THINKING INSIDE THE BOX

A thank you to the readers of this site who have been, in a loving and supportive way, asking what the heck's happened.
Your support is appreciated.
I am climbing a mountain.
At least, that is what fills my dreams as well as my waking activity.
I am spread thin between old world and new world - the old world of my consulting practice, and the new world of the business venture I am building. This naturally means I'm busy. The old world has to go on paying till the new world gets built. And, since the new world is heavily web dependant, there is a lot of building to be done, some by me, some supervised by me.
It is a very different experience from starting my business eighteen years ago. Then, there was a manic energy, fuelled by sales coming out of my ears. When, in two trading months, I had made my annual salary, I knew I was on a winner. Then it was ego all the way, and, for a number of years, a rock star / rock group kinda life. We claimed the outrageous as brand property in a way that the more austere zeitgeist now does not allow. We were awash with sales - and no factory needed.
The energy now is calm, and considered, even though the production pace is intense. The reason is simple. Eighteen years ago I was riding, though I strenuously denied it, on a cult of personality. Now, I am building a product, a system, a box. It is a very nice box, but a box, nonetheless. And it needs a factory to build it, without which there can be no sales, and with which comes the inevitable fear - all this time and money is going out - will there be any?
I've had feedback which has gone: "it sounds great, but not at all resembles you."
Fantastic.
That tells me I am on the right path.
You see, there's a problem with personality. Its appeal may be great, but its scale is limited to you. I have wider ambition. And, in a quiet, English sort of way, I have a confidence that my box will fulfill it.
Once I've climbed the mountain, I will have fully designed and built it.
The climbing is a marathon, not a sprint. I'm not even sure we've seen the summit yet, let alone got anywhere near it. That sales and accolades for the system are already building is pleasing, but I can't let small achievements now persuade me of an importance greater than they actually have. They are steps. They are knolls, rock features, minor peaks passed. But they are not anywhere near the summit. There's an awful long way to go. And the steps are careful, measured and considered.
To those who've missed this blog - thank you, and I hope I shall find some time to stop on the climb and share the view.