The FOMO-to-GO Formula: Why Your "Someday" List is BS
Your saved Instagram posts folder is embarrassingly full. Screenshots of adventures you're "definitely gonna do" mixed with inspirational quotes about living boldly. Meanwhile, your passport has maybe three stamps, and two of them are from that work conference.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: your "someday" list isn't planning—it's procrastinating with extra steps.
Your Excuse Audit (Spoiler: They're All Fake)
"I can't afford it."
Cool story. What'd you spend on DoorDash last month? That streaming service you forgot you had? The gym membership you use twice? Your Iceland adventure costs less than your annual coffee habit, but one gives you stories for life and the other gives you... slightly better Tuesday mornings.
"I don't have time."
You found 47 hours to binge-watch that Netflix series nobody's talking about anymore. You scrolled TikTok for longer than most people spend planning entire vacations. Time isn't scarce—priorities are just scrambled.
"Nobody can come with me."
So? Some of the best adventures happen when you stop waiting for your friends to match your energy. That crew of strangers on a small-group expedition might end up being your people anyway. Plus, your friends' schedules, budgets, and courage levels shouldn't hold your dreams hostage.
"It's not the right time."
When exactly will all your planets align? After the promotion, the relationship status update, the perfect savings balance, and world peace? The "right time" is a myth that keeps adventures theoretical.
Why Your 20s and 30s Hit Different
This isn't just about your knees working better (though they do). Adventures in your prime years compound like crazy. That confidence from conquering fears in Iceland? It shows up in job interviews. Those problem-solving skills from navigating Tokyo solo? They transfer to every challenge afterward.
Each adventure builds your "I can handle anything" muscle. The stranger-danger becomes stranger-excitement. The unknown becomes your playground instead of your anxiety trigger.
Plus, adventure stories are social currency. While everyone else talks about their weekend Netflix binges, you're the one with actual stories worth stealing.
The 72-Hour Challenge: Stop Thinking, Start Booking
Next time adventure inspiration hits, set a 72-hour timer. Not to be reckless, but to skip the overthinking death spiral that kills most dreams.
Day 1: Research the basics. Cost, dates, what's included. Don't fall down the review rabbit hole or start planning the perfect itinerary.
Day 2: Money reality check. Can you swing it without eating ramen for six months? If not, what needs to shuffle?
Day 3: Decision day. Book it or admit you're not ready. But don't drag it into week two as another "maybe later" bookmark.
Most regrets come from overthinking, not under-thinking.
The Plot Twist: She Actually Did It
Meet Alex. Marketing coordinator, chronic overthinker, professional someday-sayer. Scrolled past a group expedition to Spain while avoiding her quarterly budget spreadsheet (ironic, right?).
Instead of screenshot-and-forget, she tried the 72-hour thing:
Day 1: Trip costs $2,800, seven days, moderate activity level
Day 2: Would mean saying no to weekend brunches for a few months and selling those boots she never wears
Day 3: Booked it
The plot twist? That trip confidence translated into finally pitching her boss the creative campaign she'd been "perfecting" for months. Got the green light, led the project, crushed the results. The raise covered her Spain trip within six weeks.
Now she's the friend pushing others to stop saving adventures for later.
Your Comfort Zone is Actually Pretty Uncomfortable
You know what's really risky? Spending decades wondering "what if." Playing it safe while watching everyone else live the stories you bookmarked. Having a pristine bank account and an empty memory vault.
The trip that doesn't meet expectations becomes a funny story. The trip you never take becomes a lifetime regret.
Reality Check: Your Action Plan
Audit your screenshot folder. What's been sitting there longest?
Do the coffee math. That dream adventure costs how many Starbucks runs?
Pick your expired excuse. Which barrier is actually imaginary?
Start the 72-hour timer. Choose one real adventure and commit to the process.
Know your style. Solo explorer or small-crew energy?
Book the damn seat. Decisions eliminate anxiety.
Your future self isn't waiting for perfect timing. They're waiting for you to stop rehearsing and start performing. The world rewards action, not intention. Your best stories are hiding behind that next "yes" decision.
Stop collecting screenshots. Start collecting experiences. Monday meetings will never be the same.
FAQs
Is it still “solo” if I join a group?
Yes. Your choices, your pace. The group is a support system, not a script—perfect for community travel for solo travelers.
Will I have free time?
Designed in. Wander hours > rush hours.
Do I need to be “outgoing”?
No. Curiosity travels well at any volume.
Inspired to make your next core memory?
Come find your Tribe. Solo will never be the same again.