The Price of Following a Dream

This might be a really bad idea.

For years, my wife and I have toyed with the notion of becoming nomads. We both love to travel, and as authors, we can work remotely. Our two kids are married and thriving. Other than our friends, our stuff, and our condo, there’s not much tying us to one place.

What if we ditched the mortgage, sold everything, and hit the road?Traveled the country and the world, living in AirBnbs, hotels, with friends and family, writing as we go? Free to live virtually anywhere at anytime—what would that be like?

It’s been an intriguing idea, but the timing never felt right. That’s what we told ourselves anyway. In reality, I lacked the courage.

Until now. 

Lisa and I have each lost a parent in the last eighteen months, which drove home the reality that life is short and the future is not guaranteed. And being in our mid fifties, we’ve lived long enough to learn that deferred dreams have a way of never coming to pass.

So we’re not going to delay any longer. A few months ago, we sold rental house #1. We’re in the process of selling rental house #2. We put our primary residence condo on the market last week, expecting to wait several months for a decent offer. It sold in two days.

Now we’re scrambling. We already took a significant step toward minimalism a number of years ago when we downsized from an oversized, overstuffed house in the suburbs to a one thousand square foot condo. Now we’re going even further. We’re trading in our 2007 two door sedan for a new SUV. Other than some boxes of important documents, treasured memorabilia, and favorite books in a closet at our daughter’s place, everything we own has to fit in our new home on wheels.

While this dream comes with a lot of freedom, flexibility, new experiences, and low fixed expenses, there are some strong downsides—giving up a place we can call our own, set up just the way we like it, that we can return to anytime. The grind of travel. Time away from friends.

Will we love this new life? Hate it? Burn out in six months and choose to buy or rent a full-time home base again? I have no idea. But I find I’m incredibly excited. And proud of us for taking this step into the unknown. Whatever the outcome, we’ll make some great memories and wont have to live with “what if?”

How about you? Do you have a costly dream? Something that would make the people around you scratch their heads? Maybe it’s giving up a lucrative career for an “impractical” one that makes you come alive. Or turning down a relationship that’s perfect-on-paper for someone who simply makes you happy. Or giving up TV and nights out to write that novel that you’ve been mulling for years. Think it through. Plan well. Choose your moment. Breathe deep. Then jump. At worst, you’ll fail while living boldly. At best, you’ll discover previously unknown heights of joy and fulfillment. Either way, you’ll take a giant leap toward Becoming Yourself.