As long as I can remember, before I tried something, I read about it. That’s how our world works now. If I am considering a new restaurant, I check Yelp. Before I visit a country, I read all I can about the culture, the cuisine, the history and anything I can get my hands on. Not only is it incredibly helpful but it has saved my ass a few times. I once google visited a museum for an art class in college (Sorry, Professor Oryschkevich). Still, I wonder if my impatience has blunted my capacity to experience the excitement of the unknown armed only with my naked curiosity. On occasion, the thought that the Internet, to a certain degree, has removed me from the world right at my fingertips has crossed my mind.
Near the end of my final semester in college, Henri, Mason (a close friend) and I were granted an interview with Y-Combinator. Before our interview, the partner with whom we were communicating sent me an email asking which members of the team were hackers. While responding to the email, I experienced a particularly humbling moment. I realized I did not have the skill he valued most. It was at that moment, I made a promise to myself. If I wanted to learn something, I would forget about the floaties and jump in. It was a philosophical switch that has changed how I see the world; well, it has actually changed how I see myself in the world.
If I wanted to learn something, I would forget about the floaties and jump in
During beta-testing for Shout, several users asked for delivery. It was something we had always considered but we simply didn’t know enough about the process. A year ago, I may have read a book on the mechanics involved, the competition, the barriers to entry and the like. But I don’t think that is how you truly come to understand anything. You have to do it. Shortly thereafter, I became a bike courier, and started delivering food around the city.
And most recently, for the past two Friday nights, I have slept out on the street on 48th between 5th and 6th in sub freezing temps in the SNL line. It wasn’t because I was testing out North Face’s Cozy Cat sleeping bag (although expect an Amazon product review soon), it was because if Shout’s user’s are going to do it, we needed to do it first!
So why I am telling you this? Because since doing all of this, not only have I gained an incredible amount of respect for developers, delivery men, and frankly, the homeless, but I have also jumped in the deep end and have never been happier. Sometimes in these past few months, I have felt as if my head was underwater, but I knew I would eventually come up for air. With each leap I found that I had learned a tremendous amount but, more importantly, I felt the excitement that can only come with living a real life connected to the people and places all around me.
At this stage in my life, I can’t ask for anything more.
