How I connected the dots to move to the countryside

You can’t connect the dots looking forward. 

It was Steve Jobs who made this famous statement at Stanford University in 2008.

He told graduates how he dropped out of college. His parents didn’t like the idea but he was guided to follow his intuition. 

With little to do on campus, he stumbled across a calligraphy course. It was something to do. It had no meaning to him at the time. 

10 years later, the knowledge that he’d gained in that course inspired him to create innovative fonts for the Mac. A decision that altered the dynamics of computer design forever. 

The point is, you can’t accurately predict your future. You don’t know how each decision affects another. 

But, if we look back, we can see how one key decision, or chance meeting, affects everything.

Looking back at my 38 years, I see patterns. When I make bold decisions they usually turn into amazing experiences.

These are my dots. 

In today’s Newsletter, I’ll tell you how I packed up my belongings after 20 years and left the city, starting a new chapter in the countryside. 

Taking risks

In 2009 I saved all my money to visit one of my best friends in Australia. I was 23 and I wanted to see the world. So on a cold January day, I boarded a 24-hour flight to the other side of the world. 

The trend at the time was to get a 12-month working visa down under. It was an opportunity to pick fruit all day, meet new people and do some backpacking. It was a thrill to leave the UK and do something different. 

When I got to Australia, I didn’t feel like working. I wanted something more. I’d saved for almost 12 months and I didn’t want to waste time doing more work. 

So when a friend saw a Facebook post I’d made, he got in touch. “I’m in Thailand in 2 weeks,” he said. “Why don’t you hop on a plane to visit?” 

It seemed risky. Australia was safe. It was Western and felt like home. 

I had no plans to leave Australia. But that message did something to me. The prospect of visiting another culture filled me with a sense of adventure. 

“Screw it, I’m going” I thought to myself. So I ditched the 12-month working visa and headed to Thailand.  

It was risky. I changed all of my plans. 

When I arrived in Bangkok, my friend told me about Cambodia. “Where’s that?” I thought. 

It turned out to be another incredible move. I discovered a country rich in history and tradition.

Seeing the Angkor Wat temple blew my mind. “Thank god I decided to leave Australia” I reflected. 

Then I went to India. I found myself teaching English to a Tibetan Monk in the Himalayas. Then Nepal and finally home 5 months later. 

It was the trip of a lifetime. Looking back, I created amazing experiences for myself by making brave decisions. 

More dots. 

Moving to the country

5 weeks ago, my wife and I took a bold decision. After 20 years of living in the city, we packed our things and moved to the countryside.

“What if you don’t like it there? There are no people!” Family warned. 

When we shared our decision to leave our lives in the city behind, many couldn’t understand. 

“Why would you leave a perfectly nice life behind?”

Life changes come with risks. Those closest to you can’t understand your motivations. 

Where you decide to live shapes your identity. It becomes who you are. 

It's the same for your career. It shapes you. 

Police Officers become associated with the law and public safety. Teachers take responsibility for children’s development. 

What you do becomes your identity. And the longer you are that ‘person’, the harder it is to break the cycle of being yourself. 

So how did we break the cycle?

How did we connect the dots to find ourselves at this point?

Starting again

My wife and I left corporate life in 2020. Opting for a new way of working. We became self-employed, rejecting the 9-5 idea.

The goal was to spend more time with our children. School pick-ups and sports days were too important to miss. 

We placed more value on spending quality time with our kids. Placing importance on having the freedom to make our own decisions. 

So we started two businesses that enabled us to play to our strengths whilst becoming the captains of our respective ships. 

It was a huge risk. Walking away from reputations, relationships and financial security. 

But, after a strong start to life in business, we realised we could pretty much work from anywhere. 

• Cornwall? 
• Scotland? 
• The Moon?

Everywhere became an option. So over the next few years, we visited places we liked. We entertained the idea of a lifestyle change. 

But, there was a big problem: who was going to loan two self-employed people any money?

The banks don’t like new business owners. Securing a new mortgage was a no-go for the first few years. 

Side note: if you’re thinking about moving home and settling up a new business, bear in mind lending requirements. This caught us out several times. 

One dot connected to another. We could seriously think about moving somewhere new. But only because we chose to change careers. 

Changing your life

The problem for many people is not knowing what to do with themselves.

• What should I do with my career?
• Who should I spend time with?
• Where should I live?

I’m convinced we’re always faced with decisions that could change our lives. Sliding doors moments. 

Choices that can change our destiny in amazing ways. 

When I do something that both excites and scares me, it usually means I’m on the right track. I see that now. 

I didn’t realise changing careers would lead to moving to the countryside. I thought we were set for life in the city. 

Now I can see the dots joining together.

“You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future,” Jobs continued. “You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma…”

“Believing that the dots will connect further down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart”

This is how our dots connect. I can’t wait to see where the next ones take us.

Have a nice weekend

Tom