Ryan Goes Abroad

About a year ago, I started Ryan Goes Abroad.

I started it as an experiment in finding out what the social media world was all about. And if you had told me what I was going to experience in the next year as a result of this blog, I wouldn’t have believed you.

I have visited 4 countries this year, learned a new language, and met a number of awesome people. I even got a sponsor. This blog has taught me an incredible amount of knowledge about the web, about social media, about online business, and about travel.

But at the top of the list, I find myself interested in people, and seeing them come to their fullest potential. It is great when we can share all that we are experiencing so we can encourage one another in our experiments and enterprises, and in expanding our capacities.

I am also very interested in reaching my own full potential.

As I write about on my ‘about’ page (now over 3500 words!), I am interested in developing a certain kind of lifestyle which will create more freedom and expansiveness in my life.

Learning Spanish was one way to do this. Traveling to Colombia was another. Starting this blog was another.

Now, I need to sit down and achieve something very practical.

The Task At Hand

I need to generate consistent, substantial revenue streams so that I can become location independent.

As much as I wish money didn’t matter, it does. Everyone has to make enough money to survive.

And, as much as I enjoy exploring new worlds, I really need to put on the business cap and really make something happen.

I already have existing income streams (and savings) that are supporting me for the time being, but I am still in ‘net negative’ cash flow. In other words, expenses are still exceeding revenues.

Thus, my lifestyle as it stands currently is not sustainable.

My activities over the past year, while expanding my horizons, have yet to create sustainable income for me. Thus, I am still being limited.

For example, right now as I write this, I have in mind a certain country I want to visit and a language I want to learn. This country turns out to be extremely expensive to visit and to stay in. Everything is expensive… from the flights to get there to apartments to food and nightlife costs.

Given my current status, I realized recently that it would be very unwise to go because it would not result in permanent income of any kind, and would use up all of my cash reserves.

As a result, I have to put off going to the country.… Bahhh!

That is what frustrates me. I hate not being able to do what I want to do. This financial issue is the limitation I must free myself from.

What Is In The Works

In view of this, I have embarked on several web-based business projects this year, many of which have the potential to provide substantial revenue before the end of this year.

These will be my top priority moving forward for the next 3 months.

I simply must focus on the most important activities (namely, revenue generation) or my brief excursion into this wide world of ‘going abroad’ will be over.

Also, as you may have noticed if you follow me on twitter, I have moved to Ecuador in an attempt to flatline my costs and really make this thing happen. (Also, my Colombia visa expired so I had to leave… ) Word is that I can stay here up to 9 months straight with the relatively simple visa situation. And, I can already tell that there will be less distractions here to get things done.

My plan is to exit Ecuador only if I am near net positive territory (revenue minus monthly expenses.)

New Perspective

Additionally, traveling to Ecuador made me realize how much I dislike the actual act of traveling. I love getting to know the locals, getting plugged into the culture, going out at night, and all that, but as far as riding on planes, catching taxis, staying in hostels… I am really not interested in it, except in focused, short bursts of exploration.

I’d much rather stay in a wonderful place where I know the city and am building relationships (like in Medellin).

I also want to talk about my other projects on the blog, but they don’t exactly fit into the “goes abroad” category. They fit, rather, in the business / entrepreneurship category.

In view of all this, one of things I have been considering is re-branding of the entire Ryan Goes Abroad experience. This might involve an entirely new blog, new name, and a redesign of everything.

Anyway, those are some of the ideas I have had recently, but the most important thing is to create income for myself to provide the long-term freedom I so desire.

This will take a lot of work, but I am eager to share it with you all over the next few months.

Thanks for reading.