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Do What You Want

February 7, 2012 By Sean Ogle

If you’re a regular reader here, you know that I’m usually pretty good about posting on Mondays and Thursdays. That has pretty much gone out the window over the last couple weeks and for that I apologize.

This trip has been unlike any other I’ve experienced in quite some time.  Over the last two years my travel has usually been either longer term, where I have the chance to get into a routine and have no problems adhering to my *extremely rigid* posting schedule.  Other trips are usually less than a week and are very purpose oriented; I’ll setup a post before I go, and I won’t have to think about it on the day of.

This trip however has been very different.  It’s a two and a half week trip that’s included three very different phases, from internetless jungle retreats to destination-that-shall-not-be-named (until next week), and now to tourist-y high life.  Because of that I’ve found it difficult to really get into a routine and into my normal writing mode.

At times when I write on this site it may seem as though I can easily work anytime anywhere.

If only that were true.

This go around between being constantly on the move, surrounded by interesting and inspiring people, and more often than not having no modems or routers in sight, I’ve had trouble staying focused long enough to sit down and actually write something that adds value to your life.

Then I began thinking about the idea of what I should do when traveling, vs. what I want to do.

There’s a fallacy that whenever you’re traveling, abroad, or “being a location rebel” that you need to always be in tourist mode.  It’s easy to think that if you’re in a new place for only a set amount of time that you have to go out and see everything – because well, that’s what most people do.

The reality is nothing close to that.  The reality is that how you choose to see (or not see), experience, and spend time in a place is totally up to you.  If this lifestyle is something that’s appealing to you, you’re going to need to get on board with this notion really quickly.

I had an interesting conversation with a friend last week who really likes working alone.  He enjoys being able to lock himself in a room, code all day, and not be bothered.  The same guy is also interested in doing some travel over the next year, and was afraid that meant always being around people,  taking touristy excursions and generally not being able to work the way he likes to.

I think a lot of people feel this way, and if you’re one of them, you should know that you can spend all day working from a hotel room or an apartment, not see a thing, and that’s just fine. On the flip-side, if you work best in one hour bursts in between roller coasters and water slides, then by all means, grab your computer and work from Disneyland for all I care.

I say that somewhat flippantly, but the reality is I struggle with this a lot.  For instance I’ve been in Playa del Carmen for the last five days.  I’ve never been here before, and I know there are some incredible places in the area.  Chichen Itza, Tulum, Cancun are all just a short bus ride away and are places that at some point I’d like to see.  My initial response among showing up was that I needed to go out and see all of these places.

“Screw work, I can always do that later,” would be the mentality that I usually take.

Then I came to a realization. I don’t have to do any of that stuff. Sure I can if I feel like it, but this is my trip, my life, and I can do whatever I want.

If that means I hole up and spend every day in my apartment working on my latest projects or watching reruns of Full House, so be it.

Note: There is no Full House in Playa.

Just because you’re in a different place, doesn’t mean that your life or work has to be any different.

My friend likes to work alone.  He was concerned that he’d have to spend all day in a coffee shop or a coworking space with other travelers if he decided to move abroad for awhile.

While some people (including myself) really enjoy that, many don’t, and that’s cool.  I hate the term, but I’m gonna say it anyway, lifestyle design is all about your ideal lifestyle. 

You can do whatever the hell you want to do.  It doesn’t matter what other people think or suggest you should do, it comes down to what works for you.

To outsiders my life may seem like a permanent vacation.  In reality, I work just as much as everyone else.  Just because I’m near a beach doesn’t let me off the hook for that – nor would I want it to.

I’m starting to ramble, but there’s an important message in here.  The message is do what you want.  Everywhere there are preconceived notions about how things should be.  The beauty of this lifestyle is that the only thing that matters is what you want it to look like.

For anyone that happens to be in Pittsburgh on March 4th, I will be speaking here.  Would love to see you if you’re in the area!

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Filed Under: Lifestyle Design: How to Create the Life You Want

Comments

  1. Deacon Bradley says

    February 7, 2012 at 8:55 am

    Thanks for sharing this inside look at something I really want to do Sean! I guess I hadn’t made my ultimate vision of location independence 100% real because I wasn’t accurately envisioning working surrounded by vacation atmosphere (much more challenging!).

    I believe you perform like you practice. So to me this means I need to be training NOW to work even when exciting things beckon in my own town. Without that discipline how else could I ever make it working from the beach?!?!

  2. Terrick says

    February 7, 2012 at 9:24 am

    The fear of uncertainty and the unknown allows everyone to make all kinds of excuses why they cant be living their dream lifestyle. Until you come to the point of saying: (screw it) and just going for it into the uncertainty of how things will work out, nothing happens. I liked the way you finished the post by saying: “The beauty of this lifestyle is that the only thing that matters is what you want it to look like.” Sooo True!

  3. Sarah says

    February 7, 2012 at 9:24 am

    Amen. The whole point of the thing is that there’s no right way to live your life, isn’t it? I know for me, I’ve worked from my favorite bar in St. Maarten before and just being able to feel the breeze and smell the ocean makes the experience of working so much better – I don’t need to be on the beach – but to each his own. 🙂

  4. Janet says

    February 7, 2012 at 11:01 am

    I think I like the idea of being able to switch it up. I normally like the idea of working alone, especially when writing (less necessary when designing).. but the coworker space sounds interesting and something I’ve yet to experience in that sortof way.

  5. Ryan says

    February 7, 2012 at 12:08 pm

    A “destination-that-shall-not-be-named”… I bet you had a cigar.

  6. Jeffrey says

    February 7, 2012 at 12:15 pm

    I can see this being challenging. Having never really done my work on the road (never mind in foreign countries), I often think about how difficult that would be, especially if you’re in some sort of “tourist” mode. At the same time, if you treat it like a regular day in your life, I can see how you can fit in both pleasure and work.

    Congrats on the TEDxCMU speaking gig! That’s awesome! Looking forward to watching the video!

  7. Michael White says

    February 7, 2012 at 10:04 pm

    I’d like to be sitting on a beach drinking a mimosa and eating lobster dipped in butter with the option of working as much or as little as I’d like and traveling where-ever I want, whenever I want. I’d like to live indefinitely, along with all other peaceful humans. I would like to be able to travel to other planets. I think I would like all that. It may be impossible right now. But there is the potential that all of that would not be impossible in the future, it seems. That is what I would like, for real. Lolol. I think that I’d also like to have multiple wives like that guy on that show Sister Wives. That seems wonderful. Lolol.

  8. Jennifer Blair says

    February 11, 2012 at 9:29 am

    Sean–

    Your post struck a cord with me, especially the thought that when you are traveling or vacationing you need to own the experience as your own. And if that is hanging out in a hammock all day instead of going on the snorkling tour, then that is okay. It is your trip.

    I find that I become much more creative and in tune with my inner voice when I travel as the noises of everyday life fade away. The people that I travel with have come to expect and respect my need to find a quiet space everyday to write and process the day.

    Thanks again for the post.

  9. Heather Rae says

    March 8, 2012 at 10:56 pm

    Great post, Sean. I’ve struggled with this at times too. Like when I was in Luang Prabang and decided to stay in and quite literally watch tv and sleep all day. I felt so guilty. But what the hell for? No one was there to tell me I was doing it wrong, yet I still imagined my friends’ voices telling me what a waste of a day it was. In the end, you’ve just got to make yourself happy and let the rest go. 🙂

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