We’ve all heard about the negative impacts that technology is having on our generation. But guess what? It’s not all that bad.

Really, as a generation we are truly blessed, we live in an age where the entire world is readily available to us. It’s now becoming more and more common for people to travel from a young age, and return from their international jaunts with a self-diagnosed case of ‘wanderlust.’

And that’s great, the world is there to be explored, yet so many people fill the quota of Europe trip and Thailand then call it a day. People don’t understand what they’re missing out on, but fear not, we’re here to help.

It’s a big bad world out there, but it’s also getting a lot smaller. Thirty years ago, if our parents wanted to go and experience another culture or country it was a pretty big deal. More often than not they could fit in one trip in their youth and then settle down in their job for the next few decades. This is where we are so lucky, seeing the world is becoming cheaper and cheaper. The world is literally at our fingertips. If you have the drive to get a job and the self-control to save when you are young then it should be feasible for you to go to a different continent each year.

What’s even better is that skills are becoming more and more global, if you are talented or trained in something usually you are qualified to work in almost any country across the world. Mining, IT, Writing, Marketing jobs are all based on the same framework wherever you go and that is just a few examples in a very long list. I’m not championing the death of the desk job, but I want to let you know that you don’t have to be chained to that desk anymore. The world is always changing, you’d be a fool to not capitalise on that.

I said it before, but I need to re-iterate this point. The world is there to be explored. But seeing the world doesn’t just mean a contiki tour or travelling with mates. There are now other viable options out there for you. I’ve read some great blogs by web developers who travel the world and work from their laptops. Not only are they honing their talents and improving their portfolio of work, they are building memories that will last a lifetime.

“If I knew then what I know now, I’d be different, I would slow down.”

Too many people think that working and exploring the world are mutually exclusive. If our generation can harness the technology available to us, then this couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s time to let our work support our life instead of dictating it.

Remember when you were a kid and you wanted to be a fireman or a pilot? That wasn’t you just thinking those jobs looked cool, that was your inner sense of adventure speaking to you before it was dulled by twelve years of schooling and standardised tests.

Now it isn’t feasible that everyone in the world can fly fighter jets or climb mountains, but there are other types of adventures that you can partake in. Cultural adventures across the world, spiritual adventures when you meet someone who changes your life or professional adventures as your career progresses. These are all things that lie ahead of us and you open yourself up to more and more experiences by following your adventurous spirit.

If there’s one name that you should know in this world, it’s John Goddard. This was a man who lived one of the fullest lives in recent history. At the age of 15 he made a bucket list of 127 things he wanted to do before he died. His list included climbing numerous mountains, learning different languages, visiting major landmarks, teaching at a college and flying a fighter jet, he completed 109 of them. This man devoted his life to following his heart and travelled the world living out his dreams. Surely this is the legacy that you want to leave behind, as someone who followed their heart and lived life to the fullest.

Now this is all well and good for me to say, but you have expectations that you have to live up to. Expectations from your family, friends and society in general. You’re expected to get a job, start a family, support your kids and retire. Well guess what, there are literally millions of people living that life, the world won’t collapse if you don’t follow suit.

In my opinion knowledge is power and the best form of education is the pursuit of happiness. Don’t let anyone tell you how you should live your life, but follow your heart. More often than not you’ll find it might lead you down the road less travelled and that’s a good thing