Flashback to one year ago. I had just quit my job, took a sick vacation to Belize, was working on Idea Lemon on the side, and LOVING IT. I finally had room to breathe and figure out what I wanted next.
It.
Felt.
Great.
But there was something eating at me during this time.
A few months prior, my girlfriend and I ended our relationship and that feeling off loss/breaking up-ness kept lingering. Anytime I had a moment to my own thoughts, my ex would come up.
Then, from out of nowhere, I find out she’s dating someone new and my world turns completely upside down. Doesn’t it suck when that happens? You experience every negative emotion possible. Anger, betrayal, sadness, hopelessness, the list goes on and on.
What did I do?
My gut reaction said, “I feel like Austin or Portland is calling my name, and now is the perfect time to make a move. My ex and I clearly aren’t getting back together, so this is a great chance for a fresh start. I can get a new job at a new company, live in a new city, and really get out of my comfort zone. I’ve been in Chicago my whole life…now is the time to PUSH my comfort zone. I need to do this!”
….
Let’s pause the story for a moment. A couple weeks ago, an Idea Lemon tribe member wrote me saying this:
There's so much turmoil going on inside my head and real life career wise.
I work for this corporation but I'm not enjoying it at all. To top it I had a major health issue pop out of nowhere recently.
My head's full of ideas though. I just don't know how to clear up this mess and start living a more meaningful life by starting at a career that I'll actually be comfortable in.
-RR
This person is already in turmoil with her career, and then her world gets turned upside down with a major health issue popping up out of nowhere. What should she do?
…
Back to the story.
I felt destined to get out. Then, suddenly, I changed my mind.
I went from researching companies I could work for in Austin or Portland, to pulling a complete 180, and dedicating myself to Chicago so I could build Idea Lemon.
Why did this happen?
I realized something that changed my decision-making.
I realized WHY we make important decisions.
There are 2 reasons why we make important decisions:
We’re running away from what we fear, or
We’re running towards what we want.
When we’re running away, we make scared decisions. When we’re running towards, we make empowered decisions.
I thought I needed to move cities, but what I really needed was to confront my issues.
It wasn’t about breaking comfort zones, and having new experiences. It was about running away from the city where I was surrounded by memories of my ex.
When it hit me that I was making my decision out of fear, and running away from something, I pumped the brakes and said, ‘No. I can’t do that. I can't live in fear.'
I decided I should run towards what I really wanted: Building my own company in the city I loved.
And I can say with a smile that the last year has been pretty damn awesome.
To our tribe member, RR (the person who wrote me)--You have a million things inside your head, but you have two options for what’s next: Run away, or run toward.
Run toward what you want. Don't run away from what you fear.
Written by Cofounder Rajiv Nathan
