Get Out!

Aug 03, 2023

Note to reader: I am trying out a new format for my newsletter, and I would love to get your opinion on this format.

Going forward, I want to share three things in every post:

An idea from me
A story about that idea
An offer from me

After you read today’s post, there is a poll down the bottom. Let me know how you like it.

The Idea:

“Moving can instantly improve your situation. If you find yourself in an environment that hurts what matters to you the most, get out!”

The Story:

For the past month, I have done something simultaneously exciting and damaging - traveling in China for 30 days straight.

Boy, was the trip fun! I grew up in China until moving to America as a teenager, but have rarely gone back since. Now the pandemic is over and there are no more lockdowns, we went there to visit family and travel. We visited 8 cities, hugged pandas, made out with terracotta warriors, did yoga in the Forbidden City, played laser tag on the Great Wall, and ate so many Peking ducks that we might have altered the Chinese duck census.

That said, this type of indulgence has repercussions - my productivity level went from that of a Navy Seal to a crippled seal. Now I feel like I’m in the scene in Hangover, where I wake up from a crazy night dazed and confused, trying to rediscover myself.

It wasn’t because I didn’t try. I hunted down Starbucks as if they were oases in deserts and wrote there almost every day. Yet, my well of creativity ran dry, and I simply couldn’t write the good stuff I wanted to.

What happened? Well, the environment just wasn't right for me. There are four times as many people in China as in the United States, and you are constantly flowing in a sea of bodies. You can’t help but overhear others talking, be it business or gossip. Sometimes I felt like I was trying to meditate in the middle of a club where the DJ was high on drugs.

My preferred writing spot is in my car by myself, and preferably by the California beach. My thoughts need to flow quietly, without distraction. China was anything but that.

As soon as I flew back to California and drove to the beach, I was back in my creative comfort zone. The sensory overload was gone, and the words started flowing out of my fingers again.

This instant change made me realize how much impact your environment can have on your mood, behaviors, and productivity.

What matters to you the most? Are you a creator? An entrepreneur? A salesperson? No matter who you are, look around. Is your environment conducive for you to achieve your goals? Are you surrounded by people who inspire you and push you forward? Or are you tempted by distractions and other people’s emergencies constantly?

If the answer is the former, dig in and find your success comfort zone. You will thrive there. If the answer is the latter, get out! You don’t have to move countries, but find your secret hideout where you can be in your element.

Sometimes, moving is the easiest way to become a better you.

The Offer:

Speaking of the environment, is your house full of piles of crap? Are you looking at your room as if a tornado just struck? Well, if that’s the case, that’s not a creative haven. You are constantly being reminded of your own chaos. You are living in hell on earth.

Let’s declutter together. Join my 28-day Clean Upper Camp starting next week, where you need to clean up an area of your house every day. You need to text me your before and after pictures to show me your work. I will keep track of your progress.

Remember, a messy room equals a messy mind.