Right after college, I went on a Round-The-World trip for a year. No, I didn't charge my credit cards and delay my student loans, I saved aggressively during college by working a wide variety of jobs, I graduated with savings, bought a rental property and set off to see the world.
I wanted to do it so bad, I put that goal first and did it. And I told everyone who would listen what my goal was. Never listened to the sceptics and just kept at it. While I was saving on my last year of college, many of my classmates were saying things like "oh wow, you are so lucky, I would love to travel BUT (insert lame excuse about money, time, having to look for a job, loving your mum too much to leave her for more than a week, etc)". This very topic I read about regularly on travel blogs, when the writer goes some place nice and the comments are the same "we are jealous, we want to go to XYZ so bad BUT (insert more of the same excuses)".
This doesn't only apply to traveling. If you don't like to travel, that is perfectly fine. Some of you live 5 miles away from where they were born and are living a life filled with happiness and balance. They do not pretend like they would love to be someone they are not. You can say "oh yes, sounds cool, not my scene though", or "nice pics, maybe some day I'll visit", as a way to make general chit chat. But if you say you are dying to go, so sad you can't, bla bla bla... There are NO EXCUSES. You are just lying. To yourself, to me, to society, you may not even be aware of it. What defines you are your actions. Let's look at a few excuses
I have no money
I traveled for a year on $10 a day. I camped, hitch-hiked, and also managed to do things that were important to me like visiting UNESCO Heritage sites or diving. Not an excuse.
I have no time
Time for what? For Facebook, for blogging, for friends and beers? There will always be something. First you graduate, then you get a job, then you have to pay for all the stuff you bought, then you have kids, then you are old. Not an excuse.
I have a family
Awesome! There are lots of families traveling around with their kids over five continents. People have kids in every country, so you can take your kids anywhere. Not an excuse.
I have a job
Me too, or I used to. I have held great jobs related to my business degree in four countries over the past 10 years. Not an excuse.
Stop making excuses. Please.
Ok, enough bashing of the would be travelers. I am a wannabe runner. I love the idea of running, because I love to go places, see the landscape as I go, and I enjoy the idea of pushing your body further. The runners have pretty good bodies too... So here I am, claiming I want to run. Oh, I don't have proper shoes. Oops. That is how it starts. No shoes, it's too hot today, bla bla bla. The real reason is I suck at it, I don't manage the impact well, I am uncomfortable even with a proper bra, and would easily cycle 100 miles, swim 2 miles or walk 20 miles but can't get started with running. And there is nothing wrong with that. I just need to accept my truth and tell it the way it is. I'll never be a runner, for as much as I like the romantic idea. If it were a real goal of mine, I would be running marathons by now.
This post appeared first on Reach Financial Independence.
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