#836: The 4-Hour Workweek Principles — 13 Mistakes to Avoid, The Art of Mini-Retirements, and Navigating the Dizziness of Freedom

0:00:04 Hello, boys and girls, ladies and germs, this is Tim Ferriss. Welcome to another episode of
0:00:11 The Tim Ferriss Show. This time around, we have a different experimental format featuring the book
0:00:16 that started it all for me, The 4-Hour Workweek. And even though it was published in 2007, it was
0:00:25 one of Amazon’s top 10 most highlighted books of all time, last I checked around 2017. So this is
0:00:31 a bit of a foreshadowing of a point I want to make. A lot of people, readers and listeners, ask me
0:00:36 what I would change or update in The 4-Hour Workweek or in other books, but especially The 4-Hour Workweek.
0:00:42 An equally interesting question, I think a very compelling question, is what wouldn’t I change?
0:00:49 What stands the test of time and hasn’t lost any potency? What would I absolutely not touch? And
0:00:54 perhaps there are a few minor tweaks here and there, but by and large, what has stood the test of time
0:00:59 for almost 20 years? This episode features three timeless chapters from the audiobook of The 4-Hour
0:01:05 Workweek, a chapter on taking mini-retirements, which challenges everything about the deferred life
0:01:12 plan, the slave-save-retire approach, and shows you how to distribute adventure and retirement
0:01:18 throughout life instead of saving it all for the end. The chapter, titled Filling the Void, which
0:01:25 addresses navigating the dizziness of freedom and handling unexpected emotional and philosophical
0:01:31 challenges that you can run into, not just after reading The 4-Hour Workweek, but if you are an
0:01:36 entrepreneur of any type, really, but especially one following the tenets of lifestyle design.
0:01:41 And last but not least, the 13 mistakes of the new rich, where I outline the most common pitfalls
0:01:49 I’ve seen in people encounter, stumble over when implementing the book’s principles. These are
0:01:53 all narrated by the great voice actor Ray Porter, and if you are interested in checking out the rest
0:01:58 of the audiobook, which is produced and copyrighted by Blackstone Publishing, you can find it on Audible,
0:02:02 Apple, Google, Spotify, Downpour.com, or wherever you find your favorite audiobooks.
0:02:06 Until the next long-form interview, please enjoy.
0:02:36 14. Mini Retirements. Embracing the Mobile Lifestyle.
0:02:43 Before the development of tourism, travel was conceived to be like study, and its fruits were
0:02:47 considered to be the adornment of the mind and the formation of the judgment.
0:02:51 Paul Fussell. Abroad.
0:02:56 The simple willingness to improvise is more vital in the long run than research.
0:02:59 Rolf Potts. Vagabonding.
0:03:06 If you’ve gone through the previous steps, eliminating, automating, and severing the leashes that bind you
0:03:12 to one location, it’s time to indulge in some fantasies and explore the world.
0:03:18 Even if you have no ache for extended travel, or think it’s impossible, whether due to marriage or
0:03:24 mortgage, or those little things known as children, this chapter is still the next step.
0:03:32 There are fundamental changes I and most others put off until absence or preparation for it forces them.
0:03:36 This chapter is your final exam in Muse Design.
0:03:45 The transformation begins in a small Mexican village, in a parable that’s been shared in various forms around the world.
0:03:56 Fables and Fortune Hunters An American businessman took a vacation to a small coastal Mexican village on doctor’s orders.
0:04:04 Unable to sleep after an urgent phone call from the office the first morning, he walked out to the pier to clear his head.
0:04:12 A small boat with just one fisherman had docked, and inside the boat were several large yellowfin tuna.
0:04:16 The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish.
0:04:19 How long did it take you to catch them?
0:04:20 The American asked.
0:04:24 Only a little while, the Mexican replied.
0:04:27 Why don’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?
0:04:28 The American then asked.
0:04:36 I have enough to support my family and give a few to friends, the Mexican said as he unloaded them into a basket.
0:04:40 But what do you do with the rest of your time?
0:04:43 The Mexican looked up and smiled.
0:04:50 I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Julia,
0:04:55 and stroll into the village each evening, where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos.
0:04:58 I have a full and busy life, senor.
0:05:01 The American laughed and stood tall.
0:05:05 Sir, I’m a Harvard MBA and can help you.
0:05:09 You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat.
0:05:13 In no time you could buy several boats with the increased haul.
0:05:16 Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats.
0:05:17 He continued.
0:05:23 Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the consumers,
0:05:25 eventually opening your own cannery.
0:05:28 You would control the product, processing, and distribution.
0:05:34 You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village, of course, and move to Mexico City,
0:05:37 then to Los Angeles, and eventually New York City,
0:05:41 where you could run your expanding enterprise with proper management.
0:05:45 The Mexican fisherman asked,
0:05:49 But, senor, how long will all this take?
0:05:52 To which the American replied,
0:05:55 Fifteen, twenty years, twenty-five tops.
0:05:58 But what then, senor?
0:06:00 The American laughed and said,
0:06:02 That’s the best part.
0:06:08 When the time is right, you would announce an IPO and sell your company’s stock to the public and become
0:06:11 very rich, you would make millions.
0:06:14 Millions, senor?
0:06:15 Then what?
0:06:22 Then you would retire and move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late,
0:06:24 fish a little, play with your kids,
0:06:26 take a siesta with your wife,
0:06:32 and stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.
0:06:39 I recently had lunch in San Francisco with a good friend and former college roommate.
0:06:44 He will soon graduate from a top business school and return to investment banking.
0:06:47 He hates coming home from the office at midnight,
0:06:52 but explained to me that if he works eighty-hour weeks for nine years,
0:06:57 he could become a managing director and make a cool three to ten million dollars per year.
0:07:00 Then he would be successful.
0:07:06 Dude, what on earth would you do with three to ten million dollars per year?
0:07:07 I asked.
0:07:08 His answer?
0:07:11 I would take a long trip to Thailand.
0:07:16 That just about sums up one of the biggest self-deceptions of our modern age.
0:07:21 Extended world travel as the domain of the ultra-rich.
0:07:23 I’ve also heard the following.
0:07:26 I’ll just work in the firm for fifteen years.
0:07:29 Then I’ll be partner and I can cut back on hours.
0:07:31 Once I have a million or two in the bank,
0:07:33 I’ll put it in something safe like bonds,
0:07:36 take eighty thousand dollars a year in interest,
0:07:38 and retire to sale in the Caribbean.
0:07:42 I’ll only work in consulting until I’m thirty-five,
0:07:44 then retire and ride a motorcycle across China.
0:07:47 If your dream,
0:07:50 the pot of gold at the end of the career rainbow,
0:07:53 is to live large in Thailand,
0:07:55 sail around the Caribbean,
0:07:56 or ride a motorcycle across China,
0:07:57 guess what?
0:08:01 All of them can be done for less than three thousand dollars.
0:08:02 I’ve done all three.
0:08:05 Here are just two examples of how far
0:08:07 a little can go.
0:08:09 The dollar figures in this chapter
0:08:11 are all from a period immediately following
0:08:14 President Bush’s re-election in 2004,
0:08:18 which correlated to the worst dollar exchange rates
0:08:19 of the last twenty years.
0:08:23 Two hundred fifty dollars, U.S.
0:08:25 Five days on a private
0:08:27 Smithsonian tropical research island
0:08:29 with three local fishermen
0:08:31 who caught and cooked all my food
0:08:32 and also took me on tours
0:08:35 of the best hidden dive spots in Panama.
0:08:38 One hundred fifty dollars, U.S.
0:08:41 Three days of chartering a private plane
0:08:43 in Mendoza wine country in Argentina
0:08:46 and flying over the most beautiful vineyards
0:08:48 around the snow-capped Andes
0:08:49 with a personal guide.
0:08:51 Question
0:08:55 What did you spend your last four hundred dollars on?
0:08:58 It’s two or three weekends of nonsense
0:09:01 and throw-away-forget-the-work-week behavior
0:09:03 in most U.S. cities.
0:09:05 Four hundred dollars is nothing
0:09:09 for a full eight days of life-changing experiences.
0:09:13 But eight days isn’t what I’m recommending at all.
0:09:15 Those were just interludes
0:09:17 in a much larger production.
0:09:20 I’m proposing much, much more.
0:09:23 The birth of many retirements
0:09:25 and the death of vacations.
0:09:28 There is more to life
0:09:29 than increasing its speed.
0:09:31 Mohandas Gandhi
0:09:34 In February of 2004,
0:09:37 I was miserable and overworked.
0:09:40 My travel fantasy began as a plan
0:09:43 to visit Costa Rica in March 2004
0:09:46 for four weeks of Spanish and relaxation.
0:09:48 I needed a recharge
0:09:51 and four weeks seemed reasonable
0:09:53 by whatever made-up benchmark
0:09:55 you can use for such a thing.
0:09:58 A friend familiar with Central America
0:09:59 dutifully pointed out
0:10:00 that it would never work
0:10:03 as Costa Rica was about to enter
0:10:04 its rainy season.
0:10:06 Torrential downpours
0:10:08 weren’t the uplifting jolt I needed,
0:10:10 so I shifted my focus
0:10:11 to four weeks in Spain.
0:10:15 It’s a long trip over the Atlantic, though,
0:10:17 and Spain was close to other countries
0:10:18 I’d always wanted to visit.
0:10:22 I lost reasonable somewhere shortly thereafter
0:10:24 and decided that I deserved
0:10:25 a full three months
0:10:28 to explore my roots in Scandinavia
0:10:29 after four weeks in Spain.
0:10:33 If there were any real-time bombs
0:10:34 or pending disasters,
0:10:36 they would certainly crop up
0:10:37 in the first four weeks,
0:10:40 so there really wasn’t any additional risk
0:10:42 in extending my trip
0:10:42 to three months.
0:10:45 Three months would be great.
0:10:49 Those three months turned into fifteen,
0:10:51 and I started to ask myself,
0:10:54 why not take the usual
0:10:56 twenty- to thirty-year retirement
0:10:58 and redistribute it throughout life
0:11:01 instead of saving it all for the end?
0:11:05 The Alternative to Binge Travelling
0:11:08 Thanks to the interstate highway system,
0:11:09 it is now possible
0:11:11 to travel from coast to coast
0:11:13 without seeing anything.
0:11:17 Charles Kuralt, CBS News reporter
0:11:20 If you are accustomed
0:11:22 to working fifty weeks per year,
0:11:23 the tendency,
0:11:25 even after creating the mobility
0:11:27 to take extended trips,
0:11:29 will be to go nuts
0:11:30 and see ten countries
0:11:31 in fourteen days
0:11:33 and end up a wreck.
0:11:36 It’s like taking a starving dog
0:11:37 to an all-you-can-eat buffet.
0:11:40 It will eat itself to death.
0:11:42 I did this three months
0:11:44 into my fifteen-month vision quest,
0:11:46 visiting seven countries
0:11:48 and going through at least
0:11:50 twenty check-ins and check-outs
0:11:51 with a friend
0:11:53 who had negotiated three weeks off.
0:11:56 The trip was an adrenaline-packed blast,
0:11:59 but like watching life on Fast Forward.
0:12:01 It was hard for us to remember
0:12:02 what had happened
0:12:03 in which countries,
0:12:05 except Amsterdam.
0:12:07 I refer, of course,
0:12:10 to the amazing bike-riding opportunities
0:12:11 and famous pastries.
0:12:14 We were both sick most of the time,
0:12:16 and we were upset
0:12:17 to have to leave some places
0:12:20 simply because our pre-purchased flights
0:12:20 made it so.
0:12:24 I recommend doing the exact opposite.
0:12:28 The alternative to binge travel,
0:12:29 the mini-retirement,
0:12:33 entails relocating to one place
0:12:35 for one to six months
0:12:37 before going home
0:12:38 or moving to another locale.
0:12:41 It is the anti-vacation
0:12:43 in the most positive sense.
0:12:46 Though it can be relaxing,
0:12:47 the mini-retirement
0:12:50 is not an escape from your life,
0:12:52 but a re-examination of it,
0:12:54 the creation of a blank slate.
0:12:56 Following elimination
0:12:57 and automation,
0:12:59 what would you be escaping from?
0:13:01 Rather than seeking to
0:13:03 see the world
0:13:04 through photo ops
0:13:05 between foreign
0:13:07 but familiar hotels,
0:13:09 we aim
0:13:10 to experience it
0:13:12 at a speed
0:13:13 that lets it change us.
0:13:16 This is also different
0:13:17 from a sabbatical.
0:13:19 Sabbaticals are often viewed
0:13:20 much like retirement,
0:13:22 as a one-time event.
0:13:23 Savor it now
0:13:24 while you can.
0:13:26 The mini-retirement
0:13:28 is defined as recurring.
0:13:31 It is a lifestyle.
0:13:33 I currently take
0:13:34 three or four mini-retirements
0:13:35 per year
0:13:37 and know dozens
0:13:38 who do the same.
0:13:39 Sometimes,
0:13:40 these sojourns
0:13:41 take me around the world.
0:13:42 Oftentimes,
0:13:44 they take me around the corner.
0:13:45 Yosemite,
0:13:46 Tahoe,
0:13:47 Carmel,
0:13:49 but to a different world
0:13:50 psychologically,
0:13:52 where meetings,
0:13:52 email,
0:13:53 and phone calls
0:13:55 don’t exist
0:13:56 for a set period of time.
0:14:01 Just a quick thanks
0:14:02 to our sponsors
0:14:03 and we’ll be right back
0:14:04 to the show.
0:14:06 Creatine isn’t just for muscle.
0:14:07 It’s essential daily fuel
0:14:08 for your brain,
0:14:09 your body,
0:14:10 and long-term performance.
0:14:10 For me,
0:14:12 I have Alzheimer’s
0:14:12 and dementia risk
0:14:13 in my family.
0:14:14 The cognitive benefits
0:14:15 are the reason
0:14:16 I take creatine
0:14:18 every single day.
0:14:19 And today’s episode sponsor,
0:14:20 Momentus,
0:14:21 is the gold standard
0:14:22 in creatine.
0:14:23 There’s a lot of BS
0:14:24 floating around,
0:14:25 but I choose them.
0:14:26 Why?
0:14:27 Because they source
0:14:28 CreaPure creatine,
0:14:29 the purest,
0:14:30 most effective
0:14:31 creatine monohydrate available.
0:14:32 So,
0:14:32 if you’ve been curious
0:14:33 about creatine,
0:14:34 this is your moment
0:14:35 to get back on track
0:14:37 or try it for the first time.
0:14:38 Momentus is also now
0:14:39 introducing the
0:14:41 Momentus creatine chews.
0:14:42 Each chew delivers
0:14:43 one gram of pure
0:14:45 CreaPure creatine monohydrate.
0:14:46 I was skeptical
0:14:47 of these chews.
0:14:48 I was like,
0:14:48 I’m never going to use these.
0:14:49 It turns out
0:14:50 that I use them all the time.
0:14:51 They’re super convenient
0:14:53 and they are NSF certified
0:14:54 for sports.
0:14:54 So,
0:14:56 you get the gold standard purity
0:14:57 without all the mess.
0:14:58 Head to
0:15:00 LiveMementus.com
0:15:01 and use code TIM
0:15:03 for up to 35% off
0:15:04 of your first order.
