The Wendy Project: Part II

By Karen and Erica

Have you ever heard a story about a young man—and these days sometimes a young woman—who had an idea—a great idea? Who then executed on the idea and built a company? A company with early success, because the idea was a good one. A young man who then decided he was a genius, and could make the company bigger and bigger, and become a bigger and bigger force in the universe, who was obviously entitled to accompanying accoutrements like planes and cars and multiple homes? Who stopped listening to people and, being still young, didn’t realize that the game changes the higher you get because the higher you get the more exposed you become? At the end of this story the young man comes crashing down, and maybe the company and its shareholders take a hit too. And everyone is sad.

The story doesn’t have to end this way. Just imagine if the young man said to himself as he was becoming successful: I am a genius, but I really don’t know how the world works or how to make complicated judgments because I do not yet have much experience. I wish I could talk to someone who is much older, and who would agree I am a genius, but who might actually know what I don’t know, yet, and who might share her judgment with me. Then maybe my fate will not be to crash and burn. Instead maybe I will be widely acknowledged as a genius, I will be rich and will be able to keep the planes and cars and multiple homes, and also a company of which I can be proud.

Wouldn’t that be a more satisfactory ending?

The Wendy he seeks is waiting to speak to him. So, young man, join the Wendy Project and write better story.