Moving from one city to another offers immense opportunities for growth but also presents a unique set of challenges. Right now, I find myself in Sydney, a vibrant yet expensive city, navigating its unfamiliar culture, managing my limited savings, and confronting the uncertainty that often looms over my lifestyle. This phase of my life resonates deeply with the philosophy of Stoicism, particularly the teachings that emphasize taking personal responsibility and avoiding a victim mindset.
The Choice: Hero or Victim?
One of the central teachings of Stoicism, emphasized by content creators like Marcos Vázquez, is the importance of personal responsibility. The Stoics believe that life’s obstacles are not excuses for defeat but opportunities to rise and grow. It’s a mindset I’ve tried to cultivate—especially here in Sydney, where the high cost of living and the uncertainties of freelance work have tested my patience and resolve.
Instead of allowing these challenges to overwhelm me, I’m learning to take responsibility for my situation and act with purpose. Like in life, I’ve realized that the challenges we face as digital nomads aren’t meant to crush us, but to sharpen our ability to navigate through the uncertainty with courage.
Lead Climbing and the Power of Mindset
One thing that’s helped me tremendously in adopting this mindset is my experience with lead climbing. Lead climbing isn’t just a physical challenge—it’s a mental game. You’re constantly confronting fear, pushing through discomfort, and knowing that the consequences of a fall could be serious. Yet, to succeed, you have to keep your focus, remain committed, and push forward despite the risks.
When you’re several meters above your last anchor, the temptation to freak out is real. But panicking isn’t just unhelpful—it can be dangerous. Much like life’s challenges, freaking out or adopting a victim mentality while lead climbing is counterproductive and puts you at greater risk. Over time, I’ve learned to calm my mind, focus on what’s within my control, and take deliberate steps forward, trusting my abilities and my preparation. This approach has helped me realize that freaking out never serves us—in climbing or in life.
Focus on What You Can Control
Much like in climbing, Stoicism emphasizes the importance of focusing on what’s within your control. I can’t control Sydney’s high costs or the uncertainty that comes with freelancing, but I can control how I respond to these challenges. I can manage my budget, explore new freelance opportunities, and immerse myself in the local culture to make the most of my experience here. By shifting my mindset from worrying about what I can’t control to taking action on what I can, I reclaim my sense of agency and focus on moving forward.
In climbing, when you’re facing a tough route, you don’t waste time worrying about the fall or the distance to the top. You focus on the next move—the hold you can reach, the step you can take. Life, I’ve learned, works the same way.
Thriving Through Action
Another powerful Stoic principle is the call to action. Stoics encourage us to respond to challenges with purposeful action, rather than being paralyzed by fear or uncertainty. Lead climbing taught me the importance of acting decisively when faced with difficult situations. You can’t afford to hesitate for too long when you’re hanging by a thread—literally. In freelancing and digital nomad life, the same applies.
When work slows down or I’m feeling uncertain about my next steps, instead of dwelling on the uncertainty, I take action. Whether that’s networking, finding new clients, or exploring affordable ways to live in a new city, I’ve learned to act rather than overthink. Taking action puts me back in the driver’s seat and shifts my mindset from feeling powerless to feeling capable.
Embracing Discomfort as Growth
Being out of your comfort zone, whether on a climbing wall or in a foreign city, is never easy. Yet, both climbing and Stoicism have taught me that discomfort is where growth happens. Each time I step into an unfamiliar environment or face a tough situation, I’m expanding my resilience and mental strength.
As a digital nomad, I’ve come to accept that discomfort is part of the deal. New cultures, new cities, and the uncertainty of freelance work all come with a fair share of challenges. But instead of viewing discomfort as something to avoid, I now see it as an opportunity for growth—just like the fear I face when lead climbing. Every time I push through fear and uncertainty, I become stronger, more capable, and more confident in my ability to navigate the next challenge.
Conclusion: Be the Hero of Your Journey
At the end of the day, life constantly presents us with a choice: be the hero of our own story or fall into victimhood. Whether you’re tackling a tough climbing route, managing your freelance business, or adapting to life in a new city, Stoicism teaches us to embrace challenges and take responsibility for how we respond.
As a digital nomad, there will always be uncertainty and discomfort. But rather than letting those challenges dictate how I feel, I choose to take action, focus on what I can control, and embrace the discomfort as a necessary part of growth. Life, like lead climbing, is full of risks, but it’s in how we face those risks that we find our strength.
The question is: Are you a hero or a victim?
