Summer Olympics: An American in Paris

Roland Garros, Summer Olympics, Nadal's Torch Passing

Over a year of planning to finish off my tennis bucket list.

Mascot, mom, and me. Opening Ceremony on the Seine

Last May, I woke up at 4AM for lottery tickets. Got my mom and me opening ceremony seats along the Seine!

I wore my "Team USA Tennis" polo from a few Olympics ago and made sure she some official swag to wear for this big, once-in-a-lifetime event.

Remember where you were last Summer

Time is short. Life is long...
Trips and photos are the visual bookmarks of each chapter.

Unforgettable Tennis Vacations.
Dream, Plan, Research, Create. Most importantly, remember a life lived in the arena.

Cat A is the most expensive pair of tickets (publicly available) for any Olympic Event

After about an hour of fancy security checkpoints, we finally reached the river and boardwalk. From where we sat, the Eiffel Tower and the American Church (green spire) were visible in the background. We are on the river's banks, next to the ceremonial USA House official float.

As we walked past the USA House pier, I inquired about one of their colleagues who would be there.

Pins and stickers from the US Olympic and Paralympic Foundation (Colorado Springs)

She was in the Major Gifts charity department, also based in Southern California. One of the ladies said she knew of two different Kates -one was who sent me the US pins to bring with me to trade!

The USA House is basically the American Olympic Village. Staffed by the amazing folks of USOPC.
TeamUSA supports our nation's Olympic athletes at every Olympics - both Summer and Winter - from training to trials to tournaments.

Check out their official LA 2028 Olympic gear!

Register for LA 2028 Tickets early (Jan 14)
Also look for resale and special event seats*



The performance polos are the most functional (usually sold out or on a waitlist). The big hot items are the homecoming for LA 2028. Returning to the States and the 3rd time for Los Angeles, California.

Cameras were everywhere. Choreographed sequences were set at every major lock of the Seine. Performers, actors, and celebrities were all staged for key moments of this international event.

Around the globe, in every time zone, billions of people were watching it all play out.

Being part of the boat parade of countries floating down the river was an honor. Many smaller nations shared a boat together. Exhibition performances were happening for miles, stretched out along the riverside. I saw a lot of flags, friends, and families who had waited years for this day.

When Spain was introduced, I found it odd that I did not spot Rafa on board...

Later that night, I discovered why.

At the Eiffel Tower, I watched the French soccer star, Zinedine Zidane, receive the torch from a hooded character (who looked like someone from the Assassin's Creed game).

Zidane walks down the Trocadero with the torch. Then, who does he pass the flame to...?

None other than Rafael Nadal!!

Rafa accepted it with a smile, a hug, and such a loud crowd roar!

Even the commentators hinted he might be the one to light it.

That should have been the best lighting ceremony epic moment right there, in my opinion.


But instead, he gets on a speedboat. Two tennis GOATs Nadal and Serena. They rode on a speedboat back down the Seine as part of a procession of torchbearers all the way to the balloon blimp.

The show was even more spectacular on TV.

Can you imagine holding onto a propane torch with the light of the Olympics in your hands while on a speed boat? Combined with wet and windy conditions, they had to carry in hand the torch's open flame while it was whipping around them at their hair level...it could have gone very bad.


The rains got steady and heavy at that point.

That night, I'm certain every country's athletes got soaking wet.

The rain just never stopped. Ranging from drizzle to torrential sheets of water.

Only a few minutes of reprieve in between. Everyone was absolutely soaked. Yet many stayed! 

Walking many kilometers between the subway and the Seine along FDR Drive.

I'll forever share those memories from that night with every athlete and fan there.


Olympic Rings at Roland Garros

USA and Spain

My mom's first trip to Europe. Her first live pro tennis match

TLDR;

Waking up at 4AM for tickets. Researching the top events. Olympic Tennis at Roland Garros.

My mom's first time in Europe. Scheduling day trips. The monsoon was the opening ceremony. Tennis  GOATs, Sports Legends, all boats on the Seine.

Walking in Lyon among the old town for a quieter side of France. The French train disasters leading up to and during the Olympics. Missing a diving competition. Expect strikes or delays.


Taking my mom to her first tennis event ever at Roland Garros. Watching the tennis gold, silver, and bronze medalists. Celebrating with TeamUSA fans at the swimming arena and next to the raised flags for the podium medal ceremonies.


