The Mindset Of A Traveler
There are many different ways one can choose to live their lives in terms of ideologies,
aspirations, and goals.
These things tend to vary from place to place and from decade to decade, and they all have
their reasons as well as good and bad sides.
Throughout our history, we can see that some people find their comfort in traveling.
Although most of the people that adopt this mindset don’t take it to the extreme, some very
impressive records have been set in terms of traveling.
The longest walk without stopping for instance took 2 425 days and was done by George
Meegan between 1977 and 1983.
Another impressive feat is that of Bertrand Piccard and Briton Brian Jones, who were the first
people to travel around the world by a hot-air balloon in just 15 days.
Here we give some more interesting facts about traveling as a way of life so if the above
sounded exciting, keep reading!
We also explain how people like them think and why this is a wonderful mindset, albeit a little
weird at first sight.
The Basics
So, Why Do People Travel?
Travelling is connected with many different aspects of life.
People travel a lot because of work or in order to rest, one because of the different conditions foreign countries offer, the other in order to take a break from their everyday life and return home refreshed.
Different reasons can be for fun (going to specific destinations, events etc.), to visit friends that live far away, or to understand themselves better by exploring what the world has to offer.
People with the traveler mindset usually fall in the last category.
They see adventure as a mix between all the other reasons and therefore use it as a source of inspiration and a resolution for their problems.
How Often Does It Happen?
More than 1.4 billion people are international tourists each year.
And this does not account for the people that move to live in different countries.
Today around 1 in every 30 people lives in a different place from where they were born, which shows how easy moving has become thanks to modern technology and the ability to work from anywhere.
Another interesting fact is that northern Europeans travel the most, with Finland taking the first position in international travel with 7.5 trips a year.
What Are The Most Visited Places?
France is the most visited country by tourists in the world today.
The most popular tourist attractions are different each year, but the Eiffel Tower, Times Square, the Wall of China, the Colosseum, and the Taj Mahal are pretty much always in the top 10.
The situation is very different, however, concerning where most people move to live.
The most popular places here include Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Japan, and Qatar, mainly because of their high quality of life and good conditions both for people born there and for foreigners.
The Mindset
What Is The Traveler's Mindset?
This is the way of thinking that predisposes curiosity, open-mindedness, and appreciation for the moment.
It's important to mention that this mindset needs a fair dose of bravery and can put some aspects of life to the test.
However, if you’re the type of creative-thinker these people usually are, you will have no trouble
figuring out flexible ways to deal with similar issues.
Having a sense of adventure leads you to new places and experiences, teaching you a lot about the world and yourself, and the people with this mindset put these values at the top of the list.
The traveler’s mindset is based on exploration and living in the present, opposing the more common idea of always looking in the future.
What Are The Main Reasons Behind It?
Adventurers feel a deep connection between themselves and the world and want to build their way of life based on it.
Challenging themselves in order to learn but at the same time being appreciative of everything they have and are surrounded by, are the main reasons most people adopt this mindset.
A different but also crucial aspect of it is being more understanding and feeling more connected to yourself and others as well as enjoying different points of view, habits, and ideas.
People with this mindset find it relaxing to travel and nurture their creativity and resilience, having different places be a source of inspiration both for ways of rest and hard work.
How To Build it?
Most people with this mindset believe that the most important part of it is learning to be in the moment.
Once you have that down, taking the actions you want is much easier, and it always leads to more curious situations and places.
Learning to be okay with the ever-changing surroundings is also very important, and it teaches you compassion and resolution.
While that isn’t simple if you start by appreciating the differences between each one you’ll be better in no time.
Another aspect is understanding and treating yourself as well as you can - you are the master of your own journey, and it can only be as good as you make it.
Self-acceptance is one of the core reasons for this mindset to be so positive both in the sense of being good for you and making your outlook on life a better one.
With these ingredients, becoming a true adventurer is just a matter of time.
Traveling as a way of living is not for everyone.
It takes time and effort, and most of the time, it changes your life completely.
However, if you find yourself imagining living this way it’s never too late or too difficult to start.
Having a traveler’s mindset will inevitably broaden your horizons and teach you things both about the world and yourself you otherwise will not be able to experience.
Although it can be hard to imagine at first, adopting this way of thinking and living is proven to be one of the best and most positive decisions a person can make.
With all this being said, we hope to see you in different countries, trying different things, and exploring new horizons very soon!
Explore the world to truly understand it.
Justin Donne is a business strategist, coach, consultant, author of several books on Business and Influence, speaker and trainer.
He is a Non Executive Director at ACT. www.linkedin.com/in/justindonne