People often look at my career and focus on the roles I have held, the companies I have worked with, and the challenges I have taken on. I am proud of that work, but it feels small when I look at what my daughter Rachelle is doing.
She is studying economics and taking on questions that affect all of us. Inequality, development, migration, climate change, and access to opportunity are difficult subjects. They demand more than academic knowledge. They require curiosity, discipline, and the confidence to challenge accepted ideas.
What strikes me most is how seriously Rachelle approaches these issues. She wants to understand how the world works and why economic decisions have such different consequences for different people.
She has also traveled across the world to pursue her degree. Studying internationally may sound exciting, and of course it is, but it also requires resilience. You have to adjust to unfamiliar places, different cultures, new institutions, and changing expectations. You have to keep going when plans do not work out or when home feels very far away.
As her dad, my instinct is to protect her. At the same time, I know that overcoming these challenges is part of her journey. Watching her find her own way has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
I can also say, without hesitation, that she has surpassed me in economics (and travel planning using public transportation). That makes me incredibly proud.
Every parent hopes their children will go further than they did. I do not mean only in terms of qualifications or professional success. I mean seeing more of the world, understanding it from different perspectives, and developing the knowledge and confidence to make a difference.
Rachelle is doing that.
My career may receive more attention, but it is not what matters most to me. Seeing my daughter engage with important economic questions, build a life in different parts of the world, tackle the challenges with resilience and determination, and continue working toward her degree means far more.
Rachelle, I am proud of your intelligence, your determination, and the resilience you continue to show. I am proud of how far you have traveled, both geographically and personally. Most of all, I am proud of the person you are becoming.
Whatever I may have achieved in my own career, watching you build yours is the greater accomplishment. Go, get them!
You can follow Rachelle’s journey on LinkedIn.
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