Get Yourself To a City (And Do These 7 Things)
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I live in Bangkok.
It’s loud, fast, unpredictable. The air hums with ambition and traffic. There are moments when I feel on top of the world—and moments when I feel completely invisible.
And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Living here has shown me something I never learned in school or books: when you drop yourself into the middle of a big city, especially one far from home, it becomes your ultimate teacher. Not because it holds your hand. But because it doesn’t.
You either swim or you don’t. And in that friction—in that relentless energy—you find out what you're made of.
What to do once you land
A new city won't change you—unless you show up with intention.
It’s easy to get lost in the noise, the options, the movement. But if you want the city to sharpen you, you need to engage with it on purpose.
Here are 7 things to do once you arrive—habits that turn your surroundings into fuel for reinvention.
Set a Mission
Show Up Daily
Talk to Strangers
Try Something New Often
Move Your Body Every Day
Create Before You Consume
Get Uncomfortable on Purpose
1. Set a Mission
Why it matters
Cities are overwhelming by design. If you don’t have a clear purpose, you’ll get swept up in distractions and end up drifting. A mission gives you focus, direction, and something to measure your days against.
What it means
You don’t need a 10-year life plan. You just need a clear intention for why you’re here right now. Are you here to start a company? Reinvent your lifestyle? Build a new identity? That clarity will shape how you move, who you meet, and what you say yes to.
Take these steps
Write down your reason for being in the city in one sentence.
Use that sentence as a daily filter: “Does this help me move forward?”
Personal Insight
When I came to Bangkok, I didn’t just arrive — I arrived with a mission.
I wanted to build businesses, get fit, expand my network with inspiring people, and become mentally stronger. Having those anchors gave shape to my days and helped me avoid drifting.
Every decision became simpler: does this move me closer to one of those goals, or not?
2. Show Up Daily
Why it matters
Success in a city doesn’t come from massive wins—it comes from quiet consistency. The people who build momentum aren’t always the most talented or confident. They’re just the ones who keep showing up, even when they don’t feel like it.
“Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently.”
— Marie Forleo, Entrepreneur
What it means
Not every day will be great. Some days you’ll feel foggy, off, unmotivated. That’s normal. Feelings are overrated. What matters is that you keep moving. A strong routine gives you something to lean on when your energy’s low and your mind’s scattered.
Take these steps
Build a simple, repeatable routine: wake up, move, create, connect.
Don’t wait to feel ready—do the thing anyway.
Track your consistency, not your perfection.
Personal insight
Some mornings in Bangkok I wake up clear and focused. Other days, I feel stuck or restless. But I’ve learned that how I feel doesn’t matter nearly as much as whether I show up. My routine pulls me forward. I don’t always want to work, train, or socialize—but I do it anyway. That’s what compounds.
But what about low energy days—or rest?
On days when I feel depleted, I pivot.
Instead of a heavy upper body workout, I go for a slow 5K. Instead of back-to-back meetings, I tackle easy admin. It’s not about moving mountains every day—it’s about keeping the rhythm alive.
And if the mind feels heavy—those mornings when thoughts are spinning before the day even begins—I turn to breathwork. A focused session before heading to the office resets my system. It brings me back into my body, clears the noise, and helps me step into the day with calm, not chaos. Here is a great guided session from Wim Hof, which I frequently use.
As for rest: I take it seriously. The cycle is simple—go hard, rest hard, repeat. A sprint needs a pause. And on rest days, I really rest. No guilt. No halfway. Just joy, stillness, recovery.
3. Talk to Strangers
Why it matters
Cities are built on people—but most of us move through them like ghosts. Eyes down. Headphones in. Focused on our to-do list.
But connection is the shortcut to opportunity, inspiration, and identity. And it often starts with one simple conversation.
“A stranger is just someone whose story you haven’t heard yet.”
— Anonymous
What it means
Talking to strangers isn’t about collecting contacts.
It’s about unlocking new layers of life in the city. People are the most valuable part of any environment—but most won’t connect unless you make the first move. Smile. Ask a question. Show curiosity.
You’ll be surprised how many people are open, just waiting for a spark.
The science behind it
A 2014 study from the University of Chicago by Nicholas Epley and Juliana Schroeder found that people who chatted with strangers during their commute reported significantly more positive experiences than those who kept to themselves—even though nearly all participants expected the opposite.
A paper published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that brief social interactions, like talking to a barista, boosted happiness, trust, and a sense of belonging throughout the day.
Sociologist Mark Granovetter’s landmark study “The Strength of Weak Ties” showed that life-changing opportunities—like jobs, clients, or ideas—often come from casual acquaintances, not close friends.
Take these steps
Make it a habit to say one thing to a stranger every day.
Be genuinely curious—people feel it.
Ask open-ended questions: “What brought you here?” is a great one.
Practice presence. You don’t need to impress—just connect.
Personal insight
Some of the best moments I’ve had in Bangkok started with something small:
“I like your watch”
“Where did you get that coffee?”
“What’s the best place to get Thai food?”
It doesn’t take charisma. It just takes courage. Every time I reach out, I’m reminded that people want connection. They’re just waiting for someone else to go first. And the best part is, the more often you do it, the more natural it becomes.
4. Try Something New Often
Why it matters
Cities are made for reinvention—but only if you let go of the habits that built your old life. Doing the same things in a new place is just relocation, not transformation. To grow, you need new inputs: new people, new routines, new stimuli.
What it means
It’s not about skydiving or learning Mandarin overnight. It’s about small disruptions. Take a new route. Try a new workout. Say yes to something you’d usually pass on. Change is uncomfortable—and that’s the point. You’re not here to stay the same.
Take these steps
Once a week, do something that makes you slightly uncomfortable.
Try something just because it looks fun, not because it's “useful.”
