Matt, this is incredibly well written and thoughtful! I definitely related to the difference between your experience at Grand Tetons relative to your friendโs (personally Iโll take car and no Wi-Fi too). I also thought your reasoning for wanting to be in NYC was well articulated. When I was in Chicago, I was certainly motivated, but not inspired (and rather glum haha). Now in a mountain town, Iโm certainly inspired, but comfortable, and hence not as motivated. Maybe thereโs a degree of discomfort that breeds motivation? But Iโm glad NYC is doing that for youโI think of Casey Neistatโs relationship to the city being similar. Enjoyed this read a lot, and looking forward to more.
Casey embodies NYC for sure. Discomfort <> Motivation is interesting to think about. I think it might be related, but maybe I think of it more as space to become, or space for transformation. NYC gives anyone who wants something an opportunity. In more rural places, you don't get as many chances to rise up in whatever way you're seeking.
The other I didn't mention in this piece is that I think the dichotomy of mountain town / beach town vs. big city is false. Instead I think I'm drawn to intense places. That's why for cities, I choose NYC. For mountains, I choose Tahoe/Jackson Hole, etc. And for tropical places I choose Hawaii. I think of it more like on a spectrum of intensity. I could never thrive in a bland, flat, small city
Reversing the hedonic treadmill sounds like good exercise! Work those quads.
On the chutes and ladders analogy, what do you think of the idea that you can look at your biggest chutes and ladders from the past to help you roll the dice and land on ladders moving forward?
On hype music, what's your go-to? I'd say U Don't Know (ft MOP) is my #1.
Not so much fitting with the analogy anymore, but I do think we end up returning to things we deeply enjoyed in childhood because as kids we have the benefit of less self-judgement and instead just follow our curiosity.
some quotes:
Genius is nothing more than childhood recovered by will, a childhood now equipped for self-expression with capacities of an adult. - Baudelaire
If a child grew into adulthood according to early indications we should have nothing but geniuses. - Goethe
The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of childhood into adulthood. - Thomas Huxley
on my workout playlist, these have been in the core rotation:
Love these quotes. Thanks. I wonder if there are any studies on this. Like, somehow come up some criteria for measuring "finding genius," find a whole bunch of geniuses, look at their childhood and see if there was any obvious signs in childhood other than general intelligence and environmental circumstance.
This article resonates with how I view money as well. I'm also choosing to live in an expensive big city (Hong Kong) while on my sabbatical instead of going to Bali or Chiang Mai to have a lower burn and longer runway for a similar reason. I want to live a life I want to live otherwise. I want to be surrounded by the opportunities and people I care about.
I have also noticed how energy conscious I became, even though I used to work at a place I deeply cared about. But now, every decision I make is directly correlated to my physical health and my mental clarity -- so much more than before. My hypothesis is: when working, you have the chance to 'take a sick leave' when you're not feeling it, but you can't when you're not working. Every day is THE DAY.
Thanks for sharing this! It's relatable, inspiring, and very well-written.
thanks! the idea of seizing the day, or living one day at a time has been on my mind a lot as well. it might end up being the topic of my next blog. also have noticed I'm much more attuned with my energy levels and aware of how I'm feeling now!
Such a helpful read as I inch closer towards embarking on my sabbatical (and get psychologically ready to see my savings account go down). Thanks for sharing Matt, and great to see you again yesterday :)
for folks like you and me, it's wayyyy more psychological than down to the actual $, glad you found it useful and we can talk bout this kinda stuff in a few weeks!
Matt, this is incredibly well written and thoughtful! I definitely related to the difference between your experience at Grand Tetons relative to your friendโs (personally Iโll take car and no Wi-Fi too). I also thought your reasoning for wanting to be in NYC was well articulated. When I was in Chicago, I was certainly motivated, but not inspired (and rather glum haha). Now in a mountain town, Iโm certainly inspired, but comfortable, and hence not as motivated. Maybe thereโs a degree of discomfort that breeds motivation? But Iโm glad NYC is doing that for youโI think of Casey Neistatโs relationship to the city being similar. Enjoyed this read a lot, and looking forward to more.
Casey embodies NYC for sure. Discomfort <> Motivation is interesting to think about. I think it might be related, but maybe I think of it more as space to become, or space for transformation. NYC gives anyone who wants something an opportunity. In more rural places, you don't get as many chances to rise up in whatever way you're seeking.
The other I didn't mention in this piece is that I think the dichotomy of mountain town / beach town vs. big city is false. Instead I think I'm drawn to intense places. That's why for cities, I choose NYC. For mountains, I choose Tahoe/Jackson Hole, etc. And for tropical places I choose Hawaii. I think of it more like on a spectrum of intensity. I could never thrive in a bland, flat, small city
Reversing the hedonic treadmill sounds like good exercise! Work those quads.
On the chutes and ladders analogy, what do you think of the idea that you can look at your biggest chutes and ladders from the past to help you roll the dice and land on ladders moving forward?
On hype music, what's your go-to? I'd say U Don't Know (ft MOP) is my #1.
Not so much fitting with the analogy anymore, but I do think we end up returning to things we deeply enjoyed in childhood because as kids we have the benefit of less self-judgement and instead just follow our curiosity.
some quotes:
Genius is nothing more than childhood recovered by will, a childhood now equipped for self-expression with capacities of an adult. - Baudelaire
If a child grew into adulthood according to early indications we should have nothing but geniuses. - Goethe
The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of childhood into adulthood. - Thomas Huxley
on my workout playlist, these have been in the core rotation:
EVERY CHANCE I GET - DJ Khaled, Lil Baby
This Week - Lil Baby
Came and Saw - Young Thug
Love these quotes. Thanks. I wonder if there are any studies on this. Like, somehow come up some criteria for measuring "finding genius," find a whole bunch of geniuses, look at their childhood and see if there was any obvious signs in childhood other than general intelligence and environmental circumstance.
This article resonates with how I view money as well. I'm also choosing to live in an expensive big city (Hong Kong) while on my sabbatical instead of going to Bali or Chiang Mai to have a lower burn and longer runway for a similar reason. I want to live a life I want to live otherwise. I want to be surrounded by the opportunities and people I care about.
I have also noticed how energy conscious I became, even though I used to work at a place I deeply cared about. But now, every decision I make is directly correlated to my physical health and my mental clarity -- so much more than before. My hypothesis is: when working, you have the chance to 'take a sick leave' when you're not feeling it, but you can't when you're not working. Every day is THE DAY.
Thanks for sharing this! It's relatable, inspiring, and very well-written.
thanks! the idea of seizing the day, or living one day at a time has been on my mind a lot as well. it might end up being the topic of my next blog. also have noticed I'm much more attuned with my energy levels and aware of how I'm feeling now!
Such a helpful read as I inch closer towards embarking on my sabbatical (and get psychologically ready to see my savings account go down). Thanks for sharing Matt, and great to see you again yesterday :)
for folks like you and me, it's wayyyy more psychological than down to the actual $, glad you found it useful and we can talk bout this kinda stuff in a few weeks!
What an insightful read, Matt. I really appreciate the transparency and nuance you bring to the complex conversation of money and careers. Cheers!
thanks for reading! it's complex for sure
Your transparency regarding your perception of money at the various points in life is very insightful, validating, and appreciated. Thank you! ๐
thanks for reading!