Posts tagged with business

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July 28, 2010

How to Be Your Best Self – 101 Maxims: Free E-Book

I’ve been blogging for over a year, and it’s about time that I finally shipped a product.

HBYBS is that product. This is my first step.

I created this e-book in order to give regular readers and newcomers alike a gist of what I advocate here on the blog. Feel free to share this short, 21-page tome with your family and friends. This is my gift to you.

What’s this e-book about?

These are 101 maxims on how to be your best self and reach your full potential in a society that forces you to conform. This e-book reminds you that you don’t have to be a worker bee. You have the power to be whoever you want—all it takes is a little motivation.

This book is not for people who refuse to change who they are. It’s not for people who accept the “American Dream” as one of material abundance and corporate ladder climberism. I don’t recommend this e-book for people can’t believe in the impossible.

Download the free e-book, How to Be Your Best Self.

I hope you enjoy it. Your support over the past year is what’s made starting this movement worthwhile. Don’t hesitate to comment below, on Twitter, or by e-mail if you have suggestions/thoughts about the e-book.

I love hearing your opinions.

Special thanks to Chris O’Byrne for the superb editing job. I owe you one.

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July 15, 2010

Creating Your First Product (Part 1)

The feeling you get when working towards an end is the best feeling in the world.

I remember when I first came to college. For years it had been my sole purpose to get accepted into a top institution. All the years poured into mindless education had finally paid off when I got accepted into the University of Chicago. I was at a loss for words. But soon I myself would feel lost as well.

Having lived out my purpose, I felt like there wasn’t much left to do but wander aimlessly for a few months, going to parties, cutting back on classwork, but mostly just seeing how everybody was going about their college careers.

To my surprise, a lot of my housemates where majoring in the sciences. I thought maybe this meant something. I originally had come to become a doctor. Maybe this was where I belonged.

Unfortunately, my grades didn’t reflect this. And in reality, I wasn’t all that astonished. The work was just too difficult. It seemed that all we were learning were pointless theoretical concepts. Concepts that I couldn’t be less motivated to understand.

This wasn’t what I wanted to do. In truth, I aspired to be a businessman. And not the type that merely sold things for the sake of money, but sold inspiration.

Realizing this, I went online and looked for inspiration. There, I learned of people I came to idolize: Steve Pavlina, Jonathan Mead, Tim Ferriss. It didn’t take much to figure out what they all had in common; they were writers.

My true calling

I found a new purpose and discovered my passion: writing. Writing to inspire others.

It’s been over a year since then, with many bumps crossed, lots of confusion clarified, and focuses regained. I’m now living my passion.

With my third year far into the future, I’m happy to be able to focus more directly on improving my writing and my relationships with other bloggers seeking to make a difference.

What’s more, I’ve finally the time to work on shipping an actual product. In the coming weeks, I’ll be releasing a very short (maybe 15 pages or so), free e-book. This will be nothing too major, since this is just my first foray into product creation and design.

I’ve read countless e-books, devoured advice from other bloggers, and learned about all the possible outcomes. Worst case scenario, no one downloads the e-book, though my aim is to get over a hundred downloads.

Creating your first product – a series

I’ve decided to give you guys an up-close-and-personal look into how I’ve gotten started making my first e-book.

1. Find an audience that’s yours

For a product to have any traction, you have to take the initiative to find a crowd that’s interested in your type of art. After that, all you have to do is make some commotion. Make yourself known, state a clear purpose, and be original.

Not many people do this online. Take this to heart and you’ll be able to differentiate yourself from the fakes and become a true linchpin – someone indispensable.

2. Research on material related to your niche

An artist’s inspiration does not come from only looking over his old works, but also from taking bits of wisdom from other artists. But isn’t that stealing?

Actually, it isn’t. Whatever has been said in the past is being regurgitated right in front of you. What separates new works of art from classics is how the modern artist integrates his perspective into what’s already been done.

3. Be ruthless with what you create

Revise, refresh, repaint, resurface, recreate, whatever; do what you have to do to put out your best work. What you’ve giving away for free has merely been the appetizer. This time, for your very first work, pull out all the stops.

It’s taken weeks for me to try and make what this e-book says worth remembering… and I’m still not completely finished.

This is how all great art is made. Constant revision and critique until it’s as good as it can get. It’ll never be perfect, but putting in your best effort will make it worth it.

