Life

As with everything in life, there is no black or white, only shades of grey.

This spectrum holds true for our potential future too.

Some say AI will usher in a utopia. Others say it’ll accelerate into a dystopia. But why must we accept a binary?

Utopia literally means “no place” in Ancient Greek. And the concept of dystopia often is considered the antonym to utopia, though both share many of the same scenarios.

So with that in mind, where is the grey zone of these “-topias” and how can AI help?

Recently, Kevin Kelly introduced the concept of a protopia. And it’s worthy of consideration within these AI-based future scenarios.

Essentially, a protopia is a scenario where today is better than yesterday.

And this concept gives me great hope for the human race, because as AI infiltrates every aspect of our lives, eliminating our current way of life, there are many reasons to believe tomorrow will be better than today.

A protopian future is possible.

Chasing happiness is a recipe for failure. Because happiness comes from within.

Some folks believe the next “thing” will finally be the magic solution to overcome unhappiness.

During this chase, they may quit a good job, move away from a supportive community, end a loving relationship, burn bridges with valuable connections, or worse.

All of this, of course, are external factors, masking the real reasons of unhappiness.

However, looking inward is oftentimes painful. So it’s easier to look outward. To blame our external environment for our feelings.

Because when we look inward, we uncover memories of past pain. Of past trauma. Of past hurt. And these memories can create the same (or worse) feelings as the day these events happened.

But the funny thing about our memories is they are usually misremembered, or even false. And without a doubt, they no longer exist.

Nostalgia makes the heart grow fond of our earlier, more simpler times. Even if those events weren’t as rosy and sunny as we may remember.

And conversely, depression distorts our memories in destructive ways we rarely acknowledge. Usually rewriting our history, where good times turn into bad times.

As Lao Tzu once wisely said,

“If you are depressed, you are living in the past.

If you are anxious, you are living in the future.

If you are at peace, you are living in the now.”

Thus, we live in this delicate balance of memories and desires.

We long for our simpler times while hoping the future fantasies come true.

Unfortunately, our fantasies require us to cherry-pick a lifestyle which is unattainable. Fantasies require us to suspend reality and sabotage our present.

And this sabotaging of our present creates this feedback loop of depression and anxiousness.

It’s sad to see these struggles in those we love. We wish we could take their pain as our own. We want to wave a magical wand and make these feelings of unhappiness go away. However, reality isn’t that simple.

Everyone must ultimately find their own happiness by conquering their inner demons. We all must face these battles on a daily basis, whether it’s a minor struggle or a major trauma, the journey towards happiness isn’t easy.

Do I know the roadmap to discover internal happiness? No. But I do know it starts with mindfulness, meditation, and doing our best to live in the now.

Personally, I fall back towards the concepts of Stoicism. That we all must look inward and accept reality as it is, not as we wish it to be. As Marcus Aurelius reminds us:

“You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength… because the happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”

Boredom is a relatively new, first-world problem. Because for the span of human history, there was too much to do, which prevented humans from becoming bored.

So evolutionarily speaking, we don’t know how to cope with boredom. Thus, we find ways to fill periods of downtime with technology, namely video games, mindless TV, and social media.

Which was fine until the algorithms took over.

Now, we have millions of bored people endlessly scrolling feeds custom made just for them. With posts and ads uniquely designed to eliminate the boredom of each user, consequently forming habits and emotional demands for more and more content.

Each new like or funny video further reinforces our dependency on social media to prevent us from that foreign feeling of boredom.

But the algorithms have placed us within bubbles of our own creation, thanks to the constant feedback loop of likes and engagement:

We engage with one post and the algorithms believe we should see similar posts, which we may also engage with, confirming to the algorithms to send even more similar posts our way. Soon, it’s all we see, until a new interest of ours is alerted to the algorithms.

Consequently, our inability to handle boredom is creating dopamine-dependent prisons for us, designed to sell more ads and keep us in an endless loop of self-reinforcing beliefs.

Having meditated for the past decade and having studied quantum mechanics pretty deeply, I believe the physical reality we observe is created in our mind.

Had we evolved different senses or alternative ways to store our perceptions as memories, the world we interact with would be drastically different.

But because our reality is defined in the same place as our consciousness, we cannot remove ourselves from our perceived world views.

Think of the old parable of the fish in water by David Foster Wallace:

“There are two young fish swimming along who happen to meet an older fish. The older fish nods at them and says:

‘Morning boys, how’s the water?’

The two young fish swim on for a bit and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and asks:

‘What the hell is water?’”

This illustrates my point about reality perfectly. And is something meditation and mindfulness brings about after many years. We define our reality.

Some people think the world is ending. Some people think nothing about their daily lives should change.

The truth is, we’ll mostly all make it through these strange days unscathed. But in order to do so, we need to work together.

Let’s care about the well-being of our neighbors. Of the employees who are missing income. Of the small business owners losing revenue. And of those about to lose much more.

We’re on the cusp of some very hard times. But together, we can make it a little easier.

If you’re at the store and there’s only two left of something, grab only one. Or maybe consider leaving both for those more in need.

If you’re not feeling well, don’t risk it. Keep your distance from others.

If you’re scared or feeling alone. Reach out to others, chances are they are feeling the same thing.

We WILL make it through these challenges. With the silver lining hopefully being a slightly more sanitary world.

Where people have formed the habits of sneezing into the crook of their elbow.

Where people actually wash their hands on a regular basis.

Where public spaces are cleaned more vigorously.

And where detractors finally see the value of an improved healthcare system for all people.

Incredibly honored to have served as a Guardian for the veterans of the Never Forgotten Honors Flight to Washington DC.

I assisted my father, Chuck, along with 101 Vietnam Veterans, 2 Korean Veterans, & 1 WWII veteran, on a wonderful trip around the National Mall.

My Dad served in the Marine Corps in the Sixties as an avionics instructor working on A4 Skyhawks. He volunteered for the Vietnam War in 67-68.

During this week’s Honor Flight experience, he and the other Vietnam veterans finally got the warm recognition they never received when they originally arrived home from the Vietnam War.

