Sitting in a fancy hotel in Luanda, Angola. Catching up on work and emails. Surrounded by millions of people who are somewhere on the scale between extremely wealthy and upsettingly poor. And just about none of them have any idea who i am, what i do, or why it matters even the slightest bit.
This does not lead to a downward-spiral of negative thoughts and insignificance. Not today. I am instead overwhelmed by the idea that we so easily allow the people we know, in our circles (the internet or ‘real life’) to become the WHOLE WORLD. How a single person can have an opinion that could determine the direction of a new idea. How one negative or positive comment on your blog can motivate or discourage you from doing what you love. How a “like” or a “RT” can make your day or cause you to doubt the reason for doing things.
This is a joke. Our minds play a mean trick on us by convincing us that the verbal opinion of a very few are representing the entire world.
If you know why you are doing what you do, very few things will be able to influence what you do. Being amidst this crowd of unknown people in a foreign country without any opinion or approval or negativity surrounding my life and business has a strange motivational effect that i find hard to explain. The world is bigger than my mind. I want to be a part of it.
This post has been significantly influence by an amazing book that i think you should read – Start with Why by Simon Sinek(ref link)
Photo – Christine Meintjes
love it Iaan! so very true.
Thanks Tash 😉
well said! so true
Loved reading this my friend…great point! Have fun in Angola and the motivational effect its having on you both…i bet it will lead to even more plans to change the lives of others 🙂
Thanks Anneli! Appreciate the comment and awesome wishes. We take it!
Great Advice! Thanks
This is so true. It is easy to get bogged down with being what people expect you to be and fulfilling peoples expectations based on your day to day life. This is why I love going to new places (and countries) and meeting new people. It is so refreshing to interact with people who you have never met before, who don’t have pre-formed ideas and expectations about who you are, what you do, or what you are about.
There is nothing more inspiring and motivating than taking a leap of faith outside your comfort zone, taking inspiration from others and then bringing it home and using the experience to build what you have!
Enjoy the trip!
In some ways i think your comment better says what i wanted to 🙂 So glad to see this feeling is shared!
wow…this is incredibly profound. I’m inspired by what you’ve said here too. A little perspective can go a long way, and we ALL need reminding of that every now and again. I’m so glad I took the time to read this.
Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment. I think perspective is the single most powerful thing to change your life.
Excellent post!!!!
Thank you Iaan for a clear perspective. What you wrote is so true and extremely important. Why are we so comfortable in our own little comfort zones, when we as humans are individually destined for great things? Enjoy your time in Angola and thanks for always sharing! Send my regards to Christine, can’t wait to see the wedding photos! Best of luck 🙂
Thanks Danita! Will send regards and try to bring back awesome photos
Awesome! Thank you!
Very inspirational Iaan! And so very true! Thank you for doing what you both do!
This was a great read and really inspired me!
WOW! Thank You Thank You Iaan! A few minutes ago I was ranting with a friend, how other peoples negative thoughts and words bring me down and prevent me from doing what I want to do. All he said to me was “Go read Iaan’s blog and you will think differently” Thank you for helping me get out of that corner today!
Thanks Karin! So glad that you are feeling different after reading. Keep doing awesome stuff!
STUNNING! Well said Iaan!
(My little 4 yo keeps telling me that the world is big and people are small. I LOVE this saying!)
😀 That’s so well said! Your kid is very wise
Iaaaaaaaaaaaan! you hit the freaking nail on the head! very profound….very moving….very real. Like a click of the fingers and we are snapped out of our normal reality. Great! enjoyed this evening read, thanks!xxx
Ahw Monica! Appreciate your comment very much. thanks
so true Iaan! Thanks for sharing.
Have a nice stay in Angola:)
Your post could not have been more perfectly timed – thank you for inspiring me to reevaluate a situation which I previously thought was a dead end road and now I realize by just changing my mind set can be a road to so many more beginnings !
Wow. That’s rewarding to hear. Enjoy the new view
I just had a discussion with my mom today about how I worry that I might never live up to my friends and family’s expectations, how the absence of a comment can get me so down, and what it feels like when some clients doesn’t show the same excitement as other clients when I am giving them their product…my world is waaaay to small, thanks for this post – I really needed it this week!