When I think about the road I've traveled, I think of a series of failures.
At school I wasn't a popular kid. I didn't have a single friend. In PE I was always picked last. They called me Fatty.
I didn't get into the math and computer science class in high school, even though I couldn't imagine anything else. I got moved to a class with extra German, a language I didn't like and struggled with a lot.
Later, I didn't get accepted into computer science at university, even though it was my dream. I got moved to mechanical engineering, which I came to truly hate.
Halfway through, I dropped out, because I couldn't keep up and my head was always in computers. I started my first IT job and a part-time computer science degree, whose quality I wasn't happy with at all, and I considered it money down the drain.
Then I started a company, where I racked up lots of failures, lost money and eventually went bankrupt. I worked in various places to make up for the losses, so I could start another company, a services business with three employees.
After a while, I lost my two biggest clients at the same time. I had to lay people off and quickly shut the company down, so I wouldn't end up losing money again. After hours, I tried to bring my previous business back to life.
For a while I lived completely alone abroad. I worked from morning till night. I experimented with financial markets, putting in a lot of time, but without much to show for it.
Along the way, I was in a few relationships with bigger or smaller problems, and the breakups were painful and brought a lot of sadness.
I bought a sports car that needed an expensive engine rebuild after three months. I wrecked the next one on the very first day, pulling an idiotic passing maneuver in a built-up area. I hurt my back and had a really rough time.
Of course, I also had a lot of joy and beautiful moments. I've seen many places around the world and done amazing things. I've gotten used to the fact that the road to success runs through many failures.
I know your road may have been much harder. That my problems and struggles aren't real problems. Just minor inconveniences.
I've heard that man is both the marble and the sculptor, and that he cannot remake himself without suffering.
I live so that along the way I can say:
Everything's starting to fall into place!
It's my favorite saying, because after the storm, the sun comes out in the end.
They say happiness is the absence of desire. I don't buy it. My heart is still full of dreams and burns with a colorful flame. At the same time, I appreciate the life I have, I surround myself with good people, I love, I laugh and I'm happy.
This is the end of my forty lessons. Tomorrow I turn forty. It's the end of one chapter, but the beginning of something new and exciting.
I like change. Though the road will surely bring plenty of worries, and who knows how much of it is still left, I intend to enjoy the journey to the fullest.
I'm glad I could share this with you.
I wish you all the best!