“When people say, “There’s time”, they are already losing it,” says Stefan Stanev. The 24-year old knows the stars, literally – he is a graduate astrophysicist. He is also one of the mentors of the youth art festival “The Bridge,” which takes place in his hometown of Vidin.
“After I graduated university, I worked at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences for three years. Then I realized that it was time to start making some real money. I started working for a major international IT company and chasing the dream of the free entrepreneur,” Stefan says. “I wanted to grow as a person. I learned in a seminar that people don’t grow for two main reasons – lack of a suitable environment and lack of persistence. I decided that I would start to grow and improve little by little, every day.”
Stefan has taken part in “The Bridge” for each of the eight years since its founding. At first, he was a very different person. “I’ve never had more than four or five friends. I’ve never been the life of the party. I never believed that I could just be myself without worrying what other people would think of me.” This changed over a few years. Now, he realizes that the difference between an ordinary life and one less ordinary is actually a simple act repeated over time. “I’ve seen many dreams come true when you want something and don’t let criticism divert you from your chosen path.”
His goal is to create a new social network of people who have taken the road to personal growth. “It’s a lot easier to pursue goals when you’re surrounded by like-minded people. If you want to get there quickly, run alone, but if you want to go far, walk with friends.”
Stefan is always doing new things. One of them is his new feature on Facebook called “Challenge of the Month.” What exactly is it? “Every month, I do something new, which takes daily persistence and dedication. I want to set an example of what a man is capable of in a month if he only wishes it. The first month, I managed to go out every week and have fun without a drop of alcohol. The second month, I lost 6 kilos (13 pounds). This is my third; I’m planning to run a 10-km marathon. It may not seem like a great achievement, but this form of setting goals and monthly discipline is a powerful tool when we want to pursue bigger dreams in our lives.”
He will be at every next edition of the festival because he can show what he is capable of! “Food for thought is woefully neglected by most people, but it’s just as important as food for the stomach. For me, being at this festival is more important than going to the seaside in the summer and lying on the beach. It is crucial to spend one whole week living your passion, surrounded by people who support you and have the same interests. It is much more worthwhile.”
