Fear keeps most people from traveling. When I first went away in 2006, people told me they wished they could do what I was doing. For some people it is easy to just jump ship and travel. We have it in us all along and we just need a gentle nudge. For me, all it took was a trip to Thailand and jealousy before I was quitting my job to go travel. For others, it is a lot harder. They are more tied down, more afraid, more uncertain. They want to do it but, instead the nudge I needed, they need a full on push.
So what keeps people back?
“I have too many responsibilities.” This is the biggest excuse people give. But when you leave, you have none. Bills disappear, car payments go away, errands you have to run become non-existent. It is often said that the more stuff we own, the more our stuff owns us. The modern world creates a lot of baggage that ties us to society’s approved path. Once you make the decision to go, you’ll find that all those bonds quickly disappear and those responsibilities vanish. The only responsibilities I have are the ones I create for myself, the only bills I have are those of my everyday needs. Once you come back, you’ll also realize you can do with less.
“I don’t have the money.” People are always under the illusion travel is expensive. It’s not. There’s a plethora of ways to travel cheap. I traveled the world for about 40 dollars a day. You can backpack Asia on $20 a day. Same with Central America. Europe can be expensive but if you Couchsurf and limit your restaurant dining, you can do it on $40 dollars a day. I’ve heard of people who do it on less. Travel is not expensive, you just need to make it a financial priority. We regret the things we didn’t do. If you want to travel, use that money now- you can’t take it with you when you die.
“I won’t gain any skills.” People think traveling is a luxurious holiday- it’s all fun and games in their mind. Taking time off from their “real world” jobs won’t advance their career or give them any marketable skills. NOT TRUE!!! Travel can be work. Landing in an unknown country and finding your way takes talent. In fact, there are a lot of skills you gain while traveling:
- Negotiation. Ever try talking down a vendor in India or Asia to a reasonable price? That takes skills. You need to know what they want and what you want in order to come to an agreement. Bartering and haggling on everything from hotel rooms to bus tickets to goods requires the ability to artfully negotiate. You need to know when to push more, settle, and walkaway. That’s a skill you can take right into any boardroom.
- People Skills/Networking. You walk into the room at a hostel and there’s twenty people chatting and having fun. Then there’s you. You can either go break into that group or sit by yourself. What do you do? Travel forces you to develop people skills so you can meet new people and socialize with them. You learn to be comfortable enough to talk to anyone and introduce yourself to anonymous strangers. The most sociable people end up at the top.
- Adaptability. Travel teaches you how to adapt to sudden and unknown changes in situations. It teaches you how to be versatile. In the business world, you adapt or perish. This is just another skill you can use!
- Cultural Awareness. In today’s globalized world, it is important to know and understand other cultures. Traveling exposes you to cultures and people of the world. You gain insights into how people do things. Back in the “real world,” that skill becomes hugely important as companies from around the world interact with each other. If you’re the only person who has been to China when it comes time to work with a Chinese company, you’ll likely be picked to work on that project.
Those are just four skills you pick up traveling. Traveling isn’t a career break, it’s a way to harness those soft skills you can’t learn in school. You know, the ones that truly matter at the end of the day. Companies can teach you systems and best practices but they can’t teach you these skills. You learn these yourself and, when you come back, you can also put it on your resume!
“The world isn’t safe.” Despite what CNN and FOX News might say, the world is safe. People aren’t killing each other in the streets. Everyone around the world wants what you want. They have jobs, families, and things to do. They want their kids to be safe, earn enough money, and be allowed to live life. You are not their priority. Moreover, American cities don’t even rank in the top ten of the worlds safest. I believe the safest American city is somewhere around the 40th safest in the world. People aren’t going to terrorize you for being American. Travelers from all corners of the globe are criss-crossing it at any moment without any problems. As long as you use street smarts to avoid dodgy situations (just like you would back home), you’ll be fine.
How to stay motivated
Now that you’ve seen that your fears are unwarranted, there are a few ways to keep yourself motivated for getting out on the road:
Watch the Travel Channel. There’s good programming on 24/7 and I’m always watching. It’s full of great tips, advice, and will give you ideas for future trips. Seeing other people there will make you want to be there too.
Research places to go. Keep looking up places you want to go too and eventually you’ll get there.
Read travel blogs. There are lots of travel blogs out there. Read sites like mine to stay motivated and jealous. I read a ton of blogs and they all keep interested in traveling. Reading the adventures of other travelers can you show that it is easier than you though, give you advice and tips on the art of travel, and teach about places you’ve never heard of. One day you’ll get sick of living their life and go out and create your own travel stories.
Buy a guidebook. Planning your next trip and looking through these books will keep you wishing, dreaming, and making your trip closer to reality.
Learn a language. Join a language class and pick up a language you might use on the road. Once you’ve learned the language, you’ll hate to waste your new skill and the only way to not do that is to travel to where they speak it!!
