It's important to take inspiration where you can find it. That's mostly because we all spend a lot of our time doing the exact same stuff over and over again. Wake up, eat breakfast, battle the commute, work, work, work, get home, prepare for the next day, rinse and repeat. Inspiration, in whatever form it comes in, reminds us that there is a reason we do what we do. We have goals, plans and dreams that are furthered by what we spend our time doing. If not, then changes are needed, and inspiration helps bring about those necessary changes. Below are some of my current sources of inspiration that I hope others will find useful as well. The common theme that you will find running through most of them is simplicity, time over money, and the value of spending your time in pursuit of that which is most important to you.
Books
"Fup," by Jim Dodge - Has to be first on just about any list of mine. I have read this probably a half-dozen times at least, and it reminds me that life is a marathon, not a sprint, that the person who uses the most F-bombs often wins, and the value of the still life. Also encourages the use of whiskey via mason jars.
"Vagabonding," by Rolf Potts - A how-to guide for the art of long-term travel. Part instruction manual, part motivational speech, Potts' manifesto is an ode to grabbing a backpack and hopping over the back fence... and landing in Ecuador, Moscow and other exotic locations.
"The End of Poverty," by Jeffrey Sachs - My current read. Real solutions on how to help the world's poorest grab the lowest rung of the economic ladder. Sach's is one of the world's premier economists, and has spent a life-time involved in analyzing and practicing the best ways to help communities escape the poverty trap. As reading this is one of my "101's," there will be a more detailed summary to follow after I have completed the book.
Blogs
"Live Uncomfortably" - Wish I had thought of this title first. Part of a growing circle of lifestyle independent-minded folks who travel and move through the world on their own terms. A mindset that can be applied to your life today just as easily as if you were traveling.
http://liveuncomfortably.com/
"The Art of Nonconformity" - A blog of Chris's way of living life unconventionally and on his own terms. Useful stuff here.
http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/
"Location Independent Living" - Tips, guides, and how-to info on taking your work, career, and life to whatever exotic locale you wish. The goal is being completely independent of a set location, and is probably most helpful for contractors, project managers, writers, artists, and the like.
http://locationindependent.com/blog/posts/
And a great way to start your day, or pick it up a notch halfway through. If this doesn't get you fired up, you may need a blood transfusion.
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2 comments:
Awesome Mart! I'll be checking out some of the books you've been reading.
I put "The Champions" audio on my mp3 player and listen to it first thing in my work out. If I don't feel particularly inspired to work out, that beats the blahs out of me!!
Thanks so much for your link! Just to clarify, I am not part of the "New Rich" and I am not affiliated with Tim Ferriss, although I appreciate what he has done to help people think differently about life and work.
All the best,
Chris
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