I had 8 hours of sleep total over the past 96 hours. We pitched Qbeeco, and didn’t make it to the Finals, which gave us time to talk about what’s next. It’s a difficult thing to think about because we’re so caught up in the moment.
But, it pains me deeply when I think about the idea of just letting this idea, company and group of people turn back into nothing. Yesterday we all gathered to talk about the future. I suggested we should go out and drink, go to sleep, and then meet at the Eiffel Tower at 1 for lunch today if we want to move forward in some fashion together.
I think all of us intend to be there this afternoon. I hope so.
Tommy said that watching us work together vs. the other teams was like the difference between a young woman who’s just lost her virginity and thinks she’s in love, vs. a bunch of college students sleeping around on Spring Break. It seemed like we were all in this for very different reasons that the others… they seemed to want to have a great time, which included working really hard.
Our goals started with forming great new relationships, collaborating in an honest, kind and fair manner (we never fought), building something real, mentoring one another, being creative and innovative…. and then, maybe winning this game.
At one point, I told our conductor, I don’t even care if we win anymore, I care about these people and this company.
Maybe it is a kind of blind, naive love… but I think that everyone will be there in a few hours. I think they all felt the same way as me.
I just hope I don’t end up like Cary Grant *or* Deborah Kerr in An Affair to Remember.