April 1, 2025
Throughout my life, I’ve had the opportunity to travel to and live in various cities around the world.
Each place has taught me something valuable, shaping my perspective and approach to life.
Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way.
The World Runs on Human Connections
One of the most profound realizations I’ve had is that the world fundamentally runs on human connections—and those take time to build.
It’s one thing to travel through places, but to go and live somewhere takes a lot of energy and time to build meaningful connections with people.
This is why the nomad lifestyle doesn’t particularly excite me. I like having roots and connections with people in places.
While I encourage people to experience travel, especially while they’re young (as travel at different ages is a different experience), I also value the depth that comes from being grounded somewhere.
Everything Around Us Was Built by Somebody
Another important lesson is recognizing that everything we see around us—every building, program, or system—came from someone’s idea.
More development will happen, more things will be built, and what ultimately gets created is largely influenced by what ideas were available.
This is why sharing ideas of what’s possible is so important. The visions we articulate can have a real impact on what eventually gets built in our communities.
Most Things Work Most of the Time
I’ve also learned that there are some things we used to stress about in life that simply aren’t worth the worry. The world generally functions remarkably well.
Take cars, for example—just a few decades ago, it wouldn’t have been surprising if your car didn’t start on a cold morning.
Now, technology has advanced to the point where we can rely on most things working most of the time.
There are certainly stressful things in life, but usually, the things we’re stressed about aren’t truly worth stressing over.
Life Is an Adventure
When I travel, I approach it with the mindset that life is an adventure.
Food is like jazz—you need to try everything. This openness to new experiences has enriched my life tremendously.
One interesting thing about travel is the inevitable moment when someone on the street asks you which place is better—America or Turkey, for instance.
These conversations make you realize that values are different across cultures, and places have both their benefits and their drawbacks.
There’s rarely a simple answer to which place is “better”—they’re just different, with their own unique qualities.
The Benefit of Perspective
Seeing other places routinely brings the best of what you see back to your area. It broadens your horizon in a way that’s hard to achieve otherwise.
There’s value in that perspective—in knowing both what works well elsewhere and what makes your home community special.
When I returned to my hometown after living in other places, I brought with me ideas and insights from urban environments I’d experienced.
I saw potential where others might not because I had that comparative framework and experience.
And now, I can both appreciate what’s here in my community and envision what could be—that’s what excites me about places.
Don’t Wait to Travel
If there’s one piece of advice I’d offer, it’s this: don’t wait to travel.
The experiences and perspectives you gain from seeing different places are invaluable, and they’ll shape how you see your own community when you return.
Whether you ultimately choose to live in a big city or a small town, having that broader perspective will enrich whatever path you choose.