2008 and a look ahead

So my mate Rob is building a new business. It's going to be called Bloom Psychology and it's about helping you to find yourself. All those athiests, scientists, rationalists, theists (go on then, you struggle with existentialism too...) who have at some point struggled to find meaning and purpose in their lives, raise your hands. I think we're pretty much all there.

Sooner or later if you believe that life is an accident and we're all just living out the destiny of our selfish genes, then life can get you down. In fact life can get you down regardless of whether you understood the previous sentence.

Rob's point is that a lot of people in this world struggle with finding meaning. And the cause (and the solution) are different for everyone. His business plans to help fix that - by providing a mixture of courses, training, mentoring, coaching and therapy (that's therapy of the rational, here's why it works variety, not the "place these crystals by your toilet" variety...) which bring people closer to happiness. Or at least contentment.

I think there's a big market out there for just such services. And I think it's untapped. Got toothache - you go to the dentist. Not feeling too well - you go to the doctor. Need to sort out your finances? Go to an IFA. Struggling to feel happy? Hmmm. Not sure. If it's clinical depression (which is far more common than you might think) then you might be referred to a psychologist for help. But if it's a bit of existential agnst or struggling to deal with lifes day-to-day stresses, there is no one I can think of to help - other than friends and family.

I'll keep you posted and in the meantime, here's Rob on 2008 resolutions:

So the new year is upon us, and now we look forward to 2008. Only two years of this decade remain. I was impressed by what Seth Godin had to say about this:

Here's a question that you should clip out and tape to your bathroom mirror. It might save you some angst 15 years from now. The question is, What did you do back when interest rates were at their lowest in 50 years, crime was close to zero, great employees were looking for good jobs, computers made product development and marketing easier than ever, and there was almost no competition for good news about great ideas? Many people will have to answer that question by saying, "I spent my time waiting, whining, worrying, and wishing."

This is why I am so in favour of new year's lists. They get a bad name, but I think this is because of poor execution rather than anything else. Lists represent action and change. They are a tangible attempt to improve our future. In so doing, they symbolise hope. And without hope we are nothing.

So, I've started my list.