You never know unless you try!

You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to leave the shore.

Storyline: You never know unless you try - three real life stories.

1. During my college days in the 1970s, I met this fellow who was studying for a degree in Pharmaceutical Engineering. After graduating, I left for the USA and he stayed home and started a business. The first product he introduced was an insect repellent cream. Irony of fate or what, but the formula he used created an opposite effect: i.e. instead of repelling insects it was attracting them. This young entrepreneur became the laughing stock of the town.

Later that year, when I was visiting back home, I asked him how he is handling such an embarrassment. He told me, "Well, at least I tried, and now I know what ingredients don't work! I'll try something different next time." I lost touch with him since then - until two weeks ago. I was talking to a childhood friend, and found out that fellow is now the owner of a large pharmaceutical company, employing thousands of people, with branches in Germany, England and China, and the Middle East.

2. Last week, I ran into this Chinese couple that I knew years ago. In the mid 1990s, they founded a company to develop a unique Integrated Circuit product. Every time I met them during those early days, the wife used to tell me, "We are going to make it. We are going to be very big." One day I asked the husband, the designer of the product, "Your idea is good, but it seems that your circuit is very complicated to make. How do you know it will work?" He replied, "Well, the only way to find out is to make it."  Today, their company employs over 4000 people worldwide. During the recession of early the 2000s, theirs was the fastest growing company in the industry.

3. At the age of 28, Vince Paplae was working as a bartender in a small town in Pennsylvania. From childhood, He had passion for sports and decided to try out for professional football, something unimaginable for a person of that age, and more so because he had not even played college football. At the age of 30 he became the oldest rookie to have played in National Football league. He played as a wide receiver for Philadelphia Eagles from 1976 to 1978. In 2006, Disney released a movie "Invincible" based on Papale's life.

Reflection:

We often hear people complaining why something won't work: Too much bureaucracy, It won't fly by this person, too difficult, he is too high level for me to approach, that is how it is always done in this company etc.

Just give it a try instead of speculating or imagining. Even if it does not work, what's the downside?  Status Quo for a while until you try again!

Comments

[Arun Trivedi]

Enjoyed this "friday Reflections"

[Tommaso]

Encouraging :)