On New York Energy

Atlas holding the heavens on his shoulders - Rockefeller Center, NYC

When a friend visits New York they usually comment on the city’s “energy”.

I felt it too when I first moved here.

What exactly is New York energy?

Personally, New York inspires me to be “better”. I want to dress better, work out more, read more, accomplish more, do more.

“If I can make it there, I’m going to make it anywhere,” said Frank Sinatra.

And that’s the beauty of New York. People move from all over the world on a quest to make it. It’s a melting pot of culture and ideas.

But on the other hand, this desire to do more, to be great, can lead to restlessness. And this restlessness leads to anxiety. An anxiety that I’m not doing enough, that I’m not enough.

One friend moving out of the city said, “New York’s not great if you don’t know what you want.” In a sense, I agree with that, the restlessness and pace discourages the introspection needed while in an exploratory phase.

It’s ironic that this same energy that attracts people to the city also pushes them away.