Digital Nomad, Karol Gajda of RidiculouslyExtraordinary Interview #1

by Tess

The Bold Living Series Interview # 1

MeCrossroads Digital Nomad, Karol Gajda of RidiculouslyExtraordinary Interview #1

I'm doing a series of interviews, focusing on Bold Entrepreneurs. I've been fascinated by digital nomads, their simple lifestyles, and their constant travel.

I invite you to shut out the media, the constant negativity of gloom and doom, and look to the people who are challenging others to be more and grow more, by getting the hell of their comfort zone. Enjoy!

Karol Gajda, of Ridiculously Extraordinary, an entrepreneur since he was 19, has never worked in a cubicle.

Karol Gadja sold everything he owned and began traveling in 2009. He leads a location independent lifestyle, while enjoying ridiculously extraordinary freedom. Working from his laptop, he has the ability "to do what he wants when he wants as he travels the world."

The Bold Life: Can you please describe who you are and what you do in a few sentences, for our readers?

Karol: I like to build things. Not usually physical objects (although I do some of that too), but online properties. I've built a lot of these things over the past 11 years of working for myself. For the past 2+ years I've been living out of a backpack while traveling in perpetuity and still building things.

The Bold Life: What is the most unusual thing that's happened to you since you began traveling?

Karol: That's a great question, and it could be answered in so many ways. My first day in Chiang Mai, Thailand last year I saved a kitty from drowning in a pool. The kitty was very upset and the owner was very thankful.

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The Bold Life:
Bloggers have a way of making the lifestyle of location independents very alluring and exciting. Can you tell us about some of the difficulties?

Karol: Relationships and the lack of a foldable blender that fits in my pocket. I like a nice smoothie in the morning. As for relationships, even if you're in a place for a few months that's not really a whole lot of time to let a relationship blossom. 

I still haven't figured this one out, but it's not going to stop me from being on the move. Unless, of course, it does stop me.:)

The Bold Life: What locations have had the biggest impact on how you view life? Why?

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Karol: None. A lot of people have asked me about epiphanies or "aha" moments that happened when I started traveling. Those happened before I started traveling.

The result *was* the traveling. Something I've realized more and more is that we're all human. There may be language and cultural barriers, but everybody feels, thinks, eats, cries … I could go on, but you get the idea.

As different as we all are, we're all very much the same. To me, that's a good thing. It makes it easier to find common ground with someone who you may not agree with or who has a completely different lifestyle than you.

The Bold Life: Do you have a base you call home?
 
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Karol: No.

The Bold Life: What frightens you about life? 

Karol: On any given day it could be any of a number of things, depending on where I am and what I'm doing.

Right now I'm afraid I won't be able to get tickets to the Grand Ole Opry which begins in 2 1/2 hours. It has been sold out for days and even scalpers have come up empty.

But for the most part, there is no overarching fear.

The Bold Life: If you had sixty seconds to talk to everyone on the planet what would your message be?

Karol: My message would change depending on when you asked me, but today it's this. Be grateful for what you have and don't dwell on what you don't.

On top of that, go after what you want because nobody is going to hand it to you. 

The Bold Life: Karol, thanks for sharing your time with us today! We appreciate you.

If you want to learn more about how to live with less click here. 

(I'm not an affiliate or making money off of these products. Just a big fan!) 

475ABD1B3FA44CD4EC623D9B512EE2D6 Digital Nomad, Karol Gajda of RidiculouslyExtraordinary Interview #1

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    { 18 comments… read them below or add one }

    Alex Blackwell | The BridgeMaker September 14, 2011 at 6:02 pm

    Tess,

    Thanks for introducing Karol to us.

    Karol – you have a free and humble spirit. Keep living in your own skin – it looks great on you.

    Alex

    Reply

    Karol Gajda September 16, 2011 at 10:25 am

    Thanks Alex! :)
    Karol Gajda´s last post…The No B.S. Truth About Popups

    Reply

    Betsy @ Zen-Mama September 14, 2011 at 6:26 pm

    Karol,
    Wow! What a lifestyle! I’m looking forward to going over to your blog and reading more. Love your advice to the world… “Be grateful for what you have and don’t dwell on what you don’t.”. It’s something I’ve thought about a lot.

    Thanks, Tess, for another interesting guest.

    Reply

    Karol Gajda September 16, 2011 at 10:26 am

    Thanks Betsy. Glad you enjoyed the interview!
    Karol Gajda´s last post…The No B.S. Truth About Popups

    Reply

    Sandra / Always Well Within September 14, 2011 at 9:17 pm

    Thanks Karol and Tess for the interesting interview. Realizing we are all human is the key to everything, isn’t it?
    Sandra / Always Well Within´s last post…Busy Never Stops, But You Can: A Lesson In Imagination Meditation

    Reply

    Karol Gajda September 16, 2011 at 10:27 am

    I don’t know if it’s the key to *everything* but it’s the key to a lot of interpersonal things. :)
    Karol Gajda´s last post…The No B.S. Truth About Popups

    Reply

    Angela Artemis/Poweredbyintuition September 15, 2011 at 6:03 am

    Tess,
    Thank you for sharing this great interview. I don’t think I could live a totally “location independent” lifestyle but, I’d sure like to be able to travel more and not worry about making money while I’m away.
    Angela Artemis/Poweredbyintuition´s last post…30 Ways to Stay Motivated And Succeed

    Reply

    Karol Gajda September 16, 2011 at 10:28 am

    Hi Angela,

    I hear that from a lot of people. There are no rules. If you want a home base you can have a home base. It’s all good!
    Karol Gajda´s last post…The No B.S. Truth About Popups

    Reply

    Jen September 15, 2011 at 7:27 pm

    Tess and Karol,
    What an intriguing and wonderful read! Of course, with three children and obligations, I love living vicariously through people who have the freedom to travel and constantly step into a different culture at will!

