Why I Changed a Great and Stable Life to the Unknown In Germany
Opportunities don’t shout at your face. They only present themselves once you're ready for them.
Opportunities don’t shout at your face. They only present themselves once you're ready for them.
In July 2017, I finished my MBA extension in Boston. I recall as if it’d be today when I returned to work in São Paulo; I was enthusiastic about sharing what I’ve learned and eager to experiment with some new techniques. Back then, I was a Product Owner of a fast-growing company, and I had all the room I needed to try different things; I loved my job. But something was about to change.
A week after my return to Brazil, a German recruiter sent me a message on LinkedIn. Honestly, I had no interest in changing my job, and I’ve never thought about working in Germany. Yet, the recruiter insisted on having a call to share more details about the possibilities. I thought, “A conversation won’t hurt.” I would never imagine which outcome that call would lead me to.
“The limit is not the sky. The limit is the mind.”
— Wim Hof
Let me guide you through my story on moving from Brazil's excellent and stable life to the unknown in Germany. I hope that my story can generate insights for you.
A Year Full of Changes
2017 was the most intense year of my life. I had a feeling I lived a decade in a year. My life went upside down multiple times in just twelve months. Yet, I don’t recall any year I’ve learned more than that one.
At the beginning of the year, I worked for a startup during the day and studied during the evening. I struggled a lot to combine work with the MBA. The pressure from the startup world was intense, and the MBA was no different. Yet, I couldn’t complain because those were my choices, and I wanted to get the best out of them.
The startup world put a lot of pressure on me, but I enjoyed that. I felt lucky because I could immediately apply what I studied in the MBA. However, the environment was getting heavier every day. People would be fired because they challenged the CEO or because they couldn’t reach some arbitrary metrics. I decided I had to move on. That’s when I had my shortest working experience ever; eight months.
I learned that the first loss is always the smallest.
In April 2017, I signed a contract with Evino, an online shop for wines. I was excited to join them. The company was young, and the staff was energetic and ambitious. I felt like I found my place. I was the only Product Owner. That’s why I was responsible for the whole customer experience. I’d be lying if I said it was ok. I worked a minimum of sixty hours a week. Yet, I loved my job as I could observe quickly observe the results of my actions.
I finished the MBA in July, which meant I’d have some time to breathe. Well, that’s what I thought. Right after the end of my MBA, a professor called me; he said, “David, I will be quick. I will be away until the end of the year because of heart surgery. I want you to be my substitute.” I was speechless, and I had no idea how to react. I said, “I don’t know if I am ready for that. I am just 29.” The professor said, “It’s not about your age. It’s about what you have to share. Please come by tomorrow at 08:00 a.m. to discuss the details. See you.” He hung up, and I remained thoughtful for some time. I decided to take the challenge.
The next day, there I was, becoming an MBA teacher by chance. Carlos, my professor, asked me to represent him in three disciplines until the end of the year. I felt incapable of doing it, but because he trusted me, I decided to do it. I pushed to my limits and faced my fears.
Why Would I Change a Great Life for an Unknown One?
After I accepted the offer from my professor, I started working at least a hundred hours a week. I had no time for myself, but I loved what was happening. At work, I was a Product Owner, and we were having a steady growth of two percent digits per quarter; and sharing experiences in the MBA was terrific, I had a deep feeling of self-fulfillment.
On the personal side, my life was exceptional. I lived in a lovely neighborhood in São Paulo. Everything was no farther than ten minutes of walking distance. For a place of twenty million people, that’s an incredible privilege. I could walk to work, to the MBA, and to whatever else I wanted to. Beyond that, my financial conditions were excellent. I was delighted, and I didn’t think about changing any of these until the German recruiter on LinkedIn contacted me.
I had my first call with the recruiter right after I started giving lessons on the MBA. The recruiter made me curious about how it would be living and working abroad. Until that moment, I didn’t imagine doing that. To be honest, I felt I was not good enough for that. But after the call, what I thought was, “I could take part in the selection process. If I get an offer, I will think about it more seriously. For now, let’s just have some talks.”
Long story short, I had a series of interviews from July until September. Three weeks after the process finished, I got an offer. I was thrilled as I didn’t expect I would receive a genuine offer. Although I did my best during the interviews, I was still skeptical. But I had to decide whether to exchange everything I had in Brazil for the unknown in Germany.
The choice was a hard one. I really loved both jobs, Product Owner and MBA Teacher. I didn’t want to quit any of them. The tipping point came when I decided to have a conversation with myself. When I asked to question,
“What would happen in five years if I stay here or if I take this opportunity?”
Staying in Brazil looked clear to me; I could imagine what would happen in five years. That puzzled me because I felt like falling into a comfort zone. But when I imagined moving to Germany, I couldn’t imagine what would have happened. I became more curious about that.
I decided to take the offer and quit everything I had in Brazil. I was frightened and excited at the same time. My curiosity pushed me towards the unknown, and on the 29th of November, 2017, I officially moved to Germany.
What I Know So Far
It’s been a little more than three and half years since I moved to Germany. And I felt my decision was the best I could make for myself. I was right; I could not imagine what would happen here. Every moment I am more surprised by what life can bring us once we are open to the new.
I arrived here alone without knowing anyone, it was only me and my two suitcases, nothing more than that. Today, I have many friends here, and I ended up marrying a Russian woman. I got a job I love. For now, I am on my third work in Germany, currently leading a Product Management team.
My most profound learning is to focus on ourselves instead of creating plans. The more we develop ourselves, the more opportunities will come to us. Curiosity is what opens new doors.
“The mind that opens to a new idea never returns to its original size.”— Albert Einstein