Major decisions are tough; whether they’re related your job, family, significant other, or you as an individual. This is only further complicated in a world with seemingly infinite choices. In these moments we seek out the opinions of those we hold in high esteem and look to various articles/books for insight. But no matter which route you take, things always point back to a defining ability or inability to make decisions that reflect the person you want to be.
If you had to identify a single insight or life lesson to leave the world with, what would it be? There are thousands of useful aphorisms and eloquent quotes to consider from the world’s most brilliant minds. But if I had only one piece of advice to offer it would simply be this: whatever you do, don’t be generic. Instead, strive to be an anomaly.
As social media has become pervasive in every aspect of our lives, there’s not a day that goes by where you don’t see some sort of generic quote about today being the best day of your life. But let’s bring things back to reality. An outlook based on unrealistic expectations and unchecked optimism only guarantees unhappiness…
“College…the best four years of your life” – a bizarre phrase uttered with regularity these days. It also happens to be a great indicator that the person voicing such an elementary thought should never be consulted for any life advice. In fact, whatever guidance they attempt to pass along, I urge you to do the opposite...
Wanderlust is best understood as an inherent desire that burns within and beckons to explore and seek out the elusive sense of euphoria that’s amplified in a foreign destination. It’s a concept that resonates so strongly because travel provides one of the most effective outlets to pursue the true source of happiness that is a new experience.
I’ve given up plenty of times in my life. In many regards, I am a quitter. And all those things I’ve thrown in the towel on have fallen into one of two categories: something that I had absolutely no natural talent for and consequently did not enjoy, or something where I felt my end goal was far outweighed by inconvenience and the red tape blocking the way. The second being one of the biggest misconceptions I’ve carried for my 26 years.
As it relates to happiness, from a 10,000-foot view you either are, you aren’t, or you’re somewhere in transit – that’s so oversimplified it’s comical, but stick with me. As a visual learner, I try to imagine models that can represent abstract and challenging concepts such as happiness. Over time, I’ve come to envision happiness as a spectrum that can be further broken down into individual ranges for each of the three basic associated states…
One of my constant concerns growing up has been how to best avoid becoming one of those people who gets ‘stuck.’ It’s easy to get trapped on a predictable path that never leads beyond the familiar, with regard to both experiences and physical location. This played a significant role in my motivation to relocate to Nashville last year. A major move was the catalyst for change that I was seeking.
In my first quarter century, I’ve done my best to travel and explore this vast, beautiful planet that we call home. I’ve reached three continents and aspire to explore all seven by the time I turn 30. I don’t pretend to have been everywhere, or even a fraction of the world. “A fool thinks himself to be wise,” but there’s something unique about Nashville, Tennessee that I have yet to discover anywhere else.