    I traveled to Asia by myself (sans kids) about four years ago. My biggest takeaway that I learned is what I hear you echo: People around the world are much more similar than we are different. We all have emotions, struggles, happiness, and love to share.

    Travel well, and I if you figure out that foldable blender….let me know! I could use one for backpacking too:) Look forward to reading more about your journey….
    In Harmony,
    Jen
    Jen´s last post…Trash Talk Thursday: Overpackaged

    Reply

    Karol Gajda September 16, 2011 at 10:31 am

    Hi Jen, I know a lot of families that travel full time so don’t use that as an excuse. If you want it you can have it. If you don’t, you don’t.

    One day we’ll be able to blend with our eyes. Maybe? :)
    Karol Gajda´s last post…The No B.S. Truth About Popups

    Reply

    Melody | Deliberate Receiving September 16, 2011 at 6:07 am

    Wow Tess. This is an awesome idea!!! I love Karol’s work and although I’m not 100% location independent (I live in an apartment with furniture which I own, so that’s a teensy bit of a tie), I travel frequently and can work from my laptop. It’s awesomeness. I’m always getting inspired by nomads to travel more, take less, and be even freer than I already. There’s always more freedom to attain.

    I will second Karol’s sentiments about relationships. I’ve met such wonderful people, but if you don’t live anywhere near each other (or if you don’t live anywhere), it becomes harder to build up a real relationship. It’s not impossible – the technology today makes it a bit easier, but it’s still hard. So, what I’m manifesting is someone who will come on my adventures with me and I’m getting lots of precursors. More and more location independent people are showing up in my life. Yay!!

    Hugs!
    Melody
    Melody | Deliberate Receiving´s last post…Intuitive Eating For Stress Freaks – Part I

    Reply

    Karol Gajda September 16, 2011 at 10:34 am

    I’ve met a lot of full time travelers as well, but we’re never on the same travel path. :) Of course, if someone was worth it I wouldn’t be opposed to compromising.

    Technology does make relationships easier. Well, it makes friendships easier, not romantic relationships. A long distance relationship might as well not be a relationship.
    Karol Gajda´s last post…The No B.S. Truth About Popups

    Reply

    Christopher Foster September 16, 2011 at 1:03 pm

    Hi Tess and Karol,

    Terrific post. Thank you for your honest, vibrant spirits. There was kind of a dance going on here and I’m so happy I had a chance to join in.

    Perhaps, as you age, travel as such loses a little bit of its sheen. Which is too bad in a way. But on the other hand other aspects of life can be nurtured: and a good relaionship I think is one of those. “The best wine comes at the end of the feast.” Very true, in my experience, as regards this aspect of things. All the same, it’s time to bestir myself a bit and get this body moving to a different place where I can hear the ocean roar etc etc…

    Love and best regards to you both
    Christopher Foster´s last post…What does hair have to do with anything?

    Reply

    Reem September 16, 2011 at 2:29 pm

    Thanks for the wonderful blog, Life is whatever shape you mould it.

    Reply

    Justin | Mazzastick September 17, 2011 at 6:55 am

    Hi Tess,
    That was an interesting interview. I too enjoy blogging because of the flexible work options.

    I appreciate a simple life myself and truly admire those who can go through life traveling from place to place and still maintaining their well being.
    Justin | Mazzastick´s last post…How to Meditate for Beginners

    Reply

    pea September 17, 2011 at 8:16 am

    Karol Gajda is a good interview. He works for me because he is straightforward. In his posts he doesn’t make things pretty when they aren’t and he doesn’t mind offending people. I’m not saying that offending people is a strength but not fearing to tell what ever is your truth even if it does offend people IS a strength and that is what he does on his site.
    pea´s last post…5 Simple Things

    Reply

    Tammy September 17, 2011 at 4:12 pm

    I like your straight forward answers like the one about the aha moments occurring before you started traveling. And I think I’m a little bit jealous.
    Tammy´s last post…Tammy’s Top Ten (t3 report) Things to Keep in the Pantry

    Reply

    Chris Barba September 29, 2011 at 2:30 pm

    Awesome interview!

    I love hearing other people’s stories. There are much more interesting than listing out ways to live a more fulfilling life.

    Karol serves as a continued inspiration to do work in Africa. What I like the best about this interview is that it flips the switch to just do it. Having never have worked in a cubicle, I begin to see there is no point waiting around for the perfect conditions to do something.

    Glad I read this one!

    Keep up the inspiration Tess and Karol!

    Reply

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