image

Drive: Unfiltered.

April 12th, 2010 | 9 comments | Unfiltered

Drive.

It’s something you can do in a car. It’s a quality you can hold, that whole “being driven” thing. It’s a part in a computer, or at least, it used to be.

What is drive to me?

Well this weekend, it was two of the three.

As I was wrapping things up on Friday, I was talking to my mom and decided that I wanted to come home to visit. Like, now. Fortunately, after my last non-business traveling debacle, I was armed with three roundtrip flights on AirTran to use at my discretion, blackout dates permitting.

So I hurried out of the office, hopped in a cab, only to realize I left my keys on my desk. There were two ways this could go. If I went back to my office, back to my apartment, tried to book a flight and then went to the airport – there was no way I was making the last flight out. Or, I could just take a cab back towards the office, call AirTran on the way, and then go to the airport.

I went with option B.

So the plan was, I’d call AirTran, book the flight in the cab, stop by the office and pick up my keys and the miscellaneous t-shirts I have from different events so I’d have clothes for the weekend, and then I’d just hop on the orange line.

Instead, I booked the flight, and as the cab driver was getting ready to drop me off at the office, I had him take me to Midway instead. I’d buy clothes when I got to Florida (hello, no 10% sales tax).

So I am on hold with the AirTran lady and the next flight OUT of Florida that I’m eligible for is on Wednesday – which CLEARLY isn’t an option. I book the one-way down there and I start checking Kayak and Southwest for cheap one ways back to Chicago on Sunday or first thing Monday morning.

Nothing.

Or, $400 worth of something.

I ask my well-traveled friend Peter for any tips or tricks since the guy flies like 350k+ miles a year. He recommends booking a flight as round trip and just not using the second half. Good thoughts for the future, but for this particular incident, that wasn’t an option either.

So I realize that I really didn’t think this through. There was no planning. I didn’t have any clothes (the less important piece of the puzzle, as I went bonkers in Target on Saturday morning), I was in Florida and had two options – spend $400 I don’t  really have room to spend on a ticket, or drive. The drive didn’t sound so bad, but making it alone sucks. So I thought maybe one of my friends would like to take a road trip, stay with me in Chicago, and then fly themselves back the next weekend or something. But then I remembered (with their help) that most people PLAN things like this, they don’t just do it.

So I drove. By myself. Windows down the whole way because it was 75 and sunny from Florida on up. It was the most amazing drive of my life. Great tunes, got my “driving time thinking” session in (all 19 hours of it) and was reminded of how AWESOME my little hybrid is on road trips.

What’s more is, of course, I learned something about myself this weekend.

When I want something to get done. It gets done. When I commit to something, I stop at nothing to see that it happens. And, when I’m in a tight situation, there is ALWAYS a solution. There is always an answer.

This is true, obviously in my personal life as evidenced by this weekend, but in my professional life as well. We can plan and plan and plan and plan, but when it comes right down to it, shit happens that we don’t plan for and we need to think of a solution. Usually quickly. We need to be resourceful.

I’ve committed to my career here. It’s happening. I wanted to go to Florida this weekend, I did it. I want to get certified this summer so I can skydive by myself. And I start my classes and Skydive U (seriously) in late June, weather permitting.

Kids, when your parents say you can do anything you set your mind to, they’re spot-freakin-on. You just have to conciously make that decision, not him-haw around about it and wonder if it’s the right thing. Make the decision. Own it. If you screw up, you screw up. Chances are, nobody’s life in in danger.

Unless we’re talking about skydiving, then, well, if I screw that up, I’ll miss each and every one of you.

What does drive mean to you? Do you have it? How do you tap it?

Tags:

  • http://edcabellon.com edcabellon

    Another great post Sydney!

    Drive is what separates those who are extraordinary. It's unrelenting passion and focus towards a goal, where failure is not an option. Drive is what challenges us during times of struggle, to.keep.going.

    I do have it, I've always had it.

    I tap it every single day when I wake up because I just don't know any different.

  • Nisha

    Syd, this was a great post to read first thing on Monday morning- totally pumped to start the week off now :)

    oh and ps: I'm going skydiving (first time) in two weeks!!

  • http://cupamo.wordpress.com/ Makafui

    Whoo! Ms. Sidney! I feel totally pumped. I need more drive. A week ago, i gave myself a challenge to interview the entire senior class in my major, for a blog I'd been ignoring for months. I went against what I do usually, which is to hem-haw about and think about all the reasons why I shouldn't. I'm 1/6 down and I've learned so much in the process.

    Now, I just need more drive when it comes to applying for jobs. It's second-semester senior year, and I've been dragging my feet on sending those applications. I must have some mental block thing. Working on that drive, though!

    Great post! Keep'em coming!

  • http://twitter.com/trumpedup Brennan Stephenson

    And it goes without saying (although I'm going to say it anyway) that by flying home, you would have missed out on an amazing lunch…

  • http://www.smallhandsbigideas.blogspot.com Grace Boyle

    Yaaaay! I love this story and I love your balls…haha, oops, that sounded weird but you know what I mean.

    I don't know how else to verbalize this, but I feel the same way as you. Literally, if you want to do something you can. You can do anything! I know there are road blocks and I know there are challenges, but shit, anything can be done if you want it enough. It's about taking the risk and making it happen, no questions asked. I think that attitude cannot be cultivated, maybe it comes from deep within or is inherent. I've always been like that, I do not know how to be any other way. Other friends ask me to “teach” them and I'm not sure how else but to say, “JUST DO IT.”

    Love this :)

  • http://twitter.com/dmbosstone Patrick Pho

    In the literal sense drive means driving four hours by myself and waiting three hours in the rain to see our future President of the United States.

    It's sacrifice in order to attain what you really want in life.

  • http://www.lifeaftercollege.org jennyblake

    Sydney – you are amazing! Skydive U? Rock on, girl. I'm completely blown away by your drive – it was so clear to me in Austin (and long before) that you are a girl who figures out what she wants and goes for it 150%. Balls to the wall! It's inspiring.

  • katesmiles88

    I know exactly what you mean and I certainly understand the feeling of Really wanting to do something, and then realizing, you'll be doing it alone. I went to Paris last summer on a weekend excursion while studying abroad. I was will two girls who I barely knew and who I quickly found out didn't really like me all that much. I didn't let the fact that they didn't want to ride a boat down the Seine, or go all the way to very top of the Eiffel Tower, or wander aimlessly down Montmartre stop me though. I just went by myself. Asking other toursits I met to take pictures of me to PROVE I did it by myself, lol. And I had fun by myself. It was a liberating experience, knowing that I could do whatever I wanted and didn't need anyone else to help me or even keep me company. I wasn't completely alone the entire trip. We did do SOME things together, but like you said, you can't let the fact that no one wants to come, or no one shares your interest or spontaneity, keep you you from living the dream. In my case, I've never been to Paris before and I don't know when I'll be able to afford to go back. I definitely got my money's worth the first time though, regardless of the stick-in-the-muds I was traveling with. Thanks for the post Sydney!

  • http://twitter.com/rachlaroche Rach LaRoche

    Way to go, Sydney! I've done that drive before and it is loooong.

    “When I want something to get done. It gets done.”

    Very admirable and inspiring. Keep on pushing that envelope :)