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Escape Your Location: How to Become Free From the Office

Nothing happens unless first a dream. - Carl Sandburg

Ever wanted to escape from the confines of your location, and be do your work from anywhere in the world?

That’s been my dream, especially this year (see my full-time blogger plea). Be able to move anywhere I want and still do the work I’m passionate about. Join me!

Why would someone want to make becoming a “Location-Independent Professional” one of their top goals? Well, the reasons vary for every person, but just a few good reasons:

You can travel. Who doesn’t love to travel? Well, some people might not, but being able to see the world is a desire of many people (myself included). Free yourself from location, and you can take mini-vacations (or working vacations).
You can live in new places. Why must you live where you live? Is it possible to live in the Caribbean, in South America, in Europe, in Japan, in Southeast Asia, on Guam? No doubt, if achieve independence.
No boss breathing down your neck. I don’t know about you, but bosses can be a pain in the neck (present company excluded). I can live without them.
Set your own hours. Yes, this is the part I love. Some companies have a fixation on 8-5, but I like to work early and leave early, and others like to burn the midnight oil. Still others prefer to work in chunks, or not work at all for awhile and then pull all-nighters. Why should one schedule be preferred to another? As long as the work gets done, that’s all that matters.
Freedom. All of the above items talk about freedom in some way, but I thought I should mention it here because freedom really means freedom in every way, not just those mentioned above. Freedom to choose the kind of computer you use, the outfit you wear, freedom to choose what you work on.

There are many drawbacks, of course — from greater expenses to less security to all the problems of administering a business and more — but for some of us, the opportunities and freedom of being free from an office have too great an appeal to let those drawbacks stand in our way.

Options for Freedom
One of the great things about being free of the office is that it doesn’t just come in one flavor. There are about as many options as there are people who have this goal. Some of the main varieties include (but aren’t limited to):

Freelancer. I do a lot of this. And it can be done by many different professions.
Blogger. I also do a lot of this. Be warned, however, that the revenues for bloggers are usually not huge, especially for the first year. I’ve been lucky enough to get some decent traffic in my first year, but most blogs don’t earn very much. It’s more likely to be a source of side income than your main source of income.
Small business owner. Have a small business? It’s possible to run it remotely. Sure, you might not make as much money as you would running it hands-on, but it’s a matter of priorities: do you want growth, or freedom? If you want freedom, you open up some interesting options, especially if you automate it.
Consultant. I’ve thought about this option, and it works for a lot of people in a lot of different fields. Similar to freelancing.
Contractor. Overlaps quite a bit with the title of “consultant” or “freelancer” but there are different options in this area too.
Salesperson. If you sell stuff, you don’t need to go door-to-door anymore. There are other methods you can explore.
Online businessman. If you create a totally virtual business, your physical location doesn’t matter.
Telecommuter. This can work for many regular employees. The key: you have to be so valuable to your boss that he will allow you the freedom to work from home (or from wherever). And you have to be dependable and able to self-manage.
Create a product. Create a product that you can sell online. It takes a big initial investment of time and energy, but once you’ve got the ball rolling and the sales are flowing, it’s mostly maintenance work from then on.
Speaker or seminar-holder. Travel from city to city to speak or conduct seminars about whatever you’re an expert at.

Tips
So how do you achieve this dream? Just as there are many options for becoming free from the office, there are many routes to getting there. I can’t lay out a blueprint for you, but I can share some things I’m learning along the way and some things I’ve learned from others doing the same thing. These are not tips that will work for everyone — they’re ideas, things that work for some people, and things to consider.

1. Dare to dream. The thing that holds most people back is that they don’t allow themselves to dream. Sure, it might be a passing fantasy, but they don’t give their dreams a serious thought. But what’s to stop you? Money? Fear? Overcome those measly little obstacles and allow yourself to dream.

