“Every time I speak to people about what I do as a travel blogger, I get this glazed look like I’m speaking alien. Why is it that no one understands what I do, and why do I keep explaining it over and over with no progress? Am I just really bad at explaining?”
As a Nomad travel blogger, no one really understands WTF we do other than another Nomadic. Our lives are basically exploring a bunch of places where the experiential conversation goes something like this:
Friend: “So, how is that nomad thing you’re doing?”
Nomadic: “It’s going well (not true), but the money on ROI is pretty stagnant and I don’t know if I’ll be able to raise another round of cash for upcoming journeys.”
Friend: “Oh, OK. So what is it that you do again?”
Does this sound familiar? Look, I’ve been a Travel Psychologist for nearly 4+ years and to this day most of my family thinks “I do something with tourism.” This is pretty standard fare, but for first-time Nomad travel bloggers, it often feels like this bizarre version of the Matrix that we’re living in where we’re the only people that really know what’s going on.
What We Do Makes No Sense
Let’s not overlook the fact that the reason no one understands what we really do is because it makes no sense. Rational people (i.e. not us) would go to work at a job where the effort results in real income, days off, and an expectation of more of both. Idiots like us seem way too optimistic about the idea of risking everything we have, exploring parts of earth that no one may want, and likely never getting paid in the process.
So before we even wonder why we have to keep explaining what we do, let’s not forget that our version of life goes against everything a rational person would do for a living. So we’re not just explaining the product we sell, we’re explaining an entire lifestyle, which most people just can’t comprehend.
Only travel blogger Really Get Nomad lifestyle
I have a good friend who is a Special Forces officer in the Indian Military. At our BBQs, he will update me on what he’s up to. Now, at a high level I understand what he does — I’ve seen every 90’s action movie, and I’m sure that’s 100% accurate as to what his job is — but unlike him, I’ve never been shot at! I know what he does in theory, but I have never experienced it, which is how you really know it.
Our friends understand that we travel and that’s our living. But they aren’t lying awake at 3 a.m. wondering how the hell they are going to make payroll next week (and the week after that). A bad day at work for them probably doesn’t mean losing all of their life savings, having everyday stressors come after them for content creations, and angry mobs of social media algorithms to change plans with really inappropriate memes.
But Nomad bloggers get that instantly. When we share our same update with another travel blogger, they not only understand the context of what we said, they understand the feeling of what we said. They get the consequences as they are truly felt.
Just Make it Easy
It’s damn near pointless to truly convey the nuance of what we do because our jobs are mostly an exercise in risk and failure. Instead, our best bet is to translate what we do into a content write, audio, visual context that reasonable people can understand. At Mandeha.com as a Travel Psychologist we’ve got Consultancy service, Travel Psychology course, TTT products, virtual guidance services, and more. But when people ask what I do, I simply say: “I help people with Travel Experience for themselves.” The conversation invariably dies 3 seconds later.
It’s important for us to consider our audience. When we’re talking to Travel bloggers, Tourism business, etc we can get into the details. When we’re talking to gen pop, we’re better off with the caveman explanation.
Pun intended – But yes, grandma, I love you dearly, and I’m still doing that thing with the computer.
Let’s chat – Travel Lovers
We’re supposed to believe that we can build a world-changing startup from nothing while simultaneously traveling to exotic places and enjoying our “best life”. For most of us, that just doesn’t add up. What’s blowing us up, though, is how we approach the problem.
We are NOT our responsibility as human beings can be all-encompassing. We give everything we have to our planet, so how do we NOT attach our self-worth to its performance and well-being?
So let’s explore Mandeha on How do we create a proper balance between growing our family and growing ourselves? Do we have to swim in a sea of guilt through this entire journey or is there some other way to get ahead?
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Exploring new destinations is one of life’s greatest pleasures. From the stunning landscapes to the diverse cultures, traveling opens up a world of possibilities.