I would like to thank the author, Danny Flood, for providing me a free copy of this book. As a person living paycheck to paycheck, an escape to a paradise island always sounds like a rare luxury – a place I can temporarily escape from my 9 to 5 grind.
But imagine, what if we could own an island so that our life would feel like a dream vacation all the time? “Buying Your Own Island” is a metaphor in the book for taking full control of your life while simultaneously earning a living through a fulfilling lifestyle career.
Danny’s upbeat and cut-to-the-chase writing style makes this an easy-to-read book. Its pages are packed with fascinating facts and anecdotes together with the author’s reflections and perspectives. If you are struggling with your entrepreneurial endeavors, his instrumental and unconventional insights and guidance will put you back on the right track.
For instance, if you are ever in need of a little nudge to break free of your current thinking, one should carefully read about “The Warrior Mindset”. Readers will learn how to create their own “death ground” and foster the “gun to the head” mentality to get things done quickly, to be one step closer to your goal. He offers excellent ideas on how to cut through the clutter to make your first sale and build a solid client base.
As a travel enthusiast himself, I am particularly drawn to the sections where he touches on the subjects of “travel hacks”.
He shares about how to significantly reduce travel costs by securing a host through the website, Couchsurfing, His “be interesting and be interested” rule struck a chord with me; it brings me back to when I started using Couchsurfing in my travels and how I realized having a right mindset is key to finding a compatible host. After all, the core concept is not for one to secure free accommodation – rather it is about cultural exchange and making friends from diverse backgrounds.
He suggests “housesitting” to subsidize your adventures when you are on an extended road trip. Imagine the fun and comfort of having the entire house to yourself, while your role is to keep the house safe and perform simple chores such as pet care or gardening. Danny provides detailed guidance on how to obtain housesitting opportunities and also includes valuable related internet resources for those interested in this type of travel.
He also outlines other unorthodox accommodation options such as “Camp in My Garden” and “Warm Showers” for your consideration. If you are on an extended trip and budget is of great concern, one may consider trading services for room and board. It never crossed my mind that all these useful hacks could potentially cut expenses to the bare minimum.
Flight and hotel accommodation always take up a big cut of travel budget. Dive into this read to learn how to use reward program to earn free stays at hotels, how to use his recommended “Matrix Airfare Search” to snag a “too-good-to-be-true” flight ticket bargain. For globe-trotting digital nomads, look no further than his section on how to take advantage of free office space around the world. If volunteering abroad is something of interest, there is a section filled with useful information and ideas to help you get started.
Danny’s out-of-the-box approach to mobile lifestyle and his powerful yet humbling words are certainly breathing new life to the world of digital nomads. If you have decided that life inside a cubicle is not for you, as what the author came to terms with several years ago, it is time to put your life in perspective and make some game changing decisions to your lifestyle.
Teh – thanks for highlighting this book. I have met Danny several times in Bangkok but did not know about his writing prowess. Sounds like lots of cool tips, tricks and various hacks 🙂
Yeah he has a couple more books you should check them out!