2. Discover your passion. Many times, it’s not enough to just do a job from wherever you please — it’s best if it’s a job you love to do. I’ve written about this before (Finding Your Passion the 10th habit in Zen To Done), but I think many of us get stuck in a job just because it’s what we’ve been doing … without thinking about whether it’s something we love to do. This year, I’ve discovered I’m passionate about blogging, about writing, and I’m working to turn this passion into the way I make my living. More here and here.

3. Do your research. Read about how others have achieved this dream, what steps they took to get there, and what their lives are like now. A great source is Lea Woodward’s new e-book, “X Marks the Spot“. It’s a great read, full of information on how to achieve this independence, written by someone who is actually living the dream. I highly recommend it. Buy it here.

4. Explore your options. What are the various routes available to you to get to your dream? Keep your mind open to opportunities, to new ways of doing things you’re good at doing, or that you love doing. Think about ways to add income streams into your life, instead of relying on a single income stream. Look at ideas that others are implementing successfully, and see if those are good options for you. In the early stages, it can be useful to look into many more options than you’re actually going to choose in the end … and even give a few of them a try to see if they might work for you. See these blogs, to start with, for ideas: Location Independent, Rat Race Escape Artist, and Escape from Cubicle Nation.

5. Lay out a plan. Once you’ve begun exploring your options, you can start laying out a roadmap to get to your dream. Now, understand that this roadmap will change as you go along — think of it as a living document rather than anything set in stone. You’re exploring new territory … it only makes sense that you’ll discover new things, learn as you go, change your mind about some things, and find new options you didn’t even know existed. But the key is to write your plan down … so you have a guide to keep you on track.

6. Consider a gradual transition. J.D. Roth from Get Rich Slowly (he’s one of my biggest inspirations for becoming a blogger by the way) did an awesome post about taking the plunge and pursuing his dream. While the entire post was great, one of the things I loved about his plan is the gradual transition. J.D. isn’t just quitting his day job all at once. He’s weaning himself from the job one day at a time, over the course of a year. This gives him the chance to adjust to all the changes of quitting his job. While you’re considering your options, you might consider this one.

7. Take action. It’s all well and good to make a plan, and to allow yourself to dream, and to consider options and all that — these are necessary steps — but the best-laid plans sitting on a shelf don’t do us much good. You gotta take action. Today. Don’t put it off until next month or next year … do something today to get yourself closer to reality. Then tomorrow, do another thing. One step at a time, you’ll get the ball rolling, and you’ll get there eventually. But without that first step, you’ll get nowhere.

8. Reduce your needs. This isn’t a necessary step, but it’s a good option to consider. Lea Woodward, in the above-mentioned e-book “X Marks the Spot“, says that while she and her husband did reduce expenses, they tried to avoid a “scarcity mentality” … which I think is an interesting idea. But the truth is, if you don’t have as many expenses, you don’t need as much of an income … and that means that your dream is much easier to implement. My favorite book on this is Your Money or Your Life, one of the most amazing personal-finance and life-changing books you can read. YMOYL shows us how each purchase and each expense represents a cost to us in terms of our life … we must work a certain number of hours for everything we buy and spend on. That’s something worth thinking about … are you willing to work extra hours for the things you buy and spend your money on, or would you rather use those hours doing other things?

9. Simplify your work. This, of course, is one of the great themes of Zen Habits (to start with: one, two, three, four, five, six) … but it is especially relevant here. If you want to work on your own, and liberate yourself from the office, you’d be wise to simplify what you do. Eliminate the non-essential tasks, streamline your workflow, focus on the tasks and project and clients with the absolute biggest potential and long-term benefits.

10. Outsource and automate. One of my biggest sources of inspiration, Tim Ferriss’ excellent book The 4-Hour work Week, gives you some great tips on how to eliminate the non-essential and focus on what matters most. But some of the most interesting parts of the book are the sections on outsourcing your life and automating your business. Those parts alone could have been a separate book. They’re not something that everyone will want to implement, but they’re most definitely interesting options that can help many people achieve their dreams.

