How to Meet Your 2.0 (and Why You Should Send That Email)
What happens when you stop overthinking and start reaching out to the people already living your next chapter.
How One Brave Message Introduced Me to My Future Self
In 2019, I was in a period of questioning—somewhere between who I had been and who I wanted to become next.
I told my friend April that I dreamed of creating a space for people in transition, a place where they could become who they wanted to be next.
She looked at me and asked, “Have you heard of Chip Conley?”
I hadn’t.
A few days later, I was listening to Chip’s interview with Tim Ferriss. Here was a hospitality veteran—the man behind one of North America’s largest boutique hotel groups—who had gone on to found the Modern Elder Academy, a school for people re-imagining the second half of life.
Listening, I felt something spark. I wanted to see it, feel it, be there. It took me two days and several drafts (and two rounds of April’s feedback) before I finally hit send on an email asking if I could apprentice or intern there.
“How about next January or February?”
— Chip Conley, two hours after I sent the email
That one connection changed everything. My time at MEA helped me clarify what I didn’t want (running a physical property) and what I did want (creating learning experiences that empower people to become who they want to be).
It expanded my network, boosted my confidence, and, most importantly, turned a vague idea into a living experience.
That’s the power of finding—and connecting with—your 2.0.
Your Brain on Possibility: Why Seeing It Makes You Believe It
Psychologists call this vicarious experience: when you witness or interact with someone who’s achieved what you aspire to, your brain encodes that success as possible for you too.
Albert Bandura—father of social learning theory—showed that observing someone slightly ahead of us increases self-efficacy, our belief that we can take effective action.
It quiets overthinking and replaces abstract motivation with real-world confidence.
In simpler terms: seeing your 2.0 builds belief.
When you reach out to someone who was once where you are, you don’t just get advice—you experience what’s next.
You feel it in conversation, see it in their eyes, and start bridging the gap between who you are and who you’re becoming.
A 3-Minute Practice to Meet the Person You Want to Become
This week, identify three people who are living a version of your 2.0—professionally or personally.
Reach out to one.
Say who you are, where you are, and what you hope to learn. Ask for 30 minutes of their time.
You don’t need to make it perfect; just make it honest and personal.
I had coaching clients successfully reach out to head of governmental organizations, elected European Parliament Officials, Famous Activists, and local carpenters.
Whether it’s a global CEO or the owner of your local café, the moment you connect, you step closer to the life you want.
Who’s Waiting for Your Message?
Growth isn’t built in isolation—it’s sparked in connection.
Your 2.0 is out there. Someone who once stood exactly where you stand now. Who wants you to succeed because they know how it feels like to be in your shoes.
All it takes is one brave message to begin your next chapter.
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