3 Takeaways after turning 40

How time flies! I never thought it has been 40 years. Somehow due to pandemic, I have lost track of time. But can't let this day just slide, it is time to reflect on the past, exam the present and looking ahead to the future.

Takeaway 1: never stop dreaming and it might come true, do your homework and get prepared, enjoy the ride        

Where was I 10 years ago?

Born inside the mountains from a very small town in Shanxi Province, China, I had many dreams, one of them, is to visit the world's largest seafood market - Tsukiji ((东京筑地市场), before this world's biggest market is relocated and closed in 2018.

To make this happen it took years of preparation, not simply jump on the plane, rather create opportunity to make it happen, naturally.

I remembered that due to capacity constrains only very few visitors are allowed each day, I have to wake up very early in the morning, on day 1 woke up at 4.30 am which was too late, and on the second day tried at 3 am and it worked out nicely. After enjoying the most fresh sushi ever, I walked towards Tsukiji Honganji and the business district of Ginza, the comparison between tradition and modern Japanese life has stamped on my memory. The vibe there was electric, very busy with Turret truck carrying Tuna around, the market unbelievable clean and organized.

I have learnt that life is full of surprises and unexpected events, you can't really plan, however to prepare of what's coming, would be the right thing to do, and never give up.

Takeaway 2: If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together        

Delivering project work is always a big challenge, but I like challenges and solving complex problems together with the teams, sometimes you might think your idea is the best, however, never underestimate the power of diversity and changing perspectives, elevate yourself, collaboration is the only way to move towards a bigger goal, to help organizations, people to elevate their potentials and achieve great things, together.

Takeaway 3: learn the beauty of Detachment by self-reinvention        

I have learnt the lesson of taking 100% responsibility for what you do and never blame other people or things, focus on improving yourself and helping customers. It is easier said than done, but once the focus is shifted to improving the capability of our own by helping others.

Facing the potential risk of being laid off in 2018, I realized that whatever was achieved in the past, can vanish quickly, and I shall never rest on laurels, the only way to move forward, is self reinvention to create meaningful contribution to the organization.

It must be clear that whatever we gain eventually we will lose them, whatever we lost it might come back at a later stage, detachment doesn‘t mean without emotion or feeling, but being one in whom feeling is not sticky or blocked, and through whom the experiences of the world pass like the reflections of birds flying over water, learn to reinvent ourselves, becoming a RTE was one of the best experience in my career, helping other people is a job motivated me over the years.

Last but not least, during the South African project, when I was leaving this great country from Johannesburg Airport, on the elevator I have seen the following quote from Nelson Mandela on the wall:

40 is just a number, keep exploring, dreaming and discovering, it is always day 1.