Circumstances that signal a transition in life become opportunities to reflect on what has happened in the past. Some of these events are profound (marriage, death, and similar major inflection points.) Others are less so, but still represent opportunities to look back and consider what happened – and what didn’t.
My father recently asked me this summer to clean out his attic of all the stuff that I left there when I moved out. It was interesting to cull through a variety of things that represent some important moments in my past.
There were:
- High school and college soccer trophies
- Paperwork (in Dutch) from a job with KLM in Amsterdam
- All of my college notebooks, term papers, and tests
- Paperwork from a time in London when I worked for a Member of Parliament
- The book manuscript I wrote, later published by The Adam Smith Institute
- An invitation to train for a semi-professional soccer team
- Employment applications for almost every airline in existence in 1991
In going through and reading some of the above, I was prompted to think that “Wow, I used to be really smart. What happened to me?” Has doing what I currently do – running this event consulting business – fulfilled my potential?
The immediate answer, of course, would be ”no”, since my journey is not complete and I will always have more to learn. So I am not completely fulfilled in that regard.
But did I take the wrong path? It’s easy to idealize the possible results of decisions that I did not make. Let’s see what might have taken place.
- I could have worked for a European airline – or perhaps one based elsewhere. And though that was a glamorous option in 1990, it is quite different today. Air travel is harshly competitive these days and no traveler enjoys the experience. Imagine those who service those passengers. The industry is likely in a “race to the bottom.” I think I dodged a bullet there.
- Become a Member of Parliament? Even with my American accent, the possibility was a real one. But considering my general disgust with politicians, I am glad that opportunity didn’t happen.
- Become a soccer player? Well, I blew out both my knees playing amateur matches around Boston and I was probably one kick away from being ‘out of the game’. Given I would have had likely abandoned college to make such a career happen, I think I am fine with this choice.
As with many people in my industry, I fell into the events business by accident, applying for a job posted in the newspaper, hoping to get any kind of offer. That began a 24-year career in the business, when none of my prior jobs had lasted longer than 18 months.
As it turned out, I started a successful business BECAUSE of the richness and variety of life experience of my past – not in spite of it.
And, as it has turned out, I am pretty happy with my choice….Can you say the same?