Highlights:

We received a presidential police escort throughout the airport, the National Mall, and DC. The lead motorcycle cop was fearless. He blocked highway traffic as we passed, had us going down the opposite sides of the street, and we cruised non-stop through downtown rush hour traffic. I cannot express in words how entertaining it was.

We witnessed the changing of the guard, along with a special wreath ceremony for dignitaries, at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.

We found a few names of soldiers my Dad knew on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. Incredibly heartbreaking to see how many people gave the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War.

We visited the Marines Corps War Memorial and captured great photos of the raising of the flag at the Battle of Iwo Jima statue. Truly epic statue which towers over the park.

Overall, this experience in DC is something my Dad and I will never forget.

Thank you for your service to our country, Dad!

Honeymoon was a success. Backpacked and camped around Isle Royale National Park. A 55 mile ferry ride brought us to this remote and massive island in Lake Superior.

Keeping each other alive while exploring the solitude the island has to offer was the absolute best way to do a honeymoon.

Carried in most of what we ate, boiled water when camping backcountry, and hiked many miles of rugged terrain.

There are over 1,500 moose on the island and a few nights they visited our campsites. We could hear them drinking from the lake, eating plants, and even rubbing the velvet off their antlers. It was scary but exhilarating trying to sleep while listening to them explore our campsite.

Moose are ginormous. The one calf (baby) we saw was larger than an adult white-tailed deer. They are very stealthy and blend right into their surroundings. I wonder how many we walked past without seeing.

A park ranger told us Isle Royale is the least visited, but most returned to, national park. This island gets as many visitors in a YEAR as Yosemite gets in a DAY.

We will definitely be back and we recommend everyone to visit this wilderness paradise. Especially with your loved one. Just be sure to bring a water filter, a lightweight backpack, and your endless curiosity to explore.

For a brief moment in my past I fell into a 9-5 job.

And because it was for all the wrong reasons, I began to look for avenues to escape. Weekends at the bar, weeknights in front of the TV, and an occasional extended long trip to a destination.

We’ve all been there. And most of us are still there.

But as we continually separate work from life, neither side wins.

Work becomes a task. It becomes an activity we do to pay the bills, keep the family fed, and sustain the rat race.

At the same time, life becomes mundane. It forces us to find more TV shows to entertain us, it causes us to save vacation days for better trips, and our family settles into a life of monotony.

As personal life battles for the hours in our day, work suffers. We lose track of why we were working in the first place. This mythical concept of work-life balance and the external - not internal - search for happiness gets in the way of our once relentless pursuit of lifestyle advancement.

However, it doesn’t have to be this way.

And it starts with passion. We all have something we’re passionate about.

For me, it’s building software that enhances the lives of others. You may find passion in music, in writing, in science, or in being a parent.

Whatever your passion may be, follow your heart and the universe will find a way to carry you through to a happy, successful life.

When was the last time you found yourself uncertain of the future?

If you’re like most people, uncertainty creeps up far too often.

It’s a horrible feeling isn’t it?

But it doesn’t have to be this way. You don’t need to live in a state of constant upheaval. Because one thing is for certain; as the old saying goes, the only constant is change. And identifying and addressing change is the only solution for overcoming a mysterious and depressing future.

Simply put, you cannot alter, prevent, or stop uncertainty from creeping into your life. But you can do something about it…

Comfort vs. Conflict

Understanding your scenario and why you feel a particular way is the first step towards a meaningfully better life. But it’s not a solution.

For instance, when was the last time you had an argument with a loved one? An argument that caused you to say a few mean things you instantly regretted, yet were completely true? But to make peace, you take those things back, pretending they never happened. It may have diffused the situation, however, it never solved the problem.

The same thing happens internally. You argue with your true self all the time.

Am I making the right career choices?

Should I be in this relationship when I know there is someone out there I’m truly meant to be with?

Can I climb out of debt with my current money choices?

Is my lifestyle affecting my health in negative ways?

The formula for most every life argument:

[current problem] , [current solution] = [uncertainty]

In other words, when we choose a current path to overcome a challenge, we are (oftentimes subconsciously) uncertain of our choice.

You see the complication with these internal arguments is we are an irrational species. We constantly lie to ourselves. We overlook reality. And we seek comfort over conflict.

But those conclusions to internal arguments, however minute or subconscious, leave us wondering if we are taking the easy way out by seeking comfort.

When given the choice, we’d choose to be comfortable in life by searching for a solution that causes the least pain. And conflict, whether external or internal, causes a ton of pain.

The difficulty with choosing comfort over conflict, though, is we never truly grow as a person. As painful as it is to admit, comfort is the easy way out.

What to do?

It’s easy for me to stand on a soap box and shout how comfort over conflict is causing uncertainty in our lives.

But the truth is, I’m not saying anything you don’t already know.

However, at some point in our lives, we chose to bury these notions.

As time went by, and the world continued to shit on our goals and dreams, it was easy to let comfort take the wheel.

So, what is the only true path for overcoming an uncertain future?

1.) Stop lying to yourself.

2.) Identify your comfort zones.

3.) And, however painful it may be, choose conflict.

Unfortunately, most clients, bosses, and associates have this weird assumption that we should work during the day.

I don’t share this view.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m a hard worker. But my productive hours aren’t during the industrial-aged idea of a 9-5, Monday-Friday workweek.

I’m at my best during the later hours of the day and into the night.

Since most of the time I’m working on my own projects, no one is the wiser of when I’m working, when I’m sleeping, and when I’m playing. However, the secret is out when I send emails.

It’s hard to be perceived as normal when people see an email timestamp of 4:07am.

Until now…

Tricking the Timestamp System

What if there was a way to make it look like you were working, when you’re actually out enjoying the day?

Luckily, there’s a nice add-on for Gmail that solves the email timestamp dilemma.

By using Boomerang for Gmail, you can schedule when emails are sent. Which allows you to work when convenient or when you’re most productive. Yet appear to work during normal working hours.

And ultimately, it’ll help you live your life the way you want.

For Instance…

You’d like to spend time on the beach Monday morning. But since you’re working on some projects that require collaboration with colleagues and clients, it normally would require you sitting in front of the computer sending emails all morning. Then waiting until the afternoon for replies.

