Three Sticks — Personal Development for Christians

I recently finished reading John Wood’s book, Leaving Microsoft to Change the World: An Entrepreneur’s Odyssey to Educate the World’s Children. It describes the intensely personal journey that Wood undertook to transform himself from an extremely successful Marketing Executive for Microsoft to the founder of one of the fast growing charities in the world, Room to Read. The goal of Room to Read is to ensure that all children in the world have access to books and an education. Room to Read sponsors schools, libraries and scholarships for thousands of students all over the developing world. Since it’s founding in 2001, Room To Read has founded over 3600 libraries, it’s an amazing accomplishment.

The book starts with Wood describing how exhausted both mentally and physically he was from his position as a Marketing Director for Microsoft’s Greater Asian Region. He also spends time showing you how disappointed he was in what he saw as a disconnect in the behaviors and actions of some of his colleagues and superiors and what was best for Microsoft in the long-term. In an effort to rejuvenate himself, he takes a trip to Napal. There he finds that the educational system has little in the way of facilities, books and other supplies. On a visit to one school he is so overcome their lack of books for the children that he commits to sending more books to them. This begins his journey that eventually leads him to founding Books for Napal, later renamed Room to Read.

I believe that it is his personal commitment to this transformation that is essential to his success. In support of his personal mission, he leaves Microsoft, ends a promising relationship, let’s go of his desire for the traditional trappings of success and commits himself to improving the lives of children in the developing world. There are several key concepts that enables him to quickly bootstrap his organization from a one-man show into a truly powerful tool for improving the lives of children.

1. Relentless focus - He dedicated his whole life, sacrificing friendships and other relationships to make his dream come true
2. Thinking Big - Although always constrained by resources, he encourages his staff and volunteers to always think big
3. Acting - Instead of constantly planning to act, his organization acts quickly and avoid the analysis-paralysis trap
4. Build a Great Team - Creates a loyalty driven culture in which, employees and volunteers have genuine support
5. No Egos - In Room to Read the best ideas win, not just the boss’

Wood’s commitment combined with these organizational characteristics create a foundation that allows for Room to Read to quickly take off.

Finding your passion and making it your career, can be a difficult challenge. However, John Wood’s story offers some clues on how we might make this transition. First, find your cause. This may require you to take a step back and really make an attempt to understand and accept yourself. Second, take action, the Wood’s first step was to ask friends and family to donate books as part of a book drive for the first school. It took over a year from the time he asked for books to his shipping the books to the first school. It was only after he made the first donation that he realized he had found his passion in life and knew that his life would have to change. Thirdly, commit, once you have found your passion and have tried it out commit yourself to making it your career. Lastly, have faith, if it is truly your passion it was assuredly placed in your heart by God, he will be there to help you make it real.

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