How Finding Purpose Through Solo Travel Changed My Life

A few years ago, I was at a crossroads. I was living in Toronto, had a high-paying corporate job, and all the markers of success—a nice condo in midtown and a life that looked great on paper. I was living my best life, or so I thought. But beneath the surface, I felt disconnected and unfulfilled, lacking any real sense of purpose or meaning. That realization sparked a mission: finding purpose through travel. Over the next year, I set out on a solo journey around the world in search of something more.

On the surface, everything was fine. My days were filled with meetings, deadlines, and dinners out; my weekends with social plans and city routines. But there was a quiet restlessness I couldn’t ignore—a persistent feeling that I was moving through life on autopilot. I began asking myself uncomfortable questions: Is this it? Is this what success is supposed to feel like? The more I tried to silence those thoughts, the louder they became, until ignoring them no longer felt like an option.

Finding purpose means slowing down, reflecting, and choosing a life aligned with your values. Solo travel gave me the space to reset, gain clarity, and redefine success beyond career, money, and external expectations.

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I Realized I Was Lacking Purpose In My Life

A chain of events in my life led to an epiphany. My Mom had passed away two years earlier, and her last words to me were deeply impactful. “Geoffrey, no one on their deathbed wishes they had worked harder.” I often thought about this and tried to figure out what she meant. What was she trying to say? Then one day in my condo, it hit me. She saw how hard I worked and that I was always chasing the carrot. I was obsessed with money, winning, working long hours, and pleasing the corporation I worked for. What she was saying was to go out and live, spend more time with my kids, and enjoy life. Those moments, not our careers, define us. 

“Geoffrey, no one on their deathbed wishes they had worked harder”

My MOTHER’S last words to me

Then my son Eric, who is on the spectrum, announced that he was moving back home to Kingston, where we are from. Eric had been with me his whole life, but now he was 21 and ready to fly. This was the point where I felt empty. The main thought going through my head was, now what? The person my life revolved around no longer needed me. It was at this point that I no longer had a meaningful purpose in my life, but I hadn’t realized it yet.

Finding Purpose Beyond Career and Achievement

We had a purpose exercise at work where we were asked to give a mini presentation on our purpose. I had a week to think about this, and believe me, I thought long and hard. Sure, I had a lot of professional success, serving as a leader in my industry for many years. I was part of a culture change, leading initiatives, developing new revenue streams, and exceeding targets, which gave me a professional purpose. But when my turn came to share my purpose, I took a pass. I was thinking beyond my career, something deeper and more meaningful. It was at this point that I knew I needed to do a deep dive into self-discovery, which would be my personal exercise in finding purpose. 

Two Books That Helped Me Jump Off The Cliff

At this point, many questions were going through my head. So now what? Did I need to find a new career that would provide more balance? Maybe a career break or pause was in order to figure things out? Do I need to figure this out right now, or would this be a process? How do I find more purpose in my life?

As part of my finding purpose process, I picked up two books: The Dip by Seth Godin and Travel the World on $50 A Day. There is now an updated version: Travel the World on $75 a Day.

The Dip by Seth Godin

The Dip is about knowing when to quit. This applies to a career, but also to life in general. The general theme is when to quit and when to stick it out. This could be your job, a club you’re in, a sport, anything. This book was a huge part of my decision-making process, and by the end, I had decided to take a career break to find myself. I ended up taking a 1-year leave of absence, which I extended to 18 months.

Check out my review of The Dip by Seth Godin and how it influenced my decision to quit my job and travel the world to find purpose.

Travel the World on $50 A Day

I had decided to take a career break, so now what? I had always enjoyed travel and started to think it might be a great way to reset and find purpose. But could I afford to travel for a full year? How do people do this? How do you plan a trip around the world? This is where Travel the World on $50 A Day comes in. This book details everything you need to do to travel the world on a budget. It covers everything from costs to subletting my apartment to picking my backpack, booking flights, tours, accommodations, and everything in between. After reading it, I knew this was something I could do. My mind was made up; I was going to travel the world in a quest for purpose.

Check out my review of Travel the World on $50 A Day.

