Lydia Lee takes us on her journey growing up in Malaysia, immigrating to Canada as a kid, leaving home at age 17, and eventually starting to travel the world as an adult. She tells the story of her trip to Southeast Asia with her girlfriends where she woke up one morning to find gunmen in her bedroom, and how she confronted them. She then talks about how it was the travel she did as part of her corporate job that inspired her to travel the world as a full time nomad. She shares a major life-transitionary moment in Russia, when she had a total breakdown and began reassessing her entire life, and that started her journey to location-independent entrepreneurship. She explains how she started her blog “Screw the Cubicle” and eventually scaled it into her coaching business that she runs today. She breaks down the process she uses with her clients of finding their zone of genius, identifying their super power, establishing purpose in their business, beta-testing their product or service and ensuring they love what they are doing before they scale it. Lydia then explains how she designs her lifestyle, her choice of travel cadence, and shares her tips on sustaining a life of long-term world travel. She also shares her personal reflections and tips on dating and finding love as a nomad.
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Episode #124: Screw the Cubicle, Design an Inspired Life, and What to Do When You Find Gunmen in Your Bedroom with Lydia Lee
Episode Summary
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About the Guest
Lydia Lee
Lydia Lee is a location independent entrepreneur, work reinvention strategist, True Purpose coach and founder of Screw The Cubicle. She helps passionate individuals, changemakers, and adventurous souls discover the work they’re meant to do, impact the world purposefully, and design an inspired life. Since 2013, Lydia has helped hundreds of people transition out of the golden corporate handcuffs and build meaningful businesses that support them in living their dream life. She helps each client create a purpose-driven business based on their personal strengths, values, and personality, so that they build a business they truly love, and want to keep for years to come. Born in Penang, Malaysia, Lydia grew up primarily in Vancouver, Canada and is currently based in Bali, Indonesia. She is a sought after speaker on work reinvention, solopreneurship, and lifestyle freedom. Her work has been featured on Forbes, The Telegraph, Huffington Post, and Elle Magazine.
What You'll Learn
- How to Leave your 9-to-5, Find Your Superpower and Design and Inspired Life
- How and Why to Beta-Test Your Business Idea Up Front
- Tips on Dating and Finding Love and Partnership as a Nomad
Links From the Episode
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GET A $100 DISCOUNT ON LYDIA’S “WORK REINVENTED” COURSE
#1 BOOK LYDIA RECOMMENDS
#1 PERSON WITH WHOM LYDIA WANTS TO HAVE DINNER
TOP 3 FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATIONS
TOP 3 BUCKET LIST DESTINATIONS
PLACES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- France
- Hong Kong
- Lithuania
- Penang, Malaysia
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Mexico
- Montreal, Canada
- Quebec, Canada
- Vancouver, Canada
- Moscow
- Russia
- Singapore
- Switzerland
CONTACT AND FOLLOW LYDIA
Time Stamped Show Notes
**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.
[3:02] Reflections on her Upbringing in Malaysia
- The food and culture in Penang and Kuala Lumpur
[7:41] Reflections on her identity growing up between Malaysia and Canada
- Navigating her parents’ divorce
- Moving out of the house at age 17
- Going into the Corporate world
[11:59] Lydia’s International Travel Journey
- Starting to travel internationally
- Traveling through Southeast Asia with her girlfriends
- Learning about location-independent income options
[15:37] How Company trips to diverse destinations inspired her to travel the world
[16:37] Confronting men with guns in her room
[20:16] Lydia’s life-changing trip to Russia
- Having a breakdown
- Transforming her mindset
[27:58] Lydia’s Path to Location-Independent Entrepreneurship
- The stages of transition
[33:08] Finding Purpose in Her Business
- Continually adapting her business as her values grow and change
[36:50] Customizing her Coaching Program for Each Individual Person
- Identifying your personal “zone of genius” and finding your superpower
- Matching your superpower with a deep interest
[44:05] Beta-Testing Your Business Concept
- Getting testimonials, social proof and experience
- Ensuring that you enjoy what you are doing
[49:57] Lydia describes her ideal client
[54:26] Matt reflects on building a business in a space that is not traditionally virtual
[57:32] Matt and Lydia reflect on the value of location-independence
[1:00:39] How Lydia designs her lifestyle and structures her travel cadence
- Finding a healthy work-travel balance
- The value of slow traveling
[1:05:33] Lydia Reflects on the Sustainability Pillars of Long Term World Travel
[1:10:34] Lydia Shares her Tips on Dating and Finding Love as a Nomad
[1:15:36] What Travel Means to Lydia
[1:17:53] Lightning Round
- #1 Book Lydia Recommends
- #1 Travel Hack
- #1 Person with whom Lydia would most like to have dinner
- #1 Piece of advice Lydia would give to her 18-year old self
- Top 3 Favorite Travel Destinations
- Top 3 Bucket List Destinations
[1:26:20] Contact and Follow Lydia
