Jeff v2.0

6 Things I Learned in Chicago

When I realize how much of the world I don’t know, understand, or experience, all of a sudden my ‘knowledge’ sits on a much more unstable foundation. More than once, something I thought I ‘knew’ turned out to be false.

On Feb 20th, I returned from a 4 day vacation in Chicago. It was my second visit, but the last time I was there, I was too young to really experience it. During this trip, I turned off my computer, didn’t check my email, and just decided to experience the city as much as possible. With an open mind, ready to challenge what I think I know, I was able to take away a lot more from this trip.

During my stay, I learned the following

• Tremendous, incredible growth is possible. We were hosted to dinner and a company tour by some Groupon employees. One of them was hired a year and a half ago, when there was 30 sales people. Today, there are more than 1000.
• To be thankful for the conditions of LA that allow me to run my business almost out of the year. Chicago can only run their tourism business a little more than half a year.
• To refine my taste buds - I learned to like pickles. Mainly due to shaved pork ear with crispy kale, pickles, and an egg. One of the best dishes I’ve had in my life.
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• I learned that LA’s food scene is years behind Chicago. People go out to eat to enjoy great food. In LA, a lot of people still go to be seen.
• If I truly find value in traveling and experiencing the world, then I need to prioritize it.
• I need to figure out a way to spend more time with the people I love.

Without this Chicago trip, I would have continued along my life being painfully ignorant about these things. Perhaps these new found ‘facts’ still have time to be proven wrong, which is why it’s essential for me to continue living life with an open mind and with the pursuit of new experiences.