This, of course, is an incomplete guide. Many of the sources I linked to will help you with more details and ideas … but I’d like to hear from you guys. Anyone working on this dream, or already living it? What are your tips? Share in the comments.

Note: some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you buy these products through these links, Zen Habits will get a share of the purchase (support the site!). However, I’d also like to note that I don’t link to products that I don’t fully endorse, that I haven’t read, or that I don’t think will help you tremendously. These are all great books.

If you liked this article, please bookmark it on del.icio.us or vote for it on Digg. I’d appreciate it. :)

Escape Your Location: How to Become Free From the Office

Nothing happens unless first a dream. - Carl Sandburg

Ever wanted to escape from the confines of your location, and be do your work from anywhere in the world?

That’s been my dream, especially this year (see my full-time blogger plea). Be able to move anywhere I want and still do the work I’m passionate about. Join me!

Why would someone want to make becoming a “Location-Independent Professional” one of their top goals? Well, the reasons vary for every person, but just a few good reasons:

You can travel. Who doesn’t love to travel? Well, some people might not, but being able to see the world is a desire of many people (myself included). Free yourself from location, and you can take mini-vacations (or working vacations).
You can live in new places. Why must you live where you live? Is it possible to live in the Caribbean, in South America, in Europe, in Japan, in Southeast Asia, on Guam? No doubt, if achieve independence.
No boss breathing down your neck. I don’t know about you, but bosses can be a pain in the neck (present company excluded). I can live without them.
Set your own hours. Yes, this is the part I love. Some companies have a fixation on 8-5, but I like to work early and leave early, and others like to burn the midnight oil. Still others prefer to work in chunks, or not work at all for awhile and then pull all-nighters. Why should one schedule be preferred to another? As long as the work gets done, that’s all that matters.
Freedom. All of the above items talk about freedom in some way, but I thought I should mention it here because freedom really means freedom in every way, not just those mentioned above. Freedom to choose the kind of computer you use, the outfit you wear, freedom to choose what you work on.

Freelancer. I do a lot of this. And it can be done by many different professions.
Blogger. I also do a lot of this. Be warned, however, that the revenues for bloggers are usually not huge, especially for the first year. I’ve been lucky enough to get some decent traffic in my first year, but most blogs don’t earn very much. It’s more likely to be a source of side income than your main source of income.
Small business owner. Have a small business? It’s possible to run it remotely. Sure, you might not make as much money as you would running it hands-on, but it’s a matter of priorities: do you want growth, or freedom? If you want freedom, you open up some interesting options, especially if you automate it.
Consultant. I’ve thought about this option, and it works for a lot of people in a lot of different fields. Similar to freelancing.
Contractor. Overlaps quite a bit with the title of “consultant” or “freelancer” but there are different options in this area too.
Salesperson. If you sell stuff, you don’t need to go door-to-door anymore. There are other methods you can explore.
Online businessman. If you create a totally virtual business, your physical location doesn’t matter.
Telecommuter. This can work for many regular employees. The key: you have to be so valuable to your boss that he will allow you the freedom to work from home (or from wherever). And you have to be dependable and able to self-manage.
Create a product. Create a product that you can sell online. It takes a big initial investment of time and energy, but once you’ve got the ball rolling and the sales are flowing, it’s mostly maintenance work from then on.
Speaker or seminar-holder. Travel from city to city to speak or conduct seminars about whatever you’re an expert at.

If you liked this article, please bookmark it on del.icio.us or vote for it on Digg. I’d appreciate it. :)

Posted on 15 November 2007 in Happiness, Simplicity |
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Comments (41)

Lexi Says:

November 15th, 2007, 21:37 pm

i am in the process of doing this! thanks for all your great tips. i’m already reading “getting things done”. can’t wait to check out your other recommendations.

anyway, this whole process has taken me 10 years to go from dreaming to doing — and circumstances have forced me to take the plunge.

i’ll definitely blog about my experience. thanks again!

Rahul Says:

November 15th, 2007, 21:55 pm

This is a great post! I hope it helps people understand that they don’t have to work a 9-5 to make a living, and that they can have some passion in their lives.

