The 6th day of December has a special place in my heart and mind.
For it was on the 6th December 1986 that I embarked on the journey of being a small business builder and owner. Myself and my brother, Pat, opened a closed up shop at Hart’s Corner, Glasnevin on that day.
I have a terrible head for dates as I simply cannot remember them. But I never, for some reason, forget the 6th December 1986 and that shop.
I can still see the hardcover counter/day book we used to keep a record of daily turnover. And the early figures were small as 1986 was not a good time to be starting a business.
But it was a good time to be buying property, if you could get your hands on the financing.
And this shop, opened when interest rates varied between 10% and 20%, unemployment hovered at a stubborn 20%, three general elections took place within 15 months, and there was rumour of the IMF coming in to bail out a bankrupt country is proof that no matter how bad things are there are always opportunities.
But you must be looking for them and have the right attitude.
If you want to find things to whinge about, if you want to point to obstacles and explanations and reasons and excuses as to why the deck is hopelessly stacked against you, you can do that.
Or you can look for the opportunity. The choice is yours. You always get to choose how you respond to your circumstances. You just don’t get to choose your circumstances.