Old Town, Warsaw, Poland
I’ve made the leap and moved to Warsaw, Poland’s capital. It’s a trial for now (6 months), but it could lead to a longer stay. I lived here for almost two years as a kid with my family, and 20 years later I’m back on my own.
There are many reasons I’ve moved: a break from work, starting my dissertation research, Polish women, Polish food, Polish beer, learning about my heritage and trying something new. It’s easy to develop a routine that over time gets stale. Leaving behind friends, a job, family and obligations is a great way to reassess what commitments are really worth keeping. After doing something long enough you feel obligated to keep doing it, but you seldom reflect on the value it adds to your life. I’m excited for the coming months. In less than a week away from California I’ve felt a new rush of energy and inspiration that I’d never have gotten from taking a couple days off work or tweaking my routine.
With all this freedom comes another obligation though. It’d be easy to just relax, enjoy the scenery, have fun and get some work done, but I have greater plans than that. I’ve been thinking of ways to start working for myself. I have several writing projects that I finally have time to complete. I have a couple dozen books to read and reflect on. At the end of the day my biggest project is building myself up to be a better man. I want to be stronger, smarter, more confident and more ambitious. Getting things done every day towards my goals is the way to develop and grow. Such change can be painful, frustrating and challenging, but the more adversity you’re willing to face, the greater the reward you’ll reap in the end.
I think my greatest challenge during this trip will be discipline. The key is to focus on the several goals I’ve set for myself over the next year and accomplish the small, daily tasks that will help me achieve them in that time. There’s no need to get myself caught up trying to do too many things at once and ending up with little to show for it. I’ve got more time in front of me to do what’s most important to me than any time in my life. Step by step I’ll climb the mountain, it just requires patience and perseverance. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day…
Recommended Reading:
How to Kill Your Day Job and Travel the World by Mark Manson
9 Ways to Stay Motivated Every Day by Victor Pride