Thanks for this post.

Tina Su - Think Simple. Be Decisive. Says:

November 15th, 2007, 21:55 pm

I too am in the process of doing this. I have 6 months left to doing this fully based on my plans.

Tim Ferriss was a big source of inspiration for me. I’ve found outsourcing and delegating tasks to be the biggest help for me personally.

Having a clear, clear vision is also important. I’ve found that it’s hard to reach for something if you are not clear what that thing is. The vision has to be measurable and bounded by a time. And having absolute Faith that you will achive it. Do not worry about the “How” (well, within reason. you do have to come up with a plan.. don’t worry if an item in your plan scares you…). I’ve learned that with clear vision + plan + faith … that ways and opportunities will be created for us if we wanted something bad enough.

I also highly recommend Napolean Hill’s 1930’s classic book on principles of personal achievement: “Think and Grow Rich”

Love & Gratitude,
Tina
Think Simple. Be Decisive. ~ Productivity, Creativity & Happiness

Dan Says:

November 15th, 2007, 22:22 pm

What a great post Leo. This blog has been a huge inspiration to me, and I thank you for your honest posts.

I am in the early stages of simplifying my passions (I just have too many!), and figuring out how to transition to the life of my dreams.

A few websites that I also found inspiring and useful for the nomadic are:
http://www.laptophobo.com
and
http://www.nunomad.com/

Good luck in pursuing your goals, and thank you for your insight!

Best,
Dan

Lea Woodward Says:

November 15th, 2007, 22:23 pm

Hey Leo

Great post, as usual - and thank you for the mentions. Glad you like the book too!

I’m curious…where would your first destination be if you were to travel and work from anywhere?

Lea

MIke Pedersen Says:

November 15th, 2007, 22:26 pm

I am very fortunate that I’ve been my own boss for over 20 years and I’m only 44. My problem is getting out of my home office once in a while. Again, not to say I don’t appreciate my time and schedule, but having my home and business be the same place, it’s nice to get out for a run, workout or even a movie.

Leo Says:

November 15th, 2007, 22:28 pm

Thanks for the nice comments, guys!

@Lea: As I live on Guam, I would probably start with this part of the world — I’ve always wanted to travel through Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, India … so many great places!

Eventually, of course, I’d love to visit Europe, South America, the Mediterranean, Africa, Canada … so many great places! I’ve seen a bit of the US and a little of Canada, Tahiti and a little of Japan, but not nearly enough of the world yet. It’s on my life list.

Leo Says:

November 15th, 2007, 22:29 pm

@Mike, and the others who are in the process of doing this … can you share your tips for achieving this dream? I’d love to hear them.

Craig Harper Says:

November 15th, 2007, 23:25 pm

As someone who has had their own business for the past 25 years the benefits are worth it. There’s an old saying - “Action creates Reaction”. Just start by doing something!
Great Post Leo!

Albert | UrbanMonk.Net Says:

November 16th, 2007, 1:13 am

Brilliant post - as someone who is running his own small business but has worked in the corporate world before, I can attest to it. Once you’ve had a taste, you’ll never want to go back to the 9 to 5 life again.

A lot of the other owners I’ve met and networked with totally agree with me. Some of them have in the corporate world for decades, climbing the ranks, and they always tell me they wished they had gone solo earlier.

Miss Gisele B. Says:

November 16th, 2007, 1:18 am

Referring: Point #8: Reduce your needs!

Leo, that is one of the biggest shocks that most new entrepreneurs will face … regardless of the niche or business they are in.

The reality is that the first few years, you will struggle just to make ends met and it’s important to be prepared mentality.

You may read about it in business books or at business conferences or seminars, but actually living what it means not to be able to afford things that you never have to give a second thought to is quite the eye opener.

Unless you expect this and prepare yourself, it makes being an entrepreneur something that many people will never dare to try.

