It's In The Name

I've hit this conversation countless times. The strangers on the chairlift are talking about how many times they've been skiing or snowboarding that season. 3 times, 10 times, 12 times. More often than not, they'll ask me, the silent corner of the chair. "95 days", i'll reply. Maybe it's really 115, or 90, depending on when during the season they ask. And their response is exactly the same: Wow! You're so lucky! I wish I could ski/ride that many days!

Luck has nothing to do with it. If you truly love snowboarding, then you'll find a way to spend as much time as you can doing it. Being a snowboarder is a relationship that requires sacrifice. Just like many other things. But it seems that these people feel trapped in their lives, or are too scared to take a chance and pursue their happiness. This is how I came to name my company, Automaton. One of my college roommates used the term 'automaton', refering to people who are unhappy with their lives and simply follow the programming set in them by society. They don't take the initiative to pursue what truly makes them happy. The pursuit of happiness is one of the unalienable rights endowed on Americans by the Declaration of Independence.

If Automaton accomplishes any 1 thing, I hope that it inspires people to pursue their happiness. Or as Joseph Campbell once said, "Follow your bliss." Automaton's success will show that you don't need to follow the 'proven' formula to progress in business, life, and snowboarding. To all those that don't make their own 'luck': shit or get off the pot, 'cause someone else has to go.