My Most Important Lesson After Travelling To Brisbane
Three weeks ago, I took a spontaneous trip from Townsville to Brisbane to my mates.
What I originally thought was a visit became a reflection for where I wanted to live and work. Totally changing my outlook on life.
So, before I share my most important lesson I learnt from my trip, I want to first write on:
The 3 biggest changes in perspective about work, responsibility and staying home.
#1 Security, Or Opportunity?
I was always a firm believer of staying with your parents for as long as possible. Thinking people who moved out were irrational due to the cost of living.
However, I have more nuance now.
"What do you value more? Security or opportunity?"
Staying with my parents allows me to save money, but I'm keeping myself poor in my self-development.
By living with them, I am not surrounded by the same career opportunities that the bigger cities provide compared to a small town.
It's also fearing the feeling of discomfort from financial burden if I moved out.
And as long as you live under your parents' roof, you are under their rules and expectations.
Trading your freedom for security. Not to say my parents are bad parents.
But I can see why people will want to move away and create a life separate from the expectations of those around them.
A personal example I can think of going against these expectation is:
Wanting to eat beef mince and rice everyday.
I will get asked by my mother,
"What do you want for dinner?"
And I will always say,
"Beef mince and rice."
Only to be told,
"No. That's unbalanced."
As soon as I move out, guess what diet I'm hopping on?
Ultimately, it's your own opinion of yourself that matters the most. So moving out can help exercise your individuality without the judgement of others.
#2 Freedom
With this newfound freedom, you must also create sacrifices through the adoption of responsibility.
Your parents were there to take responsibility over you, now, it's your turn.
To afford the opportunities of jobs, study, education, the experience of self betterment and independence, I must adopt responsibility. No longer my parents'.
Freedom comes with the price of responsibility. Freedom without defined borders will spell disaster for the undisciplined. But, for the disciplined, an opportunity to thrive on your own.
Nonetheless, freedom grants the ultimate opportunity to live life on your own terms.
And, when you're a responsible individual, that's a pretty sweet deal.
Alas, if you have supportive parents, the worst thing that can happen is you move back home. Trade your freedom for security until you can get back on your own two feet.
And, you have a few cool stories of you trying to make it.
Like my mate's Grade 11 maths teacher once said about our exams,
"Failure makes for great character development."
#3 Work And Ambition
Although I was on holidays, I made myself agitated to get back to work.
As I chilled on my mate's couch at 12am, I saw him still studying for his exam.
Plus knowing his sister who worked full-time while finishing her master's degree.
Sure, it was my holiday. I should relax. However, seeing these guys work made me self-conscious about my lack of work back at home.
Rather than loathing in my insecurity, it sparked my desire to work even more when I returned.
Because, I can see them do it, and why not I?
(Really, I should've brought my laptop to work on my content. Which, two of my mates said I should've done.)
So, getting a glimpse into working and studying in the city sparked my embrace for work.
In fact, there are 2 aspects of working that has changed for me.
3.1 Learning To Be Busy And Productive
Before the trip, I had a lot of free-time wasting it on YouTube.
After coming back, I feel more dialled-in juggling multiple projects at a time.
Working on:
- Clients' websites and social media marketing
- Writing, recording and editing content
- Studying for my Digital Marketing Diploma
- Fitting three jobs in all of that
A lot of people will try not to lean into their work. And I don't blame them.
If your work is not meaningful to your life's mission, you will resent it.
Even the hours doing remedial work as a golf shop assistant and dispatcher at an IT company, it's still a means to help finance my greater aspirations: self-education, being a digital marketer, moving to Brisbane.
3.2 Paying Success With Labour
"God sells us all things at the price of labour."— Leonardo Da Vinci
I will not realise how much work it will take to improve without doing the work first.
For what is the price to become an individual who is capable of generating wealth giving value unto others?
It's just work.
To share a bit of my faith, for a moment in time I used to pray for material wealth. Praying and visualising I was in some luxury apartment, travelling around the world and owning a Porsche 911.
Nowadays, I ask God to give me strength and wisdom to do my work and help others.
A Rolex watch doesn't mean much. What does is the amount of time, effort, blood, sweat and tears I sow to reap such reward.
To be gifted such riches without having done the work and self-growth needed to achieve it would be dishonest.
And, how do you learn to lean into hard work?
It's about learning to no longer work for an outcome. But knowing I am the outcome of my work. Labouring to become a better individual at his craft.
A verse in the Bible also comes to mind.
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." — Matthew 6:20-21
No one can take my skills, beliefs, values and character traits created by the work I impose upon myself.
I take that with me until I die.
Also, learning that for some of the wealthiest individuals it's not about the money. It's about doing something they love, something they're good at and something people want. And we label it as 'work'.
So, returning to the original idea of moving to Brisbane, that chapter of my life would focus on my work. Crafting an individual better equipped with providing value to people.
If I want to succeed in moving to the city and in my career, I'm going to pay it with my labour.
My Most Important Lesson: Making The Dream Happen
Now with the shifts in perspective regarding opportunity, responsibility and work, this is the biggest lesson I took from my Brisbane trip.
Embrace opportunity over security, embrace work and take full responsibility for one's independence when moving away from home.
Now, it's the actual 'moving to Brisbane' part to worry about.
My plan is:
- Complete my Diploma Of Digital Marketing
- Keep working on marketing projects
- Land a digital marketing job in Brisbane.
- Move down
- Rent?
- Keep working and learning
Now, it's about not rushing the process. I can't wait. Ever since my trip, my mind is in Brisbane and my body is in Townsville.
All because I got to experience city living and listening to people who've made it possible: to live, work and study away from home.
Of course it's going to be harder to live away from family and friends that you grew up with.
But if you're someone like me who wants greater things for themselves, do not let it stunt your self-growth.
In fact, embrace the discomfort. I know I'll have to eventually.
"The emotion shall pass, and I shall remain." — Alex Hormozi.