Digital Nomad

Becoming A Digital Nomad | Opportunity & Challenges

For the past years digital nomad has become a buzzword - and something many people aspire to be. But what actually is a digital nomad and how to become one? What are the opportunities and - maybe even more important - the downside that comes with it? Let’s get to it!

What is a digital nomad?

Basically, a digital nomad is an individual who works remotely, using modern day digital technology to make a living. Digital nomads can - and mosten often do - work from anywhere in the world in ever changing locations. All you need is a laptop and a (hopefully fast and reliable) WiFi connection.

“I’m in love with cities I’ve never been to and people I’ve never met.”

John Green

The term remote work in this context does not translate to remote work that is being offered by regular companies. We are not talking home-office or mobile working. Rather, remote work mostly means working from cafes and coffee shops or just from your homebase (in this case from a hotel or an airbnb).

Don’t get me wrong, this is quite nice. But… Have you ever tried working from a beach bar with sunlight glaring on your screen? With no socket in sight? And background noises that can basically ruin every business call you have? And we haven’t even talked about ergonomics, yet…

Beside these downsides, it is quite nice. Choosing to work from a location of your liking. Being able to take a dip in the ocean. Not having to go to the same office five days a week. These are the main reasons why I chose this lifestyle. But in addition to location there is one more important factor to consider - time.

“Everyone is given two gifts: your mind and your time.

It’s up to you to do what you please with both.”

Robert Kiyosaki

Compared to before when I was working at an international corporation I work(ed) much longer - with a lower bottom line. This haircut (probably or eventually) will happen to anybody who starts out. But that is okay. Because you are leaving the old world behind and you enter a completely new one. And there are quite a few things to learn as you go along. That being said, let’s get back to the topic of time - or in other words - working hours.

Basically, I have no regular working hours. Especially not when I am in a different time zone compared to a client. I work when I want to - always keeping deadlines in mind, of course. As a digital nomad - or in other words a freelancer - you work for yourself. With people. Not for people. There is a big difference between these two. You get to set your own schedule. Which is a beauty in disguise as sometimes it can be hard to work productively when you are in a beautiful location - or if you are feeling down - which is not unusual for a digital nomad. But actually, how do you start to become a digital nomad?

How to become a digital nomad?

There are two ways to become a digital nomad. Both start with a (very simple?) thing: Making the decision.

One could argue that making a decision requires knowledge or research before you fully commit to being a digital nomad. I just decided and went for it. Quitting my job, giving up my apartment, selling my furniture and belongings, the whole nine yards. Without having a real plan on how to survive and generate income, without preparation.

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

Peter Drucker

Okay, well, I was prepared. By having some savings that I was able to live off of. But that was it. The rest… I figured it out along the way. Maybe not the smartest way to approach this, but… I landed on my feet alright. Four years after having quit my nine-to-five corporate office job there is no way I will go back to this.

Let me tell you. Before you commit to becoming a digital nomad. Have some savings. Or - even smarter - start a side hustle while you are still employed and then quit with some savings stashed away. That would make the transition a lot easier.

But what does it actually take to be a digital nomad and to be able to generate income? This can be - simply put - be broken down into mindset and entrepreneurship. Let’s start with the mindset.

Mindset

Having the right mindset is crucial when embarking on this journey. Your mind can make or break you. Especially when you are traveling - or living - in a foreign country. Because besides the regular business related issues you have a whole lot of other concerns.

Where to sleep, where and what to eat, where to shop, how to find your way back to your accommodation, where to do laundry here, how and where am I supposed to find a fast and reliable WiFi connection to work and video call properly?

Keep in mind that whenever you go to a new location - you basically have nothing. All that you have you carry in your backpack or bring along in your suitcase. And that’s it. Period. The comfort you are used to from your home might not exist - at least not right from the beginning. Unless you have some cash to pay for this, of course. Money can buy comfort. But not every digital nomad has the cash to spare for this.

It helps to have a minimalist mindset. You actually don’t need that much - or probably not as much as you thought you might need. But this realization will come over time. And it will transform your thinking, perception and way of living.

"Becoming is better than being."

