Why to Travel

If you want a good life you need to know why to travel.

This is not just about the logistics of getting from A to B.

It is about changing your mindset from a stay at home, non-abundant, living in fear boring type of life to one of abundance, adventure, boldness and fun.

Your mind has to be right.  And traveling helps your mind to get right.

Just like your mind has to be right for you to have any kind of a good life at all.

If you think you do not deserve to travel...you won't.

Why to Travel

Grand Tetons National Park. August 2016. First very long trip in over 20 years. Traveled alone. Pushed myself. Had the time of my life. The scenery alone is why to travel.

Life will give you what you think you deserve.  If you think you don't deserve to travel because you have too many responsibilities, or too little money, or not enough time, or you are not in good enough shape, or you think it is selfish or you are afraid...then you won't.

On the other hand, once you fully embrace an abundance mindset of you deserving whatever it is that you desire...you will travel.

You will orient your life so that the opportunities to travel come to you.  And you will take them, instead of staying at home in fear.

From Steve Pavlina

How to Achieve Travel Goals

Here are some of my favorite or most inspiring quotes from Steve's incredible article about why to travel:

Travel is just as important to me as any other work I might do. Traveling, when I do it in the way that works for me, provides me with an integrated bundle of growth experiences. It pushes me and challenges me. It wakes me up to new possibilities. It exposes me to new perspectives. It inspires me.

It may not be easy to make it happen. You may have to overcome many challenges and undertake significant lifestyle adjustments. It may take some time to work through all those shifts, but you can make this happen. It’s all very doable, regardless of your current situation.

Do this: PICK YOUR NEXT DESTINATION!

Begin to obsess over your chosen destination. For now, it’s the only place you’re going to think about visiting. Ignore all other suggestions or alternatives; for now they’re irrelevant.

Let your travel goals inspire your financial goals. It’s not particularly motivating to earn more money just for the sake of having a bigger number in your bank account. But if you translate those financial goals into visiting more cities every year and having cool adventures, then your financial goals will be much more meaningful.

You do realize that at the same time you’re reading this article, you could be exploring another city — right this very moment.

What an inspiring why to travel article from Steve.

If you have any interest in traveling, absorb that article and take it to heart.

Let the idea of you traveling become real.

Why to Travel - A Little About My Latest Trip

I went west to Jackson Wyoming.  One of the most fun, beautiful places in the world.

Here is a short summary of my trip

  • Traveled alone
  • Driving trip in my F150 pickup
  • Drove 3,300 miles
  • 10 days
  • 9 nights in hotels
  • 5 major hikes
  • Stayed in 5 cities (5 nights in Jackson, 1 everywhere else)
  • Explored the downtown of those cities
  • Spectacular scenery
  • Friendly people
  • I forced myself to talk to strangers
  • Spent over $3,000 (on me and my desires!!!)

Why to Travel - Summary of Itinerary


  • Day 1(Monday) - Drive. Wisconsin to Wall South Dakota. Major miles driven. Explored Wall. Hiked Badlands. A few drinks.
  • Day 2 (Tuesday) - Drive. Wall SD to Billings Montana.  Hike along the way at Bear Butte State Park. Lunch at biker bar in Sturgis South Dakota. Explored Billings. Drinks at a Karaoke Bar.
  • Day 3 (Wednesday) - Drive. Billings MT to Jackson Wyoming.  Drove incredible Bear Tooth Pass.  60 mile, narrow, winding, switch backed highway to the top of a mountain.  Magnificent views.  Scary. Lot of stops at overlooks.  Wildfires rerouted trip west out of Yellowstone to Idaho then Jackson.  Had to hustle through Yellowstone to avoid night driving in mountains. First night in Jackson. Toured the main bars.
  • Day 4 (Thursday) - Driving tour Grand Tetons National Park.  Boat ride on Jenny Lake. Hike to Inspiration Point.  More night time exploration of Jackson.
  • Day 5 (Friday) - Gondola ride to top of mountain at Teton Village, a ski resort immediately south of the Tetons.  2 mile hike at the top.  2 mile hike down the narrow, scary trail for me, to the lower Gondola.  Shaking from the hike. Fun Friday night in Jackson.
  • Day 6 (Saturday) - 5 mile hike to Bradley and Taggart Lake. Totally exhausted and a bad toe.  I am totally beat, but I still went out for a wild, kind of drunken Saturday night, after a 2 hour nap in the evening.
  • Day 7 (Sunday)-  Walking tour of Jackson. Another driving tour of the Grand Tetons.  Too beat for another big hike. Stopped in a bar I just discovered.
  • Day 8 (Monday) - Started home.  Jackson Wyoming to Rapid City South Dakota.  Spectacular landscape across Wyoming. Great fun night out here.
  • Day 9 (Tuesday) - Drive.  Rapid City to Lacrosse Wisconsin.  Goal wast to drive home by midnight. But had to stop - too road weary.  Still explored Lacrosse in the evening.
  • Day 10 (Wednesday) - Drive.  Lacrosse to home. Collapsed.

Why to Travel - You Might Nice People

I met and talked to a lot of nice people. 

Of course I saw lots of people who I was not interested in meeting.  There were numerous people who I could tell were not into meting some random guy. 

Many people travel, but they travel in fear, rather than curiosity.  Others travel with family and friends and keep to themselves.  Others would rather be home.  Some are totally stressed out about it, especially younger couples with younger children.

