January 26 is Australia Day, so there will be a lot of flag waving, cricket playing and barbecues around the country this weekend.
Featuring prominently on the Australian Coat of Arms are two of Australia’s most iconic animals, the kangaroo and emu, leading to a common trivia question, why them and not the koala, wombat or echidna?
It’s commonly believed that the reason they are on the Coat of Arms is because they are two animals that are unable to walk backwards, signifying our aspiration and intent as a nation to always move forwards.
I love this concept and believe that it’s one that we can all aspire to.
Imagine if we all were only capable of taking forward steps with our eyes firmly fixed on the future?
Imagine if we left the past in the past, refusing to let it negatively impact our present or future?
Imagine if we all remembered that the solutions of the yesterday won’t overcome the challenges of today, requiring new ideas, innovations and creativity?
Imagine if, step by step (or hop by hop if you’re a kangaroo), you moved inexorably towards your goals?
Perhaps the kangaroo and emu could be borrowed from the Australian Coat of Arms to become our mascots of forward thinking, bold steps and continuous improvement.
Happy Australia Day and keep moving!
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