Some predict there will be 1 billion digital nomads by 2035.

With such an impressive stat, you’d think it’d be pretty easy to find out how to become a digital nomad, right?

The problem is, no one can agree on a single definition of what a digital nomad actually is (e.g., this Reddit thread).

If this lifestyle appeals to you, the best way to learn how to become a digital nomad is to have real conversations with real people (don’t worry we don’t bite..) who’ve tried the lifestyle and lived to tell the tale.

Being a digital nomad isn’t outrageously dangerous or difficult, but it does take a certain type of person to stick with the digital nomad lifestyle for the long haul.

Wait, hold up…do you even need to stick it out for the long haul to consider yourself a digital nomad?

There’s no clear answer for this either! Personally, I know very few people who have tried digital nomad-ing and stuck with it for more than a few years.

Most people (myself included) eventually get worn out from constant travel, fall in love with a specific part of the globe and decide to make it their ‘home base’.

But we still consider ourselves part of the ‘digital nomad community,’ and why shouldn’t we?

How to become a digital nomad:

According to DigitalNomadSurvey.com’s 2016 survey, most digital nomads:

> have a “primary location” where they spend more than 6 months/year (64%)

> work from their home office (67%)

> their professions do not involve travel (68%)

> consider themselves “location independent” (52%)

> spend between 1 – 3 months in a single location when traveling (44%)

So if most digital nomads have a home base, work from their home office, and their professions do not involve travel – how exactly do you become a digital nomad?

I think digital nomad-ism goes beyond having the privilege of frequent travel and a remote job.

Digital nomad-ism is something that stays with you; it’s a mix of both inherit traits and learned skills that define how you see the world.

In my opinion, digital nomad-ism is a lifestyle, a culture, a way of thinking.

It’s not something you are during two years of non-stop travel and cease to be once you create a home base.

Digital nomad-ism is something that stays with you; it’s a mix of both inherit traits and learned skills that define how you see the world.

This is why it’s often easier for a digital nomad to form a profound connection with another digital nomad from a completely different culture, than it is for them to relate to someone from their own home town.

Honestly, if you’re even thinking about wanting to join this community, there’s a huge chance that you’ll be a good fit.

Digital nomad ‘purism’ is narrow minded – a trait that digital nomads generally don’t have.

I think you’ll find that anyone who has tried it is more than happy to share advice on how to become a digital nomad, and the general vibe is “once a digital nomad, always a digital nomad”.

Inclusivity is a cornerstone of this community, which is why the traits I’ve outline below may be characteristics that A) you were born with, B) developed out of life experiences, or C) you are currently cultivating or wish to in the future.

If you can relate to any of these 7 traits of a digital nomad, you should give it a try.

Hell, even if you can’t relate to any of these traits, you should give it a try if you have the desire and the means to do so.

You’ll likely find that the most of these traits develop naturally over time, along with plenty of other life-enhancing characteristics. 🙂

Sound like you?

Don’t forget to share this post with a fellow digital nomad 🙂

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