0:15:06 I asked millions of you
0:15:07 about Gusto
0:15:08 on social media
0:15:09 and I’ve never seen
0:15:10 such overwhelmingly
0:15:12 positive responses.
0:15:12 It was kind of bonkers,
0:15:13 honestly,
0:15:13 because I’ve done this
0:15:14 dozens of times.
0:15:15 And it makes sense.
0:15:17 More than 400,000
0:15:17 small businesses
0:15:19 already trust Gusto
0:15:19 and it’s been named
0:15:20 the number one payroll
0:15:21 software by G2
0:15:23 for fall 2025.
0:15:25 If you’re a small business owner
0:15:26 looking to simplify payroll
0:15:27 and HR tasks
0:15:29 because why would you
0:15:29 want to spend more time
0:15:30 on those things,
0:15:32 Gusto could be the game changer
0:15:33 that you need.
0:15:34 Gusto is the all-in-one
0:15:35 payroll benefits
0:15:36 and HR platform
0:15:37 designed specifically
0:15:38 for small businesses.
0:15:40 They automatically file
0:15:41 federal, state,
0:15:42 and local payroll taxes,
0:15:44 handle W-2s and 1099s,
0:15:45 what a pain in the ass
0:15:46 all those can be,
0:15:47 and offer straightforward
0:15:48 health benefits
0:15:49 and 401k options
0:15:50 for nearly any budget.
0:15:52 Now is the perfect time
0:15:53 to choose Gusto
0:15:54 to take care of your team
0:15:55 and stay compliant.
0:15:56 So go to
0:15:57 gusto.com
0:15:57 slash Tim
0:15:59 to see why
0:15:59 nine out of ten
0:16:00 Gusto customers
0:16:01 recommend Gusto.
0:16:02 Listeners get
0:16:03 three months free
0:16:04 once they run
0:16:05 their first payroll.
0:16:06 Again, that’s
0:16:07 G-U-S-T-O
0:16:08 dot com
0:16:09 slash Tim.
0:16:10 Terms and conditions apply.
0:16:15 Purging the demons
0:16:17 Emotional freedom
0:16:21 This is the very perfection
0:16:22 of a man
0:16:24 to find out his own
0:16:25 imperfection.
0:16:27 St. Augustine
0:16:28 354 A.D.
0:16:32 True freedom
0:16:33 is much more
0:16:34 than having
0:16:35 enough income
0:16:36 and time
0:16:37 to do what you want.
0:16:39 It is
0:16:40 quite possible,
0:16:41 actually the rule
0:16:43 rather than the exception,
0:16:44 to have financial
0:16:46 and time freedom
0:16:47 but still be caught
0:16:48 in the throes
0:16:49 of the rat race.
0:16:51 One cannot be free
0:16:53 from the stresses
0:16:53 of a speed
0:16:55 and size-obsessed
0:16:56 culture
0:16:57 until you are free
0:16:58 from the materialistic
0:16:59 addictions,
0:17:01 time-famine mindset,
0:17:03 and comparative impulses
0:17:05 that created it
0:17:06 in the first place.
0:17:08 This takes time.
0:17:10 The effect
0:17:11 is not cumulative
0:17:13 and no number
0:17:14 of too weak.
0:17:15 Also called
0:17:18 T-O-O-W-E-A-K,
0:17:19 coined by Joel Stein
0:17:20 of the L.A. Times,
0:17:22 sightseeing trips
0:17:22 can replace
0:17:24 one good walkabout.
0:17:26 By all means,
0:17:27 go ahead and take
0:17:28 a post-office
0:17:29 celebratory trip
0:17:30 and go nuts
0:17:31 for a few weeks.
0:17:32 I know I did.
0:17:33 Rock on.
0:17:35 Ibiza and glow sticks,
0:17:36 here I come.
0:17:38 Have some absinthe
0:17:39 and drink lots of water.
0:17:41 Following that,
0:17:42 sit down
0:17:43 and plan
0:17:45 an introspective
0:17:46 mini-retirement.
0:17:49 In the experience
0:17:49 of those
0:17:50 I’ve interviewed,
0:17:51 it takes
0:17:52 two to three months
0:17:54 just to unplug
0:17:55 from obsolete routines
0:17:57 and become aware
0:17:58 of just how much
0:17:59 we distract ourselves
0:18:01 with constant motion.
0:18:02 Can you have
0:18:03 a two-hour dinner
0:18:04 with Spanish friends
0:18:05 without getting anxious?
0:18:07 Can you get accustomed
0:18:08 to a small town
0:18:10 where all businesses
0:18:11 take a siesta
0:18:12 for two hours
0:18:13 in the afternoon
0:18:14 and then close
0:18:15 at four o’clock p.m.?
0:18:16 If not,
0:18:18 you need to ask
0:18:19 why.
0:18:22 Learn to slow down.
0:18:24 Get lost
0:18:25 intentionally.
0:18:27 Observe how you judge
0:18:28 both yourself
0:18:29 and those around you.
0:18:31 Chances are
0:18:32 that it’s been a while.
0:18:33 Take at least
0:18:34 two months
0:18:36 to disincorporate
0:18:36 old habits
0:18:38 and rediscover yourself
0:18:39 without the reminder
0:18:40 of a looming
0:18:41 return flight.
0:18:44 The Financial Realities
0:18:46 It just gets better.
0:18:49 The economic argument
0:18:50 for many retirements
0:18:52 is the icing on the cake.
0:18:54 Four days
0:18:55 in a decent hotel
0:18:56 or a week
0:18:56 for two
0:18:57 at a nice hostel
0:18:59 costs the same
0:19:00 as a month
0:19:01 in a nice
0:19:02 posh apartment.
0:19:04 If you relocate,
0:19:05 the expenses abroad
0:19:06 also begin
0:19:07 to replace,
0:19:08 often at much
0:19:09 lower cost,
0:19:10 bills you can
0:19:11 then cancel
0:19:12 stateside.
0:19:14 Here are some
0:19:16 actual monthly figures
0:19:17 from recent travels.
0:19:19 Highlights from both
0:19:19 South America
0:19:20 and Europe
0:19:21 are shown
0:19:22 side by side
0:19:23 to prove that
0:19:25 luxury is limited
0:19:26 by your creativity
0:19:27 and familiarity
0:19:28 with the locale,
0:19:30 not gross currency
0:19:31 devaluation
0:19:32 in developing countries.
0:19:34 It will be obvious
0:19:35 that I did not
0:19:36 survive on bread
0:19:36 and begging.
0:19:38 I lived
0:19:39 like a rock star
0:19:40 and both experiences
0:19:41 could be done
0:19:42 for less than
0:19:43 50%
0:19:44 of what I spent.
0:19:45 My goal
0:19:46 was enjoyment
0:19:47 and not
0:19:48 austere survival.
0:19:50 Airfare
0:19:51 free
0:19:52 courtesy of
0:19:53 Amex Gold
0:19:53 Card
0:19:53 and
0:19:54 Chase
0:19:54 Continental
0:19:55 Airlines
0:19:56 MasterCard
0:19:57 Muses are
0:19:58 low-maintenance
0:19:59 but often
0:19:59 expensive
0:20:00 in one
0:20:00 or both
0:20:01 of two
0:20:02 tactical areas
0:20:03 manufacturing
0:20:04 and advertising.
0:20:05 Shop for
0:20:06 providers of both
0:20:07 that are willing
0:20:08 to accept
0:20:08 credit cards
0:20:09 as payment
0:20:10 and negotiate
0:20:11 this up front
0:20:12 if necessary
0:20:13 by saying
0:20:14 rather than
0:20:14 trying to
0:20:15 negotiate you
0:20:16 down on pricing
0:20:17 I just ask
0:20:17 that you
0:20:18 accept payment
0:20:19 by credit card.
0:20:20 If you can do that
0:20:21 we’ll choose you
0:20:23 over competitor X.
0:20:24 This is
0:20:24 yet another
0:20:25 example of
0:20:26 a firm offer
0:20:27 and not
0:20:28 a question
0:20:29 that puts you
0:20:29 in a stronger
0:20:30 negotiating position.
0:20:32 For a detailed
0:20:33 explanation
0:20:34 of how I
0:20:35 multiply points
0:20:35 for traveling
0:20:36 using concepts
0:20:38 like piggybacking
0:20:39 and recycling
0:20:40 search for both
0:20:41 terms on
0:20:42 4hourblog.com
0:20:44 Housing
0:20:46 Penthouse apartment
0:20:47 on the equivalent
0:20:48 of New York’s
0:20:48 Fifth Avenue
0:20:49 in Buenos Aires
0:20:51 including house
0:20:51 cleaners,
0:20:52 personal security
0:20:52 guards,
0:20:53 phone,
0:20:54 energy,
0:20:54 and high-speed
0:20:55 internet
0:20:58 $550 US
0:20:59 per month.
0:21:01 Enormous
0:21:02 apartment
0:21:03 in the trendy
0:21:04 Soho-like
0:21:05 Prenzlauerberg
0:21:06 district of
0:21:06 Berlin
0:21:08 including phone
0:21:09 and energy
0:21:11 $300 US
0:21:12 per month.
0:21:13 Meals
0:21:16 4 or 5 star
0:21:17 restaurant meals
0:21:18 twice daily
0:21:19 in Buenos Aires
0:21:21 $10 US
0:21:21 $10 US
0:21:23 $300 US
0:21:23 per month
0:21:24 Berlin
0:21:26 $18 US
0:21:29 $540 US
0:21:29 per month
0:21:31 Entertainment
0:21:32 VIP table
0:21:33 and unlimited
0:21:34 champagne
0:21:35 for 8 people
0:21:36 at the hottest
0:21:37 club
0:21:38 Opera Bay
0:21:38 in Buenos Aires
0:21:39 $150 US
0:21:41 $150 US
0:21:44 $18.75 US
0:21:45 per person
0:21:46 times 4 visits
0:21:47 per month
0:21:49 equals $75 US
0:21:50 per month
0:21:51 per person
0:21:52 Cover,
0:21:53 drinks,
0:21:54 and dancing
0:21:55 at the hottest
0:21:56 clubs in West
0:21:56 Berlin
0:21:58 $20 US
0:21:58 per person
0:21:59 per night
0:22:00 times 4
0:22:02 equals $80 US
0:22:03 per month
0:22:05 Education
0:22:07 2 hours daily
0:22:07 of private
0:22:08 Spanish lessons
0:22:09 in Buenos Aires
0:22:11 5 times per week
0:22:13 $5 US per hour
0:22:14 times 40 hours
0:22:15 per month
0:22:17 equals $200 US
0:22:18 per month
0:22:19 2 hours daily
0:22:20 of private
0:22:21 tango lessons
0:22:22 with 2 world-class
0:22:24 professional dancers
0:22:26 $8.33 US
0:22:27 per hour
0:22:28 times 40 hours
0:22:29 per month
0:22:32 equals $333.20 US
0:22:33 per month
0:22:35 4 hours daily
0:22:36 of top-tier
0:22:37 German language
0:22:38 instruction
0:22:39 in Nolendorfplatz
0:22:39 Berlin
0:22:42 $175 US
0:22:43 per month
0:22:44 which would have
0:22:44 paid for itself
0:22:45 even if I had not
0:22:46 attended classes
0:22:48 as the student
0:22:49 ID card
0:22:50 entitled me
0:22:51 to over 40%
0:22:52 discounts
0:22:52 on all
0:22:53 transportation
0:22:55 6 hours per week
0:22:56 of mixed
0:22:57 martial arts
0:22:58 MMA training
0:22:59 at the Top
0:23:00 Berlin Academy
0:23:01 free
0:23:02 in exchange
0:23:02 for tutoring
0:23:03 in English
0:23:04 2 hours
0:23:05 per week
0:23:07 Transportation
0:23:09 Monthly subway
0:23:09 pass
0:23:10 and daily
0:23:10 cab rides
0:23:11 to and from
0:23:12 tango lessons
0:23:13 in Buenos Aires
0:23:15 $75 US
0:23:16 per month
0:23:17 Monthly subway
0:23:18 tram
0:23:19 and bus pass
0:23:20 in Berlin
0:23:21 with student
0:23:21 discount
0:23:23 $85 US
0:23:24 per month
0:23:25 4 week
0:23:26 total
0:23:27 for luxury
0:23:27 living
0:23:29 Buenos Aires
0:23:32 $1533.20
0:23:34 including round-trip
0:23:35 airfare
0:23:36 from JFK
0:23:37 with a one-month
0:23:37 stopover
0:23:38 in Panama
0:23:40 nearly one-third
0:23:41 of this total
0:23:42 is from the daily
0:23:43 one-on-one
0:23:43 instruction
0:23:44 from world-class
0:23:45 teachers
0:23:45 in Spanish
0:23:45 in Spanish
0:23:46 and Tango
0:23:48 Berlin
0:23:50 $1,180
0:23:52 including round-trip
0:23:53 airfare
0:23:54 from JFK
0:23:55 and a one-week
0:23:55 stopover
0:23:56 in London
0:23:58 How do these numbers
0:23:59 compare to your
0:24:00 current domestic
0:24:01 monthly expenses
0:24:02 including rent
0:24:03 car insurance
0:24:04 utilities
0:24:05 weekend expenditures
0:24:06 partying
0:24:07 public transportation
0:24:08 gas
0:24:09 memberships
0:24:10 subscriptions
0:24:11 food
0:24:12 and all the rest
0:24:14 add it all up
0:24:14 and you may well
0:24:15 realize
0:24:16 like I did
0:24:17 that traveling
0:24:18 around the world
0:24:19 and having the time
0:24:19 of your life
0:24:20 can save you
0:24:22 serious money
0:24:25 fear factors
0:24:27 overcoming excuses
0:24:28 not to travel
0:24:30 traveling is the ruin
0:24:31 of all happiness
0:24:33 there’s no looking
0:24:34 at a building here
0:24:35 after seeing Italy
0:24:37 Fanny Burney
0:24:39 1752 to 1840
0:24:41 English novelist
0:24:44 but I have a house
0:24:44 and kids
0:24:45 I can’t travel
0:24:46 what about
0:24:47 health insurance
0:24:48 what if something
0:24:49 happens
0:24:50 isn’t travel
0:24:51 dangerous
0:24:52 what if I get
0:24:52 kidnapped
0:24:53 or mugged
0:24:54 but I’m a woman
0:24:55 traveling alone
0:24:57 would be dangerous
0:24:59 most excuses
0:25:00 not to travel
0:25:01 are exactly that
0:25:02 excuses
0:25:04 I’ve been there
0:25:05 so this isn’t
0:25:06 a holier-than-thou
0:25:06 sermon
0:25:08 I know too well
0:25:09 that it’s easier
0:25:10 to live with ourselves
0:25:11 if we cite
0:25:12 an external reason
0:25:13 for inaction
0:25:15 I’ve since met
0:25:16 paraplegics
0:25:17 and the deaf
0:25:18 senior citizens
0:25:20 and single mothers
0:25:21 homeowners
0:25:22 and the poor
0:25:23 all of whom
0:25:23 have sought
0:25:24 and found
0:25:25 excellent
0:25:26 life-changing
0:25:26 reasons
0:25:28 for extended
0:25:28 travel
0:25:29 instead of dwelling
0:25:30 on the million
0:25:31 small reasons
0:25:32 against it
0:25:34 most of the
0:25:35 concerns above
0:25:36 are addressed
0:25:37 in the Q&A
0:25:38 but one
0:25:39 in particular
0:25:39 requires a bit
0:25:40 of preemptive
0:25:41 nerve calming
0:25:43 it’s 10 o’clock
0:25:44 p.m.