Inspiration and National Symbolism

The aura of the Olympics. The flame and the meaning of its legacy. For the hosting nation, the showcase year is the true benefit. The Games have united a World and rekindled the spirit of brotherhood. Shining publicly for the World to see for a few weeks. Sports as diplomacy.

The athletes dedicate themselves every 4 years to dedicate their entire lives and childhood dreams to represent their nation. Their friends and families travel halfway around the world to see them accomplish their athletic dreams in front of the whole world.

The Golden Slam accomplished by Djokovic was historic and a fitting tennis ending.

2028 Olympics returning to the USA!

The Hollywood-LA 2028 Games will be movie magic.

From SF to LA, much of California will participate in the festival.

Los Angeles will host the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and then the Super Bowl in 2027.

Plenty of dress rehearsals to welcome the World to our home.


Why LA is better for sports and global tourism

  • Weather
    • Most outdoor events won't be delayed in the land of 300 annual days of sunshine.
    • In France, we experienced very hot 95+ degree days plus rain delays at many events.
    • Air conditioning is not banned
  • Transportation
    • French bus/train strikes were very common and disruptive, from traveling 3 different years
    • Riding on the SNCF, we were delayed over 5 hours going to Paris (over 800K passengers)
    • Charles De Gaulle Airport (the maze and labyrinth)
  • Geography and Sights
    • Events will be much more spread out, leading to fewer gridlocked security zones.
    • In Paris, most restaurants and shop owners saw revenue drop 50% in the Summer of 2024
    • The main Paris tourist sights were all clustered in tight security parameters with various rules and lockdown regulations that confused or scared away most tourists.
  • English Speakers
    • The most widely spoken language in the World
    • French is spoken by less than 4% of the World
    • Important to have volunteers and staff from other continents (Europe, Australia, Asia)
  • International Appeal
    • Natural beauty of the American West and National Parks
    • Amazing beaches and more capacity to handle international travelers
    • Visiting other US cities for a perfect family summer vacation in July

Labels: , , , , , , ,

Summer Grass Court Tennis Adventures from Wimbledon

Grass Tennis and Summer Adventures in Europe

Living next to Wimbledon Park for 4 days. I wanted to showcase to American fans what it is really like to queue. It is much easier to buy Ticketmaster tickets online. US Open fans can rejoice for digital technology and mobile ticketing!


JC on the "Quest of the 3 Kings"
To visit Roger, Rafa, and Novak in Europe.


Seat Upgrades: You can go into the queue in the early afternoon to get a grounds pass, then head straight to the upgrade queue near Court 18 to get a ticket to a show court (if you're lucky). Many fans have left already towards the end of the day. Wimbledon resells these tickets per court.

Roger's Retirement Ceremony at Wimbledon - Video

If you have the chance, watch Federer: Twelve Final Days. An intimate documentary.

FYI: all last-minute Amex tickets for every session were sold out in the first 20 minutes!
Try checking for Ticketmaster's digital tickets if you want to skip the physical in-person queue.

Coco Gauff on Court 1
Our US Open 2023 Champion 2 months later!

Queuing: the UK Fan Experience
During the first 4 days, I queued in both the rain and the sun. Sometimes 4-6 hours on the giant lawn! Some played cricket to pass the time. Food trucks lined the back. Overall, it usually had a very festive feel.

According to Dan Ariely, these rituals are about lining up that consumers must endure before enjoying the fruits of the labor to enhance the overall experience (Dollars and Sense, 2018). As one put it, this 19th-century event loves its ceremonies.

Living at SW18 above the Rain Showers
I stayed in a 3rd story flat next door to some junior Wimbledon tennis players. It was a blessing to be dry.

The location allowed me to use a toilet and hot shower during those precious 30-minute breaks. From my balcony, I kept an eye out on the queue during the rainstorms.


Among Bakers and Shepards...

To pass the time during the long days, I went out to chat with many international tennis fans!

These were the hardcore folks who came for the love of the game. Some campers were willing to wait for the best Centre Court seats - getting there overnight or even two days before! The ones at the front are saints.

On the 2nd day, I queued with an Australian tennis couple celebrating their honeymoon. They were in Europe towards the end of the French Open and then up to the start of Wimbledon. Brilliant Idea!

Centre Court with Sinner



Week 1 Highlights:
  • Seeing Roger on July 4th at his Wimbledon retirement ceremony.
  • Got upgraded to the front row (A) on Court 1.
  • Saw a 5th set superbreak on Court 2.
  • Watched the Legends like Novak on Centre Court.