I have many friends who marvel at the “freedom” I have, but there is a cost that most aren’t willing to pay (I can spell “sacrifice” in every single language and dialect on this planet). Most of my friends could never imagine going without their “stuff” or not being able to buy their “stuff” and it’s impossible not to have to give something up when you take the road of the entrepreneur.

Your post is quite valid, but contrarily to so many get-rich-quick-experts who promote an easy live of “caviar dreams & champagne wishes”, being your own boss can be a steep (and arduous) hill to climb for many years and the only thing that keeps you moving forward is that image/vision/dream/passion you have in your head … even when you cannot not even afford a movie ticket … even when a part of you thinks that you have completely lost your senses for putting yourself (on your own free will) in such a challenging position.

That said, those who stick to their vision, do success in the end and are able to enjoy of the benefits that you’ve listed … that’s where I’m going … straight to the top!

Great post Leo!

Gisele
http://www.mybeautymatch.com

Ivan Says:

November 16th, 2007, 3:55 am

Wow, one of the best posts of your blog (but there are so many “best posts” for me :) ). I am in the situation to ask me the question about alternatives. I don’t like my job and I want to do something else. Now I think about changing the job but perhaps the problem lies deeper: I liked my studies as a sociologist but it is hard to find a job as a sociologist. So I ended in a job that I don’t like. Perhaps it will be better for me to search alternativs to 9-5 jobs. This is the process where I’m in. It’s not easy as I don’t know what to do - I only know what NOT to do - and I don’t see yet my trail but I’m full of hope and faith. I think this is the most important: To know who I am and that my “worth” is not depending on what I am doing but on what I am.

P.S.: It hard to explain this in a foreign language (i’m Swiss and speak German) but I hope, it gives something to you anyway.

Ivan
http://www.blatternet.ch

Mark Says:

November 16th, 2007, 4:28 am

I “escaped” the proverbial cubicle over ten years ago and would not think about going back. EVER!

http://www.mytropicalescape.com/

The hardest part is taking the first step towards removing yourself from you (might) think is essential (money, possessions, etc).

Having said that, we have had extended stays in Central/South America, the South Pacific (Papua New Guinea and American Samoa), and the Caribbean (British Virgin Islands, and now Culebra).

Our wallets are not fat but we do seem to smile a lot :)

Mark

Mark Says:

November 16th, 2007, 5:30 am

ps ~

apologies for the typo above the sentence should read, “The hardest part is taking the first step towards removing yourself from what you (might) think is essential (money, possessions, etc).”

It’s early and I need coffee.

xen Says:

November 16th, 2007, 5:50 am

And just by moving some place else might just be what you need to be free from the office or your boring job.

I moved from Norway to Sweden in hope to find a better job and life. Didn’t find the job, and that resulted in a not so happy life.

I got a job as tech support in the Netherlands and moved there, worked there for a while until I found a job I really enjoy.

I now work as a games linguistic tester. Working with language, analysis and games, three of my many interests.

So I don’t think you have to be a freelancer or your own boss to be free from “the office”. You just have to find the job you love, because getting paid for something you love isn’t really a job is it?

Nice article. Keep them coming. (^_^)

Reader from Russia Says:

November 16th, 2007, 9:22 am

Leo, you is excellent writer! I read you every day. Thanks for interesting posts! :-)

If you go to Russia, call or write me.

Sorry for my english…

Ann Says:

November 16th, 2007, 9:27 am

I think the biggest impediment to creativity and people living the life they want in this country is our lack of a universal healthcare program for all citizens.

Imagine if we had universal health care in the U.S.! Wow! We could all be free then couldn’t we, to freelance, to start businesses, to follow our dreams.

Let’s face it, so many are chained to jobs for the healthcare coverage for their families and don’t have the freedom to go start those projects and businesses. And they are the lucky ones….

An entrepreneur Says:

November 16th, 2007, 9:36 am

“I think the biggest impediment to creativity and people living the life they want in this country is our lack of a universal healthcare program for all citizens.

