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Paddi Pages E-Zine - Issue #3


Paddi's Life Changing Question: Why Not Happiness?


Dear Reader,

Have you ever had a hard day in your business? How about a hard month? Or a hard year?

Well, Paddi did. Quite a few of them, in fact.

A whole string of stressful days and worrisome nights while, like most of us, doing everything he could to build his new business. Early in his career as a business owner Paddi,

  • Borrowed as much money as the bank would allow to fit out his practice,
  • Put up as big a sign as he could get away with at the time,
  • Worked all the hours he could squeeze from a day - 6 sometimes 7 days a week,
  • Took any warm body that graced his doorstep as a client,
  • And hoped like hell they'd appreciate his skills and expertise enough to buy his dentistry.

After about 5 years, Paddi was doing all right - he had several thousand clients and was, packing, filling and slinging amalgam like it was going out of fashion. He was just ahead of the bank draft, but he was a bit tired from the constant effort.

After 10 years Paddi had a nice house and ate in nice restaurants, but he was getting a bit "thin" and jaded. After 15 years, despite a healthy bank balance, he was on the edge - and he eventually toppled over it. He had a break down. Literally, his business broke him!

As you probably realise, Paddi recovered and in a spectacular way, but not before he went right to the very depths of his misery and pain, and of particular relevance to us, wondered how on earth his business had managed to bring him to this point.

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For the full story listen to Paddi tell his story in his own words in the Original Paddi Audio Story - On-Line Edition!

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But it was this point that proved the catharsis. It was at this point that Paddi asked himself one simple question that changed the destiny of his business and life forever:

------------ Paddi's Life-Changing Question: ------------

"If a business can be designed to make money, why can't a business be designed to make 'happiness' instead?"

In other words, what's the point of making money if misery is part of the equation? For Paddi, that was a sharp left turn onto the road less travelled right off right off the highway of convention. Everything that's different about Paddi's business stems from this simple realisation.

"But what has happiness got to do with running a business," you might ask. Well, plenty. And in ways you can't possibly imagine until you hear the story.

We'll talk about that in detail in the next edition of the Paddi Pages. Before I sign off though, consider this last thought:

What would your business look like if it were designed to bring you pleasure and enjoyment?

Or to put that another way, what are the biggest frustrations you'd have to sort out before you could possibly say you're having a good time at work?

Why not make a Top 5 list and send it to me. I'd be interested to see what rates for you.

Kind regards,

Fletcher


P.S. Just reply to this letter and I'll pick it up from our server when I can.


Fletcher Potanin
Managing Director
Solutions Press Business Publishing
www.PaddiLund.com



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