Last week I wrote about what it’s like to become a digital nomad these days and shared a few recent podcast interviews.
This week I planned to write about Web3 and some of the interesting projects I’ve come across recently, but then my little corner of the internet blew up a few days ago, thanks to this tweet:
Hot Take:
The easiest way to put yourself behind in life is going travelling for months on end in you early 20's to "find yourself"
It's an absolute success killer and puts you behind the majority.
Why waste the key years of your life meant for building and getting ahead?
Needless to say, I couldn’t disagree more (I finally understand what the phrase “triggered” means). I feel so strongly, that I decided to make this the topic of this week’s Never Normal newsletter instead.
This week I’ve got a three new podcast interviews related to becoming a digital nomad and launching new ventures to share with you (plus a crazy love story).
What’s it like becoming a digital nomad these days?
In the past, one of the biggest challenges of becoming a digital nomad was finding a way to make money without being tied to a single location.
Now, since the pandemic hit and remote work has become much more common, there are new challenges and opportunities for those who want to go nomadic.
What is it like becoming a digital nomad these days?
Over the past year, Justin Gary ditched his office, moved out of his apartment, and got rid of his car to become a digital nomad. Now Justin runs his businesses while traveling and living around the world.
Justin Gary is an award-winning game designer and entrepreneur.
He started his career in gaming at the age of seventeen when he won the Magic: The Gathering US National Championships. Justin then escaped from NYU Law School to pursue his dream of becoming a professional game designer (we discussed Justin’s journey in a previous interview on Never Normal).
He’s since made games for global brands including Marvel, DC, World of Warcraft, and Bakugan. In 2010, Justin founded his own publishing company, Stone Blade Entertainment and released the hit deck-building game, Ascension.
Justin has also taught creativity principles at the Wharton School of Business and to companies including Twitter, Zillow, and Google.
Earlier this year, Justin and I launched Quality Questions together, where we collect and send questions that help you apply the key lessons from self improvement books and lectures to your own life.
Last week I wrote let’s meme the world a better place. This week I’ve got a new podcast episode and an assortment of related things I’ve been learning, listening to, and thinking about.
It all starts with a tiny push
Even though you know exactly what’s going to happen, it’s still pretty amazing to watch this short video (dripping with high school science class vibes), and see that it actually works.
Beyond the physics, there’s an important lesson here about the power of taking action — even a very small action — that kicks off a chain reaction.
Can you apply this to your life or business? What’s the first domino that you need to knock down on the path to achieving your goal? 🤔
BTW – If you like thought experiments like this, check out Quality Questions. Speaking of asking lots of questions…
This week I’m excited to share a new episode of my Never Normal podcast with Paul Millerd.
In 2017, Paul decided to leave his successful, predictable corporate consulting career (working for the likes of BCG and McKinsey) behind to embark on what he calls “The Pathless Path.”
A few people have sent me Simon Sarris’ recent essay, The Most Precious Resource is Agency. In it, Simon asks, “Do children today have useful childhoods?” Not useful for us adults, but useful for their own development.
Tom Hirst consistently earns over $100,000 / year, even though he’s never had proper job. Tom’s found success as a freelance WordPress developer, working on projects for the likes of England’s National Health Service, sportswear brand Umbro, and Facebook.
Tom also writes about the business of freelancing and mentors other freelancers. Tom is the author of two eBooks: 10 Steps To Becoming A Better Freelancer and Pricing Freelance Projects, and the creator of the video course, The Personal Website Playbook.
You can find all of these resources and more on Tom’s website.
By day Alex is a fractional COO who helps technology companies grow quickly without falling apart.
By night he’s a “curator of people” who builds communities wherever he goes around the world, from impromptu 14-person dinners at conferences to a pop-up co-living space in Colombia.
Niall Doherty left his last office job in 2011 and set off on a mission to travel the world while making money online. Since then he’s been to over 50 countries, written a couple of books, and started several businesses. His website, eBizFacts is the best place to find information, reviews, and a much more to about making money online.
They say that the best jobs are the ones you invent yourself. Well, my guest for this episode has done exactly that. Anna Rova is a “feminine embodiment coach” who helps successful women attract masculine, committed men.
Anna is no stranger to success herself. She has changed the lives of countless women through her coaching program, and her podcast, Claimed, is downloaded more than 18,000 times per month.
If you want to become a digital nomad with the freedom to travel whenever and wherever you want, then you are going to need a way to make money that doesn’t tie you to one specific location.
By definition, digital nomads make money by working online, but just because digital nomads work online doesn’t mean that they are all doing the same thing.
There is a common misunderstanding that all digital nomads are computer programmers or social media influencers.
In reality, there are many different ways to make money online and types of jobs that you can do as a digital nomad.
