The other day I watched a standup comedy on Amazon Prime where the Indian-born comedian made fun of the Persian adage “This too shall pass”. During his routine he commented on the fact that this sentiment is meant to remind us that not only the bad things will pass (as I heard many people use this phrase in the context of COVID-19) but we also have to realize that the good things are temporary, and thus we should not get too attached to either.
It made me think of both the current hardship many of us experience due to the pandemic or the seemingly worsening political situation around the globe. But it also made me realize that I continue to chase the insane highs I had from working with some of the best people in the world on some of the most interesting problems in some of the most stimulating environments in my career. I count myself lucky that I have experienced these highlights multiple times throughout my career — from my first startup during the dot-com boom & bust, to building eBay in Germany, working at Mozilla when Firefox was the king of the hill, to being on stages educating and inspiring leaders all around the world at Singularity University and be radical.
And yet — all these moments were somewhat fleeting. They too passed.
But more importantly, I learned that although most/all things pass, it shall not stop us from seeking, trying, chasing, doing. As change requires us in action.
The next time you find yourself dealing with a tough situation — know that it will be temporarily. When you experience bliss — enjoy the moment. And keep moving.