Solo Travel to Find Yourself

I knew this was a journey I had to do solo so I could properly reflect and find myself again. I started by making new friends, going on tours, visiting can’t-miss attractions, and getting used to my new life. There were times when I had travel partners, which was fun. But it was those times when I was alone that I started to make progress. I was often on long bus journeys between destinations, during which I spent most of my time thinking about my purpose.

My first aha moment came about two months in. I was on a bus in Costa Rica when I had an epiphany that I was actually doing this. It was the first time I felt reset and recharged. This was the first step toward finding purpose. 

Finding Purpose While Traveling Without a Plan

For this life-changing trip, I decided to travel differently. I didn’t have time to overplan every detail for each destination. That alone is a full-time job. I wanted to live in the moment and reflect on my journey, not check off a list.

I developed a travel methodology that would allow me to do this. For this journey, I stayed in hostels, got off the beaten path, and went with the flow. This allowed me to connect with others and myself while seeing the world through a different lens. I had a rough idea of which countries I wanted to visit, starting in Nicaragua, but that was the only plan.

To learn more about my travel methodology, which I still follow, check out my blog, My Long-Term Solo Travel Planning Methodology.This blog covers everything you need to know to travel the world without advance planning.

Travel Experiences That Changed Me

During the first six months, three journeys gave me significant time for reflection. The first was a five-day sailing trip across the Caribbean from Panama to Colombia, through the San Blas Islands. The second was a five-day camping trip in the Amazon in Brazil. The third was a hike along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru.

I was unplugged, surrounded by serenity, my fellow travelers, beautiful scenery, and experiences that will stay with me forever. I had the chance to connect with indigenous locals who lived purpose-filled lives and had strong community connections. No big corporate jobs, competing for attention or keeping up with the Joneses. Just putting your community first and looking after each other. 

There was also a lot of downtime on these journeys, which gave me time to figure things out. I recommend finding ways to unplug from the numerous distractions in our lives, especially digital distractions like our phones.

If you’d like to learn more about my sailing trip to Colombia, check out my blog, Sailing to Colombia From Panama Via The San Blas Islands

Unplugged. Left: Piranha fishing in the Amazon. Right: Relaxing and resetting in the San Blas Islands in Panama.

The Podcast That Redefined My Next Six Months

I had been traveling for six months when I posted on LinkedIn about the lack of holiday time in Canada, and it went viral. It took me two months to feel reset, so call it a bit of a vent. This post caught the attention of some leading purpose and leadership podcasts. One in particular, The Leadership Now Podcast, caused a shift in how I would approach my purpose journey over the next six months. 

The host, Dan Pontefract, really made me think. He asked questions like what advice I would give my 25-year-old self, how my purpose has shifted since I began my journey, and what I have learned about myself. I realized I didn’t have all the answers and had work to do. After this podcast, I knew I needed to be more deliberate in my finding purpose mission, which would shape the next six months. This podcast was a big turning point for me. 

If you would like to listen to the full podcast, here is the link to my Finding Purpose conversation with Dan Pontefract.

Finding Purpose in Sapa: The Moment Everything Clicked

Six months after the Purpose Effect Podcast, while reflecting in the mountains of Sapa, Vietnam, I had an unexpected epiphany. The questions that had followed me across continents finally had answers. I realized my journey wasn’t about continuing to search—it was about returning home with clarity and intention, ready to live a purpose-filled life.

Turning Reflection Into Action Back Home

When I returned home to Canada after a year away, I began putting what was in my head on paper. I didn’t come up with a single purpose but rather eight purpose statements.

Eight Purpose Statements That Changed My Life

This is the list I came up with that changed my life, and I do my best to follow every day.

1. Achieving Life Balance

I want to find a career that allows me to work remotely and live a simple life. It’s my mission to balance my career, family, friends, and fun! I plan to work hard while also seeking excitement and adventure, living in the moment.

The first thing I did when I returned from my trip was to move back to Kingston, my hometown, and start a consulting company. The second was to start building my travel blog. This would allow me to set my own hours, work from home, and live a simple, balanced life. This meant more time for my family and friends, and for living my best life every day. And of course, travel long-term without having to beg for time off.

2. Living with joy

I want to live a happy life without fear and to the fullest every day. I want to find my person, best friend, and lover and live joyfully together.

I’m still single but working on it. Maybe she’s waiting for me on my next adventure.

3. Inspiring Others

Share my travel and self-improvement journey to help others live a life free of stress, with purpose and happiness.

