Motorcycle Diaries, Europe: Renewed Focus

Journal: October 25th, 2024

Paris, France

I like Paris—once I got past the wall of cigarette smoke and the aroma of piss wafting from every metro station. I ain’t complaining. Good food, dirty city, and smelly people. All stereotypes about this place are TRUE.

I don’t speak a lick of French nor do I give a shit about trying.

I just say “no Frances” to people, which isn’t even how you’d say it in French, nor is it even grammatically correct—Spanish?? No speaky French.

Exploring vs Building

I’m in this dreamlike state—walking around iconic sites like the Eiffel Tower and eating bread. I’m high on gluten. I feel at any moment I could wake up sweating in Houston.

My initial plan was to travel more of Europe, even Turkey. But I’m tired of drifting and have decided to return to Colombia immediately.

I want to be stable and focused—not crushing baguettes in the alley like I’m that beaver cat from Lady and the Tramp.

My plan upon returning:

Lock in and spend the majority of my time learning about business, and more importantly, taking action to create wealth.

And go celibate… maybe…

Who I Become In Europe vs LatAm

I don’t like who I become in Europe.

In Europe, I’m indulgent—dessert daily, exercise rare. In Latin America, I’m grounded—connected to nature, healthier, and more disciplined. It’s not just who I am; it’s who the environment shapes me to be.

In Europe, I’m trying to pop out on the Cambridge campus wearing glasses and a peacoat to hide my lil belly that’s been assaulted by daily Crème Brûlée.

Just be a lazy, fat, but hella intellectual cat.

I’m particularly inspired this time. Being in a place where seemingly everyone speaks seven languages and has a Masters is cool.

I can’t help but feel broke in Paris. My Airbnb’s smelling like a shitter reminds me every time I walk in. Meanwhile, you’ve got espresso-sipping aristocrats owning lofts perched over the Eiffel Tower.

I want to be an aristocrat.

Optimizing Our Ability to Generate Wealth

Many motivated young men make a common mistake: we optimize everything in our lives… except our ability to generate wealth.

Our health is on point. We read books and shit. We rise early, execute our habits, and command our days.

Yet… we’re not financially free.

The lack of freedom then holds us back from exponential growth—the money and time to invest in the best health, skill acquisition, and mentors.

My top goal for the remainder of 2024 and going into 2025: financial freedom.

You don’t even have to make that much in LatAm or Southeast Asia. Shit, you get $1500 coming in every month and you’re living pretty good in most cities. Spend the fifteen on your lifestyle, then invest every dollar above that.

Double your income to $3000, then $6000… you’re now living well in the US, Europe, or Canada (not that I would EVER live in Canada).

We live in the digital gold rush. At what other time in history could you make a limitless amount of money from a laptop? Entirely location and time zone-independent?

Lost —> Focused

I admit, when I first arrived in Bogotá back in July, fresh off of quitting my second corporate job (a bit abruptly this time), I was lost.

I had zero idea of what the hell I was going to do for money, nor why I’d even chosen Bogotá. For two months, I remained in this state.

Until it hit me…

I’ll be free.

That’s it. That’s the goal.

It’s not about Paris or Bogotá or anywhere else. It’s not even about money, really. It’s about waking up one day and knowing that nothing owns me. I set my direction, create my life, and live on my terms.

And it is that which I am building now. One step at a time…

To your growth and travels, good sires and madams,

P.S. As the site grows, I’ll only be sending punchy, newsletter-worthy stuff to your inbox. The site will serve as the platform for longer reads like in-depth guides for journaling.