Become Nomad - Digital Nomad Lifestyle and Long Term Travel

James Clark, a digital nomad with over 20 years of expertise and the mind behind Nomadic Notes, shares fascinating insights about the evolution of the digital nomad lifestyle. He discusses the surge of digital nomad visas and how Southeast Asia, particularly Danang, has emerged as a new hub for remote workers. The conversation highlights the shift towards purposeful travel, blending work with leisure, and the impact of seasonal choices on travel plans. Clark's experience paints a vivid picture of a lifestyle that balances adventure with meaningful connections.

Nikita is back to teach us everything he knows about staying disciplined while constantly on the move. Eli is mostly just hoping some of it can rub off on him so he can finally wake up and make it to important appointments on time. The talk includes finding freedom through structure, building rituals on the road, and how discipline can come from joy rather than force. Along the way: ice cream at 2am, spiritual treks in Portugal, and why Eli sometimes locks his phone in a bag just to stay focused. 

In this solo episode recorded in Hanoi, Eli reflects on 15 years of nomadic living, the highs, lows, and strange in-betweens. Prompted by questions generated by ChatGPT, he dives into how AI is reshaping his workflow, the evolution of Become Nomad, personal sacrifices, startup ecosystem insights from around the globe, and the odd $180 meal… that thankfully turned out to cost just $9.

Living as a nomad starts with a remote job, but it doesn’t end there. In this episode, Eli speaks with Anna Maria Kochanska about building a career on the move, turning remote work into real impact, and why Cape Verde might be your next favorite destination. 

Nikita and Eli catch up and talk about the rituals they follow when arriving in new places, such as gathering around campfires, along with a range of other related topics.

It's always on our minds as we seek to make this lifestyle sustainable -- the financial aspect of location independent work. Because let's not sugar-coat it: building a career that lets you enjoy such freedom requires work. It requires asking some tough questions and finding your particular answers. Here, Eli touches on how to approach tackling uncertainty, intention setting, becoming world class, accounting for technological change, and a whole lot more of those tough questions.

What does it mean for a location to be "winning" for nomads? This is something Eli thinks a lot about -- as he plans his next flight and as he continues the work of his main project, StartupBlink. In this ep, we dive into what trends, factors, and overall values determine a location's nomadic potential. And, of course, we name a handful that fall into this category -- plus some predictions for locations that are on the rise. Check out StartupBlink for more detailed analysis: www.startupblink.com

Nikita Smelyanskiy, a keen listener and curious traveler, dives deep with Eli about his transformative journey into digital nomadism starting at 31. They discuss the challenges of making income while traveling, the importance of minimalism, and maintaining relationships on the go. Eli shares laughs about travel mishaps and reflects on how this lifestyle alters one’s perspective on life. They explore health insurance needs for nomads and offer inspiring advice on taking the leap into a nomadic adventure, emphasizing personal growth and adaptability.

We often talk about the values of nomadic freedom. But nomadic freedom also includes the freedom to stop being nomadic for a while. After all, there are many ways of living true to the nomadic spirit -- even when you're stationary. Here, Eli & Dan discuss Dan's recent less-nomadic exploits en route to bigger questions about the long-term nature of this lifestyle and transitioning in & out of various situations. 

Today we have a special guest episode with our friend Nikita, a long-time listener of the show. He takes us through his unique approach to digital nomadism which started with some creative adventures in his home country -- perfect inspiration for anyone thinking about starting out. He and Eli move on to a grab bag of related nomadic questions about taking the plunge, finding your people, & living without fear. Have thoughts on their discussion? We love hearing from you! Reach out to dan@becomenomad.com & we'll reply on a future episode.