Why following your passion can change your life
What makes these three people the most inspirational on the 2017 San Miguel Rich List
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Your support makes all the difference.What have an author, a blacksmith and a volcano-hunter got in common? Not much, you might think. However, these three people, selected by an expert panel as the most inspirational on the 2017 San Miguel Rich List, actually share a great deal: a passion for what they do, a spirit of adventure, and an understanding that pursuing what you love in life is far more satisfying than material wealth.
Our judges — explorer Levison Wood, San Miguel’s Dharmesh Rana, Pablo’s Tim Snape and We Are MBC’s Robin Horrex — scrutinised the entries with care and attention, debating the finer points of each before selecting three candidates whose days are truly spent in a fulfilling and unique way…
Selena Boyd
“I’ve learned to become bolder, and get out of my comfort zone,” said Selena in her application.
This self-declared “ordinary mum of three” certainly chose a unique way of enriching her life — leading expeditions up active volcanoes in her spare time from work and family.
The judges were bowled over with the way she manages to juggle everyday affairs at home in Andover with these kind of experiences. They believe her can-do attitude perfectly illustrates that you don’t need to be a professional explorer to achieve those unforgettable moments. An inspiration.
Leszek Sikon
It takes guts to make a major change in life — especially when you’re employed in a well-paid job. So the judges were deeply impressed by Leszek’s fearless decision to quit a top corporate position and dedicate himself totally to the ancient art of blacksmithing.
His application also outlined a dissatisfaction with cheap, disposable mass-made products, and a fiery will to “create artworks that speak of quality, in turn becoming precious to their owners.” Leszek’s enjoyment of and passion for his new career shone through — as did his imagination, commitment to sustainability and ruggedly beautiful artworks.
Philomene Verlaan
Author Philomene’s entry jumped out for the judges in many ways. Her wonderful book, Tales Of The Snow Leopard, stood alone as a compelling record of the conservation of these rare beasts in Ladakh, India, but it is the unexpected results of the publication that really profiled an individual with a caring, sharing attitude, dedicated to enriching the world around her. The knock-on effects have included the preservation of ancient storytelling and the building of better societies.
“The Tales are designed to provide a template for other communities who share parks with endangered species,” she wrote in her application. We’re convinced they will be.