Here’s the way I see it: We have a few major nexus points throughout our lives. For me these have often been moments in my career when I said yes to something unexpected that shifted me onto a new path and opened me to possibilities I had never considered.
For example, I remember standing in the newsroom at a staff meeting in 2000 when our editor said we’d be starting a website and asked for volunteers, people who would take on extra work to help get it launched. I raised my hand and began editing the newspaper online every day (hard to believe, but back then we put the news online once a day). I went away on maternity leave and came back and found the section of the newspaper I had been editing (tech culture) had been scrapped (a victim of the first dot com crash), but I had been moved full time to digital. I eventually became the editor of the newspaper online.
My last major nexus was actually quitting a job and not having a plan for what came next.
I also think we have smaller “nexus” points, little things that pave the way to major turning points.
Fantastic. Thanks for sharing and I remember those days. I agree on the smaller points. I will be doing something on this further down the line that explores this in detail.
One nexus point in my life led me straight here: when I decided to move from my home town some 30 years ago. I never looked back.
Not doing that meant a very likely life very similar to that which my parents lived, exposed to many of the same ideas (this was before the widespread adoption of the internet, even in the US). Getting out meant freedom to do what I wanted.
This leap meant I knew I could go anywhere I needed to and start over, which liberated me from as much fear. I leapt into an entrepreneurial punk rock lifestyle that led me to an entrepreneurial martial arts lifestyle, all of which involved consistent writing practice.
No leap of faith to move across states = no leap into entrepreneurship, or at least not to the complete degree I made of it.
You're right that many people cannot stand the uncertainty that great progress requires. In fact, I have found that the only way to truly hold on is to be a living sacrifice.
To understand that you have already given your life to this cause...hence the difficulty no longer matters.
Here’s the way I see it: We have a few major nexus points throughout our lives. For me these have often been moments in my career when I said yes to something unexpected that shifted me onto a new path and opened me to possibilities I had never considered.
For example, I remember standing in the newsroom at a staff meeting in 2000 when our editor said we’d be starting a website and asked for volunteers, people who would take on extra work to help get it launched. I raised my hand and began editing the newspaper online every day (hard to believe, but back then we put the news online once a day). I went away on maternity leave and came back and found the section of the newspaper I had been editing (tech culture) had been scrapped (a victim of the first dot com crash), but I had been moved full time to digital. I eventually became the editor of the newspaper online.
My last major nexus was actually quitting a job and not having a plan for what came next.
I also think we have smaller “nexus” points, little things that pave the way to major turning points.
Fantastic. Thanks for sharing and I remember those days. I agree on the smaller points. I will be doing something on this further down the line that explores this in detail.
One nexus point in my life led me straight here: when I decided to move from my home town some 30 years ago. I never looked back.
Not doing that meant a very likely life very similar to that which my parents lived, exposed to many of the same ideas (this was before the widespread adoption of the internet, even in the US). Getting out meant freedom to do what I wanted.
This leap meant I knew I could go anywhere I needed to and start over, which liberated me from as much fear. I leapt into an entrepreneurial punk rock lifestyle that led me to an entrepreneurial martial arts lifestyle, all of which involved consistent writing practice.
No leap of faith to move across states = no leap into entrepreneurship, or at least not to the complete degree I made of it.
That is amazing. Thank you for sharing and I am happy you took the chance on yourself. We need more courage like this in society.
And thank you for the food for thought.
My pleasure.
Great article Shawn!
You're right that many people cannot stand the uncertainty that great progress requires. In fact, I have found that the only way to truly hold on is to be a living sacrifice.
To understand that you have already given your life to this cause...hence the difficulty no longer matters.
You're all in 🔥
Thank you so much. I am glad you dig it and I agree. Keep on moving.