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Location180 by Sean Ogle


Wage Slave Rebel by J. D. Bentley

Location Independence: Are You a Nomad or a LIP?

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    I wrote a post a while back <a href="http://presentdaynomads.com/2009/07/14/featured/location-independent-and-nomadic-lifestyles/> about the differences </a>as I saw them.

    As I work towards gaining my own freedom, and as I hang around with more like minded people who are striving to gain their freedom, I am forced to ask myself the question. Not so much to know the difference, but more so to determine my strategy and path to success.

    You see, a LIP is a professional, someone who is good at what (s)he does and for the most parts likes it. Someone who is looking for a way or ways to have freedom to do what they do from anywhere without losing the what they have and enjoy. They are looking to add more to their life. They may or may not be looking for an entirely new lifestyle.

    A nomad, on the other hand, is looking for an entirely new lifestyle. A lifestyle where travel and taking it easy is of prime importance. Work has no meaning other than as a means of supporting the lifestyle.

    So which one are you? Are the two mutually exclusive or can you have a combination of the two?Rasheed Hooda aka Mister Weirdo My Blog
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      CommentAuthorSean
    • CommentTimeSep 27th 2009
     
    I personally believe you can be both. I also think that the two terms are very hard to define; they can mean something different to everyone. For instance, say I were to want to backpack through Central America yet keep my job and work remotely at the same time. I view that as being a nomadic LIP.

    The biggest difference I see between the terms is that a nomad is constantly moving, and doesn't stay in one place for very long. Whereas an LIP may move to a completely different location from their home and stay there for as long as they want/need to.Becoming Location Independent is easier than you think...
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      CommentAuthorjdbentley
    • CommentTimeSep 27th 2009
     
    It seems to me that by these definitions, all nomads are LIPs, but not all LIPs are nomads. I'm currently LIP. I can do what I do anywhere. I have a laptop and all my work is online. I would like to be nomadic soon, but I have quite a ways to go with organizing things financially (managing debts, saving money, automating job hunts, etc).

    (also for anyone reading this who doesn't already know, LIP = location independent professional)Blog: Wage Slave Rebel
    • CommentAuthorAlex
    • CommentTimeSep 28th 2009
     
    @jdbentley

    I think you've pretty much nailed it. The key difference for me is that nomads may or may not work on the web (and may or may not be 'professionals').

    Being able to earn an income on the web wherever you are in the world is a big positive IMO.
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    @JD I agree with you in principle, but in my opinion, *Profession* is just as important to a LIP if not more, than being Location Independent. (or at least that's where I am making a distinction)

    For example, you and I <b>can</b> work from anywhere, or most anywhere in my case, but we would rather be in a position where we don't <b> have to</b> work, so we can focus on travelling, or just BEING, most of the time. Work is a necessity, not an integral part of the lifestyle.

    The reason I am making this distinction is because I am being more crystal clear on what I want, and what it means in terms of the current vocabulary, so, when I am successful, I can define the audience I can help more clearly.

    I am a nomad at heart, and that's where I want to focus on. I believe, both LIP's and Nomads will be facing different challenges in order to formulate a strategy to go from where they are to where they want to be, because they will have different criteria of what the end result will be.

    @Sean Yes, I agree that they both can be combined. I believe Chris and Cherie of <a href="http://www.technomadia.com"> Technomadia</A> will be a perfect example of that.Rasheed Hooda aka Mister Weirdo My Blog
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    There are actually a lot of other variations on terms that tend to be used to describe folks exploring location independent workstyles. Some of the ones that we've seen include nomadic, vagabond, technomad, digital nomad, LIP, NuNomad, etc.

    A while back, we attempted to make some distinctions between them including a handy matrix!

    http://www.technomadia.com/2009/05/digital-location-independent-lifestyle-designing-nunomads/


    In general, I don't see 'nomad' in modern usage being used to describe a workstyle - although anthropologically speaking, nomads traveled specifically for 'work' (herding, hunting, farming, etc.). They typically had several home bases and moved seasonally between them in search of work. And definitely not as a means of support their lifestyle of travel. And their travel definitely was not one of leisure, it was one of necessity for work.

    As someone who identifies as a technomad (a more modern version of a nomad fueled by tech), I wouldn't say that work has no meaning other than to support our travel. It's more that we've invented a way of combining travel with our professional careers and not having to choose between the two. I know that I don't work just to support my travel - I work to be involved in things that are passionate to me and inspire me. From my understanding, vagabond is actually a term more inspired by the travel and working just to support it. (At least, that's definition closer to what vagabond veteran Ed Buyrn gave me at Burning Man this year at the 'Roads Scholars Graduation Ceremony').

    While the term nomad & vagabond has a very long anthropological history behind it.. LIP is a newer term invented to both describe an existing mindset that many were long exploring before the term and marketing it by selling tools to teach you how to do it too.


    The important thing is to not get caught up in the words and definitions, however - live a life of your own choosing. Rarely will following in someone else's footsteps be a recipe for success in these sorts of lifestyles.Cherie / Technomadia.com
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      CommentAuthorNomadRip
    • CommentTimeOct 8th 2009 edited
     
    I agree with Cherie about not getting caught up in terms and definitions. That works best for me, but I can see why others may want to make the distinction. I've been working out of wherever I happened to be for several years now, whether a rented room, apartment, car or coffee shop. My work involves the tools I use, not a particular geographic location. A laptop and cell phone have become my workstation and office line. Wherever I sit has become my cubicle.

    I only even realized people were using all these different terms about a year ago. I was just making it up as I went. I can go anywhere I want, but I usually stick close to one spot, with travels regularly. We may make it so we are less dependent on a home base than we are now, but my work life has nothing whatsoever to do with that.-James Live Collarfree | Twitter
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      CommentAuthorNomadRip
    • CommentTimeOct 15th 2009 edited
     
    Rasheed, I saw this article on IT World about a whole host of different terms. If you are still trying to narrow the definition even further, it may give you some ideas.

    <a href="http://bit.ly/4lmDrV" target="_blank">IT World Link: What Kind of Digital Nomad are You?</a>-James Live Collarfree | Twitter
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    James, Thank you so much for the link. It was not exactly what I was looking for, but it gave me a more expanded idea of what's out there.

    Thanks for sharing. I appreciate it.Rasheed Hooda aka Mister Weirdo My Blog

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