Brittany Goris: climber, nomad, graphic designer

Brittany Goris is a 31-year-old nomad who lives in her van, works 15 hours a week doing graphic design, and spends the rest of her time as a professional rock climber. (brittanygoris.com / @gorisb)

We discuss what Brittany learned from witnessing bankruptcy as a child, the guilt she feels when eating at restaurants, how her life truly began when she moved into her car, and the deep sense of belonging she feels among like-minded misfits in the climbing world. Much like me, Brittany feels listless whenever she stays in one place longer than three months; then she moves, and everything gets better.

As a child, Brittany's dad nudged her toward a more high-achievement path, while her mom was an artistic dreamer—a combination she believes led to her ability to simultaneously manage money and live a passion-centered life. While Brittany has plenty of savings and pays her own way as an adult, she also acknowledges that her family safety net (which would provide a place to stay if she ever gets sick or injured) enables her lifestyle.

Brittany observes how difficult it can be to sustain the dirtbag climber lifestyle over the long haul. Whether you’re a high-paid tech worker or a low-paid seasonal worker, stress and burnout are real threats, and maintaining romantic relationships is challenging. In the past, Brittany worried about whether she’d have a good social life on the road and if she could survive a vehicle breakdown in the middle of nowhere. Now, she doesn’t worry about either.

Beyond her fully remote graphic design work, Brittany earns a little money from climbing sponsorships, public speaking, teaching climbing clinics, and working at a rock gym.

Full transcript: dirtbagrich.com/brittany