Everybody advances through their professional life the same general way... training, experiences, and taking advantage of opportunities. However, there are two different paths traveled. The first is the one I take and I think of it like a ladder. You can see where you are going, take small steps to get to the top and if you have the time, talent, and/or inclination, you will get there. The other pathway is very different. In stead of a straight line that is well defined, the people who take this other pathway use their training and experiences in preparation of a leap. It is those people whom I respect the most. My reasoning is this... on the ladder, you can always see what is in front of you but you are limited to your ladder. These other individuals have not only the endless possibilities that comes from being able to leap in any direction but also contain the fortitude to take a leap in their direction of choice having taken into account the potential for a fall. These people also find many detractors along the way who want to protect them from the fall and are quick to point out the safety of the ladder. Although people fall sometimes, their leaps can also find themselves beyond the furthest extent of the ladder the others cling to so desperately.
There are people such as my mom with her EC2 and other ventures, my brother with countless projects and a mind that is incapable of anything less than grandeur, Eric Paine who always seems to be two steps ahead of everyone else, as well as others. The person I thought about while writing this, however, was my wife. Joo has both an undergraduate degree in applied ecology, a masters degree, and a background in environmental work that could have provided a comfortable ladder to scale. She has shifted her focus to follow her passion around service and food and has already taken her first steps in getting a degree in restaurant management, working at Tommy Bahama's in Laguna while they opened their newest restaurant, and getting an offer to manage at another place. It is my 30th birthday today and there are many things I am proud of in my life. One of the things I am most proud of is that I have a partner in life who inspires me by showing me that you can take hold of your life and truly pursue your passion and take "the leap".
