Have you ever tried to drink from a fire hydrant? Or perhaps, walked up Lombard Street in San Francisco? This past month has been a whirlwind, a blur you might say. So much information has come so fast it is impossible to retain it all, kind of like drinking out of a fire hydrant. But it is more than that. It is not just the volume of information. It is the very steep learning curve and the day-to-day activities that pull you from side to side, very much like the steep winding road up Lombard Street.
It is not always easy, but the thing to remember is that if you can get enough of that water, your thirst will be quenched. In the same way, we might feel like so much information is going out that it is impossible to intercept it all, and some of it is passing us by, but little by little, we will get enough so that we understand what we are doing.
When one reaches the top of Lombard Street there is a feeling of accomplishment because it is not the easiest journey to the top. I guess what I am saying is that I think for now we need to be content with going side to side up this steep hill while stopping along the way from time to time to stop and smell the roses. If we do, the reward in the end will be a great sense of accomplishment.
Philosophically, that is how I see things right now. Practically, I know that I am learning so much and this experience will pay such big dividends. I think the thing that I didn't consider is how great the people are across the border. From the teachers at Develop Carolina to the Fellows, to the mentors to all the great people at Booz Allen. Even if I gained nothing else at all, getting to know all of these new people has been a great blessing.
Comments