The Difference Between Traveling and Going on Vacation

1: Getting better at getting better is what RiseWithDrew is all about.

Monday through Thursday, we explore ideas from authors, thought leaders, and exemplary organizations.

At the end of each week, I’ve been sharing an idea from Tynan’s book Superhuman by Habit about how to install specific, positive habits into your life.

So far, we’ve covered:

• Building positivity
• Being compassionate
• Eating healthy
• Improving sleep
• Learning mindfulness
• Working out
• Seeking out masterpieces
• Writing every day

2: “There is a difference between going on a vacation and traveling,” Tynan writes in Superhuman by Habit.

“One is an escape from reality, and the other is a means to connect more deeply with it.”

When you travel, you see how people live, work, think, and create.

Going on vacation is fun. But traveling expands your understanding of the world.

You are exposed to different mindsets. You experience unfamiliar art, architecture, food, nature, and ways of living.

All of which can spark new ideas and creative breakthroughs.

Yes, “creative excellence can come from a narrow view, but not as easily as it can come from worldly experience and understanding,” he observes.

Another benefit of traveling?

Tynan argues that it is significantly less expensive than a traditional vacation.

When you travel, you live more like the locals. “Rather than trumped-up resort charges, tour buses, and expensive touristy meals, you rent a local apartment, take public transportation, and eat where locals eat.”

Tynan’s recommendation?

“Make a goal of a certain number of new places to visit per year and block out the time for it way in advance.”

He also recommends picking places that are “radically different from those with which you’re familiar.”

Exhibit one: Japan.

“Japan is a great choice because it’s very different from everywhere else, can be traveled cheaply, and has a lot of culture and beauty to offer,” he notes.

“It was one of the first places I traveled to, and even after a dozen or so visits, it still surprises me every time.”

Tynan also thinks there are benefits to going back to places you enjoyed, not just always looking for new experiences.

“I personally like a 50/50 distribution, but as long as there are some new places in the mix, I think any ratio is fine,” he notes.

What if you’re on a tight budget?

“Just pick places that are closer to you,” he suggests. “Even if you’re just taking a road trip a couple states over, you’re building the habit that will expand as you become able to travel to more places.”

3: Does traveling qualify as a habit?

Tynan believes so. “I call traveling a habit because I’ve noticed that those who do it regularly get more out of it, go to more adventurous places, and continue as they get older.”

Making travel a habit also helps you keep your sense of adventure. “I’ve met dozens of older people in some of the most unusual places I’ve visited,” he shares.

In other words, the more you travel, the more comfortable you become being uncomfortable.

Like experiencing masterpieces, travel is another way to intentionally expand the inputs that shape how you see the world.

More next week!

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Reflection: When was the last time you traveled somewhere that changed the way you saw the world?

Action: Choose one unfamiliar place you’d like to experience in the next year—near or far—and put time on your calendar to make the trip happen.

Note: If you want to learn more about Tynan’s travel ideas and tips, check out his book Life Nomadic, where he goes into much more detail.