0:25:45 do you know
0:25:46 where your children
0:25:46 are
0:25:48 the prime fear
0:25:49 of all parents
0:25:50 prior to their
0:25:51 first international
0:25:52 trip
0:25:53 is somehow
0:25:54 losing a child
0:25:55 in the shuffle
0:25:57 the good news
0:25:57 is
0:25:58 that if you are
0:25:58 comfortable
0:25:59 taking your kids
0:26:00 to New York
0:26:01 San Francisco
0:26:03 Washington D.C.
0:26:03 or London
0:26:05 you will have
0:26:05 even less to
0:26:06 worry about
0:26:06 in the starting
0:26:08 cities I recommend
0:26:09 in the Q&A
0:26:10 there are
0:26:10 fewer guns
0:26:11 and violent
0:26:12 crimes in all
0:26:12 of them
0:26:13 compared to
0:26:14 most large
0:26:14 U.S.
0:26:15 cities
0:26:16 the likelihood
0:26:17 of problems
0:26:18 is decreased
0:26:18 further
0:26:19 when travel
0:26:19 is less
0:26:20 airport and
0:26:21 hotel hopping
0:26:22 among strangers
0:26:23 and more
0:26:24 relocation
0:26:25 to a second
0:26:26 home
0:26:27 a mini
0:26:27 retirement
0:26:29 but still
0:26:31 what
0:26:32 if
0:26:34 Jen
0:26:35 Errico
0:26:36 a single
0:26:36 mother who
0:26:37 took her
0:26:38 two children
0:26:38 on a
0:26:39 five-month
0:26:40 world tour
0:26:41 had a more
0:26:42 acute fear
0:26:42 than most
0:26:43 one that often
0:26:44 woke her
0:26:45 at two o’clock
0:26:45 a.m.
0:26:45 in a cold
0:26:46 sweat
0:26:47 what if
0:26:47 something
0:26:48 happens
0:26:49 to me
0:26:51 she wanted
0:26:51 to prime
0:26:52 her kids
0:26:53 for worst
0:26:53 case scenario
0:26:55 but didn’t
0:26:55 want to scare
0:26:56 them to death
0:26:57 so
0:26:58 like all
0:26:58 good mothers
0:26:59 she made
0:27:00 it a game
0:27:01 who can
0:27:01 best
0:27:02 memorize
0:27:03 the itineraries
0:27:04 hotel addresses
0:27:05 and mom’s
0:27:05 phone number
0:27:07 she had
0:27:07 emergency
0:27:08 contacts
0:27:08 in each
0:27:09 country
0:27:10 whose numbers
0:27:10 were loaded
0:27:11 into the
0:27:11 speed dial
0:27:12 of her
0:27:12 cell phone
0:27:13 which had
0:27:14 global roaming
0:27:15 in the end
0:27:17 nothing happened
0:27:19 now she’s
0:27:19 planning to move
0:27:20 to a ski
0:27:20 chalet in
0:27:21 Europe
0:27:21 and send
0:27:22 her kids
0:27:22 to school
0:27:23 in multilingual
0:27:24 France
0:27:26 success
0:27:27 begets
0:27:27 success
0:27:29 she was
0:27:30 most afraid
0:27:31 in Singapore
0:27:32 and in
0:27:33 retrospect
0:27:33 it was
0:27:34 where she
0:27:34 had the
0:27:34 least
0:27:35 reason
0:27:35 to be
0:27:36 worried
0:27:37 she took
0:27:37 her kids
0:27:38 to South
0:27:38 Africa
0:27:39 among other
0:27:39 places
0:27:40 she was
0:27:41 scared
0:27:41 because it
0:27:42 was the
0:27:43 first stop
0:27:43 and she
0:27:45 was unaccustomed
0:27:46 to traveling
0:27:46 with her
0:27:46 kids
0:27:47 it was
0:27:48 perception
0:27:49 not reality
0:27:51 Robin
0:27:52 Molinsky
0:27:53 Rummel
0:27:54 who spent
0:27:54 a year
0:27:54 traveling
0:27:55 through
0:27:55 South
0:27:55 America
0:27:56 with her
0:27:56 husband
0:27:57 and
0:27:57 seven-year-old
0:27:58 son
0:27:59 was warned
0:28:00 by friends
0:28:00 and family
0:28:01 not to
0:28:01 visit
0:28:02 Argentina
0:28:03 after their
0:28:04 devaluation
0:28:04 riots
0:28:05 in 2001
0:28:06 she did
0:28:07 her homework
0:28:08 decided that
0:28:08 the fear
0:28:09 was unfounded
0:28:11 and proceeded
0:28:11 to have the
0:28:12 time of her
0:28:12 life in
0:28:13 Patagonia
0:28:14 when she
0:28:15 told locals
0:28:16 that she
0:28:16 was originally
0:28:17 from New
0:28:17 York
0:28:18 their eyes
0:28:19 widened
0:28:19 and jaws
0:28:20 dropped
0:28:21 I saw
0:28:21 those
0:28:22 buildings
0:28:22 blow up
0:28:23 on TV
0:28:23 I would
0:28:24 never
0:28:24 go to
0:28:25 such
0:28:25 a
0:28:25 dangerous
0:28:26 place
0:28:27 don’t
0:28:28 assume
0:28:28 that
0:28:28 places
0:28:28 abroad
0:28:29 are
0:28:29 more
0:28:29 dangerous
0:28:30 than
0:28:30 your
0:28:30 hometown
0:28:31 most
0:28:33 aren’t
0:28:34 Robin
0:28:34 is
0:28:34 convinced
0:28:35 as
0:28:35 our
0:28:36 other
0:28:36 N.R.
0:28:37 parents
0:28:38 that
0:28:38 people
0:28:38 use
0:28:39 children
0:28:39 as
0:28:39 an
0:28:40 excuse
0:28:40 to
0:28:41 stay
0:28:41 in
0:28:41 their
0:28:41 comfort
0:28:42 zones
0:28:43 it’s
0:28:43 an
0:28:43 easy
0:28:44 excuse
0:28:44 not
0:28:44 to
0:28:44 do
0:28:45 something
0:28:45 adventurous
0:28:46 how
0:28:46 to
0:28:47 overcome
0:28:47 the
0:28:47 fear
0:28:48 Robin
0:28:49 recommends
0:28:50 two things
0:28:51 one
0:28:52 before
0:28:53 embarking
0:28:53 on a
0:28:53 long
0:28:54 international
0:28:55 trip
0:28:55 with your
0:28:55 children
0:28:56 for the
0:28:56 first time
0:28:57 take a
0:28:58 trial run
0:28:58 for a few
0:28:59 weeks
0:29:00 two
0:29:01 for each
0:29:02 stop
0:29:02 arrange a week
0:29:03 of language
0:29:04 classes that
0:29:05 begin upon
0:29:05 arrival
0:29:06 school
0:29:06 and take
0:29:07 take advantage
0:29:08 of transportation
0:29:08 from the
0:29:08 airport
0:29:09 if
0:29:09 available
0:29:10 the
0:29:10 school
0:29:11 staff
0:29:11 will
0:29:11 often
0:29:12 handle
0:29:12 apartment
0:29:13 rentals
0:29:13 for you
0:29:14 and you
0:29:14 will be
0:29:15 able to
0:29:15 make
0:29:15 friends
0:29:16 and learn
0:29:16 the area
0:29:17 before setting
0:29:17 off on
0:29:18 your own
0:29:20 but
0:29:20 but
0:29:20 what if
0:29:20 your
0:29:20 concern
0:29:21 isn’t
0:29:21 so
0:29:21 much
0:29:22 losing
0:29:22 your
0:29:23 children
0:29:23 but
0:29:24 losing
0:29:24 your
0:29:24 mind
0:29:25 because
0:29:26 of
0:29:26 your
0:29:26 children
0:29:28 several
0:29:28 families
0:29:29 interviewed
0:29:29 for this
0:29:30 audiobook
0:29:31 recommended
0:29:31 the oldest
0:29:32 persuasive
0:29:33 tool
0:29:34 known to
0:29:34 man
0:29:35 bribery
0:29:36 each
0:29:37 child
0:29:37 is
0:29:37 given
0:29:38 some
0:29:38 amount
0:29:38 of
0:29:39 virtual
0:29:40 cash
0:29:40 25
0:29:41 to
0:29:41 50
0:29:42 cents
0:29:42 for
0:29:43 each
0:29:43 hour
0:29:43 of
0:29:44 good
0:29:44 behavior
0:29:45 the
0:29:45 same
0:29:45 amount
0:29:46 is
0:29:47 subtracted
0:29:47 from
0:29:47 their
0:29:48 accounts
0:29:48 for
0:29:48 breaking
0:29:49 the
0:29:49 rules
0:29:50 all
0:29:51 purchases
0:29:51 for
0:29:52 fun
0:29:52 whether
0:29:53 souvenirs
0:29:54 ice cream
0:29:55 or otherwise
0:29:55 come out
0:29:56 of their
0:29:56 own
0:29:56 individual
0:29:57 accounts
0:29:58 no
0:29:58 balance
0:29:59 no
0:30:00 goodies
0:30:01 this
0:30:01 often
0:30:02 requires
0:30:02 more
0:30:02 self
0:30:03 control
0:30:03 on the
0:30:03 part
0:30:03 of
0:30:03 the
0:30:04 parents
0:30:04 than
0:30:05 the
0:30:05 children
0:30:09 when
0:30:09 more
0:30:10 is
0:30:10 less
0:30:11 cutting
0:30:12 the
0:30:12 clutter
0:30:14 human
0:30:15 beings
0:30:15 have
0:30:15 the
0:30:16 capacity
0:30:16 to
0:30:16 learn
0:30:17 to
0:30:17 want
0:30:18 almost
0:30:18 any
0:30:19 conceivable
0:30:20 material
0:30:20 object
0:30:21 given
0:30:22 then
0:30:22 the
0:30:23 emergence
0:30:23 of a
0:30:23 modern
0:30:24 industrial
0:30:25 culture
0:30:25 capable
0:30:25 of
0:30:26 producing
0:30:27 almost
0:30:27 anything
0:30:28 the
0:30:28 time
0:30:28 is
0:30:28 ripe
0:30:29 for
0:30:29 opening
0:30:29 the
0:30:30 storehouse
0:30:30 of
0:30:31 infinite
0:30:31 need
0:30:32 it
0:30:32 is
0:30:33 the
0:30:33 modern
0:30:34 Pandora’s
0:30:34 box
0:30:35 and
0:30:35 its
0:30:35 plagues
0:30:36 are
0:30:36 loose
0:30:36 upon
0:30:37 the
0:30:37 world
0:30:38 jules
0:30:39 henry
0:30:40 to
0:30:41 be
0:30:41 free
0:30:42 to
0:30:42 be
0:30:42 happy
0:30:43 and
0:30:43 fruitful
0:30:44 can
0:30:44 only
0:30:44 be
0:30:45 attained
0:30:45 through
0:30:46 sacrifice
0:30:46 of
0:30:46 many
0:30:47 common
0:30:48 but
0:30:48 overestimated
0:30:49 things
0:30:51 robert
0:30:51 henry
0:30:54 i
0:30:54 know
0:30:54 the
0:30:54 son
0:30:54 of
0:30:54 one
0:30:55 deca
0:30:55 millionaire
0:30:56 a
0:30:57 personal
0:30:57 friend
0:30:57 of
0:30:57 bill
0:30:58 gates
0:30:58 who
0:30:58 now
0:30:59 manages
0:30:59 private
0:31:00 investments
0:31:00 and
0:31:01 ranches
0:31:02 he
0:31:02 has
0:31:03 accumulated
0:31:03 an
0:31:03 assortment
0:31:04 of
0:31:04 beautiful
0:31:05 homes
0:31:05 over
0:31:05 the
0:31:06 last
0:31:06 decade
0:31:07 each
0:31:07 with
0:31:07 full
0:31:08 time
0:31:08 cooks
0:31:09 servants
0:31:09 cleaners
0:31:10 and
0:31:10 support
0:31:10 staff
0:31:12 how
0:31:12 does
0:31:12 he
0:31:12 feel
0:31:12 about
0:31:12 having
0:31:13 a
0:31:13 home
0:31:13 in
0:31:13 each
0:31:14 time
0:31:14 zone
0:31:15 it’s
0:31:15 a
0:31:16 pain
0:31:16 in
0:31:16 the
0:31:16 ass
0:31:17 he
0:31:17 feels
0:31:17 like
0:31:18 he’s
0:31:18 working
0:31:18 for
0:31:18 his
0:31:19 staff
0:31:19 who
0:31:20 spend
0:31:20 more
0:31:20 time
0:31:21 in
0:31:21 his
0:31:21 homes
0:31:22 than
0:31:22 he
0:31:22 does
0:31:24 extended
0:31:24 travel
0:31:25 is
0:31:25 the
0:31:25 perfect
0:31:26 excuse
0:31:27 to
0:31:27 reverse
0:31:27 the
0:31:27 damage
0:31:28 of
0:31:28 years
0:31:29 of
0:31:29 consuming
0:31:29 as
0:31:30 much
0:31:30 as
0:31:30 you
0:31:30 can
0:31:30 afford
0:31:32 it’s
0:31:32 time
0:31:32 to
0:31:32 get
0:31:32 rid
0:31:33 of
0:31:33 clutter
0:31:34 disguised
0:31:34 as
0:31:35 necessities
0:31:36 before
0:31:36 you
0:31:36 drag
0:31:36 a
0:31:37 five
0:31:37 piece
0:31:37 Samsonite
0:31:38 set
0:31:38 around
0:31:38 the
0:31:39 world
0:31:40 that
0:31:41 is
0:31:41 hell
0:31:41 on
0:31:41 earth
0:31:44 you
0:31:44 to
0:31:44 walk
0:31:44 around
0:31:45 in
0:31:45 a
0:31:45 robe
0:31:45 and
0:31:46 sandals
0:31:47 scouting
0:31:47 at
0:31:47 people
0:31:47 who
0:31:47 have
0:31:48 televisions
0:31:49 I
0:31:49 hate
0:31:49 that
0:31:50 kashi
0:31:50 crunching
0:31:51 holier
0:31:51 than
0:31:51 thou
0:31:52 stuff
0:31:53 turning
0:31:53 you
0:31:53 into
0:31:53 a
0:31:54 possession
0:31:54 less
0:31:55 scribe
0:31:55 is
0:31:56 not
0:31:56 my
0:31:57 intention
0:31:58 let’s
0:31:58 face
0:31:59 it
0:31:59 though
0:31:59 there
0:32:00 are
0:32:00 tons
0:32:00 of
0:32:01 things
0:32:01 in
0:32:01 your
0:32:01 home
0:32:02 and
0:32:02 life
0:32:02 that
0:32:02 you
0:32:03 don’t
0:32:03 use
0:32:04 need
0:32:05 or
0:32:05 even
0:32:06 particularly
0:32:06 want
0:32:07 they
0:32:08 just
0:32:08 came
0:32:08 into
0:32:09 your
0:32:09 life
0:32:09 as
0:32:10 impulsive
0:32:11 flotsam
0:32:11 and jetsam
0:32:12 and never
0:32:12 found a
0:32:13 good
0:32:13 exit
0:32:14 whether
0:32:14 you’re
0:32:15 aware
0:32:15 of it
0:32:15 or not
0:32:16 this
0:32:16 clutter
0:32:17 creates
0:32:17 indecision
0:32:18 and
0:32:19 distractions
0:32:20 consuming
0:32:20 attention
0:32:21 and making
0:32:22 unfettered
0:32:22 happiness
0:32:23 a real
0:32:24 chore
