In the startup world, Pivot usually means a massive fuck-up! And I’ve had many over my long career spanning 16 plus years. Guess what? That’s not going to stop me from making more pivots in future. I’m convinced that “pivots” are inevitable. You just need to stay ready for them.
If this sounds crazy, you can blame it to the reading schedule that I’ve been following for the past couple of weeks. It surely has messed up my brain to a certain extent. What am I reading? British Poetry and Literary Criticism. Just two more exams and I will be through studying Literature. Once and for all. Academically, speaking. Of course!
Hereon, I would like to choose what “literature” I should be reading and why. That said, I’m immensely thankful for the skills (analytical, observational, writing, and critical thinking among other things) that I have developed by studying literature for almost two decades! I wish I had the courage to go and do a full-out doctorate in English literature like I’d dreamed of when I was in high school. Alas, that wasn’t meant to be.
Perhaps, that’s what life is all about. Making mistakes. Going through the grind and learning valuable lessons to be passed on to others. My biggest mistake was to single-mindedly focus on getting my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English Literature. And barring a handful of plays and novels, I haven’t really enjoyed the subject as I thought I would. Besides, I found my passion elsewhere — studying leadership, developing leaders, coaching them and organizational behavior. Who knew? I most certainly didn’t. And so didn’t a million other people who’ve either switched their careers after spending decades in the industry to simply quit their jobs to find their true selves.
The crux lies in your willingness to explore, accept and take risks.
I’m on the verge of a major pivot, academically, and I so darn feel good about what I’m about to do. This could very well be the start of a new beginning. Sixteen years after I made the decision to pursue literature.