Chapter 6 - A Rolling Stone Gathers More Than You Know
Chapter 6 - A Rolling Stone Gathers More Than You Know
BY PATRICK HO
The Power of Perpetual Motion and Uncharted Paths
"A rolling stone gathers no moss" is a proverb, first credited to Publilius Syrus, who in his Sententiae states, "People who are always moving, with no roots in one place or another, avoid responsibilities and cares."
- Source: Wikipedia
This is where the true power of words and societal programming reveals itself. For most of my formative years, that proverb, with its implied judgment, was drilled into my psyche. The message was clear: stay put, settle down, achieve mastery, and gather moss - or risk being judged as feckless or irresponsible.
How wrong were they - those who were "programmed" during the colonized times, who passed down this mentality. This thinking was absolute bollocks, and it made me doubt myself for no reason.
The Flame Will Always Spark
But the human spirit will never be diminished. The flame of curiosity and desire for self-determination will always be sparked.
Life changes. The way we choose to live it changes.
Brilliant humans continue to invent and change this beautiful world. Innovation never stops, and neither should we.
I refused to let the weight of this 'thought' or 'programming' shackle my ambitions and aspirations. I chose to step out of it. I fought the negativity that whispered I would never be a "master of my trade." My fate, it turned out, never allowed it anyway, and that became my greatest blessing.
Today, after 14 jobs and two failed businesses since I started working at 21 years old, I stand proud of the way my life has evolved. I never let anyone stop me. I did my best to overcome my fears and worries.
Fearing and worrying are life’s greatest enemies. Remember that.
An Uncharted Trajectory
Unwittingly, unplanned, and without grand agendas most of the time, my career path has consistently leapt into hemispheres that seem strange to most. Many would have cringed looking at my resume, which resembles a mosaic of disparate skills rather than a straight line.
Who cares about what they think? It looks like I made it on my own terms, and in my own special way. I am so grateful for an amazing, colorful life.
Of course, I have to thank my many gurus and colleagues who saw the light in me, even when my path twisted. You guys know who you are. Leading an "abnormal" career path well traveled is not meant for the majority - it requires a certain appetite for risk and discomfort.
My journey began after graduating from the Malaysian Institute of Art. My Graphic Design diploma didn't matter much, as I never officially worked as a graphic designer.
Fate decided I would become a photographer in a commercial studio. I was mostly doing mundane despatch runs to develop film or slides, but I learned real-world photography techniques. This short few months of boredom soon changed dramatically.
A college buddy called and asked if I would like to join The Star, one of Malaysia's top news organizations. A 21-year-old naive kid went for the interview and, surprisingly, got the job. After two amazing years of shooting everything - from pop stars, celebrities, royalty, news and sports, murder scenes, and even smelly drains - I was headhunted.
This next step took me to a new weekly newspaper called The Leader. There, under the encouragement of legendary editors Frankie D’Cruz and R. Nadeswaran, I was taught to write feature and investigative stories. Through them, I discovered the true, thrilling meaning of journalism.
The Golf Years and The Harvest
After three glorious years, I made a detour to a small advertising agency for three years before jumping on a plane to Brunei Darussalam with Nadeswaran to help set up the country’s second English newspaper, The News Express. Both The Leader and The News Express didn’t last for reasons only the powers-that-be knew.
This forced me into a short sabbatical before I joined A’Famosa Golf Resort in Melaka. Little did I know at that time that this first stepping stone was crucial and would lay a great foundation for my existence in the golf business for the next 25 years.
I went on to help develop and grow an Australian custom fitting and golf academy company; became editor of three golf magazines; and started a media and event management company.
The latter came at a timely moment especially when my last gig as editor-in-chief of Golf Digest Malaysia ended. The ugly side of digital media caught up with us scribes and publishers - revenue had slumped to an all time low and the magazine had to be closed down for good.
No regrets. Just so grateful and thankful for this journey and these adventures of a lifetime. The proverb says “a rolling stone gathers no moss”…
But what I have gathered is far more valuable:
1. Diverse skills from 14 distinct professional environments.
2. The wisdom of two failed businesses.
3. The network of beautiful people met along the way.
4. The experience of navigating multiple industries and cultures.
This harvest has no price tag. Money can never buy the blessings that I have received. Even the bad lessons and the encounters with bad people were great blessings, teaching me resilience and discernment.
The rolling stone doesn't gather moss, but it gathers speed, perspective, and a wealth of rich soil from every landscape it crosses. I am the testament to that.
Thank you Universe.
MY TIPS FOR THE ROLLING STONE'S SUCCESS
1. Observe and Absorb: Be a sponge. Every environment, no matter how brief your stay, holds critical data.
2. Learn Everything: Be relentless in your pursuit of knowledge - physical, mental, material, processes, and methods (Until the day you die!).
3. Improvise or Innovate: When faced with a problem, don't just follow the manual; find a better, quicker way.
4. Accept Change: Stop fighting the inevitable. Change is your career's fuel, not its enemy.
5. Be Comfortable With Discomfort: Growth happens outside the comfort zone. Embrace the awkwardness of being the new person or tackling a foreign skill.
6. Be Tolerant: The world is full of different people, ideas, and failures. Practice patience and understanding.
7. Learn New Skills: Always have a skill in progress. It's the currency of the rolling stone.
8. Never Doubt Yourself: Trust the value of your accumulated, diverse experience.
9. Never Fear Anyone Or Anything: Fear is a shackle; knowledge and experience are the keys.
10. THE BOSS IS ALWAYS RIGHT: This one is for a wry laugh, but seriously, learn to manage up and choose your battles wisely.
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