Now with the help of this app, you can get your work done the night before, type out all your requests in Gmail, and schedule them for delivery Monday morning.

You’ve safely made a huge window of time for your morning in the sun.

Cool, huh?

So do you have any ideas of how to use this add-on to improve our workday? Let us hear ‘em in the comments below!

Most people don’t understand me. My friends no longer get me. And my extended family often believes that by me not “working,” I’m wasting my life away.

Ah, if you’ve chosen an alternative path for your life, those statements probably ring all too close to home. But who cares? It’s your life.

But unfortunately, our society has adopted preconceived notions of a normal life. And the crippling assumptions continue to snowball amongst most circles.

Built on false pretenses, their advice on what life entails falls short of what’s possible.

Of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most.

~ Mark Twain

The only reason most people think they need a job, is because someone told them so. The only reason most people think they need a nice house and a fast car, is because that’s what others have. And the only reason most people settle for less, is because everyone else does.

Live YOUR Life!

As you live outside of societal norms, forget what the critics say. There is never a shortage of critics. But remember, critics are supposed to criticize, let them live in their boring little safety bubble, while you go out and do remarkable things.

The reality of life is clear: Your life is whatever and however YOU choose to live.

So make your life the best damn life imaginable!

Have you ever had one of those days? You know, those days that kept you active from 8 in the morning til 6 at night. You were super busy. But looking back at the day, it was filled with mundane tasks. And while you felt eventful, in reality you didn’t accomplish anything.

I’ve had these types of days. I’m assuming you have too.

I call this, working for work’s sake. And it’s the murderer of an enjoyable life.

Learning from Rocks, Pebbles, & Sand

Before we start this visualization, list your tasks from most to least important. Then associate these with rocks, pebbles, and sand. The biggest rock being the most important task. And sand being the minutiae. Also, let’s imagine a jar as your day, timeframe, or project timeline.

Now let’s craft these two scenarios:

Scenario 1: Starting with Sand

Filling a jar with the sand first is easy. It falls right in. But what about the pebbles and rocks? The pebbles still fit but when it comes time to add the larger stones, the task becomes practically impossible. The jar overflows and the biggest rocks do not fit.

Put In Other Words:

Small, unimportant tasks are attractive. They are easy to complete. And are usually the most enjoyable. But can consume your day.

Starting with the easier tasks may make the day more fun. But at the end of the day, your most important work is left largely untouched. Pushed back until tomorrow. Knowing all to well, tomorrow never truly comes.

Scenario 2: Starting with Rocks

Adding the biggest rocks first is hard. You have to look at their size and figure the best plan of attack for fitting them all in. It’s a struggle to piece them together, but it’s possible.

And then comes the pebbles. The jar needs to be shaken occasionally. But they fit.

Finally, the sand can be dumped in. Easily, the sand slides between the rocks and pebbles. Magically, the rocks and pebbles as well as all of the sand now fits into the jar.

Put In Other Words:

Your most important tasks are usually the most taxing. They require additional brainpower. Or they may be the least enjoyable. But these tasks are also the most productive and profitable.

In this strategy, the mid and low priority tasks are put by the wayside. Confronting them only if there is time. And as a result, your day will be amazingly successful.

Conclusion

Every time you are faced with a large work load, remember:

Rocks first, pebbles second and if there is time, fill your jar with sand.

The crunch of the p-nuts under our feet rings familiar of a small town dive bar.

But the decor along the walls reflect a view of quality reminiscent of those unique destination restaurants I’ve seen only on the Travel Channel.

The cheerful waitstaff has me wondering how people can be so happy while working. And the bartenders are having seemingly far too much fun launching railed bombs filled with p-nuts to tables throughout the restaurant.

And as my business partner, Greg Hartle, and I take our seat in the booth, the confusion continues with a glance of the menu. How can the prices be this insanely low? Yet, I’ve heard only but good things, so I keep the faith.

With our friend Joe Sorge (who happens to own the place) at the table, he reassures us his staff has every guest in good hands.

Joe’s philosophy: Great food, consistent taste, served quick , matched with outstanding service and a fun experience , will create a happy guest every time. And while it’s simple to write, most restauranteurs I’ve met will never come close to achieving this formula.

But will AJ Bomber’s prove me wrong?

After taking the first bite of my veggie burger topped with an egg & bomber sauce, life becomes clear… I could live here. This burger joint is amazing.

As a vegetarian, finding a good “burger” abroad is extremely difficult.

My theory for this unfortunate phenomenon is because the folks creating a burger menu consider veggie burgers an afterthought. One of those damn menu items needed to quiet us green-freaks.

However, as Joe explains to us, his wife is the yin to his yang, the ping to his pong, the peanut butter to his jelly (not sure if I’m quoting 100% accurately) and she keeps the menu earth friendly. Veggie patties, black-bean patties, and 100% grass-fed beef all make an appearance on the menu.

While I devour my veggie burger, Greg affirms that the beef burger is extremely tasty. But with my disdain for meat, you’ll have to take his word on it 🙂

I came… I ate… I Got Bombed!

As the waitstaff continue to happily hustle through their tasks and pnut bombs fly overhead, we leave overwhelmingly satisfied.

If you are ever passing through Southern Wisconsin and you are looking for a great burger place, AJ Bomber’s in Madison, Wisconsin (or their Milwaukee location) is a wonderful choice to get bombed.

Bonus:

After you fill your belly with tasty food, you can work off those extra calories with Madison’s ingenious bike rental stations spread throughout downtown. It’s great to see progressive, bike friendly cities.

Three words said everyday by almost everyone in all scenarios.

These damn words. Seemingly harmless when muttered, are slowly eroding away your individuality.

And whether we know it or not, we all say these words out of habit when we are with other people.

From simple choices of where you want to eat… to more meaningful decisions of locations you’d like to travel to or sights you’d like to visit.

And from an exploration standpoint, these three words will ruin a trip.

So what are they?

”I DON’T CARE”

These words are killing your uniqueness. And will kill your potential experiences.

It usually goes like this:

Friend: “So where do you want to go?”

You: “I don’t care.”

Are you sure? Do you really not care? Have you no opinions?

