Sorry我標(biāo)題黨了，這不是什么產(chǎn)業(yè)分析文章，先來看CFO本人發(fā)出的原話：

這一定是真誠的。

After nearly 7 years as CFO, I will be retiring from Google to spend more time with my family. Yeah, I know you’ve heard that line before. We give a lot to our jobs. I certainly did. And while I am not looking for sympathy, I want to share my thought process because so many people struggle to strike the right balance between work and personal life.

This story starts last fall. A very early morning last September, after a whole night of climbing, looking at the sunrise on top of Africa – Mt Kilimanjaro. Tamar (my wife) and I were not only enjoying the summit, but on such a clear day, we could see in the distance, the vast plain of the Serengeti at our feet, and with it the calling of all the potential adventures Africa has to offer. (see exhibit #1 – Tamar and I on Kili).

And Tamar out of the blue said “Hey, why don’t we just keep on going”. Let’s explore Africa, and then turn east to make our way to India, it’s just next door, and we’re here already. Then, we keep going; the Himalayas, Everest, go to Bali, the Great Barrier Reef… Antarctica, let’s go see Antarctica!?” Little did she know, she was tempting fate.

I remember telling Tamar a typical prudent CFO type response- I would love to keep going, but we have to go back. It’s not time yet, There is still so much to do at Google, with my career, so many people counting on me/us – Boards, Non Profits, etc

But then she asked the killer question: So when is it going to be time? Our time? My time? The questions just hung there in the cold morning African air.

A few weeks later, I was happy back at work, but could not shake away THE question: When is it time for us to just keep going? And so began a reflection on my/our life. Through numerous hours of cycling last fall (my introvert happy place) I concluded on a few simple and self-evident truths:

First, The kids are gone. Two are in college, one graduated and in a start-up in Africa. Beautiful young adults we are very proud of. Tamar honestly deserves most of the credit here. She has done a marvelous job. Simply marvelous. But the reality is that for Tamar and I, there will be no more Cheerios encrusted minivan, night watch because of ear infections, ice hockey rinks at 6:00am. Nobody is waiting for us/needing us.

Second, I am completing this summer 25-30 years of nearly non-stop work (depending on how you wish to cut the data). And being member of FWIO, the noble Fraternity of Worldwide Insecure Over-achievers, it has been a whirlwind of truly amazing experiences. But as I count it now, it has also been a frenetic pace for about 1500 weeks now. Always on – even when I was not supposed to be. Especially when I was not supposed to be. And am guilty as charged – I love my job (still do), my colleagues, my friends, the opportunities to lead and change the world.

Third, this summer, Tamar and I will be celebrating our 25th anniversary. When our kids are asked by their friends about the success of the longevity of our marriage, they simply joke that Tamar and I have spent so little time together that “it’s really too early to tell” if our marriage will in fact succeed.

If they could only know how many great memories we already have together. How many will you say? How long do you have? But one thing is for sure, I want more. And she deserves more. Lots more.

Allow me to spare you the rest of the truths. But the short answer is simply that I could not find a good argument to tell Tamar we should wait any longer for us to grab our backpacks and hit the road – celebrate our last 25 years together by turning the page and enjoy a perfectly fine mid life crisis full of bliss and beauty, and leave the door open to serendipity for our next leadership opportunities, once our long list of travels and adventures is exhausted.

Working at Google is a privilege, nothing less. I have worked with the best of the best, and know that I am leaving Google in great hands. I have made so many friends at Google it’s not funny. Larry, Sergey, Eric, thank you for friendship. I am forever grateful for letting me be me, for your trust, your warmth, your support, and for so much laughter through good and not so good times.

To be clear, I am still here. I wish to transition over the coming months but only after we have found a new Googley CFO and help him/her through an orderly transition, which will take some time.

In the end, life is wonderful, but nonetheless a series of trade offs, especially between business/professional endeavours and family/community. And thankfully, I feel I’m at a point in my life where I no longer have to have to make such tough choices anymore. And for that I am truly grateful. Carpe Diem.