Imagine if we had universal health care in the U.S.! Wow! We could all be free then couldn’t we, to freelance, to start businesses, to follow our dreams.”

And who exactly will be paying for your freedom, if not the others in the country who are being taxed to provide your pleasure?

That is a childish dream. Adults take responsibility for the impact of their choices on others.

Bill K. Says:

November 16th, 2007, 9:44 am

All of this advice always makes a ton of sense to me, but I never seem to figure out what is my passion. I’m good at a lot of different things, but not great at any one of them. I’m good with computers (and have a career with them) but I’m not the typical geek that wants to know every nook and cranny about them.

But I’ll figure it out, and when I do, at least I have plenty of good ideas on where to go and what to do after that. :)

Carlos Says:

November 16th, 2007, 10:00 am

I´m just a begginer in the Zen Habits way of thinking, but I love the things you post.

It’s amazing the way things can connect, because I’m really tired of my 8-6 work day, the co-workers and, as you say, my boss. So I´m taking a part time job. I think of it like a little step in the free-from-the-office process. The idea is to freelance the rest of the time and eventually quit the job.

I know is not the most estructured plan, but it’s the idea, and I’m planning to follow it.

Dr.Poonam Batra Says:

November 16th, 2007, 11:23 am

An inspiring post, our deeds should make difference in others lives.Besides being a professional, i go to teach the poor children in a school run by convent nuns, for one hour,thrice a week. Doing selfless service to the underprivileged, without any expectation gives immense satisfaction.
Thanks for the tips.

Richard Rinyai Says:

November 16th, 2007, 11:47 am

I have used VPN access myself at times for plugging into work from home. I usually do this when I am sick and don’t feel that I can function at the office.

Thanks,

Richard Rinyai
http://www.theprofessionalassistant.net

Etavitom Says:

November 16th, 2007, 12:34 pm

The Internet has sure given us the ability to do this. Thanks so much for another wise posting. That picture alone has inspired me to work from a new location today…

Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:

November 16th, 2007, 12:55 pm

One of my favorite books on finding your passion and following your dream (and easily one of the best I’ve read all year) is Success Built to Last by Jerry Porras, Stewart Emery, and Mark Thompson.

My favorite quote is this one: “It is dangerous not to love what you do. It is dangerous not to be fully engaged. You must choose a path that you love, for better or worse. If you don’t love what you’re doing, you can be sure someone else will.”

(http://www.amazon.com/dp/0452288703/?tag=varsblah-20)

zero255zero Says:

November 16th, 2007, 14:04 pm

Different strokes for different folks, but I agree with you on working early. When I come into work late, I feel very lazy and unmotivated.

jen_chan, writer MemberSpeed.com Says:

November 16th, 2007, 15:38 pm

First of all, I’d like to congratulate those people who have managed to escape the office life. Working the 9-5 routine everyday can be especially exhausting and there are certainly other alternatives waiting out there. For those who can’t leave work, however, there are little ways in which you can “escape” your office. It’s helpful to step out of the office every now and then and stretch your legs. Should there be a nice restaurant or coffee shop near your workplace, take your breaks there instead of the office snack room. That way, you can have a change of scenery. Even for just a short while.

Punkey Funky Says:

November 16th, 2007, 15:51 pm

I’ve partially achieved what you’ve written about. I may work for MegaCorp, with my official desk in London. However, 80% (or more) of my working week is spent at my real desk 80 miles away in Milton Keynes (ie, at home).

Telecommuting is a skill in itself and not for everyone.
An office provides a lot of structure and routine that some people simply can’t do without, although I’d expect that to be less applicable to readers of this site ;)
Before trying to work from home, ensure that you’re ready for the challenges of managing your own time and delivering results. And watch out for loneliness; it’s all to easy to jump onto IM for company and ruin others productivity!

There are some technical tips that I’ve found useful; I’d be willing to share if anyone’s interested ;)

-L

Teo Says:

November 16th, 2007, 16:23 pm

Thank you for writing this post. Even though I am still studying, these posts really made to think twice about finding a secure job, get married, which is common in Malaysia.

