A Little Madness Is What’s Needed

I couldn’t see his face, obviously.

But, on this phone next to my bed… I could hear his voice, albeit muffled.
And, I could swear that I caught a smile on his voice.

Was he not taking me seriously?

“Could you repeat that figure for me, while I write it down?” he said.

“Yes, of course, David.
I think I could manage an offer of £3.25 million.”

He repeated it.
”£3.25 million, you say?”

“Yes, that’s right.” says I.
Not feeling quite as confident as when we’d started this conversation.
”I’ve done a bit of homework. And I reckon I could stump up the current market rate. “

“Oh, right.” he responded, quietly.

“All I’m asking for, David, is ‘First Dibs’ on your 16 acre estate… when you’re ready to sell.
That is, if you decide to sell in, say, the next five years.”

“Oh, right.” was the same gentle response.

I smiled with satisfaction (even though it really hurt with the bandage around my face).
And lay back on the mound of pillows Wendy had arranged for me.

I must have dozed off pretty quickly.
But not before I’d flicked through my narrow-lined Pukka Pad.
Because there was my voluminous scribbling, amounting to an exciting business plan.
The Plan.

And The Plan aligned well with the rather breathtaking, though annoying, concepts and strategies outlined in Timothy Ferris’s book ‘The 4-Hour Work Week’.

The Plan showed that it was all doable.
Piece of Cake.

It was an August morning in 2008.
And by 2018… i’d probably own the beautiful property currently enjoyed by my friend’s parents-in-law.
The property that had been the setting for my first novel ‘The Soul Millionaire’.

it was early evening when I awoke.
Although I might have woken before.
It was still difficult deciding whether I was dreaming, or just thinking vividly during that day.

There, on the edge of the bed was Wendy.
Smiling.

“Sweetheart.” she started.
With that smile, and that slight question in her voice… and a carefully tilted head, as if observing something rather curious.

I smiled back. or perhaps grimaced.

“Sweetheart.” She repeated.
”Tell me again what you said in your conversation with David.”

And I did.
I really did.
I told her how The Plan projected that we’d soon have a personal account – after tax, mind you – flush enough to make a serious offer on that beautiful home.

“Oh, right.” She said quietly.
Now, where had I heard that before?

“I was wondering…” she continued slowly.
At which point, I remember feeling quite uncomfortable.

“I was wondering whether you’d read the post-operation instructions given to you by the hospital?”
And she looked at me. That quizzical look.

“Instructions?”
Why was I struggling so hard to understand what she was saying?

“Yes, Sweetheart. The instructions about what to do – and what not to do – in the first 3 days after the operation.”

“Erm…”
Capturing the memory of words on a page suddenly seemed like complex work.

Her voice was just as gentle.
But – after 28 years – I knew my Wendy well enough to recognise the sharp edge of it.

”The instructions that warned you not to make important decisions within the first 3 days following your operation.
Decisions like offering £3.25 million for a house…
when we’re running a very tight budget…
when we’re forking out high education costs…
when the world has just entered a major recession!”

Now she was smiling.
But a smile accompanied by that “What An Idiot!” pitying shaking of her head.

At which she stroked the hair off my forehead, plumped up my pillows…
kissed me on the cheek, and went downstairs.

There are times when each of us has such delusions.
We feel that we could do anything and everything.
In such a mood, I wonder if you – like me – have felt that the craziest idea is not just a possibility.
It’s a Dead Cert?

I’ve seen where Delusional Leaders have been not just problematic to those around them.
Their unrealistic expectations and sloppy thinking have been downright destructive in their businesses.

And yet.
And yet.

There are times, whilst coaching, when I recognise that ‘Delusional’ is a component of entrepreneurship.

It’s The Delusionals in our world who convert the maddest ideas into a Magnificent Possibility!
Everybody laughs at them; until they have to stop laughing at their creations.

In fact, it seems to me…if they weren’t so delusional… they wouldn’t have the will-power to get out of bed in the morning.

So, I encourage it, whilst coaching these leaders.
Being a little delusional.
Or being completely, utterly bonkers.

Then seeing where that takes us.

I haven’t quite raised that £3.25 million.

But I’m having a whale of a time right now…
toying with the most outrageous of ideas.

And seeing some of them materialise in front of me.

Try being ‘Delusional’.
Try it for a month.
You’ll start a heck of a journey!