Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mike Nixon. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Mike thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Early in my adulthood, I discovered that it would be difficult to experience any kind of fulfillment without taking risks. Up until that point, I had let fear hold me back – the fear of failure, rejection, and everything else. Granted, there were things that happened in my life that contributed to me being that way. When I visualized the person I wanted to be, I didn’t see anything holding him back. So, I decided to take steps to create the adventure-filled life that I wanted.

My life changed in 2007 when I left the U.S. for the first time to study in the Dominican Republic. The entire experience made me realize that risks are necessary for growth. For example, learning a foreign language presented the risk of sounding foolish. Oftentimes, I struggled but eventually, I became bilingual. After five months of living abroad, I knew that I was pursuing what was right for me and I wanted to travel more. In the beginning, I remember hearing how unsafe and expensive it was to travel abroad. I recall someone telling me that I was wasting my time and earning potential living in other countries. There’s no such thing as wasting time when a person is working toward worthy goals.

Today, I’ve visited over thirty countries. I’ve spent almost ten years living in four of those countries. In addition, I’ve done a lot of meaningful work, built lasting friendships and now I’m a self-published author who has sold hundreds of books. None of this would have been possible without taking risks.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Essentially, I’m an adventurer. I view life as an extraordinary journey. As long as I live, I strive to maximize my time by creating experiences that make it worthwhile. Accordingly, I’ve spent a lot of time not only living in foreign countries but also living outside the confines of my comfort zone. If there was a way to travel, I’ve done it whether it was studying abroad, international volunteerism, or the U.S. Navy. In October 2022, I published a memoir titled Life Travel And The People In Between that details the impact that travel has had on my life and how it has transformed me into the person I am. More importantly, it’s a story about taking risks and following dreams.

I believe that most people have great aspirations, but sometimes let things such as fear, doubt, and insecurities get in the way. Even me… early 2022, I was nervous about posting on social media that I had even written a book and it would be released later in the year. And I almost had a panic attack after pressing the publish button and the book going live. “Oh no, what have I done?” That’s how I felt. Then people started buying the book and reading it. And enjoying it! All of a sudden, I felt good. That’s how it is to pursue a dream, besides all of the work. I believe those who read my book will enjoy the stories as well as be encouraged to work toward their dreams.

What I find most satisfying is that others are able to read and connect with my story – a story I’ve lived and written in pages. Also, I’m proud that people have been able to see what I’ve done and see the possibilities in their own abilities. Honestly, that’s how it happened to me. There was a time when I couldn’t see my value in my life, let alone only believed I had a story to tell. After reading books from people, I could relate to, I felt that I could do the same. Now, here I am.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

First, I believe that everyone is creative because everyone is different; therefore, each person has their own unique way of observing, interpreting, and interacting with the world. Travel has taught me that.
Others sometimes overlook or struggle to understand that being creative is not enough. So much work goes into things like developing a craft, building a brand, owning a business, and doing creative things. As for someone on the outside looking in, these things may appear as huge accomplishments. In a way, they are. However, people create beautiful artworks to only place them in attics, where they collect dust. The real accomplishment is realized when someone purchases the product or service that the business offers and finds value in it. Creating something feels good. But knowing that you created something that entertains, inspires, or benefits others is satisfying. As a creative, that’s something we have to work for each day.

Through my travels and work, I’ve lived my life in a way to achieve this. That’s live in a way that positively influences others. For example, I’d been traveling for over a decade before my own mother decided to take her first international trip (and real vacation). She was in her fifties and the trip was to Japan to visit me. Since then, she’s visited Costa Rica, Las Vegas, and the Bahamas. Similarly, there were times when I spent hours at book signings only to get a few sales. In one case, a customer contacted me after reading my book to share how much she enjoyed it and how it inspired her to start writing her own book. As a creative person, that’s what you want. For everyone else, instead of praise alone, show a person you view as creative support through action.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Nowadays, there are infinite resources out there to help anyone in their creative journey. On YouTube, alone, a person can learn to do just about anything. Then, they can set up an account on Fiverr or Upwork, and use their creative talents to satisfy someone else’s needs while making a profit. There are a lot of people with these side hustles, who started out as I described, and many of them are awesome at what they do.

With that said, others often forget about the most important resource they have – and that’s their own creative mind. Each person already has what they need to turn their vision into reality.

Take self-publishing a book, for example. There are things that go into it like writing, editing, formatting, and cover design. While a self-publishing author might not want to skip out on the editing, there are insistences where they shouldn’t be afraid to shine. This is just one example, but in my case, I paid several designers to come up with a book cover for me. Most of the covers were amazing; however, I didn’t exactly think they fit my book. I did research to find out what sites I could use as designer tools. I tried several until I settled for Canva. After teaching myself to be a graphic designer, I created the cover I wanted for my book. Was it better than the ones I paid for? Probably not. Is it recommended that authors with no experience design their book covers? Definitely not! Am I satisfied with my work? Absolutely!

In short, if I had known earlier what I was capable of, I could’ve saved time and money. My advice to others is to learn as much as you can from the resources that are readily available, take risks, and believe in yourself!     

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mikenixonauthor.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brogotravel/
• Other: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B9J171FR/