0:32:25 it is
0:32:25 impossible
0:32:26 to realize
0:32:27 how
0:32:28 distracting
0:32:29 all the
0:32:29 crap
0:32:29 is
0:32:30 whether
0:32:31 porcelain
0:32:31 dolls
0:32:32 sports
0:32:32 cars
0:32:33 or ragged
0:32:33 t-shirts
0:32:35 until you
0:32:35 get rid
0:32:36 of it
0:32:37 prior
0:32:37 to
0:32:38 my
0:32:38 15
0:32:38 month
0:32:39 trip
0:32:39 I
0:32:39 was
0:32:40 stressed
0:32:40 about
0:32:41 how
0:32:41 to
0:32:41 fit
0:32:41 all
0:32:41 of
0:32:41 my
0:32:42 belongings
0:32:43 into
0:32:43 a
0:32:43 14
0:32:44 by
0:32:44 10
0:32:44 foot
0:32:45 rental
0:32:45 storage
0:32:46 space
0:32:47 then
0:32:47 I
0:32:48 realized
0:32:48 a few
0:32:48 things
0:32:49 I
0:32:50 would
0:32:50 never
0:32:51 reread
0:32:51 the
0:32:51 business
0:32:52 magazines
0:32:52 I’d
0:32:53 saved
0:32:54 I
0:32:54 wore
0:32:54 the
0:32:55 same
0:32:55 five
0:32:56 shirts
0:32:56 and
0:32:56 four
0:32:57 pairs
0:32:57 of
0:32:57 pants
0:32:58 90%
0:32:58 of
0:32:58 the
0:32:59 time
0:33:00 it
0:33:00 was
0:33:00 about
0:33:01 time
0:33:01 for
0:33:01 new
0:33:02 furniture
0:33:02 and
0:33:02 I
0:33:02 never
0:33:03 used
0:33:03 the
0:33:04 outdoor
0:33:04 grill
0:33:04 or
0:33:05 lawn
0:33:05 furniture
0:33:07 even
0:33:07 getting
0:33:08 rid
0:33:08 of
0:33:08 things
0:33:08 I
0:33:09 never
0:33:10 used
0:33:11 proved
0:33:11 to
0:33:11 be
0:33:11 like
0:33:11 a
0:33:12 capitalist
0:33:12 short
0:33:13 circuit
0:33:14 it
0:33:14 was
0:33:14 hard
0:33:15 to
0:33:15 toss
0:33:15 things
0:33:15 I
0:33:15 had
0:33:16 once
0:33:16 thought
0:33:16 were
0:33:17 valuable
0:33:17 enough
0:33:17 to
0:33:18 spend
0:33:18 money
0:33:18 on
0:33:19 the
0:33:20 first
0:33:20 10
0:33:21 minutes
0:33:21 of
0:33:21 sorting
0:33:21 through
0:33:22 clothing
0:33:23 was
0:33:23 like
0:33:23 choosing
0:33:24 which
0:33:24 child
0:33:24 of
0:33:25 mine
0:33:25 should
0:33:25 live
0:33:25 or
0:33:26 die
0:33:27 I
0:33:27 hadn’t
0:33:28 exercised
0:33:28 my
0:33:29 throwing
0:33:29 out
0:33:29 muscles
0:33:30 in
0:33:30 some
0:33:31 time
0:33:31 it
0:33:32 was
0:33:32 a
0:33:32 struggle
0:33:33 to put
0:33:33 nice
0:33:34 Christmas
0:33:34 clothing
0:33:35 I’d
0:33:35 never
0:33:36 into
0:33:36 the
0:33:37 go
0:33:37 pile
0:33:37 and
0:33:38 just
0:33:38 as
0:33:38 hard
0:33:38 to
0:33:39 separate
0:33:39 myself
0:33:39 from
0:33:40 worn
0:33:40 and
0:33:41 ragged
0:33:41 clothing
0:33:42 I
0:33:42 had
0:33:42 for
0:33:43 sentimental
0:33:44 reasons
0:33:45 once
0:33:45 I’d
0:33:46 passed
0:33:46 through
0:33:46 the
0:33:47 first
0:33:47 few
0:33:47 tough
0:33:48 decisions
0:33:48 though
0:33:48 the
0:33:49 momentum
0:33:49 had
0:33:49 been
0:33:50 built
0:33:50 and
0:33:51 it
0:33:51 was
0:33:51 a
0:33:51 breeze
0:33:52 I
0:33:52 I
0:33:53 donated
0:33:53 I
0:33:55 donated
0:33:55 to
0:33:55 goodwill
0:33:56 the
0:33:57 furniture
0:33:57 took
0:33:57 less
0:33:57 than
0:33:58 10
0:33:58 hours
0:33:58 to
0:33:59 offload
0:33:59 using
0:34:00 craigslist
0:34:01 and
0:34:01 though
0:34:01 I
0:34:01 was
0:34:02 paid
0:34:02 less
0:34:02 than
0:34:03 50%
0:34:03 of
0:34:03 the
0:34:04 retail
0:34:04 prices
0:34:04 for
0:34:05 some
0:34:05 and
0:34:06 nothing
0:34:06 for
0:34:06 others
0:34:07 who
0:34:08 cared
0:34:09 I’d
0:34:10 used
0:34:10 and
0:34:10 abused
0:34:11 them
0:34:11 for
0:34:11 five
0:34:11 years
0:34:12 and
0:34:12 would
0:34:12 get
0:34:12 a
0:34:12 new
0:34:13 set
0:34:13 when
0:34:13 I
0:34:13 landed
0:34:13 back
0:34:14 in
0:34:14 the
0:34:14 US
0:34:15 I
0:34:15 gave
0:34:15 the
0:34:16 grill
0:34:16 and lawn
0:34:17 furniture
0:34:17 to my
0:34:17 friend
0:34:18 who lit
0:34:18 up
0:34:18 like a
0:34:22 It
0:34:22 felt
0:34:22 wonderful
0:34:23 and
0:34:23 I
0:34:23 had
0:34:23 an
0:34:24 extra
0:34:24 $300
0:34:25 in
0:34:25 pocket
0:34:26 change
0:34:26 to
0:34:26 cover
0:34:26 at
0:34:27 least
0:34:27 a
0:34:27 few
0:34:27 weeks
0:34:27 of
0:34:28 rent
0:34:28 abroad
0:34:30 I
0:34:30 created
0:34:31 40%
0:34:31 more
0:34:31 space
0:34:31 in
0:34:32 my
0:34:32 apartment
0:34:32 and
0:34:33 hadn’t
0:34:33 even
0:34:34 grazed
0:34:34 the
0:34:35 surface
0:34:36 It
0:34:36 wasn’t
0:34:36 the
0:34:37 extra
0:34:37 physical
0:34:38 space
0:34:38 that
0:34:38 I
0:34:39 felt
0:34:39 most
0:34:40 it
0:34:40 was
0:34:40 the
0:34:40 extra
0:34:41 mental
0:34:42 space
0:34:43 It
0:34:43 was
0:34:43 as
0:34:43 if
0:34:44 I
0:34:44 had
0:34:44 20
0:34:45 mental
0:34:46 applications
0:34:46 running
0:34:47 simultaneously
0:34:47 before
0:34:48 and
0:34:48 now
0:34:49 I
0:34:49 had
0:34:49 just
0:34:49 one
0:34:50 or
0:34:50 two
0:34:51 My
0:34:51 thinking
0:34:51 was
0:34:52 clearer
0:34:52 and
0:34:52 I
0:34:52 was
0:34:53 much
0:34:53 much
0:34:54 happier
0:34:56 I
0:34:56 asked
0:34:56 every
0:34:57 vagabond
0:34:58 interviewee
0:34:58 in this
0:34:59 audiobook
0:34:59 what their
0:35:00 one
0:35:00 recommendation
0:35:01 would be
0:35:02 for first
0:35:03 time
0:35:03 extended
0:35:04 travelers
0:35:05 The
0:35:05 answer
0:35:06 was
0:35:06 unanimous
0:35:08 Take
0:35:09 less
0:35:09 with
0:35:10 you
0:35:11 The
0:35:12 overpacking
0:35:12 impulse
0:35:13 is hard
0:35:13 to resist
0:35:14 The
0:35:14 solution
0:35:15 is to
0:35:15 set
0:35:16 what I
0:35:16 call
0:35:16 a
0:35:17 settling
0:35:17 fund
0:35:18 Rather
0:35:19 than
0:35:19 pack
0:35:19 for
0:35:20 all
0:35:21 contingencies
0:35:21 I
0:35:21 bring
0:35:22 the
0:35:22 absolute
0:35:23 minimum
0:35:23 and
0:35:24 allocate
0:35:24 $100
0:35:25 to
0:35:26 $300
0:35:26 for
0:35:27 purchasing
0:35:27 things
0:35:28 after
0:35:28 I
0:35:28 arrive
0:35:29 and
0:35:29 as
0:35:29 I
0:35:30 travel
0:35:31 I
0:35:31 no
0:35:31 longer
0:35:31 take
0:35:32 toiletries
0:35:32 or
0:35:32 more
0:35:33 than
0:35:33 a
0:35:33 week’s
0:35:33 worth
0:35:34 of
0:35:34 clothing
0:35:35 It’s
0:35:35 a
0:35:35 blast
0:35:36 Finding
0:35:37 shaving
0:35:37 cream
0:35:37 or
0:35:37 a
0:35:38 dress
0:35:38 shirt
0:35:38 overseas
0:35:39 can
0:35:39 produce
0:35:40 an
0:35:40 adventure
0:35:40 in
0:35:41 and
0:35:41 of
0:35:41 itself
0:35:43 Pack
0:35:43 as
0:35:43 if
0:35:43 you
0:35:43 were
0:35:44 coming
0:35:44 back
0:35:44 in
0:35:44 one
0:35:45 week
0:35:46 here
0:35:46 are
0:35:46 the
0:35:46 bare
0:35:47 essentials
0:35:48 listed
0:35:48 in
0:35:49 order
0:35:49 of
0:35:50 importance
0:35:51 1.
0:35:52 1
0:35:53 week
0:35:54 of
0:35:54 clothing
0:35:55 appropriate
0:35:55 to
0:35:55 the
0:35:55 season
0:35:56 including
0:35:57 1
0:35:58 semi
0:35:58 formal
0:35:59 shirt
0:35:59 and
0:35:59 a
0:35:59 pair
0:36:00 of
0:36:00 pants
0:36:00 or
0:36:00 skirt
0:36:01 for
0:36:01 customs
0:36:02 think
0:36:03 t-shirts
0:36:04 one
0:36:04 pair
0:36:04 of
0:36:04 shorts
0:36:05 and
0:36:05 a
0:36:05 multi
0:36:06 purpose
0:36:06 pair
0:36:06 of
0:36:07 jeans
0:36:08 2
0:36:09 backup
0:36:10 photocopies
0:36:10 or
0:36:11 scanned
0:36:11 copies
0:36:11 of
0:36:11 all
0:36:12 important
0:36:12 documents
0:36:13 health
0:36:14 insurance
0:36:14 passport
0:36:15 visa
0:36:16 credit
0:36:16 cards
0:36:17 debit
0:36:17 cards
0:36:18 etc
0:36:19 3
0:36:20 debit
0:36:20 cards
0:36:21 credit
0:36:22 cards
0:36:22 and
0:36:23 $200
0:36:23 worth
0:36:23 of
0:36:24 small
0:36:24 bills
0:36:25 in
0:36:25 local
0:36:26 currency
0:36:27 traveler’s
0:36:27 checks
0:36:27 are not
0:36:28 accepted
0:36:28 in most
0:36:29 places
0:36:29 and are
0:36:30 a
0:36:30 hassle
0:36:32 4
0:36:33 small
0:36:33 cable
0:36:34 bike
0:36:34 lock
0:36:35 for
0:36:35 securing
0:36:36 luggage
0:36:36 while
0:36:36 in
0:36:37 transit
0:36:37 or
0:36:37 in
0:36:38 hostels
0:36:39 a
0:36:39 small
0:36:39 padlock
0:36:40 for
0:36:40 lockers
0:36:41 if
0:36:41 needed
0:36:42 5
0:36:44 electronic
0:36:45 dictionaries
0:36:45 for
0:36:45 target
0:36:46 languages
0:36:46 book
0:36:47 versions
0:36:47 are
0:36:47 too
0:36:48 slow
0:36:48 to
0:36:48 be
0:36:48 of
0:36:49 use
0:36:49 in
0:36:49 conversation
0:36:50 and
0:36:51 small
0:36:51 grammar
0:36:51 guides
0:36:52 or
0:36:52 texts
0:36:54 6
0:36:55 1
0:36:56 broad
0:36:57 strokes
0:36:57 travel
0:36:57 guide
0:36:59 that’s
0:37:00 it
0:37:04 just a
0:37:04 quick
0:37:05 thanks
0:37:05 to our
0:37:05 sponsors
0:37:06 and we’ll
0:37:06 be right
0:37:06 back to
0:37:07 the show
0:37:08 not to
0:37:08 be a
0:37:09 salty
0:37:09 old
0:37:09 dog
0:37:10 but in
0:37:10 the early
0:37:11 2000s
0:37:12 back in
0:37:12 the day
0:37:12 when I was
0:37:13 running my
0:37:14 own e-commerce
0:37:14 business
0:37:15 the tools
0:37:15 were
0:37:16 atrocious
0:37:17 they tried
0:37:17 hard
0:37:18 but man
0:37:18 was it
0:37:18 bad
0:37:19 you had to
0:37:19 cobble
0:37:20 all sorts
0:37:20 of stuff
0:37:21 together
0:37:21 I could
0:37:22 only dream
0:37:23 of a
0:37:23 platform
0:37:23 like
0:37:24 Shopify
0:37:25 Shopify
0:37:25 is the
0:37:26 commerce
0:37:26 platform
0:37:26 behind
0:37:27 millions
0:37:27 of
0:37:28 businesses
0:37:28 around
0:37:28 the
0:37:29 world
0:37:29 and now
0:37:30 10%
0:37:31 of all
0:37:31 e-commerce
0:37:32 in the
0:37:32 US
0:37:33 is on
0:37:33 Shopify
0:37:34 now
0:37:34 back to
0:37:35 the early
0:37:35 2000s
0:37:36 then
0:37:36 nobody
0:37:37 even
0:37:37 thought
0:37:37 of
0:37:38 AI
0:37:38 who
0:37:38 could
0:37:38 have
0:37:39 predicted
0:37:39 even
0:37:40 in the last
0:37:41 24 months
0:37:41 the magic
0:37:42 that is now
0:37:42 possible
0:37:43 with AI
0:37:44 Shopify
0:37:45 has been
0:37:45 ahead of the
0:37:46 curve
0:37:46 and they
0:37:47 are packed
0:37:48 with helpful
0:37:49 AI tools
0:37:50 that will
0:37:50 accelerate
0:37:50 everything
0:37:51 write product
0:37:52 descriptions
0:37:52 page
0:37:53 headlines
0:37:54 even enhance
0:37:54 your product
0:37:55 photography
0:37:56 best of all
0:37:57 Shopify
0:37:57 expertly
0:37:58 handles
0:37:58 everything
0:37:59 from managing
0:37:59 inventory
0:38:00 to international
0:38:01 shipping
0:38:02 processing
0:38:02 returns
0:38:03 and
0:38:04 beyond
0:38:04 if
0:38:04 you’re
0:38:04 ready
0:38:05 to
0:38:05 sell
0:38:05 you’re
0:38:05 ready
0:38:06 for
0:38:06 Shopify
0:38:07 sign up
0:38:07 for your
0:38:08 one dollar
0:38:08 per month
0:38:09 trial
0:38:09 and start
0:38:10 selling
0:38:10 today
0:38:10 at
0:38:11 shopify.com
0:38:12 slash
0:38:12 Tim
0:38:12 one more
0:38:13 time
0:38:14 shopify.com
0:38:14 slash
0:38:15 Tim
0:38:16 hey folks
0:38:17 Tim here
0:38:17 my best
0:38:18 selling card
0:38:18 game
0:38:19 coyote
0:38:19 which I
0:38:20 made with
0:38:20 the amazing
0:38:21 team at
0:38:21 exploding
0:38:22 kittens
0:38:22 just won
0:38:23 the pop
0:38:23 insider
0:38:24 best
0:38:24 geeky
0:38:25 game
0:38:25 of 2025
0:38:26 and also
0:38:27 best
0:38:27 stocking
0:38:27 filler
0:38:28 in the
0:38:29 made for
