GloboTreks is reader-supported through affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! – Norbert
Do you have huge dreams for yourself? Do you want to travel the world, experience something new, or become the best version of YOU?
I’m here to tell you: Know that you can do it!
I have compiled this guide, based on my own experiences and success stories, to inspire you to dream big and work towards your ideal life.
Before starting this blog, I had some incredible (possibly unrealistic) travel goals. In order to achieve them, I had to apply positive thinking and the mentality of “I’m free to follow my dreams!”.
Believing In Myself And My Dreams
So, let’s rewind to several years ago; when the thoughts of traveling the world were starting to brew in my mind. I was in high school in Puerto Rico and had no money, but I had this passion to see more of the world and learn more about it.
Since I couldn’t afford to travel at that time, I would spend countless hours planning imaginary trips on my computer and daydreaming of how that experience would be.
Fast-forward to 2010, when I’m a professional in NYC. The dream was still there, and after years of working and saving, I felt like it was time to turn those imaginary plans into a real experience.
Once I started spreading the word about my plans to do a round-the-world trip, I started to get some feedback regarding this “unconventional” travel style and its destinations.
Suffice it to say that not everyone was thrilled – but I didn’t let that get me down!
(Update: I’ve already spent over 3,600 days traveling around the world! Best thing I’ve done…)
Sharing my dream with others
I’m yet to meet a person who doesn’t have some kind of dream. These dreams or goals can be funny, exciting, unconventional… it doesn’t matter – all dreams are equally valid.
It was tough explaining my dream to travel the world with my loved ones. Although some were positive and supportive, a couple of naysayers had me questioning myself and wobbled my ability to stay motivated.
The plan was for me to quit my job and travel around the globe for a year. I had no solid plans and no job waiting for me on the other side.
Some people told me I was ruining my life, or that I’d never have a successful career.
And perhaps there was some truth in that (there wasn’t), but I had this niggling feeling deep in my bones that I needed to pursue this dream. And what better way of finding out if the naysayers were right than trying to travel and figuring it out as I go?
Don’t Let Someone Else Kill Your Dream
You will always find the gatekeepers who go out of their way to ruin or prevent someone else’s dream from becoming a reality.
And listen, it is good to get an outside perspective on your dreams and whether you’re being realistic or not – constructive criticism is a good thing – but don’t let someone’s negativity hold you back.
Yes, I’ve experienced this before… more times than I can count.
My first trip was a solo backpacking adventure to Thailand in 2008. I got so much negative feedback about the fact that I was traveling alone to a “dangerous” country and that I was “wasting” the little money I had by going there.
But, fortunately, I was (and still am) too stubborn to let anyone stop me. When I set my mind to doing something… I’ll do it!
All you have to do is stay focused and remind yourself why you are doing what you’re doing – what does it mean to you, and what will you be getting out of it?
Starting To Follow My Own Dreams
I did go to Thailand, despite what the gatekeepers were saying.
And I am so grateful I did! I experienced one of the most crucial turning points in my life that made me realize world travel is something I’m genuinely passionate about.
When you decide to follow your dreams, don’t expect things to just fall into your lap.
It took me a couple of years and lots of sacrifices. I had to change my lifestyle, pause social obligations, spend less… all in an effort to save more money to make my dream a reality.
But, the patience and perseverance paid off, eventually!
Doing a world trip had been niggling me for more than a decade, so when 2011 rolled around, I had plenty of confidence that it was finally the time to do it. No matter what, I had a clear vision, and I wasn’t going to let anyone stop me.
And do you know what I achieved? I’ve traveled to 139 countries, flying over 912,000 miles and totaling 2,182 hours spent in the air.
I know that sounds crazy, but it was my dream, and still is, and it has been a truly life-changing experience.
I can’t wait to keep working towards my short and long-term goals and retain my focus. For now, I am happy to make my way to foreign countries. The bigger dream? To visit every single country in the world!
Learning from me
I wrote about my experiences in the following blogs:
- Reasons Why I Quit My Job
- My Fears Of Quitting My Job And How I Overcame Them
- The Steps I Took To Pursue This Dream Of Traveling The World
These may not be the exact feelings, fears, and steps you may need to take to achieve your dreams, but my process could serve as inspiration to set your own course.
You can take what you think resonates and works for you, and turn it into your own process to build a plan to reach that dream of yours.
How To Follow Your Dreams
Knowing how to follow your dreams may sound like wishful thinking or something you’d say to a kid, but anything is possible!
Here are some of my top tips to chase your dreams, which I applied in my own life:
- Write down your dream or goal: It may seem simple, but writing down what you want to achieve allows the dream to escape your head and become locked in reality. You can’t ignore something if you have to read it every day!
- Create a vision board: This can be an online Pinterest board of where you want to travel, words cut from a magazine to inspire you, or even just words that motivate you.
