So what to do during load shedding ?

For those living in the rest of the world, Load shedding is when Eskom (Our Incumbent electricity provider) can’t supply enough power for the demand, and the turn off the power in certain areas for a few hours. So in effect we each get a turn to use some electricity.

Fun Fact : Eskom is the only business in the world I know off that spend money on advertising to encourage people not to use their product !!

So what to do during load shedding…

Some people fire up the generator, and carry on like normal – this is so yesterday. While there is a 65KVA genset on the game lodge I am staying on now, I prefer not to use it. It is absolutely amazing the quiet you experience with no electronic humming, no fridge compressors, and no pilot lights or LED’s to subconsciously tell you we live in a connected world.

It is as if my mind starts to function at a different level. I am thinking up all kinds of weird crap, some crazy ideas for inventions, some new business ventures, reflecting of life, people that came into and out of my life, and I can focus on my obsessions.

On the other hand driving on a quad among the animals, feeding Kudu by hand, and in general get back to nature is a truly humbling experience.

There is also some things like biltong and a braai, that are essentials for load shedding. If you don’t know what a braai is – Google it. or see here for the lazy: What is a Braai? and some nice recipes here: http://www.braai.co.za/blog/

Mostly my mood for the current load shedding schedule is reading books by my newly “discovered” author I was unaware of until a few days ago, and started reading his books. (Thanks @AndrewMayne for brilliant writing.)

So if you have not read any of his books – NOW you know what to do during load shedding. The silence is a brilliant setting for his thrilling writing. I suggest you start with “Public Enemy Zero” for kindle. Alternatively if you have the patience of a rock on steroids wait for a  paperback like: Angel Killer: A Jessica Blackwood Novel (But get both – one for reading tonight and one for the bookshelf)

Other than reading the one advantage of load shedding is you can’t play with your Electric Bath Duck !

Now all I can ask is who came up with this one ?? Use once only ? a true catch 22, if load shedding is driving you to suicide, and you cant use the only toy designed for it.

And no I am not publishing the link where you can buy one, since I don’t want any of you dead.

My favourite saying: “a Goal is a dream with an action plan behind it.” I frequently use it during talks. Let me explain.

So what happens when you reach your goals ? Simple, you take your dreams and create new action plans for them. Go bigger next time. There is no such thing as an unrealistic goal. Your action plan was just flawed. Now you need to fix it.

Human nature gives us the ability to learn, especially learn from our mistakes. Make a list of the 10 or less things in your action plan that caused failure. Find out why those things happened. Learn from it. Fix / change your action plan, not your goal. then try again.

You see, you have not failed, you simply followed the wrong plan. Success is in recognizing the faults in the plan and taking corrective action to reach the goal. When you failed, it is merely a temporary setback  that forces you to re-evaluate your action plan, and get back on track.

Everyone measures success differently. For some it is Family, others it is Money or Fame. Whatever your driving force is, you need to plan and execute your plan and you will reach your goal.

I am a big Simpsons fan (helps alleviate stress) and when Homer said “If something is hard, it is not worth doing” I thought to myself, strange how life have a way of always working out. But if you analyse the episodes, the Simpsons family actually follows the same principles. Plan, Failure, Corrective action, Success.

Now if Homer can do it what is your Excuse ?