Good name, work, excellence and responsibility

The formation of nuclear families, comprising a father, mother, and children, is essential for many reasons, one of which is that it facilitates the passing on of a legacy from one generation to the next. At the same time, it is extremely sad how the creation of this type of family has been undervalued to such an extent that women and men see the formation of families as a cumbersome task. And the truth is that throughout life, we realize that everything that brings absolute satisfaction has cost us a great deal; it has not been easy. However, the value of hard work, the opportunities it leads to, and the resilience it builds are all part of the journey. There is so much to say on this subject that books can be filled today.

In these families, parents meet with their children and, through example and lessons, pass on to them key information that will shape their lives. This is the essence of family values, a bond that connects generations and shapes the future. Behavior and knowledge that will be repeated throughout their lives and then passed on to future generations. Today, I gave myself the task of passing on to my son my reflections and experiences about work, excellence, and responsibility. By the way, I'm about to turn 50, and I'm still learning about these topics.

These are themes that are present throughout life. I am sure I have heard them since I was a child and practiced them without ever fully understanding them as I do today. And, in this case, I don't understand them better because I sat down to study the subject and turned to books by the best authors. No. In this case, life closed so many spaces that it left me with a firm and promising path where my best and almost only option was to migrate to a more developed country that offered me stability to work. At the same time, I launched my next entrepreneurial project.

Emigrating to a new country, with only $800 in my pocket to start over, where I was arriving in a place I had never been, and no one knew me. I only had a safe place to eat and sleep in exchange for 3 hours of work in the mornings. But for those who are willing, they see the opportunity in every challenge. It was a test of resilience, a chance to prove that challenges can be turned into opportunities. Those 3 hours left me the rest of the day free to do whatever I wanted. That could be, to continue working in a paid place.

In that situation, with great desire, it was clear to me that my growth strategy in this new adventure would be based on reputation, a good name, and strong references. In a new place, where nobody knows me and I arrive with little to no money, setting up a company that can sustain itself is very unlikely to succeed. So, I started working with excellence, because that was the only key I had to unlock the next opportunity. Creating a name for a job done with excellence was my strategy, my best and only promising option.

The work was not easy, as it involved physical labor in maintenance and cleaning. On my feet for eight hours. Doing something I was not prepared for and far below my expectations. It's also an excellent opportunity to get to know myself and develop into a responsible person and individual. Where I could prove to myself that the good name made with responsibility and excellence is worth it. After working in this role for two and a half years, sweating a lot, and establishing a strong reputation and name, I was offered another part-time administrative position at a managerial level within the same company. The quality of work improved significantly, and the level of satisfaction with the achievement skyrocketed.

The greatest lesson from this whole experience is that a job, whatever it may be, can dignify and show you how big you are from a seemingly insignificant place. In addition, although the work was physical, the daily battle was mental. A struggle of thoughts that questioned my whole life and what I had come to. Rejecting many times a reality where the environment appreciated me for the quality with which I did it. More than once, I was about to throw in the towel, but I reminded myself of the reasons that had led me there. Besides, the alternatives offered no better situation, but rather the opposite. I mentally answered myself: "Calm down, nobody is taking you out of here, if you are overwhelmed, finish your work quickly and go home, tomorrow will be another day".

And on those difficult days when it is so hard to decide to get up, I put into practice the valuable advice: "half of the task is done just by showing up". That helped me a lot, and it works.

Having emigrated to another country to start a business and a new life is a considerable challenge, especially if you have to start from scratch. However, if there is focus, good work, excellence, and responsibility, a good name is established, and the results become very satisfactory over time. You must have a great deal of humility and accept the process and its rigor. It is tremendously formative. This experience has made me a better person, one who knows how to value and prioritize what is truly important in life. This lesson is pure gold for my son and for my children. Suddenly, also for someone else!