Happy Birthday #31

Extend

Dearest Friends,

A piece of writing is said to be poetic when its content (what it says) is reflected in its form (how it says it), but I confess outright that this letter seeks to do just the opposite. The theme I have in mind for this birthday letter is “extension,” and yet my hope is to present it in a somewhat compressed form.

I am 31 years old today — a “prime” number, and indeed I can feel myself entering my prime and growing still.

I am interested in the idea of “extension” because of the nature of that growth: a personal development that is both outward and ongoing, a reach to and beyond my limits. “Extension” has this dual implication at its heart: the continuation of something pre-existing and the venture forward into arenas previously untouched. It means consolidating and refining progress without losing the drive to experiment and explore.

In my birthday letter last year, I announced a desire to expand beyond myself and get involved in projects that had a grander, social dimension:

At thirty, I can no longer believe that I am beholden to none, and I feel compelled to devote a greater portion of myself to the broader social good… [but] how far will the pendulum swing before I grow weary of the gritty social and scuttle back safely to the comforts of introspection?

It is with pride that I can say I have made a good start on that commitment; that over the last year I have invested myself in a number of projects that seek to advance a grander social cause; and that far from growing weary, I feel energized and inspired by those projects and eager to do more.

Some highlights from my thirtieth year:

• I co-founded a philanthropy club here in Beijing called The 1% Pledge that encourages young professionals to learn about, engage with, and support non-profit causes in our community. Our members commit to donating 1% of their annual income to a non-profit partner; this year, we are working with Education in Sight, a high-impact-per-dollar NGO that delivers eye exams and reading glasses to underprivileged students in rural China. In addition to financial contributions, The 1% Pledge has hosted five events so far this year that bring together non-profit practitioners, expert advisers, and member donors from business, finance, academia, and government to support our partner’s development.
• I joined a campaign organized by The END Fund to raise awareness and funds to help eliminate neglected tropical disease in the developing world. Our team of seventeen people (including my aunt and cousin) climbed to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and raised a total of 250,000 dollars to support public health programs across Africa.
• I co-organized a huge youth conference with the Global Shapers Community of the World Economic Forum, and personally brokered a partnership with Ford Motor Company to support the conference and bring several hundred young leaders and supporters from over 75 cities around the world for our three-day event back-to-back with the Summer Davos meetings in Dalian.

In between asking people and companies for money to support non-profit projects, I also continued my hustle as a freelance interpreter, concluded my first two angel investments, scored 80,000 miles between eight countries on four continents, and spent almost a full 100 days with my parents (which I think is pretty damn good considering we live on opposite sides of the planet).

So.

Whereas past birthday letters have usually been occasions to explore new aspects of myself and pledge new direction, the main message this year is one of continuity. In my thirty-first year, I want to keep up the momentum I’ve been building, expand and refine some of these projects, and continue to take on new ones that diversify and enlarge my own existence and its relative value to the world.

A mentor reminded me over birthday sushi last night that one’s thirties are a time of “maximum optionality” — empowered by understanding and skills but not yet committed to any one particular career, lifestyle, or geography. I want to make the most of that optionality. I want to extend to the fullest.

Here’s how you can help me do that:

1. Join me in supporting Education in Sight by contributing to a new crowd-funding campaign they have just launched to extend the impact of their work even further! (Technically they are pre-launch, so we have the chance to be the very first supporters!) They created designer sunglasses inspired by the art of the students they help, and for every pair of designer shades they sell in developed markets, 50% of the revenues goes to delivering eye exams and reading glasses to poor students in the countryside. It’s a great model and a great cause, please consider buying a pair of sunglasses (for yourself or as a gift to someone) and share their campaign with your networks on social media.
2. Extend with me. Share with me a new project or initiative or idea in your life and let me know if I can help somehow. I have very few hard skills (beyond conference interpreting), but I’m fortunate enough to know a lot of interesting people in a lot of different fields, and I really get turned on by helping individuals and institutions find common interest and opportunity.
3. Also let me know if you want to learn more about or get involved in a project I’m working on! There’s a lot more brewing beyond what’s described above… this is the age of maximum optionality, and opportunity abounds!

And finally: no mention of “extension” would be complete without a special shout-out to my mother, Jane Rechtman, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer over 19 months ago, and who has not only extended her own life far beyond the expectations of science, but so vastly enriched and inspired the lives of everyone around her. You are the most powerful person I’ve ever known, Mom. I know you will understand when I say that everything in my life is but an extension of yours, and that when the time comes your influence and spirit will extend beyond this life and touch generations and generations to come. I love you and am so proud to be your son.

And the rest of you, you’re okay too.

I mean, I mean, you are all very dear to me, and I am very proud to have you in my life.

Some of you I see once a week, and some of you I see once a decade. You may be far from my eyes but are never far from my heart.

As our lives extend, let them always be entwined.

Yours with love,

Jonathan