After I finished my Ph.D., I moved to the wilderness of northwest Montana
After I finished my Ph.D. at the University of Chicago, I tried very hard to do what I was ‘supposed’ to do… get a tenure-track position at some respectable university.
But I couldn’t do it.
Instead, I moved to the wilderness of northwest Montana and lived in a teepee for a few years. Here’s what happened.
- I developed self-reliance. In the city, my go-to response was to get the nearest person to help. But here in this remote area, there were no neighbors to be called when emergencies happened.
- I developed a wide skill set. In rural and remote areas, by necessity, you become a generalist. I did things I never would have done had I remained in the city.
- I experienced openness. In the city, I held staunch beliefs about issues such as the need for gun control. Living in the country, I developed a deeper and more fleshed out understanding of diverse views.
- I built leadership skills. In the city, civic organizations can feel large and intimidating. In a rural setting, everyone pitches in.
- I developed passions for different things.
- I discovered a freedom of identity.
Recently, I shared with a business coach how pressured I’ve felt to “live up to” my prestigious credentials. He said, “yeah, it’s a form of prison.”
It’s taken me 25 years to understand that.
Check out my full story on Tiny Buddha: “Our Creative Genius Shows Us Possibilities the Rational Mind Can’t See” :
