Hi Ohio!

Let me tell you about the first time I went to the United States.

I've told this story to at least five American friends and colleagues, all of whom have replied with some version of the following:

"Ohio?! You never go to Ohio on your first trip to the US!"

Let me set the scene.

I'd been paying attention to the trajectory of Lewis Howes from long before he built and grew his School of Greatness podcast and welcomed guests like Kobe Bryant, Tony Robbins, Tim Ferriss, Mel Robbins and many more.

[Lewis and I had been loosely connected all the way back in about 2012-13, when he was building his network right here on LinkedIn.]

So I was going through a moment of personal crisis (in the literal sense of the word) in 2016 and one morning at about 6am, on a bus to a dead-end job in Dublin, I sent Lewis a message.

Explaining what I was experiencing, and inviting him to give me his thoughts.

I clearly remember expecting nothing: Lewis and I had never met. We'd never spoken. We'd barely interacted online.

Within 15 minutes, ping! I received a message from Lewis.

Then another.

Then a third.

In three long messages, Lewis talked me through what I was going through, encouraging me to take a number of (specific and detailed) actions over the next week or so.

I followed through. Stayed present to the actions he suggested. (I remember that phrase precisely: "Stay present.")

And things began to turn. For the better.

So in some way I wanted to repay him.

And I made a decision: next time Lewis Howes is selling something, I'm buying.

Then he launched the School of Greatness.

I bought a spot in the course, and met a shit-load (technical term) of phenomenal people, all at different stages of their growth journey.

Then he launched the Summit of Greatness.

I'd never been to the US. I couldn't go. Could I?

I remember a call with Moira Mouret, who said to me:

"You should go. I think you're going to find a way. I think you'll be there."

The conference was four months later. In Columbus, Ohio.

I made another decision: I would try to find a way.

So I set up the Google Flights alerts, and a couple of days later: ping! "Price drop!"

I booked it there and then. Bought the ticket to the conference. Found an Airbnb in Columbus.

About two hours later it dawned on me.

Columbus?!

The flight I just booked, I don't think it was to Columbus!?

So I checked. I was right.

I was right that I was wrong.

I hadn't booked a flight to Columbus.

I'd booked a flight to Cleveland.

**frantically checks google maps**

Well, it's not so bad. Just an hour and a half on the interstate.

WAIT!

THE INTERSTATE!

AN HOUR AND A HALF!

BUT I'M TRAVELLING ALONE!

AND I'VE NEVER BEEN TO THE US!

AND I'VE NEVER DRIVEN A LEFT-HAND DRIVE CAR!

I did it.

Cleveland to Columbus is a cinch.

Cleveland to Columbus is a cinch when you've stopped sweating, which you do for several days after you've got behind the wheel of a left-hand drive car for the first time, alone in a new country, and it's getting dark, and you realize NOT ONLY AM I DRIVING ON LEFT-HAND DRIVE ROADS, NOT ONLY IS THIS A LEFT-HAND DRIVE CAR, BUT THIS CAR IS A FUCKING AUTOMATIC VEHICLE AND I'VE GROWN UP WITH CLUTCHES AND STICK-SHIFTS AND NEVER EVEN PRESSED A BUTTON IN AN AUTOMATIC CAR AND WHAT THE HELL AM I THINKING!!!!!!

Everyone in Ohio was amazing.

Everyone from Pauline, who ran the Airbnb and filled my fridge with a literally endless amount of sweet almond milk (Califia Farms, I love you) to the people I'd never met but soon became fast friends, to Lewis himself.

And also Lewis's family ... his mom made me promise to come back next year and bring a yarn of authentic Irish wool. Which I did.

Second time around, having learned the beautiful lessons of experience, I landed in Columbus and stayed in the hotel that was hosting the conference.

Veteran status - confirmed!

Thank you for reading my Ohio story.

I still haven't made it to NYC, SF or LA.

One day soon, though. One day soon.

Shane