I made a $xxx,xxx mistake yesterday. Thankfully it wasn’t something that cost actual dollars, but forecast numbers that we told our board of directors that we would reach. I felt and still feel awfully horrible to the stomach about it. But my boss and the COO kept saying it was our mistake, not mine. They just said yeah, that number seemed too high but it was something we all wanted to hear so they didn’t press me on it. I think the discussion would have been very different if I made a similar mistake at IBM. I apologized several times for it, but I thinkthey want to move on, so I won’t anymore. My boss said that the important thing is that we recognize that we made a mistake and we address it. This, on the eve of me giving them instructions for my MBA letters of recommendations!
I continue to receive emails on my drive to south america website since its launch in summer 2008, and this 102nd email is the only weird one I’ve ever received. I typically respond to every single email, but I’m not sure if I’ll respond to this one even though I have a lengthy reply drafted.
From: James Chon
Subject: so you took a road trip south
Hi, I came across www.drivetosouthamerica.com as I was just simply fantasizing about a road trip past Mexico and beyond. Your website is full of information and your pictures portray the long gruesome drive you endured. I was surprised to find out that it was somebody from Cerritos with a familiar face. But then again, there are so many people that look and feel the same… As I was reading your picture stories, I became more interested in your personal perception of the poverty stricken nations you drove across. But before critiquing on your journey, why did you decide to take an old mercedez benz? because its diesel? the car can be disposed at anytime? For me, a vehicle designed to handle rugged terrains with AWD (and power to zoom through at times) significantly adds a higher value to a road trip, especially like yours. Please contact your local subaru dealer nearest you. Just kidding.
So, you think people in California have it good and the peripheral nations in the south are out of luck. If people of Mexico were to trade places with people living in California, what would be the difference? The obvious answer is the people of mexico would be jumping for joy and the people of california would long for home. Now, relate this concept to a cup of water full and a cup of water half full. I’ll come back to this concept later and the hidden powers of actually understanding it.
Where did you get the courage to enlist in the Army? I am not praising you but questioning your decisions and the motives behind it. Did your military experience increase your courage level to the point of driving solo all the way south in a old mercedes benz? Maybe you did not want to pass time by following a mundane path like the majority of people from Berkeley. I’ve read that you’ve traveled to many places around the world, even to places where most people would not desire to go. All the past extravagant experiences throughout your journey only enlightens YOU. You see, there are many people who joins the military, especially during turbulent times for mainly two reasons. 1) monetary perks. 2) Risk factor. Many times it is a combination of both. How else would america have the biggest military force under capitalism. I understand along with military comes discipline and brotherhood, but chances are there will be opportunity to make the best of given situations no matter where you are. People in south through various countries showed you great hospitality because you were a rare visitor, traveler, asian, etc. Do you think a traveler from mexico can have the same welcome in compton or beverly hills? unlikely. It would be odd to open our doors to a stranger when the city is full of motels and hotels. About the lady (mechanics wife) who seemed displeased with her current standards of living or the person who asked to be your wife. Do you really think their lives would be better if you granted them a higher standard of living by monetary measures through your millions(or was it billions) you hoped to earn? This brings me to the water cup concept. There is no use about complaining about how little we have in our cups, but truly realizing the value of what we have is key to excel and not be complacent in life. For example. A rich man with many barrels of water only drinks to quench his thirst at his disposal, but a poor wise man will drink his remaining water sparingly and better understand the value of the nourishing effect from the natural properties of H2O. So is it better to be poor or rich? you decide. But the hardship you seen and experienced yourself allows for greater depth of understanding, something many Californians have heard of but cannot understand without experiencing it.
I cannot give you praise for the places you traveled to because in the end it was for yourself. What is the difference between you and society that seeks to gain more. You did do it in a unique fashion, but in the end the benefactor was you. However, I will give you credit for picking up a hitchhiker and sharing the same room with him. I would have like to seen you take him to his destination and read how the story unfolded when he arrived at his home in Ecuador. Of course, I am not encouraging you to pickup hitchhikers, but it would have been a cool story to tell while you were at it. “Hey I once picked up a guy who had been selling bracelets for 15 years off the street and fed him, provide shelter and… ” to be continued. I had the same ambition as you once before and still kinda do. If I had great riches I would be able to help people. But a friend of mine once told me that it doesn’t have to be a grand makeover to help humanity. Places like at work or at school, being able to make a positive impact to a individual nearby should be satisfying. Because it has the ability to have a domino effect on others as well. So there is a positive outcome other than to yourself from the journey you took. By sharing your trip to South America it allowed me to reflect and write this long letter while relearning the importance of knowing how to be thankful for the things I have, and be of good cheer.