Member-only story
You Can Lead A Fascinating Life Without Being Wildly Successful
The seven practices
Until the age of 22, my life was anything but fascinating. I was so uninteresting, during my freshman year at college, a group of upperclassman gave me the nickname: captain boring.
It was all in good fun, sort of, and I pretended to laugh with them. Thirty years later, I can finally admit it. They were right. I was a boring guy.
It wasn’t my personality that made me a drag; it was fear. I played it safe, never risking failure, never risking rejection, always acting in a way to avoid judgment by others; I drifted through life unscathed but devoid of meaningful experiences.
One decision changed everything.
When I finished school, I started working for my dad. Again, playing it safe. But within months, I had reached a point of disillusionment. My clear path towards success no longer seemed worth it.
On a whim, I quit and bought a one-way ticket from New York to Las Vegas.
Impulsive? Yes. Ill-conceived? Yes. But it’s those crazy chances that somehow lead to life-changing moments.
Within two weeks, I found a job and made a few friends.
