Peru.  It was probably the hardest hike I have ever done in my life but the entire time I was toiling against the high altitude and the cramping muscles, all I kept thinking about was the destination: Machu Picchu.  I had wanted to go there for so many years and I knew that everything was going to be worth it once I got to the destination.

With regards to maintaining good credit, I feel that the goal has to always be the driving force.  It does not matter what you have to give up, or how long it takes, or where you have to start from, the key is to keep your eye on the destination.

Thailand

Once you get to where you want to be with regard to your credit score, far-flung destinations become possibilities.  Good credit can actually help you make enough passive money to go travel to distant places and beaches.  It is no secret that you need good credit in order to get qualified for home loans and home loans are pretty much the only way to acquire income property. And once you have passive income coming in from rental properties, then you can be 1000 miles away from where you started, in an exotic beach and be free to think about what is next.

India

When I was fortunate enough to visit the great and fabled sub-continent, the most striking thing that struck me was the juxtaposition of so many things that were so opposite one another.  I saw the beauty of nature and the towers of cities.  I noticed a rich and ancient heritage and a citizenry full of eagerness for technology and the future.  I also took note of opulence and the sight of destitute mothers in rags and their listless infants.

As a destination, India was an eye opener.  I realized that my goals to become financially independent and self-sufficient were merely just the first steps in my life.  They might very well be the last things I have to worry about when it comes to money but they are not the last things I want to achieve in my life.  Not by a long shot.

Cambodia

Going to countries where financial hardships lead to human trafficking, it was hard for me to reconcile my own excesses with the lack I saw in their eyes.  Traveling showed me that financial independence and self-sufficiency are goals that are essential for everyone.  It also showed me that my duty to help them did not exist in some distant future.  My duty to help was right in front of my face.

This duty is another driving force that helps me stay responsible when it comes to my own assets.  I know that my wasteful practices prevent others in this world from accessing very limited resources.  In my opinion, reaching the ultimate financial destination of self-sufficiency is only meaningful if everyone else is also there.  Otherwise, it all just seems hollow if you are alone at the end and did not help people along the way.

Photo:René Ehrhardt | Creative Commons 2.0

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