Comparison to the US Open:
  • Britsh crowds love queues or lines! There's a line for tickets, food, seats, toilets, shops, and lounges.
  • NYC fans will balk if they wait more than 5 minutes for coffee. I waited for over 20 in London for tea.
  • British Pounds are expensive! At the time, a 25-30% markup on the US Dollar.
  • You need court-specific reserved tickets for "show courts,"; even Court #2 with no roof.
  • Side courts are extremely limited in seating. Difficult to see if you're short like me (under 5'6)

Funny Facts for Fans, Friends, and Family
  • At the US Open, I'm used to 10 minutes of security to watch 6+ hours of tennis on over 17 courts. Not vice versa :)
  • On day 2, six hours of queuing sadly yielded less than 1 hour of tennis - completely rained out.
  • Even the Wimbledon Highlights video on LinkedIn tried to put a positive spin on security.
  • I instead got to visit their museum and gift shops. Plus, I sampled many of their food and beverages.
  • Pimm's is the UK version of the Honey Deuce. I still prefer the US Open drink and cups.

2nd Floor Amex Lounge with some Pimm's

Sweets - Box of Strawberries and Cream

Tour de France - Spain Pitstop - San Sebastian and Bilbao


Before arriving in London, I had a weekend off after the grass court warmup tournament in Mallorca.

On my Sports bucket list was the Tour de France, but I never expected I would arrive one day during one of its legs in Spain. A cycling friend of mine always loved this event, so while I was there, I knew I had to check it out.

Ironically, I almost missed the event. During a rainstorm, I stopped at a small cafe in San Sebastian for lunch. A nice girl and her dog offered me a seat by the window. She asked if I was in town to see the peloton in a couple hours. Bicycle race? I actually had no idea.

The podium for this leg of the Tour de France was at the next bridge. No wonder there were so many people in town that weekend! Bilbow is highly recommended for art and architecture fans. Bilbao, Spain Photos

The girl turned out to be the wife of a UK's Tom Pidcock - an exceptional downhill specialist. She had just traveled from Bilbow the night before for the previous leg of the race. Thus, all the signage around the city.

Guggenheim Museum at Night - Tour De France (Stage 1 at Bilboa)

Mallorca Championships - ATP 250

On the island of Mallorca, I visited Palma and her beautiful harbor and old town.

Tsitsipas and a few other ATP players say this is the best Wimbledon preview tournament. The tournament director was none other than Uncle Toni Nadal. They even use the actual balls of Wimbledon.


Chris Eubanks, 1st ATP Title and his Cinderella Run

As Media Press, following Chris Eubanks and his incredible Cinderella run on grass.
He won his 1st ATP title at the Mallorca Championship.



He's a fellow Georgia Tech grad. Following him was a highlight of the trip. In the Citizen (Arthur) Ashe documentary, he even plays the role of body double as a young Ashe in the CNN film.



I got to chat a bit with his new coach, who has helped Chris take off. Such an epic 1st ATP title and emotional victory speech for his team! I'm looking forward to the US Open 2023, where Chris will be a seeded player!

Rafa Nadal Academy Visit (Updates in July 2023)
I drove from Palma to Manacor to visit the Rafa Nadal Academy on the day of the Final. Uncle Toni was coaching, and Rafa was resting inside. The indoor clay courts and expansion of the campus looked fantastic.

The new Rafa Statue overlooking the center court

Autographs of famous visitors @ Rafa Nadal Sport Shop


Greetings for now from Wimbledon!
See you for the US Open Series series (July-September)
Labels: , , , , , , ,

Stanford Tennis Memories

March 2023 Stanford Update:

Shoes of Nike's Dad - Phil Knight

Such a fun week living in Palo Alto Downtown!


I got to celebrate #Me2We2023 at Stanford GSB.

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do!"

  • Rain or shine, I rode the Marguerite Shuttle (X, Y)
  • I walked and talked with Stanford students, athletes, staff, and professors on campus daily.
  • My Favorite Lunch? Jimmy V's Sports Cafe - the Roasted Chicken Special - a student favorite 
  • The breakfast burrito (chorizo) was the best value in all of Palo Alto - yes, I sampled many meals (ranging from $18 to $80).

Photographer for the week's speakers, events

Somehow, we managed a minor miracle. Fitting ~400 LEADers on the CEMEX auditorium stage! 

Assembling this international body of GSB cohorts together for the first time in 4 years was prolific.

#Me2We2023 Week had over 400 in attendance!


