Today, my little sister Tiffany is doing something that most people wouldn’t have the guts to do. She is moving 10,355 miles from New York to Melbourne, Australia. The story goes that she met a nice boy from a nice family and true love prevailed. So this afternoon, with no job and no friends, she is boarding a plan for the 25 hour flight to the Land Down Under.
I will miss my sister. We hang out often and cause all sorts of trouble in Manhattan. However, we have Skype, iMessage and I have a shiny, new plane ticket to head down there in a few months. The truth is, while it is FAR away, we have so many ways to stay connected that it will almost feel like she is simply in another part of the U.S. Am I concerned about her not having a job? No, because Tiffany is really resourceful and knows how to get things done. She has a work visa so she can legally find employment and I am confident that she will keep herself busy. So is there any reason that she shouldn’t be moving? Absolutely not. Some might argue that she will miss our nephew growing up and all that family stuff. But, as I mentioned, there are so many ways to keep in touch that she won’t be out of touch.
What Would You Do?
Tiffany moving to Australia is similar to when I left steady employment and started a new company. It’s like flying to London for the weekend because there was a sale and you had a free weekend. It’s like selling all of your possessions, quitting your job and traveling the world for a year like my friend Daniel and his wife did before starting a family. It’s one of those once in a lifetime things that people dream of, but never do.
So I ask you: WHY NOT?
Doing something different doesn’t have to be as extreme as packing your bags and changing your life. It might be as simple as making a suggestion at work that pushes the envelope. Certainly, many event professionals that I know are entering unchartered territory when they experiment with innovative session designs or introduce new event technology. My friends in professional services are adding social media to their marketing campaigns and making some firm leaders just a little nervous. Associations are testing new revenue models which challenge conventional thinking. Everyday, people are taking risks and doing something out of the ordinary that leads to extraordinary results. They might be a little scared, but they do it anyway. Why? Because why not?
What have you always wanted to do, but were too afraid to take the leap into? What stopped you? What would push you over the edge? What is your Land Down Under?
P.S. Don’t hate me when you have Men at Work’s Down Under playing in your head all day!