My last post as Expat Life Coach

I was walking through the big square of the old city in Sana’a ,Yemen and this is where I met Ali.

He was 12 and selling recycled-lighters, he picked-up empty ones in the street and filled them up with gas.

Ali gets up every morning at dawn to get a spot on the busy main square and spot smokers who don’t have lighters.

You are probably thinking, “Gosh, what a tough life.”

Ironically, he is happy. He laughs all day.

“What do you think about your work Ali?” I asked him.

“It’s a good job, on somedays I make enough money to buy some meat for my mother to cook,” he replied.

Ali’s mother is handicapped and can’t work. She also has serious anemia.

I smiled and thought, I wonder how many people sitting in an office right now could say the same thing.

Ali’s life and work has meaning, he is resourceful, he is an entrepreneur, found a need in the market and brings a solution.

He also spends his days joking with others, playing with other children in the streets and running away from the police who cracks down on street vendors.

Ali’s life has a reason, he works to buy meat which he hopes will help his mother’s anemia.

That’s his raison d’être.

Starting online

In September 2010 I wrote my first post on ExpatLifeCoach and although I had everything to learn about online business, my  reason, my big WHY was clear.

I knew WHY I was starting Expatlifecoach.

I have worked all my professional life abroad, first as a journalist running after hot air balloons, dodging car bombs, then as a corporate suit, and finally as an entrepreneur who found meaning by starting his own business.

A business goal

Help other expatriates who struggled with the challenges of living and working abroad.

That’s it.

Through my years running my outdoor coaching business I helped employees and business owners figure out their WHY, why they were here, where their unique success skills lied and what they could bring to others.

Simple questions, which often required drastic challenges in order to help elicit the answers.

From the frozen waters of Northern Ontario to the caves of the Sultanat Oman I organized life changing events which brought fear and excitement into a powerful mixture for progress.

How working online changed my focus

Over the year working online I realized a few things.

I found out that defining myself as an expat life coach was restrictive.

It constrained my writing and the way I approached my work.

I am working online with clients from California to Singapore, some of them are expatriates, others aren’t.

In both cases they turn to me for advice because of my personal experience and who I am, not an expat or just a life coach.

When I wrote my 4hour workweek post it started a flow of emails from people who were looking to change their work and their life.

Looking from the outside, most of these people have a much better life than Ali.

Deep inside though they are not half as fulfilled as him.

By using my name and sharing a lot more about my life and business struggles as well as my successes I want to help you embrace this adventure called life.

John Falchetto

I’m John Falchetto. This is isn’t the end of a story, it’s the start of a much larger one.

I believe everyday is an adventure and we find meaning through trying new exciting and unsual experiences.

I want you to join me, so that you can start writing your story.

One small warning though:

I don’t subscribe to the theory that the vast majority of humanity will never find a job that can be an unending source of fulfillment.

Are you looking for a reason WHY you are here?

Do you want to make a difference in your life and others in 2012?

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