A Decision I Made 3,650 Days Ago...

Rewind the clock 3,650 days.

That’s 87,600 hours ago.

That brings us back to April 30, 2015.

Exactly TEN years.

A full decade.

I’ll never forget walking into the office that Thursday morning.

The sun was out, giving off that exciting pre-summer energy. Even the birds sounded like they were hyping me up – chirping out what felt like a little pregame anthem for whatever came next.

That was the day I quit my “9-to-5.”

That morning, I walked into my office with a job. With structure. With responsibilities.

By the afternoon, I walked out into the unknown – a “free man!”

The kind of free that also came with zero income, no real roadmap, and enough college debt to make a grown man cry.

For the record: I had a great job at a sports marketing firm.

We ran college basketball events at Madison Square Garden and The Barclays Center. I sold sponsorships, worked with coaches and ADs daily, and got paid to be around the game I love.

It wasn’t a bad gig. Not even close. But something felt off. I wasn’t waking up with the same fire or passion I used to have. And when that happens, you owe it to yourself, and everyone around you, to make a change.

So I did.

I didn’t walk away because the job was bad. Honestly, a lot of people would’ve killed for it. I just couldn’t shake the gut feeling that I was supposed to be on a different path.

Did people think I was crazy? Of course they did.

But here’s a piece of advice.

If your dreams don’t make you look at least a little crazy, they probably aren’t big enough.

This isn’t a post about how I “made it.”

I’m not trying to give you a blueprint for success.

Honestly, it’s not even about “success.”

This is just another day – number 3,650 – of choosing to bet on myself – even when the road ahead is unclear.

And if this post lights a fire under just one person’s ass to do something they love, then it served its purpose.

The day I walked out of that office I was ecstatic. But I was simultaneously scared shitless.

Because I had no idea what was next.

I was pretty sure I knew what I wanted to do. But I had no clue how to get there.

As each day went by, I got more and more excited. I was well aware the next chapter wasn't going to be an easy path, so I was ready for a bumpy ride. I was prepared to enjoy the process, not the destination. And the more I started to fall in love with that process, the less stressful it was. And very soon into that process I noticed my life priorities begin to change.

I started spending less time doing the “cool” stuff and more time on what really mattered. Ok quick side note. This wasn't an overnight process. I’m not going to lie, I freaked out a little bit immediately after quitting. After a few too many drinks the very next evening (I believe we call that liquid courage 🙄), I booked a one way plane ticket to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. And I ended up backpacking Southeast Asia by myself for 6 weeks. But I’ll save that story for a later date lol.

Ironically, that crazy trip was the first major mindset shift for me. Upon returning in the summer of 2015, I was more locked in than ever before. I started putting all my attention on my mind and body. And becoming the best version of myself.

Sometimes the security we feel in our current positions can be misleading. It's nice to feel safe and comfortable, but is that "security" holding you back from your true potential?

Just because we have a job and structure, doesn't mean that we should become content. In reality, most people are only one or two paychecks away from being in a detrimental financial situation, including not being able to make monthly rent payments. That brings us to a separate discussion about spending and saving habits... but that's not where I'm going with this.

Even though we feel secure at times, that is often a cover up for being scared of the unknown.

But I encourage you to explore that unknown.

By taking a leap of faith outside of your comfort zone, you will realize that the “secure feeling” might actually be like a weighted vest holding you back from a world of opportunity.

The past decade has brought a plethora of ups and downs. There have been times where I’ve felt like I’m on top of the world. And times where I’ve sincerely questioned my sanity (more than a few).

I’ve been lucky enough to explore 46 different countries along the way, and counting (God-willing). Here are a few:

I explored Vietnam - from big cities to small villages. I spent a few days trekking the jungle in Thailand.

I got a masters degree from a University in Italy via the Euroleague. I made hundreds of new friends (probably thousands).

I've slept on a train overnight through Austria & somehow talked my way into a free stay at 5 star resort in Barcelona.

I went off-roading through a dessert in southern Israel and floated for hours in the Dead Sea.

I drank the most wine I've consumed in my entire life during a 6 hour dinner in Tbilisi, Georgia. And then somehow made it to a basketball game in the middle of Armenia the following day.

I hiked up a mountain for some breathtaking views at Lake Bled in Slovenia before partying 4 days straight in Belgrade.

Speaking of Belgrade, if you're a basketball fan and you have not been to a Euroleague game in Pionir Hall, add it to your bucket list, you can thank me later (check the scene at 2:07 in the video below)!

I’ve eaten the best gnocchi in the world in a hole-in-the-wall osteria on the outskirts of Bologna... and I'm pretty sure I can die happy after crushing some baklava in Istanbul.

I've gotten my haircut for $1 USD in Macedonia and taken a selfie with a wild goat during a hike in Montenegro.

I got to visit clients in various countries around the world (Spain, Denmark, Cyprus and just Georgia to name a few).

I got to spend a few months immersing myself in the culture in Japan. From shrine visits to exploring the basketball leagues to sake bars... and much more in between.

I added a some additional "first visits" in Asia. I got to visit a client in Hong Kong and spend time at the EASL offices!

I spent a month in Manila and Jakarta during the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

I took an unexpected, yet impactful, trip to the UAE en route to another client visit in Azerbaijan. More firsts!

I signed my first international client and have watched the long term plan come to fruition one month at a time...

I turned a "fun idea" into a serious project when I got the chance to help build Roy. I quickly found myself speaking to hundreds of stakeholders at an NIL Conference and warming up the stage for the one and only "Woj"

I knocked off country 46 last month - South Korea.

Alright I think you get the point. I’ll stop there for now. But trust me, there's an abundance of untold stories.

If there's one thing I hope you take away from this rant, it's this:

One of the best decisions in my life was the day I decided to take the leap of faith towards living the life I wanted to live.

Since then, I’ve moved across the country. Got a masters degree in Europe. Started a business. Built a brand. Traveled to 46 countries. Slept on couches. Sent thousands of cold emails. Got ghosted more times than I can count. Said yes when I was scared. Said no when I finally learned to protect my time. Got into a car accident abroad (sorry Mom, forget to mention that one).

Took important calls from airport terminals. Signed contracts from hostel bunk beds. Had meetings in languages I don't speak. Lost deals that I thought were done. Closed deals that I thought were dead. Got fired. All this….

And somehow — I’m still here. Still building.

Every single day I try to focus on a few things. All things that are in my control:

1 -- Being grateful for things I have and not worrying about the things I don’t have

2 -- Giving unconditionally without the expectation of anything in return

3 -- Attacking life as unapologetically and passionately as I can

There have been many who supported me along the way. I can’t thank you enough! There have been many who rooted against me along the way. I owe you an even bigger thank you!

Here's to the next decade (and hopefully many more after that)... wherever they lead....

#ChaseYourVision #TrustTheProcess #KreationTalent p.s. I still have my old blog posts up from the Southeast Asia trip if you're looking for more stories ;)

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• A QUOTE I love...

• A BOOK I read...

• A PLACE I traveled...

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• An ARTICLE you should read...

• A VIDEO you should watch...

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If you've scrolled down this far then you're the best! I appreciate you taking the time to read my posts :)

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