Carol Dweck

In addition to embracing minimalism you will have to be able to adjust quickly and react in flexible ways to (outer and inner) circumstances. Not everything will go as planned. There will be roadblocks and / or deviations along the way. At first you will not see them as what they are, they probably annoy the shitt outta you. But they are lessons and experiences that will make you stronger in the long run. You learn, grow and evolve as you go along.

Entrepreneurship

The same principle of learn, grow, evolve applies to your business as well. You - the digital nomad aka the freelancer - are a living organism. You change over time. And so will your business. Because you want it to (e.g.taking it to the next level) or because you have to (e.g. due to market demand).

In order to succeed as a digital nomad you have to embrace a growth mindset and get rid of the learned, habitual behavior and thinking of an employee. You are no longer employed. You are your own boss. You have to handle shit. It is up to you. It is your responsibility to generate income and to design your life. Nobody can - and will - do this for you. This is entirely up to you.

“Winners never quit and quitters never win.”

Vince Lombardi

Simply put, business is basically about trading. For example you trade products or services in exchange for money. In addition to doing this you also need to take care of other areas of your business. For example you have to handle your accounting, do your taxes and take care of marketing. Or when it comes to growing your business or outsourcing. Handle the HR part, look for freelancers, create job postings and do the payroll. There is a lot associated with being a digital nomad and running a business. And this is one of the challenging parts of being a digital nomad.

Opportunities & challenges of being a digital nomad

Becoming a digital nomad and embracing this lifestyle comes with certain hardships and challenges. It is not all beautiful as some posts or reels on instagram might suggest. For me, personally, the hardest part is to take responsibility for everything - and that includes planning and acting on it.

"One of the huge mistakes people make is that they try to force an interest on themselves. You don't choose your passions; your passions choose you."

Jeff Bezos

As a digital nomad you have the freedom to live and work wherever you want. You can pursue a business venture or career path that you are passionate about. You can allocate your time as you see fit. There are a lot of options and possibilities. And sometimes it is difficult to choose and pursue one. Sure, no need to limit yourself, you can pursue multiple things at once. But there are only so many hours a day and your energy and focus is limited as well. Plus you need to re-charge and enjoy life a little. It is about finding the balance that is right and good for you. And this is what I’m still struggling with.

There is so much more to learn, there are so many untapped potentials that I yet need to explore. But I’m going to. One day at a time. This is no race. It doesn’t happen overnight. It’s more like a marathon. And that’s fine for me. I’m in it for the long run.

“Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.”

Jim Rohn

One big upside is that you (theoretically) have the possibility to see and explore the world as you are able to work from anywhere. Which sounds great again. And it actually is. But… I spend much more time in front of the laptop than I thought I would. And therefore don’t get to explore my surroundings as tourists normally do. Which again, is okay. Because I am not a tourist. I am a traveler. Passing through. But currently living and working here.

In the beginning I traveled quite a lot, always on the move, crossing borders. But this shit gets exhausting. For me, personally, two weeks in one place is the minimum. Four weeks for one country. Otherwise, it is too much for me. Maybe because I am getting old? Or because I actually prefer to - kind of - settle in one place for some time, explore the surroundings, connect to locals, establish a routine. Living a - kind of - mini life.

No matter if you are on the move constantly or if you live in one place for four weeks. At some point you will be gone. And so will the people you meet along the way. You will be lonely. And this can happen even when you travel with a partner - even then you can feel lonely. Which is pretty common for digital nomads, sometimes shit gets to you and overwhelms you. But this is all part of the journey. Important thing is to get back up the next morning and keep moving forward. And trust, you can, you got this!

Being a digital nomad key takeaways

Being a digital nomad is actually kind of great. It is a whole new experience going on this journey. Not knowing what will happen, who you will meet and where you will end up. But that also means you will not always be able to plan (e.g. financial security) and that you will not always be able to spend time with loved ones (e.g. friends and family). When you embark on this journey you will realize that this is all on you. You are in charge. Making it happen. Or not. It will not be easy. It will not always be smooth. But… Will it be worth it? There is only one way to find out. And honestly. If you read all this… Make a decision. Because better to do it than to wonder and - maybe - regret later.

“Live now, there's no promise of a second time around, put it down,

we'll just live now, there's no reason why you shouldn't, everything is up to you, all you gotta do is just, live now, don't forget to bro, yeah

cause I promise you you'll regret it bro”

Nas - Live Now