Escaping the rat race doesn’t necessarily mean becoming wealthy, retiring early or winning the lottery. Sometimes it starts with asking yourself a simple question: is this really how I want to spend the rest of my life?
Back in the 1990s, Ann and I were living what most people would consider a perfectly normal life. We had jobs, a home and responsibilities. But we wanted something different.
We eventually built our own 44ft steel sailing yacht, left the UK in 2002 and spent the next 15 years cruising the Mediterranean. It certainly wasn’t always easy, but we proved to ourselves that another way of living was possible.
Along the way, we learned that turning a dream into reality requires more than simply wanting a change. You need a clear idea of what you want, a realistic plan and the determination to follow it through.
That’s what this four-step guide is about. It’s a practical approach to working out what you really want from life and taking the steps to get there.
If you’d like to read how Ann and I actually did it, here’s the real story of how we escaped the rat race by building a yacht.
For decades, the traditional workstyle path has been ingrained in our culture:
I followed that familiar path for a while. I finished my apprenticeship, went to work and did what was expected of me. But even then, I couldn’t imagine spending the next forty years doing the same thing.
The question kept coming back: “Is this really what I want to do for the rest of my working life?”
The answer was always no. The difficult part was working out what to do about it.
Rather than spend another 35 years working towards retirement and hoping we’d eventually get to enjoy the life we wanted, Ann and I decided to do something about it.
Our dream was to live aboard a sailing yacht and explore the Mediterranean. There was just one problem. We didn’t have a yacht, and we certainly couldn’t afford to buy the sort of boat we wanted.
So we decided to build one ourselves.
Over the next five years, while continuing to work, we built our 44ft steel yacht, Ruffles Spray. She was launched at Nayland Boatyard in Milford Haven on 31 July 2001, and in June 2002 we finally set sail for the Mediterranean.
It wasn’t a matter of suddenly becoming wealthy or retiring early. We had a dream, worked out how to make it happen and spent years putting that plan into action.
You can read the full story in our memoir, Getting Away, but the important point here is that we followed a process. And that’s what I want to share with you.
When Ann and I decided we wanted a different life, we had no idea just how much work lay ahead of us. Building Ruffles Spray took five years, and there were plenty of setbacks along the way.
But we learned something important. A dream doesn’t have to remain a dream if you’re prepared to work towards it.
I’ve put together a simple four-step process based on the approach we used to turn our own dream into reality. It won’t do the hard work for you, but it might help you work out where to start.
You can follow the steps here on the website or get the free study bundle if you’d prefer to work through them at your own pace.
Video Presentation. Watch the four-step guide at your own pace.
Private Facebook Group.Ask questions, share ideas and connect with others.
EPUB & PDF, Read the complete guide on your phone, tablet or eReader.
Practical Workbook, Work through the exercises and start putting your own plan together.
4-Step Guide Video Presentation. Watch at Your own pace.
Access to Private Facebook Group. Ask questions and get advice
MOBI & PDF Versions of eBook for eReaders and Tablets
Work Book for tasks in the 4-Step Guide with my actual examples of what worked for me from 1996
Below (or to the right on Desktop) is the process Ann and I used for our journey out of the rat race.
It all starts with Clarity; most of the time, this is the missing ingredient that causes most people to give up along the way.
Clarity leads to the creation of a plan, which in turn leads to action being taken, which in turn leads to a review of the progress, which then leads to more clarity, and the whole cycle starts again.
What drives all this is a person’s Why. That clear and precise ‘Why’ is discovered during Step 1 – Clarity. This clarity is the foundation block to creating anything you want in your life.
Before you can change your life, you need to understand what you actually want from it. This first step helps you identify your goals, discover what really matters to you and establish your reasons for making a change.
Once you know what you want, it’s time to work out how to achieve it. This step helps you turn your ideas into a realistic plan, with achievable goals and a clear direction.
A plan is only useful if you do something with it. This step is about putting your ideas into practice, taking manageable actions and making steady progress towards the life you want.
Things rarely go exactly to plan, they certainly didn’t when we were building Ruffles Spray! This final step helps you review what’s working, learn from setbacks and adjust your approach as you move forward.
Just in case you’re one of those people (like me) who skip to the end of the page:
Start with Step 1 and work your way through the four steps. There’s no magic formula or instant fix. Changing your life takes time, planning and a fair bit of determination.
Ann and I certainly didn’t get everything right when we were building Ruffles Spray, but we kept going, learned from our mistakes and eventually achieved what we’d set out to do.
If you’ve got questions along the way, leave a comment on any of the articles or get in touch using the chat button on the website.
Good luck with your own plans. You never know where they might take you!
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