Finishing What You Started
This morning I find myself in Hopkinton, Massachusetts for a meeting. Being typically early offers benefits beyond being late. Today it meant a quick visit to the starting line of the Boston Marathon, which has been the traditional starting place for the race since 1897. I’ve watched the finish of the marathon many times, particularly those years when my wife ran the race, but I’ve never seen the start in Hopkinton other than watching it on television. The race was a week ago so the paint is still fresh on the starting line. And just like on race day this year, the road is wet from all the rain we’ve had.
I’ve crossed the starting line and the finish line once in my life, but I wasn’t running. I did the Jimmy Fund Walk 12 or 13 years ago. I raised money of course, but otherwise I did the walk with little fanfare and no family or friends lining the course for me. Young kids at home at the time, soccer game that day, and frankly it’s a walk-a-thon it wasn’t the running of the marathon. Some things don’t warrant much attention I guess.
I was commenting on the string of jobs I’ve had since that Jimmy Fund Walk. Outside of a five year gig at one company, I’ve had two-year stints at three different companies, and I’ve been at my current company for one year. I like small companies with a level of risk in them. I also like the flexibility that comes with sales jobs, as I’ve documented recently. But I always intend to finish what I’ve started and keep pressing ahead trying to make things work wherever I land. I hope to be at this company until I retire, but you never know. I have learned from each place I’ve been, even if I haven’t gotten rich at any of them.
If I wasn’t in Hopkinton today I wouldn’t have sought out the starting line. I’ve driven by the exit a million times without a thought of stopping in. But here I was today, thinking about the start, and that walk back in 2006 or 2007. Hell, I don’t even know where the medal is I got that day. I’m happy that I finished what I started of course, but for all my ghost dancing I don’t live in the past. I move along, believing that slow and steady wins the race…. or at least gives you a fighting chance of finishing what you started.