I just came back from a 10-day trip to Melbourne.
And it was my first time there. Boy it was a love-at-first-sight affair with Melbourne.
In that trip, I completed more than 1000km of road trip by going around in Melbourne city itself, and its surrounding areas like Dandenong Ranges, Mornington Peninsular, Philip Island, and the Great Ocean Road.
The biggest challenge is I didn’t know the roads in Melbourne and I did not have GPS with me (For some reason I don’t like it as I find GPS too rigid). What I had was only a few maps. I love the challenge of getting to an unfamiliar destination on my own. We went through the whole trip successfully and we reached our final destination Melbourne Airport safely on the last day.
Getting around in Melbourne has taught me some useful lessons in life and business.
Here are some of them:
1. Know clearly where you want to go.
This is very important. Without destination, you have no way to move ahead. Every day, we knew clearly where we wanted to go and where we wanted to go first. And we roughly planned out the trip using a map. It’s the same with your life, your goals are your guide. If you don’t know where you want to go, chances are you end up nowhere.
2. Ask from reliable sources.
Almost every time when we reached a town, we went straight to the Visitor Information Center.
Why? Because that’s the best place to get advice on what to do and see. These people know about the town. Plus that’s the place to get detailed local maps which you hardly find elsewhere. In life and business, if you want to achieve something fast, ask from someone who has been there. Ask from someone who is reliable. It can be in any form: coaching, ebooks, membership sites, audio tapes, seminars, etc. But make sure you learn from those who walk the talk.
3. Get some tools and resources.
When you travel in a foreign country, the most important tool is your map and language. Of course, not to mention you need money and transport to move around. These are the basics and must-have. For online business, you need capital to start one. You need a computer, a website, an autoresponder, webhosting, and some tools that help you kickstart your business. Some technical knowledge is essential too.
4. Look for checkpoints.
When I wanted to go to Warrnambool – the capital of Great Ocean Road near Melbourne – I look for milestones along the way to help me stay on the right track. I passed by Torquay, Lorne, Apollo Bay and the 12 Apostles before I reached Warrnambool. How do I know which towns I should pass? The map. If you want to make $10000 a month, what are the milestones you need to go through? To begin with you have to make you first sale. And you can multiply from there. Milestones are like lighthouses to ships. They are there to help us to head into the right direction.
5. Have enough rest.
Don’t stress out. While we traveled, we made sure we had enough sleep to prepare for the trip the following day. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy our trip. Likewise, you don’t put too much pressure on yourself while building your business. Aim for achievable targets. Have enough rest. Learn to relax. This will definitely make sure you travel longer and healthier in life.
6. Enjoy the journey as well as the destination.
Long drive can be tiring at times. But I have learned to relax while driving by appreciating the spectacular scenery outside: the sea, trees, the sky, the birds, and even people. And the destination has become the goal and driving force for me to keep pressing. The reward when we reach our destination is we can rest and enjoy the food at a nice restaurant. Likewise in life, you have to enjoy every moment of your life, not just the destination.
I totally enjoyed my trip to Melbourne and as you can see it’s more than just a trip 
