Location independent living is a difficult concept to explain.
Whether you’re currently living a location independent life yourself, or like me you are on your way to doing so, this two minute guide should explain to your nearest and dearest what it’s all about.
- At it’s core, location independent living is your ability to put food on the table from anywhere in the world.
- As an example, if you work for a company from home you are partially location independent. Partially, because if you were ever to be called into head office that wouldn’t be a problem if you live 50, even 100 miles away… but the other side of the world?
- Location independent living can, on the whole, only be achieved through running your own online business (whether that be through selling your own products, affiliate marketing, or freelancing online).
- Location independent living could be achieved through owning a hugely successful bricks and mortar business, but this takes time. We’re impatient, we want the world and we want it now!
- Put simply, if you have somebody to answer to, it’s likely that they will want to see you from time to time. If your company’s in the US and you’re in currently the Philippines, you’re going to have problems.
Why would you want to live a life of location independence?
- You are free to do anything at any time. No exaggeration.
- Setting up online is easier than ever before.
- You aren’t chained to a 9-5 schedule. You can work as many or as few hours as you need or want to. Often times, although stressful, it won’t feel like work anyway.
- Working for yourself is the most satisfying feeling in the world. I remember Chris Guillebeau saying a while back that he’d rather work forty hours for himself than one hour for somebody else.
- If you decide you want to take a round the world trip, or live in a different city every month for a year, you can!
- Put simply, if you don’t have somebody to answer to, you don’t have to ‘be seen’ to be earning the money you need to put food on the table.
The amount of money you need to live in the modern world is vastly exaggerated. You do however need consistent income, whether at home or abroad. This is where your online business comes into play.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
LIL – supremely interested in this – as part of my plan of “getting my time back” Thank you for posting!
It’s so important to make the most of the time you have. The best time to realise this was yesterday, but failing that, today will do!
I’m all for #LIPs, but wouldn’t mind if it wasn’t a case of either: learn SEO, web design, branding..
If we (capitalist folk, western world) moved towards a deliverable based versus hours burnt system, that would change the whole landscape of occupations that could go Location Independent.
I’d propose (for discussion) that if you spend 8 hours of your day behind a desk and PC, you could be spending it behind a desk and PC anywhere. Meetings and face-to-face are leaned on too heavily for making sure the job gets done, if people took responsibility for their work, deliverables, quality etc.. then the face-to-face baby sitting and bottom wiping of meeting could be thrown out the door.
My two cents on it anyway :/
Nice points Andrew. Imagine a western world where everybody is location independent, living wherever they want and working for whoever they can (without, of course, the burden of location).
I’m imagining this world would have Jetsons-style flying cars.
If only there were a few keystrokes that made the jetsons flying car noise?..