I stepped outside the door last week of August 2011. After 15 odd years of relentless running I had the opportunity to step back and consider the runner, the running and the race.
“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” – J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
Am yet to be ‘swept off’ but the journey so far has been exhilarating, surprising and challenging. Below I share a little of what I have realized and learnt so far.
- Context changes everything. Including what you know of yourself and others.
- What remains after labels are stripped away is character.
- Not every relationship sprouts.
- Serendipity does happen!
- Full-time employment or startup is a question of which challenges you wish to take on.
- Power unveils character.
- There is generosity in unexpected places, seek it.
- Conventional wisdom on anything breaks down at the fine-print.
- Complete freedom is harder to handle than it appears. Empathize with men who elect to be constrained.
- What you do when you can do anything is driven by character.
All considered, I feel I should have walked out the door sooner. And yes I do have things other than aphorisms to talk about 🙂 I shall do another update on my startup, progress so far and thoughts on next steps.
And am curious, what did you learn last year about the world and yourself?
Note: The picture above is of The Hobbit.