0:38:29 mums
0:38:30 toy awards
0:38:30 2025
0:38:31 it is
0:38:32 on sale
0:38:32 everywhere
0:38:33 it’s
0:38:33 cheap
0:38:34 it’s
0:38:34 fast
0:38:35 to learn
0:38:35 has
0:38:36 4.8
0:38:36 stars
0:38:37 out of
0:38:37 five
0:38:38 people
0:38:38 are
0:38:38 loving
0:38:38 it
0:38:39 coyote
0:38:39 game
0:38:40 dot com
0:38:41 will take
0:38:41 you to
0:38:41 all the
0:38:41 retailers
0:38:42 but you
0:38:42 can find
0:38:42 it
0:38:43 everywhere
0:38:43 it is
0:38:44 a game
0:38:44 of
0:38:44 thinking
0:38:45 fast
0:38:45 and
0:38:46 laughing
0:38:46 faster
0:38:46 think
0:38:47 charades
0:38:48 meets
0:38:48 hot
0:38:49 potato
0:38:49 meets
0:38:50 a bunch
0:38:50 of
0:38:50 brain
0:38:51 fun
0:38:51 it’s
0:38:51 good
0:38:51 for
0:38:51 your
0:38:51 head
0:38:52 it’s
0:38:52 perfect
0:38:52 for
0:38:53 families
0:38:53 with
0:38:53 kids
0:38:54 age
0:38:54 10
0:38:54 plus
0:38:55 or
0:38:55 adults
0:38:55 who are
0:38:56 kids
0:38:56 at heart
0:38:56 or
0:38:56 don’t
0:38:56 take
0:38:57 themselves
0:38:57 too
0:38:57 seriously
0:38:58 a lot
0:38:58 of
0:38:58 adults
0:38:58 love
0:38:59 this
0:38:59 game
0:39:00 and
0:39:00 as
0:39:00 I
0:39:00 said
0:39:00 it’s
0:39:00 available
0:39:01 everywhere
0:39:02 Amazon
0:39:02 Walmart
0:39:02 Target
0:39:03 8000 plus
0:39:04 retail
0:39:04 locations
0:39:05 you name
0:39:05 it
0:39:06 so please
0:39:06 check
0:39:06 check
0:39:07 it
0:39:07 out
0:39:07 I
0:39:07 loved
0:39:08 making
0:39:08 it
0:39:08 people
0:39:08 are
0:39:09 really
0:39:09 enjoying
0:39:09 it
0:39:09 it
0:39:10 has
0:39:10 300
0:39:10 or
0:39:11 400
0:39:11 million
0:39:12 plus
0:39:12 social
0:39:12 views
0:39:12 of
0:39:13 gameplay
0:39:13 online
0:39:14 and
0:39:15 try it
0:39:15 enjoy it
0:39:16 this
0:39:16 holiday
0:39:16 season
0:39:17 check
0:39:17 it
0:39:17 out
0:39:18 coyote
0:39:18 game
0:39:19 dot com
0:39:19 one more
0:39:19 time
0:39:20 that’s
0:39:20 coyote
0:39:21 game
0:39:22 dot com
0:39:22 or anywhere
0:39:23 you buy
0:39:23 your games
0:39:24 now
0:39:24 back to
0:39:25 the episode
0:39:29 the
0:39:30 Bora Bora
0:39:30 deal
0:39:31 maker
0:39:33 Baffin
0:39:33 Island
0:39:34 Nunavut
0:39:36 Josh
0:39:37 Steinitz
0:39:38 founder
0:39:38 of
0:39:39 Nile
0:39:39 Project
0:39:40 dot com
0:39:41 stood
0:39:41 at the
0:39:42 edge
0:39:42 of the
0:39:42 world
0:39:43 and
0:39:43 stared
0:39:44 in
0:39:44 amazement
0:39:46 he dug
0:39:46 his boots
0:39:47 into the
0:39:47 six feet
0:39:48 of sea
0:39:48 ice
0:39:49 and the
0:39:50 unicorns
0:39:51 danced
0:39:52 ten
0:39:53 narwhals
0:39:55 rare cousins
0:39:55 of the
0:39:55 beluga
0:39:56 came to
0:39:57 the surface
0:39:58 and pointed
0:39:58 their six
0:39:59 foot plus
0:40:00 spiral
0:40:01 tusks
0:40:01 toward
0:40:01 the
0:40:02 heavens
0:40:03 the
0:40:03 pod
0:40:04 of
0:40:04 three
0:40:04 thousand
0:40:05 pound
0:40:05 whales
0:40:06 then
0:40:06 fell
0:40:06 into
0:40:07 the
0:40:07 depths
0:40:08 once
0:40:08 again
0:40:09 the
0:40:10 narwhals
0:40:10 are
0:40:10 deep
0:40:11 divers
0:40:11 more
0:40:12 than
0:40:12 three
0:40:12 thousand
0:40:13 feet
0:40:13 in
0:40:14 some
0:40:14 cases
0:40:15 so
0:40:16 Josh
0:40:16 had
0:40:16 at
0:40:16 least
0:40:17 twenty
0:40:18 minutes
0:40:18 until
0:40:18 their
0:40:19 reappearance
0:40:21 it
0:40:21 seemed
0:40:21 appropriate
0:40:22 that he
0:40:22 was
0:40:23 with
0:40:23 the
0:40:23 narwhals
0:40:24 their
0:40:25 name
0:40:25 came
0:40:25 from
0:40:26 Old
0:40:26 Norse
0:40:27 and
0:40:27 referred
0:40:27 to
0:40:27 their
0:40:28 mottled
0:40:28 white
0:40:29 and blue
0:40:29 skin
0:40:31 noveler
0:40:33 corpse
0:40:33 man
0:40:35 he
0:40:35 smiled
0:40:36 as he
0:40:36 had
0:40:36 done
0:40:37 often
0:40:37 in
0:40:37 the
0:40:37 last
0:40:38 few
0:40:38 years
0:40:40 Josh
0:40:40 himself
0:40:41 was
0:40:41 a
0:40:41 dead
0:40:41 man
0:40:42 walking
0:40:43 one
0:40:44 year
0:40:44 after
0:40:44 graduating
0:40:45 from
0:40:45 college
0:40:46 Josh
0:40:47 found
0:40:47 out
0:40:47 that
0:40:47 he
0:40:47 had
0:40:48 oral
0:40:48 squamous
0:40:48 squamous
0:40:49 carcinoma
0:40:51 cancer
0:40:52 he
0:40:52 had
0:40:53 plans
0:40:53 to
0:40:53 be
0:40:53 a
0:40:54 management
0:40:54 consultant
0:40:55 he
0:40:55 had
0:40:56 plans
0:40:56 to
0:40:56 be
0:40:57 lots
0:40:57 of
0:40:57 things
0:40:59 suddenly
0:40:59 none
0:40:59 of
0:40:59 it
0:41:00 mattered
0:41:01 less
0:41:01 than
0:41:02 half
0:41:02 of
0:41:02 those
0:41:02 who
0:41:03 suffered
0:41:03 from
0:41:03 this
0:41:04 particular
0:41:04 type
0:41:04 of
0:41:05 cancer
0:41:06 survived
0:41:07 the
0:41:07 reaper
0:41:08 didn’t
0:41:09 discriminate
0:41:10 and
0:41:10 came
0:41:10 without
0:41:11 warning
0:41:12 it
0:41:12 became
0:41:13 clear
0:41:13 that
0:41:13 the
0:41:14 biggest
0:41:14 risk
0:41:15 in
0:41:15 life
0:41:16 wasn’t
0:41:16 making
0:41:17 mistakes
0:41:18 but
0:41:19 regret
0:41:20 missing
0:41:20 out
0:41:21 on
0:41:21 things
0:41:22 he
0:41:22 could
0:41:23 never
0:41:23 go
0:41:23 back
0:41:23 and
0:41:24 recapture
0:41:25 years
0:41:25 spent
0:41:25 doing
0:41:26 something
0:41:26 he
0:41:27 disliked
0:41:28 two
0:41:29 years
0:41:29 later
0:41:29 and
0:41:30 cancer
0:41:30 free
0:41:31 Josh
0:41:32 set
0:41:32 off
0:41:32 on
0:41:33 an
0:41:33 indefinite
0:41:34 global
0:41:34 walkabout
0:41:35 covering
0:41:36 expenses
0:41:37 as
0:41:37 a
0:41:37 freelance
0:41:37 writer
0:41:39 he
0:41:39 later
0:41:39 became
0:41:39 the
0:41:40 co-founder
0:41:40 of
0:41:40 a
0:41:41 website
0:41:41 that
0:41:42 provides
0:41:42 customized
0:41:43 itineraries
0:41:44 to
0:41:44 would-be
0:41:45 vagabonds
0:41:46 his
0:41:47 executive
0:41:47 status
0:41:48 didn’t
0:41:49 lessen
0:41:49 his
0:41:49 mobile
0:41:50 addiction
0:41:51 he
0:41:51 was
0:41:51 as
0:41:51 comfortable
0:41:52 cutting
0:41:52 deals
0:41:53 from
0:41:53 the
0:41:53 overwater
0:41:54 bungalows
0:41:54 of
0:41:55 Bora Bora
0:41:56 as
0:41:56 he
0:41:56 was
0:41:56 in
0:41:56 the
0:41:57 log
0:41:57 cabins
0:41:57 of
0:41:57 the
0:41:58 Swiss
0:41:58 Alps
0:42:00 he
0:42:00 once
0:42:00 took
0:42:00 a
0:42:01 call
0:42:01 from
0:42:01 a
0:42:01 client
0:42:02 while
0:42:02 at
0:42:02 Camp
0:42:03 Muir
0:42:03 on
0:42:03 Mount
0:42:04 Rainier
0:42:05 the
0:42:05 client
0:42:06 needed
0:42:06 to
0:42:06 confirm
0:42:06 some
0:42:07 sales
0:42:08 numbers
0:42:08 and
0:42:09 asked
0:42:09 Josh
0:42:09 about
0:42:10 all
0:42:10 the
0:42:10 wind
0:42:10 in
0:42:10 the
0:42:11 background
0:42:12 Josh’s
0:42:13 answer
0:42:14 I’m
0:42:14 standing
0:42:15 at
0:42:15 10,000
0:42:15 feet
0:42:16 on
0:42:16 a
0:42:16 glacier
0:42:16 and
0:42:17 this
0:42:17 afternoon
0:42:17 the
0:42:18 wind
0:42:18 is
0:42:18 whipping
0:42:18 us
0:42:18 down
0:42:19 the
0:42:19 mountain
0:42:20 down
0:42:20 the
0:42:20 client
0:42:21 said
0:42:21 he
0:42:21 let
0:42:22 Josh
0:42:22 get
0:42:22 back
0:42:22 to
0:42:22 what
0:42:22 he
0:42:23 was
0:42:23 doing
0:42:24 another
0:42:25 client
0:42:25 called
0:42:26 Josh
0:42:26 while
0:42:26 he
0:42:26 was
0:42:27 leaving
0:42:27 a
0:42:27 Balinese
0:42:28 temple
0:42:28 and
0:42:28 heard
0:42:29 the
0:42:29 gongs
0:42:30 in
0:42:30 the
0:42:30 background
0:42:31 the
0:42:32 client
0:42:32 asked
0:42:33 Josh
0:42:33 if
0:42:33 he
0:42:33 was
0:42:33 in
0:42:34 church
0:42:35 Josh
0:42:36 wasn’t
0:42:36 quite
0:42:36 sure
0:42:36 what
0:42:37 to
0:42:37 say
0:42:38 all
0:42:38 that
0:42:38 came
0:42:38 out
0:42:39 was
0:42:40 yes
0:42:42 back
0:42:42 among
0:42:43 the
0:42:43 narwhals
0:42:44 Josh
0:42:44 had
0:42:44 a
0:42:45 few
0:42:45 minutes
0:42:45 before
0:42:46 heading
0:42:46 to
0:42:46 base
0:42:46 camp
0:42:47 to
0:42:47 avoid
0:42:47 polar
0:42:48 bears
0:42:49 24
0:42:49 hour
0:42:50 daylight
0:42:50 meant
0:42:50 that
0:42:51 he
0:42:51 had
0:42:51 much
0:42:51 to
0:42:52 share
0:42:52 with
0:42:52 his
0:42:52 friends
0:42:53 back
0:42:53 in
0:42:53 the
0:42:53 land
0:42:53 of
0:42:54 cubicles
0:42:55 he
0:42:56 sat
0:42:56 down
0:42:56 on
0:42:56 the
0:42:56 ice
0:42:57 and
0:42:57 produced
0:42:58 his
0:42:58 satellite
0:42:59 phone
0:42:59 and
0:42:59 laptop
0:43:00 from
0:43:00 a
0:43:00 waterproof
0:43:01 bag
0:43:02 he
0:43:02 began
0:43:02 his
0:43:03 email
0:43:03 in
0:43:03 the
0:43:04 usual
0:43:04 way
0:43:05 I
0:43:05 know
0:43:05 you’re
0:43:06 all
0:43:06 sick
0:43:06 of
0:43:06 seeing
0:43:06 me
0:43:07 have
0:43:07 so
0:43:07 much
0:43:07 fun
0:43:08 but
0:43:09 guess
0:43:09 where
0:43:09 I
0:43:09 am
0:43:12 Q&A
0:43:13 Questions
0:43:14 and
0:43:14 Actions
0:43:17 It is
0:43:17 fatal
0:43:18 to
0:43:18 know
0:43:18 too
0:43:18 much
0:43:18 at
0:43:19 the
0:43:19 outcome
0:43:20 boredom
0:43:20 comes
0:43:21 as
0:43:21 quickly
0:43:21 to
0:43:21 the
0:43:22 traveler
0:43:22 who
0:43:22 knows
0:43:23 his
0:43:23 route
0:43:23 as
0:43:23 to
0:43:24 the
0:43:24 novelist
0:43:24 who
0:43:25 is
0:43:25 over
0:43:25 certain
0:43:26 of
0:43:26 his
0:43:26 plot
0:43:28 Paul
0:43:28 Theroux
0:43:29 To
0:43:29 the
0:43:29 Ends
0:43:29 of
0:43:30 the
0:43:30 Earth
0:43:32 If
0:43:32 this
0:43:33 is
0:43:33 your
0:43:33 first
0:43:34 time
0:43:34 considering
0:43:35 a
0:43:35 commitment
0:43:35 to
0:43:35 the
0:43:36 mobile
0:43:36 lifestyle
0:43:37 and
0:43:38 long-term
0:43:38 adventuring
0:43:39 I
0:43:40 Envy
0:43:40 You
0:43:42 Making
0:43:42 the
0:43:42 jump
0:43:43 and
0:43:43 entering
0:43:44 the
0:43:44 new
0:43:45 worlds
0:43:45 that
0:43:45 await
0:43:45 is
0:43:46 like
0:43:46 upgrading
0:43:46 your
0:43:47 role
0:43:47 in
0:43:47 life
0:43:47 from
0:43:48 passenger
0:43:49 to
0:43:49 pilot
0:43:50 The
0:43:51 bulk
0:43:51 of
0:43:51 this
0:43:51 Q&A
0:43:52 will
0:43:52 focus
0:43:52 on
0:43:52 the
0:43:53 precise
0:43:53 steps
0:43:53 that
0:43:54 you
0:43:54 should
0:43:54 take
0:43:55 and
0:43:55 the
0:43:55 countdown
0:43:56 timeline
0:43:56 you
0:43:56 can
0:43:57 use
0:43:57 when
0:43:58 preparing
0:43:58 for
0:43:58 your
0:43:59 first
0:43:59 mini
0:44:00 retirement
0:44:01 Most
0:44:02 steps
0:44:02 can
0:44:02 be
0:44:02 eliminated
0:44:03 or
0:44:03 condensed
0:44:04 once
0:44:04 you
0:44:04 get
0:44:04 one
0:44:05 trip
0:44:05 under
0:44:05 your
0:44:05 belt
0:44:07 Some
0:44:07 of the
0:44:07 steps
0:44:07 are
0:44:09 after
0:44:09 which
0:44:10 subsequent
0:44:10 mini
0:44:11 retirements
0:44:11 will
0:44:12 require
0:44:12 a
0:44:12 maximum
0:44:13 of
0:44:13 two
0:44:13 to
0:44:14 three
0:44:14 weeks
0:44:14 of
0:44:15 preparation
0:44:16 It
0:44:16 now
0:44:16 takes
0:44:17 me
0:44:17 three
0:44:18 afternoons
0:44:19 Grab a
0:44:20 pencil
0:44:20 and paper
0:44:21 This
0:44:21 will be
0:44:21 fun
0:44:22 one
0:44:23 take
0:44:23 take
0:44:23 an
0:44:24 asset
0:44:24 and
0:44:24 cash
