Occasionally, we have off days.

In 2010 I was present at an event in London when Dr Covey spoke to an assembly of about 1,000 fans, after which I was able to briefly speak with hi and get an autograph. I was unable, despite an invitation, to spend more time with him because I had a commitment to my wife to collect her from Victoria Station – being strangers in town I wasn’t prepared to leave her waiting while I indulged myself. (I still partly regret that….) Here’s the pictorial proof.

During the event they sought questions from the crowd, and I prepared to ask a question but time prevented me having my turn.

In 2011 I was at an invitational seminar where he spoke in the UK for the last time. As the attendees gathered outside, a familiar olive suited, bald gentleman walked around a corner straight towards me, and he read my name out loud from my name tag. Like a teenager meeting One Direction for the first time I screamed….. sorry, no, I just blathered a greeting and waited for him to speak more – while he waited for me to speak. After an awkward silence someone dragged him away. Another opportunity missed, and although I grabbed him for another autograph just before lunch I never took the opportunity to ask him the question I’d prepared a year earlier.

Which was, “What would you say to someone who has a mission statement and set of values, but fails to meet his own standards only too often?”

The truth was that I wanted him to say to me what I already knew, but which I could then use as ‘profound wisdom’ because he’d said it and I hadn’t.

So, in my minds ear, he said this. “Try harder.” Ouch.

Carpe Diem.