I have met people of all ages and income levels, from all over the world, who’ve created their own version of Nomadtopia. Young and old, with kids, single, with pets, living off savings or working online… They’ve all made it work, proving that there’s not just one single type of person who’s cut out for the nomadic life.

A certain mind-set, however, is important, no matter what your background or demographic profile.

Having a nomadic mind-set means you’ll be happier in this lifestyle, and it will be easier to sustain.

I’d venture to say all of the nomads I’ve met have had most, if not all, of the following qualities, and I’ve found them to be a major part of my own success and longevity as a nomad.

I also believe that this same mind-set can help anyone create their ideal life, even if that entails no travel whatsoever!

Nomads are…

Curious

There’s so much to be curious about! Being curious about the world and its incredible diversity of cultures, landscapes, flavors, languages, and wildlife is a common one for nomads. Being curious about what might happen if you make a change, even a simple one like driving a different way to work, can give you a new perspective. Being curious encourages lifelong learning and adventure.

Flexible

Travel (and life) is nothing if not unpredictable! Being able to roll with the punches makes everything easier. If something doesn’t work out, go another way, try again tomorrow. There’s always another option.

Confident that they can handle anything that comes their way

There can be a lot of uncertainty in a nomad’s life. Some of it can be mitigated by the way you choose to travel, where you choose to go, or how much money you have in the bank, but the uncertainty can be paralyzing unless you truly believe you can (and will) handle anything that could possibly happen.

Willing (and eager) to get out of their comfort zone

There are plenty of ways to get out of your comfort zone without leaving home, but on the road, everything’s magnified. Being in a foreign country where you don’t know your way around and you don’t speak the language can be terrifying or exhilarating, depending on your mind-set.

Committed to living intentionally

Whatever the life of an individual nomad looks like, nomads tend to be a determined lot, passionate about living life on their own terms, dedicated to identifying exactly what they want out of life and going after it. One of my worst fears, and I suspect many nomads would agree, is waking up one day in a life I didn’t intentionally choose but just kind of ended up in by default. Being committed to an intentional life means choosing to live in alignment with your values and priorities, and constantly reevaluating to see if you’re still on track.

So what do you think, do you have the mind-set of a nomad? Is there anything on this list that you’d like to cultivate in yourself (whether you fancy yourself a nomad or not)?