What If It Doesn’t Work Out?

Facing the fear of failure when you move abroad

So you’re thinking about moving abroad. It sounds amazing, right? Cheaper living, better healthcare, fresh air, a new chapter.

But there’s a voice in the back of your head whispering: “What if it doesn’t work out?”

You’re not alone. That question shows up for almost everyone on this path — and it deserves a real answer.

Try Before You Leap — Or Try, Then Leap Again

You don’t have to commit to forever. In fact, you don’t even have to commit to one place.

If you’re unsure about making a permanent move abroad, start with a visit. A scouting trip — even for just a week or two — can help you feel out the pace, the people, the cost of groceries, even the weather. It's not just about checking boxes; it's about noticing how your body and mind feel in that space.

And if you do move somewhere and it’s not quite right? You can always move again.  That’s not failure — that’s flexibility.

The first city doesn’t have to be the one. Maybe it’s just the first step that leads you somewhere even better.

Trying isn’t failing

Trying something new — even if it’s uncertain — is often the only way to figure out what really fits.

If you go abroad and realize you don’t love the place? You learned something. If the job shifts or the visa plan changes? You adapt — and now you know how. If you come home after six months instead of six years? That’s still six months of living boldly.

You can always go home (and it won’t be defeat)

There’s this myth that if you move abroad and come back, you’ve somehow “failed.” That’s nonsense.

Coming home isn’t giving up. It’s checking in with what’s right for you. It’s having the wisdom to pivot. It’s having stories to tell. You’ll see things differently — even your home country — because you lived outside it for a while.

And by the way? Home will still be there.(Okay, maybe your favorite restaurant will be gone. But you get the idea.)

Make a soft landing plan

You can take the teeth out of the fear by building a simple “what if” plan.

• Where would you go if you came back?

• Who could help for a week or two if needed?

• Could you stash a little backup money before you leave?

• What’s your ideal “reset” job or space if you needed it?

Having a fallback isn’t admitting you’ll fail. It’s just giving yourself peace of mind.

Give yourself the same grace you’d give a friend

If someone you loved moved abroad and it didn’t go as planned, would you call them a failure?

Of course not.

You’d tell them they were brave. That they learned something. That they tried. So talk to yourself the same way. You don’t have to be fearless. Just willing to try.

Leaving the country isn’t about perfection — it’s about possibility. You don’t have to have everything figured out. You just need curiosity, a little courage, and a plan that includes flexibility.

If it works out, amazing.If it doesn’t? That’s just part of the story.

Either way, you grew. You lived. You dared.

And you’ll be ready for your next chapter — wherever that may be.