RE: Helping Maxmillian K. H. Decide His Next Life/Career Move
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Howdy @mkhill1212.
I love New York! I'm not from there, but I visited Manhattan several years ago for an investor conference held by @JamesAltucher. Such a wonderful city - so many places to visit and things to do. And yes, the people in NYC are great, too - driven, no-nonsense, and fun!
What's not so great, though, is that NYC's cost of living is rising.
And incomes aren't rising fast enough to keep up with those living costs - bummer!
So, I completely get why you want to move out of NYC. You want to be somewhere where the cost of living is affordable while having access to all the extensive city amenities like those found in NYC.
The thing is, big-city living is overrated. People place a high value on big cities because of the number of amenities located within them. When moving to a big city like Los Angeles or Seattle, you literally pay for the comforts of living there. Those conveniences come with high taxes, lots of fees, and plenty of traffic to take up your precious time.
All those living costs heading higher in big cities are what's causing younger people to move to the suburbs.
Yes, the 'burbs!
Smaller towns near bigger cities will continue to see an uptick in population growth over the next few decades. The reason smaller towns will grow is due in part to their affordable housing costs. As housing costs stay low, more folks will move to cities they can live comfortably.
As the populations grow in these suburban enclaves, business entities will move their operations to cities where the population growth is increasing.
I think you can see where I'm going with this post, Matt.
Now, I'm not going to tell you what city you should live in. I don't know you enough to make those educated guesses.
What I will do, though, is give you a framework for what I would do if I were in your shoes.
The first thing I would do is list the five most important things to me when it comes to where I live. Here's how I would come up with my top five city living amenities:
- Best Places - https://www.bestplaces.net/cost-of-living/
- U.S. News & World Report - https://realestate.usnews.com/places/rankings/fastest-growing-places
- Livability - https://livability.com/
- What are you really good at that you enjoy doing?
- Is there a pressing need for what you love to do that solves big problems for people?
- Are people willing to pay you for what you enjoy doing that you're an expert at?
1. List all the things you appreciate and enjoy about living in a big city.
The list should include the obvious (i.e., access to public transit, bustling nightlife, etc.) and the not-so-obvious (i.e., sound health care system, proximity to airports, etc.). These factors can make a big difference in your overall happiness and satisfaction with your new home. List everything you can think of, and don't censor yourself - the more, the better.
2. From this list, rank each amenity against the other.
Here's how this works. You have a list of 20 extensive city amenities you enjoy. Rank each convenience against the other 19. As you measure all the ratings, you'll see specific amenities appeal more to you than others.
Look closely at your top five. Do you see any similarities among your top five choices? Remember that these things may change over time based on your age and marital status but know that they're what you value most right now!
The next step is to do online research about which cities have most of the top five amenities you seek. Several excellent websites provide essential data about cities across the U.S.
The three best websites I would go to for finding information about cities I want to learn more about are:
Go through each website and research cities that match your top five criteria. I would choose from no more than five and no less than three cities.
After I narrow down my city list, the next step I'd take is to visit them.
The best way to find out if you like a city is to live there for a while. By a while, I mean a month or so. Rent a small apartment via AirBnB, walk the streets, and get to know the people and the fun non-touristy places. Don't be afraid to try new things when you explore the city. The more you put yourself out there, the more you'll get a sense of whether the city is the right fit for you.
Once you find "the one," be open to change and adaptability. Moving to a new city can be an exciting and rewarding experience. Still, it can also be stressful and challenging at times. Be prepared to adjust to a new way of life and embrace the changes that come with it. With an open mind and a little grit, you'll be able to successfully transition to your new home.
The next step in your transition would be finding the right job opportunities where you wish to be. Again, I won't tell you what careers you should or shouldn't pursue as I don't know you well enough to make those assumptions.
What I will do, though, is point you to a Challenge Post I recently wrote for @arampersaud on what you can do with the skills you have now to find the right career that matches your skills and interests.
The three things I would keep in mind when exploring new career opportunities are:
Once you can answer those three questions sufficiently, you will find the right career opportunity that matches your skills, experiences, and interests.
I wish you success in your next move, and thank you for posting this challenge - happy holidays!
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