Shownotes Transcript
It can be so easy to put our heads down and follow the path that we and society has laid out for ourselves. Go to school, get good grades and find a stable job to stay comfortable. While that is certainly what we have done, today we discuss the possibility of trying out new and maybe more adventurous experiences in lieu of climbing the corporate ladder. We recount another conversation that Wired magazine founder Kevin Kelly spoke about on the Rich Roll podcast earlier this week. One in which his own experience bouncing back and forth between China in his 20’s gave him a unique and one of a kind outlook on life that became the backbone for his career success later on. Rather than work to be the best in a group of many, Kelly argues it may be more valuable to be the only!
The “only” implies your unique experience, based off of the path that you have forged. This doesn’t always mean going to China back and forth for ten years, it’s totally based on what excites you and makes you curious, but it does mean actually having those unique experiences. Taking the trip, doing the hike, committing to learning a new and emerging technology. By forging a path into somewhere or something that you and most others may not be familiar with you become more of an asset later on. There will be resistance, when you go against the grain, but this is truly a selfish endeavor, one in which you would like to learn more about yourself and other cultures, activities, or technologies. A lot of times we can fall into the trap of believing that these activities need some perfect timing, or perfect budget, but the truth most of the time is that part is pretty easy. What can truly hold you back is the mindset that others may judge you for doing something different or you are going out of the order of what the majority of others have chosen to do. It’s hard to say whether Kevin’s experiences are the sole reason for his success, but nonetheless his optimistic outlook from adventuring into the unknown brought him an invaluable perspective. The optimists that embrace a new and ever evolving world will be the ones that have the courage to take chances and seize the moments of new frontiers in the future.