Like many people, I grew up believing that each area of my life where my ways of thinking and dong were different from my father’s, were areas of weakness that needed improvement, rather than just differences between two different people’s way of thinking and doing. Sort of like, “I like chocolate ice cream and you like vanilla” doesn’t really constitute a right/wrong conflict, but rather just a difference.

Although I wasn’t conscious of this inner-conflict for the longest time, I went through the early years of my career trying to make my way of doing (a sort of entrapreneurial, put deals together, mindset) more like my father’s way of doing,which is meticulous and a stickler for details (he even reads the small print in nsurance policies). Obviousy, these two ways of thiking and doing don’t mesh well, and thankfully, I eventually came to this subcontious conclusion on my own.

I still think I would be a better person if I were more like my Dad, but at least now I focus on my strengths, and trust that there are enough people in the world to read the insurance policies that I never will get to.