Change direction

Choose your own direction rather than automatically doing what everyone else does. On Boracay in the Philippines in 2012, we met two Danes whose choices got me thinking about exactly that.

Choose your own direction in education and work

They were students training as educators and had chosen to spend part of their placement at an orphanage in the Philippines. They worked on the mainland and could visit the islands in their free time.

I thought it was bold of them to ask whether there were options beyond the path you might first imagine. Their specific choice inspired me.

Give travelling your own twist too

My wife and I had once taken a package holiday lots of others said wasn’t worth it. We found a Danish contact online and had experiences we wouldn’t have found simply following the usual tour.

In the Philippines, a Danish family also suggested taking the boat a little further than other tourists. Then we had a different experience, sitting by the beach with local food and the sunset.

Ask why everyone takes the same path

It isn’t only about holidays. If everyone takes a particular course or does things in a particular way, you can ask whether there’s a reason and whether something else suits you better.

You don’t need to choose something completely different. Perhaps it’s just a little twist that makes the experience or daily life more your own. That’s the thought I wanted to share from the beach.

A boat trip to the sunset on Boracay

I’m speaking a little quietly because I don’t want to spoil other people’s sunset experience. We’re on Boracay in the Philippines, a small island I describe as seven or eight kilometres long and around a kilometre wide, an hour’s flight from Manila.

We’ve rented a little boat and sailed somewhere there was almost nobody else. A group of Germans has just arrived. That wasn’t part of the plan, but we’ll survive. Fortunately, most seem to be moving on again.

Two Danish trainee educators chose something different

When we arrived, there were only three very fair-skinned people on the beach. Two were Danish. I thought: What the hell are two Danish educators doing here? They’d come to the Philippines for their placement at an orphanage.

The orphanage isn’t on Boracay but in a mainland town not far away. At weekends and when they’re off, they can come out here for a holiday. It costs next to nothing compared with what we’re used to.

In the video, I mention an hour’s beach massage costing around DKK 45 then, and a rum and coke around DKK 9. It reminded me of the old days visiting Spain. I didn’t think Spain was like that any longer after the euro arrived.

I think it’s bold to sit in Denmark asking: Should we just take the usual educator placement and head off in the rain, or can we do something else? They’d investigated and found an opportunity.

Choose your own direction and investigate why

Try thinking outside the box. Perhaps you think you need to do things a certain way because everyone else does. Dig a little deeper and ask whether there’s actually a reason. Be a little less deferential to authority.

It’s like seeing a line of cars all waiting to turn right. Perhaps there’s a good reason further ahead. But sometimes it’s just a lemming effect: A few start, and the rest follow because they think that’s the way to go.

I’ve often had great experiences by going straight on or turning another way instead. That also applies to some package holidays I’ve taken with my lovely wife Camilla.

Rye bread, remoulade and a package holiday near Venezuela

Once, we went to an island off Venezuela. I wasn’t sure of the island’s name when telling the story in the video, but the point is the experience. Everyone said it was a terrible place. Camilla and I went anyway.

Before the trip, we used the internet to find a Dane living there. This was before everyone used the internet. We brought him rye bread and remoulade, and he arranged the wildest trip for us.

We went diving with dolphins, something we’d never tried before, and it cost almost nothing. We also rented a jeep and reached amazing places where the other tourists weren’t.

It doesn’t have to mean travelling somewhere nobody’s heard of. The fun could easily be on Gran Canaria. But investigate where on Gran Canaria it’s fun rather than simply taking the same bus as everyone else.

Advice from a Danish family gave us a different experience

Here in the Philippines, we’re making something for Amino TV and have met a lovely Danish family. They suggested the boat trip. Their advice was to sail a little further than the other tourists. Then we’d have a different experience.

Now we’re almost on a deserted beach with a little bar serving local food. The German guests are walking around in high heels and everything, so I expect they’ll move on soon. Then we’ll be almost alone again.

They’re making my pineapple drink while we eat and enjoy the sunset. The children are out on the raft with our new Danish friends. I’m happy we once again chose to go a little further rather than stopping where everyone else did.

Take that thought beyond the holiday. When everyone chooses the same education, becomes entrepreneurs or follows a particular path, ask whether you can give it your own twist. The fun in life usually isn’t exactly where everyone else thinks. Now we’ll enjoy the sunset on Boracay once more. Also read Skab din egen succes about finding your own way in life.

Also read my thoughts on living your own life and choosing your path.