Vocational » How to use the crisis as an opportunity:
Of the investment banker to the travel bloggers

This is anything but a dreamy spinner Keith: When I him in September 2011 on the GoMedia Conference in the Canadian Edmonton, to the both of us were invited, met, He worked on me quite like someone, He knows what he wants, the goals – and he knows it as he realised.

Job give up for world tour

And yet has Keith 2008 something made, for that it would explain many people crazy: He gave up his safe and above all well paid job, to travel around the world.

2009 He has his experiences and motivation to do so quite honestly in the neunseitigen E-book Travelations: the trip that opened my eyes published, that you can for free read on the Internet (and it's really lesesnwert!)

The job changed man

In it he describes, his life as the work as an investment banker with a Dutch Bank, but also him as man gradually changes had, as he ran itself only in the auto-pilot as good “corporate citizen”. And how the rapid banking business gradually tired it.

Then, his employer was taken over by a peculiarities: An important experience for him, because even though it offered a job, was everything, for which he had worked for many years, at a time away.

Suddenly free – and now?

After a few months, where Keith was the good bankers to the outside and inside in thought for, everything to plunk down, Finally followed the cancellation. This was, so the easier part writes Keith. Only with the sudden freedom he had difficulties:

Imagine the feeling: your future is wide open, it’s all in your own hands to make something of it, and you have absolutely no clue where to start

Ich finde schon wieder einen Job

Keith took a break so first – and a world tour, for that he has never had had time: He bought a luxiröses round the world ticket, booked a few tours and hotels in advance and looked what happens.

The money or the, What would happen after returning, He made first worry – because he had until now always. In addition he received job offers in the first two months of his five-month trip around the world almost every day for banks in Frankfurt, Zurich, London or Amsterdam. He would even accept one of them upon his return.

The aim of: Self-discovery!

His goal was another first: Sich selbst wiederzufinden:

First of all, I wanted to ‘re-discover’myself through self-reflection. What has made me the person I am today?What makes me happy? What am I passionate about? These were some of thequestions I pondered on over the course of the next five months.

Das Karriere-Ende

And then came in the fall of Lehman crash 2008. Keith was on a yacht in the great Barrierer reef, When he heard of. Almost immediately stopped the job offers. And Keith started, to worry about his future. But first he wanted to enjoy his trip:

It slowly began to sink in that mycareer in banking was probably over. That terrified me because I didn’t havean inkling of what else I could do. It was a new challenge but one I wasdetermined to postpone until after my trip.

Erfahrungen & Inspiration

In the following months, Keith made all kinds of experiences: He learned, to meditate and to combat his fear before height and sharks, by he directly confronted with his fears. He met inspirational people. And he learned, to travel alone, What demanded him special abilities:

New things were learned every day. Travelling alone, I became very self-sufficient. I organised my transportation, accommodation, and tours; plannedmy budget; learned to keep an eye on my expenditures and cut down when Ineeded to; and became better at time management. I started to appreciate andapply talents and skills which I previously took for granted, and enjoyed thisnew awareness. When I felt pleased about achieving a certain goal or gaininga new insight, I gave myself a pat on the back by treating myself to a deliciousmeal or a divine bottle of wine! Every day was a priceless lesson.

The correct setting is not enough

After all sorts of positive experiences, Keith went in the back in midwinter to Amsterdam. He was happy, selbtsbewusst and full confidence, to work soon again successfully.

However, optimism and the correct setting is not large enough: Keith found a new job. He had no idea, what he should do instead. And gradually, he became depressed. The world had become a different.

What I really want?

But also Keith had changed. A recent trip to his family after Malaysia helped him back on its feet. And he considered himself: What I want I really? What are my passions and my skills?

I asked myself five questions: What are my passions? What career experience did Ihave? What am I good at? How much money would I need to earn to becomfortable? Did I want to start out on my own or work at a company?

Neue Karriere als Blogger

Seine Antwort war das Reise-Blog Velvet Escape, which started soon after and that allowed him, his two passions, Travel and writing to unite. But Keith has, so he told me in Canada, a business plan from the outset also put, as he, for example by advertising or sponsorship, so that could make money.

From now on he wrote full time about his travel experiences. He pointed out, the assets of improvisation at the blogging is one of the most important skills. But he also very appreciates the possibility, to be fully and wholeheartedly the thing, She like him.

And exactly this energy is m.E. also, that it is so successful. Still good luck!