Most likely yes if the following statement is true:

“I’m a mindless drone, living life with others making decisions for me.”

Sounds harsh, doesn’t it? But it’s a reality.

However, I hope that this statement is false. And I’m going to assume that you enjoy thinking for yourself. So read on…

The Perils of Groupthink

Unfortunately, there is a phenomenon in social psychology called groupthink. And it destroys group travels.

When making choices amongst a group we believe leaving decisions up to others is being polite. That we are playing friendly. And worse still, that we are avoiding conflict.

But it’s not true. Groupthink is hurting your life experiences.

The cure for groupthink?

Stop being passive! It’s not being demanding. It’s not being unruly. It’s about voicing your opinion and leaving the choice up for debate.

But without a “care” there is no debate to begin with.

Personally, I’d rather entertain an idea that is overruled, than never voice it at all. And I hope you’d want the same.

Your Homework

The next time a friend asks you where you’d like to eat, say a specific place. Don’t give a few options. Don’t ask them what they would want. And especially, do not say that you don’t care… Say exactly what you want.

After a few times of voicing a specific opinion you’ll begin to love group decisions.

Remember: There’s a huge disparity between living a care-free life and having no input.

I can count on one hand how many times I’ve worn socks and traditional shoes in the past 6 months.

Instead, I opt for Vibram Five Fingers, Reefs, or most usually, nothing at all.

In fact, this has been the case for at least 3 summers now.

But at this time of year , when mother nature starts to crap out buckets of cold snow on the Midwest , is when I face the unbearable reality: shoes & socks!

Not anymore!

The Solution for a Barefoot Winter

With the leaves changing colors and the temperature slowly losing its comfortable numbers, fall is clearly upon us.

As sad as I am to see summer go, I have new hope for an enjoyable cold season thanks to my buddy, Ian.

Ian introduced me to his “non-shoes” called Sanük Sidewalk Surfers.

And after a brief description of how they are barefooter sandals with a canvas upper, I was instantly intrigued.

But his Sanuks were only canvas covered with no insulation whatsoever. Which may work through fall, but unless I don’t mind losing a couple of toes, they wouldn’t be a solution for 10 degree weather.

Luckily, as I browsed through Sanuk’s product selection online, I found they have a product line called Chill designed for winter. Jackpot!

The Sanuk Vagabond Chill

For $65 I picked up these Vagabond Chill Sanuks from Moosejaw.

They have a sandal-like bottom, a canvas upper, and some sort of confortable micro-fiber insulation. And without any harm to animals, they are earth-friendly and vegan.

After about a week of wearing, my impression of them are mostly positive. I love that they have little support or noticeable “shoe-like” features while wearing them. Best yet, they are extremely light weight. Which is essential for minimalist footwear.

Moreover, the overall construction is of very high quality. The sole is extremely flexible, the canvas is durable, and they run true to size for me.

Also, with my already laid-back persona, the “non-shoes” hopefully will sneak by as business casual footwear. At least they’re more professional than my sandals 🙂

Unfortunately, one small negative is they have slightly more cushion in the sole than I’d prefer. But then again, I’m used to being completely barefoot. I’d imagine after a few more weeks, I’ll barely notice the slight give in my step. And actually, anyone who wears normal shoes on occasion may think the opposite of me.

Overall, I am extremely happy with their value, comfort, and styling.

Final Verdict

If you’re a fan of minimalist footwear and/or looking for a comfortable winter sandal. I highly recommend checking out the Sanuk Vagabond Chill.

“You gave away all your shit? Are you having a mid-life crisis, man?”

This is oftentimes the response I receive when I tell people about my new project.

My project, it seems, is unusual for most. But why?

Having given away most of my worldly possessions, moving from my four-bedroom house, and exploring the world did seem daunting to me. Even a little overwhelming.

But never as a crisis.

I’m 25-years-old with little ties to anything. So I ask, why not? This is not a mid-life crisis.

However, it appears that society has lost their capacity to see another’s worldview , their empathy is non-existent. And worse yet, they’ve lost their ability to believe there is more to life.

To me, the real crisis is wanting to sit in a fucking cubicle all day making someone else rich, needing advanced permission to take a day vacation, all while hoping that in 40 or 50 years there will be enough zeroes in the bank statement to travel the world.

Why wait?

Why not live a remarkable life now?

It’s possible. And this blog will be a real-world case study of my adventures as I travel, experiment, and search for the ideal lifestyle.

I hope you will join me.

Life is short… Live life to the fullest… Live like you’re dying…

We’ve heard ‘em all before. The timeless antidotes supposedly said to motivate those who have lost focus. To jumpstart those who are fading into normalcy. And ultimately, to provoke inner growth and personal change.

But are these statements enough? Do they serve justice for the ideology behind the light-hearted quips?

No. Not in the least.

Why?

Because words are only words. They are mere allusions to a greater philosophy impossible to articulate.

In turn, we hear these thinly motivating structures of thoughts, ponder them deeply yet rarely take action.

Words , no matter how powerful , seldom motivates action. We are simply animals. We evolved from tribes. And we follow whom we revere.

But we don’t follow other’s words. Instead, we follow their actions, their motives and their mentality.

Unfortunately, with that said, the 1^st^ world society has collectively conditioned themselves into believing the fallacies and preconceived notions of a normal lifestyle, with materialism ever increasingly in tow.

And with this typical lifestyle of bigger is better, more equals meaning, and shiny toys reflect wealth, we’ve lost focus on what truly matters in life.

“People say that what we are all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think this is what we’re really seeking. I think what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive.”

~ Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth

Introducing the CouchSurfingCEO

As of today, I am publicly launching a new persona. A travel persona, to be exact. Cheekily named after my new vagabond lifestyle.

The travel blog is going to serve as an outlet for cool lessons learned on the road (travel hacks), recounts of my adventures, and documenting my ever increasingly experimental lifestyle.

But as I mentioned above, a blog is useless if it is mere philosophy. Of things I could do, instead of things I am doing. And the CouchSurfingCEO will be a real-world case study into the search for a meaningful life.

So hopefully my actions speak louder than words, and that my posts of real-life lessons and stories evoke you into pursuing a life worth living.

I hope you will join me on my new blog as we together search for the ideal lifestyle.