To be continued in part 2…

Creative Commons License photo credit: Marco Arment

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June 17, 2010

Interview with Chris Guillebeau: How to Achieve the Unconventional

Challenging authority since 1978, Chris Guillebeau has made it his goal to travel to every single country on the planet by 2013. In addition to that, he’s been helping others to create online businesses, follow their passions, and achieve the unconventional.

Chris’s blog, called The Art of Non-Conformity, also has a boatload of quality content containing priceless strategies on life, work, and travel.

With a résumé like that, it comes as no surprise that Chris’s efforts to help change the world have influenced countless other bloggers to follow in his footsteps.

I am one of those individuals.

For being such a great source of inspiration, I’ve invited him to share some of his unconventional wisdom here on HiLife2B during his travels:

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John: What inspired you to start this journey? What was the big epiphany moment that drove you to create the Art of Non-Conformity?

Chris: I began thinking about non-conformity and unconventional living during the four years I spent in West Africa (2002-2006). But the epiphany moment was after that, around 2007, when I had returned to the U.S. and was thinking about the next step. I realized I had been fortunate to have done a lot of different things, from living overseas to being self-employed for ten years, but I lacked a convergence point to all of it. I started AONC to chronicle the adventure and hopefully help other people in their own unconventional quests.

John: You’ve definitely inspired mine. I’m on my own quest to create a sustainable passive income so I can live anywhere, and do anything. It seems everyone wants to attain this goal, but how would someone go about getting started, assuming they already have a job, a home, a computer, and a family to take care of?

Chris: There are two approaches to this:

1) I always ask people to think big-picture about what they care about that other people also care about. This is important because despite what you may hear, you can’t build a business strictly around yourself. It has to be an intersection or convergence between yourself and a big enough group of prospects/customers/supporters/clients to support you. Ultimately, that is the best path to starting a business oriented about someone’s passion.

2) That said, you can also just get out there and start doing things. The “throw stuff against the wall and see what sticks” strategy can work very well, especially in the beginning when you’re not sure what you want to do. Can you list something for sale on eBay or etsy today? Create a website in a day? Offer some kind of service on a blog and see who’s interested? There are all kinds of interesting business models out there just waiting to be discovered. Look at this guy who wears company t-shirts every day for a living. Look at the infamous million dollar home page. Those ideas are taken already, so what’s yours?

John: I think I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve (laugh).What do you think it takes to live the life you want? Is it really as easy as it seems?

Chris: I don’t know if it’s easy — it may be easier to go with the flow and do what other people expect you to — but I also don’t like it’s prohibitively difficult. We all make time for what’s important to us, one way or another. I think it’s better to do that intentionally, which requires tradeoffs and sacrifices, but is also very rewarding.

John: What do you think is the biggest challenge for people when traveling to new countries, or anywhere new for that matter?

Chris: The biggest challenge is fear of the unknown. When you enter a new environment, things work differently than in a familiar environment. One tip: to overcome this, it’s usually best to figure out how the new environment works than to insist on doing things the way you are used to.

John: What do you plan to do after you’ve visited all of the countries in the entire world?

Chris: As Jacques Cousteau said, “Jet lag is my favorite drug.” I travel for travel’s sake — I like the process, the planning, and just being on the road. I probably won’t go to places like Equatorial Guinea, where I’m writing these notes, but I’ll still keep going.

John: If you could give one last piece of advice to all of the individuals striving to achieve better lives and reach their dreams, what would it be?

Chris: Most people don’t begin to think about leaving a legacy until they’re close to the end of their lives, or maybe even on that deathbed. I think it’s much better to think carefully about legacy as early as possible.

I’d also encourage everyone to live with as few regrets as possible. This isn’t as difficult as it may sound. Start by thinking: if I had only one year left to live, how would I spend it? Then find a way to incorporate those ideas, dreams, and goals into your daily life.

John: Thanks for the interview, Chris! It was a pleasure to have you.

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I only promote what I whole-heartedly support, so I highly recommend checking out Chris Guillebeau’s website, The Art of Non-Conformity.

If you want a chance at reading some of his premium content and learning more about what Chris teaches, look into the Unconventional Guides (some of them are in my “Read These Books” section on the sidebar) and follow him on Twitter.

Creative Commons License photo credit: gwen bell

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June 1, 2010

Interview With Leo Babauta: Inside an Inspirational Minimalist

It’s been quite a while since I’ve had an interview with a remarkable online creator, so I’m very happy to welcome to the blog, best-selling author and minimalist blogger, Leo Babauta!

This interview has been a really great experience, because Leo’s first blog, Zen Habits, was one of the very first blogs that got me into personal development and simplicity. I’ve learned a lot from what he’s discussed here as well as what else Leo teaches on his many blogs.