0:44:25 flow
0:44:25 snapshot
0:44:26 set
0:44:27 two
0:44:27 sheets
0:44:27 of
0:44:27 paper
0:44:28 on
0:44:28 a
0:44:28 table
0:44:29 use
0:44:29 one
0:44:29 to
0:44:30 record
0:44:30 all
0:44:30 assets
0:44:31 and
0:44:31 corresponding
0:44:32 values
0:44:33 including
0:44:33 bank
0:44:34 accounts
0:44:34 retirement
0:44:35 accounts
0:44:36 stocks
0:44:36 bonds
0:44:37 home
0:44:38 and so
0:44:38 forth
0:44:39 on
0:44:39 the
0:44:39 second
0:44:40 draw
0:44:41 a line
0:44:41 down
0:44:41 the
0:44:42 middle
0:44:42 and
0:44:42 write
0:44:43 down
0:44:43 all
0:44:44 incoming
0:44:44 cash
0:44:44 flow
0:44:45 salary
0:44:46 muse
0:44:47 income
0:44:47 investment
0:44:48 income
0:44:49 etc
0:44:49 and
0:44:50 outgoing
0:44:50 expenses
0:44:51 mortgage
0:44:52 rent
0:44:53 car
0:44:53 payments
0:44:53 etc
0:44:55 What
0:44:55 can
0:44:55 you
0:44:55 eliminate
0:44:56 that
0:44:56 is
0:44:56 either
0:44:57 seldom
0:44:57 used
0:44:58 or
0:44:58 that
0:44:59 creates
0:44:59 stress
0:44:59 or
0:45:00 distraction
0:45:01 without
0:45:01 adding
0:45:01 a lot
0:45:02 of
0:45:02 value
0:45:04 2
0:45:05 fear
0:45:06 set
0:45:06 a
0:45:06 one
0:45:06 year
0:45:07 mini
0:45:07 retirement
0:45:07 in
0:45:08 a
0:45:08 dream
0:45:08 location
0:45:09 in
0:45:09 Europe
0:45:11 Use
0:45:11 the
0:45:11 questions
0:45:12 from
0:45:12 chapter
0:45:12 three
0:45:12 to
0:45:13 evaluate
0:45:13 your
0:45:14 worst
0:45:14 case
0:45:15 scenario
0:45:16 fears
0:45:16 and
0:45:17 evaluate
0:45:17 the
0:45:17 real
0:45:18 potential
0:45:19 consequences
0:45:20 except
0:45:20 in
0:45:21 rare
0:45:21 cases
0:45:22 most
0:45:22 will
0:45:22 be
0:45:23 avoidable
0:45:23 and
0:45:23 the
0:45:23 rest
0:45:24 will
0:45:24 be
0:45:24 reversible
0:45:26 3
0:45:27 choose
0:45:27 a
0:45:28 location
0:45:28 for
0:45:28 your
0:45:28 actual
0:45:29 mini
0:45:29 retirement
0:45:30 where
0:45:30 to
0:45:31 start
0:45:32 this
0:45:32 is
0:45:32 the
0:45:32 big
0:45:33 question
0:45:34 there
0:45:34 are
0:45:34 two
0:45:35 options
0:45:35 that
0:45:36 I
0:45:36 advocate
0:45:37 a
0:45:38 choose
0:45:38 a
0:45:39 starting
0:45:39 point
0:45:39 and
0:45:39 then
0:45:40 wander
0:45:40 until
0:45:40 you
0:45:41 find
0:45:41 your
0:45:41 second
0:45:41 home
0:45:42 this
0:45:42 is
0:45:42 what
0:45:42 I
0:45:43 did
0:45:43 with
0:45:43 a
0:45:43 one
0:45:43 way
0:45:44 ticket
0:45:44 to
0:45:44 London
0:45:45 vagabonding
0:45:46 throughout
0:45:46 Europe
0:45:47 until
0:45:47 I
0:45:47 fell
0:45:47 in
0:45:47 love
0:45:48 with
0:45:48 Berlin
0:45:49 where
0:45:49 I
0:45:49 remained
0:45:50 for
0:45:50 three
0:45:50 months
0:45:52 b
0:45:53 scout
0:45:54 a
0:45:54 region
0:45:55 and
0:45:55 then
0:45:55 settle
0:45:55 in
0:45:55 your
0:45:56 favorite
0:45:56 spot
0:46:09 country.
0:46:09 It’s
0:46:10 home.
0:46:11 It is
0:46:11 possible to
0:46:12 take a
0:46:12 mini
0:46:12 retirement
0:46:13 in your
0:46:13 own
0:46:14 country
0:46:15 but the
0:46:15 transformative
0:46:17 effect is
0:46:17 hampered
0:46:18 if you are
0:46:19 surrounded by
0:46:19 people who
0:46:20 carry the
0:46:20 same
0:46:21 socially
0:46:21 reinforced
0:46:22 baggage.
0:46:23 I
0:46:23 recommend
0:46:24 choosing
0:46:24 an
0:46:25 overseas
0:46:25 location
0:46:26 that
0:46:26 will
0:46:26 seem
0:46:27 foreign
0:46:28 but that
0:46:28 isn’t
0:46:29 dangerous.
0:46:30 I box,
0:46:31 race motorcycles,
0:46:33 and do all sorts of macho things,
0:46:35 but I draw the line at favelas,
0:46:38 Brazilian shantytowns.
0:46:39 See the movie City of God,
0:46:41 Cidade de Dios,
0:46:43 to get a taste of how fun these are.
0:46:46 Civilians with machine guns,
0:46:47 pedestrians with machetes,
0:46:49 and social strife.
0:46:50 Cheap is good,
0:46:52 but bullet holes are bad.
0:46:57 Check the U.S. Department of State for travel warnings before booking tickets.
0:46:59 Travel.state.gov
0:47:04 Here are just a few of my favorite starting points.
0:47:06 Feel free to choose other locations.
0:47:10 The most lifestyle for the dollar is stressed.
0:47:12 Argentina.
0:47:13 Buenos Aires,
0:47:14 Cordova.
0:47:15 China.
0:47:16 Shanghai,
0:47:17 Hong Kong,
0:47:18 Taipei.
0:47:19 Japan.
0:47:20 Tokyo.
0:47:21 Osaka.
0:47:22 England.
0:47:23 London.
0:47:24 Ireland.
0:47:25 Galway.
0:47:26 Thailand.
0:47:27 Bangkok.
0:47:28 Chiang Mai.
0:47:30 Germany.
0:47:31 Berlin.
0:47:32 Munich.
0:47:33 Norway.
0:47:34 Oslo.
0:47:35 Australia.
0:47:36 Sydney.
0:47:37 New Zealand.
0:47:38 Queenstown.
0:47:39 Italy.
0:47:40 Rome.
0:47:40 Milan.
0:47:41 Florence.
0:47:42 Spain.
0:47:43 Madrid.
0:47:44 Valencia.
0:47:45 Sevilla.
0:47:46 And Holland.
0:47:47 Amsterdam.
0:47:49 In all of these places,
0:47:53 it is possible to live well while spending little.
0:47:57 I spend less in Tokyo than in California because I know it well.
0:48:05 Hip, recently gentrified artist areas, not unlike the Brooklyn of ten years ago, can be found in almost all cities.
0:48:10 The one place I can’t seem to find a decent lunch for less than $20 U.S.
0:48:12 London.
0:48:21 Here are a few exotic places I don’t recommend for vagabonding virgins, though veterans can make them all work.
0:48:37 All countries in Africa, the Middle East or Central and South America, excepting Costa Rica and Argentina, Mexico City, and Mexican border areas are also a bit too kidnap-happy to make it onto my favorites list.
0:48:38 4.
0:48:40 Prepare for your trip.
0:48:41 Here’s the countdown.
0:48:43 Three months out.
0:48:45 Eliminate.
0:48:48 Get used to minimalism before the departure.
0:48:54 Here are the questions to ask and act upon, even if you never plan to leave.
0:48:59 What is the 20% of my belongings that I use 80% of the time?
0:49:05 Eliminate the other 80% in clothing, magazines, books, and all else.
0:49:06 Be ruthless.
0:49:10 You can always repurchase things you can’t live without.
0:49:15 Which belongings create stress in my life?
0:49:24 This could relate to maintenance costs, money and energy, insurance, monthly expenses, time consumption, or simple distraction.
0:49:28 Eliminate, eliminate, eliminate.
0:49:34 If you sell even a few expensive items, it could finance a good portion of your mini-retirement.
0:49:37 Don’t rule out the car and home.
0:49:43 It’s always possible to purchase either upon your return, often losing no money in the process.
0:49:48 Check current health insurance coverage for extended overseas travel.
0:49:52 Get the wheels in motion to rent, swap, or sell your home.
0:49:55 Renting out is most recommended by serial vagabonds.
0:49:59 Or end your apartment lease and move all belongings into storage.
0:50:08 In all cases where doubts crop up, ask yourself, if I had a gun to my head and had to do it, how would I do it?
0:50:10 It’s not as hard as you think.
0:50:12 Two months out.
0:50:13 Automate.
0:50:24 After eliminating the excess, contact companies, including suppliers, that bill you regularly and set up auto payment with credit cards that have reward points.
0:50:34 Telling them that you will be traveling the world for a year often persuades them to accept credit cards rather than chase you around the planet like Carmen’s San Diego.
0:50:42 For the credit card companies themselves and others that refuse, arrange automatic debit from your checking account.
0:50:45 Set up online banking and bill payment.
0:50:52 Set up all companies that won’t take credit cards or automatic debit as online payees.
0:51:01 Set these scheduled checks for $15 to $20 more than expected when dealing with utilities and other variable expenses.
0:51:08 This will cover miscellaneous fees, prevent time-consuming billing problems, and accrue as a credit.
0:51:12 Cancel paper, bank, and credit card statement delivery.
0:51:25 Get bank-issued credit cards for all checking accounts, generally one for business and one for personal, and set the cash advances to $0 to minimize abuse potential.
0:51:30 Leave these cards at home, as they are just for emergency overdraft protection.
0:51:43 Give a trusted member of your family and or your accountant power of attorney, which gives that person authority to sign documents, tax filings, and checks, for example, in your name.
0:51:47 This is a serious step and should not be taken with those you do not trust.
0:52:01 In this case, it helps because your accountant can then sign tax documents or checks in your name instead of consuming hours and days of your time with faxes, scanners, and expensive international FedExing of documents.
0:52:08 Nothing screws up foreign fund faster than having to sign original documents when faxes are unacceptable.
0:52:11 One month out.
0:52:19 Speak to the manager of your local post office and have all mail forwarded to a friend, family member, or personal assistant,
0:52:27 who will be paid $100 to $200 per month to email you brief descriptions of all non-junk mail each Monday.
0:52:37 There are also services like earthclassmail.com, which will receive, scan, and email all of your non-junk mail to you as PDFs.
0:52:44 Get all required and recommended immunizations and vaccinations for your target region.
0:52:50 Check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cdc.gov forward slash travel.
0:52:56 Note that proof of immunizations is sometimes required to pass through foreign customs.
0:53:07 Set up a trial account with GoToMyPC or similar remote access software and take a dry run to ensure that there are no technological glitches.
0:53:13 This would be used if you leave your computer at home or in someone else’s home while traveling.
0:53:21 This step can be skipped if you bring your computer, but that is like a recovering heroin addict bringing a bag of opium to rehab.
0:53:25 Don’t tempt yourself to kill time instead of rediscovering it.
0:53:35 If resellers or distributors still send you checks, the fulfillment house should handle customer checks at this point, do one of three things.
0:53:40 Give the resellers direct bank deposit information, ideal.
0:53:44 Have the fulfillment house handle these checks, second choice.
0:53:51 Or have the resellers pay via PayPal or mail checks to one of the people you are trusting with power of attorney.
0:53:53 Far third.
0:54:02 In the last case, give the person with power of attorney deposit slips so he or she can sign or stamp and mail in the checks.
0:54:11 It is convenient to become a member of a large bank, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Washington Mutual, Citibank, etc.,
0:54:17 with branches near the person assisting you so that they can drop off the deposits while running other errands.
0:54:21 No need to move all accounts to this bank if you don’t want to.
0:54:26 Just open a single new account that is used solely for these deposits.
