3 Lessons In Trusting Yourself

I recently wrote about a 30-day experiment in doing only what inspires me. I rented out my  home on airbnb and set out on a trip to New York, taking my business with me.

The trip was epic (you can read about it here), chalk full of fun as well as invaluable, life-changing lessons. One of them was around self-trust, and listening to your inner knowing-despite what the experts say.

I was having the most amazing day in New York City, and had gone over to the DUMBO area of Brooklyn with its spectacular views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline. Amazing until I realized that there was a LOT of water in my bag that had my Macbook Pro in it. NOT GOOD.

When I pulled the computer out of its sleeve, there was actually water dripping out the back of it. SO not good.

Yet, I was strangely calm through all of it. I took the computer to the Apple store on 5th Avenue right away. My friend had called to get an appointment for me while I cleaned up the mess, but they had none until the morning. I went to the store anyway, and they fit me in.

Lesson #1: Don’t take no for an answer.

The first “expert” at the Genius Bar told me that it would be $1250 to fix the computer (at which point it makes more sense to buy a new computer). Going home and airing it out (like the internet said) wasn’t really worth doing.

I went back to the Apple store again on a hunch the next morning. No real reason why I should have done that, I’d already received feedback from them.

I went anyway and got the most amazing, friendly, helpful Genius who cleaned up whatever moisture he could, took out my hard drive and tested it, found that it was fully functional (i.e. all my date was safe), and put it in a protective bag for me to take to what he said was considered one of the best Apple service shops in Manhattan.

Lesson #2: Follow your hunches.

I got to the repair place, and paid $59 to have them look inside and tell me the extent of the damage, and what they would charge to fix it. The dude took it in the back and came out, shaking his head. He said he wouldn’t recommend repairing the computer. Too much damage. Too expensive.

I took my computer back to where I was staying, opened up the back of it to let it air out for a couple more days, and later took it back home to Toronto for one last check with the Apple experts there. When I did that, and they said the same thing.

My computer was dead. The experts had all agreed. So why did I still feel strangely calm, like it wasn’t over yet?

A friend happened to see a post I made on Facebook about it, and sent me the contact information for a guy who’d brought her computer back from the dead. Not once, but twice.

I called him up, he arranged to meet with me to pick up the computer and have a look at it (no charge), and let me know what he thought.

He called me back with good news. It would cost $450, and he would provide a six month warranty on the repair. YES!

I am typing on the computer right now, and it’s operating like nothing happened to it.

Lesson #3: Trust yourself, regardless of what the so-called experts tell you.

Have you ever had an experience of trusting your knowledge, regardless of what someone who was supposed to have more insight or experience said?

Photo: Robby Virus