Lawanda Says:

November 16th, 2007, 17:32 pm

That picture of the ocean and 2 swimming people is the most beautiful picture I have seen for a long time. Did you take this yourself?

Mike Pedersen Golf Says:

November 16th, 2007, 19:44 pm

Leo, I innately knew a long time ago I wanted my freedom and to hold myself responsible for my outcome. It has been a wild ride (ask my wife) to say the least, but I would never have done it any different.

I am 100% responsible for my income and supporting my family. At times, it may weigh a little heavy on me, but other times it’s a total rush :)

Chase your passion, take a risk, and don’t look back.

Phoenix Says:

November 16th, 2007, 23:25 pm

I’d like to tell people about the PT way of life (look up “Perpetual Traveler” on Wikipedia), it has a lot to do with this. One of the main tenets is being able to go where you want do what you want, etc.

Nick Grimshawe Says:

November 17th, 2007, 2:51 am

Wow, great article. For me it’s all about Freedom and choice. I don’t really care about the travel, but it’s a great option. For me its about being in control of my day. I want to get up and make decisions based on what I want to do, rather than what someone else wants. I want to ditch the commute, and slow down my day.

I think we all live at a pace that leaves us little time to really enjoy our lives.

Here’s my perfect day.
- long breakfast with time to plan out the day
- take the dogs on a long walk regardless of weather
- Work on my blog, and other projects in the afternoon,
- run a seminar, or speak to various groups. Maybe two or three times a week.
-afternoon coffee at Starbucks in the sunshine,
- evening , a good book, love and hot chocolate.

Next day repeat.

Nick

Evelyn Vincent Says:

November 17th, 2007, 5:47 am

Many of the tips you share I am implimenting in my home-based business. I LOVE it and LOVE this post! To me reading your post feels encouraging and reminds me I am on the right track. With all the uncertainty in the US job market I cannot see how having a regular job could possibly be the right track.

Funny to see it mentioned in your post, just the other day I was talking to my boyfriend about the scarcity mentality, except I call it “poverty mentality.” I had never articulated it before but as we spoke about it the differences were as clear as a bell. It’s been my experience when one doesn’t have enough money and continues to find ways to cut back it’s self-fulfilling - you just get more of the same… less money.

I’ve also found it much easier to simply find or even make ways to to bring in extra money, rather than to cut-back until there’s very little left. For example: it’s more difficult to find ways cut back another $200 a month than it is to bring in an extra $300 a month. That’s not to say one should continue consuming, rather one will find the energy of bringing in a little more more of a positive energy - that little extra can go into a savings account/wise investment. Whereas another cut back may only give you an extra $50, which doesn’t amount to much.

I believe that prioritizing and staying focused while working maximizes efforts and leaves you feeling at the end of the day like you accomplished something.

I also like to have something on my computer desktop, like my blog stats open in a window. It allows me to check/refresh the stats (growing significantly in viewers & purchases), which stimulates me to keep going on the right track. It sure beats only having a To-Do-List in front of my face! I periodically take little breaks to see hw it’s grown by the hour. I think having something measurable with activity really helps me stay focused and psyched.

I also have a 2 year plan with a significant goal. I typically like to work longer hours and more smartly for a shorter duration, than work less and for much longer. I mean, I have things I want to do in my life that require more than a couple hours a day to accomplish. When I stay focused, grow my business, then I’ll have a lot more time freedom and larger chucks of time to do those things I’m working towards.

Vanessa Says:

November 17th, 2007, 6:29 am

Great post, Leo. I went freelance in February and it’s the best decision I ever made. I don’t think I’ll ever go back!

I was interested to see that I took most of the steps you list: the whole thing started when I wrote down a scene from my ideal life, inspired by Steve Pavlina, I think. Then, I’d been doing freelance work on the side for a few years before I went full-time. I did my research, and I asked honest friends whether they thought I had the right skills and personality to make a go of it.

