Prague Blog, Part 1: The Glamour vs. the Reality

Heads up! There’s a surprise ending ahead… While my month working from Prague was a big bold daring move, there was a BIG difference between the touristy high points and the day-to-day reality of working in a foreign country. Here is a brief reflection of lessons from my trip, and the unexpected aha moment in the end.

Working abroad for a month instead of working from home…

Sounds pretty glamorous, right?

Yes, it’s an absolute thrill and it looks super cool on social media. But it is challenging.

Everything takes longer than expected.

Things look kind of the same on the surface, but I discovered that everything was either a little different, or a LOT different than expected.

To accomplish anything, I had to employ entirely different skills. Ones that – even though I thought I was prepared – I didn’t even know I needed.

Some of the things that I expected would be easy, were difficult. And some of the things I expected would be difficult, were easy.

After a while, I figured out that getting comfortable with the unexpected was an emotional muscle I needed to bulk up!

Communication was crazy: often I thought I was being clear about what I wanted, but instead ended up frustrated.

On a day-to-day basis, if I’m being honest, I was often more frustrated than delighted. However, upon looking back, it was a tremendously rewarding and fun experience.

In the end, it pushed me WAY past my comfort zone, helped me discover how much I am truly capable of, and showed me just how much freedom I truly have.

Now, how does this relate to owning a business? This is the surprise ending.

Go back to the bolded sentence at the beginning and replace it with, “Owning your own business instead of working for someone else…” Then re-read my list of realizations and I think you’ll see the parallels.

;- )

Maybe it’s time for you to make a few comfort-zone-stretching, daring moves of your own!