Just so you can get a better picture of who Leo really is, I’ve stolen, augmented, and updated a bit of his info from his about page (I’m sure he wouldn’t mind):

  • Created Zen Habits and made it a top blog within a year. Today, Zen Habits has over 175K subscribers and was named one of the Top 25 blogs by Time Magazine.
  • Started a second blog, Write To Done, for writers and bloggers. It now has more than 16K subscribers and is one of the Top 10 blogs for writers.
  • Wrote the No. 1 best-selling productivity ebook, Zen To Done. Has been bought and downloaded by tens of thousands of readers.
  • Wrote a best-selling print book, The Power of Less. The book made the best-selling list on Amazon.com, and is in bookstores around the country.
  • Made a third blog, mnmlist, about minimalism. Has well over 6,000 subscribers already.

His teachings of doing more with less have started a movement across the blogosphere, resulting in a bevy of individuals becoming minimalists, freeing themselves from being overwhelmed by stuff and engaging in more meaningful experiences.

Right before his big move this summer to San Francisco, Leo shares his thoughts:

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John: Your teachings of simplicity and minimalism have spread far and wide across the personal development blogosphere. I just have to ask, how are you applying these teachings to your personal life? Do you try and get your wife and kids to follow them as well?

Leo: I’m applying them slowly, and thoughtfully. I don’t believe in drastic overhauls of my life — I do things a little at a time, and see how I like them. I reflect on the changes, and blog about them. Mmlist.com and Zen Habits are basically reflections on slow changes I’m making.

My kids and wife aren’t as minimalist as I am, nor do I try to force them to be. But I think my example gives them ideas and inspiration, and of course they give me ideas and inspiration as well! My wife amazes me — she’s become a homeschooling mom, given up most of her possessions (I think she’s down to 120 personal things), is running and eating healthier, and in general is as happy as ever!

John: Very nice. I totally agree that you should implement changes slowly, one habit at a time. I remember reading about your technique in an article that talked about mastering one habit a month. Have you been doing any experimenting lately (testing new “zen habits”)? If so, any examples you care to share?

Leo: Lately, I’ve been less focused on forming new habits than on reshaping previous ones. So while I have a fairly healthy eating habit, I’ve been making small changes — eating more real foods such as fruits and raw nuts as snacks, for example. My writing habits are constantly seeking new ground, trying to find a better groove without abandoning the good parts of the old groove. I’ve also been looking for a balance between long-form online reading and novel reading, two of my favorite forms of reading.

That said, lately, I’ve been doing short (5-minute) zen meditation sessions with my wife most mornings, and have really enjoyed that. It’s a beautiful way to start the day.

John: Any new projects/products that you’re working on? Anything on the horizon?

Leo: I’ve recently given up ads on Zen Habits, and am looking at other ways to support my family. Digital products and courses that I make myself are probably the way I’ll go. I was considering premium subscriptions for $5 and $10 — people could still subscribe to Zen Habits for free, but for a premium subscription they’d get additional content podcasts, and live webinars. But now I’m thinking of doing twice-monthly courses, where I teach people to do things I’ve learned to do. We’ll see!

John: What’s one of the craziest things you’ve always wanted to do that you’ve done since you’ve become self-employed?

Leo: Picking up and moving my family to San Francisco is pretty crazy, for me at least. We’re leaving behind our old life, our beloved family and friends, and starting from scratch. We don’t even know where we’ll live exactly, nor will we each have anything but a backpack full of clothing. Exiciting!

John: Who has inspired you? Any individuals you’ve just found out about?

Leo: Oh man, where to start? I’m inspired by so many people, there’s no way to mention them all. I currently love:

And many more!

John: Where do you see yourself down the line? Maybe in five years?

Leo: I have no idea — I just hope I continue doing thing I love. I’ve given up trying to plan or predict the future, and just focus on what I’m doing right now. If I do things I’m passionate about, and do my utmost, it’s amazing what often emerges — unexpected, wonderful, surprising things.

John: If you could give one very last piece of advice, what would it be?

Leo: It doesn’t sound like much, but Thich Nhat Hanh’s “Smile, breathe, and go slowly” is profoundly life-changing. Each one of those things can transform your life, and the more I explore them, the deeper this advice becomes.

John: Sounds great, Leo. Thank you so much for your time.

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Leo has been such an inspiration and it’s been a pleasure having him share what he knows. If you want to get a deeper look into what minimalism is, I recommend you check out his book, The Power of Less, grab his e-book, the Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life, or visit mnmlist.com.

