I Wish You Have A Good Trip

Miguel shared a coffee with his son Pablo in a cozy little bar near his office. His son was explaining his plans to leave his job in a major technology company to start his own business, and Miguel, who did not see anything clear about that decision, persisted in trying to dissuade him with all kinds of arguments and pointing out all the dangers:

—Pablo, you’re in a great company. You still have a lot to learn, and new businesses don’t always go well …

“Dad, it’s my time, I have no family or commitments.” Now I can afford it.

—But the market is very complicated. And even more to get financing. How are you going to manage alone?

Without one or the other noticing, the conversation heated up:

“I have a good plan, which by the way you haven’t even looked at yourself.” If you had, you would have seen that I have everything planned.

—The paper holds everything, Pablo, but the reality then is very different.

“You did it in your time, why can’t I do it now?”

“They were very different times.” Today everything is much more difficult. Who do you know who leaves a permanent job to embark on a risky adventure like this?

They both fell into a thick silence, which after a long time Miguel broke to say to his son:

—Look, Pablo, I know you don’t like me telling you, but I think what you’re doing is a mistake, and I think it’s important that I give you my opinion.

Pablo, with his eyes on the ground, replied:

“Well, I don’t remember asking you.”

After saying these words, he got up and left the bar. Miguel was thoughtful with his cup of coffee in his hands.

Meanwhile, at the adjoining table, an older man was also getting up to leave the bar, forgetting a handwritten piece of paper on the table. Miguel noticed and picked it up, while drawing the man’s attention.

“Dude, I think you forget about this.”

This one turned to tell him.

-It’s true. And yet I think it will help you more than me.

Miguel, puzzled, took a look at the paper and could read:

“In the face of big decisions there are always two kinds of people: those who insist on making us see all the pitfalls and those who, aware that our decision is firm, limit themselves to wishing us the right way.”

With appreciation, Max

He stayed nailed in his chair. Before she could ask herself who this mysterious man was or why he was intruding into her life, an idea flashed to her mind. Why was she acting this way with her son? Why was he being so negative?

He sat down at his table again and began to reflect: yes, Pablo’s project presented uncertainties and he, who was already older and suffered for the future of his children, would prefer a thousand times that he continue with his employment in the technology company. He feared that it would not go well and then it would be difficult for him to get his career back on track.

But after reading the message from this Max, she realized that all these thoughts were the result of her fear and that what she was doing with her attitude was transferring it to her son without further ado. Certainly, by insisting on underscoring the dangers of Paul’s project, he was belonging to the first group.

She felt a chill as she realized what was happening: her son’s decision was a deeply thought through, courageous, and very conscious decision. And he was doing the exact opposite of what Paul needed! If someone had to be by his side unconditionally, it was precisely him. Because it was true, as Pablo had reminded him, that he had also traveled that path at one point and he knew how hard it is to see that they do not believe in you. He was showing an obvious lack of confidence in his son.

He was also being terribly unfair. If faced with an unthinking or hasty decision, I would not hesitate to maintain the same position. But that was not the case at all: he had allowed himself to be carried away by his personal concern, without putting himself in the shoes of his son. He picked up the phone immediately and called him:

“Pablo, are you very far?”

“No, I’m still in the neighborhood …

“Can we meet again?”

There was a silence after which, in a muffled voice, Pablo replied:

“I don’t know if I really want to.” You know? I also have a lot of doubts about this project, how could it be otherwise, and that you reinforce them does not help me at all.

Miguel recognized that this was exactly what he had been doing that morning, and he hastened to tell his son:

“I just want to go over the business plan with you.” And help you in a couple of points where my experience can help you.

“And why would you do it after everything you said to me just now?”

“Because I believe in you and I know you can get it.”

Pablo promised to go back and talk to his father about the project again. While he waited to see his son walk through the door, Miguel thought he would love to thank that dear old man who had given him that revealing note. He had a few minutes, so he went to the bar to ask the owner of the bar about this Max.

“Carlos, do you know the older man who was at the table next to ours?” Maybe he is a regular customer of yours?

The owner, looking at him with a puzzled face, replied:

“Miguel, I don’t know who you’re talking about.” That table has been unoccupied since eleven o’clock …