On Predictions
Humans are terrible at many things.
Humans are objectively terrible at predicting the future, and subjectively terrible at understanding the progression of time. As Bill Maris said: humans overestimate what can be done in the short term, and underestimate what can be done in the long term.
When I joined Microsoft almost a decade ago – I predicted that I would join for a couple of years, that I would learn some things about operating in a corporate setting, and that I would leave to the next fun thing.
I had no idea of the wall I would hit immediately – overestimating what I could achieve, held back by my own constraints and mindset.
And I had no idea of what was ahead – underestimating how much personal growth I would experience. Spearheading partnerships in an outcome-first pursuit team, establishing Customer Success as a function to transform the operating model of the field, restarting Microsoft’s approach for scaling through the channel ecosystem.
Terrible at predicting the future.
Terrible at understanding the progression of time.
Eight years later, I became less terrible at predicting the future. And for now, my future involves saying goodbye to an incredible platform, with incredible people, which became an incredible home.
Work irrevocably forms a part of my identity. I am incredibly proud of the Microsoft part of my identity, and of every individual and organisation I have witnessed being empowered to achieve more.
Still remaining somewhat terrible at predictions and time, I cannot say when or in what capacity Microsoft will form part of my identity again. Just that the future has a way of surprising us all.
— alexjs