 Stanford Men's Head Coach Paul Goldstein. His team motto: "We before Me."

Our 10-min Interview:
Building Championship Teams with Individual Identities
Success in Tennis and Business


Johnny Mac Returns in June!
Stanford's 2023 Commencement Speaker



Memories at Stanford

JC at Stanford's Main Quad



June 2006: my great tennis privilege of playing at Stanford University for Coach.

Coach Dick Gould created my kick serve - this single shot paid dividends 100x over in my tennis.

Check out Coach Dick Gould's new book - "Anatomy of a Champion" (2022)

Nike Tennis Boot Camp - was held at the former home of the Bank of the West Classic for the WTA.


June 2006: Nike tennis training and DVD featuring Coach Gould

Signed: "To Jacky - Best Wishes, D. Gould (6/18/06)"

Team USA Calendar - March 2021

The start of my Stanford GSB executive postgrad 

Stanford's Cardinal Red
The color of "JC" on all my avatar logos 


Phil Knight (MBA '62) has graciously donated over half a billion dollars to Stanford

"The Trees Always Know."

The lion's share of creating the new Stanford GSB Knight Management Center.


" Shoe Dog" is my prescribed GSB prerequisite reading!


It became my business travel anthem.

May this book inspire you to dream, to fly, to grow!


Grown on the Farm by the Bay

Soil from Planters' Thiel and Musk

Blooming, One of many.

Forever Grateful.

- JC


From Stanford LEAD to Pickleball Startup

In Spring 2021, along with Stanford LEAD, I simultaneously became part-owner and ambassador advisor to TopCourt.com (an EdTech startup). From each of my 9 executive business courses, I added my small contributions to the startup, growing it from seed to sun.

Now featured on Pickleball.com - the multi-sport platform helps grow the fastest-growing sport in America (along with the MLP / PPA league and pro tour). Join me, Mark Cuban, and the pickle club!

Read Full Article
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Paragliding the Matterhorn: Startup to Landing

Traversing the Marco Polo Path in Northern Italy

Landed in Venice, the city of water.

 With ferries, I got as far Eest as to overlook the edge of the Adriatic Sea.



Venice: a very historic, ancient city surrounded by water and canals

The city of Venice, a nice place to have a wedding. The canals and gondolas are very IG-friendly, but not so wallet-friendly. In the movies, you see all the famous landmarks and churches in their full glory. With a lot more tourism in the past few years, the city has pushed back a bit to curb the overflow.

I wanted to witness the land of Marco Polo and complete his reverse route through Northern Italy by heading West along the northern Piedmont region of Italy. Travel Photos.

The land of the wooden boy - Pinocchio and Geppetto's Workshop

Next, I rode the Le Frecce high-speed train to Milan for the ATP NextGen Finals

Read Part 1 of my ATP Finals Euro Trip. 

ATP NextGen Milan

That pitstop at ATP NextGen in Milan was showcasing the top young stars (aged 21 and younger). Serendipitously, I met up with the mom of our hometown San Diego Open champion Brandon Nakashima! My mother was also born in Vietnam originally.

I stayed a couple days to see the famous Domo and Last Supper.

Milan is a very fashionable and trend-setting city.


To the West, Milano - home of the 2026 Olympic Games

The ATP NextGen Arena location itself looked like a large indoor high school gymnasium. Lots of Italian kids and families. Fans enjoyed the flashy light and sound show. It's the junior version of the ATP Finals event.  He concluded the season by winning the tournament, beating several top players along the way.

A couple of days left before arriving for the ATP Finals in Turin...I still needed to decide where to go next. My eyes scanned the map and the weather forecast.

In that region's shoulder season, November is typically known for rain and cold weather. Not yet cold enough for snow, yet too cool for most fairweather tourists.

Ernest Hemingway's Pad - Stresa, Italy on 11/11 @ 11AM

From the Stresa central train station, I made my way to an AirBnB real (modernized) Italian castle with the original exterior on 11/11 - Armistice Day. It was the day when the guns fell silent at the end of World War 1.


Overlooking the island, I spent the night on Isla Bela. It was near the hotel viewpoint where Ernest Hemingway wrote "A Farewell to Arms". With no car, I decided to cover the entire area on foot. Its downhill roads weren't designed with sidewalks in mind.

The following day I decided that instead of going South back to Milan again, I would detour North towards Switzerland. Near the Italian/Swiss border was a lifetime bucket list.

