Back in 2014, I had a decent-paying job in advertising, however I used to be feeling burned out. I used to be getting bored with the identical routine of waking up, commuting, and spending most of my days within the 4 partitions of an workplace, solely to repeat the identical course of once more the following day. This dread I used to be feeling was thrown into even sharper aid as a result of I had lately returned from a one-month solo Europe journey that opened my eyes to the world I used to be lacking out on. As I struggled to get again into my day-to-day workplace routine, I saved questioning, what if there was one other way of life that will be extra fulfilling? I started imagining life with out monetary restrictions. I noticed that what I actually wished was the liberty to pursue my goals and see the world with out breaking the financial institution. With that imaginative and prescient clear in thoughts, I began to work backward and take into consideration the steps I wanted to take to get there, beginning with creating extra revenue streams to comfortably fund my journey. And in 2016, after about a yr’s price of planning, I left my 9-to-5.Over the following two years, I traveled the world as a digital nomad and constructed a number of passive revenue streams. When I returned from my travels in 2018, I made a decision to take one other 9-to-5 for 4 years. But after a latest layoff, now at 31, I’m formally “retired” from working a day job. I’m now devoting my time to my six present revenue streams that herald six figures a yr, together with my website Digital Nomad Quest and my YouTube channel.Here’s how I set myself up for achievement.I spent a yr and a half making ready my fundsI’ve all the time been a massive saver, however as soon as I locked in my journey plan, I targeted on growing my revenue and decreasing my bills.I spent all of 2015 finding out how to create passive revenue. I additionally took on two extra part-time distant positions on high of my full-time job that allowed me to develop my nest egg quicker. And on the similar time, I additionally started running a blog and promoting digital merchandise like resume templates and printable planners on Etsy to show to myself that I might reach creating passive money circulate.By May of 2016, I had saved sufficient on the facet to cowl a yr overseas, and with these distant facet gigs, I used to be incomes sufficient to assist me transition to pursuing passive revenue companies full-time. So I give up my day job and launched into my new journey overseas.I ended up solo touring for 2 years, residing month-to-month in new locations whereas exploring and assembly individuals from everywhere in the world. I adventured by Europe and Asia to locations together with Greece, Romania, Portugal, Korea, Hong Kong, and Thailand.By the tip of my travels, I had constructed passive revenue streams by a number of signifies that supported me by my journey. These included my Etsy store, turning into a success by Amazon vendor, creating customized attire to promote on Merch by Amazon, internet affiliate marketing, advert income from my weblog (the place I wrote about my experiences), and rental revenue. Thanks additionally to diversified investments within the inventory market, some cryptocurrency and actual property, I ended up growing my web price whereas I used to be touring. This journey finally confirmed me the time and freedom passive revenue should purchase.My perspective about work and what I valued modified While I traveled the world, I used to be struck by how many various approaches there are to work. I got here to perceive that so most of the alternatives I’ve been ready to pursue have been extra accessible due to the place I lived rising up within the United States. In some cities, the typical salaries ranged from $600 to $1,000 a month. It made me understand my privilege, however on the similar time, lots of these individuals who might have earned much less have been extra current and within the second than I had ever been. Many of the individuals I met in my travels prioritized their family members and the issues that gave them pleasure. Meanwhile, so most of the individuals I knew at residence have been extra preoccupied with chasing a very set concept of company success, a pursuit that wasn’t making them any happier.I noticed there isn’t any proper reply to how you need to stay your life. Everyone’s values are totally different, and everybody has a totally different definition of success.I made a decision to come residence and construct the life I wished When I constructed my passive revenue streams I believed I had “made it.” My revenue was overlaying my minimal day-to-day bills, together with airfare, lodging, meals, and leisure, which meant that I might probably proceed this life-style overseas for the remainder of my life if I wished to.But I did not really feel fulfilled from money circulate alone. I wasn’t glad chasing numbers, merely fascinated by how to obtain the following month-to-month passive revenue milestone.I used to be in Chiang Mai on the time, and I knew many digital nomads who have been very content material to proceed on this path. That will be a nice life for others, however I noticed this wasn’t what I wished. I used to be nonetheless younger, and I wished to stay life to my fullest potential. I wished to study, create, and do one thing useful for the world.So I got here again residence to the Bay Area within the spring of 2018 to be round family members, construct abilities, and create one thing impactful. I began instructing individuals how to enhance their funds, construct passive revenue facet hustles, and make investments by my YouTube channel, Instagram, and weblog. And after my two-year journey of seeing the world, speaking to individuals of all walks of life, and constructing passive revenue, I lastly realized what monetary freedom meant for me. I realized that monetary freedom by itself is just a part of the last word aimInitially, to me monetary freedom meant having the ability to journey the world. But at a sure level my priorities shifted, and I wasn’t feeling fulfilled by hitting an arbitrary quantity. I had to reframe what my driving function was.Now, to me, monetary freedom means being allowed to pursue my enterprise goals as an alternative of ready for the precise time. It’s a freedom that lets me deal with my well being and well-being, fairly than stressing over paying my subsequent hire test.It’s a freedom that permits me time to spend with my family members, fairly than working lengthy hours in an workplace. Ultimately, monetary freedom permits me to stay a life that is true to myself.Sharon Tseung is the founding father of Digital Nomad Quest. You can study extra about her by her Instagram, YouTube channel, or her web site, www.digitalnomadquest.com.Sharon is an investor and creator who teaches individuals how to construct passive revenue, become financially free, and design their finest lives by her YouTube channel, Instagram, TikTok, and weblog. She enjoys speaking about investing and facet hustles. In the previous, she graduated from UC Berkeley and labored in Marketing for 10 years at Google and different corporations. She give up her job and traveled the world as a digital nomad for 2 years, all whereas rising a number of revenue streams on-line and thru actual property. More from Grow:
https://grow.acorns.com/digital-nomad-quest-sharon-tseung-how-to-become-a-digital-nomad/