Update: 9 Months Later

With the launch of New Methods. And with the realization of a higher-order, I have flipped the switch on the couchsurfing experiment. But don’t worry, I’ll still be traveling, experimenting, and sharing with you all that I learn. It will simply be more centrally focused on this website as a personal brand (not a persona) and throughout the web in various forms.

It was exciting, fun, and eye-opening. But bigger things are calling my name now 🙂

Stay tuned!

We all have dreams and desires of a better life , of goals of doing more.

Unfortunately, we often find ourselves struggling to achieve these goals. And instead, fall into the trap of overwhelming despair.

The bigger the goals, the easier it is to be overwhelmed.

Currently as I write this, it’s been happening to me. I occasionally find myself waking up to anxiety attacks fueled by overwhelmed thoughts and notions.

I guess it’s rightfully so…

Between operating a handful of businesses, launching an education company, building my professional speaking career, and starting the early stages of writing a book , all while being homeless , life is a little daunting right now, yikes!

But it’s still not acceptable. This is a product of my own doing and this constant struggle to achieve all my goals must change.

So I’ve been backtracking mentally into how I once was able to handle many projects and tasks simultaneously… I’ve been doing this business stuff for over a decade now, and I know it’s possible to accomplish anything when putting your mind to it.

And after much reflection, I’ve re-discovered my magic formula for achieving my goals:

Chunking the Impossible?

If you look at your goals from a birds-eye view, everything you wish to do will seem overwhelming.

And this big picture viewpoint is often how we normally see our goals. It’s human nature.

“I have to do all of that…”

“I’ve got to finish all of this…”

“I need to complete all of it…”

But we live our lives day by day. Each day is a new day.

So why not break down our projects, tasks, and goals in a similar manner?

Every project isn’t a 1-to-1 ratio wherein completion results from one big step.

Instead, projects have many steps and many actionable items that eventually results in completion.

Therefore, as you look at your goals, it’s important to realize there are many steps to achieve your goals. Not one grandiose action. But a series of small victories.

And there’s the golden ticket:

To achieve any goal, you must break down the process into many small attainable victories called chunks.

The easier you can accomplish the victory, the quicker these chunks will add up to extraordinary levels of achievement in life.

Ultimately, you can now make impossible goals, possible.

Remember: Anything is possible…

Good luck chunking down your goals!

Since giving away everything, I currently own 6 shirts, 2 pairs of jeans, 3 pairs of shorts and a handful of other clothing.

Yesterday I was down to my last clean set of clothes. And faced with my usually dreaded act of needing to do laundry.

But this time was different. It wasn’t a chore. It wasn’t annoying.

It was enjoyable.

Yes, you heard that correctly. Doing laundry was enjoyable.

Why was this?

This is tough to answer. And coming from a guy who used to pay a lot of money weekly to have the laundry done professionally, I’ve put a lot of thought into why I was happy to do laundry.

My conclusion?

Doing laundry greatly improved my current scenario.

Normally, I’d have an entire closet of backup clothing. And laundry was just another one of those things I needed to do.

But now that I have no other clothing options to fall back on. I have two choices:

1) Wear dirty clothes.

2) Clean them.

Therefore, cleaning the clothes created a sense of well-being. A sense that I was doing something to better my life.

Stop and Smell the Roses

It seems that in our hectic lives, many aspects of what we do are done without thought. In other words, we do stuff because we have to.

But why?

Have you ever asked yourself that? I’d imagine not enough.

As time goes by, some of the small things that become routine lose meaning.

However, these small things are often some of the most meaningful things we do in life. Examples include:

• Making your kid lunch. (You’re improving the welfare of a child)

• Mowing your lawn. (You’re improving the appearance of your yard)

• Driving your spouse to work. (You’re improving the success of a loved one)

• Cleaning your bathroom. (You’re improving the cleanliness of your home)

Most everything you do improves your life and the lives of others around you.

So while you may see routine, mundane rituals as a boring necessity. Think about why you are doing them. And about the outcome the task creates.

Ultimately, with constant reminders of the benefits behind your chores, you’ll begin to greatly appreciate the small things of life.

Good luck!

Caveat: This blog is transforming into a guide to help you create your ideal lifestyle. One in which travelling is easy, money comes naturally, and you are free to follow your passion. My marketing blog is now The Edge of Innovation.

A New Beginning

Ten days ago I moved out of my four-bedroom house in Wisconsin, giving away most everything I own , from my enormous couch to my significant amount of clothes.

And have since been living my first week as a minimalist. Bouncing from friend’s couch to friend’s couch in Chicago, vagabond style.

It’s daunting. But exciting!

For starters, the most profound realization thus far is this: I’m still alive.

I know that probably sounds strange. But hear me out…

I once lived in a state of wants. A state in which I believed owning more and more things was essential for living. That I couldn’t live without that stereo, without that pair of jeans, without that ping-pong table, or even without that cool looking pen.

I thought all of the things I owned were necessities for life. They weren’t.

Needs vs. Wants

The beauty of minimalism is that it forces you to distinguish between needs and wants. That the stuff you own is simply that; stuff. Most possessions only feed an undying urge to buy more and more doo-dads.

And as you acquire more and more, everything seems to be a necessity.

For instance, when I was deciding on what to pack in my suitcase for my travels, it was easy to thoughtlessly toss a bunch of clothes in the bag. Which I normally have done when traveling.

But this time it wasn’t as simple. Because anything I threw into the bag added to the weight & hassles.

Do I need 4 pairs of jeans? Or will 2 pairs suffice?

My realization: Less is more.

The Ultimate Appeal of Minimalism

While I’d imagine you wouldn’t want to give away everything like I have done. Downsizing is extremely liberating.

In fact, words cannot describe the overall feeling of , after a lifetime of collecting material goods , owning very little… It’s mental freedom.

But more importantly, donating beloved possessions gave me a huge sense of charity.

The smile that my buddy had on his face when I handed him a $2,500 stereo…

The look on my parent’s face when I assembled the $4,000 couch in their living room…

The overwhelmed look of the Goodwill attendant as I dropped off bags full of Banana Republic, Express, J-Crew, etc…

All priceless feelings.

