RS No.1: He got fired. It was the best day of his life.

This summer, I'm sharing stories.

Real ones. People who stopped waiting for permission and went after what they actually wanted.

I'm calling this series Redemption Stories. This is the first.

He spent two years chasing the money.

History graduate. Wrong career. Ended up in a job that paid well and meant nothing.

On weekends, he bought a camera. Not as a plan. Just to escape the financial markets for a few hours.

2008 financial meltdown cracked his firm. By 2010, it was gone.

Most people update their CV.

He moved to New York with two suitcases and one idea.

He asked himself the question he'd been avoiding for two years:

"What is it I want to do with my life?"

Instead of sending applications, he walked the streets.

Instead of taking recruiter calls, he took photographs.

"Instead of updating my resume and looking for a similar job, I decided to forget about money..."

He photographed 10,000 people.

30 million followers.

4 New York Times bestsellers.

$30 million raised.

The first social creator invited to interview a president in the Oval Office.

His name is Brandon Stanton.

Founder of Humans of New York.

The camera was already in his hands before the job ended.

Getting fired just gave him permission to use it.

What I took from it.

We all wrestle with the same question Brandon asked himself.

What is it I actually want to do with my life?

Not the answer you give at dinner parties. The real one.

I read something the other day that hit harder.

If someone stalked you for a whole month, could they figure out what your goals are?

Not from what you say. From what you do.

Mine would have seen the evidence.

Content made. Not posted. Goals written down. Not chased.

I wasn't obsessing over what I wanted. I was thinking about it.

There's a difference.

I was thinking like a brand owner. Not being one.

Not a force of nature towards my goals. Not even close.

Embarrassed by how little energy I was actually putting in.

I've been struggling with one question: how does drifting not lost help you? Not inspire you. Actually help you. I have some ideas. I hope they land over the next few weeks.

Ask yourself the weird question.

Would your stalker figure out your goals?

Stevo

Chief Drifting Officer

Drifting, not lost

PS — I am in no way condoning stalking or similar nefarious activities.