You might ask yourself, how does a guy over stay his visa by 856 days? How does someone come to Thailand on a 60-day tourist visa, and then not leave for nearly 3 years? It is not as uncommon as you might think. As Anthony Bourdain said, “Asia ruined me!” I had to laugh out loud when young Jeff (See 2 Jeffs Blog Post) showed me his passport. There was his original visa stamp, with the number 856 indicating how many days he had overstayed his first visa.
Things aren’t what they seem. Life is a creation. Creation can’t be planned. When I sit down to start writing my five blogs for the week, I have very little idea of what will come out of my fingers. I sit down with my MacBook Pro on my lap. I pick some music (in today’s case, all Led Zeppelin), plug in my ear buds (currently listening to the song Going to California), and see where it takes me. It’s not neat. It’s not predictable. If I am going to do my best work, it is going to come from a place beyond thought and reason and predictability. It is going to arise out of nowhere, and my job is to be the clearing for it all to show up, capture it, mold it a bit, and then present it online.
A few years back, I was watching Neil Young in conversation with Charlie Rose. Neil said that when that voice speaks to him, he would stop everything, go someplace private, and write it down and work it out. He had learned to have such a deep respect for the gift of creativity, that when it raised its little voice, he was ever so attentive and respectful.
It’s better to burn out, than to fade away.
You are like a hurricane, there’s calm in your eyes, and I’m getting blown away.
– Neil Young
And so it was for young Jeff, who went on an 856-day run in which his life worked so well he saw no reason to deal with the formalities, and instead stayed put and squeezed every ounce of magic out of Thailand. 856 days. It still makes me laugh. I respect the young man for finding a place that felt like home and stayed there, even if he did amass a fine. Go where the heart tells me. Can there be any more practical advice? If I follow my own internal compass, and listen closely, I will always walk my own path. Long may I run.
About the Author
Jay Cradeur is an author, blogger, internet marketer, world traveler, and coach. Jay has helped thousands to achieve their dreams of financial independence. As an internet marketing coach with a focus on personal development, Jay may be able to assist you in reaching your goals. You can work with Jay for a 100% refundable fee of $49 by clicking on this link and committing to your future. Work with Coach Jay.
