The disruption to New Zealanders' lives and the tragedy of the COVID-19 pandemic means now is the right time to set new personal goals, entrepreneur Sir Michael Hill says.
Hill and his family lost most of their possessions in a house fire in the late 1970s, but he says it was that moment that helped him make the decision to set more ambitious goals.
In an interview on Rebuilding Paradise with Paul Henry, Hill described how his life changed after the fire, and how the different type of tragedy with COVID-19 could also change the lives of Kiwis.
"I realised I had been playing life too safe. I'd been working with my uncle for 23 years in the jewellery industry in Whangarei, and I never really dared to think any more. But I knew there must be something else."
He says he'd "read all the books" on goal setting, but nothing could've moved his mindset like that fire.
"Most of us are comfortable with what we have. We realise that there's something else that we could do that's better, but we're quite comfortable with what we're doing and we don't want to push the boundaries too much.
"The big lesson I've learned from that is that if there's something you really want, this is the time to goal set, to write down on a piece of paper what you want to be in 30 years from now.
"As small as the light might appear in the future, if you've got something you really should be doing and you're not doing it now, this is the chance to set a goal."
Hill also believes the COVID-19 crisis will encourage new entrepreneurs to make their business ideas a reality.
"We are all capable of great ideas because we've got no bounds, nothing is holding us back. And I think out of this we're going to see some extraordinary entrepreneurs come out of the woodwork."
He added that he's had to change his own business goals as a result of COVID-19, but he's still setting "audacious goals" that will get him out of bed each morning.
Watch his full interview with Paul Henry above.
