Martin Pospíchal was always a role model of a positive employee. Every time I met him, he didn’t forget to joke, nothing was a problem for him. The right fellow. I knew he likes expeditions and mountains. I remember him talking about a trip to Greenland, eating every word he spoke. Walking through the ice land with his gun, polar bears all around, this requires a lot of courage. Another time I met him in elevator on a Monday morning, in a sleepy mode, his eyes red. He went with his son to a weekend trip to High Tatras (Slovakia), to climb the mountain walls, just like that. On Friday with the night car-train there, on Sunday back. A real adventurer, always with a brilliant idea in his head. When a colleague was relocating to the other end of the world, he brought as a good bye present a rock from her beloved Prague.
He came to my office in June 2018 with a notice of termination in his hands. He told me a story. A story about passion and commitment, a story about help to others. Also, a sad story about his personal motivation, which led him to the decision. A story of such power, that my #project12months looks comparing to it only like a long long vacation (which I btw. always considered that way:)). Maybe he came to get support too and make sure he is making the right choice.
Martin’s plan totally took my breath away, I was so excited that I couldn’t stop thinking of it the whole day. Graduated in psychology, already since couple of years and aside to his corporate job he was working with the patients suffering on cancer and now he decided to fulfil his destiny. Working for a corporate and working for the society, both full-time, these are two things which you cannot combine. You must make a choice, either or. Martin made a choice and after 10 years he decided to leave his comfort zone, convenience, good salary and exchanged all this for something, which makes absolutely sense. Helping unworldly those, who need it the most, in moments, which are the most difficult proving of their lives.
Before I left Prague, I had the chance to see one of Martin’s lectures. Humour he is using is unique and makes the serious cancer topic lighter, without losing the importance. His own way makes his lectures very inspirational and enriching. It was Martin, who connected me to the Bellis ladies (www.bellisky.cz) I was running for in my first project in September 2018. Martin often says that making similar change as he did, you need certain preparation, a bit of luck and maybe also courage. Courage to make the step out of the comfort zone. The project „MysliProtiRakovině“ (ThinkAgainstCancer) which he has started, experienced in the first 2 months a big response. His lectures have been visited by hundreds of people. His biggest reward and fulfilling feeling it is to hear from people / his customers, that his help allows them to survive the most difficult period of their life.
Martin is often asked, why he decided for the change and risked so much. His answer is simple: because what he does gives him a lot of sense and he is following his dream. This can sound like a constant repeated song, but it is the truth. It is not that difficult: you have a dream, you invest energy, you manage few challenges and at the end, it is somehow possible.
Martin knows it won’t be always easy and ideal. He is asking: would it be worth it, if it would be only easy? Would someone climb the Everest, if it would be easy? Most probably not. Martin crosses his fingers to everyone who wants to follow their dreams!
He came to my office in June 2018 and he took my breath away. Today, he is unworldly helping those, who need it the most. In the most difficult moments of their live. He does it very well.
The world needs more Martins!