Novels are my favorite form of literature. I like them because; throughout a story; the characters grow; learn and; often; become better versions of themselves.
I believe that we should strive for the same thing in our personal and professional lives. Thinking that there is nothing left to learn is; in reality; stagnating and weakening us instead of allowing us to continue evolving.
I have been with ERA Group for over 20 years and I am still learning: from newcomers; from those who have retired or taken other paths... every experience teaches me and gives me new reasons to be enthusiastic about what I do.
I think of Elizabeth Bennet; from Pride and Prejudice. What makes her one of my favorite characters is her ability to recognize mistakes; re-evaluate information and transform herself. Her self-criticism does not allow her to remain trapped in her pride; she understands that admitting mistakes is the only way to overcome them.
Lizzy does not seek to be perfect. Her initial stubbornness is transformed by integrating her intuition: she moves from "intellectual" and superficial judgements to more comprehensive ones. From my point of view; that is where her strength lies: in understanding that improvement is not a final destination; but a constant process of adjustment and learning.
I see the same thing in my colleagues at ERA. Although we bring a wealth of experience to each project; when we start a new one; we have an opportunity to learn and grow. It may seem "familiar;" yet there is always a new angle. And we understand that it is in that search that we can add value.
Deep down; what I enjoy is thinking that endings are never completely closed. The valuable thing is to let ourselves be surprised with each rereading.
The same goes for life and business: the important thing is to look at the path from another perspective to find new answers.
And you... What story would you reread (or watch again) in search of discovering something different along the way?