The Mountain peak in the Swiss Alps, called the Matterhorn, was pinned with a heart. Like a siren beckoning me on my Google Maps, it called out: Matterhorn!

Paragliding for the 1st time. Soaring through Zermatt.

Mapping and Mountaineering

"No matter what you do, building a start-up will be a very challenging journey…if you don’t start with enough passion, you won’t get to the other side. If you don’t fall in love with the problem, you simply will not be able to get through the journey.” 
- Uri Levine (Co-Founder of Waze) "Fall in Love with the Problem" (2023)

The key luck factor was the weather forecast. It was nothing short of a miracle in November to get clear skies and 50s a high temperature! With just a short 48-hour window, it was now or never. Time to go for it.

Eagle's Nest

I booked a last-minute little Airbnb. Only crazy backpackers (or last-minute cowboys like me) would even consider. With this once-in-a-lifetime chance, the detour is the adventure. The Obstacle is the Way.

This began the first leg of many to reach Zermatt (basecamp for the Matterhorn). Several trains, buses, shuttles, and 2 lifts later - I would reach snow. The start of a long hike to reach the final jump point.

Lost in Translation

At Stresa's main train station, nobody was working at 6:30 AM. I had to rely on using the automated Italian train ticket machine. I typed in my destination, "ZERMATT." The error screen flashed back "No route found". I tried several times again, with the same result: "No route found." Uh-oh.

I pulled up Google Maps again and saw I'd have to make a few transfers. Maybe this system would only take me halfway? Reaching Zermatt would require using multiple national transportation systems (an Italian Train, then a Swiss Train). I ate a quick Italian cafe breakfast sandwich, then waited outside.

It had two platforms - A and B.



15 minutes left. Still no staff working inside the station. Nobody was even inside the window counter. So I go outside seeking assistance from one of the other passengers who would likely know. I found an Italian lady also waiting. She stood confidently, posed like a regular daily rider.

Me: Excusi. This train? To Brig? (pointing to Google Translate)
Her: "Brig? No, you need to take the other platform..."

She pointed me to go to the other side.
Unfortunately, that "other platform" was for regional trains only. My 30 Euro ticket was supposed to be the express one. But because of common rail delays (I was told), it would be running 15 minutes behind schedule that morning. This is where things start going South.

So I even check the printed train schedule on the sign post. It listed train's arrival at Stresa with the departure times. The difference was only 4 minutes off from the ticket's actual time. Close enough, or so I thought...

Getting on the Wrong Train

So the Platform B train arrived. I hopped on. Immediately, I noticed something was wrong.

The creeky railcar doors were so old that they barely even slid wide open as one rider tried getting off. Inside, the car was nearly empty. Dusty windows, like those from an old black and white movie.

Leaving my bags there, I headed to the front of the train for help. I don't see anyone. I needed to get off! Maybe I could still run back to the station and get back in time? With my luggage too? No way.

Hopping forward, the train's next adjacent 4-5 cars were equally vacant. I slid open cart doors, one after another. All identical. Empty. With a knot in my stomach, I quickly realized that this was the regional train! It would require at least 8 more stops to go. Definitely missing my transfer in 30 minutes.

Upon reaching the first railcar, I found an elderly gentleman who spoke English.
He put down his newspaper and kindly explained that the train I should have been on was platform A. He looked at his watch - yes, it should be passing us soon.

There, he pointed at the much newer, much faster, speeding white blur that was my train overtaking us. I thought the tortoise always wins?

My best option was to stay on until the main station.
I could rebook once I arrived at the main junction town of Domodossola.

Accepting my fate, I sat back down and enjoyed all the little towns and cows along the way.


Switzerland's Ride to Ski Resorts

After my transfer from Brig to Riga, I noticed a big contrast between the surroundings.

This was Swiss ski country!

It was still early in the season, yet so many passengers were going there for a weekend mountain getaway.

The Italian train staff at the station advised me that I need not bother with a refund. Just show them your (Trenitalia) stub; she assured me it should be fine. Nope.

Swiss trains were noticeably cleaner, quieter, and well-staffed.

Clear, large-paned windows reveal Nature's glory.


Tickets, please!
Young train staff stood posted at the SBB red trains. No getting around them. They wore satchel bags, serving as mobile kiosks. They were well-armed with point-of-sale card readers around their necks and pockets full of literature. I showed them my old stub and explained the simple mistake. But they weren't messing around.

Sorry. You can't board Swiss trains with Italian tickets.

Ah, lost in translation. I took out some Euros.

