What $10 Can Buy You (Hint: It's Not A Drink)

Read time: 2.5 minutes

Let me be honest with you.

Last week, I was travelling in a new city.

New streets. New sights. New economy.

And as you may have guessed… new coffee prices, too!

Every café I went to—$9, $10, $11 for a simple (yet delicious!) Iced Latte. Which, for context, is almost double what I’m used to paying back home.

Naturally, I had the same internal reaction most of you probably would’ve had:

However, after much internal debate... that afternoon, I chose not to.

I walked in. I paid the price. I found a seat. I opened my book.

And about 15 minutes later, someone walked up to me… struck up a conversation…

Then, they offered me an opportunity tied to a dream I had shelved nearly 2 years ago.

Just like that, it was back on the table. Alive again. Right in front of me.

And in that moment, it hit me:

This wasn’t about the $10 coffee.

It was about stepping outside of my usual rhythms—my default settings, my known routes—and letting Life meet me in a different place.

Here’s the funny thing:

That very afternoon, I wasn’t even working. I wasn’t taking meetings. I wasn’t “strategically networking.”

I was just being me. In a new environment.

Believe it or not folks, the very same thing happened last year!

Different city. But again, visiting my partner.

Stopped into a random café to meet up with someone...

And walked out with one of my first long-term clients—who’s still in my Life to this day!

I’m not saying coffee shops are magical.

(Though, I’d argue, some definitely are.)

I’m saying:

Possibility doesn’t just live in your head. It lives in your environment.

When you change where you are—or who you're around—you open the door to new ideas, new people, new insights.

Because new proximity = new inputs.

Now let’s talk about the elephant in the inbox:

Absolutely.

This isn’t about daily lattes. This isn’t about spending carelessly.

This is about energy. This is about environment. This is about investing in exposure to the unexpected.

• Maybe it’s $10 at a café.

• Maybe it’s $300 on a gym membership you thought was too bougie.

• Maybe it’s just taking your book to a different park, one neighbourhood over.

This isn’t about money. This is about context.

Because when your surroundings change—your mind does too.

And sometimes, that’s all you need.

Listen…

During those weeks of travel, I went to about six different cafés.

Two strangers struck up conversations with me.

One of them led to something. The other? Just a great exchange of ideas.

And on the other days? I was the one who approached someone else.

A barista. Another reader. Someone who looked like they were in deep flow.

Not because I needed anything from them.

But because I believe:

So here’s my simple invitation for you:

Pick one moment this week.

Step outside your usual rhythm.

Different coffee shop. Different route home. Different seat at your coworking space.

Don’t do it for what might happen.

Do it for who you might become… just by being somewhere new.

Because sometimes, the dream doesn’t need more strategy.

It just needs you in a new seat.

That's it.

Much Love,

Julian

PS. I’m curious—what’s one moment where stepping out of your norm led to something you didn’t expect?

Reply and tell me. I always read everything you send.