You Never Know What You Are Capable Of

Until you survive

Until you survive adversity.

Photo by Fernando Puente on Unsplash

“You never know beforehand what people are capable of, you have to wait, give it time, it’s time that rules, time is our gambling partner on the other side of the table and it holds all the cards of the deck in its hand, we have to guess the winning cards of life, our lives.”

― José Saramago

One of the most profound leadership lessons I received didn’t happen in a classroom. It didn’t come from a book either, but from real life experience — it was born out of a mistake.

20 years ago, I was trekking in Patagonia — it was the beginning of a well-deserved vacation after a long stressful year. Together with a small group, we were enjoying the beginning of the summer. I was feeling anxious though — I started to walk faster and faster until I separated from the group.

I was so distracted, that I didn’t see a turn and missed the trail toward our destination — a hidden waterfall.

At some point, I realized I was lost. It was getting da…