Don’t forget to follow Leo on Twitter.

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April 29, 2010

Interview with Glen Allsopp On How to Reach Your Dreams

If you haven’t already met him, I present to you the young internet entrepreneur, blogger, creator of PluginID and ViperChill, Glen Allsopp! He started on the road to internet masterdom at the age of 15, when he began making websites from scratch. Since then, Glen’s become a successful internet marketer (he’s marketed for Hewlett Packard and Nissan), a kick-ass world traveler, and the creator of one of the top ten personal development blogs in the world.

Now, at 20 years old, he continues to lord the net by aspiring to make a multi-million dollar website. I’m really glad he’s taken the time out from his busy schedule to come share his experiences with everyone.

Live from Cape Town, Glen Allsopp speaks his mind:

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John: Hey Glen! Really happy you’re here on the blog. How’s life been treating you? I’ve heard good things from across the grapevine :) .

Glen: Life is awesome. I’ve been back in South Africa for over two months now and I’m really enjoying it. Cape Town is going to be a great place when the World Cup starts in June. ViperChill is also growing much quicker than I expected and my other projects are really starting to take off. It’s an exciting time.

John: Awesome, Glen. Now I know you’ve been working like to crazy living life and traveling the world, but throughout all that adventure, what’s the funniest moment you’ve experienced thus far?

Glen: I can’t think of one thing specifically, though I’ve had lot’s of crazy adventures. I took a few months out at the end of last year to go traveling around Europe with Diggy from UpgradeReality. At one point, we went out 36 nights in a row to all of the hottest clubs, so we have some out-of-control (probably not blog-friendly) stories from those.

There was a time in Belgium when we were heading to Paris and got on a train going in the completely opposite direction. We weren’t too worried as we didn’t have to arrive at a certain time, but things got pretty tricky when not one person on the train spoke English. Diggy speaks Dutch (which is very similar to the Belgian language, Flemish), but nobody could understand him. We somehow used our broken French to get off the train and start heading the right direction.

That day was hilarious, but also pretty nerve-racking.

John: Ha ha ha, sounds like quite an experience :) .

It’s great that you’ve been loving your life, but I’m sure that initially, life wasn’t as easygoing. How difficult was it for you to achieve a lifestyle that allows you to travel and have lots of adventures?

Glen: It takes a lot, but it doesn’t have to feel like it. I worked out the other day that I wrote over 200,000 published words in 2009. That’s a huge amount, especially when I don’t spend most of my days writing and I took 5 months to go travel throughout the year.

Though I have worked a lot, it doesn’t actually feel like I have. I put in the hours when needed and do what needs to be done, but I only focus on what I need to do each day.

For example, to build a popular blog, you’re probably going to have to write 3-4 great articles every single week (for your own blog and others) for a year to see a great return – depending on your industry. Looking at it over the course of a year, that’s a lot of work. Yet, if you focus on what you have to do today (write one article) then it’s not such a big task. I break down my focus and it tends to make things seem a lot easier.

There’s no doubt, though, that you really do sometimes just have to sit down and push yourself to work. No thoughts are as useful as one moment of action.

John: I feel that you’ve inspired a lot of people on your unconventional journey. Who inspired you to become the person you are today?

Glen: I would’ve said Seth Godin, as I love his work, but recent email encounters with him have let me down. Darren Rowse of ProBlogger is a big inspiration to me, not only because he managed to build such an impressive online portfolio, but because he is someone who really puts in the work. Every day, he’s managing new articles and posts for his site, even when I’m sure he has more than enough money to never have to work again. His work ethic is admirable.

Steven Snell of Vandelay Design is also someone who inspires me with his web projects. Myself and Steven were both ‘nobodies’ (I still am, compared to him) at the same time, and I watched him hustle through guest blogging and building other websites to the point where he runs a very impressive online network.

Really, I’m just inspired by people who clearly put in the work and are genuinely out there to help people. That aligns with me a lot.

John: Interesting, interesting…I feel the same. It seems that our generation has been given unprecedented opportunities to really become remarkable creators and actually change how the world works. Would you share a few thoughts about people who are trying to solve new problems (getting more out of life) with old solutions (still thinking that working 9-5 is the best way to make a living in this generation)?

Glen: Good question; it’s something that I’ve thought about quite a lot. On one hand, I sometimes want to tell people to quit college, hustle as much as possible so you can do what you love, and then start living the life you want. On the other hand, I know that degrees are important. The way society operates, it really needs people to get degrees and follow the typical path.

