When I was 22, my dad gave me a CD and told me to listen to it. I went quickly through all of the songs, for about 20-30 seconds each, but I didn’t like it, so I gave it back.
After a week, out of the blue, I suddenly felt like listening to it again. This time, I got hooked instantly.
And I wanted to know who it was. But being a burned CD, with no label, I had to google the parts of the lyrics I understood to try and find out.
A few months later, I got a guitar and started learning how to play. After a year and a half, I went all the way to Sevilla to immerse myself in the world of flamenco. I lasted less than a year, because I couldn’t get a job, but tried again next year. Same story.
Some people said that I failed, and lost time and money.
But that was the best decision I ever made in my life.
I ended up going back countless times. I made tons of friends and had quite a few fantastic experiences. I had the chance to spend a few weekends with one of my favourite artists. A decade after my first trip to Sevilla, I became a board member of its most prestigious flamenco club, where I met my wife. It’s where many of my best memories were made.
But none of that was part of a plan. It started with a random CD that I initially ignored and then turned into a passion. Then a second try. Then another one. And another. Like Shi Heng Yi said: “Life is going up and down. There's no success without failure.”
At no point did I know where it would lead. I just followed something that felt meaningful.
That's all you need to do. Follow what pulls you, even when it makes no sense. Yes, you might fail, and you might waste time and money, but you'll learn things about yourself you couldn't have learned any other way.
And more importantly, you won’t have that annoying thought later: “What if I tried?”
This week's action:
Think of something you dismissed too quickly, like a hobby, a place, or an idea.
Give it a second chance this week, just like I did with that CD.
Don’t overthink it. Just try it.
Share this with a friend who might like it.
Thanks for reading,
Valentin