Well, for starters no one's talking about South America....
Best thing you can do (more important even than lurking here and reading everything you can find) is take some long trips before you actually leave home. No one can do this for you, and it won't really help to do wee little overnight trips here and there. Try and grab a week and go someplace unfamiliar and awkward. That'll give you a fighting chance at discovering the drawbacks and inadequacies of yourself, your gear, your bike...plus the character defects, insecurities and other deficiencies of your friends, relatives and other concerned individuals. It'll also give you a sense of your strengths and resilience, without which you'll be miserable long before C.R.
Don't forget to bring humility and a sense of humor.
Hope that helps.
Mark
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