If you’re making money online, for example, then you need someone with a degree to do your accounting .

If you crash your Ferrari, you need a highly-skilled mechanic to fix it.

Sadly, we live in a world where not everyone can do what they love. Fortunately, I believe there are lots of opportunities for people willing to put in the time and effort to get to do what they love and be rewarded handsomely for it. I know people are addicted to games and actually make them for a living, and they wouldn’t want any other job in the world.

My mom loves what she does, even though it’s an underpaid job and she’s getting paid by the hour.

That’s the long answer. In short, I don’t think many people who push the ‘live on your own terms’ and ‘be who you want to be’ messages realize that college is necessary for a lot of people. Many people do end up getting to do what they love from that. It’s not a terrible path to take, it just wasn’t for me; it doesn’t have to be for you.

John: What’s one piece of advice that you could give to young people that who have dreams they want to achieve, but are discouraged from doing so?

Glen: Realize that consciously or unconsciously, people will hold you back when you start to grow. This isn’t because people don’t want to see you do well, it’s just that some people don’t want to see you get your hopes up and be hurt when things don’t go the way you want them to. Accept this is going to happen, don’t judge people for it, then continue to move forward. This was a massive realization for me and something I think every young person should remember.

There are tens of thousands of people who are alive today that came from poor backgrounds or had little opportunity in life and really carved something out for themselves. You are not cut from a different cloth than they are.

There’s no reason you can’t do the same.

John: Finally, do you have any regrets? Anything you wish you could’ve done differently?

Glen: If anything, I regret that I didn’t stick to just one project sooner and make it a success, rather than trying lots of different things which I heard could make me money. However, now that I’ve went through this struggle myself I can really relate to other people doing the same and help steer them of that path via the blog. So, I don’t really regret anything.

I can’t when it’s all helped me come to the position I am today.

John: I can’t thank you enough for being here, Glen. Good luck on your journey! The million-dollar site you seek will soon be within your reach.

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Glen has quickly become a rising star within the personal development and social media community, showing that with hard work and tireless dedication, you can really reach your dreams.

I highly recommend checking out his most recent e-book, Cloud Living. In it, he divulges what he has done to make money online.  Also, be sure to follow this guy on Twitter, as he offers lots of information from his site, ViperChill.

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April 18, 2010

What Do You Bring? Give Your Value First

Sometimes I think there are a few people who expect the world to just give them what they want. From time to time, I get emails simply asking me:

“Can you write a post about [completely unrelated product]? It would be great for your readers.”

“I have an idea for your blog.”

“You should tell your readers about [another unrelated topic]. Oh and [request for link exchange]?”

When I get messages like this, from actual people, I think to myself, “I know that you want everybody to know about your product or listen to your message, but why are you coming to me expecting me to do it for you?”

Now, I’m all for helping out

I’m not someone who instantly shuts down requests for link exchanges or product reviews, but if it’s blatantly obvious that you’re only out for yourself, don’t expect me to do your bidding.

Enter a fundamental lesson for society

Long ago, people used to do things for other people simply because they themselves were going to get something in return. And for a while, this worked out smashingly. People would exchange resumes for jobs, hours of their lives for cash, and completed work for grades.

This system created a lot of jobs and helped a lot of people.

But somewhere along the line, the human race got creative enough to think of the Internet; a place where nearly any piece of information is there for the taking, provided you searched long enough.

What’s more is that on the web, there are literally billions of people at our fingertips. We can connect with anyone and spread gossip as fast as wild fire. It was at this point that jobs started to get a little harder to come by.

Instead of hiring more door-to-door salesman, employers fire the ones they already have and are employing highly qualified advertisers to saturate the Internet with ads. It’s no longer profitable to offer services that cost next to nothing to obtain. In other words, you can’t get a good job anymore for having little skill. The door-to-door guys learned that the hard way.

What do you bring to the table?

If you have nothing to offer in a world filled to the brim with free stuff, expect very little compensation. No longer can you fool people with cookie-cutter advice and cheap tricks; we’ve gotten much smarter.

Gone are the days when you spam the web with useless ads and expect people to buy into your message (unless you’re a soulless pay-per-click jockey, you’re out of luck).

This holds true with everything else in life. What is becoming increasingly more obvious is that you must bring something to the table. No one will pay attention to you if you’re just like everybody else. If you want to succeed in life and really achieve your dreams, you must prove yourself worthy.

