Have you heard the story of David vs Goliath? In this post, I illustrate how it shows up in both our personal and professional lives and how to deal with it.

david vs goliath

A little over a year ago, my wife Soli took early retirement from her role as Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinator in a mainstream local state school, where she had been working for many years.

Over thirty years in total in our local borough of Barnet. Reason being, she was sick and tired of fighting the increasing red tape and bureaucracy of school politics. It made it an uphill battle for her to get anything done and make real change to the wonderful children she supported.

Soli used to love her job and was very highly thought of by her peers and parents alike.

However, it soon became clear that her creative methods of helping the kids she supported was being stifled and indeed ignored at the expense of compliance with curriculum and ‘computer says no’ dogma.

So last year Soli quit the job she had loved and given her best years to so that she could set up her own small consultancy Yellow Sun where she helps and supports parents of children with Special Needs (ADHD in particular).

Growing, supporting and nurturing every day…

She is now so fired up and passionate about her work that it consumes her every day. Little by little she is growing a wonderful business that is supporting and nurturing so many desperate families.

One wonderful side benefit is that, for the first time in 30 years, Soli and I are no longer constrained to go away during the school holidays. Which means we no longer have to suffer the greedy commercial price hikes of the travel industry.

So, this year, we were fortunate enough to take our summer holidays around 2 months earlier than normal, and in June we flew off to beautiful Cyprus for two weeks.

As usual, we rented a villa away from it all, along with a car so we could explore the island when we fancied.

The Villa was stunning and surrounded with farmland, hills behind and a view to the sea in front.

It was so peaceful, that all we heard was the sound of the birds, insects and wild animals, and each day the local goat farmer would march his herd around the Villa, stop in the shade of an ancient olive tree for a brief rest, before heading back home.

One day, he brought us an enormous watermelon as a gift, which we traded for a large glass of iced water.

I was able to unwind around the pool and in the shade and get through five books cover to cover. A new record for me, I think. Each generated new thoughts, ideas, inspiration, excitement and in some cases profound sadness.

David vs Goliath

One book (see Steve’s Bookshelf in the print version of this newsletter), really struck a chord. ‘David and Goliath’ by Malcolm Gladwell. It’s all about how we perceive the twin ideas of advantage and disadvantage and how they can be the opposite of what we first think.

David vs Goliath Book

As I pondered the concepts and stories in the book, it made me realize, that Soli had to leave the clutches of mainstream education where she was constantly fighting an uphill battle, so that she could go out in the world to help disadvantaged families.

 Similarly, I set up The Claims Desk 15 years ago as I was sick and tired of seeing Insurers run roughshod over unsuspecting claimants and try every which way to avoid paying genuine claims.

Thousands of successful claims later, we are still here fighting your corner.

There are many examples of David vs Goliath in our lives. How the little man and woman standing tall against the behemoth, fighting the good fight, seeking balance and fairness, and redressing inequality.

We see it today around the world and on our doorstep, but we don’t always appreciate those who have gone before us, won against the odds and blazed a trail so that we may have a better life.

In this mad world, its good to stop and think every now and then, who is the David in your life that has shone a light to guide the way.

Have a brilliant summer!

Steve Lazarus