# #23 - No ones journey is wrong.

*Week 26 of "My new business" series*

By [Morten Gilje](https://paragraph.com/@mortengilje) · 2025-08-04

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Last week I moved into my own apartment again.

And it honestly feels like I’m repeating what I did back in 2021.  
  
Same milestone. Same excitement. But with a very different head on my shoulders this time.

* * *

### Flashback to 2021

Back in 2021, I had been running my marketing agency for about a year and a half.  
  
I was making around 100k NOK a month, had some cash saved up, and decided to leave my hometown Sandnes to move into my first Oslo apartment — at Tjuvholmen.

At the time, I was actually a client in Iman Gadzhi’s program. He interviewed me after I had some success, and I’ll never forget what he told me:

> “Move out. Get your own place. Your business will 3x in a few months. Putting your back against the wall changes you.”

He was right. You can watch the interview [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJp7diQohLY&t=1380s).

Within three months, I went from 60–100k to 350k NOK a month. It was a wild feeling.  
  
And I remember just being proud — of the business, of the apartment, of finally taking that step.

That move changed me. It gave me a sense of responsibility and ownership that I hadn’t felt before. Coming from a very secure home - it felt good to finally take care of myself!

* * *

### Fast Forward to Now

Now, here we are.

I’m building a new business again — and I’m currently in that same 60–100k/month range.  
  
And just like in 2021, I’ve moved into my own place.

But this time, it’s different.  
I’m not just a young guy on cloud 9.  
I’m doing it with way more **experience, clarity, and perspective**.

This apartment is calmer, quieter.  
I’ve got my own terrace, a little patch of grass — and I can already see it becoming my little sanctuary.  
  
A place where I can recharge, focus, and build.

And here’s a funny detail: when I first walked in, it smelled exactly like my Tjuvholmen apartment did back in 2021.  
  
That smell triggered a flood of memories from a time that was so exciting and pivotal in my life.  
It felt like a full-circle moment.

* * *

### 💭 Reflection: No One’s Journey Is Wrong

If I’d wanted to, I could have kept scaling my old agency.  
Stayed in Tjuvholmen.  
Skipped the battle of the past few years.

But honestly, I wouldn’t trade the path I took.

Because while the last few years have been tough — especially mentally — they’ve shaped me in ways I never expected.

Here’s what I’ve realized:

When life pushes you through battles, heres what happens.

*   You become bitter and angry, frustrated at the world. Maybe you stay here for a while...
    
*   Then with some reflection you become calmer, more focused, more compassionate — because you realize everyone is carrying something heavy.
    

And I can say with full honesty that I feel like a much clearer, more grounded version of myself today.

* * *

### What’s Next

It’s August.  
The summer has been fun.  
But now it’s time to lock in.

Routines. Habits. Focus.

I feel like I’m back at square one in some ways — but in reality, I’m standing on years of lessons, wins, losses, and growth. And now it’s time to build again — with the right foundation this time.

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*Originally published on [Morten Gilje](https://paragraph.com/@mortengilje/newsletter-23)*