Even the Blind Can See: Walking into the Unfamiliar with Confidence
It was a Tuesday evening and I was waiting for the 4 at Union Square to go to Fulton Street. And of course, I was late. And to an Enstitute group session at that." As I listened to Autre Ne Veut to calm my nerves, a spirit of urgency and negative energy washed over me: Busy start to my week with Cesar, nearly a dozen newly created projects across training and new programs were picking up, and with all this good news, I’d still be late to our group check-in. Who wants to be that one late kid to class, with eyes on her shoes that lead her to the last empty chair in the room? And just like that, my thoughts were interrupted by a gentle knocking between my ankles. I look down to see a white-tipped cane dancing its way across the subway floor. Before I turned around, I heard a thoughtful apology from a visually impaired man making his way to the edge of the platform. “Sorry about that.” And when the Brooklyn-bound 4 finally arrived, I watched in silence as he asked a stranger beside him to lead him into the subway card. After accepting his offer, the stranger walked him into subway car, leaving the blind man to find a metal pole to hang on to, while the volunteer found a seat. One stop later, the blind gentleman found his way to the sliding doors, and exited the subway car. I watched him steadily make his way to the exit until his powder blue shirt and khaki pants faded in the distance. Instead of finding sympathy in what one would perceive as his weakness and challenges, every step of that 3 minute interaction brought me back to a place of admiration and respect for a human being. And one that happens to be hindered by his eyesight, not his mission to reach his destination. What can we learned from his actions when we similarly walk into an unfamiliar space but should do so with confidence? - Walk into foreign territory with a guide of sorts. In this case, a white cane was a resource in traveling in the subway. While it helped scope out potential dangers, it ultimately served as an advantageous tool. How else could he independently test if his desired destination was in reach? - “Ask for forgiveness, not for permission.” A familiar saying I first heard from Enstitute Staff during Bootcamp which suggests one should always be proactive. Better that one pursues their interests with initiative, passion and zeal than ask for pre-approval. - Find allies and mentors along the way. When we typically hear this advice, we assume that we must have known the candidate for a number of years and share similar belief systems or visions. “Oh contraire, mon cheri!” An ally can easily be the ying to your yang! Identify your shortcomings in the strengths of others and see where coaches will emerge. - After some time, go solo. You’ve come in with resources, you’ve acted on your ambition, you’ve made friends along the way, and now it’s time to use what you’ve learned to continue on your path the way you came in - only smarter and stronger.
-valed