Silly silly me

Before I go on a rant (about myself), I’m starting to get enquiries about sponsorship for this newsletter. There’s just 14 exclusive spots available for the forthcoming year.

All you need to do is send one simple e-mail to [email protected] with the subject line “I’m interested” and I’ll send you all the details!

5 years ago I was a silly silly man

Here’s five things I know now that I wish I’d known then.

(and if you’re 5 years behind where I am now…see this as my gift to you, I’m going to save you 5 years of heartache and pain)

1. I was not happy in my workplace

There was all sorts of ‘corrupt’ behaviour going on. I whistle blew on this and was subsequently proved right.

But I was very much ignored at the time. I also dreaded my 1-1s. They almost always felt like a ‘to do list’ of all the things my boss made me believe I hadn’t done.

The gaslighting was real.

My confidence was shot to pieces.

But boy I should have left! Right there, right then.

I’m good at what I do. I know Procurement. There I said it.

2. I should have started writing online

I love writing.

Ever since I was an 8yo boy creating ‘magazines’ for my family.

Why did it take me so long to start writing in my adult life? It’s my passion, it’s my therapy, it’s my way to connect with the world.

I should have started writing online so many years ago.

3. I should have started an e-mail list/ newsletter

Screw the algorithm and it’s sporadic will of anger.

Social media is a fools game. It’s like a treadmill that just gets faster and faster.

You own an e-mail list. I can speak to you directly. It’s taken me 18 months to grow this community to 8760 amazing Procurement souls. Imagine where I’d be if I’d started 5 years ago.

4. I’d have just ‘said it as it is’ sooner

My superpower in my current workplace is that I say exactly what I think, professionally and without swearwords of course, and people respect me for it.

The other huge benefit is that it’s good for my soul.

I don’t have any negative anxiety bubbling underneath, there’s never any danger of passive aggression.

I am who I am.

5. I’d have said no to all the things that cause me unnecessary stress and put pressure on my family time

Saying no to stuff is my other superpower.

There are so many ‘requests for help’, pick my brain type messages and invitations to events I used to feel obligated to respond to.

I give away so much for free, why did I feel this obligation and allow it to impinge so much on my time?

Now I only say yes to things that serve me or serve my family, confident in the knowledge that doesn’t make me selfish, it just makes me accountable for living my best life.