Thoughts on Hitchhiking

Ok, so I had another hitchhiking adventure yesterday, and while the thought is on my mind I’d like to reflect on my hitchhiking experiences as a nomad. First off, let’s talk about yesterday’s experience. I was out visiting a client, and I accidentally locked my keys in my car. So, the first feeling I had was of complete helplessness, but then I thought about how I could just hitchhike to my house to get my spare key.

So, I started going around the parking lot, and the second person I asked was able to give me a ride. He wasn’t going the whole way, but he dropped me off and I got another ride the rest of the way. I got my spare key, and then I tried to get a ride back to my car. This proved much more difficult than getting a ride to my house. Everyone that I approached said they weren’t going the direction I was headed. So, then I made up a sign on paper and held it out by the Freeway on-ramp. Nothing. I decided that I needed to go to another area with more people, so after walking to the nearby Smith’s, I tried again a few times. Still unsuccessful after 30 minutes of trying, I decided to give up.

It reminded me a lot of the feelings I had as a nomad. Now, the reason I wanted to hitchhike on my trip is because I thought it would be fun to meet new people. I wanted to maximize the amount of people I interacted with, so hitchhiking seemed perfect. Unfortunately, it was much harder to hitchhike in Arizona(and now in Vegas) than I had anticipated. I was so surprised at how scared people seemed when I would approach them as ask for a ride. I was wearing a black suit and tie yesterday, and a guy even mentioned how he felt a scared at the sight of me just standing around in my suit.

It made me realize that often, we keep ourselves from doing good because of our fear. There are many people that we could help that we don’t, because we are afraid to help. This was a thought that came very strong to me in Arizona that I hope to remember. I should never let my fear get in the way of me helping someone out who is in need.

Also, although the idea of hitchhiking is still very appealing to me, the necessity of hitchhiking no longer is. When I was hitchhiking in UT for two weeks, it wasn’t completely necessary. I still had a car that I could drive, but I wanted to make sure I could get around. Anyway, I wasn’t doing it out of necessity, and I knew that at any time I could go get my car. Well, when I really didn’t have the option of a car, I felt myself getting more frustrated with people’s lack of willingness to give me a ride. I was completely dependent on others, and so I was more emotionally involved in the process. I think hitchhiking is better when you are doing it merely for the fun of it, and not out of pure necessity.

Well, those were just some of the thoughts I had on hitchhiking from my trip and my experience the other day. I think if I ever want on another nomadic adventure, I’d want to live out of my car. I could still hitchhike and what-not, but it would take out the necessity of the act and in turn would make it more enjoyable. Anyway, just a thought…

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categories Uncategorized | Aaron Anderson | datetime February 25, 2010 10:53 pm | comments Comments (0)

I’ll Keep It Going

Well, now that I’m no longer hitch hiking around the country, the question remains as to what to do with this blog. I already deleted my Grad2Nomad twitter account as well as my Facebook fan page. I just felt like those were elements that I introduced mainly for people to follow me on my journey.Well, a new journey is beginning, but I’m returning to being me, Aaron Anderson, and not being known as a nomad anymore.

I think I’ll just use this blog as my personal blog from now on. In reality, I could still be considered a “nomad” in a sense, and I still feel like I’m searching for my place in life. Just because I found a job doesn’t mean that I have stopped wandering and looking for what will give me fulfillment in life. I think the URL still gives a pretty accurate description of my station in life. I’m still a recent grad that hasn’t yet found his place in life and so everything I do is still temporary at this point. Now the blog will be known as my nomadic journey in entrepreneurship. I really think that all of my decisions and jobs will be temporary until I successfully build a company of my own.

With that being said, let me update you on how this job is going. To be frank, I don’t really think I’ll ever be completely satisfied in a job unless I have complete ownership of it. I won’t ever have complete ownership unless I build a business around an idea that was mine to begin with.

Now, entrepreneurship excites me in any form. I get excited with the potential of building a business and being involved in the process whether or not I came up with the idea. But, I still feel like there is a missing element of fulfillment when I’m not working on something that I’ve created. However, I realize that I can gain and learn much by working for others and helping other small companies to grow and be successful.

In that case, this job is a great fit and I’m very excited for it. I have a lot of autonomy and I’m able to try and figure out the best ways of growing the business here in Las Vegas. I’ve already learned a lot and I anticipate growing and learning more with each passing week. I feel privileged to have a job that gives me so much autonomy and that will help me learn the essential skills and strategies to help a business grow from inception. Although this business has been around for a while, this is the very first office that we have opened(besides the Salt Lake office). Since the business grew organically in Salt Lake, the company has never had to learn how to open and grow the business in a new city before. That’s my challenge, and I’m loving the excitement of learning how to do that.

I think that’s all I’ll say for today, since I really need to get back into the habit of writing these blog posts. I have a lot to say about the challenges I’ve faced already and the strategies I’m implementing for going forward. I also have plenty to reflect about pertaining to the things I learned as a nomad and what I learned about myself from this experience.

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categories Thoughts on Life | Aaron Anderson | datetime February 21, 2010 6:44 pm | comments Comments (0)

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