"It's not what you do on the trip that matters, it's what you come back and decide to do and what do you turn that opportunity into."  -Matt Wilson

The Cheat Sheet:

• 
  
• What is pura vida and why should you care? (4:15)
  
• Matt's Managua, Nicaragua story and what it teaches you about life. (22:00)
  
• The one question to ask yourself when communicating in a foreign country. (24:10)
  
• True or false: Matt was fluent in other languages when he started his travel company. (26:56)
  
• What gives women that "creepy" vibe in a dating situation? (30:40)
  
• And so much more!
  

What is it about traveling that expands our horizons and has such an impact on our lives? I'm not talking about just having a fully-stamped passport and cool Instagram photos, I mean why does living within other cultures and learning about other ways of life help so many of us become successful business owners, entrepreneurs and all-around awesome people?

Joining us to answer those questions and much more is Matt Wilson, co-founder of Under30CEO.com and Under30Experiences.com.

More About This Show:

While at first glance it may seem Matt's two businesses have little to do with each other, he explains he started his Under 30 Experiences company when the travel bug bit him.

In 2008, he started the Under 30 CEO business to help budding entrepreneurs create and build successful businesses for themselves. And while growing and expanding that company, he was always asking the questions: What do we love to do? Why do we do the things we do every day? And what are we working towards?

His answer was always: more freedom, more fun and to do whatever the hell we want every day! And one of those wants was to travel.

With that in mind, he began the Under 30 Experiences business. It is geared towards under 30s who want to travel around the globe. He wanted to take like-minded people to places anywhere and everywhere in the world; his company's tagline sums it up nicely: "Awesome people + Awesome places. Travel experiences for ambitious young adults."

Naturally, he's learned a great deal along the way. Like how and why traveling is so great at getting out of your comfort zone.

There are the usual differences: time zone, food, sights but also differences in the way people live. In Nicaragua? Families all live together in one hut that leaks when it rains. Want to stay at an eco-retreat in Costa Rica? Get ready for what green-friendly and ecological preservation really mean.

And they aren't limited to just Central American countries, they take groups to Belize, Iceland, Bali, and Alaska to name a few.

Part of being out of your comfort zone means learning to communicate in a country where you might not speak the language very well (or at all in some cases). Matt and I discuss how to create trust through non-verbal communication, like how to read the energy of other people around you and read what their body language is telling you. All incredibly important things that apply to your personal and professional life.

Of course, you must also be adaptable, especially if you are traveling to more exotic locations. It's easy to "adapt" when you're in your room at the Ritz-Carlton in a resort on an island somewhere, but can you go with the flow of dysfunctional trains in Eastern Europe? Can you adapt when your flight has been canceled and you have to find a place to stay - and it's 11pm in a country where you don't speak the language?

All experiences you can and may have while traveling. And all experiences that will teach you to think on your feet, be adaptable, patient and persevere - qualities everyone needs to create success in any area of life.

Clearly travel is another form of education, one with lessons that impact and last a lifetime.

And Matt had lots of lessons to share and they are an education in and of themselves. Have a listen and hear it straight from the source.  I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with him and I hope you get a lot out of this show.

Resources from this episode:

Under 30 CEO
Under 30 Experiences

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-The Art of Charm Toolbox
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