On the 06:40 from Cardiff Central to Leeds (via Birmingham New Street) in a first class carriage (thank you Phillippa) and with reasonable wifi and my Bose wireless headphones banging out the Funky House London podcast whilst I work through emails, blog, project work, a few cosmetic last minute changes to my BDA Whitening Day presentation.

Yesterday, as I was trotting through Newbury with a group of 401challenge runners, supporting the amazing Ben Smith, Patrick Allen from Henry Schein asked, “so when are you going to retire CB?”

Answer: “never Patrick – I’m planning to do a Tommy Cooper” (preferably not at today’s BDA Whitening conference).

I work an average 65-hour week because I love what I do, where I do it, when I do it and the people I do it with.

Whether it’s a 25-year old associate celebrating his first few weeks in mentored private practice, or (last night) a 47-year old chatting to me about his options for the next 15 years in practice ownership, I just love this work.

There are weeks like this one where the schedule is exhausting (self-inflicted I hasten to add) but, somehow, when you love what you do, the energy just flows when it has to flow.

This week:

Monday start 05:00 – finish 16:00

Tuesday start 04:00 – 22:00

Wednesday 05:00 – 21:00

Thursday 03:45 (ouch) – 21:30

Friday 05:00 – 19:00 (projected)

Places visited:

• Manchester
• Belfast
• Derry
• Penrith
• Newbury
• Cardiff
• Leeds

Types of activity

• Management team meetings
• Full team meetings
• Face to face with owners
• Public speaking
• Running a half-marathon whilst talking shop

Transport

• 5 taxis
• 2 flights
• 1 hire car
• 10 trains
• 1 pair of trainers

This week I also connected with a young man who was bullied to the point of a suicide attempt as a teenager and decided to raise £250,000 to support anti-bullying charities.

I listened to a business owner and family man struggling to come to terms with his wife’s life-threatening illness.

As always, I shared the frustrations of business ownership with those striving to make it work.

It’s a sunny morning in South Wales and as I travel North courtesy of Cross Country Rail, I count my blessings:

• a wonderful career
• a loyal and committed support team
• a new web site (still being snagged)
• fabulous external suppliers
• amazing clients who are a pleasure to work with
• an amazing lady at home
• 5 individually splendid adult children
• my mind, body and spirit

Retire?

Not a chance.