Times have changed; the ball is in your court

The invention of the Internet has turned living a good life into a whole new ball game. It’s no longer required of you to work for the rest of your life to get paid by the hour, on the hour. It doesn’t take years to establish a business living freely off of your passion.

No one can stand in your way.

In order to get the life you desire, it’s important that you zero in on the value you can provide to others. Keep this in mind as you follow these three steps:

1. You must become the mover

You must be the spark that lights the fire, the momentum that starts the avalanche, the march that begins the movement. You alone are ultimately responsible for where your life ends up. Stop expecting people to do things for you. In school, teachers gave you guidelines for how to do well in class. At your job, the boss gives you assignments that could potentially earn you more money.

But when you want to build the life you’ve always dreamed of, you’re on your own. You have to be the mover.

2. Become really good at one thing

What is one skill you are incredibly good at? Writing, painting, drawing, singing, acting, knitting, coloring, talking? Find it yet? Awesome.

Perfect it. Become one of the top one thousand people in your field of expertise. Let your work speak for itself and you’ll be getting plenty of opportunities to showcase yourself in no time.

3. Give away your best work

The works of art that you put the most time in are the ones that you should give away for free (from time to time). People will be more invested in your cause if you’re so willing to spread value that others would keep under wraps.

In truth, your best work at the time may not be your best work tomorrow. Our thoughts and ideas are constantly evolving. So don’t be afraid to give away too much value – there’s always a brighter idea on the horizon.

4. Charge for your better work

Need I say more?

Live a life made by value

Taking command of your life is not something everyone can do. It requires an immense amount of time, work, and connecting. But if you accept this and pursue your passion with everything you’ve got, the life you’re dreaming of will be waiting for you.

This is what the high life is all about.
Creative Commons License photo credit: Jesse757

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April 15, 2010

On Building the Life You Want: My Interview with Everett Bogue

It is my pleasure to introduce you to the up-and-coming minimalist blogger, Everett Bogue! Ever since I first came to his blog, Far Beyond the Stars, a little while ago, I’ve become even more of a believer in the fact that we can achieve the lives we want and the goals we desire.

In just 6 months, Everett has used his blog to create a sustainable income of $30,000 a year so far. An advocate of minimalism and productivity, he’s able to live anywhere and do what he most desires.

I just had to have him here for an interview to share with everyone. I hope that you can take with you a few nuggets of wisdom from this talk. Enjoy.

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1. Everett, it’s such a pleasure to have you here. How has life been for you this past year?

Thank you, John!

The last year has been exhilarating. In August of last year, I left my day job with a simple question: how can I apply minimalism to live and work anywhere? This led me to an expedition across the United States in search of this answer.

I lived in Portland, Chicago, and wandered back to New York. During this time, I was able to grow my income online to support myself completely through my blog, which was my goal!

It’s all happened far sooner than I anticipated, and I believe everyone can make this move, if they’re interested in the journey. It’s certainly not easy, but it’s so much more exciting than working a 9-5.

2. Now I’m sure you faced much criticism since you became location independent. Who stood behind you on your decision to embrace your own reality? Were you surprised by the people who were against you?

Initially, honestly, a lot of people said it was impossible. For people that grew up in schools and taught us that we would have nice safe, cushy jobs waiting for us when we get out of college, it’s hard for them to imagine that everything has changed.

How did I count all of the hostility? By not listening to anyone. If you try to govern your life by the consensus of your peers, you’ll be constantly trying to fit in and won’t ever do anything remarkable.

Everything has changed. I believe we need to re-imagine our civilization as an interconnected network of people who own less and live free. The Internet has made this life possible, and the benefits of living free are enormous. Why not take the jump?

3. What would you like to say to the naysayers who didn’t believe in you?

I’m perfectly fine with having people who don’t support my goals and my work. The simple fact is that every movement exists on the fingers of society. Seth Godin talks about there not being a tribe gathered around the status quo. Goethe talked about the idea that art only exists at the fringes of culture. Everything else is normality, which is what many people want.

Location independence and minimalist freedom aren’t going to be a mainstream reality for a really long time, because there will always be a large section of society that isn’t ready to embrace new things.

There’s nothing normal about being free, apparently.

4. How easy is it to become location independent and live the life you want?

To be honest, it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. That being said, becoming location independent isn’t for everyone, and it’s certainly not a walk in the park. There are a lot of elements of having a normal job that might make that life more desirable for many people.

When you start working for yourself, you’re ultimately responsible for yourself.

There is a lot of money to be had online, but you have to work for it. You have to learn the tools, and how to present information in a way that interests people.

