From lack of direction to a fulfilled life on the road

Helpful advice from the co-founder of @Svenskanomader (Swedish nomads) and digital marketer Christoffer Persson. From chasing childhood dreams to the importance of planning.

Why did you become a digital nomad?
Living abroad was a childhood dream, and when becoming a professional soccer player, and later a bartender, didn’t pan out – I ended up studying media in my mid 20s. Fast-forward a few years of office work and a general sense of lack of direction, and you’ll find me in Sri Lanka on holiday. After discussing my new line of work as a digital marketer with a few locals that I had met, I ended up helping them out with some related services & Google Analytics. To pay me back, they offered me housing, transportation, and food in return. It was both heartwarming and enlightening. Right there and then I realized that I could fulfill my childhood dream of living abroad, and work from anywhere. Becoming a digital nomad became a no brainer, and that sole experience was the spark I needed.  

How did you become a digital nomad, and how did you go from idea to realization?
Once I learned what a digital nomad was, I spent six months figuring out a way to do it full-time.

First, I tried to create a clean slate and a more minimalistic way of life. I got rid of the apartment, furniture, subscriptions, electronic devices, and other things that tied me to a physical location.

Second, I set up a budget where I cut all unnecessary costs, and calculated how much I needed to earn in order to get by in countries I wanted to visit and temporarily live in.

The next bit was admittedly a bit harder, as I had to convince my employer that me working remotely would be good for the company. Before presenting the idea to my boss, I really pushed myself at work and tried to make myself as irreplaceable as possible. I collected admin rights, participated in all new projects, and took on more digital responsibilities. Once I felt that I was in a good place, and more valuable than ever to the company, I approached my boss with a unique plan. I had so many arguments for why I should be allowed to work remotely, like the fact that we could extend our office hours to include more time zones, or I could be doing market research in emerging markets, but I didn’t even have time to push those reasons before my employer had already said yes! 

What inspired you to live as a modern nomad? 
I realized that I valued freedom and flexibility more than money and materialistic things.

What would you like to say to those people who are curious about the nomad lifestyle, but don’t really know how to get started or don’t have the courage to pursue it yet?
That it starts with yourself. Examine your skills, goals, and digital tool set to see how you can find a mix that will bring you an income remotely. Once you have that, actively seek out information related to it, and become engrained in communities built around your interests and skills. Sign up for newsletters, subscribe to podcasts, and follow people and companies on social media. The more you’re exposed to the lifestyle and its possibilities, the more inspired and courageous you’ll become. Once you’ve planted that seed, let it grow until you’re ready to act on your ambitions. Then, start designing your life, piece by piece and little by little, until you have your nomadic life mapped out. Once you have that, it’s time to take the first step.

(You can connect with Christoffer on Instagram and LinkedIn)