I have never been fishing (though I’ve always wanted to). When I think of fishing however, I think of abundance. Positive, healthful abundance available to all – depending on how much you can take in at once. At this point in my life, where I feel like I am in a position to relentlessly pursue my desires, I am trying to figure out how much I can handle.

It is easy to get pigeonholed in the pursuit of a specialization or market niche. While it is not bad to have in-depth knowledge of a specific subject, today’s competitive economy requires entrepreneurs to have a working knowledge of several areas. This runs the risk of making one feel like a ‘jack of all trades but master of none.’ I know I often struggle with this. At the same time, there is something liberating about not being defined by a narrow trajectory. Breaking free from perceived, self-imposed or societal limitations opens up my world to new possibilities that I might not have tapped into otherwise.

So lately, I’ve been fishing. I was approached to work on a short-term project concerning housing affordability for a distinct population in Rural America. At the same time, I will be installed as the new Vice Chair At-Large of the International Planning Division of the American Planning Association next week. I am excited to continue pursuing community building initiatives throughout Latin America in the coming months. A former me would have looked at this situation as a complete oxymoron. The new me is having a blast casting this wider net.

I believe it is possible to remain grounded in the overall mission of supporting the needs of struggling communities regardless of where they may be. Besides, for the time being, I am enjoying the bigger catch.

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