The Future...

'Future' is such an overwhelming concern of us - the AI 0506 members. (Disclaimer - I love to generalize. So take it 70% seriously.) We just had our supervisory group meeting over Thur and Friday. Most of us asked buckets of questions regarding how to move on. Our SGs are the loveliest people in the world as usual. They always inspire us and get us to think even more. The most powerful talk was Ante's 'heading for the future' talk with our team after the SG meeting - he categorized us into 'goal/vision/mission driven' or 'process driven'. He also shared his own story in the past 10 years since he left AI in 97. And I loved his quote from what Andrew Fiddaman and Chris Bones told him when he was leaving AI - forget about your 'saving the world' mentality for now.

A few reflections:

AI members moving on faces a lot of pressure from AIESEC. If I'm telling a member in the network that I'll take an internship in marketing, it's going to be so uninspiring that this member will be disappointed immediately. Come'on, we want to see a better world. We also have what we love to do!!!

We contemplate our decisions too much. We know what we want to do. We are concerned if it sounds inspiring enough. We are concerned if this is the right 1st step to make. We are concerned why every other person want to stay in Europe, want to work in development issues, etc. What the hell? If we were ever so risk-taking and loving to explore in AIESEC, why we wouldn't take life with the same attitude? Why we are so scared to make the 1st move to see what we enjoy, what fit us, even though it turns out the opposite way?! I guess I am too premature to take a long while to decide, I'll jump into the water to know if it is the right thing for me or not.

Release myself from 'saving the world' stress - I have always been such a Chinese who wants to contribute to the fastest growing economy of 1.6 billion people. I feel obliged soly because I am a young, open-minded and ambitious Chinese. Is this REALLY what I want to do right now?! Does this mean I should jump into CSR departments of companies right now? Like the corps need to become a spy to catch the criminals, do I need to learn the core business first to work on sustainability?

Apparently, I need this weekend to digest even more. I just loved all the confronting conversations I have had. When I say confronting, it is confronting my doubts, my thoughts and my honest feelings!!! Next week, I am meeting another 2 experienced AIESEC alumni to understand more about the sustainability business. And back home, I am waiting to confirm 2 very exciting and challenging CSR involvement with Burberry and Capgemni. More stories to tell later...