And it brought a much needed smile to my face.

Going from here…

So where do you and I go from here?

As the title of this post says, “A New Beginning,” I’ll be helping you design the lifestyle that you deserve. All based on my experiments going forward.

Since my lifestyle experiments will be extremely drastic, I will chronicle them in terms in which you will be able to adopt them into whatever stage of life you are currently in.

I’m here to help you. Let’s journey together.

In two weeks I will be emptying my house, giving away everything I own, and taking the leap into a life without possessions.

It’s a daunting transition. But necessary to start building my dream life.

For those of you familiar with my genius business partner, Greg Hartle and his remarkable Ten Dollars and a Laptop project, you may be having a bit of deja vu. Well fear not, I’m not stepping on his toes nor stealing his thunder. Personally, he is an extreme motivator and mentor towards minimalism.

I am, however, finally setting in motion a plan I created about 4 years ago.

I’ve never played by the rules. I was a disinterested student throughout college. A rebellious employee in the corporate world. And most unconventional, an avid couch-surfer during impromptu adventures.

Life’s Strange, Embrace It

We can never predict what the future has in store for us. Ask me 10 years ago what I’d be doing in 2011 and I would tell you I’m a professional golfer. Six years ago would be an Industrial & Organizational Psychologist. Ask me 3 years ago and I’d say I own a 40 person marketing firm. One year ago, a travelling college professor. Life is strange…

Never would I guess that I’d be sitting on a laptop creating an education company, preparing to revolutionize how we learn.

And most remarkably to me, I’ll be building this project while downsizing my possessions, upping my technology and forcing myself to redefine a normal life.

But what is a normal life?

At first glance, I’m not sure exactly. However, I do know what it isn’t. A normal life is not working 50 years at a 9-5 job. But beyond this, I have yet to discover the answer.

The Metamorphosis

With my bed and couch non-existent, I will essentially become a vagabond, traveling the world. Bouncing from available Internet source to available Internet source. I’ll be resting my head on the couches & spare beds of friends and family. And if I’m lucky, the occasional hotel room. Hopefully I don’t find myself on the streets, but even so, everything is a learning experience.

It may be 6 months before I have a place again or 6 years, only time will tell. And this blog (with a cool redesign in the works) will officially transition into a digest of my adventures. Of my insights into what it truly means to be alive. To live a fulfilled life.

As for my business?

It is no longer that of an Internet Marketing firm. While I love helping other businesses improve their marketing, I will be significantly scaling back my client list as I can reach and help more entrepreneurs through New Methods.

As for my viewpoints on business, marketing & entrepreneurial life?

Please join the conversation on my new blog: The Edge of Innovation.

May I have your advice?

Considering I’ve invested everything I have into the New Methods project and am extremely cash-strapped, this leap is a little daunting and nerve-racking. Therefore, I’d love to have your advice and thoughts. I am all ears 🙂

Have you ever wondered what would happen when a piece of technology you’ve become familiar with, breaks? How would you react? Do you have a backup plan? Or would you turn into these people:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSIkjNaICsg&feature=emb_imp_woyt&ab_channel=ThatBobGuy

When building your business, unfamiliar events are bound to happen. There will come times that systems you’ve grown dependent on will let you down. It’s almost a guarantee.

Personally, this happened to me a few days ago. My blackberry crashed. Kaput. D-E-A-D, dead. Worse yet, I had no other backup phone immediately available. And it just so happened that it died shortly after I gave a two-hour social media presentation to a large group of local business people , all potential clients. (In hindsight, I could have temporarily forwarded my number to my Skype account)

I was in hot water. I had learned the hard way that we must be cautious of technology , to tread lightly , as it can disappear at anytime. And believing my phone could never fail me, I didn’t have an alternative option.

The Lesson

Technology won’t always be available. It’s up to you and your team to anticipate and overcome technological obstacles. And it’s those businesses that can adapt who will keep their uptime and maintain their momentum.

Do you have any examples of this? And how did you overcome your tech-downfalls?

We all have disagreements. It’s inevitable. But understanding how to civilly solve them is often lost in the mix. So let’s take a look at exactly what a dispute is , in example form:

Imagine you and I are standing face-to-face and someone else holds a hand up between us.

With the palm towards you, they ask you to describe it. I’d assume you would have an easy time. You’d see all of the intricacies of the hand. The love line, the childhood scars, everything.

Now, what if they ask you to describe the back of their hand? With their palm still towards you, it would be impossible. You can assume they have fingernails, knuckles and such. But you wouldn’t see the tiny details. It’s facing me and only I can describe it. And until you were able to see the back of the hand, you’d have no idea what I see. Nor could I tell you what the palm looks like.

We are both looking at a hand, yet we both see something completely different.

The moral of the story here is that when we have a disagreement with someone, we must realize that we are simply seeing a different angle of the same problem.

So remember…

You’re looking at the same hand. How can you see the other side?

Newsflash: Turns out we are generally a lazy species.

Which you’ll shortly see is good news for those looking to switch out a bad habit for a better habit.

I recently finished reading Shawn Achor’s excellent book, The Happiness Advantage and I found a very intriguing concept. A concept that’s only 20 seconds in practice. Yet can change your life.

The 20 Second Rule

We all have a vice we’d like to exchange for a better alternative. It may be grabbing that cookie instead of a handful of celery. Or it may be plunking down in front of the TV instead of reading. Whatever it may be, there’s hope.

Shawn described how a cafeteria could reduce the consumption of unhealthy snacks by moving the ice cream cooler further from the lunch line. Or increase the chances of reading a book by placing it next to the TV remote and moving the remote’s batteries into the next room.

To explain further, when you make your bad habit harder to do while making the good habit easier, you are much more likely to take the easy route.

The golden rule is to make your vice 20 seconds away, while making your good habit immediately available.

A few possibilities that come to mind:

Want to start working out in the morning? Get creative with the locations of your equipment, gear and shoes.

Looking to stop eating unhealthy snacks? Place the treats on the furthest, highest shelf.

Been wishing to only watch TV on the weekends? Unplug the HDMI cable in back.

Need to escape from work at night? Leave the Blackberry and work laptop in the furthest room.

