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- the great frontier.
the great frontier.
Hey friend,
One of my favourite artists is an old country singer from the 60s, Townes Van Zandt.
For the most part, he sings little stories from frontier America. All old stories of the wild west, cowboys, guns, native Americans. Something of this music speaks to a deep part of me.
I believe its the idea of what the America frontier was. A wild land of unknown, of danger, of life and death. Of endless new possibilities and abundance that awaited the brave men and woman who had the courage to go into the unknown. And to create something where no-one dared to go. Despite the risk, without the safety of regulation and rules & familiarity. This speaks to me.
Because I know, that as humans- we were made to live on the frontier.
Since time, humans have sought the frontier. The unknown, the beyond what is currently available- they stepped further without a clue of what exists beyond the known world.
The frontier is where all the wealth has been created. The known is always zero-sum. It's a fighting over whats left- but the frontier is positive sum. There is an abundance for everyone. The frontier is creation.
But the frontier today is not in the wild west of the now united states of America.
The frontier is not in new dangerous trade routes through foreign oceans. Or the conquering of new lands.
The frontier of today, is about independence.
In coming to one self, to ones own independence
apart from an employer
apart from any one government
apart from a university or school system
apart from a predefined, handed down philosophy of culture, politics or religion
apart from a localised community of familiar ideas & ways of being
The frontier of today, is creating your own life, your own business, in whatever part of the whole speaks to your heart.
In releasing the current ideas of work, of nations, of external relationships.
In releasing all that you were told you ought to do with your life and having the courage to stand and venture into the great wilderness and nothingness of “I do not know“
The frontier of today is all about that same independence of the wild west, but its coming to that great independence and freedom inside of you.
But how?
How do I navigate the great unknown and the great frontier of my own life?
There is no book, there is no manual. Because you are the only one who can live your life.
Going to the frontier is facing what it is that you truly are at the core of your being.
That you are the unknown.
And so, it’s in the unknown, the frontier, where life is truly lived.
- Jay
Jay Topp is a 23 year old writer, marketer, film maker & self-led educator originally from Australia, now based between Latin America & Europe. You can see his films here. Instagram here. And his business website here.
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