It’s no wonder we all like to travel so much. Many of us are descendants of travellers and immigrants and it appears that we have all inherited “adventurous” genes.
Nearly everyone has a travel tale to share, sometimes several. Many of us have been to the same or similar places and we can compare notes for hours about amazing sights and experiences.
But then, in amongst these conversations, the inevitable statement is made, “if only we had more money to spend on travel.”
I too love to talk about my travel experiences but, to me, attitudes to travel make a more fascinating debate. The last time I heard the “I wish I had more money” statement I asked, “where would you go if you had more money?”
The woman I was talking to sighed dreamily, “Back to Ireland.”
This didn’t seem an impossibly expensive travel dream and I wondered what was stopping her.
She told me that it was money.
So, I asked, “What would you be prepared to give up to get more money?”
She looked puzzled. I explained that to “get more money”, she either had to earn more or save more. Earning more could mean longer hours working, or perhaps going back to university to get another qualification. In those examples, she would give up time.
To save more, she simply had to spend less.
What she told me next was the usual story I hear all the time - every dollar earned was needed for just getting by. She couldn’t spend less.
I asked the same question in a different way, “What could you NOT give up to save money?”
She had a range of things – coffee, her dog, movies, shoes and her home.
I asked, “How many cups of café coffee did she buy per day?”
“Four.”
I asked, “Do you really want to go back to the Emerald Isle?”
She nodded vigorously.
“You could get there in one year by having two less coffees per day.”
“What do you mean?”
I did the maths for her. Two coffees @ $3.50 each per day is $7.00 per day. $7 times 7 days is $49 per week. $49 per week times 52 weeks is $2548. That was enough for a return airfare to Ireland even in the most expensive summer season.
I told her, “You could be there this time next year!”
She looked quite stunned as the significance of “having two less coffees per day” sunk in.
“I can’t believe I never thought of that”, she finally said.
It’s all about becoming a “go getter” and taking charge of your own destiny.
Life is about balance. By all means have treats in your life, even little ones. Just don’t let a series of small, “ho hum” treats rob you of the really big treat/dream that you really want.
So, what’s stopping you living your dreams?
Check out Faith’s seven steps for “go getting”: