Burn the Map

Have you ever achieved a goal in unexpected ways? 

In 2016, I set a goal for myself to create a “profitable online business.” I figured if I could do that, I could work from the beach, earn passive income, and do whatever I want, whenever I want.

At the time, I was consulting for hospitality businesses in Las Vegas. I had no idea how to go from Point A to Point B, so I did some research and decided the best route would be digital products. I started dabbling in online courses, e-commerce, and affiliate marketing. My destination was set and my plan was all mapped out.

Then in 2018, my friend invited me to get into vacation rentals. “Airbnb’s are killin’ it,” he said. “I just made $15k last month.”

I was in.

We quickly grew the portfolio to half a dozen properties in popular destinations like Hawaii, Palm Springs, and San Francisco by offering management services. This turned out to be easier, faster, and safer than actually owning all the real estate. Our little side hustle started gaining momentum.

Then covid hit.

The travel industry froze overnight. What little revenue we were generating tanked. There wasn’t enough money coming in to sustain us both so one of us had to step up and run the show. 

When he suggested it be me, I reluctantly agreed. After all, I was helping him. I didn’t want to manage Airbnbs, I wanted a “profitable online business.” I knew the more effort I put into this side hustle, the more distracted I’d be from working on what I truly wanted. 

How was dealing with guest complaints and spending countless hours on software demos going to get me any closer to my goal?

Despite my inner resistance, I pushed forward and did what had to be done. By the end of the year, we achieved record revenue, doubled the portfolio, and hired a few people to help run things.

But I was still annoyed. How much longer would I have to keep doing this? When would I get a chance to work on all the digital products that would inevitably lead to my Insta-worthy lifestyle?

I booked a trip to Mexico to clear my head. I focused less on the Airbnb stuff and spent most of my time surfing, reading, writing, and doing yoga. Two weeks in, I was sitting at a beach cafe looking out at the ocean when it smacked me dead in the face…

I was traveling and doing the things I loved while running a business from my laptop.

And. It. Was. Profitable.

“WTF?!?” I thought. “How could I have missed this?”

The very thing I was resisting was exactly what I’d been looking for. My “profitable online business” was staring me right in the face for the past two years! 

This humbling experience taught me a valuable lesson: burn the map.  

Navigation is easy when you have a map. Just pick your destination and follow the route. But this strategy comes at a cost. When you follow a map, you exclude all other possibilities you wouldn’t have otherwise considered.

When I initially set my goal, I got attached to the how and ended up missing what was right in front of me. My mind was closed off to anything that wasn’t in my plan.

The next time you decide what you want, forget everything you think you know about how to get it. Don’t cling to the method or get fixed on a certain route.

Pick a destination, then burn the map.