What I Talk About When I Talk About Trains

What I Talk About When I Talk About Trains « in over your head:

“Most people’s careers are like railroads. Choosing a track is the hard part, but from then on, the next step forward is a very easy thing to do. All of this remains true until you have to change tracks. Then, suddenly, we have no clue what we’re supposed to be doing or how we’d start.”

I never pegged @Julien as a trainspotter with an anorak but his analogy is almost mind blowing. From a personal point of view the idea of changing tracks with the cargo I’m carrying: 4 kids, mortgage, social commitments and geek/tech addiction can seem like an impossible logistic nightmare reminiscent of those super long cargo trains I would see from the overpass on my way to the pool as a kid and try to count all the wagons without being too late for my lessons. Changing tracks back then seemed like a much easier thing even if life was moving at Via rail speeds. Sure the Cargo Train lifestyle most of us are living is a little harder to steer onto a new course, but like the train itself, the caboose will follow the engine and fall inline. It’s when you try to let the caboose steer your path that it get’s all complicated. Just remember to be the engine, be aware of your cargo and changing tracks could be really exciting. The worst that could happen is that you have to push the engine along for a bit while you back track and get to that junction. Or stay the course through the tough patches eventually another junction box will pop up.

A big thanks to Julien for getting my brain to engage on a Monday morning.