Be entrepreneur of your own life!
Climb baby, climb…
One could say that believers are powerful dreamers. But every action, every life-changing decision begins with a strong belief.
Ask those who act and those who don’t: disappointments and regrets come from missed opportunities.
Two years ago, I promised myself something which changed the course of my life: do not forget to question the comfort and do not be afraid to embrace uncertainties. Overcoming feeling comfortable and reassured to find self-awareness and self-improvement is not an easy path. This is the only way to to know what makes you unique and happy. Finding these things inevitably means feeling afraid, stuck, alone and of course, failure. Indeed it comes at a price, but it’s that risk, that defiance of the norm, that makes someone special and unique. Ultimately, I believe it’s the pursuit of this individuality each person possesses that leads to happiness— the happiness we all seek, but don’t always realize.
I suppose all of these factors don’t matter. All that matters are the steps an individual is willing to take in order to climb the ladder of life, so they can live the dreams they’ve always dreamed instead of being constrained by the “dreams” that society tells us we are meant to live… Without being afraid to fall. Starting from scratch is always a fresh start. I know this because I’ve just had a fresh start of my own.
Climb one: AWESOME THINGS ARE RARELY FOUND IN YOUR COMFORT ZONE
One year ago, I had everything society dictated I should have. The perfect resume: five years of post-grad studies and valuable professional experiences at world-renowned media companies. I was a native French speaker with English fluency. I had a full-time job and a nice one-bedroom apartment. But I wanted more, or something different. I wasn’t sure what, but something was missing. It felt like I wanted to learn faster and more deeply. Something about American culture attracted me and I left everything behind to find what I was looking for.
I left my job. I started to look for all the startups based in New-York I would love to get in touch with. In 48 hours I sent more than one hundred emails. Some of them nicely answered they don’t have any work opportunities at this time but gave me tips to find one. The 3rd day, I finally received an email. Indeed, my resume and the way I introduce myself attracted the CEO/Publisher of a magazine and a Skype call was scheduled for the same day to speak further about an open position. Our one hour talk over; I”ve been hired. 5 days later, my visa request was completed. 3 weeks later, I received my visa acceptance.
Always driven by the belief that whatever you are looking for is out there for you if you know how to find it. And I moved to the United States.
Climb 2: LIFE BEGINS WHEN YOU SET YOURSELF FREE FROM YOUR EXPECTATIONS AND LET INTUITION TAKE OVER
This professional experience in New York quickly became a life-changing experience. I was involved 24/7 in this company. My boss used to share every concerns about her company with me, starting saying “our company”. I found myself snatched in the New-York city high speed rhythm. For the first time in my life, I realized that there is a considerable difference between performance and fulfillment. I wanted to be fulfilled in my job but was finally trapped in a strong desire to be excellent in my position and make always better at any price. As much as I professionally grew, I refrained from coming true as individual. At this time, driven by the strong desire to work in New York, I felt guilty to leave a job which didn’t feel right for me and to start over a second time. But I did it, I started over again. Obviously more competent and more aware of the mission which I want to lead. This experience taught me that making mistakes is a mean to find what we need. This is not required, but necessary.
Climb 3: THERE IS NO RIGHT PATH BUT YOUR OWN
Obviously, culture and rules differ between New York and Paris. As a French woman, the American culture of working hard, learning fast and having access to everything led me there. But even if there are a bunch of differences between the countries, the similarities between human beings are greater. That’s what I realized when I started to hang out and work in the New York startup community. Surrounded by the entrepreneurial spirit, I found myself linking the way I am with the way I work and I finally was able to create my own professional opportunities. I decided I wanted to lead— I want to encourage people to share their life experiences and desires. I believe the entrepreneurial mindset is at the heart of what I like to call the Culture of Possible. And culture is something everyone should have access to. So, to share this access, I decided to build a movement of inspiring people.
Climb 4: WORK AS YOU LOVE
Due to visa issues, I was finally forced to go back to France. But I took with me the entrepreneurial mindset with me across the Atlantic Ocean. Indeed UBQT, one of the startups I believe in, spread the desire to make things happen. The company’s founders work to open a window to everyone to a new way to live the events. Their way of thinking resonates with me as a basic human truth:
No matter where you are or where you want to be, you have a way to experience both.
Joining UBQT to work on their startup’s culture is a way to connect people with technology. Their product is more than just a product— it’s something that enables human storytelling. I want to be a part of it.
Without even realizing it, my struggles changed the course of my life. From now, my ambition is to redefine work and to close the gap between personal beliefs and professional expectations.
I wrote this piece about Life-Hacking because it is something I experienced before realizing that the movement of people who support this way of living is blowing. I felt call to share my experience and to jump in the movement to spread this word:
Always make sure to be entrepreneur of your own life. Because once you are, you will be surprised how much possibilities you have when you actually make room for it.
If you ❤ this article, you may enjoy reading “I started with everything”.
Follow me for more content @Chloe Leb