Tired of wasting your day on distracting websites? Use this plugin for Firefox to block sites and require extra steps to access them.

To Conclude

While this may seem like a simple idea, I hope this will help you change some of your habits. Good luck!

Do you have any examples or experiences you’d like to share?

I was in the supermarket with my brother and sister buying ingredients for vegan macaroni & “cheese,” and realized something interesting. The grocery store assumes people know there is non-dairy cheese and that it’s located in the natural food aisle. This is fine for the folks who shop in that section of the store. But what about those who want to eat a bit healthier yet don’t travel up and down every aisle in the store? Without specifically seeing the couple offerings in a tiny corner of the natural food fridge, they may never know there is an alternative to dairy cheese.

Learning from Vegan Cheese

You can never assume your customers and clients know all of your offerings. But rather, you must make the effort to present all applicable options during the sales cycle. No matter how obvious the product or service is to you, keep in mind that your customers aren’t psychic.

Amazon.com does this extremely well with the “customers also bought,” “customers also viewed” and the “related items” showcases on each product’s info page.

What do you think? Do you have examples of this in your life or business?

We all want to be successful. It’s a given. But unfortunately most people find themselves staring at a glass ceiling. Unable to leap to the next levels in their careers and life, forever locked into their current scenario.

Why is this?

While I cannot make sweeping conclusions, nor assume everyone can become successful. A majority of people are lacking in the ability to sell. And I’m not saying they cannot sell real estate or life insurance. They fail to sell their ideas.

Think about this for a moment:

When you call a coworker for immediate action to support your project, what are you doing? Selling your need for help.

When you plead with your kids to eat their green beans, what are you doing? Selling the benefits of green beans.

Or most importantly, when you approach your boss for a raise or promotion, what are you doing? Selling yourself.

But alas, those who disagree with the need for sales skills relate the skill to a used car salesman. Something that’s far too sleazy and dubious in nature. “It’s not for me” I hear people say when I recommend sales books.

However, since you are reading my blog, I have faith in you. You have already taken the first step. You understand the need for continual self-improvement. My goal with this post is to give some guidance to those who haven’t thought to deeply into this concept before. So here it is, my recommended reading for improving your ability to sell your ideas:

The Secret of Power Negotiation by Roger Dawson , The first step in improving your selling ability is negotiation. Period.

Influence by Robert B. Cialdini , The second step in understanding how to sell, is understanding people. Anyone that knows me knows I obsess about psychology. There’s a reason; I understand the science behind business and social conventions , an important life skill.

SPIN Selling by Neil Rackman , A book I’ve recommended a dozen times already on this blog. Technically, this book is for multi-stage selling of products and services to business accounts. But I interpret the concepts differently. If you read the book thinking the product is your idea and the business account is your potential “idea buyer,” you will learn some amazing sales techniques.

These three books will instantly give a huge boost in your selling abilities.

To Summarize

It doesn’t matter if you are an accountant, a parent or an entrepreneur. You must be able to sell yourself and your ideas.

What do you think? Do you have any recommendations on where we should learn how to sell?

Maintaining a Facebook page, a Twitter account, YouTube channel, a blog, etc. can be extremely overwhelming. Social media can quickly begin consuming more and more of your day. You may find that the majority of your work hours consist of reading, commenting and posting relatively useless info. With this information overload, it’s easy to get distracted.

Worse yet, I often notice people automating the entire process through services like Hootsuite and Ping.fm, in where they post the exact same thing on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and anywhere else they can. This strategy is not only ineffective, it’s lazy.

My solution for those just getting their feet wet, or drowning, in the social media pool is a simple, yet effective one:

Step One

Pick only one platform to initially focus your efforts. This may mean temporarily ditching the Twitter account. Or neglecting your Facebook page. Whatever you decide is the most effective medium for connecting with your desired audience, use it, and only it.

In most cases, if you concentrate on one network, you can become more active while spending less time maintaining the account and relationships.

Caveat: As a matter of online reputation management, I suggest signing-up for as many social network accounts as warranted. While you’re not active on all of them, you still want a presence on the networks.

Step Two

Once you have a grasp on your first network, you will want to have a stronger home base that you can control. This is where a website comes into play. And while I’m a big proponent for a blog, you can simply start with a landing page through WordPress with a short blurb and contact capture form. It doesn’t need to be the prettiest website, nor does it need to be overloaded with content. It just needs to be effective for conversions.

The beauty of WordPress is you’re able to easily add pages, content and eventually a blog.

Step Three

As time goes by, you will become relatively efficient at maintaining your sole social network and your growing website. Therefore, you can now branch out into the next most promising avenue. If you’ve been posting daily on Facebook, start to explore Twitter. But please keep in mind that each social network serves its own purpose. And you should rarely post the same thing on all your networks.

To Summarize

Marketers feel they need to be everywhere online in order to be effectively promoting their brand. This is simply not true. There are over 500 million people on Facebook and a few hundred million on Twitter. Not to mention the billions of searches on Google that could lead to your blog.

Any one of these routes leaves much opportunity to seize your slice of the market.

Put in other words, spread yourself too thin amongst all the social networks and you’ll become ineffective and overloaded. Conversely, by focusing on one or two avenues you’ll begin to see a great return on your efforts.

As winter rolls around, we will all face it at some time or another… we’re bound to become SAD, or as smarter-people than I say it, Seasonal Affective Disorder.

And while long-term depression is a rough road, usually impossible to cure yourself, it is possible to quickly boost your spirits short-term.

The Happiness Boost

We all have memories in our lives that we may never forget. An experience filled with supreme ecstasy. It may have been the birth of a child, a family vacation, moving into your first home or, in my case, the purchase of your first car in high school.

We remember the moment like it was yesterday. And while thinking about that extremely joyous time, it’s almost impossible not to smile.

But guess what also happens when we take a few minutes to sit and reflect on those happy memories? Our brain becomes entrenched in those feelings. And all sorts of happy chemicals are released, just as if you had been there in person. It’s a beautiful thing.

What do you think?

Reflecting on a happier time is the easiest method I have found for instantly boosting the feel good juices. Have you developed any cool methods for instant happiness?

