From the Scrapyard to Jan SOLO episode 1

The decisive moment

I figured before I started writing about product management and teaching It would make sense to explain where I 'am coming from.

So let's start with the moment that changed my professional life. I mean I have two kids their births will always be way ahead in the sky in comparison to this moment. Yet It's still one of the days I can vividly remember.

It's part of a serie I dubbed ' from the scrapyard to Jan Solo' and this is the first episode:

Caveat:

The main part of this was actually written about three years ago when it was 10 years ago. Last years its been collecting some extra dust or aged to perfection depending on your view of live. Last week I did a wager I would set it free so that I can leave my thoughts and maybe start a fire in someone else’s mind.

So here it goes.

It was only last week when I was updating my CV I noticed that I was already Thirteen Years , more than a whole decade, since the moment that actually  changed my life. By "changed my life" I mean  It was a moment I made a pivotal change, that would shape the rest of my career and personal life. 

When I say Pivot I actually mean PIVOT! 

This sounds more 'presumptions' than it is.  A better way to frame it would be a decisive moment from where on I regained control of the reigns or at least started living in the illusion that I was steering  into one direction and had full control.

Up unto that moment  several ideas of what type of career I would pursue came and went.  My main problem was, I was never truly committing to them. The result was that I was somehow sliding away from what I thought I actually wanted and I had the feeling I was somehow cornered towards career path I  hadn't really anticipated for myself.

I'll explain what I mean:

I've spent my whole youth in the same old town. Going to the only high school available and somehow passing through the years. As far as results went I  always describe my high school years as a JoJo with  a natural inclination of ending up at an average score where it was just enough so that the teachers could not hold me back. You see I was passionate about Chemistry and Physics however I lacked the motivation to put effort in French and Mathematics. In a general education this is a problem.  In my last year it was also predicted on multiple occasions that when I would enroll at a University I was doomed to fail.

And Guess what. They were right!

In the years leading up to the decisive moment I had gone from studying at  Ghent University to working as a blue collar worker in two shifts. Dropping out of University and immediately having go out and find a job a day later was a painful reality check.

I started my professional career as a blue collar worker working in shifts at CRC industries in my hometown. The main job I had to do was to Spray paint cans and put them in a box. All day long.  After about a year, I switched to working  as a trash collector at IDM.   My dad, who was already working here had arranged for me to start again at this firm. Because I already had worked here during previous summers.  I always saw it as a privilege that I could switch to a job with easier working hours.

During these years I also enrolled in the recruiting program to start as a police officer. In the end it took me two years to get past the whole selection procedure. When the moment finally came to go to the police academy I was feeling quite anxious because previous experiences with post-secondary education didn't turn out that well. This might seem strange to people who know me but I had a serious lack of confidence at that time. Throughout this formational year I picked up on my studying habits and I regained some of my confidence.  

During this year I often joined the head of the school (Marc Dillen) on his morning run at seven AM. While running we often reflected on the years to come and possible pathways inside the police force.  During one of those running talks I guess the idea came up to continue studying so that I could climb the ranks and even one day I could come back to the police academy to teach the new recruits.

 A trajectory often chosen by police officers is studying Criminology  for a couple of years. When I looked into what the options of this path would be I thought to myself how is this study going to help me stand out in an organization if already a lot of people are taking this path. I guess it was my first  red vs blue ocean thinking strategy, yet unknowingly at the time.

I explored some other options going from studying Law towards Bio engineering, In all honesty I went to more Open Days then when I initially made the step from secundary eduction towards University.

During One of those open days I went to  HoGent to follow an open session by Filip Derynck on Public Administration.  Even now when I think about it I can still relive that day. 

The wayfinding to the correct room on the Hogent Schoonmeersen Campus. Which was harder than I thought made I was late for the session. For a moment I lingered in the hallway and thought about just returning home and leaving it for what it was.  When I entered I wasn't heartly welcomed but rather grimed upon by the presenter. I mean he had every right, it was my mistake being late. I quickly took a seat that offcourse squeaked. However

Still at that specific moment during that session it happened. I felt a spark for the subject and the way Filip deRynck presented this session.  I Still remember the moving Prezi presentation and the passionate way Filip explained the topic

You know, sometimes you just know.

This is it.

This is the moment that changed my life. The moment I decided I wanted to enroll for this course, degree, programme..

I Guess a lot of you have had similar experiences. If you want to share them please do so.

There are always lessons to learn from moments like this.