“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
Until January of 2010, I was following the script. I graduated from university, got a good job, moved to a bigger city, got married. However, I could feel that I was not as happy as I wanted. Three months later, I was accepted to Harvard Business School, moving to a new country, leaving family and friends, my job, and getting divorced.
I would be lying if I said I planned all those changes. I did not. They just happened, fast and unexpectedly. I just knew that I needed to change something, and I am glad I did. The past couple years have been the best in my life.
To me, life is like a poker game, where even if you are losing on the turn, you can still win at the river. It is a succession of random cards, being dealt every single morning when we wake up. A succession of opportunities. Opportunities to find a new path at work, to follow your passion. Opportunities to fix mistakes, or to make new ones. Opportunities to forgive, or to ask for forgiveness. Opportunities to find a new love, or to be grateful for the one you have found.
My goal in life is to enable change, for me and for others. I learned it is never too late to change and, more importantly, it is never as painful as it seems. I want to change my country. I want to change organizations. I want to change other people's lives. And I also want to change my own life — every time I need to.
And if, after all, I fail — I will try again tomorrow.
— Antonio Rocha