The fears people have about traveling are unfounded. Once you get over your fears, there’s nothing holding you back from traveling. Once you make the decision to go, there are a lot of ways to keep motivated. As you slowly shed your baggage, you’ll have doubts. People will try to talk you out of it, you’ll wonder if you can do it. Change like this can be scary and people naturally get nervous. But, by focusing on travel, you’ll keep yourself motivated and stay on the path to breaking free from the cubicle.
Hi. I am a long time reader. I wanted to say that I like your blog and the layout.
Peter Quinn
Matt-
Great article… so full of actionable tips. It’s hard for me to imagine not living a peripatetic life, but I know people who have precisely this kind of fear, and your article gives them most of the tools they need to get off the couch or out of the cubicle and get moving!
And sometimes the best thing to do is to just pack up and go. Even if it’s only for a weekend and you find a last minute deal; that’s the way to experience travel and realize it’s realize not as hard as you think it is.
Great article! And very true. I am already following all the steps in your article to keep myself motivated during the saving and planning stage. I’ve always dream about traveling and reading these blogs and watching the travel channel definitely makes me jealous and wish I could be where these people are. It’s also give me a lot of motivation to keep planning and saving for it so that I can get out there.
Once you’re on the road the old excuses seem silly, but explaining them to family back home when you’ve decided to extend a trip is difficult.
The travel channel was a huge motivator for me, but then the local cable company back home turned it off in exchange for a education-less cartoon channel.
Reading travel blogs became my motivator and thats why I decided to start one of my own. I hope it inspires even just one person to set out on a journey.
Hi, you have some great posts and images there… I am surely inspired to travel now.
Really good stuff Matt.
With some practical advice as well which is key.
Well thought article. Travel is simply one of the best forms of educations around – it broadens the mind, its offers experiences you simply can’t get at home, you make great new friends and you gaina first hand understanding of what makes the world what it is.
To add to Matt’s list (and I certainly encourage reading blogs and books), I think a globe or a map of the world in a visible position is a great and simple reminder of how much we can explore out there.
@peter: Glad you enjoy the blog!!
@everyone: Not enough time to comment individually but just want to say thank you for the positive feedback and opinions!
I think financial priority is a big one. Everyone always asks how I can afford to travel, but they just have to look at how often they buy books, clothes, cds, and nights out and you can quickly see why I can afford it and they cant.
matt, this is your absolute best post ever! i thank you for providing me your motivation. i’m about to graduate from college, so it’s really nice to hear that someone not much older can afford to do this.
thank you again!
Do you just save up all your money then quit your job for a month or so and hit the road then come back and go back to work?
@Sherrie: Yes! Once you cut out those 4 dollar starbucks coffees, you can save quit a bit!!!
@Sam: I worked and save before I went and now I work and travel and work and travel…(etc etc)
Great post.
Mark H’s idea about the map is so true – there is a gigantic one right behind the screen of my computer and I have a million white pins that represent places I have not been: http://transienttravels.wordpress.com/2008/03/24/next/
The only thing financial thing I can’t seem to get rid of is college loans, but to Eliabeth’s point, even just taking the smaller trips is enough to hold you over.
You are so right! So many people just postpone their travels until they are retired when they are too old to really maximize the experience! Stop procrastinating and just GO!
Great post, everyone (at least the ones in the rich parts of the world like Europe and North America can travel if they prioritise it. And very true that material possessions tie you down, I have certainly held off buying that ps3 and big-ass LCD tv as I know I am about to become a ‘global nomad’. Just do it.
A small bit of inspiration – a list of 30+ families taking the plunge with RTW travel…
http://thewidewideworld.com/2008/06/25/comings-and-goings/
No fears! Oman is one of the most stable, safe and peaceful countries in the Arabian Gulf – as rated by the 2007 Global Peace Index. Oman is also the 22nd most peaceful country in the world.
All you need to know before traveling to Oman, visit the Oman Pocket Guide @ http://omanpocketguide.com
oMan
great post
i’m totally agree with this post
thanks for sharing it
jasmine celion
morefun-time.blogspot.com
very motivational and inspirational post
jasmine celine
cool-hotstuff.blogspot.com
nice stuff
jasmine celion
cool-hotstuff.blogspot.com
It’s strange but true. Having lived “on the road” for so long it’s hard to remember these feelings, but I guess I must have felt some trepidation at some point.
Dave Prine posted a great article on our site about how to stay motivated after travelling: Keeping the dream alive. There’s a lot of cross-over but I think you both make some great points.
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.
I love your site.
Love design!!! I just came across your blog and wanted to say that I?ve really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. Sign: ndsam
Couldn’t have said it better. Traveling shouldn’t be just far off fantasy. And those that are afraid can refer to people like yourself who have done it. Great site and hope your success continues!
Hi Matt,
great post!! You mentioned that you read a lot of travel blogs. Could you share which are the ones you enjoy the most? I am looking for recommendations of other travel blogs I should be reading. Thanks!!!
Cheers from Seattle,
Fernanda
Great read Matt. Agree with you and also Mark H that travel truly broadens the mind and we are firm believers of that for us and for our daughter. Gearing up for our relocation to Thailand so we can do more slow travel in Asia. Let us know if you are heading back to Thailand- would be nice to meet up.
Happy New Year!