Sometimes, the journey feels like it's just you and your vision, a vision only you can see.
When I first started my business in 2007, I was still an industrial design student. My journey began even earlier, in 2003, when I started university without knowing if design was truly my passion. Looking back, staying there was the best decision I could have made. Not because of the specific skills I learned or the people I met, all those things are irrelevant to my current life, but because it gave me the framework to understand something that if you want to discover what you truly love, you have to explore that on your own. And if you want to achieve something, you have to find the tools and knowledge for yourself.
No one is going to hand you the answers. People will have opinions and advice, but very few will truly understand why you’re doing what you do. It can be difficult, especially when you see others around you moving forward in their own lives, or when the internet floods you with an overwhelming amount of content and opinions on what "works." It’s easy to get distracted by other people’s paths, but the key is to stay clear about your own vision.
Your vision is the foundation. Once you’re clear about where you’re headed, it becomes easier to filter out unnecessary noise and focus on what aligns with your goals. It’s important to manage your days and actions in a way that is coherent with that vision, and to only take advice from those who have succeeded in the areas you're striving toward. For instance, when I was uncertain about what to study, my mom connected me with an architect friend who guided me. I listened to her because she had the experience I was looking for. On the other hand, I politely avoided advice from family members who didn’t have any expertise in the field I was interested in. You have to be selective about who you listen to.
Coherence and Focus
One of the main ingredients to staying on track is coherence. Make sure that what you do every day is aligned with your vision. I was struck by a quote from Atomic Habits that said, "You should be far more concerned with your current trajectory than with your current results." This really resonated with me. It’s not about where you are right now, but where you’re heading. My journey took an unexpected turn in 2024, during one of the hardest moments of my life. A major war broke out, and my life was turned upside down. I was forced to leave my home and found myself battling constant panic attacks. I felt alive, but not really living. I had forgotten how to be happy and how joy felt.
One day I felt like I hit rock bottom, I decided I couldn’t go on like that anymore. I sat down at my computer and started writing, trying to reconnect with what will make me feel alive. I didn’t focus on goals or achievements, but on how I wanted to feel. I asked myself: what are the activities that would bring me back to life, to feel joy? I made a list, put them on a calendar, and decided that these would form the foundation of my days moving forward.
No Time for Distractions
That process of creating a vision for how I wanted to feel didn’t leave much room for distractions. I realized I didn’t have time to waste on social media, the news, or opinions that didn’t align with my goals. What mattered was what I could control, and that’s where I found my independence. No one else could dictate how I felt or how I lived my life, only I had that power.
The Strength of Vision
Nowadays, I approach challenges differently. When faced with stressful situations, like missile attacks, for example, I focus on what I need to do to stay safe and then process the emotions later. I don’t let outside chaos dictate my emotional state for too long. I limit my exposure to news, choosing only what’s necessary to stay informed. Everything else is noise.
It’s easy to get caught up in extreme reactions and the madness of the world, but that only leads to more negativity. And while it’s important to stay aware of the world around us, I’ve learned not to dwell on what doesn’t serve my well-being. For me, it's not worth the emotional toll.
At the end of the day, my vision and alignment are all that matter. It’s about feeling the way I want to feel and not engaging with things that pull me away from that. That’s my path to freedom, and it’s the compass that guides me through everything I do.
So if you feel alone in your vision, know that it’s okay. Stay focused on what feels right to you, keep your vision clear, and let the rest fall into place.
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