What I learned from rereading One from Many: VISA and the Rise of Chaordic Organization by Dee Hock.
It is 1993, nine years since I abruptly severed all connection with the business world for life on the land.
It is still hard to believe.
Turning my back on visa in 1984 and walking away at the pinnacle of success was the hardest thing I have ever done.
The reason is still difficult to explain, but it's not complicated.
That inner voice that will not be denied once we learned to listen to it, had whispered since the beginning, business, power and money are not where your life is about.
Founding Visa and being its chief executive officer is something you needed to do, but it's only preparatory.
Each time I resisted.
You're crazy.
Preparatory for what?
And why?
There was no answer, only silence.
In time, the voice became incessant and demanding.
Visa's not an end.
Give it up.
And the business world as well.
Completely.
Now, in time, you will understand.
It was frightening.
It was maddening.
I felt a damned fool to even think about it.