Connecting the Dots

Until yesterday, to me the founder of Apple was merely the name behind anything starting with 'i', from ipod, to ipad, to iphone. However, upon his death I started reading about him, and his life story. The truth is, he was a brilliant man who was years ahead of his time, obviously we all know this. But what I wasn't aware of was the unique path he took to become successful and the many inspirational words he said as he navigated personal struggles such as being fired from Apple and having cancer.  At a Stamford commencement speech he said the following:
You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart even when it leads you off the well worn path; and that will make all the difference.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

These two quotes especially hit home for me because I spend a lot of time trying to rationalise with myself that the path I've chosen is the 'right' one. I often doubt myself based on what others have chose... the choices that are painfully obvious thanks to social media. Jobs was right though, I think the key is that you do have to follow your inner voice and don't let it be muddied by what is around you. Follow your path and hope that some day the dots end up connecting you to the place that you wanted to be. Although it is sometimes hard to see how life will end up in the future, amidst the everyday struggle, when you look back you can see the obvious path that led you to where you are today.

As for me, my hate for the end of high school led me to choose a school far away. Looking at a map, I happened upon UDEL because it was exactly 6 hours from my front door and a comfortable days drive. Choosing to be an Accounting major at UD, a very good business school, got me the internship at Deloitte in Philadelphia, which ultimately landed me a permanent position upon graduation. My move to Philadelphia brought Sara into my life and made Philly my permanent home. Without Steve meeting Sara, I wouldn't have met Joe. Without meeting Joe, I would have never bought a house. When I was looking for a new place to live in Philly during the recession, I was going to rent again, but Joe convinced me to buy so I  can thank him for Chez Terrace. And so, my life is firmly planted in Philly, a place I never really planned to be, but ended up through a connection of dots.  

I dont know what will happen in the future, but I know that so far listening to my gut has never failed me. Now that I've accomplished all that, I sit here waiting to see what the next major dot is that will shape my life.... in 86 days, I will let you know...