The Road Ahead

Have you ever tried solving a jizsaw puzzle, and there are some pieces that are just too difficult to figure out where to place them? And after trying a while, you overcome the problem by trying to fix each piece against each other, hoping that they will match. The thing is, I realized that a good jizsaw puzzle has this property that every side is unique; that is, you can only put two pieces that belong together side by side. Other pieces won't be able to match the edge nicely. (To be honest, I'm not really sure if this is a proven fact, but as an engineer by training, and my experience in jizsaw puzzles, I think this makes perfect sense.)

Some people are lucky; they know what they want. They seek out the pieces like you would in a jizsaw puzzle, and start putting pieces together. Others like me, who are not so brilliant/focused/clear/blah blah blah, have to do it in other ways. Some people take two pieces together, and try fixing them together. If they don't match, they will still pretend that they do; or they might force the two pieces together. Some don't mind, for it's the imperfection that makes it beautiful. Still others do it the long way, trying out all possibilities until they get it right.

I used to the third kind of person: the type who would keep trying until the match is perfect. But now, I see the beauty in imperfection. No match is perfect; for there are bound to be flaws here and there. The beauty is in how to manage these flaws, and how to overcome them. It is this journey/process of making things work that makes it so beautiful. Making the impossible possible. To me, this is magic.

I remembered joining the company on June 14th, a very special day. When I received the offer, I was thinking that I am not going to be here for any time longer than a year. This will just be a stepping stone for my next consulting job. The thing is, what you expect is what you get. It is a kind of unconscious fulfilment of your own expectations. Needless to say, my first project is a disaster. Looking back, I think I have missed out a lot of learning opportunities.

The year is ending, and the new one is approaching. I remembered the same time this year, that I was thinking of setting my new year resolutions. One of them is to get a driving license. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to write down my new year resolutions. And unfortunately, I still have not started on my driving lessons... This coming year is different. I am clearer about what I want to achieve in this company, and I am going to take more proactive steps towards my self-development. The first thing I am going to do will be to set my resolutions of course. Setting realistic and achieveable targets is an important skill that must not be overlook, and I am looking forward to setting the goals and working towards them.

In the year of 2008, there will only be two focuses in my life. The first is career development. While I do not want to be an analyst in 2009, I do not want to be a lousy consultant either. To achieve that, there are a lot of things that need to be done.

The second is something personal. It is not going to be a smooth sailing journey, but I believe if we put our hearts into a journey, it will make us strong.

I am facing some difficulties in my life now, and there are some things that are not within my control. But I believe this journey is worth taking, and though there will be more obstacles ahead, if you believe in something, you should take the first step. For if you never try, you will never know.

There's a whole new world out there waiting for us to explore, so let's not let a few obstacles stop us now. For if we put our hearts together to overcome the obstacles, not only will the ending be sweet, the journey can be a fun and exciting one.