This is why I bring minimalism to the table, when I’m teaching people how to live this life. The reason for this is simple: it’s so much easier to work for yourself from anywhere if your spending is less. There are so many people living over-extended lives, and it’s really hard to start your own business when your life-overhead is so high.

Reduce your life expenses to the basis of existence, and you’ll have a much easier time making the transition.

5. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

Wow, 5 years. I have no idea, hah. I don’t think much about the past or future, I’m mostly focused on the present moment. The first week of May, I’m headed Boulder, CO for a weekend, and then out to San Francisco Bay on the 15th.

I’m working on a new e-book, called Minimalist Business, which will focus on teaching the skills that I learned in order to start a minimalist business. There is a great deal of automation technology that exists in order to make an online business essentially run itself with limited input. This way you can focus on what’s important to you. For me that’s doing yoga, cooking great meals, writing and reading.

It’s turning into a great collaborative project as well. Leo Babauta has contributed a short article on running a minimalist business which is absolutely spectacular. Adam Baker is doing an interview on how he runs his minimalist business. I’m incredibly excited. I’m not sure about the release date yet, but it’s more important to me to create a resource that helps people as much as possible.

6. If you could give one very last piece of advice, what would it be?

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about my own impact on the planet. I think we’re at a moment in time when we’re dangerously close to destroying everything — I also think we’re at a moment that will be seen as a breakthrough point, when we stopped consuming and started focusing on having experiences, being healthy, and creating human civilization that will be here for the future.

I believe our own personal freedom is deeply intertwined with the health of the planet. To pursue one goal is to pursue the other.

That’s a pretty remarkable state to be in.

Thanks for the interview, Everett.

Thanks so much for the opportunity, John.

–

I really support what Everett is doing on his blog, so I highly suggest you subscribe to it. Start implementing what he teaches, giving away value, and working towards the life you desire. Follow him on Twitter.

If nothing else, check out his FREE e-book, How to Create a Movement. Despite the fact that it’s free, this e-book contains a TON of value that I’ve been implementing daily ever since I read it.

And if you really liked this interview, don’t forget to share it below.

17 comments

March 5, 2010

50 Minigoals I Will Accomplish This Year

1. Suppress fear (or at least act in spite of it)

2. Start a business (I have the name down so far)

3. Become an apprentice to a well-known entrepreneur (time to start the emails) Done.

4. Make more money as a freelance writer (Did I mention I get paid to write now? Sweet.) Not a fan of writing on a schedule. No surprise there.

5. Wake up earlier and get right to work. That was easy.

6. Travel overseas by alone using money I’ve earned myself (one of my many pipe dreams)

7. Get into a relationship and I mean a REAL one (I’ve never had REAL relationships. It could be exciting.)

8. Learn to speak Spanish somewhat fluently

9. Reactivate my limited knowledge of the Japanese language

10. Get rid of my one glaring insecurity (not man enough to share here, but it gets easier to deal with day by day)

11. Learn how to play the guitar (I favor those of the electric variety)

12. Learn how to swim (which will eventually lead to surfing)

13. Write and sell my first ebook

14. Get over 1000 subscribers

15. Get back into drawing (did it for years as a kid, stopped in the middle of high school)

16. Learn how to use Photoshop (I’m not paying for anymore web design) Unecessary goal. I’ll soon have Pages for Macbook.

17. Grow another inch (I haven’t stopped yet. Will be six feet in due time)

18. Have my own epiphany moment Done.

19. Write my first book review on the blog (I’m getting a free copy to review from this guy right here) Finished!

20. Read all the books I have been meaning to read (I’m sick of reading about the philosophy of power for class)

21. Get more clothes (Vintage tees/hoodies that  fit FTW -for the win-)

22. Finish the entrepreneurial objectives sent to me by my mentor at the UChicago Booth School of Business I should tell him I’m finished now.

23. Do 100 pushups without stopping (okay, I’ve been slacking a bit on this one)

24. Get my driver’s license (I’ve put it off long enough)

25. Buy more video games for the long summer ahead (I can only do so much in three months before I get bored) Don’t care much for video games anymore. Or at least not as much as I used to.