From all these extra detours, I lost some weight. So did my wallet. :)

On board the train, I received an Airbnb text from my host.
I had notified him that I'd be running an hour behind schedule.

The text reads:
"no problem."
"Hey, do you still want to go paragliding?"

"Yes, the paragliding pilot, Bruno, will meet you at Grampi’s."


My host knew a local guide named "Bruno" who could take guests up if the weather permitted. For days, we had exchanged messages. This flight option would be only possible if wind conditions were favorable. It was essential to check the local weather forecast from Tarasch or Zermatt, not outside.

Apparently, fate wanted me to fly on that day.

(Skip to Story: Bruno and the Air Taxi)

Scaling is one part Grit; two parts Audacity

Arriving is easy. Anyone can enter a gift shop.
Overpay for a logo magnet or postcard, and say you were there.

The rich come to the ski resort town of Zermatt and take a lift ticket straight to the top. Reaching it on foot, like my Stanford mentor did as a youth, is another matter.

Fundraising angel or seed capital rounds take enormous perseverance.
It is an ice-cold wind tunnel test of facing repeated hurdles, uncertainty, and rejection.

With previous large group vacation planning over the years, I had wasted so much time. Pitching, explaining, educating, and then trying to persuade others to bring them along. You'll never make everyone happy - nobody is born an avocado.

Change is hard. New is risky.


Doing Due Diligence

To truly separate hype from reality, you need to put boots on the ground with due diligence. In March 2021, I flew red-eye from San Diego to Miami cross-country to arrive Day 1 for the filming and meet the entire film crew of TopCourt. Pitch Decks only tell you so much.

You need to go the extra mile and be able to bring yourself there. Show that you're willing to grind out the hours alongside the team to understand how operations work. No armchair QB's if you're in it with your own post-tax dollars.

CES 2023 Eureka Park - Gallery of Flops - the Startup Graveyard

In the book "Cold Start Problem," Andrew Chen describes the hundreds of thousands of new startups in the US annually. Linking sufficient self-propelling supply (the Hard Side) with increasing demand is often the challenge in Network Models.

Imagine it's like empowering the East and West coast teams of the Transcontinental Railroad to connect at Promontory, Utah. Done successfully, it linked the two halves of America, its coast, and thus also a nation.

Solving the Hard Side: building the first Unicorn - the steel Horse and the magic Horn.

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” - Beckett

How many strangers or VCs will take the plunge with you? Can you get sustainable funding. Will you continue to iterate, test, fail, and repeat as long as it takes?

The "Desert of no Traction" - Saraha of Startups.
After the honeymoon phase, there are sometimes long lulls. Weeks or months where revenue flatlines. This period tests the Founder's heart. You are sometimes blind with no good KPIs to find progress.

At that point, you can only put one foot in front of the other - day in and day out. Until you finally hike it out alive or your cash tank runs dry. This is the sacred test of the Soul of a start-up.

Beware of false promises - the checks that can't be cashed.
Some will tell you that your idea sounds good when you're presenting. Then disappear. Nobody doubts your conviction. But when it comes to crunch time, how many would put down their own money to go on that one-way ticket with you? How small things are handled is often a microcosm of the large decisions. 

"If you don't like extreme sports, maybe a start-up is not for you" (Uri Levine, page 36)
 
Don't listen to the naysayers and fearmongers - they reject you, then ignore you, then fear you.
Anchors are everywhere - ready to ground you down to their level.
Prepare for people ready to tell you it won't work and why you're crazy.

"People don't like change, and your new start-up is a change." - Levine

Gathering light feathers for a pair of wings.
Build a solid team that reinforces the other like bonding glue.
It takes a leap of faith, some luck, and being able to endure the long ride.
You must risk stepping off the safe path and go forging into the wild.
The secrets of real discovery await you in these dark woods (of Tal).
"The door is going to open for a slipt second. 
Whether you choose to jump through it or not, it's not going to be there very long." 
- James Cameron (MasterClass)

Before the trip, I saw the 14-day forecast. I knew I only had a 25% chance of making a launch window. I did not even book any lounging plans ahead of time. I did not know after Milan if there would be another change of plans. It's the dreaded equivalent of a "rain delay" for tennis.

Often, the Alps forecast is grey with a rainy mix of gloom in November.
The Christmas Markets would be a couple weeks away.
I studied the forecasts and had a backup route if things go wrong.

Always understand the odds, kid - even if you end up ignoring them. (yes, Hans Solo)
Read Full Article
Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)