Inspiration from Eddie Jordan
I paused for a moment when I heard the news about the death of Eddie Jordan. As a long-time follower of Formula 1, his roles as team boss, commentator and more recently, podcast host meant he’d always just been there. In these first few moments, two key pieces of advice he would often share came to me. I thought it would help to explore them here.
Eddie, or EJ as he was often known, would warn us about ‘not letting the old man in’ and ‘having more money than time’.
Before we explore them though, let’s take a quick look at what he did. Jordan Grand Prix were always the underdogs in Formula 1. EJ even referred to himself as a small fish in what he dubbed the ‘Piranha Club’ of ruthless multimillionaires who shaped the sport. As a natural ‘wheeler-dealer’, he could hold his own and turn things to his advantage though.
He also brought a lot of unique style to Formula One. Colourful cars, celebrity guests and memorable logos were just the start. They also punched above their weight. They won outright and even challenged for the title in 1999. It was incredible.
As a broadcaster, he always had a unique angle and often broke exclusive news. I think you could say there was more than a little mischief in his approach. This certainly carried over onto his recent podcast with David Coulthard, Formula For Success. I think Bono from U2 said it best in his tribute, “Eddie Jordan, faster than life”.
Now lets’ explore those warnings.
Not letting the old man in
Although physical fitness was clearly important to EJ, as he always seemed to be cycling in South Africa, I think this is more about psychology.
I honestly believe that age is a lot about where we think we are. If you look at our society over the last seventy years or so, I’m sure you’ll notice that younger people seemed a lot older in the past. How much of this was down to what was going on in people’s minds?
The way we dress, the things we choose to do and more importantly, the things we think we can’t do. It all adds up. To put it simply, we can sit back and effectively let other people write the script for us. Why not take control?
Just think of all those rock bands touring around the world right now with members who are over 60. We also see so many people with full and active lives, when others would naturally consider it time to slow down and settle down.
The big question, how old are you in your story? Where do you think you are?
The body is important though as we need to invest in our future. I think the author Robin Sharma puts it best when he reminds people that ‘your health is your wealth’. For me, this is about finding things to do that suit you and making them stick. Helpful practices. Things you can do every day to keep the old man away.
Like EJ says, this is all about what we let in. Whether it’s a positive way of thinking that keeps us fresh and motivated, or the helpful practices that move us forward.
Having more money than time
For me, this is really about what’s important. It also touches on a significant question I like to ask, how much is enough?
After selling his team for a lot of money in the mid-2000s, EJ made sure he enjoyed it. Embarking on a world cruise on his yacht in 2015 was just one of the ways he did this. While that may not be an option for most people, it’s worth thinking about what your version of that might look like. What could be possible?
The actual sale of the team is also significant for me. As his name was on the door and it was his baby, there must have been a craving to carry on. It was a unique time in the sport though, when it was very hard to be independent.
This was a time before the ‘credit crunch’, where car manufacturers or huge global brands threw money into running teams. I do literally mean teams in the mid-2000s as well, as Red Bull and Honda effectively ran two.
He made the decision though and knew not to look back. Although he would speculate that he could have really made some serious money in the decades that followed, he seemed to be aware that it was the best decision at that time.
He’d put in the work and it was time to enjoy the fruits of his labour. From everything I’ve seen, he certainly made the most of his time. Travel, music and family were clear priorities. Spending time with the right people was clearly important as well.
Could you make a decision like this, and what would your focus be?
I think his warning leads us to think about balance. Becoming aware of our priorities and what we’re actually working for. As I said, how much is enough?
I hope this gave you something to think about. For me, the inspiration here is to find balance, not get fixed on things and above all, enjoy the journey. We can also reflect on those warnings.
Not letting the old man in - A warning about how we can so easily limit ourselves. That our mindset is so important. It’s also a reminder to keep investing in our future with healthy and helpful daily practices.
Having more money than time - A warning that it’s easy to focus on the wrong things. It’s also a reminder that you need to ask yourself an important question. The big one, how much is enough?
What can you do with this?