One of the hardest things to do is to find a project that you find of interest and sticking with it. Bringing it to the next level; truly continue pursuing it and knowing when you have reached your limit. Know it is time to move on and/or pass it on two more appropriate people who have more experience in what is to come.
Be it starting a new company, getting a degree, creating new media or starting a family. The hardest part is not to fall into the traps of getting bogged down because someone else is already doing it. Not pursuing it because you are afraid that others would not approve or do the same thing. It is almost like we are afraid of standing out and landing in long tail oblivion. By everything you do there are points where you have to look back and determine if it is worth continuing on the path you are on or take a different direction.
This is a challenge that has come over and over again. Is it a mountain or a small hill that currently is in the way. What does it look like on the other side. Is it a bright sun shining on a beautiful beach along the ocean? Is it a quaint town that you have never visited? or is the climb what makes it all worth it? It is always easy in hind sight.
I have found that most situations depend on where you are in live and what you truly see as your next challenge. I originally set out to be the best I could be and to ensure that I would always be able to bring food on the table. Even after I had long accomplished this goal, I kept pursing it as if the quantity and quality of the food was never good enough. I have realized since, that setting a new goal was appropriate. Figuring out what that new goal should be is still pretty unclear to me. The key is to realize when you have met your goal and know when it is time to quit pursing it and moving on to something different. Regardless of what the next goal may be. Figure out what drives you as an individual and determine what sort of goal may complement this drive.
As stressful and challenge it may be to currently live in Oegstgeest, it is accomplishing a new goal. Every day, when I look at juggling a 60 hours a week job, with an international relocation and being a father and husband, I realize that this is a significant load I am carrying. I feel it is the same for my wife and daughter. It is exhausting. However, when you look at what we are experiencing by not taking the easy way out and taking this opportunity on with both hands, it is amazing how much we are growing as a family.
I am learning a lot about who I am and how that relates to my first 13 years in Europe. Just as I know that San Diego has changed significantly, so has the Netherlands. It is frightening to see how many people take their surroundings for granted and never challenge them. On the same token it is frightening to see how similar these surroundings are in totally opposite parts of the world. It is interesting to see that both have grown independently and are facing similar challenges. How each location is handling those challenges differently and what that means to the individuals living there. Obviously, there is a lot I do not understand, but people are certainly influenced by their surroundings. It seems very easy to get frustrated, because no one understands your point of view (or your language for that matter), but give it some time and you realize that things are not as bad as you think.
Each challenge brings out new areas where you can improve and each area makes you forget how much you had already grown. There are always times to move on and finding out when that is can be very difficult. But at times it can be just as hard to determine to stay and battle it out. The choice is really up to you.