Now I’m looking into starting my own business as a sideline so that I can start making some passive income and do some fun projects I have ideas for. I’m also planning to get back doing a little share investing/trading next year.

I second the recommendation for ‘The Four-Hour Work Week’! Really inspiring and thought-provoking book.

(Leo, if you ever do come to Australia, I’d be happy to show you around!)

Alex Ion Says:

November 17th, 2007, 8:40 am

That’s a very inspiring article.
I love to have my freedom but I do have one question. Should you work for others to know how it is, before you start your own?

Thanks Leo

Isobel Says:

November 18th, 2007, 1:59 am

My husband and I have both been working freelance for over 30 years and it suits us both very well.
One thing I’d recommend to anyone going freelance or setting up their own business - make sure you have enough savings to keep you going for a few months if something goes wrong.
I had to stop work for 9 months this year due to illness. My husband’s earnings were enough for us both to live on during this time so we actually didn’t need to dig into any of our savings. However, just knowing that the money was there if needed meant that we didn’t have any extra worries on top of coping with the illness.
We moved to Berlin in 2006. It’s a fantastic city which we’d be happy to show you, Leo, if you ever get to Europe.

Sajjid Manuel Says:

November 18th, 2007, 10:38 am

Nothing happens unless first a dream. - Carl Sandburg

I agree in a way. But there is another angle to this!!!
A dream is different to reality. In the real world, dreams don’t exist. The word ‘dream’ here refers to, a desire to accomplish ones goal.

Dreaming alone is not enough…one has to act on it. Things are not going to turn out the way you expected. If it does, you’re not on the right track. If it doesn’t? It all comes down to hardship. Now we’re talking about the real thing.

How long are you going to hang in there and stay focused, determines your success. Talking about something is pointless until you keep on acting on it.

The more the competition, the higher the risk and higher the profit is. If you have a passion; if it’s something you love to do. ‘DO IT’ , cause if you don’t, you will regret it for the rest of your life.

Like Nike says, ‘Just Do It’.

Always love the comments on this blog. So much peace, at least so far…lol

Best Regards,

Sajjid Manuel
Founder/Ceo
http://www.blogworkx.com

Leo Says:

November 18th, 2007, 19:00 pm

@Sajjid … I agree completely, which is why Tip #7 is “Action” … you’ve got to take action for your dreams to come true.

The importance of the Carl Sandburg quote is that often we don’t allow ourselves to dream … and in so denying ourselves dreams, we deny ourselves the possibility of dreams becoming reality.

matsonian Says:

November 18th, 2007, 22:47 pm

After reading Tim Ferriss’ book on this very subject I was inspired to develop a personal plan to accomplish this. My solution was the creation of QuickPlanner Plus, and the development of an online software company. It is also the perfect tool for developing your own plan for independent success. Thank you and good living!

Natalie Says:

November 20th, 2007, 18:25 pm

Great article as usual - i’m a regular reader :-)

I’m a songwriter/writer myself (and my blog is about songwriting and music recording for the creative mind). By its very definition, it’s a “complete freedom” kind of job, except when getting pressure from agent & publisher ;-)

Anyway, i just thought that i would add this to the mix as a possibility for those who want to become free from the office.

However, being a songwriter or a writer doesn’t of course guarantee an income - it’s great fun if you are that way inclined but you might work hard and not get much income for a long time.

The New Inspirer Says:

November 25th, 2007, 16:19 pm

Excellent post!

What we’re wondering about is whether new business models might emerge which will make it even easier for people to become “Free from the Office” as you call it.

Take the blogging sphere for example. There are so many excellent sites out there with people going the extra mile to provide beautiful content. However, in order for this to be a viable economic proposition, these efforts basically depend on a pretty old fashioned business model: that of advertising.

Wouldn’t it be nice to see a new business model emerge which makes it easier to economically benefit from providing great content (eg on the basis of traffic generated, in stead of links clicked)? Any inspiring ideas out there as to what the business models of the future will look like?

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