In the few yet too many Digital Nomad meetups I’ve been to in Lisbon, the conversations I often slip into answer the question “so, what do you do?” The answers I hear are always tied into a project they’re working on with others, at some small, medium, or large sized company. The answers are never about what they’re developing in themselves, for themselves, about themselves, or any other preposition followed by “themselves”. There’s a thing people are trying to build rather than a skill, a product people are trying to develop rather than a talent, and the time they spend are in service of others rather than themselves.
A phrase I often heard growing up was to “be a productive member of society,” and - if you’re not one - well, ooof! That’s a big sting. You want to be producing something for the world, for the society you’re living in, and not just mooching off of it. To be producing something for yourself, for your own sake, is selfish unproductive narcissism. Give your time to a company and get money to be able to cover your basic needs so that you can continue to give your time to a company.
I’d love to give time to myself, and to see what I can develop from there, and see how I can shape my life around my continuous development. What’s the Infinite Game I’d like to play for the rest of my life? Reading, Running, Writing, and Lifting (damn I wish it was pronounced Rifting instead) is a game I love to play, and I’d love to see how far I can go with it.
I’m currently writing these emails and making these videos to embolden myself to believe in myself and my development and craft. I have worked on projects for others for the past couple of years, and now I’d like to spend a few months just working on my own development. I want to develop my athleticism and my wordcraft, my body and my mind, side by side, and to see what I can grow from there. I don’t have a product in mind, just a process.
But, if you like this project, and want to support it and to see where it goes, I’d love if you consider becoming a member of this newsletter:
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