The Old Diocesan Issue 12 - Magazine - Page 49
YOUNG ODs
me to restructure the organisation
– and when something you studied
comes to life, touches lives and
develops culture, it’s exhilarating.
I wouldn’t say we’re successful
yet; there is still a long way to go.
But I suppose I’m successful in the
sense that I’m fulfilled. When you
reach a milestone, the feeling of
accomplishment is fleeting, so
I make sure to practise gratitude
every day instead, taking stock of
how fortunate I am to live a life
aligned with what I care about.
We got here because of sweat,
effort and care – first my mom’s,
then mine as I took the baton and
ran with it. And I’ve realised you
can’t stop running. I don’t think
I’ve yet created a sustainable
ecosystem that lets me take the
foot off the pedal. Maybe success
is exactly that – getting to a place
where you can walk instead of run?
I’ve also learnt how important
people are. My partner Claire and
a small group of close friends have
been incredibly important. I grew
up in a single-parent household,
so my “chosen family” matters
enormously. Bishops taught me
the value of teamwork and that
hard work will be rewarded in time.
It also taught me that there are no
limits to the contribution you can
make to society. Being surrounded
by high achievers – students and
parents who do such good work
– normalises high achievement.
It sets the expectation: this is
the level at which you can make
an impact on the world!
“eatshitability”. You need to be able
to grovel a bit and practise delayed
gratification while relishing the
privilege of being so consumed by
something that it’s the first and
last thing you think about every
day. For instance, I lived and slept
at the gym itself for 11 months.
In some ways, it was magical,
like a movie. But a lot of the
time, it was uncomfortable;
far from the comfort I’d grown
up with. I suppose the person
you become in pursuit of a goal
matters more than the goal itself.
Seb’s advice to young ODs
Recognise your ego in leadership.
If you aren’t careful, you’ll make
decisions based on what makes
you look good rather than what
is good for the business. The key
is to notice it and put it aside.
Another key is to know your “why”
and embrace a factor that I call
Mike Wright
(2014B) is a
creative all-rounder
with a keen interest
in media. When
he isn’t working,
running, cooking or studying, he
writes for his publication, Le Scarf.
The fruits of success: Seb
(holding megaphone) with happy
customers on the Sea Point prom.
THE OLD DIOCESAN | 45