0:54:28 Two weeks out.
0:54:37 Scan all identification, health insurance, and credit debit cards into a computer from which you can print multiple copies,
0:54:43 several to be left with family members, and several to be taken with you in separate bags.
0:54:50 Email the scanned file to yourself so that you can access it while abroad if you lose the paper copies.
0:54:57 If you are an entrepreneur, downgrade your cell phone to the cheapest plan and set up a voicemail greeting that states,
0:55:04 I am currently overseas on business, please do not leave a voicemail as I will not be checking it while gone.
0:55:09 Please send me an email at blank at blank dot com if the matter is important.
0:55:11 Thank you for your understanding.
0:55:18 Then, set up email autoresponders that indicate responses could take up to seven days,
0:55:23 or whatever you decide for frequency, due to international business travel.
0:55:28 Find an apartment for your ultimate mini-retirement destination,
0:55:33 or reserve a hostel or hotel at your starting point for three to four days.
0:55:39 Reserving an apartment before you arrive is riskier and will be much more expensive
0:55:43 than using the latter three to four days to find an apartment.
0:55:48 I recommend hostels for the starting point if possible, not for cost considerations,
0:55:54 but because the staff and fellow travelers are more knowledgeable and helpful with relocations.
0:56:00 Get foreign medical evacuation insurance if needed for peace of mind.
0:56:06 This tends to be redundant if you are in a developed country and can buy local insurance to augment your own,
0:56:07 which I do.
0:56:12 And it is useless if you are a ten-hour flight from civilization.
0:56:17 I had evacuation insurance in Panama as it’s a two-hour flight from Miami,
0:56:19 but I didn’t bother elsewhere.
0:56:21 Don’t freak out about this.
0:56:26 It’s just as true if you’re in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the U.S.
0:56:28 One week out.
0:56:36 Decide on a schedule for routine-batched tasks, such as email, online banking, etc.,
0:56:40 to eliminate excuses for senseless pseudo-work procrastinating.
0:56:45 I suggest Monday mornings for checking email and online banking.
0:56:50 The first and third Mondays of the month can be used for checking credit cards
0:56:53 and making other online payments, such as affiliates.
0:56:57 These promises to yourself will be the hardest to keep,
0:57:02 so make a commitment now and expect serious withdrawal cravings.
0:57:08 Save important documents, including the scan of your identification, insurance, and credit debit cards,
0:57:14 to a small, handheld storage device that plugs into a computer USB port.
0:57:19 Move all things out of your home or apartment into storage.
0:57:23 Pack a single small backpack and carry-on bag for the adventure
0:57:26 and move in briefly with a family member or friend.
0:57:27 Two days out.
0:57:32 Put remaining automobiles into storage or a friend’s garage.
0:57:36 Put fuel stabilizer, like Stabil, in the gas tanks.
0:57:40 Disconnect the negative leads from batteries to prevent drain.
0:57:45 And put the vehicles on jack stands to prevent tire and shock damage.
0:57:49 Cancel all auto insurance except for theft coverage.
0:57:55 Upon arrival, assuming you have not booked an apartment in advance.
0:57:59 First morning and afternoon after check-in.
0:58:02 Take a hop-on, hop-off bus tour of the city,
0:58:05 followed by a bike tour of potential apartment neighborhoods.
0:58:09 First, late afternoon or evening.
0:58:13 Purchase an unlocked cell phone with a SIM card
0:58:16 that can be recharged with simple prepaid cards.
0:58:20 Unlocked means that it is recharged with prepaid cards
0:58:22 instead of being on a monthly payment plan
0:58:26 with a single carrier such as O2 or Vodafone.
0:58:30 This also means that the same phone can be used with carriers in other countries,
0:58:33 assuming the frequency is the same,
0:58:39 with a simple switch of the SIM memory card for $10 to $30 U.S. in most cases.
0:58:44 Some U.S. compatible quad-band phones can use SIM cards.
0:58:48 Email apartment owners or brokers on craigslist.com
0:58:53 and online versions of local newspapers for viewings over the next two days.
0:58:56 Second and third days.
0:58:59 Find and book an apartment for one month.
0:59:03 Don’t commit to more than one month until you’ve slept there.
0:59:08 I once prepaid two months only to find that the busiest bus stop downtown
0:59:11 was on the other side of my bedroom wall.
0:59:13 Move-in day.
0:59:16 Get settled and purchase local health insurance.
0:59:20 Ask hostel owners and other locals what insurance they use.
0:59:25 Resolve not to buy souvenirs or other take-home items
0:59:27 until two weeks prior to departure.
0:59:29 One week later.
0:59:33 Eliminate all the extra crap you brought but won’t use often.
0:59:36 Either give it to someone who needs it more,
0:59:38 mail it back to the U.S., or throw it out.
0:59:42 Fifteen.
0:59:44 Filling the void.
0:59:47 Adding life after subtracting work.
0:59:51 To be engrossed by something outside ourselves
0:59:54 is a powerful antidote for the rational mind,
0:59:58 the mind that so frequently has its head up its own ass.
1:00:00 Anne Lamott.
1:00:01 Bird by bird.
1:00:05 There is not enough time to do all the nothing we want to do.
1:00:07 Bill Watterson.
1:00:09 Creator of the Calvin and Hobbes cartoon strip.
1:00:12 Kings Cross, London.
1:00:16 I stumbled into the deli across the cobblestone street
1:00:18 and ordered a prosciutto sandwich.
1:00:20 It was 10.30 a.m. now.
1:00:23 The fifth time I’d checked the time
1:00:25 and the 20th time I’d asked myself
1:00:28 what the bleep am I going to do today?
1:00:31 The best answer I had come up with so far was
1:00:33 get a sandwich.
1:00:35 Thirty minutes earlier,
1:00:38 I had woken up without an alarm clock
1:00:40 for the first time in four years,
1:00:43 fresh off arriving from JFK the night before.
1:00:46 I had so been looking forward to it,
1:00:50 awakening to musical bird song outside,
1:00:52 sitting up in bed with a smile,
1:00:55 smelling the aroma of freshly brewed coffee,
1:00:57 and stretching out overhead
1:01:01 like a cat in the shade of a Spanish villa.
1:01:03 Magnificent.
1:01:05 It turned out more like this.
1:01:08 Bolt upright as if blasted with a foghorn,
1:01:10 grab clock, curse,
1:01:13 jump out of bed in underwear to check email,
1:01:15 remember that I was forbidden to do so,
1:01:16 curse again,
1:01:19 look for my host and former classmate,
1:01:21 realize that he was off to work
1:01:22 like the rest of the world,
1:01:24 and proceed to have a panic attack.
1:01:27 I spent the rest of the day in a haze,
1:01:30 wandering from museum to botanical garden
1:01:31 to museum,
1:01:33 as if on rinse and repeat,
1:01:35 avoiding internet cafes
1:01:38 with some vague sense of guilt.
1:01:42 I needed a to-do list to feel productive
1:01:44 and so put down things like
1:01:45 eat dinner.
1:01:48 This was going to be a lot harder
1:01:49 than I had thought.
1:01:53 Postpartum depression.
1:01:54 It’s normal.
1:01:57 Man is so made
1:01:59 that he can only find relaxation
1:02:00 from one kind of labor
1:02:02 by taking up another.
1:02:05 Anatole Franz, author of
1:02:06 The Crime of Sylvester Bonnard
1:02:10 I’ve got more money and time
1:02:11 than I ever dreamed possible.
1:02:13 Why am I depressed?
1:02:15 It’s a good question,
1:02:17 with a good answer.
1:02:20 Just be glad you’re figuring this out now
1:02:21 and not at the end of life.
1:02:24 The retired and ultra-rich
1:02:25 are often unfulfilled
1:02:27 and neurotic for the same reason.
1:02:29 Too much idle time.
1:02:31 But wait a second.
1:02:33 Isn’t more time
1:02:33 what we’re after?
1:02:35 Isn’t that what this book
1:02:35 is all about?
1:02:36 No.
1:02:37 Not at all.
1:02:39 Too much free time
1:02:41 is no more than fertilizer
1:02:42 for self-doubt
1:02:44 and assorted mental tail-chasing.
1:02:46 Subtracting the bad
1:02:48 does not create the good.
1:02:49 It leaves a vacuum.
1:02:52 Decreasing income-driven work
1:02:53 isn’t the end goal.
1:02:55 Living more
1:02:56 and becoming more
1:02:57 is.
1:02:59 In the beginning,
1:03:00 the external fantasies
1:03:01 will be enough,
1:03:02 and there is nothing wrong
1:03:03 with this.
1:03:05 I cannot overemphasize
1:03:06 the importance
1:03:07 of this period.
1:03:08 Go nuts
1:03:09 and live your dreams.
1:03:11 This is not superficial
1:03:12 or selfish.
1:03:13 It is critical
1:03:15 to stop repressing yourself
1:03:16 and get out
1:03:17 of the postponement habit.
1:03:19 Let’s suppose
1:03:20 you decide
1:03:21 to dip your toe
1:03:21 in dreams
1:03:22 like relocating
1:03:23 to the Caribbean
1:03:24 for island-hopping
1:03:26 or taking a safari
1:03:27 in the Serengeti.
1:03:29 It will be wonderful
1:03:30 and unforgettable,
1:03:32 and you should do it.
1:03:34 There will come a time,
1:03:34 however,
1:03:36 be it three weeks
1:03:37 or three years later,
1:03:39 when you won’t be able
1:03:40 to drink another
1:03:41 piña colada
1:03:42 or photograph
1:03:44 another damn
1:03:45 red-assed baboon.
1:03:47 Self-criticism
1:03:49 and existential panic attacks
1:03:50 start around this time.
1:03:53 But this is what
1:03:53 I always wanted.
1:03:54 How can I be bored?
1:03:56 Don’t freak out
1:03:57 and fuel the fire.
1:03:59 This is normal
1:04:00 among all high performers
1:04:01 who downshift
1:04:03 after working hard
1:04:03 for a long time.
1:04:05 The smarter
1:04:07 and more goal-oriented
1:04:07 you are,
1:04:08 the tougher
1:04:09 these growing pains
1:04:10 will be.
1:04:12 Learning to replace
1:04:12 the perception
1:04:13 of time famine
1:04:15 with appreciation
1:04:16 of time abundance
1:04:17 is like going
1:04:19 from triple espressos
1:04:20 to decaf.
1:04:22 But there’s more.
1:04:24 Retirees get depressed
1:04:25 for a second reason
1:04:26 and you will too.
1:04:28 Social isolation.
1:04:31 Offices are good
1:04:32 for some things.
1:04:33 Free bad coffee
1:04:35 and complaining thereof.
1:04:37 Gossip and commiserating.
1:04:39 Stupid video clips
1:04:39 via email
1:04:41 with even stupider comments.
1:04:42 And meetings
1:04:43 that accomplish nothing
1:04:44 but kill a few hours
1:04:45 with a few laughs.
1:04:47 The job itself
1:04:48 might be a dead end,
1:04:49 but it’s the web
1:04:51 of human interactions,
1:04:52 the social environment,
1:04:54 that keeps us there.
1:04:56 Once liberated,
1:04:58 this automatic tribal unit
1:04:59 disappears,
1:05:00 which makes the voices
1:05:01 in your head louder.
1:05:04 Don’t be afraid
1:05:04 of the existential
1:05:06 or social challenges.
1:05:07 Freedom is like
1:05:08 a new sport.
1:05:10 In the beginning,
1:05:11 the sheer newness of it
1:05:12 is exciting enough
1:05:13 to keep things interesting
1:05:14 at all times.
1:05:16 Once you have learned
1:05:17 the basics, though,
1:05:18 it becomes clear
1:05:19 that to be even
1:05:21 a half-decent player
1:05:23 requires some serious practice.
1:05:24 Don’t fret.
1:05:26 The greatest rewards
1:05:27 are to come,
1:05:29 and you’re ten feet
1:05:30 from the finish line.
1:05:33 Frustrations and doubts.
1:05:34 You’re not alone.
1:05:36 People say that
1:05:37 what we are seeking
1:05:39 is a meaning for life.
1:05:40 I don’t think
1:05:41 this is what
1:05:42 we’re really seeking.
1:05:43 I think what we’re seeking
1:05:45 is an experience
1:05:46 of being alive.
1:05:48 Joseph Campbell,
1:05:49 The Power of Myth.
1:05:52 Once you eliminate
1:05:53 the nine-to-five
1:05:54 and the rubber
1:05:54 hits the road,
1:05:56 it’s not all roses
1:05:58 and white sand bliss,
1:05:59 though much of it can be.
1:06:01 Without the distraction
1:06:02 of deadlines
1:06:02 and co-workers,
1:06:04 the big questions,
1:06:05 such as
1:06:06 what does it all mean,
1:06:07 become harder
1:06:08 to fend off
1:06:09 for a later time.
1:06:10 In a sea
1:06:11 of infinite options,
1:06:13 decisions also
1:06:13 become harder.
1:06:15 What the hell
1:06:16 should I do
1:06:17 with my life?
1:06:18 It’s like senior year
1:06:19 in college
1:06:20 all over again.
1:06:22 Like all innovators
1:06:23 ahead of the curve,
1:06:24 you will have
1:06:25 frightening moments
1:06:25 of doubt.
1:06:27 Once past
1:06:28 the kid-in-a-candy-store
1:06:29 phase,
1:06:30 the comparative
1:06:30 impulse
1:06:31 will creep in.
1:06:33 The rest of the world
1:06:34 will continue
1:06:35 with its
1:06:36 nine-to-five grind,
1:06:37 and you will begin
1:06:38 to question
1:06:38 your decision
1:06:39 to step off
1:06:40 the treadmill.
1:06:41 Common doubts
1:06:43 and self-flagellation
1:06:44 include the following.
1:06:45 One.
1:06:46 Am I really doing this
1:06:47 to be more free
1:06:49 and lead a better life,
1:06:50 or am I just lazy?
1:06:51 Two.
1:06:53 Did I quit the rat race
1:06:54 because it’s bad,
1:06:55 or just because
1:06:56 I couldn’t hack it?
1:06:58 Did I just cop out?
1:07:00 Three.
1:07:02 Is this as good
1:07:03 as it gets?
1:07:05 Perhaps I was better off
1:07:06 when I was following orders
1:07:07 and ignorant
1:07:07 of the possibilities.
1:07:09 It was easier,
1:07:09 at least.
1:07:11 Four.
1:07:13 Am I really successful,
1:07:15 or just kidding myself?
1:07:16 Five.
1:07:19 Have I lowered my standards
1:07:20 to make myself a winner?
1:07:21 Are my friends,
1:07:22 who are now making
1:07:23 twice as much
1:07:24 as three years ago,
1:07:25 really on the right track?
1:07:27 Six.
1:07:30 Why am I not happy?
1:07:31 I can do anything,
1:07:32 and I’m still not happy.
1:07:33 Do I even deserve it?
1:07:35 Most of this
1:07:36 can be overcome,
1:07:38 as soon as we recognize it,
1:07:39 for what it is.
1:07:41 outdated comparisons
1:07:42 using the
1:07:43 more is better
1:07:44 and money as success
1:07:45 mindsets
1:07:46 that got us
1:07:46 into trouble
1:07:47 to begin with.
1:07:49 Even so,
1:07:50 there is a more
1:07:51 profound observation
1:07:52 to be made.
