How a chiropractor turned internet consultant went from a home body to world traveler
How this world travel thing got started: Joe’s take
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“Follow that will and that way which experience confirms to be your own.” Carl Yung
A few years back I was in transition from practicing in New York City and moving back to Atlanta, Georgia (Story for another time). Starting into a new practice was a tough but rewarding challenge. While looking for something to improve my business acumen, I ran across the book the “Four Hour Work Week” by Tim Ferriss.
I was like, “Are you friggin’ kidding me? Who the hell does he think he is?”
My adolescent raised working middle class sensibilities were screaming,
“No this can’t be”
Needless to say it is now 3 years since I read that book. Today I’m sitting in Rolle’ Switzerland packing for Dublin, Ireland, working on my Mac Book Pro (My lifeline to freelance work on the web), I’m talking with my virtual assistant in the Philippines, researching for a client, and reading the book Vagabonding by Rolf Potts. Not all at the same time, but by the end of today much will have been accomplished. Including plans for checking out a local snowboard factory.
The hardest thing for me about this whole world travel thing was allowing my mind to entertain the idea of a Mini-retirement slash Vagabond trip slash world travel.
My mind questioned, “Who the hell do you think you are? How will you practice and travel?”
I’ll admit I have had an itch to travel since I was a kid. I just love to go places and explore. Sadly enough, I don’t think I’ve ever done enough of it, until now.
No excuses though.
I went to school for chiropractic and practiced for 10 years. I didn’t fool myself into thinking I would be able to continue to practice in one location while traveling abroad, it just don’t work that way.
Something had to change so I could sustain myself while traveling. Deferring my desires to travel the world were only making me miserable in practice.
My choice now is to place my practice on hold until further notice. Scary as hell considering I’m learning a whole new way to sustain us while we travel.
My biggest fear is that the internet will shrivel up and go away while on my travels, leaving me to fend for myself locally.
Hardly likely:
Internet to Surpass 2 Billion Users This Year
Talk about “False Evidence Appearing Real” F.E.A.R.
It’s our fear of the unknown that strikes down our dreams, like a blade on flesh, leaving us to bleed out a slow rotten, cyclical existence of “work to pay bills”.
No More!!
Here are the three things that helped me most get my head around world travel and make it happen.
1. Mind set – Without the right mindset nothing else will follow. Sheer will power won’t do it. A bigger purpose for your travels will be needed. Something other than the spoon fed images by the mass media, of a Hawaiian print t-shirt, khaki short wearing, camera strapped around the neck typical tourist looking American douche-bag. I despise much of the tourism industry as some half baked new world order ponzi-scheme, dedicated to sterilizing your travels while expunging you of as much travel money as possible.
“Would you like to Super-Size your lame-ass bus tour?”
What about the sense of adventure. Hell, what about real adventure? Forget the sense.
Today’s post on Tim Ferriss’s blog:
The Experimental Life: An Introduction to Michel de Montaigne
A commonplace book is a way to keep our learning priorities in order. It motivates us to look for and keep only the things we can use.
Books can influence your mindset, just don’t obsess about how many books you need to gain the knowledge of extended travel. Remember, your book has yet to be written. I’ve only read a handful related to this topic. I found it more important to keep a personal journal over the years. This blog is a part of that journal.
2. Money – Nothing strikes down the fear of world travel more than the thought of money. Admittedly, I have my own hang ups and issues revolving around money. I’m also finding the extended solace of travel offers time for reflection. Reality creeps in when moving forward with extended world travel plans. For me I started working part-time a freelance internet consultant while still practicing chiropractic. From the day we decided to make this trip happen we took action steps, not knowing exactly how it was going to happen. Waiting around for the stars to align opening a portal, allowing you to travel will never happen. There is no real Stargate folks, wake up. My plan wasn’t to toil away for 30 years and then retire. I was tired of deferring my desire to travel.
A respected friend of mine once said…
“Travel when your young and travel as much as you can stand”
This from a man who lived in a castle, drove a Rolls Royce and had plenty of worldly possessions before he passed. Incidentally he didn’t take anything with him when he departed.
No matter where you are at in life you can examine your life and those life possessions you think you must have. Adopting a minimalist lifestyle is crucial for world travel. I recommend it even if you aren’t going to travel, purging yourself of unneeded possessions is liberating and encouraging to self growth. But, A Minimalist Lifestyle Does Not Make You a Better Person. It makes you a happier person.
Besides cutting back of possessions I immediately started working part time online didn’t interfere with my practice and I was able to generate contacts and clients. Budgeting for travel is an entirely different subject for another time. Check out Freelancer.com, Guru.com and oDesk.com to learn more about the outsourcing industry. You can use them to look for work and find outsourced help to help you reach your own entrepreneurial goals. My favorite is oDesk, but check around to find what works best for you.
3. Moxy – Taking flack as a chiropractor is nothing new to me. Jibes about “not being a real doctor” and “how can you really help someone without drugs?” are common place. This has served as a training ground for the flack of world travel. Having the right attitude and a willingness to take criticism and keep rolling are essential. When traveling you get it from people you know and people you don’t know. The attitude of I can, I will and I must is more than a slogan it is an essential mindset for survival.
Hope this helped you understand how world travel is possible regardless of your circumstances. And I also hope it helped you with some resources to get you started. If you have any questions, just drop a line.
-Joseph
Get your travel MoJo on 
That is awesome.
Thanks Brent we appreciate your support. We hope to give you some helpful travel tips in the coming months as well as entertain you. If you like our stuff, feel free to share it.
Hi Joseph – found your blog whilst researching a year off trip in 2014. PLanning to lease out the practice & write whilst travelling. Interesting that you’re doing a similar thing, but you’ve found internet business works. Will look forwards to following your blog. L:-)
Let me know if you have any specific questions, I would be happy to help if I can.