Sebastian ‘Baz’ Kath, Mothar Mountain, Qld, shares his true life story:
Sitting on my porch overlooking Surfers Paradise, I was deep in thought.
Should I go for a run or go to the gym? I pondered.
It was a simple question, but I’d been weighing up my options for nearly 45 minutes.
Hmm, maybe I should run today because it’s forecast to rain on the weekend…
‘Decisions again, Baz?’ interrupted my housemate Alyce.
‘Yeah but I think I’ll just put this one to a vote on Facebook’ I said, reaching for my phone.
‘Good idea, Baz!’ she mocked.
‘Why don’t you just let other people make all of your life decisions?’
I laughed her off while thumbing away on my phone.
‘You could ask people what country you should live in!’ she persisted with a giggle, ‘Or get them to tell you what to wear!’
I checked the voting on my Facebook post; six votes for the gym and three for a run.
I felt a wave of relief wash over me.
‘Results are in, Alyce. I’m off to the gym!’ I called, as I ran out the door.
A few weeks later, my younger cousin was finishing high school and decided, out of all the people he knew, to ask me for advice.
“Hey Baz, what do you think I should do after school?” he asked, “I can get an electrical apprenticeship in town or move to Brisbane and do a degree at University.”
His words sounded so final.
He didn’t sound interested in either option – but he had somehow concluded that these were his ONLY two options. This got me thinking, “Why?”
I wanted to tell him that his options were endless, and he could do absolutely anything he set his mind to. Knowing that this could fall on deaf ears, I decided to show him.
Using Facebook as my main decision-making tool, I allowed my friends to decide my fate.
It made me realise that I don’t have to follow a traditional path like everybody else.
My goals can be whatever I want them to be!
Eventually, Facebook turned into a website called WhatShouldBazDo.com where strangers suggest goals, countries and tasks for me to fulfil.
I endeavour to test myself and prove that anything is possible.
I’ve worked in England as a teacher, snowboarded in Austria, and I just got back from spending 15 months in Brazil, learning Portuguese and writing about the environment.
My alternative way of life has taken me around the world, and I’ve tried so many new things.
No matter where I go, I always try to leave a positive impact by joining a charity or cause to help people.
I don’t get paid for my adventures, and there are days I have doubts, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
For now, I’m just waiting to receive awesome new ideas from new people, ready to take on my next adventure.
If it weren’t for my housemate’s jokes on that afternoon in 2012 – my life would not be what it is now.
The original story that went to print in Take 5 was missing a few sentences. This is the corrected version.
