Right now is the oldest you’ve ever been and the youngest you’ll ever be again — Eleanor Roosevelt
I have always loved a good adventure. From the time I was a young trouble-making, rambunctious & difficult-to-control 10-year old, there’s always been something special about new experiences to me. I’m drawn by the sense of uncertainty, the unexpected, the challenge and intrigue of doing something I haven’t done before. As I’ve matured, my overly competitive spirit has been tamed, but that hunger for a challenge, for fun and adventure, for games and excitement, has never left me.
Adventure —ad·ven·ture adˈven(t)SHər,ədˈven(t)SHər/ verb
To engage in hazardous and exciting activity, especially the exploration of unknown territory.
Earlier this year the business model at my startup shifted, and the 80–90 hour weeks I had grown accustomed to for the last four years quickly became a thing of the past. In some ways, a massive weight had been lifted off my shoulders. At least temporarily, time had become my friend - and I had a lot of it.
As you might imagine, I spent a considerable amount of time reflecting on the past few years and thinking about the future. What had I learned from my successes and failures? What should I do next? Where do my priorities lie? Am I on the right path? What do I want to accomplish in the next two years? A pervading theme quickly struck a cord with me.
From the day I quit Goldman Sachs to launch MyNetwork in March 2013, my life became my work. I lived, breathed and slept the company 24/7 — even telling my then girlfriend that she had to accept being #2 on the priority list (she took it well)! As I reflected on those four years, I realized that within the (entrepreneurially normal) organized chaos and crazy long hours, I had hardly spent any time focusing on myself… for four years. Anytime I would go to do something for myself, I would feel towering guilt for not working on advancing the business. The stress was starting to take a toll. My personal ambitions had been constricted by my professional obligations. I had some catching up to do. I needed to focus on me.
My personal ambitions had been constricted by my professional obligations. I had some catching up to do. I needed to focus on me.
I was fortunate to spend five months in Europe in 2009 while studying abroad in Prague. While there, I visited more than 12 countries and 15 cities —everything from beer festivals in Munich to heli-skiing in Interlaken to bartering in Morroco to cliff diving on the Almalfi Coast and more. The experience was eye-opening and transformative— helping me to appreciate the vast diversity of people and places in our world. The personal growth I experienced in Europe was in large part from the stripping away much of what I was used to — the cultures, language, people and my routines were all different from home.
The haze was starting to clear. I wanted to focus on myself so I could grow as a person, but growth is much harder without change, without discomfort, without failure. Driving personal growth is about stepping outside of your comfort zone — it’s about challenging and changing your status quo in our personal and professional lives. Getting comfortable in our routines is easy to do, but one day you might wake up wondering where all your time went— and that’s a scary thought. I needed to hit the refresh button and make myself uncomfortable again.
Driving personal growth is about stepping outside of your comfort zone — it’s about challenging and changing your status quo.
In tandem with the transition with my startup, I launched Refresh, a strategy consulting company focused on helping startups and businesses accelerate growth. For me this was a natural extension of what I had been doing — I’d be able to utilize the knowledge I had gained to help other entrepreneurs like me. And in a way, the name “Refresh” was indicative of what I needed in my life as well.
This new venture afforded greater flexibility in my work schedule as well as the ability to work remotely basically all the time. With this newfound “freedom from the office”, I started to get the travel bug again.
Travel — trav·el ˈtravəl/ verb
To make a journey, typically of some length or abroad.
Extended travel is a great way to get out from behind all the habits in which we hide and to stand up against complacency and the acceptance of the status quo. Traveling around the world goes against all the conventional norms of how we’re “supposed” to live our lives. And too often, reasons not to pack up and go are numerous. Right? After several weeks of contemplation, I’m not so sure.
There are four major obstacles that can prevent you from adopting (permanently or temporarily) the digital nomad lifestyle:
- A non-remote job that requires consistent local presence
- A significant other who can’t travel with you
- Kids or family to support
- Health issues
In many ways, the moment when I knew I had to go out and see the world was when I started to recognize that nothing was preventing me from leaving. All the cards were aligned. I have a remote job, I’m single, I don’t have kids, and no health issues are pinning me down. The window of opportunity is open, and I know that it won’t be forever. How could I say no?
So here I sit, passport and one-way ticket to Korea in hand, less then two weeks from the start of a year abroad (more on where, why and what to expect in the next post). I’ll be honest — my nerves are a little on edge. I’m going to miss my family, friends and the life I have in Boston. I don’t know any of the people I’m about to spend a year traveling with. Kinda crazy. But in many ways, I’m ready. I’ve spent the last 4+ years focusing hardly any energy on me. I know that needs to change.
If it was easy, everyone would do it.
My life in Boston is extremely comfortable — I have great friends and solid business opportunities. But I’ve realized if I truly want to push myself to grow, if I really want to find out who I am, if I’m ready to open the next chapter in my life, I need to strip away the traditional comforts and explore what’s out there. Accomplishing everything I want to while I’m abroad won’t be easy. But as I liked to remind myself while running my company, if it was easy, everyone would do it.
Easy has never inspired me. Let’s see what hard has to offer.