On August 28th 2026 I took the first steps towards what I call the mother of all side quests. It feels like a crazy idea, and for this reason, only ChatGPT knows about the details. Will keep it like that for now.
I want this post to exist as a timestamp. Proof that I started before I knew where any of it would lead. I am going to document the journey and will publish it when and if the time feels right.
I used to play a lot of video games. Even back then, I was more interested in the side quests than the main plot. I wanted to immerse myself in the full game. Collect the items, explore the map and take my time with the game.
But in order to unlock more side quests, I needed to engage with the main quest as well. That is the only way to progress and experience new things.
In life, we are told to go to a university, get a job, find a partner, build a house, start a family, travel the world, and retire. But I never really resonated with putting my whole focus on this singular story line.
Life feels incredibly rich, and I am feeling an endless amount of gratitude for every single day on Earth. There is so much magic around me. I will get lost, find myself, meet random people and feel deeply alive while doing so. I will experience the full range of this human experience.
Side quests are a great way to engage with life. While pursuing them, I also get to understand myself and bring what I learn back to the main quests. Because I do resonate with many things from the conventional main quests.
They are part of my long term vision. But I do not want society to tell me the shape they should take. I am the creator of my own reality, and I am going to complete the main quests on my own terms.
I imagine a partner with whom we walk on the path of life together. But I do not feel desperate to get into a relationship just for the sake of being in one. That type of relationship comes from a place of lack and it feels suffocating. I want the choice to come from love, not from fear of being alone.
I imagine having a family. But not as a mere distraction to a life that feels incomplete. I want to feel that it's the right step to take in that moment of our lives, feel at peace with the decision and be the best father I can be.
Work is a central part of my life. But I am creating a work situation that is uniquely fitting for my talents. I do not find that on LinkedIn working for a company that sucks my soul out. I deeply feel that I have the knowledge to create something special that feels purposeful.
I do not know where my home is yet, but I found glimpses of that feeling over the years. I am going to have a home. Somewhere I can return to from the explorations in the world. But not because society is telling me I need to slow down, so that I can focus on the main quests.
Retirement for me does not mean beach, cocktails, and disengaging from life. I imagine myself continuing to create, but maybe with less intensity. I will also not put my life on hold until I retire. There is no guarantee I am going to wake up tomorrow.
Let's get back to the present moment. I have a tendency to jump into projects with full force, only to abandon them a few weeks later. I am not sure yet if I can fully trust the energy behind this side quest. Only time will tell.
But there is a tiny voice coming from inside talking to me that this idea will survive the test of time. It feels like intuition. There are glimpses spanning my whole life that support taking on this side quest.
I am already taking action towards it, and will continue in different shapes and forms during the next 100 days. I am going to see how I will feel about it on December 6th of 2026.
I call this the mother of all side quests, because it has the potential to unlock many smaller side quests, that I don't have the possibility, need or inspiration to pursue. Maybe it is going to reshape even some of the main quests. Or I never touch the side quests it unlocks. Or I fail.
This side quest might also connect to the mission I want to pursue through my work. The mission is still taking shape, but even by reading this, you are already part of it. I want to turn attention on the internet into real experiences in the world. I already tested a small version of this in Georgia, when I paid for a stranger to join me on an eight-day trek.
One day, one of the side quests this unlocks might belong to you. We may not even know each other yet. The idea of doing this together makes me feel alive.
I have no clue and I don't care. The mystery of this pulls me towards it, even though I know it's going to be hard. No matter where it goes, it will be another crazy story to tell my grandkids.
When I started 4 days ago, I imagined what this side quest would unlock on the map. But I am pretty sure life is going to surprise me in ways I cannot even imagine now.
I bought a new notebook, wrote the title on the first page, and started laying down the first bricks. From here I am going to surrender, and focus only on the day ahead.
Wish me luck ✨
I'm intrigued! Good luck dear Robert 🪄