If you’ve done some research in the area of entrepreneurship and success you will eventually have come across the term “dark years”. People who have achieved greatness have gone through years of grinding and hard work. Sometimes they basically lived in their garage.

This grind. These hard years, always pay off. It’s just a matter of time. But time being the most important resource, it’s quite a trade you are making there. Is it worth it?

That’s exactly what I’m pondering right now. Is it worth to sacrifice my current lifestyle, my freedom, to work on something that could potentially allow be financial freedom for the rest of my life? Is it worth to invest at least a year into such a venture to get another, let’s say at least 70 years of pure life without worries? You bet.

So I’m basically making a decision based on potential future gain. Like an investor would do. Instead of living from day to day, just in the moment, I’m going to forgo present pleasures for future benefits.

This of course is contrary to “living the moment”. It’s the exact opposite philosophy and I hold both as truth. Remember Einstein saying that the genius can hold two opposing ideas in his mind at the same time. I’m not saying I’m a genius, but basically in almost everything I do I am able to hold both opposing ideas.

There’s also the saying that the middle is the sweet spot. But I can also argue that this really depends on what you want. If you want to achieve greatness, the middle won’t do it. You’ll have to do the grind. The middle is comfort zone, not a place for growths.

So, truth is anything you want it to be. We all have to figure this out for ourselves and usually our experiences, which trained our intuitions, as well as our values and our hearts are guiding us in this process.

I’m not sure I’m actually concluding on anything right now.

As I wrote in my last entry, I’ve got an offer to be strategic advisor for an organic farm/ restaurant startup in Australia. And that comes with a one year commitment. Did I manifest that? Is that because I really wanted to go to Australia about a year ago? Now I’ve got this opportunity, a complete new life experience. And who knows what I will learn, whom I will meet, what I will do.

It’s damn exciting that’s for sure.

The question is, can I grow my personal brand while being there? Maybe it’ll actually give it the cutting edge? But somehow I’m not feeling excited about this startup yet. I’ll have to get more information to make a good decision.

And again, it’ll keep me away from Germany where I can see the potential to become a big player in motivational speaking and coaching. Only that I’ll have to speak German. While in Australia I can speak English. And potentially I could also become a big player in Australia. Plus the weather is much better down under.

I just googled, Australia has 24 million people vs Germany with like 82 million. So basically 1/3 of the market. And really, there are tons of backpackers out there. Who really wants to listen to a traveler. Oh well, now I downgraded myself of course. My talks won’t be focused on traveling, but on self-development. Though to catch the audience, at least in Germany, I feel that the travel approach works best. But that’s just an assumption. I will need to test that anyways.

Conclusion? None yet….