Today my first contract as a consultant was finalized! It is hard to even formulate the words for the mixture of pride, excitement, even incredulity that this day is finally here!
I have dreamed of starting my own company since I was at Stanford in 1999-2000. I am not sure anyone leaves Stanford without some dream of either starting his or her own, or at least of being part of a start-up. I think there might be something in the Palo Alto water, or maybe it is just the atmosphere that anything is possible. That anyone, no matter where he or she is from, has the possibility, and maybe even the responsibility, to change the world.
It has taken me 15 years to reach this place. Most of this journey has been to be able to believe in myself, in the capability and experience that I have. To believe that a girl from a factory town in the middle of cornfields, could have that possibility herself. To at least quiet, if not remove, all the voices in my own head that say why I will fail, that question me for daring to dream, that stop me from being all that I am really capable of being.
It also took me this long to figure out the problem that I want to solve, and how I might go about solving it. For that, I am eternally grateful to my former team at Delphi Electronic Controls, who trusted me as their leader, and helped me identify my problem to solve. If any of you are reading this, thank you.
My own contract now is the first step of many to solving the problem that drives me. My own dream is coming true. Now I hope I can bring a few others' dreams to fruition. I challenge you to dare to dream your dream, and then, maybe dare to take a step or two in the direction to make it happen, or have the patience to work and do your best while you try to solidify your dream.
In the end, I took this chance, despite all the reasons that I came up with why I could or would fail, because I only have one life to live, and what life would it be if I couldn't muster the strength to try to live my dream?