Friends and colleagues ask us sometimes how we came up with the idea to take a career break and travel the world. It’s not an idea you wake up with one day and just do, so what is making you go?

Still the idea is not really unique. A lot people say they dream about travelling the world one day. But then life happens and in the end it doesn’t feel very feasible.

Taking one year off means you will not work, not have an income, and then you run out of money. While some costs keep coming. You’ll still need food and a place to sleep right? It’s also saying goodbye to your comfortable life, where you feel safe, and in which you have limited stress about what’s happening today or tomorrow.  Nothing works better than the daily habits in which you became super efficient over the years. You feel comfortable knowing where you’ll sleep tonight right? And what after this year? Can you just pick up where you left? Or will you need to start all over again?

There are enough reasons to not take the decision. But on the other side there are plenty of pros!

You’ll get to see parts of the world that would otherwise take you 10+ years of traveling. You’ll learn to be flexible and open minded. You’ll grow personally more than in just 1 work year. You can spent more time with your special someone. But most of all you’ll die with memories instead of dreams.

We learned a while ago to choose the direction of life with our heart, not with our head. Decide what you really want based on how passionate you feel about something, then still use your brains to realize it in the best possible way. Use your intelligence to tackle the practical challenges you’ll encounter. All of them can be overcome with common sense and a little help from others (whether closeby or from other experienced travelers that are all over the internet, really). It will make you much happier than being good at something you don’t even like.

So if you ever dream(t) about traveling the world, then listen to your heart and I’m sure you’ll find a way!

“Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that god-damn mountain.” – Jack Kerouac