Late Winter 2024

Accidents, Sentience & Transformation Myths

“Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.” - Bob Dylan

During parental leave with our infant I had some time to reflect on what happens during a transformation. I met with industry peers who are also taking on transformation efforts at work. I read books about mythology. I took our infant to kid care while I did group strength classes. And most of all I spent time with my children just being ‘there.’ I learned that whether it’s a professional, physical, personal or parental transformation, the arc is similar. In the beginning routine things feel hard and hard things are impossible. By the end impossible things are routine and you forget to feel the easy things. A crying baby is a communicating baby. A nap can be a break. A walk doesn’t require a destination.

Routine things became more enjoyable. We enjoyed bilingual parent and me classes with both boys and soccer with our toddler. I refocused my advising engagements and investments on sectors I know a lot about. I was consistent at the gym. I spent time with all of our extended family over Thanksgiving. My wife and I took the boys on a road trip to Palm Springs over Christmas. While we were there my friend visited and we had a rare moment away from wives and kids, walking with no destination. We closed the year potty-learning with our toddler. The training we took reminded us that the goal is to associate the feeling with the action. That an accident can be how you figure out the feeling.

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