In July of 2011, I had ventured out in the world to search for meaning. And it’s been an eye opening experience.

During which, I decided to create a travel persona called the CouchSurfingCEO. I created a blog and Twitter handle with the brand name. And dedicated significant time and resources into effectively launching the project.

But in that time, a few things became apparent that I did not, nor could not have foreseen. And while I’m still traveling as a minimalist, digital nomad, I have decided to kill the “personal brand” for the following reasons:

1. Legacy

The spectrum of leaving a legacy in the 21st Century is complicated.

I once heard Google’s Eric Schmidt mention that there is more content created in two days, than the sum of all content created from the dawn of man up to the year 2002. So needless to say, there is a lot of noise out there. And remarkable contributions to society can easily be lost in the mix.

In the days of early humans, content was the drawings on the walls of the cave. As papyrus took hold in Egypt, that content was transfered to sheets. With the advent of the printing press, content became duplicatable. And with the rise of the social web, content has taken on many forms.

From the time of hieroglyphs & pottery art to today’s videos, posts, & status updates, content creation is evolving.

Ok, back to the legacy spectrum. On one end of the spectrum we have accessibility. If no one knows you exist, your contributions are meaningless. Think of a monk in a monastery high in the mountains. This man may have the answers to all of life’s problems. Yet, he has no means to spread this message beyond the temple walls.
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It’s a warm autumn evening in 2008. I’m 22 years old. And I just quit my great job at a Fortune 500 company.

My hands are shaking as I struggle to find my mass transit card amongst a bag of papers and desk momentos.

The line of commuters behind me clearly display their displeasure as I’ve taken a few extra seconds to search for the card in my bag.

I’m at the Quincy station of Chicago’s iconic “L” subway system, surrounded by hundreds of people in suits and business casual garb.

By the time I find the card, swipe it, and go through the turn-style, the line has diverted to the other gates. And rightfully so, had it been the day before, I would have been in a rush too.

But not today.
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The greatest mentor in my life, whom I had never met, died yesterday. And it deeply saddens me.

Steve Jobs, creator of the Apple II, Macintosh, Pixar, iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iPad and countless other innovations, touched millions of lives. Including mine.

I have always admired Mr. Jobs. His mentality towards creating products has been the guiding light for nearly all of my business decisions. I owe him dearly.

But this post isn’t to mourn him.

Steve wouldn’t want that. He is famously known for wanting us to not miss a beat. That we must continue striving to change the world. My consulting and speaking career has been based around Steve’s innovative mindset. In fact, just yesterday, I published a post about the evolution of technology. And no one more than Steve understood this.

We must embrace change.

And Steve Changed My Life…

About 3 years ago I had watched a remarkable speech on YouTube given by Steve Jobs in 2005. And it changed my life forever. If you haven’t seen it, please watch this:
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“You gave away all your shit? Are you having a mid-life crisis, man?”

This is oftentimes the response I receive when I tell people about my new project.

My project, it seems, is unusual for most. But why?

Having given away most of my worldly possessions, moving from my four-bedroom house, and exploring the world did seem daunting to me. Even a little overwhelming.
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Life is short… Live life to the fullest… Live like you’re dying…

We’ve heard ‘em all before. The timeless antidotes supposedly said to motivate those who have lost focus. To jumpstart those who are fading into normalcy. And ultimately, to provoke inner growth and personal change.

But are these statements enough? Do they serve justice for the ideology behind the light-hearted quips?

No. Not in the least.

Why?

Because words are only words. They are mere allusions to a greater philosophy impossible to articulate.

In turn, we hear these thinly motivating structures of thoughts, ponder them deeply yet rarely take action.
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