Building a Thriving Atlassian Consulting Business: Part 8

[#1]

Stop Being Normal

OK, back to my timeline and story. In 2015, my life’s trajectory drastically changed again. My partner Chris and I wanted to live somewhere else but didn’t know where. We decided to sell our stuff, buy a truck and a travel trailer, and travel the United States.

We’re digital nomads. Wikipedia defines this as “people who use telecommunications technologies to earn a living and conduct their life in a nomadic manner.” Essentially, we work remotely, which is common these days, but we’re also location independent. We move from town to town, and we can work anywhere there’s good cell service. Between my consulting business and my travel lifestyle, I enjoy total personal and career freedom.

Ellen Goodman, an award-winning American journalist, says:

“Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for – in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it.”

This was exactly what we were doing. We were tired of being “normal”. We were tired of living up to someone else’s expectations for the kind of life we should have. So, we hit the road in search of some different scenery.

Along the way we caught some big fish, hiked mountains and trails, explored arches and canyons, climbed into cliff dwellings and caves, and did a lot of networking and sightseeing along the way. We’re currently in Florida, which is one of our favorite states.

I’m not trying to convince you to buy an RV and take your life out on the road. I know that’s not the right lifestyle for everyone. But for us, it’s fantastic! It forced me to reevaluate what was important in life and create a work-life balance that I simply didn’t have before.

I challenge you to find small ways to change your perspective and scenery every now and then. It could be as simple as working at a coffee shop for an afternoon or working at the client’s office for a week. Sometimes when I need to get something important done, I lock myself in a hotel for a few days. 

The physical change helps me focus and get things done.

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Part 9: Set Your Ideal Schedule