The Most Overlooked Part Of Travel Planning
Before I travel, I ask myself a simple question: “What would make this trip successful for me?”
When people talk about practical travel advice, they usually focus on logistics.
You’ll find countless articles covering the best travel insurance, which eSIM to buy, useful local phrases to learn, how to navigate public transport, where to eat, the best neighbourhoods to stay in, or even the best routes for a morning run in a new city.
All of that information is useful.
I regularly research (and write about) those things before travelling myself.
But over the years, I’ve learned that one of the most practical things I can do before any trip has nothing to do with technology, transport, or booking websites.
It’s defining what ‘success’ looks like before I leave.
This might sound a little less practical than comparing insurance policies or downloading the best VPN to keep you safely connected, but I’ve found it has a bigger impact on my travel experience than almost anything else.
For a long time, I approached travel without thinking too deeply about why I was going.
I would book a flight because a destination looked interesting, create a rough itinerary, and hope for an amazing experience.
Sometimes it worked.
Other times I’d arrive somewhere incredible and feel strangely underwhelmed.
Looking back, I realised the destination wasn’t the problem.
The issue was that I hadn’t defined what I wanted from the trip.
Was I travelling to rest?
To challenge myself?
To meet new people?
To gain perspective?
To work remotely from somewhere different?
Or simply to have fun?
Without knowing the answer, I often carried unrealistic expectations into the journey.
I expected one trip to provide adventure, relaxation, personal growth, productivity, social connection, and unforgettable memories all at once.
That’s a difficult standard for any trip to meet.
Now, before I travel, I ask myself a simple question:
“What would make this trip successful for me?”
The answer changes depending on where I am in life.
Sometimes success means slowing down and recovering from a busy period.
Other times it means stepping outside my comfort zone, meeting people, and embracing uncertainty.
When I know my purpose, I make better decisions throughout the trip.
I stop trying to do everything and focus on the experiences that align with what I actually want from the journey.
I’ve also found that defining success helps me avoid one of the biggest traps in modern travel: comparison.
It’s easy to scroll through social media and feel like you’re missing out.
Someone is always visiting more places, finding hidden gems, staying longer, spending less, or having what appears to be a better experience.
But travel isn’t a competition.
The most memorable trips I’ve taken weren’t necessarily the most impressive on paper.
They were the ones that delivered what I needed at that particular moment in my life.
Of course, things will still go wrong.
Flights get delayed.
Weather changes.
Plans fall apart.
You make mistakes.
That’s part of travelling.
But when you have a clear idea of what success looks like, those setbacks become easier to manage because they don’t define the entire experience.
Before your next trip, spend a few minutes thinking about what you really want from it.
Not what social media says you should want.
Not what other travellers are chasing.
What do you want?
The answer might be adventure, rest, freedom, connection, confidence, learning, or simply a break from routine.
Whatever it is, define it before you leave.
In my experience, it’s one of the most practical travel decisions you can make.
Here are some of the Do’s and Don’ts that I’ve learnt through my own experience of travelling.
Do:
Define your purpose before booking or travelling.
Set realistic expectations for the trip.
Leave room for spontaneity and unexpected opportunities.
Focus on experiences rather than ticking boxes.
Measure the success of the trip against your own goals.
Stay flexible when plans inevitably change.
Take time to reflect on what you’re learning along the way.
Don’t:
Compare your journey to social media highlights.
Try to do everything in one trip.
Assume every day will be perfect.
Let a bad day define the entire experience.
Chase someone else’s version of travel.
Over-schedule every hour of every day.
Forget why you decided to travel in the first place.
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