In this first attempt at a Q&A style pod, we discuss the psychological attachments and emotional barriers that keep us from pursuing our dreams.

How can we juggle these commitments within this free-spirit lifestyle? Is escapism a healthy or destructive mindset to have when starting out? All that and more in the full pod here:

And here’s the Cliff’s Notes:

On the idea of a digital nomad lifestyle as an escape versus a destination:

When initially going down the nomadic path, people often ask what you’re running away from. They don’t see you building a preferable lifestyle. And so you resent the concept of escape.

But below the surface, there’s actually some charm to the idea of escape. If you’re ditching a suboptimal situation, that’s actually commendable – definitely do escape.

The only problem with escaping is that not all escapes are possible here. The type of escape matters.

For instance, no new lifestyle can help you escape from your own personal problems. If anything, being on the road and facing daily changes will magnify these issues and force you to confront them.

On “winning the lottery” and “cashing out” to create a nomadic lifestyle versus slowly building something that enables you to make drastic life changes:

Financially speaking, it should be pretty clear now that winning the lottery is not a prerequisite for traveling. On the contrary, traveling can allow you to significantly reduce your expenses. There are plenty of low-cost destinations where you can live lavishly earning a stronger currency income.

But you do need to win the proverbial lottery in other ways. Most notably: Your attachments.

The biggest lottery win you can have is easily breaking away from your attachments. These are the biggest obstacles to changing your lifestyle, not money.

These attachments can come in the form of career, family, self-perception, ego, self-consciousness, and more. And for some people, life circumstances simply don’t allow for a nomadic transition – breaking away would be too difficult.

On this pull between the desire to travel and the obligation of strong life attachments:

In many cases (not all, but many), these personal obligations aren’t as obligatory as we make them out to be. Rather, they’re stories we tell ourselves – excuses that create a sense of self-importance. Oftentimes, we aren’t actually needed; we just like to convince ourselves that we are.

Again – we’re not trying to be inconsiderate of delicate circumstances. If you have a family member with medical complications, staying put certainly may be the best course of action.

But in many cases, there’s not actually much stopping you from hopping on the next plane out of town.

And a final point on this: Every attachment is a small grave you dig for yourself. Now, some are necessary – some are vital components of your core values – and in those instances, you probably have to bite the bullet and tend to them. But rarely are they forever-obligations; you may have to wait even years, but this dream is attainable if you’re committed to it. The key, though, is not to dig more graves while waiting for or building up to your nomadic life.

On mentally preparing for the digital nomad lifestyle and plunging into it:

Eli: I had nothing but a vague idea in the back of my head. I was stuck in the 9-to-7 lifestyle as an accountant and I just knew something was wrong – my situation was not optimal. And I also said to myself: My obligations are too deep to let go. I was in a very serious relationship… And (even though I hated it) I had spent so many years studying for my profession that leaving it would be too great a sunk cost.

Those were my obligation stories. I wish I had seen them and untied them actively, but I didn’t. Instead, I got a gift from life: In the same month I got fired and my relationship broke apart. And as those obligations dissolved, I realized they were just stories.

Life basically came to me and asked, “What are you going to do now that the stories are gone? Because you told yourself about the different lifestyle you would have if not for these graves. Now show me if you’re serious or not!”

All I can take credit for is realizing that I had lost everything… So I was free to do whatever.

Would I still have become a digital nomad if life hadn’t slapped me in the face? Absolutely not.

On the mental “checkboxes” for transitioning into a traveling lifestyle:

The first one is knowing what you want, which Eli did have simmering somewhere in the back of his head.

The second is proactively dealing with it, which Eli admittedly did not do. He first needed life to throw some serious curveballs.

And then there’s the third checkbox: Not panicking when the opportunity arises. Of course, Eli also succeeded in this regard – he didn’t panic into a new job or new relationship.

Most of the time, you probably need to check off all three. But there is this idea that the first checkbox is more powerful than we think. Sometimes, you don’t need explicit direct action; the mere desire for an alternate lifestyle can be enough to slowly push life in that direction. Maybe… Just maybe.

Where’s the best place to start out? Any recommendations?

If you want to start soft, go to a hub. This helps alleviate any social shock you may face.

And I’d recommend a place that is relatively organized. Somewhere like Budapest, Lisbon, or Barcelona – yeah, they’re a bit more high-cost than some alternatives, but they have established communities and nomadic cultures. Chiang Mai is also a great destination – probably the best one given the low cost of life and extensive communities.

Have some questions of your own? Shoot us a message at info@becomenomad.com and we’ll get to them in the next pod!