Most of our lives are spent chasing conventional standards of success. We are required to follow certain patterns since childhood – study the kind of subjects that will get us a more lucrative job, work the 9-5 cycle day after day, then eventually retire. We are encouraged to choose mundane over spontaneous. Our value is reduced to a mere cog in the giant capitalist machinery.
This kind of work-and-no-play approach can often result in severe burnout. Only a few people dare to escape this system. These people realize the absurdity of participating in a cyclical system that exhausts a person. Will Tang is one such individual. Now a travel writer, blogger, and entrepreneur, Will was also part of the 9-5 cycle. However, he eventually caught up with the dissatisfaction this kind of lifestyle generated and opted to embark on his great adventure. Travel blogging helped him take his audience along the way.
Born into a Chinese immigrant family in Canada, Will was expected to become a doctor, accountant, or engineer. His parents highly valued his education and career. When he was younger, the family moved a lot to build a sustainable lifestyle for themselves, yet Will’s education was always their priority. Will also worked hard to fulfill his parents’ expectations. He studied Electrical Engineering and got a job as a consultant afterward.
From a bird’s-eye view, his life was ideal. He was a successful and productive part of the corporate world. He lived a lifestyle that most wanted for themselves – rushing from one client to the next, climbing the corporate ladder, and tasting success at every turn.
Yet Will felt deeply unsatisfied. He was burned out from following the never-ending standards and requirements of success in the corporate world. He was at a crossroads now. He had to choose between continuing on the designated path that would wear him out or taking one single leap of courage to pursue a more wholesome and fulfilling path. It is said that sometimes it takes one moment of brave, foolish courage to change the trajectory of one’s life. Looking at Will’s life, it seems true. He decided to quit his job and travel around Asia in the summer of 2012. A friend suggested making a travel blog and documenting his journey. This was a time when blogging was in its inceptive stages. Will decided to give it a chance, and thus Going Awesome Places was born.
As Will found his new calling, he began to learn the ropes of travel content creation, attending workshops, connecting with like-minded travelers, and more. The blog featured detailed tips and travel logs from his journey. Currently, Will enjoys considerable traffic on his blog and social media handles like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. He has been recognized by the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the Travel Media Association of Canada. He has traveled around the world, 52 and counting, bringing tons of detailed trip-planning content to his readers and fans.
Will’s life proves that a single brave decision can transform one’s life into extraordinary. He knows that there is more to come in his adventure. He wants to travel more and help other traveling brands and travelers with his invaluable knowledge. Will is not here for a momentary buzz – he wants to share his upcoming exceptional adventures for a long time.
Written in partnership with Tom White
