The beginning of the holiday season always is a time of personal
reflection. This year we reflect not only on the year that is
winding down but on the end of the century.
Despite having reached an age when I should know better, I find
I still spend too much time focusing on what's wrong with my life
rather than what's right. This piece is about what's right.
A few weeks back I officially reached the age when a lot of
people think about retiring. I thought about it, too, for about
five minutes, before reminding myself that I still love what I do,
even on difficult days.
It occurred to me that a lot of people slow down or retire in
order to do the things they've always wanted to do. Being able to
travel is high on the list for many of them.
I have had that opportunity for many years and still take
advantage of it. While retirement might provide more time, I don't
think I could travel more than I do now.
People also retire because they want to pursue a hobby or read
more books or spend more time with their families. I don't need to
retire to do these things because I pursue a few interests, read
voraciously and am fortunate to have my family living either at
home or within an hour's drive.
When I ask myself why retirement has little appeal to me, I can
come up with two reasons other than the steady paycheck.
First, I work with people I enjoy and admire. Like any group of
co-workers, we have our differences at times, but we have a lot of
fun, and there is a feeling of community that I would miss a great
deal.
The second reason has to do with participating in the travel
industry. In these last few years, especially in the last few
months, it's been easy to make the case that the industry is under
siege and everyone who earns a living from it faces an
unprecedented challenge just to survive.
I won't argue against that case. All of us in travel must
recognize that traditional ways of operating our businesses are
going away. Anyone who still says, "We always have done it this
way," might as well start packing now. Facing the need to change
the way we operate is the first step to survival.
There are days when I wish the need to keep changing would go
away, and I could be allowed just to do what I've always done. But
increasingly I find myself not only accepting the need to change
but viewing it as an opportunity. There always is a smarter, more
efficient way to do anything.
In the final analysis, however you choose to run your business
life or I choose to run mine, we remain in one of the most
enjoyable and satisfying industries in the world. As the holidays
begin, I give thanks for that.