“Bali Reveals 3 Major Lessons”
But first…
For the past 12 days I have been a guest on the Isle of Bali.
Primarily, I was there to conduct a three-day email marketing program for
a number of switched on business owners.
I then relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the time with my family which included my
wife and sons numbered #1 – #4 and others who stayed on.
Yesterday after flying from Bali to Perth then back home to Adelaide for a 4 hour stopover, I took the 6.30 pm flight to Coolangatta and you wouldn’t believe what happened as I was disembarking.
An email recipient of mine, called David, stood up from his seat and said, “Kurt, I was thinking of you yesterday. I hadn’t received an email for awhile.”
I said, “Spooky, it’s the ‘Secret’ at work.” I further said, “Look out in your email box. I have 3 Bali Lessons to Reveal.”
So, this email is devoted to David, whom I hope slays them at his conference as a guest speaker in Canada.
Bali Lesson One
After I completed a successful three-day marketing program in Bali, 19 people including family and friends decided to seek a more athletic pursuit. A 40 kilometre bicycle ride down the side of a Balinese Volcano.
The bus trip to the summit took about 1 1/2 hours and when we arrived we were gobsmacked by the sheer beauty and brilliance of the view. Smoke raising from two volcanic craters, surrounded by an enormous picturesque lake.
The 40 klm bike ride is not your normal bike ride. It transgresses the steep-hilly countryside on minor
roads passing through luscious bush and forest.
For me a 40 klm bike ride had never been attempted. Especially one in a foreign country on dodgy narrow roads with equally dodgy drivers and their apparent lack of road rules.
But what could I do…
Sons #2, #3, #4 aged 14, 13, 12 respectively were ‘biting at the bit’ without a care in the world.
I was more circumspect.
My wife just looked at me with that look only females can give; which sort of translates to “You WIMP !”
So, here we were. All nineteen of us. Equipped with bicycle gloves, helmets, water bottles and a fairly modern mountain bike each.
After receiving the guides instructions we commenced the descent.
After a small flat 100 metre start we were directed right by a local policeman who held up traffic, and who adorned a mighty grin.
Did he know what we were getting ourselves into ???
The road was bitumen, well prepared, but fast. We flew down the first 500 metres like Lance Armstrong
until…
I saw son #4 pull out to the middle of the road to catch up to his brothers.
And…
This line of rapid descent may have worked except for the truck carrying live chickens driving up the mountain road.
This meant…
Son #4 had to weave back into the other bike riders and this is where he became a bit wobbly – lost control and hit the fringe of the bitumen.
With all his strength he tried to keep the bike straight until his right fist disengaged from the handle bars and was flung into the air like a rodeo rider.
Now with only his left hand steering, and still going at a speed which he couldn’t control; the bike careered into the surrounding bush and until eventually both he and the bike lay motionless in the Balinese jungle.
Now, this event was witnessed by both his mother and me and a few people riding behind. His brothers and other more adventurous riders kept descending.
His mother looked at me visibly shaken.
As we approached he hadn’t moved.
His mother called out his name, once, twice, three times. Still no response.
Is he unconscious? Is he lacerated? Are there broken bones?
None of this could be seen as he was facing down in the lush greenery of Bali.
His mother called his name again and then from the mouth of a twelve year old came those words which we knew he was alright.
He said…
“GET LOST !”
Yes, who would ever thought we would welcome those magic seven letters in that order.
“GET LOST !”
The ultimate response to having a bruised ego as apart from a bruised body.
The guides were quick to react to mend his bike but insisted he take a ride in their van to recover.
But son #4 had other ideas.
He told them, “I came here to ride down the mountain NOT to be driven down.”
And with those words he grabbed the bike and proceeded to ride after his brothers.
So Bali Lesson One for everyone today is to:
NEVER GIVE UP FOLLOWING YOUR DREAM.
If a twelve year can fly over the handle bars of his mountain bike and land in the Bali jungle, get up shake himself off and continue to ride the 39.5 klm journey which remained then you can continue to follow your dream too.
Bali Lesson Two
Around the ten kilometre mark of the descent we were ushered into the home of a guide.
It was a typical Balinese country home consisting of three or four small buildings each having only
one room within. There was the obligatory Hindu temple and a small smoked laden room which was the kitchen.
In the surrounding bush were two pigs. The largest was the sow who is the ‘breeder’ and the smaller pig being fattened for an upcoming feast.
The home was void of a toilet and when asked about this we were pointed to the bush.
My sons grabbed me and ushered me into one of the rooms at the home. They laughed aloud when we saw a dog asleep on bed in this mud hut. I then reminded them our Llasa Apso and Golden Retriever do the same when we are not home. They just didn’t get the similarities but
it was pleasant for me to see them experiencing other cultures.
My wife was most interested in the cauldron cooking in the ‘kitchen’. The kitchen was a mud hut with a thatched roof. Charcoal stuck to walls giving a musty, smoky aroma. The large cauldron or pot hovered over fire consisting mainly of dried cow manure.
Inside the pot was a concoction of potato peels and other vegetable matters.
When my wife inquired into whose meal this was and was informed it was the pigs.
The family would ensure they fed the pigs to keep them fat and after that the family would eat from the same cauldron. Not necessarily the same food but definitely from the same large pot.
It was right here Bali revealed its second lesson.
My wife turned to the other females in our groups and stated, “I’ll never complain about my kitchen again !”
So, Lesson Two from Bali is:
SHOW GRATITUDE FOR WHAT YOU HAVE
Be thankful for what you own and possess because there is also someone who has less and is joyful, happy, and peaceful.
Lesson Two reminds me of the line- “I was complained I had no shoes until met a man with no feet”
Bali Lesson Three
At the end of the arduous 40 kilometre descend from the Volcano all nineteen people were joyed and vibrant.
A few of us were tired, a few of us wanted to ride back up (only joking) but there was a common theme for everyone.
And that was…
Everyone praised and congratulated each other.
All nineteen people applauded each others results and sat down to the feast which was prepared
for us.
For me and one other, we couldn’t eat after such a journey and instead settled for copious amounts of cold water to re-hydrate.
But that’s Ok because the Isle of Bali had just revealed its third lesson and that is:
PRAISE AND CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS WITH OTHERS.
The trip down the mountain was over. Sons #2, #3 and #4 made it down without any more mishap.
My fingers are crossed my wife has forgotten about renovating the kitchen and for me another successful adventure of my life has been achieved.
Bali and its wonderful people has brought to me three great lessons which when placed in numerical order are so important to heed.
1. NEVER GIVE UP FOLLOWING YOUR DREAM;
2. SHOW GRATITUDE FOR WHAT YOU HAVE;
3. PRAISE AND CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS WITH OTHERS.
Until next week and enjoy the weekend.
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
