Skip to main content

Have you ever thought about becoming a digital nomad? Hmmm, digital nomads, you say, how annoying are those people? Surely they’ve all got a secret stash of cash somewhere? If you find yourself reading digital nomad blogs, wishing it was you travelling the world, doing what you love instead of revisiting occupational groundhog day, this is for you. If working for yourself and travelling the world sounds like liberation from the rat race but feels like an impossible dream – you’re in the right place. If you’re wondering “What if I could live or work anywhere in the world?” on your commute, we’ve got you covered. We take a look at how to be a digital nomad, what being location independent really means and how you can take the first tentative steps to your fledgling nomadic dreams.

We both used to work 9 to 5 for somebody else (sometimes 6am to 10pm or even longer, but let’s not split hairs). Back then when we were firmly stuck in the daily grind it seemed impossible to find the time to even think about doing it any other way. It’s just what you do to pay the bills. But that was then and this is now. Did we have backing? No. Do we have a trust fund? Most definitely not. Have we been supported by someone else? Nope. But these are all of the things that we thought were necessary to work for yourself, find great clients around the world and be location independent. Now we know that’s not true.

What is a Digital Nomad?

A digital nomad is someone who moves from one place to another, is able to work digitally, changing their location as they do so. Digital nomads travel whilst using technological innovations to work remotely or by working with clients in different towns, cities or countries (sounds good to us). They’ve ditched the 9 to 5 and chosen to work differently. Being a digital nomad is a great way to see the world and use your skills to help others.

What Does a Digital Nomad Do?

Digital nomads live and work from anywhere doing pretty much anything. They might be podcasters, bloggers, vloggers, write e-books, provide online courses or offer virtual services in their area of expertise. If they’re like us, they  might have clients in different parts of the world that they love working with. They find people who need what they’ve got and they go for it. It’s simple supply and demand with a bit of tech thrown into the mix to make it all happen.

How to be a Digital Nomad

  1. Asess your skills. Think about what makes your heart sing. What do you feel passionate about? What are you drawn to? And then consider what your skills are (you have more than you think). What are you good at? Where would you excel as a freelancer? Work from anywhere careers are surprisingly easier to create than you might think.
  2. Start where you are. You don’t need to walk into work tomorrow and make a dramatic exit (tempting as it may be). It’s possible to treat freelancing as a branching project whilst you’re employed (and we’ve coached people who have done this very successfully). Think of this as your beta. Tell people what you’re doing, let friends and colleagues know that you’re starting out as a freelancer and enlist their positive word of mouth help. It might even be possible to do what you do as a remote employee. Be open to possibilities.
  3. Get a website (crucial) and set up social media accounts. Ask people who have worked with you for testimonials, start building your personal brand. Get involved in conversations about your topic. Do your research and take a look at the profiles of people who are already working in your preferred field. Build relationships and establish yourself as a leading voice.
  4. Freelance. If you’re not ready to launch yourself straight into being location independent and want to see what’s out there, consider taking a look at freelancer websites as a starting point. Capitalise on your skills by testing the water whilst you’re still employed. Most freelancer gigs are one off pieces of work rather than long term contracts.

odesk.com
elance.com
fiverr.com 
freelancer.com
guru.com

Whilst we don’t suggest that you rely on these sites for all of your clients, they’re a fantastic way to test out the market and build your experience.

5. Adopt a Growth Mindset. You’ll find that some people will be uber supportive of your choice to be location independent, others less so. Anything new results in a learning curve and there’ll be sh*t pickles along the way (we’ve all had them). A growth mindset is crucial to help you stay the course as a digital nomad. Keep learning and developing your skills to stay one step ahead. And if you fail? So what. Life happens. Learn from it and move on. Take a look at our growth mindset toolkit (below) and surround yourself with likeminded people who support your choices.

Image courtesy of the lovely folk at http://www.unsplash.com

If you like the sound of a nomadic lifestyle and want to set some super achievable goals head over to our free resources to https://planetpositivechange.com/growth-mindset-toolkit/

Leave a Reply