Zooming Out and Looking Around the Room

I had a moment last weekend, more of an afterthought, where I noticed that I wasn’t reaching for my international electronic converters as often. At nearly 10 months back in the States, I’ve started to accumulate items such as an electronic toothbrush equipped with an American plug.

Why is this significant? It was one of those fleeting moments to pause; where life offers a moment of respite to reflect on the subtle changes going on around us. As I mentioned in a previous post after a year hiatus, I want to transition my writing to reflection of my own journey to a (public, i.e. LinkedIn) audience. That’s not to say self-reflection didn’t come up during Oxford or my work in Singapore, but it was often external facing – speaking on the triumphs and troughs of leadership or topical themes in consumer/retail and developing technology.

Outside of biographical scripts like a resume or speaker event, I’ve never described myself as overtly analytical – logical, and good with numbers (definitely helps with a finance career*), but in a defeatist tone, denying myself the superlative as I try to keep the bigger picture in mind. Getting lost in the details is the formula to a rather dry, stable life. There’s merit in that for those for are risk-averse, but my own personality lends itself to curiosity – putting the pieces together is table stakes rather than the end goal.

Equally, there’s a degree of practicality involved in strategy or business analysis. Not to regurgitate business school jargon, but Porter’s forces are not static. The world moves, evolves, and numbers are dynamic. As an Analyst, I would sort company screens pulled from Bloomberg with a high CAGR or something trite like a P/E ratio. A data point hardly tells a story. We get lost in validating numbers and lose sight of the end game and the impact a corporate decision can have on lives or end consumers. A high growth CAGR is merely a point on a development curve – it attracts competition, it gives (good) business leaders anxiety to create their next big hit, it attracts both media and political attention.

How is the above rambling coherent to my own thoughts or aspirations? On one hand, I put up a fa?ade that there’s some choice or duality to thinking about data and the world. On the other, the logic and numbers are grounding. It’s helped me make good investment decisions and work out operational ideas down on paper.

Forget about business for a second, though. Think of a moment like the one above where you looked around – whether that was a high on a mountain where the horizon of seemingly unlimited possibility drifts off into the atmosphere or a rock bottom where you decided you needed another voice to guide you through a difficult time. Blue ocean, zooming out, 30,000 foot view – use whichever phrase feels right.

I think I often try to map out my career quite actively, and meticulously. In no way is it linear, but often there are demarcations of transition. There’s a before and after. I’ve moved countries, ended relationships, and changed careers. We take these daily excel exercises of crunching numbers or checking through bullet points. We pretend there are ‘chapters’ in life marked by milestones. That’s hardly the case. I’ve found growth through these gates, but also hold some ideas and perceptions gained many years back.

I’ll also admit that my yoga/meditation practice has really fallen off in the past year or two. Anyone who knows me, knows that it’s mostly more intense sports or Barry’s HIIT classes these days. Whatever sparked these recent thoughts – the toothbrush was probably just the first conscious moment – I’m appreciative of the space made for observation. It’s not an indicator to slow down or change course, just a moment to look around and be grateful for where I’m currently at. That’s not to say ambition is set aside, by no means is that the message, but in the vein of mindfulness, it’s a reminder to do a quick assessment of what has changed, what is changing, and what I want to change or remain constant.

My personal laptop still uses the three-pronged Singapore/British plug. Transitions are transitions and it’s worth remembering that the journey is just as important. Do a double click out, contextualize a meeting, a number, or a job. Even on a daily basis, ask what does this mean in the grand scheme of a project, a career or relationship. You’ll find a sense of peace if you let yourself see beyond the myopia of the day.

Michael