The superior value of purchases of intangible goods.

Atlas Mountains

The travel sector generates trillions annually, and like education or entertainment, is an experiential value like a memorable, fundraising event. Intangible, yet so much more impactful than a day of shopping for all the items you’ve been coveting.

I’ve pondered on this as I’ve matured, and I’ve come to the conclusion that moving through life should be rich with experiences of all sorts, some wonderful, some more impactful than others, maybe some not as pleasant as we would like (hopefully rare instances) – nevertheless, they add something more to our short story in this life. Despite that, living in consumeristic realities has wired us to think of things, aka stuff, as what enriches life. It’s the person that drives a Ferrari that is respected, because the one that has visited 100 countries and has countless stories to tell might not have a luxury car to prove how successful he is, when in fact, those visits have enriched his spirit in ways material things will never.

My craving for enriching my life aesthetically was embedded in me from when I was a young girl growing up in Milan, a design centered city, so much so that I ended up pursuing fashion design and merchandising as a degree. I was lucky enough to attend one of the best design schools in the world, but a couple years working and I discovered I despised the industry. However, my obsession with my wardrobe, and my investments in it didn’t really die down until later.

If you’re a GenX female who watched Sex & The City, you might remember the episode in which Carrie figures out how much she spent on designer shoes and purses, and realizes she will end up “…a bag lady. A Fendi bag lady”. After living in NYC the first 8 years of my life after moving to the US, I could relate. How many experiences did I miss by accumulating so much stuff that did not add anything to my persona, my mindset and my wisdom?

Cue the “If I could go back I would not do it all again, I would do it completely differently” revelation.

But what are really the most obvious differences between experiential, (in this case travel) and material purchases? Here’s my view:

Travel can lead to making or solidifying lifelong relationships, or show you that a relationship is no longer sustainable.

Travel experiences are indelible and they never lose their appeal or novelty factor, unlike a material good that you become indifferent to over time.

Travel does not evoke as many social comparisons as material goods do, therefore adding to the insecurities that material purchases, or lack thereof can create.

Travel takes us to the present moment in ways that only meditation can take us when we are living our day to day lives, and forces us to get to know ourselves better, helping us fulfill the “know thyself” objective in life.

Experiences are irreplaceable. Stuff is (mostly) very replaceable. It goes without saying that purchasing “stuff” like a home can be perceived by most as a better choice than a taking a trip to Nepal and maybe a dozen other trips to faraway lands. But what if that trip to Nepal, Patagonia or Oman opens a whole new way of viewing yourself and the world around you?

This is something I also experienced myself. Travel that changes you so much that your life takes a new path.

I can state with confidence, it’s worth giving the possibilities a chance.

-Ambra S.