Patrick

如果你有耐心看到這里，也許你會(huì)說，嗯，人家是Google CFO，賺夠錢退休了唄。那是不是只有Google CFO這個(gè)級(jí)別的人，才有資格不僅發(fā)出這樣的宣言，并且實(shí)踐這樣的決心？你不是這個(gè)級(jí)別的人，就理所當(dāng)然的認(rèn)為這不可能是我的生活？

今天，我的部門的一個(gè)一直比較好斗的manager也宣布退休，“to spend more time with family at sunrise from Mt Kilimanjaro and Bali and Antarctica and all those other wonderful places”，并轉(zhuǎn)了這篇文章。他剛剛生了個(gè)孩子，產(chǎn)假回來判若兩人。嗯這里男人產(chǎn)假也有2個(gè)月。他的孩子一定深深改變了他。

這個(gè)40出頭的部門經(jīng)理，級(jí)別遠(yuǎn)不及CFO，他也有資格發(fā)出這樣的宣言，實(shí)踐這樣的決心。

那我呢？我離開了助我踏上繽紛世界征途的第一個(gè)工作，經(jīng)過一年緊鑼密鼓的折騰，來到了陽光燦爛的加州。我以為我是在向CFO所說的道路邁進(jìn)。回頭一看，我的工作內(nèi)容先進(jìn)高端了，吃的食堂變好了，獵頭們紛至沓來，貌似一切都很好。可我在知乎上看到一篇點(diǎn)評(píng)老電影的攝影的文章的時(shí)候，心頭突然被戳痛了。

我有多久沒認(rèn)真端坐地看一部堪稱藝術(shù)品地電影，然后思如泉涌地寫一篇如這篇《別對(duì)精彩的游戲熟視無睹》一般的觀后感了？在陽光燦爛的加州，雖然我也沒少出游，可有多久不是被朋友慫恿催促才出行，而不是當(dāng)年豪情萬丈的宣布目的地然后招兵買馬了？有時(shí)提筆想寫點(diǎn)東西，卻什么也寫不出來；想到即將出游的計(jì)劃，竟有一絲懶得出門的倦怠。再回頭一看，我們的騷與影都要長(zhǎng)草了，來美國(guó)之前定下的游記計(jì)劃更是成了笑話。我逐漸的正在變成我不喜歡的無趣的人。

每個(gè)人都有自己的夢(mèng)想，也都有對(duì)待夢(mèng)想的態(tài)度，無論旁人看來有多可笑。我的朋友里有人的夢(mèng)想是去一些名字很萌的地方，在一些在我看來沒什么區(qū)別的地方分別生活過，甚至是當(dāng)一回面試官，她實(shí)現(xiàn)了，她開心。還有人的夢(mèng)想是去航海，他說這個(gè)夢(mèng)想也許永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)實(shí)現(xiàn)，但是心里一直有這個(gè)念想也很好。還有人的夢(mèng)想是買下一套房子，也在幸福的實(shí)踐中。我的夢(mèng)想是什么呢？也許能映射在一些記憶中給我觸動(dòng)的畫面里。國(guó)家地理攝影師潛伏在沼澤中專注地拍一頭河馬，奧斯卡某個(gè)幕后工作獎(jiǎng)得主結(jié)結(jié)巴巴的握著小金人在臺(tái)上感謝家人，還有CFO的這封信以及好斗的部門經(jīng)理的退休宣言。哎，原來行動(dòng)力最差的人是我。

我真心的愛這個(gè)世界，我特別喜歡這張?jiān)谛挛魈m拍的照片。配上指環(huán)王的原聲歌詞：

In the veiling of the sun,

we’ll walk in bitter rain

還有挪威的這兩張，雖然形象挫了點(diǎn)：

長(zhǎng)風(fēng)破浪會(huì)有時(shí)，

直掛云帆濟(jì)滄海