PH - 19 | Jason Moore | Advantages Of Being Location Independent - a podcast by Paul Lam

6 Things you Need to Know About Being a Digital Nomad

 

Have you ever dreamed of leaving everything behind and travelling the world? It sounds like a fantasy, but in the 21st century, the internet and mobile technology is making the dream of the "digital nomad" a reality for many. Recently I had the opportunity to sit down with Jason Moore of the Zero to Travel podcast.

 

Zero to Travel is a podcast with a powerful mission: to help people travel the world on their terms no matter what their situation or experience. Over many years of travelling and meeting people Jason began to observe how people were incorporating travel into their lives. He became passionate about helping people explore the myriad options available to them when travelling the world. With his friend and business partner Travis he's created a paid community called "Location Indie" that helps people looking to become location independent find and connect with others with the same mindset.

 

Our full conversation was flowing and unstructured, "nomadic" if you will, but also quite enlightening. I encourage you to check out the entire thing at pathunters.com. In the meantime, here are 6 things you need to know about becoming a digital nomad, according to Jason.

 

 

1. It’s not as simple as it seems, but also not as hard. It seems counterintuitive, but becoming a digital nomad is both simple and complex, depending on how you look at it. Logistically, it’s quite simple. You can quit your job, give your two weeks notice and be on a plane the next day if you chose. However, as with any big change in life, there are bound to be obstacles. Often these obstacles will come from within. Questions such as, “If I quit my job am I giving up my career? Is this going to hurt me in the long run? How am I going to earn money?” must be addressed before making such a huge change in your life.

2. You need to start with an intention. Once you make the decision that this is something you want to do, you need to commit to it. Starting with an intention allows you to build the confidence you’ll need to overcome obstacles and find more creative ways to achieve your goal.

3. Understand that it may not happen right away. Major life changes like this require a period of transition. Very few of us are in a position to quit our jobs and leave on a plane tomorrow for parts unknown. You have to accept that you’re investing in this process by educating yourself.

4. When developing a location independent business, start with your skills. A big part of being a digital nomad is of course having a location independent income source. More than likely this will be some sort of small business. The first step in creating such a business is to look through your skill set and find something you can offer to people. For example, perhaps you’re really organized and know your way around social media. You could offer your services as a virtual assistant. Everyone has at least one skill that can be turned into some sort of service. The trick is to be creative.

5. Look to existing resources. Platforms like upwork.com and Fiverr.com allow you to put your services out there quickly and easily, giving you the opportunity to build experience and a client base. If you make artwork, you can sell items through Etsy.com. These sites offer you the opportunity to get your business going quickly and easily.

6. Give yourself permission to make mistakes. Understand that, in the beginning, you’re going to make a lot of mistakes – this is the simple truth. If you can make peace with that idea, you’ll be able to weather them far more easily and more importantly, learn from them.

 

The life of a digital nomad is not for everyone of course, but for those with the right mindset and a taste for adventure, it can be an incredibly empowering and life-changing experience. If you’d like to know more about becoming a digit

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