johnbernstravelblog

The idea is simple:

I drop everything I am doing HERE: I store or sell my belongings and put my life on mothballs. Then I am free to go THERE, wherever there may be.

I have done it before. It was a big leap. It was scary. But I did it and I enjoyed it. It was one of the best times of my life.

So why do I feel so nervous now?

It all started last Sunday when I was chatting with one of my friends from Thailand. I was bemoaning the fact that I had been laid off and that new work was hard to come by.

“Why don’t you just get rid of all the stuff you don’t need, put the rest in storage and come over to Thailand? Get a hut on the beach, dedicate yourself to making enough money off the web sites you have, take some time to travel and, while you at it, blog it all.�?

Well, it struck a chord. Why not?

That’s when the demons in the back of my mind chimed in. The demons always have lots of reasons for you to not do things–and they aren’t shy about speaking up.

“That’s irresponsible.�?

“You don’t have the money.�?

“What about your career?�?

“Shouldn’t you be thinking about financial stability?�?

“What about the bills? You have bills that you need to pay.�?

My heart said “do it, give it all up, travel and dedicate yourself to getting your travel web sites up and profitable�? but in the back of my mind, the demons were, in unison, chanting all the reasons not to go. They can be loud and very hard to ignore.

For two days I sat on the fence. I thought about it. I weighed my options. I mulled it over. I deliberated. Back and forth, back and forth. Yes. No. Yes. Maybe. I don’t know.

I was suffering from a bad case of existential angst.

I couldn’t sleep. I was miserable.

After three restless nights I decided it was time to take action and make a decision.

I knew what I had to do. It’s a drastic measure, but it works.

I used motivational quotes on myself.

I pulled up one of my all time favorite quotes, the quote that inspired me to take my first long overseas expedition:

“The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.�?

William Hutchinson Murray (1913-1996), from his 1951 book entitled The Scottish Himalayan Expedition

And he closes the book with one of my all time favorite quotes from Goethe:

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

It had the same effect that it did the last time. I read it and everything jelled in a moment of complete and total clarity. I decided to go ahead to making the trip even though I was not 100% sure how I would do it.

In a flash, the world changed. I felt at peace with my decision. The angst evaporated.

Once I was totally commited I KNEW it would all work out.

Committing to what you believe, what your heart desires, makes all the difference. Once you commit, you free yourself from the fog of indecision and your path becomes strikingly clear.

So, I am off on a new adventure. I am off to Thailand to start an online travel guide with my good and long-time friend Arthur. I am off to Thailand to work hard. I am off to Thailand to travel and have some adventure.

So my advice for fellow adventurers is this:

Fear and indecision kill too many dreams.

You can always find a ‘good’ reason—even many ‘good’ reasons—not to follow your dreams.

You have to ask yourself: is it really reason that is speaking to you, or is it fear wrapped in the cloak of reason?

That simple fact is this: to achieve your dreams it sometimes requires that you be unreasonable. Instead of taking the safe and comfortable path you can decide that, by sheer will alone, you will follow your dream and succeed.

Once you commit, the fear melts away and obstacles seem trivial.

Go ahead. Commit to it. You know you want to…