It was approaching noon when my colleague came over and asked if I had any dinner plans.
“We’ve been talking about 3 of us getting together for dinner. Why not tonight?” That particular night was clear for me and so I gladly took up the offer. He promptly rounded up the other colleague and recommended this Cze Char (Singapore dining term, dishes whipped up on order and more wallet friendly than restaurants, https://guide.michelin.com/sg/en/article/dining-out/what-is-cze-char) place near our office, which had never been on my radar. Suited everyone well.
We called it a day on the dot, excited about the much awaited catchup.
The coffeeshop was near the top of a sloping side road, a rather unique and memorable location. My colleague efficiently took care of the order – black pepper beef, cereal prawns, hotplate tofu, sambal squid, beer. Hey, we still lacked a vegetable dish, I noticed the gap.
“Shall we have a stir fried broccoli with ginger slices?” He suggested. For some reason, not a dish I would order from a Cze Char stall. I had two leafy vegetable options at the top of my mind. But the other colleague was very happy to have broccoli, so I agreed.
We happily chatted, laughed and tucked in to the spread of food and beer. Every dish that arrived was scrumptious, and we were having a great time.
All of us had forgotten that one more dish had yet to be served. And at this moment it came – the broccoli. Never an exciting dish but a mere vegetable supplement, I had no expectations.
It stunned us. The stalk was delightfully crisp and crunchy, the crown springy and subtly bathed in the umami gravy. Washed down with beer, the combination was sublime. We stopped our conversation to fully take in this experience. The least expected item became the star of the night. It would change my view of the broccoli forever.
The next day, I coined the phrase “Life is a broccoli on the slope” (the coffeeshop serving the broccoli is on a slope) to encapsulate my reflection – that life is filled with serendipitous encounters you don’t plan for, some of which could be life changing. The crux lies in how you respond to that opportunity which unexpectedly presents itself. If I had raised an objection to ordering the broccoli, the dinner would not be so mind blowing.
The year was 2015. Fast forward to June 2022, I decided to start my career coaching business and was brainstorming for a name. Broccolise came up, drawing inspiration from that unforgettable night. A self made verb that means to Realise that Broccoli (opportunity, health and resilience) in your career or life. Elements that the broccoli stands for me since that encounter:
1. Embracing the unplanned
In career theory this is called “Happenstance”, an event that happens by chance. Broccolise fully embraces such
occurrences as opportunities, and empowers you to explore and uncover the hidden possibilities.
2. Planting the favourable conditions
Things happen by chance, or do they? Broccolise inspires you to create the conditions that are favourable for the broccoli (opportunity)
to appear in the first place.
3. Revitalizing career health
One of the best sources of nutrition, the broccoli is the soul of Broccolise, boosting you for a healthy, fulfilling and sustainable career
life.
4. Building career resilience
When change or transition is called
for, the sturdy and resilient stalk of the broccoli enables you to face the challenge head on, adapt and pivot.
5. The Personal touch
The broccoli’s springy crown symbolizes the human, personal touch that is so pivotal in everything Broccolise stands for.