I share my travel and self-improvement journey through my travel blog. I also share my journey on my social media channels and in one-on-one conversations.

Check out my podcast where I talk about everything that led me to travel the world in search of greater purpose. I love sharing my journey on my social channels.

4. Living Mindfully

I envision a life where I can live at a slower pace, stop to smell the roses, and enjoy life. It’s important that I look after my mind, body, and soul and live in the moment while exploring my world with open curiosity. 

I started exercising again, taking better care of myself and living life at a much slower pace. Travel taught me that life is a journey, not a race. Embrace the journey because we only live once.

5. Prioritizing Home and Family

Build a family home that feels like home for my children and grandchildren. It’s important that I find a healthy relationship to set an example for my children and grandchildren and be the best version of myself. Spending more time with my kids and grandkids is a priority, while still making time for my passions.

When I returned from my trip, I completely renovated my house in Kingston so my children and grandchildren would have a family home they could be proud of. I built a separate unit where my son and grandchild live, and his brother also lives with us. The whole family often gets together at the house, allowing me to spend my free time with them.

I still find time for my favourite hockey team, the Montreal Canadiens, travel blogging, and, of course, traveling to a new destination every year for at least 4 weeks.

6. Living Authentically

One of my main purposes is to be my true self and not live a life driven by fear. I want to live a unique life full of passion, staying true to myself, using my voice, and not being influenced by societal norms. My goal is to inspire others to live authentically and with passion.

I don’t know how to be anyone but myself; everyone else is taken. Have no fear to use my voice, whether that’s social issues, sports, or finding myself through travel. I like to be bold, sharing my story and living authentically with passion, so others can find the purpose and happiness I have found. Anyone who has had a conversation with me or follows me on social media knows this.

7. Fostering Connections

I want to be there for my friends and foster meaningful connections, making myself available to form new friendships and deepen existing ones. I will reconnect with professional connections and build new ones.

Before I traveled the world, I was always too busy to cultivate meaningful connections, both with existing and new friendships. Most importantly, I wasn’t making time for some of my closest, longtime friends. There was always an excuse.

When I returned, I first reconnected with old friends and made time for them. I’ve also brought new friends into my life, and they, too, are a priority. I reconnected with business contacts in Kingston and formed many new professional relationships, which have been vital to my success as a consultant.

Solo travel taught me the importance of relationships and connecting with people. As a solo traveler, I learned to form relationships quickly, and those connections have become lifelong. I have applied this to my daily life. 

8. Community Contribution

I want to get involved in my community by sharing my life journey and volunteering at community events and for charitable causes. I will use my life and professional experiences, skills, and connections to contribute positively to my community. 

Being active in the community is one of my favourite ways to spend my spare time. One way I give back to the community is by speaking to marketing students at the local college, sharing my professional knowledge and life experiences. I am also a mentor for young entrepreneurs through government-funded programs. I run a sales and marketing workshop series that helps entrepreneurs take their businesses to the next level, and I am the resident sales expert for the local economic development corporation.

When You Stop Chasing What’s Next

One of the most valuable lessons I learned from long-term travel was to slow down and live in the moment. I’m no longer obsessed with chasing the next big thing or bonus. The long hours that used to consume me are long gone, and I’ve never felt better. I ended up quitting my job so I make less money, but I’m happier, and my lifestyle hasn’t changed. I’m less about “things” and more about experiences. The one thing I will keep chasing is my next travel adventure because it makes me happy.

Finding Purpose in Life and Living It Every Day

Every day, I do my best to stay on track and live a purpose-filled life. It’s not always easy and takes deliberate effort, especially with eight life-changing purpose statements. When I have off days, or even a few days, I read the statements to get back on track. Remember, there isn’t a purpose switch you can just flip, and everything magically falls into place. My finding purpose journey is work, but overall it’s been life-changing, and I feel like I’m doing pretty awesome. I hope I’ve helped someone take that leap into their own life-changing purpose journey. 

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Globe Digger AKA Geoff Josey is a travel blogger and solo traveler from Canada. I am a former corporate executive who realized there had to be more to life than just work, running the hamster wheel, and sleep. After exploring the world for 12 months, I never returned to my old life, now with a new outlook, and I share my journey through my blog, socials, and my podcast.