Posted by 20 years ago, I was turning 23, moving to the UK, starting my job at Morgan Stanley, living on my own for the first time and launching an initiative to sponsor 30 kids in Mozambique. What happened?
- Moving for a year to London meant London became my home for the following 17 years
- Trying finance became 19 years and multiple jobs at Morgan Stanley
- Being on my own meant I built amazing new friendships for life
- Living on my own was later changed with a husband and two (English-born) kids
- The 30 children in Mozambique became 2500 children
- There was a thing called remote work that allowed me to live in both countries when it was finally time to move back
Little did I know at 23 that is easy to imagine only now, with the benefit of hindsight. More importantly, little did I know about the lessons this life would bring me:
- Working in Finance was fun and challenging through (most of) my career. When it brought me no joy I looked for changes and opportunities.
- Leaving a workplace (like I did in 2007) does not mean you are never coming back (as I did in 2009). Culture is everything.
- Learning and adding value was the main driver of my career decisions and often it led to the best personal outcomes. Even when career promotion was not always aligned.
- Having an MBA changes your life for the long-run, but not always for the short run. it was a pivotal moment in my career trajectory, even if only visible years later.
- Living in London and building our family there was key for our foundation. Our unity is stronger
- Investing in relationships was one of the (few) investments I got right. I am not strong at managing my portfolio closely sometimes, but it is my pot of unmeasurable gold.
- Maintaining a side job for almost 20 years takes a toll on your personal, family and social life. It can’t be done without sacrifices.
- Suffering from mental health is part of everyone’s life, but choosing to heal and discover who I really wanted to be has transformed my life.
- Running a side business (or charity) for almost 20 years is only possible with the support of other people that are as passionate as you are. The key is to let go of control.
- Business plans are helpful for north and grounding, but rarely get the exact destination right. It is after all about the journey.
- You can put everyone else’s mask first, but you won’t be very good at it. No one will create your own boundaries.
- Being present is not always being physically there.
These 12 lessons could be 20 or could even be 43. They touch all parts of life. Because that is life as a portfolio.
Sometimes, we feel time flies by, but I must say, my life has been so full that I can recognise 20 full years. Today, I am grateful for all the opportunities I looked for, the opportunities that were offered to me, and also those I passed along the way. Getting ready for (at least) another 43.
As my legacy, I continue to focus on my time on allowing those less privileged than me to find their own opportunities. You can help too: