Staying grounded

I think everyone has an ego, but it is important to try and stay grounded.  I think it was helpful that, well before I entered the white-collar workforce, I had a series of what might be described as “character-building” work experiences. In college, I worked one winter at an automotive parts warehouse where I used to haul 55-gallon drums of antifreeze onto trucks on the night shift.   When I worked for the US government and as a social entrepreneur, I visited countries suffering from poverty and challenges that dwarf our problems in the US.  When a person sees how billions of people around the world live – often without paved roads, without electricity, and without running water – it is a life-changing experience.  I think that all these learnings have helped me seek out opportunities without worrying about what others might think.