"in signing up for the dream over 20 years ago, I also proactively signed up for the cost and the pain. In that I made a conscious choice."
- JONATHAN HALLINAN, FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, BPM.
At BPM, 2015 will go down as the most significant year of change, achievement and growth that the business has ever seen, but of course one cannot achieve greatness to the level that my business has this this year in the absence of challenges and pain.
Through the work I do at BPM, I’m fortunate to meet so many people from many different industries and backgrounds all around the world , yet it continues to surprise me that so many people idolise the life they think I lead with little consideration for the hard work and pain that I’ve had to endure to realise my dreams.
Many of the people that I meet and do business with are all aspiring to a similar goal of a carefree, happy life, with a fulfilling job, a loving relationship, and opportunities for travel and building wealth.
However many people strive for these goals without considering the ongoing hardships and pain that are inevitably involved in achieving the things we desire in life.
The aspect of my life that not many people consider when they make a surface judgement about me, is the pain I’ve had to endure to get where I am today. BPM did not achieve a $1.4 billion pipeline of developments in the absence of life-altering challenges that would test me physically, psychologically and emotionally.
Not many people realise that achieving true happiness is actually a lifelong battle, and ultimately the positives we get out of life is determined by the negatives that we are prepared to sustain to get there.
For example, we all want a satisfying job that offers fulfilment and financial reward. But how many people look forward to the 14 hour days or enjoy climbing the corporate ladder only to take on further risk, stress and accountability?
I haven’t become successful in business without the enormous stress of risk and uncertainty, the pitfalls and defeats, the dedication of my entire life – literally every hour of every day - working towards the positive aspects of my life that now provide reward, fulfilment and happiness.
That positive for me was to achieve notoriety as a businessman on the same level as the idols I’d always looked up to- My lifelong dream was to develop buildings that would contribute to the skyline of Melbourne and sit proudly alongside the most iconic buildings in the world. This year I am seeing that dream come true.
But in signing up for the dream over 20 years ago, I also proactively signed up for the cost and the pain. In that I made a conscious choice.
I consciously chose to use the painful experiences over the last 20 years as motivators. I took every regret, downfall or mistake and channelled this negative experience into a huge driving force that made me even hungrier to succeed.
This is an idea I really want to spread as we consider our goals for 2016. Ask yourself ‘What am I willing to suffer for this year?’ The power in this question is the ability to separate your ideals and fantasies from your true dreams- those we are truly willing to sacrifice anything for.