I’ve spent almost 20 years living overseas [or “on the run” as Andy likes to put it] and I’ve enjoyed every bloody second of it.
The thing is, if you asked my friends who they thought was the least likely to ever move away from Nottingham, let alone England they’d of unanimously said me.
The reason for that is because I love/loved Nottingham.
I didn’t just love it because my parents and friends were there … but because it offered everything I thought I’d ever want or need in my life.
And you know what, it probably does … however for a bunch of reasons I’ve ended up hopping around the World and it has been – and continues to be – the most amazing experience I could ever hope to have.
There is absolutely nothing wrong if you want to stay in your home city – or England – but without doubt, meeting, living, working and playing with other cultures gives you experiences and learning you’d never get at home which, with a bit of luck, can translate to you doing things you never even dreamed about.
I know for a fact that living overseas has made me a much better planner.
Much, much, much better …
Given the standard of bollocks I spout on a daily basis, that means I must have been bloody terrible at my previous agencies … but by living overseas, I not only appreciate how different cultures think/behave/observe, but have actually started to understand why … and what that has done for me is ensure I never take things for granted – or worse – allow myself to go on ‘autopilot’ because I assume I know what’s going on.
For me, variety isn’t the spice of life, it’s the liberation of life … which is why if anyone would be ever so stupid to ask me for advice on planning, I’d tell them to ignore anyone in adland and follow the best advice I’ve heard from the incomparable Mae West:
“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”
You might think it’s a big scary World out there, but really it’s offering you the chance to live a life, not [just] a lifestyle … so if you’re interested, don’t let the fear paralyze you, have a go … the worst that will happen is an expanded mind.