Joao Sabajo

Coming from a large family: holidays, birthdays, and pretty much every other excuse we could find were always spent with my grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends of the family (also referred to as aunts and uncles), and of course my peers: my four sisters and my cousins. Growing up as a kid with plenty of strong role models, I thought adults had it all figured out. It seemed logical at the time. Adults had jobs, paid bills, and always had all the answers to every question I had. Surely that kind of confidence came from knowing exactly what you were doing. I assumed that one day I’d cross some magical threshold and suddenly all the answers would be mine – as if everything would just fall into place once I turned 18.

This obviously never happened.

As I got older, I realized the truth: adults are just kids who grew old and started taking responsibility - some of them, at least. But most are just winging it. A couple of years ago, I was unexpectedly entrusted with the responsibility of helping to guide a new generation. Since then, I’ve come to appreciate my own parents even more – not because they always got everything right, but because they did their best to teach us everything that was important to them. Of course, like every generation, I don’t agree with all the choices my parents made. And I’m fully aware that one day the next generations will likely criticize us in the same way. And that’s okay. I think that’s the way it’s supposed to work. It’s all part of the process. The ability to critically reflect on what we think we know and adjust course is one of the most important lessons I’ve learned – or at least, one I’m still figuring out. I think it’s important to recognize that believing you know something can often become a lesson in humility – and if it doesn’t, it probably should.. Life is an ongoing experiment of striving to be better and trying out new things. My grandmother started Pilates at 75. You’re not too old to switch things up.

I’ve found many parallels between parenting and leadership. Whether it’s guiding a team or raising a child, it’s not about having all the answers – or pretending you do. It’s about setting a clear direction, building trust, and encouraging everyone, including yourself, to take ownership and grow from their experiences. Sometimes you fail spectacularly. Sometimes you succeed. But either way, it’s a collective journey. If you’re doing it right, you’re not managing from afar – you’re in it with them, navigating challenges, celebrating victories, and evolving alongside them.

Patience has never been my strong suit, so naturally the universe (with its impeccable sense of irony) has given me countless opportunities to improve. During my years of building and leading my own team, I believed my greatest value came from working tirelessly. If I wasn’t pushing forward, I felt like I was stagnating – wasting time and not improving. Work consumed my life, and my life was defined by work.

Then one day, an accident forced me to stop. I had no choice but to slow down. I came face-to-face with my own impatience, particularly with myself, and had to start learning the importance of acceptance. It took me quite a while, but I began to see that growth doesn’t always come from constant motion. Sometimes, it comes from pausing, reflecting, and allowing yourself the space to breathe and recalibrate. It wasn’t some grand revelation, but rather a quiet realization: patience isn’t about simply waiting; it’s about accepting the time it takes for growth to happen. I began to understand that meaningful change – whether in yourself or the world around you – requires persistence, acceptance, and the willingness to move forward steadily, even when progress feels slow.

Like every millennial, I suffer from the trying-to-make-the-world-a-better-place syndrome. And, like most, I try. I used to subscribe to the mantra “do or do not, there is no try”, but I’ve since reconsidered. I believe trying matters. Learning new things matters. Abandoning your previously held beliefs because you learned something new matters. Sharing what you’ve learned matters and teaching others matters.

So here’s my takeaway: keep learning, keep teaching, and stay humble. Embrace the discomfort of not knowing everything, because those moments are when real progress is made. And remember, whether you’re leading a team, raising kids, or simply navigating your own life, you’re not supposed to have all the answers. The point is to keep figuring it out and do your best with what you have, learning a little more each step of the way.