The Grass Isn’t Greener

I've just spent 4 weeks in Australia.

I've been doing this every winter for the last three years, usually for a month at a time.

This trip, I had a bit of a BFO (blinding flash of the obvious).

First - The grass isn't greener.

It's easy for kiwis to look across the ditch at the sunshine and higher wages and think Australia is where the opportunities are.

But are we missing what's happening in our own backyard?

At least from where I'm sitting, business optimism is high in Christchurch.

The owners we're working with are investing again. The new stadium is selling out event after event.

There's a genuine sense this city is finding its stride again.

Second - Australia isn't cheap either.

Yes, wages are higher.

But so is the cost of living.

Diesel was over $2 AUD a litre. Groceries aren't cheap. And people are complaining about healthcare just like we are.

Third - that doesn't stop people spending.

Restaurants and bars were packed every night.

The venues are on a scale we just don't have in Christchurch - and they're full.

… People always find the money for what they value.

Fourth - people still complain about the weather!

It didn't matter whether we were in Sydney or on the Sunshine Coast.

When it rained, people complained.

And when you're stuck inside with the kids for three days straight, having a beach five minutes away doesn't make much difference. 

The walls still start closing in, whether it's 10 degrees or 18.

Fifth - it's the people, not the place.

Coaching over Zoom works.

But it isn't the same as sitting across the table from someone. Reading the room. Picking up on the little things you miss through a screen.

I've got a great team. Incredible clients. Great mates.

People - not places - are what make somewhere worth being.

The BFO…

I think, particularly in the Western world, we're constantly looking for something that's incrementally better. A bit more money. Better weather. A bigger city. A nicer house.

What we often forget is that every one of those choices comes with a different set of trade-offs.

The grass isn't greener.

It's just a different shade of green, with its own weeds.

Sometimes we're so busy looking over the fence that we forget how good we've actually got it.

For me, home is Christchurch.

And these are the business owners I've chosen to serve.

For me, home is Christchurch.

And these are the business owners I've chosen to serve.