There seems to be a common thread among backpackers planning or announcing their decisions to hit the road and travel the world: there is always somebody telling them that they can’t do it. I don’t care who you are, if you plan on leaving the country to go stomping around the globe, there will be at least one person out there who will resist the idea to no end. It could be a relative, a friend, a co-worker, or just a random person you decided to excitedly share your plans with. They are out there, and they will get you.
When you encounter someone like this, take a moment to see the larger picture and you might understand why they are giving you so much resistance. Do they see the world as full of possibilities, or do they see life only for its limits? Do they seem, deep down, to be truly happy people? Do they worry constantly about their job, their bills, their car? Are they always seeking approval?
Here are the reasons they will give you for why your idea is so terrible:
- It’s too expensive. You have to be rich to travel the world. It’s something to do when you’ve hit retirement, and you’re cashing in on that 401k you’ve been building up your whole life.
- It’s dangerous. The world is a scary place. Who’s going to help you out there if you run into trouble? What are you going to do in a country where nobody speaks your language? The police certainly won’t help you.
- It’s irresponsible. You just graduated college. Maybe you just finished high school and you should be going to college. You should be going out into society and starting your lengthy, life-long climb up the ladder. You should be voting and paying taxes!
It could be that these people would actually love to do something like this but they don’t have the guts to do it, and instead of supporting you they have to discourage you, if only to validate their own failures. Perhaps they have been directing their life down the path of fear and limitation for so long that nothing aside from slaving at a nine-to-five for twenty years seems possible. Are you going to listen to them?
Think about someone you know who is a genuine, positive person. How would they react if you told them you were planning to quit your job and travel the world for a year? They would probably give you a high-five, tell you to “go for it,” and do nothing but support your goals. They see the world for what it is: a place of endless possibility. And that’s the mindset you have to stay in, no matter how many people try to shoot your ideas down.
Stay true to yourself. You have a dream, and you owe it to the world to make it come true. Your crazy idea just might make the world a better place. All you have to do is believe.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Eli, I can relate with this. I remember getting these comments before we left. One even said she afraid I will get kidnapped and sold.
Actually, now that I’ve been on the road for more than 1 year, I still hear this kind of comments from family and friends. The not-so-encouraging comments I hear the most are that we are irresponsibly using up our money in just traveling, and that we need to settle down, have a normal job, and start making babies. I’ve been trying to ignore this negativity, but some of the comments come from close persons to me. I wish I could share my story to them without receiving this same generic comments again and again everytime I’m telling them about my journey.
Isn’t it funny though, how these comments have the tendancy to make us want to prove everybody wrong? They always end up spurring my motivation even more!
That was my experience when I first went traveling. Many of my friends were telling me how difficult it would be to do this. Countless reasons for me to go were given, but I went anyways. Best decision of my life.
Steve – doesn’t it feel great when you prove all those friends worng?