Now What?

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

So you did it. You finished your project and are wondering what happens when we finally hit that last keystroke, when the task we've been toiling over reaches its long-awaited conclusion. There's a moment, brief and fleeting, where triumph mingles with a peculiar sense of emptiness. It's a conundrum: the end of a hard task is more than a finish line, it's a crossroads.

It's here, where the question that should be asked isn't just "What's next?" but "Who have we become in the process?" There's no right or wrong answer here, but it's a question that must be asked. How does your team's culture measure against the tradeoffs you're willing to make in a time where you're not running around like your hair is on fire? You might think you can run fast enough where it won't scorch your scalp, but ask anyone who has tried and they'll all admit they've been burned.

There were plenty of moments of frustration, instances where solutions seemed elusive, but these challenges honed our resilience. They taught us the art of persistence, and how to better accept and learn from mistakes. Through this, we've emerged not only as more skilled team members but as more rounded individuals. Our next venture is a new chapter in this journey of continuous growth. With each project milestone we're sculpting ourselves, carving out our place. Now, as we stand poised at the threshold of a new challenge, we do so with a richer understanding of our capabilities and a deeper appreciation for the that which shapes us.

We started out seeking to solve a problem, but along the way, we learned to navigate the intricacies of building relationships – our own and those of our teammates. We learned the value of patience in the face of unrelenting issues, the importance of empathy when deadlines loom and tensions rise. We discovered the strength that comes from staying composed under pressure, the quiet confidence of leading a team through late-night problem-solving sessions and incidents with a mix of humor and resolve. You knew what the problem was, suspected you could fix it, yet a lingering doubt dampened your confidence. And then, when you're all almost ready to throw in the towel, you finish, and you see it. It works. Exactly like it should.

Sure, we've built something incredible, something that works, that solves a problem, that makes a difference. But we've also built ourselves. We've woven resilience into our character, stitched understanding into our interactions, and coded empathy into our leadership.

Now, standing at the end of one journey and the brink of another, we face the future as better people. The next project, the next challenge, looms on the horizon but we approach it differently. We carry with us the lessons of the past, the knowledge that our true strength lies not just in our skills, but in our ability to connect, to understand, and to lead.