Never forget those who paved the way before you

When eating fruit, remember who planted the tree; when drinking clear water, remember who dug the well. – Vietnamese Proverb

Today I encourage you to remember and acknowledge the ones who came before you; the ones who gave you the insights and tools to navigate the waters of success.

Yes, your achievements are the result of your hard work and perseverance, but they are also a consequence of the wisdom and lessons someone shared with you long time ago.

Think about that person for a minute. Is he/she still around? Do you still talk to this person? Does he/she knows how much you appreciate him/her?

I bet this person is humble. He/she would never take credit and always tell you “Oh, I didn’t do anything. You had it in you from the beginning”. And maybe it is true. But we all need a little bit of encouragement to start spreading our wings, to feel empowered and confident enough to dream big.

My person’s name is my mentor Pedro Camara, whom I met in 1998 when I was working as a journalist. He taught me all I needed to know to become a professional, to lead with example and to always aim towards excellence.

Most of his sayings have become my mantras: “when in doubt, don’t”, “dress the part”; and my all-time favorite: “be intolerant to mediocrity”. You bet.

Pedro introduced me to Toltec guru Don Miguel Ruiz and his mind-blowing books The Four Agreements and The Mastery of Love. He also taught me to dig dip into the real meaning of Sun Tzu’s book The Art of War and apply its principles to my professional life.

I am proud to say that after 23 years of friendship, we are still in touch and we still consult with each other. I owe him a lot. I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for him and everything he taught me.

Gracias, Pedro.