THE NARRATIVE ARC

I Didn’t Want to Change the World, but the World Had Other Plans for Me

A small-scale life can still leave a meaningful imprint

For much of my life, I’ve taken tried-and-true trails rather than blaze new ones. Photo property of the author.

When I graduated from business school 25 years ago, a group of my Stanford classmates made the cover of Time magazine.

Profiled in the feature story, “GetRich.com,” they were among a wave of Web entrepreneurs aspiring to change the world—and make piles of money. On the cusp of a new millennium, everyone was aptly partying like it was 1999. The future was finally here.

Except for me; I was too focused on the present. I had $52,000 in student loans to repay. Newly married, I also wanted to start saving for a house and kids. Shunning the risks of start-up life, I took a job as an analyst at the Gap, eager to take advantage of my employee discount.

I was never destined to dream big. My name, Paul, comes from the Latin word for small. The shortest kid in class, I couldn’t shake the redundant nickname “Small Paul.” On the soccer field, I always played defense, blocking shots instead of attempting my own.

Not surprisingly, as an adult, I played “small ball,” seeking dependable singles and walks versus swinging for the fences. With my career and money decisions, I exhibited the…