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Tip #4 to kick off your portable plan

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expat partner, trailing spouse, dual career, portable career, portable business, technologie, digital solutions.

This is the last tip from the called "Kick off your portable plan!", four critical things to know before you start working on your portable plan.

Here is a little recap of the previous tips:
  1. How to find the support around you and make sure to not do this alone. Click here to read more.
  2. How to define your unique talents and capitalize on them. Click here to read more.
  3. How to beat your fears and take the leap. Click here to read more.

 

And here is the fourth tip to build your portable plan! 

We will see here what it really means to "think portable" and how to deal with the challenge between needing to adapt locally while preparing for the fact that we will eventually move again across the world. As we will discuss it, technology is giving us an amazing opportunity to build a portable career. However, remember this:

Don't build links, build relationships!

From Ran Fishkin

THE ESSENTIALS TO BUILD YOUR PORTABLE PLAN

4. Act local, be global, think portable!

As most expat partners, you must be really good at adapting and reinventing yourself in every single move abroad. You might have taken so many different jobs, accepted to be underemployed just for the sake of working, volunteered for some charities, started so many different projects and then had to start all over again in each new country. It requires a lot of skills and tenacity to be able to do that, so you can be proud of yourself and acknowledge that fact!  However, know that it is normal if it is not enough for you to feel happy. Most of us need that stable continuity in our achievements, be able to see the growth in a specific field, get long-term results and recognition for it. This is why you should focus on building a plan that is portable while embracing the assets that each country can bring to your plan. To do that you need to:
  • Do not rely only on the virtual world. 

While exploring and learning all about the digital solutions to build your portable plan and connect with inspiring people online, make sure to not remain behind your computer all the time. Get some fresh air, meet with people who can inspire you and support you, find out which communities and events can benefit your portable career, business or project in the country where you live.
Build the local network that will become part of your international network when you leave!

think portable!
  • Make sure that what you are implementing is indeed portable!

It seems obvious but yet... There are so many interesting things to do in each country that we might be tempted to go where it is easy to start. Also, there might be an opportunity like a job offer that comes up in the country where you live at the moment. It might be a great opportunity, something that could enrich your resumé and make you highly employable for the next experience abroad, or teach you skills that you might need. However, make sure to evaluate your options and the decisions you take to build your portable plan. Don’t miss the opportunities that come up to you, but also, think wisely how you can turn those opportunities into something portable. If you don’t see clearly how you can do that, then you should ask yourself if it is indeed the right opportunity for you. Indeed, in certain cases it might be wiser to say "no" to offers that seem very attractive but won't help you build your portable career!

  • Embrace technology and the digital world!

Last but not least! Our life as expat partners is so much simpler today thanks to internet and all the existing online solutions. Make some research and get familiar with all the online platforms, tools and applications that could make your plan become reality. Don’t resist the digital world, social media and technology but rather be proactive about it, find out how you can be in control of them. Focus your energy in learning how to use these technologies efficiently rather than how to avoid them. 

It is now time for you to commit to go back to each of these 4 essentials to kick off your portable plan and implement them! To do that, make sure to find a mentor, an accountability partner or a supporting community.

Take action now!

Join the Tandem Nomads private group here, say “I commit” and tell us what you are planning to implement to kick off your portable plan.

I will make sure that we will be there for you, to hold you accountable, guide you and motivate you while you invest yourself in building the first steps of your portable career!

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