What If?
How a surprising answer to my PIRATE Summit journey got me thinking about whether it was worth it.
“Would you do the PIRATE Summit journey all over again?”
That's a question I get from time to time.
It's the question of: "What if?" It carries an underlying intent that could be phrased bluntly as "Was it worth it?"
The ‘right’ answer: "Of course. I am grateful for what has been. The scars and triumphs are part of the chapters that shaped my story. I am who I am because of it."
And yes, that’s also what I would say. Usually.
However, some time ago, on a German podcast, I surprised even myself with a different response: "I wouldn't do it again."
It came spontaneously and intuitively. And I have since been thinking about it quite a bit.
🏴☠️
Before I share my thoughts about “What if”, a quick update from the PIRATE family:
division5 has nearly 500 applications for the IT developer internship program. Over the years not only the amount of applications increased; the quality has as well.
In a few months - after extensive training - we want them to work on real-world projects with tech companies. Experienced senior developers will guide them to deliver high-quality code.
We're seeking companies for mutually beneficial partnerships – you get motivated talent, junior developers gain experience, all at very competitive rates.
If interested, then just reach out!
🏴☠️
Learning through experience
There's no denying the difficulty of more than a decade of PIRATE Summit.
It pushed me, challenged me, and sometimes knocked me to my knees.
Building a business is tough. And PIRATE Summit itself wasn’t even a business but a time intensive hobby.
In the podcast I said something along the lines of “I am happy about what has been but it has also been a journey of a lot of suffering”.
And yet, that's paradoxically also where the magic of the experience lies.
Learning is experiencing and doing.
The challenges, the detours, the very scars themselves – they all played a part in shaping who I am today.
So, on the one hand, there's a deep appreciation for the growth and experiences gained on the PIRATE Summit journey.
On the other hand, I can deeply relate to what Jensen Huang - CEO of NVIDIA - recently said in an interview that he probably wouldn’t start NVIDIA again with all the knowledge he has today. The journey was just too hard.
You cannot measure what you don’t know
Two answers that contradict each other. Both are true.
Therefore, the honest answer to the question of “Was it worth it?” can only be "I don't know".
To judge whether it's worth it, I need to know the alternative.
Not in the sense of whether it is the easier, more comfortable, or more convenient path.
Ease rarely guides us well in life. Comfort fosters no growth. Convenience accelerates no learning.
I would need to know who I become after going that “other path”.
Would I have learned more, be more fulfilled, more ‘alive’?
But how could I know?
From "What If" to "What Is"
“What if” sounds like a question that holds a lot of insights. In reality it doesn’t.
While it can spark philosophical exploration, it has little practical utility.
It's the mental equivalent of watching reruns of your life that never actually happened.
So, don't get stuck hitting rewind.
Better to look at the now, and choose steps that steer your current path with curiosity, intention, and a thirst for learning.
It’s going to be beautiful and messy. Just like all of life.
Most importantly, it will be uniquely yours and you will become uniquely you.
Stop wondering "what if" and start owning your "what is."
Instead of “Was it worth it?”, let’s ask “Is it worth it?”.
It empowers you to make choices that shape your future, not be stuck in the past.
You are the captain of your life, remember?
🙏
Be kind.
Manuel