About

The worldview of valuing the journey over the destination impacts your life, work, and travels. Rather than viewing life or the world around you as a fixed destination, see it as an ever-changing journey that never ends. This worldview promotes a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset. Flow with the natural process and allow the outcome to unfold. Focus on taking action rather than the goal and let results surprise you. Put people over business and let them exceed your expectations. The purpose of this site is to share how the journey worldview has impacted and shaped Dan's life, work, and travels. May it inspire you to focus on the journey, not the destination.

Here are some examples.

 A Dream Job Is Not A Destination. 

"I was hoping you would return to the university," wrote the former chancellor a year after Dan left his dream job in 2004. While his seven-year stint at the institution was fulfilling, he was on a journey to learn and grow elsewhere. The dream job was not a destination but rather a station along his career journey. One important lesson he had learned over the years was not to overstay at any institution, as it was not beneficial for him or the institution itself. Every three years, he would assess whether he should continue for another three years. 

"We value people like yourself, who could go elsewhere but choose to stay here. There are some here we wish were somewhere else," Dan's immediate supervisor at another institution once said to him. It's a great feeling to be valued. Nevertheless, Dan wouldn't be who he is today if he had stayed in one dream job for decades. Stepping out of one's comfort zone is necessary for learning and personal growth in a career journey. After serving at various institutions, he acquired different skills from different stations in his career journey while staying true to himself as a gentle technology leader with increasing responsibilities in academia. A career is a journey, not a destination. Who you become is more important than money, power, or status. When you retire, the only thing that matters is who you are. Do not let anything else define you.

Technology Goal Is Not A Destination. 

"Is your goal of 100% realistic?" asked a reporter from the Chronicle of Higher Education in 2010. "I don't really think about the goal. I focus on the journey," replied Dan. "Then why is '100%' in the title of your presentation?" the reporter asked, slightly puzzled. "That's something for you and your newspaper. It's not for us," Dan said with a smile. 

A week after the phone interview, Dan presented alongside a colleague at the Emerging Technology Conference in San Jose, CA. During their presentation, his colleague noticed someone sitting on the floor with a yellow pad, in a room filled to capacity. The following week, an article with the title "Reaching the Last Technology Holdouts at the Front of the Classroom" was published, featuring the story of how 100% of non-techie faculty members came on board, along with a story from Harvard University.

Retirement Is Not A Destination

"Are you retiring in a few years?" someone at work asked Dan before the pandemic. During the pandemic, a professional contact commented on Dan's deep involvement in healthcare virtual reality, saying, "You can't retire!" Both instances revolved around the perception that retirement is a destination. Dan himself held this belief for years until he retired in the summer of 2022. Unbeknownst to him, a new journey began to unfold. A search company reached out to him and sparked a series of job interviews with seven different institutions. 

"Do you really want to work again?" his wife asked. "Yes, but only if it's entirely on my terms," Dan replied. At the end of seven interviews, one job offer met his criteria: fully remote work and the complete freedom to practice the worldview of Journey Over Destination. Dan unretired and found true enjoyment in the journey of letting things happen rather than making things happen. The greatest reward has been witnessing his own personal transformation, as well as that of his team. Interestingly, amazing results came naturally and exceeded expectations. 

Now that he is retired once again, what does he plan to do? In 2023, Dan and his family visited 10 new places. For the next few years, he will continue to do what he loves and cruise the world alongside his family and write travel essays. His motto is "Never Say Never."  He would consider any future opportunities that align with his leadership worldview and the flexibility to travel the world.

A retired academic technology executive and an avid snorkeler, Dan has spent the past few decades as an award-winning technology innovator, immersive educator, and online learning executive at several institutions in academia. Since earning his PhD in 1998, he has delivered keynote addresses at technology conferences and events and has presented papers at over 120 technology-related conferences on five continents. Rather than coasting in retirement, he is cruising the world to exploring 100 new countries within the next 10 years and documenting his experiences. 

Geography has been a favorite subject of his since high school, and it has played a significant role in fueling his lifelong passion for travel. Traveling not only allows Dan to marvel at the natural wonders of our amazing planet, but also broadens his horizons and expands his worldviews. Some of his most memorable trips have been spontaneous and unplanned, leading him to the realization that the journey itself is often more important than the destination. For Dan, travel is a whole-person experience that provides not only therapeutic benefits, but also spiritual and philosophical enlightenment. After years of study and reading, he discovered that ancient Chinese philosophers stumbled upon wisdom by observing nature while traveling, an insight that has forever changed the way he views travel. This philosophy of flowing with natural forces and embracing the effortless process has greatly influenced Dan's approach to working with others in academia. By trusting the process and taking action at the right time, he believes that the desired outcomes will naturally follow. As Lao Tzu once said, "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."