The 7 Year Cycle

We are all sat theatre style in the new Convention Centre in Liverpool busy networking and throwing out business cards as quickly as we can. I am the grateful guest of Jacqui, who does a phenomenal job driving the Convention Centre forward as this event will testify to. Jacqui has arranged for Mike Southon to come and speak to all of us about how you can learn all about Entrepreneurship through the life of the Beatles. We all know Mike through his book, the Beermat Entrepreneur — a book that I believe to be required reading for any fellow business person — so, I guess, we are all wanting to hear what he has to say. At least I am.

Mike starts his talk without giving us any indication of how long the talk will last, which I can’t help but think, in hindsight, was a premeditated move on his part. The talk went on, and on, and on…you get the picture. I was enjoyable, albeit, long and I did learn a few things. In fact, I managed to make two pages of notes from his talk, and if you get the chance to hear it – I would recommend you do – just sneak out after an hour or so with a convenient excuse.

Perhaps the most interesting notes that I took from his talk, and certainly the idea that I tell most people about, is this idea of the 7 year cycle. I am not sure if this is Mike’s own discovery or not – but it was at his talk I first heard it.

The 7 year cycle goes as follows:

• Ages 21-28: Try as Many things as possible
• Ages 28-35: Serious attempt at one thing
• Ages 35-42: try something different
• Ages 42-49: Peak of powers
• Ages 49-56: Represents maturity and self awareness
• Ages 56-63: Plan your legacy
• Ages 63-70: Become a true mentor

I find myself if the “try something new” category, not just because of what Mike says but also because it is my experience. One of those “coaching” words that I have found myself using a lot recently, is: default. It is a concept that I got from the book: Nudge.

What is the default mode of operation for you, your business or your industry? This is the mode that you return to when there are no other external forces acting on you. It is why the idea of dieting doesn’t work – because you are changing something temporarily. After a while, you will return to your default habits when the external forces acting on you bring the diet to an end.

It is the reason why debt consolidation doesn’t really work – you are dealing with changing a monthly payment. The default (or habit) that caused the debt, is still there and despite your good intentions, sooner or later you will return to it.

Well, until you reach the age of 35 it seems!

So, a lot of my personal questions at the moment are all about challenging the default. Why does it exist? How can we do it differently? How can we do it better, much much better? And it is in the answers that I find the magic, the passion and the energy to drive something forward to create change.

Whilst I don’t want to preach a theology, start a movement or worse still, create some kind of horoscope – I find the 7 year cycle quite accurate for me, past and present. Of course, there are people it doesn’t apply to, but it does help you understand what phase of life you are in, and then celebrate that phase rather than try and change it. It is good for me to be trying something new now…

Takeaway

1. What phase of the 7 year cycle are you in? How do you see the affecting you and what is going on around you at the moment?
2. What is the default that is holding you back at the moment?
3. How could you change it?
4. What’s stopping the change?