If you’re sick of the 9-5 grind and craving a life filled with freedom—freedom of time, money, and location—then you’re in the right place. No more waiting for retirement to start living the life you’ve been dreaming about. It’s time to go beyond just dreaming and take real action.

As a full-time digital nomad currently living in Da Nang, I’ve been where you are. I’d like to think so, anyway!

I left my ‘dream job’ in Los Angeles five years ago, and with some sweat, tears, and strategy, I built a business that serves clients from anywhere in the world. There are some things in this article I’d do again and again, if I was back in that situation. And then there are some I wish someone would have told me to do. You’re welcome!

By the end of this article, you’ll have four solid steps to help you transition into a location-independent lifestyle. These steps are not about simply posting on social media and “waiting for the clients to roll in.”

Nope, we’re going deep, diving into your mindset, purpose, and action plan.

This isn’t your typical advice, and that’s exactly why it works.

Let’s break it down, shall we?

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Step 1: Vision – Get Clear on the Life You Want to Live

Before we get into the nuts and bolts of entrepreneurship, let’s talk about your vision. What do you want your life to look like? You can’t build a business that supports your dreams if you haven’t defined what those dreams are in the first place.

You’ve probably been following a pretty traditional route through life: school, a job, promotions, rinse, repeat. But it probably hasn’t been fulfilling. And that’s where things need to change.

I want you to get clear on your definition of success—not the one that’s written on a resume or posted on LinkedIn, but the one that truly makes you excited to jump out of bed every morning.

Picture this: If money wasn’t a factor, what would you do with your time? Who would you spend it with? What kind of conversations would you have? What dreams would you pursue without fear of judgment or disappointment?

The key here is to define what you want out of life so you can start eliminating what you don’t want. Trust me, without this clarity, your path to freedom is going to feel pretty damn impossible.

So, give yourself the space to dream—and do it every morning. Write it down, get real with yourself, and start building that vision. The clearer your vision, the easier the next steps will become.

Step 2: Mindset – You Need to Shift How You See the World

Now that you know where you want to go, the next step is to look at your mindset. This is the part that most people overlook. Mindset is everything when it comes to creating a location-independent life.

What’s your mindset? How do you view the world around you? You can choose to see your circumstances as happening to you—a victim of your situation—or you can choose to see them as happening for you, guiding you toward the lessons you need to learn and the changes you need to make.

Your thoughts shape your reality. So, I want you to examine them. Are they helpful or are they keeping you stuck?

Common thoughts that keep people stuck:

• “I don’t have any skills to build a business.”
• “It’s not the right time.”
• “I don’t have enough money to quit my job.”
• “What will my family think?”

The truth is, these thoughts are limiting beliefs—and they are not factual. To challenge them, ask yourself: “Is this factually true?” Most of the time, the answer is no, and just by asking that simple question, you open the door to new solutions and opportunities.

Let’s take the belief, “I don’t have enough money to quit my job.” When you examine it, you might find resources and strategies for saving money, how to attract paying clients, or even how affordable it is to live somewhere like Da Nang while growing your business.

Your mindset is what will either make or break your dreams of becoming a digital nomad. So, shift those thoughts from “I can’t” to “I will,” and keep working towards your freedom.

Step 3: Purpose – Tap Into What Truly Lights You Up

Purpose is the secret sauce. Without a clear sense of purpose, you’ll struggle to build a business that lights you up. It’s easy to get lost in questions like, “What business should I start?” or “Is there enough of an audience for this?” but these questions are a bit out of order.

Before you worry about your niche or your audience size, I want you to focus on your purpose. What’s going to make you jump out of bed and hustle hard? What makes you feel like you’re truly in your element?

Purpose isn’t something you “find.” It’s something you recognize. It’s a collection of moments in your life when you were most alive—when you were firing on all cylinders. These moments often come from past experiences where you felt deeply fulfilled. Take some time to reflect on up to 10 of these moments. Write them down:

• What were you doing?
• Who was with you?
• How did you feel?

Once you’ve done that, look for common threads. These threads will help you create your personal purpose statement—something that will serve as the guiding force for your business. Here’s an example of how to structure it:
“I [action] with [person/group] so that [impact/feeling].”

This statement will shape your messaging, your business, and your life. Your purpose is the foundation of everything, so don’t rush this step.

Read also: Why self care for digital nomads matters so much.

Step 4: Action Plan – Designing Your Transition to Freedom

Now, let’s get practical. It’s time to create an action plan to transition from your 9-5 to a full-time location-independent entrepreneur. This is the step where most people freeze up, but don’t worry, we’ve got this.

The good news? You don’t need all the answers right now. The key is to start preparing. Ask yourself these questions to design your transition plan:

• How much money do you need in savings before you quit your job?
• How much monthly income do you need to replace your current salary?
• Where do you want to live (consider cost of living, taxes, etc.)?
• What legal things need to be in place (e.g., passport, phone plans, car lease, etc.)?
• What business resources or support do you need to hit your income goals?

You don’t need to have it all figured out today, but you do need to start asking these questions and creating a roadmap for your future. Once you have this plan, you can break it down into smaller steps: how many hours a week can you dedicate to building your business before you quit? Where can you carve out time in your day to make this happen? The more you plan, the easier it will be to execute.

I suggest a 6-month timeline—it’s enough time to make real progress but close enough to keep you motivated. And remember, it’s going to require some hustle, but that’s okay. I worked day and night to build my business, and I didn’t even have a role model to follow. But you do! You have me, and I’ve got your back.

Read also:

How to effectively manage your time as a digital nomad entrepreneur
All Online Tools I use to run my Location-Independent Business

Conclusion

Transitioning to a location-independent life is no walk in the park, but it’s absolutely worth it. By following these four steps—vision, mindset, purpose, and action plan—you’ll be on your way to creating a business that supports the lifestyle you desire. It’s all about clarity, shifting your perspective, and being intentional with your actions.

Ready to get started? If you’re looking for more guidance, check out this course and these additional resources.

Freedom is possible. It’s not a matter of waiting; it’s a matter of doing.

Let me know in the comments what you learned from this post or if you have any questions. Let’s do this!