your success doesn’t have to look like theirs
I don't want to be a nomadic entrepreneur
Hello from Spain. I’m writing to you on the solarium, before the rest of the house has woken. It is HOT. And so incredibly peaceful I’ve been overcome with gratitude for most of the week. It’s all one big cliche of peace.
But this isn’t my dream.
I’ve never really resonated with the whole nomadic entrepreneur thing. It’s something that is used a lot as a reason to go self-employed; to build something for yourself so you can work from anywhere in the world. Just pop your laptop in your suitcase, and you’ll be by the pool, iced coffee in hand, squinting into your screen in no time. And that sounds wonderful - but it’s not my version of success. I’m a stickler for routine and I love my own bed too much (and I really can’t see my screen at the best of times!).
Freedom. That’s my version of success.
Freedom of space when I need it. Freedom from the conventional, traditional workplaces that aren’t built for neurodivergent folk. Freedom from the financial cycle my family has been in for generations. Freedom to have Tuesday coffee mornings with two of my closest pals, every single week. And, freedom to have the option to work from anywhere, if I so choose.
I didn’t need to hit pause or schedule time out of my projects to be here this week, because I prioritise building a schedule that allows for movement, space, and peace. There’s been a little work, a little reading and writing, and I’ve not felt pressured to be constantly checking my emails or worrying about not posting whilst away. That’s the freedom I’ve always longed for; to be here, at a stage I’ve craved, is a big, HUGE reminder to slow down and be grateful for being at a place I’ve always dreamed of, rather than longing for the next - something I’m guilty of doing.
We all have varying versions of success. Some may be crafting for a certain income. Some may be crafting for awards and recognition. Others may be crafting for the ability to jump on a plane and work from Lisbon, Berlin, The Algarve. Imposter syndrome will tell you you’re not doing as well as those who are doing those things; but that’s where you pause and ask yourself: ‘do I even want that?’
You probably don’t.
Whatever your version of success is, think of tangible, bite-sized steps to do every day that will get you there. Could you have a look at your schedule, and see if you have at least 25% space in there? Could you check your leadtimes and stretch them out a little bit? Is it time to raise your prices? Anything that will give you more space. And remember, not every step has to be about business – sometimes freedom comes from the small things: leaving your phone in another room, taking a mid-morning walk, or giving yourself an unstructured afternoon.
Whatever your version of success is, it will look different to mine, and different again to the person sitting next to you. To start sketching out what that might be, here are a few questions you could ask yourself:
What does a successful day look like for me - not just a successful year?
Where in my life or business do I most crave more freedom or ease?
Which parts of other people’s success stories genuinely inspire me, and which do I only think I ‘should’ want?
If I stripped everything back, what’s the one non-negotiable I’d want my work to make possible?
For me, right now, that freedom looks like sitting in the Spanish sun before anyone else wakes up, writing these words without rush. That’s enough. More than enough.
Always cheering you on,
Lola