I’m not saying that guys have to travel the world to live a good life, but if you get the opportunity, travel can teach you some invaluable life lessons. It can open you up in a way you didn’t think was possible.
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As you read this, I’ll have been in Spain for two weeks. I’m writing this article from a café in the Gran Via area of Madrid, Spain. In two days, I leave for a weeklong trip to Marrakech, Morocco. My expenses were covered, and I was paid a generous fee to come and speak at a company that has offices in these two countries.
Creating the life I live now, and the travel, have taught me what it means to truly live life.
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For 12 years, I was a bread delivery guy from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Today, I write, speak, and consult. I get paid to do consulting work and speak at conferences that take me all over the world. In the next year, I’ll be speaking in eight different countries.
Creating the life I live now, and the travel, have taught me what it means to truly live life. I’m not saying that you have to travel the world to live a good life, but if you get the opportunity, travel can teach you some invaluable life lessons. It can open you up in a way you didn’t think was possible, and help you understand yourself a little better. Here are a few of the lessons you learn.
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Stepping Outside of Your Comfort Zone Leads to Opportunity
There are more times than not when you have to step outside of your comfort zone while travelling. You may not speak the language in the country you’re visiting, and there will be things about the culture that are different. This can lead to anxiety or growth.
Just outside of your comfort zone is a new level of opportunity. It could be a better job or business that could be waiting for you. It could be the chance to meet a new special someone in your life. It could be an exciting and once-in-a-lifetime experience. You’ll never know if you only stay in a place that doesn’t challenge you to grow.
Sometimes Plans Fail and That’s Okay
Before you travel, you try to get a plan in place for what you want to do in that destination. Often, those plans end up getting derailed or don’t happen at all. There are many components to travel, and especially internationally. Plans often change based off of the situation.
We make plans in life, too, and often nothing goes according to plan. Life throws unexpected situations at us. You can view these unplanned, and maybe unwanted, experiences as hardships or an opportunity to grow. Your choice will greatly affect the outcome. Things may not go as planned and that’s okay. Choose to learn lessons and grow.
There’s a World of Possibilities When You Change Your Beliefs
Being able to travel opens your mind up to an existence beyond what you know and are used to. Changing how you see and understand certain situations is one way to grow, and an important component in living whatever your “dream life” looks like to you. To get there, you can’t listen to self-limiting beliefs, doubt, or the negative voices of small-minded people.
Never Settle for Complacency
Once you visit one new country, you get the urge to want to see more. You develop the desire to see the world and expand your knowledge beyond what you’re used to experiencing. Although you’re grateful for what you have in your life, you don’t want to give into complacency.
Don’t be afraid to experience new cultures. Don’t fear what you may not understand.
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You can be grateful, yet still want to experience more. You can appreciate your life while wanting to live out big dreams and goals. Travel can teach you the difference and how not to settle. It helps you see what’s possible when you change what you believe.
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The cost of travel today is cheaper, and there are many more options. If you have the chance to go to a cool new destination, relish and appreciate the opportunity. Live in that moment and soak in the lessons that are all around.
Don’t be afraid to experience new cultures. Don’t fear what you may not understand. These are lessons you will use in every other area of your life. Life is short. We only get one life and one chance to live it the way we want to. Oscar Wilde said, “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” Spend each and every day living.
Are you planning on traveling in the New year?
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Photo is author’s own.
Great perspective. I’ve been to a few countries because of work and you’re right, that first taste of living overseas makes you want to do it more. This year so far, I’ve been to Curacao and Cabo. Eventually, I hope to have the opportunity to visit a new country 3-4x/year. For so long, I made excuses that I couldn’t afford it or it took too much planning. But that was just my own apprehension. We often talk ourselves out of great opps because of internal reasons. It’s interesting to see what a difference a few weeks somewhere new can make.
Years ago while in college, it was cool to hitchhike through Europe. In some ways I wish I had but I have no regrets. I grew up traveling throughout the US and Canada and it was cool, even when I was a young teen with mom and dad, spending time in the mountains was great. I spent the summer of my freshman year in Hawaii. But Europe? Wasn’t in the cards.Until last summer that is. My wife and I spent almost a month going through Germany, Austria and Italy … “Amazing” doesn’t even describe the the time my wife and… Read more »
Some great wisdom and energy there Kimanzi, traveling the world is incredibly fun AND definitely a game changer. Meeting people from all different cultures really shows us that we’re all the same at the core, plus like you said, getting outside the comfort zone opens ALL the doors to opportunity from many different places, including our own souls. Keep doing your thing brother!
Mahalo, Scott 🙂
Scott, I couldn’t agree with you more. I strongly discourage “tours” in that ya really don’t get a true feeling of the cultures. The places we stayed had no pretense, they were simply real families we stayed with. I even got to cook polenta over a kitchen fireplace. … food was amazing.