The Pandemic Road Not Taken

In his classic poem, The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost uses the last stanza to reflect upon how clear choices can be in hindsight.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

The pandemic caused by COVID-19 provides an opportunity to consider the best path to take amid extreme uncertainty. I’ve seen many people choose to cash in on the pandemic by using fear, uncertainty, and doubt to sell products and services. People are struggling. People are hurting. The constant COVID-themed attempts to cash in on the situation are getting old.

I am choosing a different path. I choose to focus on serving others rather than focusing on myself. I will spread optimism instead of gloom. I will look for the silver lining at the edge of the dark clouds we face. I will share the few things I know about cybersecurity to help millions of people who have abruptly transitioned from a secure corporate environment to insecure home networks.

Join me and others who are already on a different path. Cathryn Marshall recently encouraged business owners to keep serving the percentage of the population who are still employed. She also encouraged everyone to find opportunities to hire great people who will be available after the pandemic ends. Jared Kleinert continues to bring business executives together virtually via his weekly CEO Roundtable meetings. Connecting with other optimistic business leaders has been a great counterbalance to all the bad news out there. Other people are doing great things as well. You just have to look in the right places.

COVID-19 may not be the last pandemic we see in our lifetimes. The lessons we learn today will help us respond more effectively next time. Faith, prayer, and optimism will sustain us as we look forward to a brighter tomorrow.

Thanks in advance to everyone who took the time to read this post, comment, and join the conversation on LinkedIn.