The truth is, seeing the world gives your professional future an instant makeover. Traveling to other countries will transform your outlook on life in general, push you to get outside of your daily work rut, and it might even impact your career aspirations.

Everything you do in your 20s matters. So make the most of it in order to save time and disappointment later. If you don’t know the best career move for your future, you might want to consider traveling.

I know that taking time away from your demanding work schedule in order to travel the world may sound like career suicide, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s actually a career booster, especially if you are willing to expand your mind and apply what you learned on your journey.

Are you ready to make a leap in your career? Here are 6 reasons why traveling the world is the best career decision that you can make in your 20s:

1.You get to explore global networking opportunities

Everyone knows that networking is key to climbing the career ladder and successfully positioning yourself as an entrepreneur. The best networking opportunities come when you travel. Why? You have access to a universe of professionals that you would have never met if you would have stayed in your current residence.

Every person that you meet can expose you to new ideas and ways of doing business that will allow you to think outside the constraints of your social circle. Think about the value of your social equity if you are able to say that you are connected with people from all over the world.

“The world is a book, and those who don’t travel only read one page.” – St Augustine

2. Spreads your career wings

Who said you had to settle down and marry one career in your 20s? The average person changes careers multiple times, gaining various skills in each profession. The greatest thing about traveling is that it allows you to figure out what drives you; what really makes you happy.

Use your time to try out careers that interest you, even if you just volunteer at a community organization. Test the waters and find out what you love. Then, do whatever you need to do to get into that industry when you return, even if it is only an entry-level position. Follow your bliss and you will never regret it!

3. Improves your future impact

What will be the most sought-after skills five years from now? Companies are constantly expanding their businesses overseas and working with clients from all over the world. Between two candidates with comparable work experience and formal education training, the person who has international exposure is most likely to get the job.

You need to have experiences in foreign cultures in order to advance at these successful, global companies. International exposure makes you valuable.

4. You can learn a foreign language

With universal unemployment problems, being multilingual is definitely a competitive edge over others. Language will break down barriers and allow you to connect with more people. Take the time to learn a language when you are young.

It is an ability that tells of a person’s cultural intelligence, commitment to learning, and openness to diverse people. These qualities are highly valued in the marketplace and will allow you to attract more opportunities than your monolingual peers.

5. Builds your career confidence

Traveling builds your confidence in ways that you never imagined. If you can climb steep mountains, eat foreign foods, and immerse yourself in an environment where you can’t speak the language, what can’t you do? This confidence carries over to your career. After challenging and unexpected, though inevitable situations, you have an innate sense of confidence in your ability to handle difficult situations in your life.

Besides that, traveling the world helps you define what you want in life and gives you the confidence to go out and do it. When you know what you want, you are able to identify jobs that allow you to add the most value and be happy. You don’t settle for a job out of fear of not having financial sustainability. You search for the job the sets your soul on fire.

6. Releases your untapped potential

You never know what you can do unless you try it. The more opportunities that you take outside your comfort zone, the more you discover about yourself. You get to see what you are really made of, by identifying skills and talents that you’ve never tapped into. That is the beauty of new experiences: it introduces you to another, unexplored part of yourself.

“To travel is to take a journey into yourself.” – Danny Kaye

These new skills and experiences may be just what you need to land your dream job or advance your entrepreneurial pursuits. As Pat Williams once said, “Figure out what you love to do as young as you can, and then organize your life around figuring out how to make a living doing it.”

Travel as much as you can to expand your mind and the world around you. When you are in your 20s, you have more flexibility in your career and it’s easier for you to make those heart-pounding decisions that can change your life.

Are you considering traveling? What career insights do you hope to gain from traveling? Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!