Thinking Big and Decision Making
By Brad Hughes, Asset Manager for Ventura Investment Co.
They found a way to build the internal combustion engine with 300 horse power and better fuel economy than most cars on the road today when they were just kids. The problem was, they did this before anybody was ready to pay attention. The Went brothers have spent most of their lives creating and innovating technology. They have used their talents to enhance modern medical technology and are now giving light to other creators and start-ups across the world. Eric and Bryan Went also travel speaking to groups and spreading the message of “Think Big.”
Captain Brad “Brick” Connors described a story involving quick decision making and the effects those decisions have on others. This particular story involved the tale of Oyster and the tense minutes after a take-off that resulted in the need for either landing or ejection from the aircraft. Sometimes the decisions we make effect more than just ourselves. In the case of Brick’s story, it could be the lives of the ship’s crew. Whatever the decision, it is important to be confident in the decision and to be able to accept the consequences of that decision.
When I think of the two specific presentations from Session 2, I put them together in the way I would like to operate myself and carry myself through my career and life. It’s important to think big. It’s also important to understand that to achieve the dreams of thinking big, there are decisions that will need to be made to reach the goals associated with thinking big. Not every decision will be the right one but we need to be ready to accept the consequences and move past them.
The main themes of Session 2 were the economy, transportation, and land use. The economy in Ventura County is growing at a very slow rate. Transportation is struggling with limited funds. Land-use is a major topic with items like SOAR in Ventura County. How can we think big and make decisions addressing the struggles of these three topics?
About the Author
Brad Hughes is an Asset Manager for Ventura Investment Co. overseeing mobile home parks, storage, and commercial assets. He is a graduate of the Martin V. Smith School of Business and Economics at the California State University Channel Islands. Brad Is a lifetime resident of Ventura County.