Wish you all a very Happy New Year - hope you all had a great break and are back refreshed to achieve you goals in the year 2018.
This break I took a 4 day backpacking trip to Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California. I have always enjoyed hiking and camping and this trip was a great refresher back to nature. While hiking on the trails of the desert I got to thinking of why I love hiking and also why I love working in finance and with numbers.
The one thing I love about being out in nature and hiking is that it requires not only a physical fitness level but also a level of mental concentration. At times when I was descending down a steep hill, all I thought about was how and where do I make the next step so that I don't slip. I had to look for rocks, type of soil , the position of my feet and also the load I was carrying on my back and take each step carefully. It required all of my concentration. But I had to also look up and see where I was going and understand the bigger picture. I stopped a few times to just admire the view, take a break, refuel and plan the next 2-3 hours. I am happiest when I am working on problems with data and analytics and concentrating to understand the story the numbers are telling me . All of my energy is concentrated on understanding the analytics and modeling. But I have to step back sometimes and know the goals of the analysis , understand the bigger picture and plan the next few steps. This helps me make sure I am on the right path and all of my energy is not wasted in going to someplace I did not want to be .
Another very important aspect that makes hiking and camping very enjoyable is to make sure you have the right equipment. To make sure your body supports you in the experience you should have the right backpack so that the shoulders don't hurt and you are able to carry everything you need, the right shoes so that your feet are protected and don't form blisters and the right sleeping bag and tent so you remain safe, dry and warm. If we don't have the right equipment, a 4 mile hike that should take about 2 hrs could take 4 hours with injuries or harm to your body along the way. In the same way, analysis is dependent on the data quality as well as the systems one uses. One can continue to rely on old technology but the same analysis that should take minutes can take hours or days with errors in it. To make the journey of transitioning into big data and analytics , the tools used should also be upgraded to make the journey more sustainable and impactful.
Lastly, for me hiking and camping brings a lot of joy if I do this activity with people who make the whole experience enjoyable and fun. In these group of people you might find people who have a passion for outdoors or nature, know a lot about geology or ecology of the area or people who have never done it before . In all cases either you learn something or you have an opportunity to teach something. As long as the people that you are hiking or camping with have a passion to learn, try new things, enjoy the twists and turns of walking along a trail , even the smallest or easiest of the hikes becomes a fun experience. In the same way, it is the people around me that makes my work fun. Some of the people love analytic, some are experts in accounting and regulations while others are great business partners who are experts in their own areas. Collaborating with all these people help me perform my best, gain new insights and become a valuable business partners.
In this journey of walking along whatever path you enjoy, don't forget to stop and enjoy the view, take breaks to refuel and have fun.
This break I took a 4 day backpacking trip to Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California. I have always enjoyed hiking and camping and this trip was a great refresher back to nature. While hiking on the trails of the desert I got to thinking of why I love hiking and also why I love working in finance and with numbers.
The one thing I love about being out in nature and hiking is that it requires not only a physical fitness level but also a level of mental concentration. At times when I was descending down a steep hill, all I thought about was how and where do I make the next step so that I don't slip. I had to look for rocks, type of soil , the position of my feet and also the load I was carrying on my back and take each step carefully. It required all of my concentration. But I had to also look up and see where I was going and understand the bigger picture. I stopped a few times to just admire the view, take a break, refuel and plan the next 2-3 hours. I am happiest when I am working on problems with data and analytics and concentrating to understand the story the numbers are telling me . All of my energy is concentrated on understanding the analytics and modeling. But I have to step back sometimes and know the goals of the analysis , understand the bigger picture and plan the next few steps. This helps me make sure I am on the right path and all of my energy is not wasted in going to someplace I did not want to be .
Lastly, for me hiking and camping brings a lot of joy if I do this activity with people who make the whole experience enjoyable and fun. In these group of people you might find people who have a passion for outdoors or nature, know a lot about geology or ecology of the area or people who have never done it before . In all cases either you learn something or you have an opportunity to teach something. As long as the people that you are hiking or camping with have a passion to learn, try new things, enjoy the twists and turns of walking along a trail , even the smallest or easiest of the hikes becomes a fun experience. In the same way, it is the people around me that makes my work fun. Some of the people love analytic, some are experts in accounting and regulations while others are great business partners who are experts in their own areas. Collaborating with all these people help me perform my best, gain new insights and become a valuable business partners.
In this journey of walking along whatever path you enjoy, don't forget to stop and enjoy the view, take breaks to refuel and have fun.
Very well written and a carefully constructed comparison of your love for hiking and numbers.Continue to explore and explain!
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