find the courage to rebuild, the world would be a very different place. The question you should ask yourself shouldn't be whether you should rebuild but instead you should ask yourself how can you not rebuild. You have been given a wonderful opportunity to rebuild again and this time better than ever before. That is your legacy.

About the Author

Mark Wager is an International Leadership Coach who visits businesses in the Asia-Pacific region, including Fiji in order to deliver leadership training and team building. A specialist in creating winning team cultures Mark can be contacted via the enquiry form below.

Image courtesy of renjith krishnan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net