My childhood dream was to be a pilot. I was inspired by the prospect of human flight and fascinated with flying machines. As a teenager I dreamed of being accepted to the famed Israeli Air Force and becoming a fighter pilot. My thoughts and efforts were all focused at preparing myself for the realization of my dream.
At 18 I entered the IAF Flight Academy, anxious to beat the odds and complete the course, but I didn’t. Eleven months into the course I was discharged from the academy and routed to basic tank training with the armored corps. It was a devastating blow, one which would affect me for many years to come.
My somewhat naive childhood aspirations of flying jets overlooked the military aspects of being a soldier, obeying orders and willingly engaging in brute violence. Although I never fit the military life, I became an officer and had my share of violent experiences in the Israeli - Palestinian conflict for more than 20 years of service in the IDF reserves.
At 22 I finished my regular military service and like many other young Israelis, I traveled the world and got an academic degree. At 27, I started my first job as a certified Industrial Engineer in an Information Services company. I worked intensely and performed very well, taking on challenge after challenge. One thing led to another and thirteen years later, at age 40 I became the CEO of the firm.
As a young CEO I took a personal coach, to help me with the particular challenges of such a demanding position. I recall that in one of our initial sessions she asked me, “what was my vision for the company?”. This seemingly basic question startled me. “What was my vision for the company?…..what was my vision for myself?” I did not have an answer.
Suddenly it occurred to me that the last time I had a clarity about what I wanted from life was at childhood. Throughout my adult life I passably let myself flow with the current. In the 13 years since I’ve joined the company I’ve been doing whatever the job required, working very hard to excel, building a professional reputation, but never stopping to think where this was leading to or where I wanted to go.
At 40 life was good to me. Yael and I were raising our two year old David, I was at the peak of my career, and we were all in good health. By then I have fulfilled my dream of flying and became an accomplished cross-country glider pilot and flight instructor. Seemingly, I ‘ticked all the boxes’ but I was unhappy. I was working far too hard. My mind was troubled 24/7 chasing business goals and struggling to satisfy the ever growing appetite of my employers. The higher I climbed the corporate ladder the more enslaved I’ve become.
So when my coach asked me those fundamental questions, I was ripe and willing for a piercing retrospect of my life. Two years later, at 42, I left my career path of 15 years and embarked on a unique journey of exploration. A journey in search of a better quality of life. This blog tells the story of my ongoing journey, the questions I have come across and the lessons I have learned.
At 18 I entered the IAF Flight Academy, anxious to beat the odds and complete the course, but I didn’t. Eleven months into the course I was discharged from the academy and routed to basic tank training with the armored corps. It was a devastating blow, one which would affect me for many years to come.
My somewhat naive childhood aspirations of flying jets overlooked the military aspects of being a soldier, obeying orders and willingly engaging in brute violence. Although I never fit the military life, I became an officer and had my share of violent experiences in the Israeli - Palestinian conflict for more than 20 years of service in the IDF reserves.
At 22 I finished my regular military service and like many other young Israelis, I traveled the world and got an academic degree. At 27, I started my first job as a certified Industrial Engineer in an Information Services company. I worked intensely and performed very well, taking on challenge after challenge. One thing led to another and thirteen years later, at age 40 I became the CEO of the firm.
As a young CEO I took a personal coach, to help me with the particular challenges of such a demanding position. I recall that in one of our initial sessions she asked me, “what was my vision for the company?”. This seemingly basic question startled me. “What was my vision for the company?…..what was my vision for myself?” I did not have an answer.
Suddenly it occurred to me that the last time I had a clarity about what I wanted from life was at childhood. Throughout my adult life I passably let myself flow with the current. In the 13 years since I’ve joined the company I’ve been doing whatever the job required, working very hard to excel, building a professional reputation, but never stopping to think where this was leading to or where I wanted to go.
At 40 life was good to me. Yael and I were raising our two year old David, I was at the peak of my career, and we were all in good health. By then I have fulfilled my dream of flying and became an accomplished cross-country glider pilot and flight instructor. Seemingly, I ‘ticked all the boxes’ but I was unhappy. I was working far too hard. My mind was troubled 24/7 chasing business goals and struggling to satisfy the ever growing appetite of my employers. The higher I climbed the corporate ladder the more enslaved I’ve become.
So when my coach asked me those fundamental questions, I was ripe and willing for a piercing retrospect of my life. Two years later, at 42, I left my career path of 15 years and embarked on a unique journey of exploration. A journey in search of a better quality of life. This blog tells the story of my ongoing journey, the questions I have come across and the lessons I have learned.
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