Notice what gives you energy—and follow it, even if it’s random.
Personal insight
Since moving to Bangkok, I’ve done things I’d never done before. Some were intentional moves, others were spontaneous. A few pushed me way out of my comfort zone—and others just made life better. But all of them moved me forward.
I’ve:
got a maid
played golf
volunteered
tried a manicure
trained for Hyrox
tried cryo therapy
went on solo trips
opened a franchise
taken a painting class
meditated consistently
tried Pilates (not for me)
learned how to use a Mac
taken a dating coaching class
bought a plant (and didn’t let it die)
practiced saying no without explaining
went to a networking event completely alone
It wasn’t about reinventing myself overnight. It was about being open—to new things, new rhythms, new people. But also learning to say no when something didn’t align. Some of the biggest shifts came from what I said yes to. Some came from what I finally stopped tolerating.
That’s the power of trying something new — it builds
momentum in ways you can’t always predict.
5. Move Your Body Every Day
Why it matters
In a fast, chaotic city, your body is your anchor. When everything around you is shifting—work, people, emotions—movement gives you something solid to stand on. It clears your head, regulates your mood, sharpens your focus, and reminds you that you’re in control of something, even when the day feels messy.
What it means
This isn’t about aesthetics or punishing workouts. It’s about building physical consistency that supports your mental clarity and emotional resilience. Some days that means going hard. Other days, it means a walk, a stretch, or a reset. The point is to move—because stagnation isn’t neutral, it’s a step backwards.
Take these steps
Build movement into your non-negotiables—make it daily, not optional.
Vary intensity: train hard when you can, walk or stretch when you need to.
Treat movement as mental hygiene, not just fitness.
Track how you feel after each session—you’ll start to crave the clarity.
Personal insight
Moving my body is the one thing that resets me—every time. In Bangkok, my training routine keeps me grounded when life gets intense. On low-energy days, I don’t skip—I just shift gears. A slow 5K or a long walk is enough to change my entire headspace. I’ve learned that the goal isn’t to always push hard—it’s to always keep moving. And when I do, everything else flows better.
6. Create Before You Consume
My most grounded days in Bangkok follow a rhythm that keeps me clear, focused, and anchored—before the world starts asking for things.
I wake up early, in silence. No sounds, no input. Just space to let my mind calm down.
I begin with breathwork or meditation, depending on how I feel that day.
Then I move my body—either a full workout, or a long walk if my energy is low.
While moving, ideas, tasks, and priorities start to surface. I don’t chase them—I just note them down as they come.
My phone stays on airplane mode through all of this.
The movement and clarity help me identify what actually matters that day—not just what’s urgent or noisy.
Once I’m at my desk, I begin my work by creating something—writing, building, organizing—before I check the news, social media, or messages (unless it’s genuinely urgent).
This routine isn’t about productivity hacks or spiritual purity. It’s about protecting your attention. In a city that throws 1,000 inputs at you by 7am, this is how I stay in charge of my day.
Why it matters
When you start your day by consuming—emails, news, group chats—you begin by reacting. And when you start in reaction mode, it’s hard to shift back into creation. But when you lead with output, you hold the pen. You decide the tone of your day. You build momentum on your own terms.
Take these steps
Keep your phone on airplane mode for the first hour of your day.
Choose one creative anchor: journaling, writing, planning, sketching—anything that’s 100% yours.
Don’t overthink the quality—just make something.
Stay in output mode for as long as possible before consuming any input.
If the day feels chaotic later, revisit that morning clarity—it’s still in your notes.
“Do not allow your mind to be easily influenced. Protect it as you would a fortress.”
— Marcus Aurelius (paraphrased from Meditations)
In a city full of noise, your attention is your most valuable asset.
Protect it. Lead your day, don’t follow it.
7. Get Uncomfortable On Purpose
Why it matters
Comfort zones are cozy, but they kill momentum. Growth doesn’t happen when you feel safe—it happens when you’re stretched. In a city, no one’s coming to force that growth on you. You have to lean into it by choice.
Picture Credit: Vivekpatil_sarth
What it means
It’s not about burning out or pushing yourself into panic. It’s about choosing edges: speaking when you’d usually stay quiet, joining something you feel unqualified for, showing up when your instincts say “hide.” Discomfort is a signal—not to retreat, but to lean in.
Take these steps
Do one thing a week that makes you slightly nervous.
If your body says “no” out of fear, pause—and consider saying yes.
Reflect after: What did it teach you? How did you stretch?
Personal insight
Some of the biggest shifts I’ve made in Bangkok came from moments that made me physically uncomfortable. Not danger—just that edge of nervousness, the “what if I’m not ready” feeling. Whether it was signing a lease, pitching a big idea, or speaking honestly with someone I barely knew—I’ve never regretted leaning in. Every time I do, my self-respect grows.
Final Thoughts
Cities don’t change you automatically.
They expose you.
They challenge you.
And if you’re intentional—they sharpen you.
These seven habits aren’t rules. They’re reminders. Anchors. A framework for turning chaos into clarity, pressure into purpose, and motion into momentum.
You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to show up—with a mission, with curiosity, and with the willingness to be shaped by the environment you chose.
And if you’re already in a city—maybe the question isn’t, “Am I doing enough?”
Maybe it’s, “Am I truly using this place to become who I’m meant to be?”
Let the city stretch you. Let it build you. Let it surprise you.
Then look back one day and realize—you didn’t just move to a city.
You moved into a new version of yourself.
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Much to contemplate here... for me, purpose pops out as an area to flesh out🧐🧐 so thank you for that...lots of vital life lessons regardless of location. I would love to see this linked to the related notes because this full post is 🤯🤯 profound and I need to keep revisiting it as I go through different stages.
Thanks Benjamin - good insights.