Wherever You Go, There Your Choice Is

The Daily Stoic for today, January the 19th. Wherever you go, there your choice is.

“A podium and a prison is each a place, one high and the other low, but in either place your freedom of choice can be maintained if you so wish.”
—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 2.6.25

We all come from different backgrounds. When I was 23, I had just left college. Some weeks before getting my degree in computer science, I was offered a place at the university.

I evaluated my options. The software companies in my small town at the south of Spain would barely pay me more than 700 euros a month, I mean, the ones that payed something at all. I had just finished my last exams, and most companies in Europe required some kind of experience.

Being 2003, and Murcia, Spain, I actually didn’t know what the word “freelancer” or “entrepreneur” meant. I had been taught to get a diploma in order to enter a cubicle, and I hated that perspective. The only bearable alternative in my mind was the offer from the AI department at the university.

I accepted the offer.

Choice and freedom versus past and opportunities

Conversely, let me present you my friend James. He is from China, but lives in Spain. He is not only an extraordinary designer, but an amazing frontend developer too. He learned design and development in college, which makes him a winning candidate for any entrepreneurial project.

I met him at TechHub Madrid, when we were both trying to grow our startups at the same accelerator. He has a company in China, and speaks perfect Chinese, English and Spanish.

He was 23. I was 36.

Obviously, the world has changed. The startup scene didn’t exist at all in Spain when I left college, and I did not even study English at school. We have had very different backgrounds and very different opportunities. However, we are both privileged, in a way. We have managed to make the right choices.

Wherever You Go, There Your Choice Is

Today, all you need to build your own life is a laptop and an internet connection. Seriously. I wish I could have realized that when I was 23. However, I have my company in Estonia now, and enjoy a digital nomad lifestyle.

Thus, it doesn’t matter if you are a blogger, developer, designer, entrepreneur, youtuber, solopreneur or copywriter. Wherever you go, there your choice is. You have all the power to change your life in your hands. You just need perseverance, hard work, and a little bit of luck.

We cannot change our past, or the opportunities we had. Nevertheless, we can certainly change our choices and our future.

It doesn’t matter if you are 23 or 36, it basically works the same. Keep on hustling, and believe in your dreams.

Conclusion

Today’s Daily Stoic, “Wherever you go, there your choice is”, discusses how, regardless of our past, or the opportunities we have enjoyed during our lifetime, we can always shape our future. In today’s world, all you need is a laptop, an internet connection and a lot of hard work. The rest will follow at its right moment.

What are your thoughts for today’s daily stoic? Let us know in the comments section below!