Oh, the Places We’ve Been!

It is that time of year again – holidays, end-of-year, family gatherings, business reflection and planning. It is a time of convergence, a time when generosity, winding-down and looking ahead all meld together in a flavorful, festive spirit.

This time of year often gets me thinking about Dr. Suess – playful rhymes mixed with meaningful wisdom. What better way to get refreshed about life than from a Dr. Suess story?

One of my favorite books of all time (children or otherwise) is “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!“. It was published the year I graduated from high school, but I didn’t read it until about five years later when a friend gifted it to me.

I have kept it close by ever since.

It is now a family favorite, having read it many times to my sons before bed.

Over the course of my career, and especially as an entrepreneur, I have marveled at the light-hearted truths that Dr. Suess conveys through this short, yet entertaining book.

It reminds us…

1) To write our own destiny, blaze new trails and go places where no one has gone before. “It’s opener there in the wide open air.” That’s where the fun is, the excitement and adventure.

2) To make no mistake – there will be some serious ups and downs. When we’re flying high, everything feels awesome. And, like all things in life, it doesn’t last. Inevitably, a time comes when we will fall and fall down hard. It comes with the territory.

3) That as dark and scary and as difficult it is to dig ourselves out of a hole, we can “un-slump” ourselves if we try.

4) That, while life and business is a bit of game, we must always know that, perhaps, the most important game we play is the one we can’t win – the one against ourself.

5) That failure is part of the process – we have to get back up and keep going.

6) That we need to face up to our problems and our fears, if we are to turn failure into opportunity.

7) That, if we keep these things in mind, there’s a good chance we’ll succeed…”98 and 3/4’s percent guaranteed.”

This is a story I have to always remember, in life and in entrepreneurship. I feel like I have lived it many times over, especially in the last year.

As the year closes and I look ahead to 2014, I think about Dr. Suess and the places we’ve been and the places we’ll go. In the spirit of his wonderful poems and timeless wisdom, I share my own Dr. Suess-like year-end reflection and my hopes for the future.

Enjoy!

The Journey

What started as a thought, a spark or a seed

Has miraculously grown, it has blossomed indeed

Four-plus years have gone by and we’re still going strong

We’re having too much fun, has it really been that long?

Time flies when you’re moving, creating and connecting

Living passion and purpose, it is joy we’re injecting

Do what you love, do it with all of your might

Find a hobby to nurse, in due time it takes flight

Believe me it’s hard, growing from scratch is not easy

It’s a roller coaster ride, which will make you feel queasy

But it’s worth every turn, every jump, every drop

It’s an adventure that’s bound to make your heart pop

With business and money there is triumph and strife

Let’s not forget what brings real fulfillment in life

There’s no greater thrill than being creative and free

Time to mix mastery, purpose and autonomy

It’s holiday time, let’s give to the needy

May I always be humble, not selfish or greedy

Thank you my friends, my mentors, my foes

Let’s follow our Spirit wherever it goes

Whether you’re happy or sad, or smiling or mean

Let’s try to love a little more, in twenty-fourteen

Vikas Narula (@NarulaTweets) is Creator and Co-Founder of Keyhubs (@Keyhubs) – a software and services company specializing in workplace social analytics. He is also Founder of Neighborhood Forest – a social venture dedicated to giving free trees to kids every Earth Day.

Other Recent Blog Posts:

Active Disengagement – Is the Spirit of Commerce at Odds With the Human Spirit?

Hobbies Are Underrated – The Case for Heart-Centered Entrepreneurship

Giving Trees to Children – The Story of Neighborhood Forest