The other day I was reading about Aston Eaton, the double decathlon gold medallist in the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics. While recollecting his journey he shared how he never took to decathlon as a discipline till he was in college, and it was the ease to get the scholarship into college that prompted his then school coach to apply for him as a decathlon athlete even when he hadn’t even fully tried the sport.
So perhaps the career or life bend of Aston Eaton was this decision of his school coach to speak to the college to see him perform even though he hadn’t even participated in the event. There would have been several more such career bends in his illustrious career and this perhaps is the biggest of them all.
If we recollect on our lives am sure we will all be able to decode several such instances. While I sat thinking about this article, I could remember back quite a few which entirely changed the course of what would have been my career. What’s interesting is that it’s not just you and me who have such career bends. Almost every individual, including most of the all-time greats have had the same.
Let’s look at some of the documented cases in the lives of the great and successful personalities who were able to make a difference in their fields.
- Serena Williams – Her First Grand Slam Victory
Serena Williams’ journey to tennis greatness is marked by her first Grand Slam victory at the 1999 US Open. This event not only represented a remarkable athletic achievement but also served as a turning point in her career. Before the 1999 US Open, Serena had shown immense promise and potential, but she was still making her way in a highly competitive sport and was till then behind her own elder sister Venus.
- Oprah Winfrey – The Oprah Winfrey Show
The launch of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 1986 was a pivotal event in Oprah Winfrey’s career. It catapulted her into the national spotlight and marked the beginning of her extraordinary journey to becoming a media mogul and one of the most influential personalities in the world.
Before the show’s debut, Oprah had already established herself as a talented broadcaster and host. However, “The Oprah Winfrey Show” was a game-changer. The show’s focus on human stories, personal growth, and empowerment resonated with millions of viewers, and its audience grew steadily.
- Steve Jobs – Return to Apple
Steve Jobs’ career journey was marked by the founding of Apple Inc. and his eventual return to the company in 1997. Jobs’ departure from Apple in 1985, after a power struggle within the company, could have spelled the end of his involvement with the company he co-founded.
However, his return in 1997, following Apple’s acquisition of NeXT Computer, marked a dramatic turnaround. Jobs brought fresh ideas, innovation, and a renewed sense of purpose to Apple. The introduction of the iMac, with its colourful design and intuitive user interface, marked the beginning of a series of groundbreaking products.
What followed were iconic innovations that defined a new era in technology, including the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Jobs’ vision of creating seamless and elegant devices that combined hardware and software reshaped the consumer electronics industry.
The Apple brand, which had struggled during Jobs’ absence, saw a resurgence in popularity and market dominance. Steve Jobs’ return to Apple was a turning point that reshaped not only his destiny but also the destiny of the tech industry.
- Warren Buffett – Acquisition of Berkshire Hathaway
Warren Buffett’s journey to becoming one of the most successful investors in history includes a pivotal event: the acquisition of Berkshire Hathaway in 1965.
Berkshire Hathaway, initially a textile manufacturing company, became a cornerstone of Buffett’s investment portfolio. While the textile business proved less profitable, the company’s insurance division held immense potential. Under Buffett’s leadership, Berkshire Hathaway transitioned from textiles to a diversified conglomerate.
The acquisition allowed Buffett to apply his value investing principles to a broad range of businesses, from insurance and energy to consumer goods and transportation. This shift in his investment strategy marked a turning point that led to remarkable success and wealth creation.
The acquisition of Berkshire Hathaway was a pivotal event that changed Warren Buffett’s destiny from a skilled investor to one of the world’s wealthiest individuals and a revered figure in the world of finance. His dedication to principles that emphasize long-term value over short-term gains continues to be a source of inspiration for investors worldwide.
- Richard Branson – Virgin Records’ Success
Richard Branson’s journey as an entrepreneur and innovator was shaped by a pivotal moment: the success of Virgin Records. The record label’s triumph marked a turning point in his career and set the stage for the creation of the Virgin Group.
Virgin Records, founded in the early 1970s, became a platform for Branson to engage with the music industry in a distinctive way. The label signed successful artists, including the Rolling Stones and Sex Pistols, and achieved significant commercial success. The launch of the Virgin Records label was a pivotal moment in Branson’s career, as it allowed him to explore new opportunities and diversify his business ventures.
- Nelson Mandela – Release from Prison
Nelson Mandela, the iconic leader of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, experienced a pivotal moment that reshaped the destiny of a nation. On February 11, 1990, after 27 years of imprisonment, Mandela was released from Victor Verster Prison.
Mandela’s release from prison marked a turning point in the fight against apartheid, a system of racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa. His long incarceration had turned him into a global symbol of resistance to injustice. The world watched as he walked out of prison, greeted by throngs of supporters, the international media, and the hope of a nation seeking change.
His release set the stage for negotiations to dismantle apartheid and transition South Africa to democracy. Mandela’s role in these negotiations, along with his commitment to reconciliation, was instrumental in the peaceful transition to majority rule.
In 1994, Nelson Mandela was elected as South Africa’s first Black president, ending decades of apartheid rule.
- Angela Merkel – The Fall of the Berlin Wall
Angela Merkel, the former Chancellor of Germany, experienced a pivotal moment that played a significant role in her career journey. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 marked a turning point in the history of Germany and the world.
Merkel, who grew up in East Germany, witnessed the division of her country and the restrictions imposed by the Eastern Bloc. The fall of the Berlin Wall, which separated East and West Germany, represented a sudden and unexpected change in her life.
As the wall came down and East and West Germany were reunified, Merkel seized the opportunity to enter politics. She became actively involved in the pro-democracy movements that were shaping the newly reunified Germany.
Her journey in politics eventually led to her becoming the first female Chancellor of Germany in 2005. Merkel’s leadership style, characterized by pragmatism and a steady hand, contributed to her remarkable tenure as one of the world’s most powerful women.
Most of the career bends that we experience would have come about even without we anticipate it or at times would have been forced on us due to the way the situations unfolded. As we have seen with the above examples if we are able to approach every opportunity that comes out with an open mind and the determination to make it a success, we will be able to convert many of these opportunities which later becomes our own career bends. It’s not that every such opportunity will be a complete success but the learnings that we pick up along the way could also make them into the career bends over a period.
If you found these stories of pivotal moments in the lives of remarkable individuals inspiring, and if you’re looking for more insights please subscribe to my LinkedIn page, “Rejo’s Business Bytes,” and my website, rejofrancis.com, for additional content and resources to empower your career and personal development.