The first great conversation was on the 5th day into the trip.  It took time to start my shell cracking.  I met a cool couple from Virginia at the top of the mountain.  We talked about other cool places to visit and our favorite NFL teams.  These were the kind of people you want to invite to your house.  It was almost as if they would be who you call when you are in deep trouble.  I felt like they were a younger version of my own wonderful parents.  It felt that good talking to them.

I love meeting new people and quickly connecting with them.  Getting past the hi, how are you stage, deep into the what makes them tick areas.  And I did that on this trip.

I would like to keep doing that.  It is more satisfying.  I have not had very many deep conversations since my father has died.  He was great for deep conversation - God I miss my dad.

I chatted with a number of older gentlemen on this trip. They all seemed to be very nice, caring men, who were out in a magnificent setting and just enjoying being alive. Just like me.  Just like my dad.  He instilled the love of travel in me and my family.  Thanks again dad.  I would love to tell you about this trip - maybe in the next life...but I am not sure about that.

I had some great conversations with people I met in the bars

  • Young guy from Pennsylvania hitchhiking and backpacking across the country.
  • Middle aged fellow from Jackson at the Silver Dollar Bar.  We talked for at least an hour about a new job he was considering in San Francisco.
  • Older, interesting gentlemen at a Lodge overlooking the Tetons.
  • Fellow from Idaho in Jackson on business.  We talked for a few hours about libertarian issues and played pool with a fun couple.
  • Middle aged guy from Arizona in Jackson helping his friends business.  We talked for hours about a variety of things.
  • I had a few drinks with some very intelligent, interesting men at a cigar bar.  Some of their insights were mind blowing.
  • I spent quite a bit of time talking to a younger man going to college.  He reminded me, of me,  probably why I liked him so much. Massively powerful guy from a farming background.  Engineering major
  • Conversations with gorgeous women.
  • I almost got involved with a little wild girl on the street in Jackson.  I just did not know what to do with her.  She was just too much.
  • I nearly had a hookup with a incredibly sexy girl in Rapid City South Dakota.  We had sexual chemistry immediately.  It reminded me of some of the wild stuff I used to do as a young man.  Just as we were really getting to know one another (as in hands all over each other) to take our relationship to the next level, one of her white knight male friends jumped between us and hustled her away from me.

I loved meeting all these people, learning why to travel from their perspective.

Why to Travel - What I Learned

I deserve to travel.  I can do it.  I can be alone traveling as well as at home and have a great time.

I can push myself, my limits, both physically and socially to do much more than I thought.

I had the time of my life.

This trip helped to shift me.  I am not kidding.  I feel like a shell cracked and I feel differently.  Even happier than before.  Like I have stepped up into another level of happiness, adventure and freedom.

This was one of the main why to travel reasons.

Why to Travel - It's Fun

I had fun exploring.  By driving, by hiking, by walking, by observing.

I had fun, joking around with others.  I had fun drinking alone and drinking with strangers.

I like to drink beer.  Sue me.

There is something about partying in a totally different location that seems to bring out the best in people.  It does in me.

I had drinks every night for 9 nights, but I never felt hungover.

I did just sleep as much as I needed.  I did not overdo the drinks either.  Just a pleasant amount.  Drinks out are expensive, so I did want to limit that.

Plus, I don't find it fun to be a mess.  I like to remain in control and powerful.  I don't feel the need to get out of my mind.

Why to Travel - Especially Alone - You Can Do What You Want all the Time

sI pretty much did what I love to do every day for 10 days.  There was no part of the trip that was unpleasant or frustrating.

It just felt so good all the time.

I did all the things I love to do

  • Got up early, drinking coffee, and doing something productive like driving, reading, planning or thinking.
  • Stayed up late, partying, socializing, meeting people, meeting girls.
  • Driving around in my beautiful truck, seeing things I have never seen before.
  • Going out for breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, ice cream and drinks.
  • Hiking in spectacular scenery.
  • Pushing my physical limits.
  • Then relaxing and recharging.
  • Studying maps and making plans.
  • Exploring cities.
  • Checking in with my kids and mom to make sure they are alright and reassure them that I am ok.

Why to Travel - It Heals You

Some of my talks with strangers centered on how the mountains helps to heal people. 

I don't think that is hokum.  Because I feel healed.  The past memories of hurt, frustration, pain and misery seem to have faded even more.

My favorite conversation was with a gorgeous, white haired woman from the west.  I would say late 50's, early 60's, slim, fit, beautiful face, intelligent and kind.  We talked at the end of the evening in the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar.  She was the type of woman all men want to be with.  Yes, it was a lost opportunity, but a short conversation with a woman like her, goes a long way.

I told her a little about me, divorced, raising 2 kids, tremendous struggles, finally having the chance to be on this trip.  Hoping this trip would help to shift my life.

She understood. 

Some of the wisdom she shared

  • Get into the mountains
  • Their power and majesty will inspire you
  • The mountains will heal you
  • You don't even need to know what your problems are to heal.  Just let them take you over.
  • You will heal

I feel like she was there, talking to me, for a reason.  Because I do feel healed.  I do feel a shift in my thinking and feeling.

It was the trip of a lifetime.  And I am just getting started with a new life.

I know why to travel.

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› How to Travel

The only way I could become the happier man I am today was by leaving my wife.  You might be in the same situation I was in.  I suggest you take a look at my book - Leave Your Wife & Become a Happier Man with the 3 Step System.

Click to go to learn more about the book

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