Losing Georgia
Posted by Asa Beavers on Tue, Apr 29, 2008 @ 10:28 AM
Regrets are a terrible thing to have to live with. And you never know when one is just sitting there ready to reach out and give you that stabbing pain.
Several weeks ago I received a late night email from a client that I was scheduled to meet in the morning. This came from a husband and wife team, who own a business employing six others, and who I have been working with for over two years. Over the course of two years you really get to know not just the business, but also the details of the lives that run the business. The email was sent to inform me that our meeting was still on, but their spirits were in the dumps because the family dog, Georgia, tragically passed away the night before.
I met with the husband at our regularly scheduled time. The wife could not make it as she was caring for their two young children that morning. He was still visibly shaken from an ordeal that occurred just 36 hours earlier. He admitted he was looking forward to talking with me to share, and get off his chest, what turned out to be a terrible customer experience at the emergency animal hospital. Without sharing all the gory details here, suffice it to say that one would hope that when one takes an animal with an acute medical problem into an emergency facility that the staff would act quickly with a sense of urgency. That was not the case during this late night visit and it possibly played a role in the dog’s ability to recover.
Georgia passed away in the early morning hours after very invasive surgery to try to fix the problem from which she suffered. A huge amount of emotion was released by my business owner couple because of the sudden tragic loss of their beloved pet. But I was a bit surprised and moved to hear that part of that emotion was a feeling of regret.
As business owners we realize there are certain sacrifices we make in our lives that are necessary to build a strong, profitable business. Georgia came into the family as a puppy shortly after the couple married and she was the center of their attention at home. Then came the new business, and then came the first child, then the second child, and then growth of the business assumed more time. Georgia was nine years old when she passed away and the husband was regretful that he hadn’t spent more time with his beloved dog in recent years.
Being a business owner is meant to give you more life, but often business owners get all consumed with making their business their life. Regrets can be a painful feeling to live with, but there is an antedote to regret – it’s called discipline. Each of us have a certain amount of control in all we choose to do. Attempt to be more disciplined in your personal work habits and always make your family your priority regardless of what’s happening in your business. No regrets!