When Experience Becomes a Cage
If you’ve been in travel for a while, you’ve earned your stripes:
- You’ve navigated crises and comebacks.
- You’ve handled complicated itineraries and complicated personalities.
- You’ve seen trends rise, fall, and come back with a new name.
You’ve got experience—and that’s a gift.
But there’s a quiet danger that comes with experience:
“I already know how this works.”
That sentence can turn into:
- “I already know what my clients want.”
- “I already know what marketing works for me.”
- “I already know what I’m good at and what I’m not.”
And just like that, your experience becomes a cage instead of a foundation.
That’s where Shoshin comes in.
What Is Shoshin?
Shoshin (初心) means “beginner’s mind.”
It’s the practice of approaching situations with:
- Curiosity
- Openness
- A willingness to be surprised
Even when you’re not a beginner anymore.
There’s a famous idea that says:
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.”
Shoshin doesn’t ask you to forget what you know.
It asks you to hold what you know lightly enough that you can still learn.
Why Shoshin Matters So Much in Travel
Travel is one of the most dynamic industries on the planet.
- Destinations change.
- Client expectations evolve.
- Technology keeps reshaping how people dream, plan, and book.
If you cling too tightly to:
- “The way we’ve always done it,” or
- “What worked for me five years ago,”
you risk waking up one day and realizing you’ve become an expert in a world that no longer exists.
Shoshin keeps you from becoming that expert.
It lets you say:
- “I’ve seen a lot, and I’m still willing to be a student.”
- “I know what has worked, and I’m open to what might work now.”
That combination—experience + curiosity—is where your real power lives.
Shoshin in a Travel Business: Real Examples
Example 1: The Advisor Who “Knew” Her Clients
An advisor was convinced her clients “weren’t on social media like that.”
Her words:
- “My people don’t care about video.”
- “They’re not scrolling Reels.”
- “They just want email and phone calls.”
She wasn’t wrong about what had worked in the past. But she also hadn’t asked her clients in a while.
We tried a Shoshin experiment:
- She sent a short survey to her list.
- She asked a few simple questions about how they liked to consume information.
- She had three honest conversations with long-time clients.
The results?
- Many of her clients were watching short-form video…just not from her.
- They were following travel content on social, but didn’t know she had anything there.
- They still loved email and phone—but they were open to more.
Her Shoshin moment wasn’t “I must become a TikTok star.”
It was “Maybe I don’t know everything about how my clients behave now.”
That curiosity opened new options.
Example 2: The “I’m Not a Systems Person” Story
Another advisor had a story she told herself:
“I’m just not a systems person. I’m creative. I’m relational. I’m bad at tech.”
Because of that story, she avoided:
- Trying new tools
- Documenting her processes
- Delegating anything
Her business was always on the edge of chaos.
We brought in Shoshin.
Instead of “I’m bad at systems,” she tried:
- “I’m a beginner at systems.”
- “I’m willing to learn one simple tool.”
She started with:
- One basic CRM feature
- One simple checklist for onboarding
- One automation (appointment scheduling)
Was she suddenly a tech wizard? No.
But she stopped using “I’m not a systems person” as a shield.
That’s Shoshin.
The Difference Between Shoshin and Shiny Object Syndrome
Important distinction:
- Shiny object syndrome: Chasing every new thing because you’re afraid of missing out.
- Shoshin: Staying open and curious while still grounded in your values and strategy.
Shoshin doesn’t mean:
- Jumping on every platform
- Buying every course
- Rebuilding your business every quarter
It means:
- Asking, “Is there something here worth exploring?”
- Testing small before committing big
- Being willing to say, “I was wrong,” or “This surprised me.”
Shoshin is curiosity with a backbone.
Practicing Shoshin as a Travel Entrepreneur
Here are some ways to live beginner’s mind in your business—without losing your center.
1. Ask “What If I’m Wrong?” (In a Good Way)
Pick an area where you feel very certain:
- “My clients don’t care about X.”
- “I could never charge Y.”
- “That kind of trip would never sell in my market.”
Now, gently ask:
“What if I’m wrong—or at least, not completely right—about this?”
Then:
- Look for one piece of data that could challenge your assumption.
- Talk to one client or peer about it.
- Try one small experiment.
You’re not throwing out your wisdom. You’re testing its edges.
2. Let Yourself Be a Beginner at One Thing
Choose one area where you’ve been saying, “I’m just not good at that”:
- Video
- Speaking
- Systems
- Group trips
- Corporate travel
- Luxury, etc.
Reframe it:
- “I’m a beginner at this, and that’s okay.”
Then:
- Take one small step: a short video, a simple SOP, a tiny pilot group.
- Judge yourself as a beginner, not as a 10-year expert.
Beginners are allowed to be awkward.
They’re also allowed to improve quickly.
3. Ask More, Tell Less
In your next few client conversations, practice Shoshin by:
- Asking one more question than you normally would.
- Listening a little longer before offering solutions.
- Saying, “Tell me more about that,” instead of jumping to assumptions.
You might discover:
- New fears you hadn’t considered
- New desires they haven’t said out loud before
- New ways to serve them better
Beginner’s mind isn’t just for you. It’s a gift to your clients too.
4. Schedule “Learning Time” Like a Real Task
If you only learn when you “have time,” you’ll never have time.
Try:
- Blocking 30–60 minutes a week as “Shoshin time.”
- Use it to read, watch, or practice something that stretches you.
- Capture one takeaway and one possible experiment.
You’re not trying to become an expert in everything.
You’re keeping your mind awake.
The Ego Check: It’s Okay Not to Know
One of the hardest parts of Shoshin is admitting:
“I don’t know.”
Especially when:
- Clients look to you as the expert
- Newer advisors look up to you
- You’ve built a reputation on “having it together”
But here’s the secret:
People trust you more, not less, when you can say:
- “I don’t know yet, but I’ll find out.”
- “This is new for me, but I’m willing to learn.”
- “Here’s what I know—and here’s where I’m still exploring.”
Beginner’s mind doesn’t make you smaller.
It makes you more honest, more adaptable, and more human.
You Don’t Have to Have It All Figured Out
If you’ve been carrying the pressure to:
- Have the perfect niche
- Have the perfect systems
- Have the perfect 5-year plan
Let me release you from that:
You don’t have to have it all figured out to be powerful.
You just have to stay willing to learn.
You are allowed to:
- Change your mind
- Update your opinions
- Try something, decide it’s not for you, and pivot
Shoshin says:
“I am still becoming. I am still learning. And that is a strength, not a weakness.”
You are a Phenomenal Force—not because you know everything, but because you keep showing up curious.
Your Next Step with Shoshin
Take a moment and ask yourself:
- Where have I been acting like I already know everything—about my clients, my marketing, my offers, or myself?
- What’s one small experiment I could run in that area with beginner’s mind?
Maybe it’s:
- Asking your audience one new question
- Testing one new way of talking about your services
- Trying one new tool or format with zero pressure to be perfect
Write it down. Let it be small. Let it be imperfect. Let it be a beginning.
You don’t need to burn down your expertise to practice Shoshin.
You just need to crack the door open to “maybe there’s more here than I thought.”
I’d love to hear from you:
What’s one area of your travel business where you’re willing to admit, “I’m a beginner at this—and that’s okay”?
Share it in the comments below, and—if you’re brave—tell me one small experiment you’re willing to try with beginner’s mind. Let’s normalize learning in public.