I’m far from a property expert. But loved this chat with good mate Michael Killiner on the Backyard Property Podcast. Ironically, we barely spoke about was property. And instead, we relived old rugby stories, talked about where R4R is going, and opened up about mental health.
Inspired by an Arsehole
Tomorrow I’m giving a talk to the year 12 students at my old school, and I’m still figuring out exactly what to say.
They’ve just finished their trial exams, which probably means they’re stressed about their marks and what it means for their future.
So I’m definitely not going to stand up there and pretend to be some great role model when it comes to studying. Or tell them they just need to dig deep and "try harder."
But if there’s one thing I have done well that I can share is that I've always followed my passions.
First with rugby, then The Dock, Alfred, R4R and now my talks.
So probably the biggest lesson I’ll try to get across (aside from reminding them they’re more than their marks) is that “passion makes long-term effort sustainable.”
And by that I mean that when you love your work, it gives you meaning, which gives you a reason to keep going. Especially when things get hard.
Dad loves doing genetic research and used to say, “Ben, if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life". Which stuck with me as the idea of never working sounded great!
But the first person (a part from Dad) I saw who lived that out was Apple founder Steve Jobs.
I’ve shared a few of his quotes here over the years, as his thinking on passion and doing work that matters has had a big impact on me.
But here’s where I'm torn... the guy was also a massive arsehole.
By all accounts he could be cruel, stubborn, obsessive, and just generally hard to work with. Not exactly the role model you’d put on a poster in a school hallway.
He also died relatively young (at 60), long before he could truly enjoy the fruits of his work in part because he ignored doctor's advice to operate when he was first diagnosed with cancer. And by the time he did have surgery, the cancer had spread.
There's also plenty of rumours that the intense work stress he put himself under building Apple and Pixar may have contributed to him getting sick in the first place.
So now I’m wondering... do I still bring him up in my talk tomorrow?
And is it OK to be inspired by someone who has great ideas... even if they aren't a good person?
Or maybe the lesson here is that ideas matter, even if the people behind them is flawed?
I think it is possible to do two things at once. It is a lesson in itself that having great ideas does not equal being a great person. Life is more complicated than that. By all means encourage people to have ideas and to pursue dreams, but remember there is more to being a great person than that. Lifelong friendships are much more about who you are and how you treat others. If I had to choose, I would rather be thought of as a great person that someone who had great ideas. They are not mutually incompatible though.
Hi Ben. No conflict at all. The message here is that things and people are not black and white. I believe that there is good in everyone. It is just that we are wired differently. We need to celebrate the clever people for what they contribute to our world. Many do not have insight into their own behaviour. It seems to come with the territory, a lot of the time. It does not mean that we need to be like them. It seems there are arseholes everywhere, but I also believe that many of them have redeemable (human) qualities. Some of us gain insight as we mature and experience "life". For others, it seems that it is not a priority. It is for each person to find their own pathway but kindness and compassion certainly have an important place in a difficult world.