- Remain positive: Your mental health is important. If you slip into a negative headspace, you’ll be less likely to want to achieve your goals. By staying positive, you will stop thinking about everything that will go wrong, and instead figure out how to move in the right direction.
- Break your goal into doable actions: Saying “I want to visit every country in the world” sounds nice, but how will you do it? By breaking down your dream into actionable steps and short term goals, you will remain motivated.
- Stay humble and learn from mistakes: If you tackle a task with too much confidence, you might mess up, and then kick yourself for your flaws. Instead, stay humble and learn from your failures. If you tried to save money but had to suddenly pay to fix your broken car, that’s okay! That just means in the future you’ll know to set money aside for emergencies, too.
- Ignore the naysayers: I mentioned it above, and I will say it again: Don’t let other people’s opinions get you down!
20 Reasons Why Everyone Should Follow Their Dreams
It can be tough when most people tell you you’re insane, or that you’re never going to do The Thing you set out to do.
So, to keep you focused, here are 20 reasons to ignore all the negative naysayers and work towards your ultimate dream:
- The only “yes” you need to follow your dreams is your own.
- If you don’t, you’ll 100% regret it later in life. If you delay now, and finally do it, you’ll ask yourself why you didn’t do it sooner.
- You will feel unaccomplished if you don’t follow your dreams. This awful, heavy feeling will eventually stop you from dreaming altogether – and what a sad life that will be.
- You will feel incredible as you prove gatekeepers and naysayers wrong! As Walter Bagehot said; “The great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.”
- People who follow their dreams are doers. Doers have more power to create, influence, and change their environment… and eventually the world.
- Your life will become much more memorable! Yes, there might be unexpected turns, but those speedbumps are exciting and make amazing memories.
- Any challenges you face on your path will help you grow and force you to step out of your comfort zone (which is a good thing!).
- Following your dreams will force you to take chances, and taking chances brings more opportunities.
- Are you afraid? Good! Fear makes you feel more alive. Power right through that fear, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Elbert Hubbard once said, “The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.”
- Your dreams and the actions you take define you. Don’t let anyone else define you!
- You will inspire others you meet along your journey to follow their dreams.
- You will become a much more interesting person.
- Challenging the status quo is really empowering.
- You are no longer limiting yourself to what everybody else is doing.
- Accomplishing your dreams will spark even bigger dreams. (Following this dream made me realize an even greater one: I became location-independent!)
- You have a purpose to live for (a great booster for your mental health).
- Even if your dreams fail, you’ll feel proud you gave it your all to accomplish them. Dreamers fail now and then, but they also learn more in life. You learn from failure. So, dust yourself off and try it again.
- It leads to personal fulfillment and satisfaction. You will feel much more content – something money can’t buy.
- Pursuing your dreams will result in a legacy of courage. You’re setting an example to others, showing them it is possible to break free from social expectations.
- It’s your life, live it under your terms!
Tips For Those With Travel Dreams
Do you have your own travel dreams you want to pursue? The most challenging part may just be where to start. So here are a few steps you can follow to help you achieve your goals and make amazing friends all over the world.
- Set a travel goal: The first step is to identify your travel goals, whether it’s to visit a specific destination, explore a new culture, dive deep into a few countries, climb the seven summits, or see every country. It’s your travel goal, so anything is valid.
- Develop your vision: Outline the steps you need to take to make your travel dreams a reality. This can include researching destinations, finding accommodations, and booking flights. For those looking to live more like a local in a foreign country, maybe even learning the language can help you get closer to achieving your dream. This is just an example, but a clear vision will help you stay focused on the real tasks at hand and your goals.
- Stay inspired: Follow travel blogs, social media accounts, and travel magazines for inspiration and motivation. And even once you’re traveling, stay inspired by the people you meet on the road, their stories, and their unique experiences.
- Learn about different cultures: Immerse yourself in different cultures by reading books, watching documentaries, and trying new foods. The world offers an immeasurable amount of cultural experiences, so you’re free to dive deep in the way that pleases you the most. For example, I love to learn about cultures through their history and architecture.
- Embrace new experiences: Be open to new life experiences, take risks, and stop thinking you can’t do it!
Your Future Belongs To You
I want to add a resource I read before starting my trip. It genuinely inspired me to push forward and still does to this day. It’s a book by Chris Guillebeau called The Art of Non-Conformity. It elaborates on the same 20 reasons listed above and much more!
It’s worth a read!
With some hope, hard work, and a whole lot of stubborn attitude, you can have success in seeing your dreams become a reality.
Are you following your dreams? Let me know how you do it! And if not, know that I believe in you.
Never stop… keep following your dreams!
Images 1 and 2 from Flickr’s Creative Commons.
LET ME HELP YOU TRAVEL MORE BY GETTING ADDITIONAL TIPS AND INSPIRATION VIA THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER.
Plus, receive a short e-book with 15 Beginner Tips and Tricks to Start Travel Hacking!