We probably get asked this the most and with varying degrees of disbelief for those already doing this. The fact of the matter is this; you can absolutely make money while traveling, but the real question is: how hard are you prepared to work to make it happen?

We have five considerations to work through to help you unpack your journey to financial freedom and self-employment (while sipping a cocktail on the beach in Sint Maarten).

Let’s get busy!

Let’s start with the “big question”:

Can You Really Make Money and Travel?

There are two possible answers here, each with their own degrees of complexity to answer, but in short, your two answers are:

YES! And….yes. OK, what does that mean?

Simply put, the immediate answer is yes; you can absolutely make money while living the global lifestyle. You can make very good money at that, but the second yes, spoken somewhat more timidly, is in deference to the scattered and broken intentions of the best-minded individuals who thought that this type of lifestyle equals manna falling from heaven, and it doesn’t.

As with all things in life worth having, it takes dedication, hard work, and a clear resolve to make this lifestyle your chosen way of exploring and bringing home the bacon at the same time. And it’s not for everyone.

What Do You Do?

We mean, professionally. Are you a doctor? A lawyer? Are you a social media genius, and can you handle working with clientele from across the globe and, more importantly – across time zones?

If you’re a Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 17:00 type, then this kind of nomadic existence will likely not work out very well for you. The secondary question to that is this: how much money do you want to make?

See, for the doctors and such, there are many options for working abroad in exotic and challenging locations while making good money.

But for the ambitious types sans medical degree, you have to know what your skill set is and how it makes someone else’s life easier – that’s how you get paid.

What Is Your Skill Set?

This is a follow-on to the point above, but before you start planning your satellite office in Bora-Bora, you have to audit yourself first. What can you do? You don’t necessarily have to be über qualified in it; you just have to have a demonstrable skill level that you can package and market to potential clients.

For example, suppose you’re a virtual assistant specializing in designing and creating online stores or websites for your clients. In that case, you might want to partner with a company like WEBX360 that can do all the back-office work for you while you manage your clients’ expectations.

How Tech-Savvy Are You?

If you’re not a recognized or licensed divemaster with the right to work in the country of your choice, you’re going to have to lean on finding solutions-based services that can work for clients in any country—supply-demand. This usually means that to earn a good living while traveling, you’re going to have to be able to supply some sort of solution that’s tech-based or related.

This doesn’t mean you have to be bill gates, but you will need to be able to offer solutions based on the need – and this usually means something tech//business related.

How Much Money Do You Want to Make?

This is a critical part of the global lifestyle pursuers’ decision-making process that seldom receives the amount of attention it deserves. If you want to achieve financial freedom, you’re going to have to adopt a particular set of skills and disciplines to do it, but the point is – all things are possible.

You’re never going to unleash your hidden potential until you’ve challenged yourself to do it, and that means stepping out of your comfort zone and taking chances. Luck has something to do with it, but hard work is a way more effective currency.

In the words of legendary South African golfer Gary Player:

“The more I work and practice, the luckier I seem to get”.