If you’re in a profession where first impressions matter. Which is every profession. You must be aware that people are judgmental. And while most people wouldn’t admit it. Subconsciously, they are.

So what does this mean for you?

It means you must be aware of one of the most crucial aspects of your wardrobe…

Your shoes.

This may seem a petty after-thought or possibly even counterintuitive. But it isn’t.

Why Your Shoes Matter

Next time you’re face-to-face with a new acquaintance, watch their eyes. Eventually during the conversation their gaze will drift to the floor. And guess what’s down there? Yup, your tattered, ugly 4-year-old shoes. While yes your beloved shoes fit like a glove and they hold sentimental value ever since you traveled through five countries with them. But the other parties in your conversation don’t know these things. They just know your shoes are ugly as shit. Excuse my French. But it needs to be said.

I run into too many sales people trying to earn my business by pledging their superior quality and utmost attention to detail, yet they wear the ugliest shoes. It seems common sense to me, nevertheless, countless business people fail to understand this simple concept; dress to impress.

However, to be accurate, this is much more common a problem with men. Most women, at least the ones in my life, LOVE their shoes. But don’t get me started on that subject…

To Summarize

Go to Zappos and buy some new shoes. It’s an investment worth making.

If you are like me, you read a lot of books. But no matter how fast you read or how many you have already read, there will always be too many books to easily decide on what book to read next. So I have developed a quick and easy method using Amazon to find your next read:

1. Determine the genre

This is the only step that requires any thought. But luckily Amazon does a good job of guessing what type of books you like to read. Depending on how often you use Amazon, it may take a little poking around to get them to have recommendations for you.

Look through your recommendations and select a random book with a genre that looks appealing. From the book’s main page, you must scroll down a bit to the product details. Most of the time (if it’s a popular book), you will find what categories it ranks well for:

2. Rank by best selling

Once you have found the exact category you are interested in, you will get to the following list. (There is a way to skip the previous step and go directly to the top bestsellers. But I have found that it limits the discovery process, since some books hide in categories you would never think of exploring)

3. Skim through only 4-5 stars

I apologize for the prejudice, but I only consider reading books with 4-5 stars and multiple reviews. And until I read every well-reviewed book, would I consider books with poor reviews. There are so many good books out these days, that wasting time and money on a 3-star or less book is too risky for me.

4. Ensure there are a significant amount of reviews

A ton of reviews for a book usually signify that there is a good chance it is remarkable. At the least, it is a book others felt compelled to take the time to discuss. Frankly, the more reviews, the more likely it will be a great read.

5. Read the top three reviews

Once I find a book that looks appealing, I will read the top three reviews. These are the write-ups with the most peer reviewed commentary. Thus you can quickly infer that the three viewpoints are most accurate.

If you feel the reviews are in your ballpark, buy the book. If not, move on. It’s that easy. Impressively, this system has yet to discover a bad book for me.

One Additional Tip: Subscribe to Amazon Prime. It may be a little bit of money now, but you get free 2-day shipping and $3.99 overnight. It pays for itself very quickly!

If you have any suggestions on how you decide on books to read, please let us know in the comments below. Thank you!

Imagine you are guided into a bare room and abandoned with one marshmallow, which you can eat at anytime. But if you do not eat it until the facilitator returns, you will be given one more marshmallow. What would you do? Eat the one immediately? Or wait a few minutes for two?

This experiment has been conducted on countless squirming children. And hilarity usually ensues. The temptation for the yummy marshmallow is most times too overwhelming for the youngsters. As seen in this cute and often hilarious video:

https://vimeo.com/5239013?embedded=true&source=video_title&owner=377539

The underlying concepts of the marshmallow experiment holds true for your life as well. Do you have a marshmallow you’re dying to eat? However, if you hold off, is there another one waiting?

The Moral of the Story

It is often very easy to accomplish a portion of your desires. But, in turn, blow it just as quickly. Knowing all too well that you should have reinvested your success back into your dreams.

Put in other words, we all have that inner child in us, begging for that marshmallow. However, our level of self-control will directly affect our ability to accomplish any goal. And earn that second tasty marshmallow.

In Warren Buffett’s biography, The Snowball, I found an intriguing concept. The Oracle of Omaha said that he had won the Ovarian Lottery:

I’ve had it so good in this world, you know. The odds were fifty-to-one against me being born in the United States in 1930. I won the lottery the day I emerged from the womb by being in the United States instead of in some other country where my chances would have been way different.

Imagine there are two identical twins in the womb, both equally bright and energetic. And the genie says to them, “One of you is going to be born in the United States, and one of you is going to be born in Bangladesh. And if you wind up in Bangladesh, you will pay no taxes. What percentage of your income would you bid to be the one that is born in the United States?” It says something about the fact that society has something to do with your fate and not just your innate qualities. The people who say, “I did it all myself,” and think of themselves as Horatio Alger , believe me, they’d bid more to be in the United States than in Bangladesh. That’s the Ovarian Lottery.

Warren Buffett won it. And if you’re reading this (hold for applause), you’ve won it too. Congrats!

The world we live in is an amazing place. Anyone with an Internet connection and a passion can completely transform their lives for the better. Even the poorest and lowest-class individuals of 1st world countries have unbelievable potential to be great.

So think about the words of Warren Buffett the next time something discourages you from accomplishing your dreams. And do not forget the incredible opportunities available to us Ovarian Lottery winners.

“In the valley of the blind, the one-eyed man is king”

~ Gerard Erasmus

When you learn something new, what do you do with the information? If you are like most people, the new info is quickly processed then stored in your long-term memory. Rarely to be thought of again. This sounds typical of our thought process: learn, process, store, retrieve, expel… But what’s missing from this equation?

Questioning…

Depending on the source and method of delivery, most statements are automatically considered fact. Do you believe me? You shouldn’t… at least not right away. As you read a book, listen to a seminar or simply converse with a colleague, consider the scenario. Question the underlining motives of the source and their background. Ask yourself, is this new information true? How does it compare to my current beliefs on the subject? Can I pick out the facts from opinions, all while cross-referencing the opinions with my own belief system and worldviews?

Put in other words; think critically. And more importantly, think for yourself.