Growing up, I was all over the place. I was drawn to sports, art, music, tech, drama, and academics. I tried to take on EVERYTHING. It was awesome, but it was wayyyy too much.
We had a cable access studio in our school, and got to do the morning announcements in the form of a TV show. I LOVED it. I'd get to school early to work on that (either behind the scenes or in front of the camera). Then, of course, I had a full day of classes, after which I'd go to practice (soccer, skiing, or lacrosse, depending on the season). After that, I'd head to the auditorium for rehearsals — I was the lighting guy for the musicals, since I'd peaked as an actor as Michael in Peter Pan in middle school. I'd get home after dark, try to crush some food, homework, and sleep, and I'd get right back at it in the morning.
Adolescence is a great time to experiment, to figure out who you are and who you're going to be. The thing was, I was really into ALL of these things… I had to choose a path. I had to let something go.
OR. I could figure out how to "stack" them. And that's when DJing changed my life.
I started a small business as a DJ, and it combined a LOT of the stuff that I wanted to focus on: Music, performance, tech, engineering… it even helped me socialize at the same time — because lord knows I wasn't great at talking to girls.
This consolidated focus — this "stacking" — is what made it possible to sustainably pursue LOTS of things that mattered to me, without over-extending myself. It has been at the very core of my professional journey, my purpose, and my happiness as a human and as a leader.
It's also a big part of what I love about flying: It's a unique stack of tech, science, and adventure, and it turns out that's a DELICIOUS combination.
SO. If you're feeling overwhelmed, or struggling to find direction, look for ways to "stack" the things that make you tick.
>> Want to dig deeper? Book Bobby for a keynote or a workshop!