26. Write a story Just published it

27. Move into an apartment Can you say, done?

28. Turn 20 years old How is this even a goal? I’m going to do it anyway…

29. Guest post for Zen Habits (ha ha, only in my wildest dreams)

30. Stop complaining forever

31. Listen more to that voice in the back of my head that whispers “psst…take action”

32. Realize that happiness is something you give yourself Learned this a long time ago

33. Discover something I’m truly passionate about (I may have already found it) Found it.

34. Understand that there is ALWAYS a bright side

35. Believe that anything I put my mind to, I can achieve (I forget this sometimes)

36. Get my yellow belt in Tung-Su-Doe (Korean martial arts)

37. Go on a road trip

38. Get a new battery for my laptop (not feeling a new laptop just yet) Rest in peace Gateway…hello, MacBook Pro.

39. Do a handstand without using the wall as a safety net

40. Stop waiting for something to happen and make things happen for myself

41. Learn to become a good story teller

42. Eat more vegetables (Not just the ones served with burgers)

43. Listen to more genres of music (rock and j-rock is awesome)

44. Comment on at least one blog every other day Not worth my time.

45. Buy posters to hang in my room (I’ve had a blank canvas for years)

46. See my old grade/high school teachers so I can inflate my ego (“Yeah…I’m kind of a big deal compared to the person you used to know”)

47. Go to the National Entrepreneurial Bootcamp in April (Probably won’t happen though) Didn’t happen

48. Rewatch Randy Pausch’s “Last Lecture” Just saw it yesterday (3/22/10)

49. Kiss an attractive stranger upon first encounter (Actually easier than it sounds if you go to college parties – so, to clarify – during the day)

50.  Live well.
Creative Commons License photo credit: Raymond Brown

15 comments

March 1, 2010

HiLife2B First Contest: Win a Copy of the Lemonade Movie

About a week ago, I posted a video of a very inspiring documentary called the Lemonade movie. I was a bit puzzled because I expected comments consisting of what everyone thought about the movie. It then came to my attention that only people who live in the U.S. could watch the video since it is hosted on Hulu.

So naturally, I felt bad for leaving my international readers out of the loop. I thought to myself, “How can I make this up to them?” And then it hit me. How about I just give the movie away for free?

How to WIN

Yep, you read that sentence right. The first ever contest on the blog with feature ME giving away 2 copies of the Lemonade movie DVD absolutely FREE. ANYONE from ANYWHERE in the world can enter to win. Even if you live in Antarctica, the shipping costs are all mine. If you’d like to enter, all I ask you to do is any of these five things (the first of which is mandatory):

1. Comment on this post by answering the question, “If you could make any of your hobbies profitable, which SPECIFIC hobby would you pick and why?” (if you don’t comment, you won’t be eligible for this contest)

2. Subscribe to the blog

3. Share this post

4. Become a fan of HiLife2B on Facebook

5. Do ALL of the above

Remember, you MUST comment on this post to be eligible to win a copy of this phenomenal movie. This contest will run for the entire week (Feb. 28 – Mar. 6, 2010) and I’ll be picking two winners on Monday, March 7.

Once again, here’s a summary of the documentary from Lemonademovie.com with a trailer:

“It’s not a pink slip. It’s a blank page.”

What do people who were once paid to be creative for a living do when they’re laid off? They get creative with their own lives. Lemonade is an inspirational film about 16 advertising professionals who lost their jobs and found their calling, encouraging people to listen to that little voice inside their head that asks, “What if?”

All resources for Lemonade were donated. From cameras to lights to flights, this is a project by and for those who have been affected by unemployment.

Good luck guys!

-image courtesy of kunaki

EDIT: Contest over! Thanks to all of you who participated and left such amazing comments. The winners will be announced tomorrow. Later!

2 comments

February 23, 2010

Watch The Lemonade Movie: Do What You Love

Dear reader, for your viewing pleasure, I bring you a documentary about crushing failure and independent success. Don’t waste time reading what I have to say. This documentary is 35 minutes long, but trust me, it’s well worth it.

Here’s a little description courtesy of Lemonademovie.com (a review post to follow later this week):

What do people who were once paid to be creative for a living do when they’re laid off? They get creative with their own lives. Lemonade is an inspirational film about 16 advertising professionals who lost their jobs and found their calling, encouraging people to listen to that little voice inside their head that asks, “What if?”

All resources for Lemonade were donated. From cameras to lights to flights, this is a project by and for those who have been affected by unemployment.

A special thanks to Hulu.com for the distribution and everyone who had a part in making this touching film. Enjoy.

Can’t see the video on the blog? Watch it here.

EDIT: So apparently, this video can only be viewed if you reside in the US. I’ll make it up to you guys (if you live overseas, you’ll want to check out my next post). I have an idea…

EDIT #2: The Lemonade Movie is finally available for streaming worldwide! Check it out here at SnagFilms.

Creative Commons License photo credit: rochelle, et. al.