Image by Daniel H. Agostini

Many people have asked where the term “location independent” came from. It’s the phrase I’ve used to describe our nomadic, work-from-anywhere lifestyle ever since we first started doing this in 2007.

Since then, it seems to have become synonymous with the unconventional kind of lifestyle that involves running your business whilst travelling to any number of exotic locations around the world – which is the kind of location independent lifestyle we’ve been living.

If that’s all you think it is however, then you’re missing the point (and so was I for a long, long time)…

But for a while now, I’ve believed that many of the underlying concepts of a lifestyle of location independence are wholly applicable to so many more people, not just those of us who want to travel permanently.

The biggest challenge of course is knowing where to start and what to focus on first. In sitting down to try and figure this out, I identified what I believe are the 3 major areas of change – key areas that one needs to focus on in order to implement the desired changes in their lifestyle.

These 3 areas are:

1. Desire & ability to change location, as & when needed (fixed location vs. nomadic)
2. Awareness of & ability to leverage web & online resources and tools (web unaware vs. web savvy)
3. Ability to control & generate own income (employed vs. Entrepreneur)

And this is how those areas might apply to different groups of people for whom the concepts of location independence are far more relevant than you perhaps first thought…

KEY: The coloured dots represent where you may be now (and may be happy staying); the stars represent where you may (need to) be aiming for.

The Cubicle Rat or Rural Community Dweller

Possible Goals:

• Employee/Cubicle Rat: Escape the cubicle.
• Remote Community Dweller: Remain in chosen location without having to move to find better career opportunities.

Where You Need To Focus Your Efforts:

• Understand & improve your knowledge of how the web can enable your desired lifestyle.
• Build a business where your success isn’t dependent upon local opportunities/resources.

Try This Post: 6 Things You Must Do Before You Leave The Rat Race, Set Up Your Own Business And Become Location Independent.

The Remote Worker

Possible Goal:

• Escape the cubicle.

Where You Need To Focus Your Efforts:

• Build a business leveraging your existing resources/knowledge and experience.

Try This Post: A Recession Is The Worst Time To Start A Location Independent Business. Right? Wrong.

The Traditional Business Owner

Possible Goal:

• Reduce your reliance on the local markets.
• Better leverage the internet to improve your existing business.

Where You Need To Focus Your Efforts:

• Improve your knowledge of how the web can be leveraged to improve your existing business.
• Adapt your business so its success isn’t purely dependent upon local opportunities/markets.

Try This Post: Basic Social Media Tips For Location Independent Professionals & Nomadic Web Workers

The WAHM (Work At Home Mum)

Possible Goal:

• WAHM: Increase the income you earn from home.

Where You Need To Focus Your Efforts:

• Continue to build your knowledge of online tools & resources you can leverage.
• Build a more robust business which you can run from home (or the coffee shop down the road).

Try This Post: The Essential Skills You Need To Run A Location Independent Business – And How To Tool Up

The Online Entrepeneur, Blogger or Freelancer

Possible Goal:

• Become nomadic and take your business on the road whilst you travel the world.

Where You Need To Focus Your Efforts:

• Adapt your business to be “road worthy” & ensure you’re fully prepared.

Try this post: How To Put Your Business On Autopilot Whilst You Travel The World As A Digital Nomadic Web Worker

The Nomadic Entrepreneur

Possible Goal:

• Maintain (or improve) your existing nomadic lifestyle.

How Location Independent Can Help You:

• Build a more robust business which won’t be affected by your nomadic lifestyle.
• Provide travel- and destination-specific resources to help you choose where to go.

Try this post: How To Maintain Focus On Your Business Whilst Travelling The World…

Of course, there will be variations on each of these and the important thing for you is this:

1. Figure out where you’re starting from in each area
2. Figure out where you need/want to get to

Build A Location Independent Business

An ultra practical course walking you through what it takes to set up, run and manage a profitable business which can be run from wherever you choose…