A Personal Manifesto

What do you stand for?

For a second, I was tempted to leave those as the only words in this post, but that may have just been the procrastinator in me. I spend a lot of time in my head, so I like to think that I know myself pretty well. Actually, I’d wager that most people think they know themselves better than anyone else. But, what happens when you ask yourself a seemingly simple question like the one above?

In April of this year, I gave a speech called A Personal Manifesto which touched on what I’ve deemed to be driving forces of how I live my life. Perhaps that’s giving a bit too much weight to words, but I believe that if you can communicate and reinforce your morals, you’ll live a happier life (Having said that, I hate the way that sentence sounds – too “life coachy”). Since you may be reading about my travels for the next few months, I figure that I should try to give you a good understanding of what it is I stand for. So, here are some snippets from my speech:

Sincerity

Be true to yourself and to others. For me, this means trusting myself and being open to the world. It means starting and ending each day with a smile and knowing that in between I worked to the best of my abilities on what I care about. I make sure to start with it in all of my writing, speeches, and endeavours.     

Interest

Find what interests you and dig deep. Be a lifelong student: learn, study, and improve. Since starting university, I’ve realized that there’s so much more to take away than what academia can teach. That’s just one way to learn, but opportunities for growth are endless. Outside of the classroom, I like to work and volunteer; I learn from co-workers and my community. I’ve taken up woodworking, cooking, running, and public speaking. They’ve all been endeavours to help me become my best. What motivates me is a mental image of my future self: a man who can renovate a house, cook delicious meals, dance with his wife, host large community events, and run a successful company, all the while learning every day from his children, friends, and neighbours.

Adventure

On my About page, the first thing that I wrote down was Live a life worth writing about. According to a quick Google search, it turns out I stole that from Benjamin Franklin who first said, “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing about.” This rule has done more for me in the last few years than any other. It’s led me to try some weird experiments and discoveries (like the time I went for a week without shoes). I have run a half marathon, I’ve been stranded and lost in Algonquin Park, and I’ve tried every flavour of jam at my local grocery store. Now it has me travelling around Europe and the Orient to study business. I want to make sure that I don’t regret missing an opportunity to try something fun. I want to experience what the world has to offer and be known as someone who made his dreams come true.

Simplicity

Use the essential – no more, no less. A simple life means less stress and more freedom. The words I write or say are boiled down to necessity (perhaps I take the ‘saying’ part too seriously). Everything that I own has its place in my life and makes me happy. Living simply doesn’t mean giving up the things you love, but discovering what you truly care about and putting your focus and attention to those things.

Philanthropy

I’d like a better word than philanthropy, but alas, I’m too tired to search for one. I tend to associate the word with billionaires like Richard Branson or Bill Gates and it comes off as a little self-serving (there are always critics). For these purposes, I mean that if you can, give back. What you learn, teach. What you experience, share. Life has given me many amazing opportunities and as gratitude, my work serves to make the world a better place. From my job to my volunteer work – it all serves the same purpose.

The way this is written may sound like I'm preaching to you, but originally, I wrote this for myself. What I hope you take away from this is some introspective exploration. What do you care about? From doing this exercise, I know what I want and the best way to focus my energy every single day. When I lose motivation, I just need to think of that future person who has lived out my dreams. It has opened me to the world, and I hope it does the same for you! So, what do you stand for?