Hi Friends,
My 20s were a tradeoff between roots and wander. Settling somewhere, going deep, building the kind of community where people notice when you’re gone. Versus adventuring: new sights, new people, a new version of the day every day. I often chose wander (gathering data on myself, what I like and don’t like, moving every year on the year). I have found myself on the go nearly every week again: in a definitive wander mode.And to be honest, I’ve been treating wander like the villain. Every trip is the thing that broke the workout streak, the reason the apartment is a mess, the excuse for my habits breaking. I catch myself talking about travel like it’s a tax I pay instead of a thing I chose, and keep choosing, because some part of me still wants it.I leave for two weeks to Japan soon. I could spend them keeping score against the routine I’m not doing. Or I could remember that I’m 31, not 61, and the whole point of a gap year was to go find things out, not to protect a schedule.So here’s what I actually want to pay attention to while I’m gone:
- What do I reach for when there’s nothing to reach for? No laptop, no project, long days of walking. Whatever I default to is probably the thing I actually like.
- Which rituals do I rebuild on the road without being told to? Those are the real ones.
- What are the moments my eyes light up?
- When I feel the pull to go home, what is it actually pulling toward? A person, a project, a workout class? Worth knowing which.
Who am I again? I am Brett Bejcek. I live by my top values of Exploration, Iteration, and Connection. Exploration is what I do; I do it through iteration; and I do it to create more connection. I am prioritizing physical health, building community, and cultivating creativity.
Fun Metrics. A peek into my life: some tied to goals, others just for fun. Because I’m not a business, I’m a silly human. And silly humans sometimes spend 30 minutes comparing pastries consumed instead of finishing their to-do list.
ㅤ | September 2026 | October 2026 | Change |
Avg steps / day | 8,253 | 12,323 | + 49.3% |
Flights taken | 3 | 7 | + 133.3% |
Books read | 1 | 0 | - 100.0% |
Side projects shipped | 10 | 1 | - 90.0% |
Pastries consumed | 15 | 10 | - 33.3% |
Days journaled | 8 | 4 | - 50.0% |
Fun lil’ memories
Highlights of October:
- Back in Columbus. Old friends, old streets, connection to a past Brett.
- Utah. Zion and Bryce. Everyday on the trail. I did not fall off anything.
- Marathon Sunday in NYC. 50,000 people doing a hard thing on purpose and a city that showed up to yell for them. I always get a little teary-eyed.
Lowlights of October:
- Off kilter from all the moving around. Roots vs. wander is a tradeoff I keep making and then complaining about, which isn’t fair to the trips or to me. Two more weeks of wander start soon, and the goal is to stop keeping score against the routine I’m not doing and be free.
How did I do on my goals last month?
October Goals
Stop | Start | Continue |
ㅤ | More time outside ✅ | Building + Shipping ✅ |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Working Out ✅ |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Rituals with friends 🟡 |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Being a good partner ✅ |
What am I prioritizing for this month?
November Goals
Stop | Start | Continue |
Worrying about side projects. | Making more with my hands | Building + Shipping |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Working Out |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Rituals with friends |
ㅤ | ㅤ | Being a good partner |
ㅤ | ㅤ | More time outside |
See you on the 1st. 🫡
With love,
Brett Bejcek
On the first of every month I do a little self-audit and put it out into the world. Why? Accountability, reflection, and because life’s more fun when you share the messy middle.