Here is your Thursday STORY on: ADAPTING TO CHANGE: When you take on a new role or new profession you can easily become a different person. What suddenly happens is that your new role consumes your old identity. What you need to do is ADAPT TO CHANGE. This all consuming act may not be seen within a day, but it may be seen within a month. With all due respect to graduates, as we feature one within today’s story, they may well be academic, but most every person suffers the trials and tribulations of our emotions. The Oxford graduate is succumbed by his own career and its very purpose, so much so he cannot see the obvious. It is almost as if he is wearing blinkers. This very trait, of not recognising when our emotions bulldoze our thought pattern, will only lead to headstrong decisions. Allow this next illustration to explain the problem in a regular day to day event. A SIMPLE LIFE An Oxford businessman was at a local bar when a small band of musicians were just finishing a gig. Inside the small pub was a very large audience who had been pleased immeasurably. The Oxford graduate complimented the Barnsley musician and lead singer on the quality of his performance and vocal talent and asked how long it had taken to become so accomplished. The Barnsley musician replied only a little while. The Oxford graduate then asked why didn't he perform more often and earn more money? The Barnsley musician said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The Oxford graduate then asked the Barnsley musician how he spent the rest of his time. The Barnsley man said, "I sleep late, I practice a little music, play with my children, take an afternoon nap with my wife, Yvonne, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my comrades. I have a full and busy life, sir." The Oxford graduate scoffed, "I am an Oxford Graduate in business Studies, with honours, and could help you. You should spend more time practicing and performing your skill, with the proceeds, buy bigger and better sound and lighting equipment. With the proceeds of a better sound, you could encourage the best musicians in the region to join your band; eventually you would have a masterful band who commands a huge fee. Instead of selling your services to the local pub, you could sell yourself onto the club circuit, then onto the theatre circuit and before long you could be supporting an international band. You would control the production and eventually write your own songs that could earn you millions around the world. "You would need to leave this small village you call Barnsley and move to London, then New York, Sydney and Los Angeles where you will run your expanding enterprise." The Barnsley musician asked, "But sir, how long will this all take?" To which the Oxford graduate replied, "3 - 6 years." "But what then, sir?" asked the Barnsley man. The Oxford graduate laughed, and said, "That's the best part! When the time is right, you would announce your band upon the stock market and sell your company stock to the public. You'll become very rich; you would make millions upon millions!" "Millions, sir?" replied the Barnsley musician, "Then what?" “Once you had all that money and freedom, what would YOU do?” Said the Oxford graduate. The Barnsley musician replied, "Sir I would retire. Move to the small village life, as I experience here in Barnsley, where I would sleep late, practice a little music, play with my kids, take an afternoon nap with my wife, Yvonne, stroll to the village in the evenings where I could sip wine and play my guitar with my comrades." (Adapted by the Editor) QUOTE: “Very little is needed to make life happy. It is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.” (Marcus Aurelius)