1:07:54 These doubts
1:07:55 invade the mind
1:07:56 when nothing else
1:07:56 fills it.
1:07:58 Think of a time
1:07:59 when you felt
1:08:01 100% alive
1:08:02 and undistracted,
1:08:03 in the zone.
1:08:05 chances are
1:08:06 that it was
1:08:06 when you were
1:08:07 completely focused
1:08:08 in the moment
1:08:08 on something
1:08:09 external,
1:08:11 someone or
1:08:12 something else.
1:08:14 Sports and sex
1:08:15 are two great examples.
1:08:18 Lacking an external focus,
1:08:19 the mind turns inward
1:08:20 on itself
1:08:21 and creates problems
1:08:22 to solve,
1:08:23 even if the problems
1:08:25 are undefined
1:08:25 or unimportant.
1:08:27 If you find
1:08:28 a focus,
1:08:29 an ambitious goal
1:08:31 that seems impossible
1:08:32 and forces you
1:08:33 to grow,
1:08:34 these doubts
1:08:34 disappear.
1:08:36 Abraham Maslow,
1:08:37 the American psychologist
1:08:39 famous for proposing
1:08:40 Maslow’s hierarchy
1:08:41 of needs,
1:08:42 would term this goal
1:08:44 a peak experience.
1:08:47 In the process
1:08:47 of searching
1:08:48 for a new focus,
1:08:50 it is almost inevitable
1:08:52 that the big questions
1:08:53 will creep in.
1:08:54 There is pressure
1:08:56 from pseudo-philosophers
1:08:56 everywhere
1:08:57 to cast aside
1:08:58 the impertinent
1:08:59 and answer the eternal.
1:09:01 Two popular examples
1:09:01 are
1:09:02 what is the meaning
1:09:03 of life
1:09:04 and
1:09:05 what is the point
1:09:05 of it all?
1:09:07 There are many more,
1:09:08 ranging from
1:09:09 the introspective
1:09:10 to the ontological,
1:09:11 but I have one answer
1:09:12 for almost all of them.
1:09:14 I don’t answer
1:09:14 them at all.
1:09:17 I’m no nihilist.
1:09:17 In fact,
1:09:18 I’ve spent more
1:09:19 than a decade
1:09:21 investigating the mind
1:09:22 and concept of meaning,
1:09:23 a quest
1:09:24 that has taken me
1:09:25 from the neuroscience
1:09:26 laboratories
1:09:28 of top universities
1:09:29 to the halls
1:09:30 of religious institutions
1:09:31 worldwide.
1:09:33 The conclusion
1:09:34 after it all
1:09:34 is surprising.
1:09:38 I am 100%
1:09:38 convinced
1:09:40 that most
1:09:41 big questions
1:09:41 we feel
1:09:42 compelled
1:09:43 to face,
1:09:44 handed down
1:09:45 through centuries
1:09:46 of overthinking
1:09:48 and mistranslation,
1:09:50 use terms
1:09:51 so undefined
1:09:52 as to make
1:09:53 attempting to answer
1:09:54 them a complete
1:09:54 waste of time.
1:09:57 There is a place
1:09:57 for cones
1:09:58 and rhetorical,
1:09:59 meditative questions,
1:10:01 but these tools
1:10:02 are optional
1:10:03 and outside the scope
1:10:04 of this audiobook.
1:10:06 Most questions
1:10:07 without answers
1:10:08 are just poorly worded.
1:10:10 This isn’t depressing.
1:10:12 It’s liberating.
1:10:14 consider the question
1:10:15 of questions.
1:10:17 What is the meaning
1:10:18 of life?
1:10:19 If pressed,
1:10:21 I have but one response.
1:10:22 It is the characteristic
1:10:23 state or condition
1:10:25 of a living organism.
1:10:27 But that’s just
1:10:27 a definition,
1:10:28 the questioner
1:10:29 will retort.
1:10:30 That’s not what
1:10:31 I mean at all.
1:10:32 What do you mean then?
1:10:34 Until the question
1:10:34 is clear,
1:10:36 each term in it
1:10:36 defined,
1:10:38 there is no point
1:10:39 in answering it.
1:10:40 the meaning
1:10:42 of life
1:10:42 question
1:10:44 is unanswerable
1:10:45 without further
1:10:45 elaboration.
1:10:48 Before spending time
1:10:50 on a stress-inducing
1:10:50 question,
1:10:52 big or otherwise,
1:10:53 ensure that the answer
1:10:54 is yes
1:10:55 to the following
1:10:56 two questions.
1:10:57 One,
1:10:59 have I decided
1:11:00 on a single meaning
1:11:01 for each term
1:11:03 in this question?
1:11:04 Two,
1:11:05 can the answer
1:11:06 to this question
1:11:07 be acted upon
1:11:08 to improve things?
1:11:10 What is the meaning
1:11:11 of life?
1:11:12 Fails the first
1:11:13 and thus the second.
1:11:15 Questions about things
1:11:16 beyond your sphere
1:11:17 of influence,
1:11:17 like,
1:11:19 what if the train
1:11:20 is late tomorrow,
1:11:21 fail the second
1:11:22 and should thus
1:11:22 be ignored?
1:11:24 These are not
1:11:25 worthwhile questions.
1:11:26 If you can’t
1:11:27 define it
1:11:28 or act upon it,
1:11:29 forget it.
1:11:31 If you take
1:11:32 just this point
1:11:33 from this audiobook,
1:11:34 it will put you
1:11:35 in the top 1%
1:11:36 of performers
1:11:37 in the world
1:11:37 and keep
1:11:39 most philosophical
1:11:39 distress
1:11:41 out of your life.
1:11:43 Sharpening your
1:11:44 logical and practical
1:11:45 mental toolbox
1:11:46 is not being
1:11:47 an atheist
1:11:49 or unspiritual.
1:11:50 It’s not being
1:11:51 crass
1:11:51 and it’s not
1:11:52 being superficial.
1:11:54 It’s being smart
1:11:55 and putting your effort
1:11:56 where it can make
1:11:57 the biggest difference
1:11:58 for yourself
1:11:59 and others.
1:12:02 the point of it
1:12:02 all.
1:12:04 Drumroll, please.
1:12:07 What man actually
1:12:08 needs is not
1:12:09 a tensionless state
1:12:10 but rather the
1:12:11 striving and struggling
1:12:13 for a worthwhile goal,
1:12:15 a freely chosen task.
1:12:18 Victor E. Frankl,
1:12:19 Holocaust survivor,
1:12:20 author of
1:12:22 Man’s Search for Meaning
1:12:25 I believe that life
1:12:26 exists to be enjoyed
1:12:27 and that the most
1:12:28 important thing
1:12:29 is to feel good
1:12:29 about yourself.
1:12:31 Each person
1:12:32 will have his
1:12:33 or her own vehicles
1:12:33 for both
1:12:34 and those vehicles
1:12:35 will change
1:12:36 over time.
1:12:37 For some,
1:12:38 the answer will be
1:12:39 working with orphans
1:12:40 and for others,
1:12:41 it will be
1:12:42 composing music.
1:12:43 I have
1:12:44 a personal answer
1:12:45 to both.
1:12:46 To love,
1:12:47 be loved,
1:12:49 and never stop learning.
1:12:50 But I don’t expect
1:12:51 that to be universal.
1:12:53 Some criticize
1:12:54 a focus on
1:12:55 self-love
1:12:56 and enjoyment
1:12:56 as selfish
1:12:57 or hedonistic,
1:12:58 but it’s neither.
1:13:00 Enjoying life
1:13:01 and helping others
1:13:02 or feeling good
1:13:03 about yourself
1:13:04 and increasing
1:13:05 the greater good
1:13:06 are no more
1:13:07 mutually exclusive
1:13:08 than being agnostic
1:13:09 and leading
1:13:10 a moral life.
1:13:11 One does not
1:13:12 preclude
1:13:13 the other.
1:13:14 Let’s assume
1:13:15 we agree on this.
1:13:17 It still leaves
1:13:17 the question,
1:13:18 what can I do
1:13:19 with my time
1:13:20 to enjoy life
1:13:21 and feel good
1:13:21 about myself?
1:13:23 I can’t offer
1:13:24 a single answer
1:13:25 that will fit
1:13:25 all people,
1:13:26 but,
1:13:28 based on the dozens
1:13:29 of fulfilled NR
1:13:30 I’ve interviewed,
1:13:31 there are two components
1:13:32 that are fundamental,
1:13:34 continual learning
1:13:35 and service.
1:13:38 Learning Unlimited
1:13:40 Sharpening the Saw
1:13:43 Americans who travel abroad
1:13:44 for the first time
1:13:45 are often shocked
1:13:46 to discover that,
1:13:47 despite all the progress
1:13:48 that has been made
1:13:50 in the last 30 years,
1:13:52 many foreign people
1:13:53 still speak
1:13:54 in foreign languages.
1:13:56 Dave Barry
1:13:58 To live
1:13:59 is to learn.
1:14:00 I see no other option.
1:14:02 This is why
1:14:03 I’ve felt compelled
1:14:04 to quit or be fired
1:14:04 from jobs
1:14:05 within the first
1:14:06 six months or so.
1:14:07 The learning curve
1:14:08 flattens out
1:14:09 and I get bored.
1:14:11 Though you can upgrade
1:14:12 your brain domestically,
1:14:14 traveling and relocating
1:14:16 provides unique conditions
1:14:17 that make progress
1:14:18 much faster.
1:14:20 The different surroundings
1:14:22 act as a counterpoint
1:14:22 and mirror
1:14:24 for your own prejudices,
1:14:25 making weaknesses
1:14:26 that much easier
1:14:27 to fix.
1:14:29 I rarely travel somewhere
1:14:30 without deciding
1:14:32 first how I’ll obsess
1:14:33 on a specific skill.
1:14:35 Here are a few examples.
1:14:38 Connemara, Ireland.
1:14:39 Gaelic-Irish,
1:14:41 Irish Flute and Hurling,
1:14:43 the fastest field sport
1:14:44 in the world.
1:14:46 Imagine a mix of lacrosse
1:14:47 and rugby,
1:14:48 played with axe handles.
1:14:51 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
1:14:52 Brazilian Portuguese
1:14:54 and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
1:14:56 Berlin, Germany.
1:14:59 German and locking,
1:15:01 a form of upright breakdancing.
1:15:03 I tend to focus
1:15:04 on language acquisition
1:15:06 and one kinesthetic skill,
1:15:08 sometimes finding the latter
1:15:09 after landing overseas.
1:15:11 The most successful
1:15:12 serial vagabonds
1:15:13 tend to blend
1:15:15 the mental and the physical.
1:15:16 Notice that I often
1:15:17 transport a skill
1:15:19 I practice domestically,
1:15:20 martial arts,
1:15:21 to other countries
1:15:22 where they are also practiced.
1:15:25 Instant social life
1:15:25 and camaraderie.
1:15:27 It need not be
1:15:28 a competitive sport.
1:15:29 It could be hiking,
1:15:30 chess,
1:15:32 or almost anything
1:15:33 that keeps your nose
1:15:33 out of a textbook
1:15:35 and you out of your apartment.
1:15:38 Sports just happen
1:15:38 to be excellent
1:15:39 for avoiding
1:15:40 foreign language
1:15:41 stage fright
1:15:42 and developing
1:15:43 lasting friendships
1:15:44 while still sounding
1:15:45 like Tarzan.
1:15:47 Language learning
1:15:49 deserves special mention.
1:15:50 It is,
1:15:51 bar none,
1:15:53 the best thing
1:15:53 you can do
1:15:55 to hone clear thinking.
1:15:57 Quite aside from the fact
1:15:58 that it is impossible
1:15:59 to understand a culture
1:16:01 without understanding
1:16:02 its language,
1:16:03 acquiring a new language
1:16:04 language makes you aware
1:16:06 of your own language,
1:16:07 your own thoughts.
1:16:08 The benefits of becoming
1:16:10 fluent in a foreign tongue
1:16:12 are as underestimated
1:16:13 as the difficulty
1:16:14 is overestimated.
1:16:16 Thousands of theoretical
1:16:18 linguists will disagree,
1:16:20 but I know
1:16:21 from research
1:16:22 and personal experimentation
1:16:23 with more than
1:16:24 a dozen languages
1:16:25 that,
1:16:26 one,
1:16:29 adults can learn languages
1:16:31 much faster than children
1:16:32 when constant
1:16:33 nine-to-five work
1:16:33 is removed,
1:16:35 and that,
1:16:35 two,
1:16:36 it is possible
1:16:37 to become
1:16:38 conversationally fluent
1:16:40 in any language
1:16:41 in six months
1:16:42 or less.
1:16:44 At four hours per day,
1:16:45 six months
1:16:46 can be whittled down
1:16:47 to less than three months.
1:16:49 It is beyond the scope
1:16:50 of this audiobook
1:16:51 to explain
1:16:52 applied linguistics
1:16:53 and the 80-20
1:16:54 of language learning,
1:16:55 but resources
1:16:56 and complete
1:16:57 how-to guides
1:16:58 can be found
1:16:59 under language
1:17:01 at fourhourblog.com.
1:17:03 I learned six languages
1:17:04 after failing Spanish
1:17:05 in high school,
1:17:06 and you can do the same
1:17:07 with the right tools.
1:17:10 Gain a language
1:17:11 and you gain
1:17:12 a second lens
1:17:12 through which
1:17:13 to question
1:17:14 and understand
1:17:14 the world.
1:17:16 Cursing at people
1:17:17 when you go home
1:17:18 is fun, too.
1:17:20 Don’t miss the chance
1:17:20 to double
1:17:21 your life experience.
1:17:24 Service
1:17:26 for the right reasons.
1:17:28 To save the whales
1:17:29 or kill them
1:17:30 and feed the children.
1:17:32 Morality
1:17:33 is simply
1:17:33 the attitude
1:17:34 we adopt
1:17:35 toward people
1:17:36 we personally dislike.
1:17:38 Oscar Wilde
1:17:40 One would expect me
1:17:41 to mention service
1:17:42 in this chapter,
1:17:43 and here it is.
1:17:45 Like all before it,
1:17:45 the twist
1:17:46 is a bit different.
1:17:48 Service,
1:17:49 to me,
1:17:49 is simple.
1:17:51 Doing something
1:17:52 that improves
1:17:52 life
1:17:53 besides your own.
1:17:55 This is not the same
1:17:56 as philanthropy.
1:17:58 Philanthropy is the
1:17:59 altruistic concern
1:18:00 for the well-being
1:18:00 of mankind,
1:18:02 human life.
1:18:03 Human life
1:18:04 has long been
1:18:05 focused on the
1:18:06 exclusion of the
1:18:07 environment
1:18:07 and the rest
1:18:08 of the food chain.
1:18:09 Hence,
1:18:11 our current race
1:18:12 to imminent extinction.
1:18:14 Serves us right.
1:18:16 The world
1:18:17 does not exist
1:18:18 solely for the
1:18:18 betterment
1:18:19 and multiplication
1:18:21 of mankind.
1:18:23 Before I start
1:18:23 chaining myself
1:18:24 to trees
1:18:25 and saving
1:18:26 the dart frogs,
1:18:26 though,
1:18:27 I should take
1:18:27 my own advice.
1:18:29 Do not become
1:18:30 a cause snob.
1:18:32 How can you help
1:18:33 starving children
1:18:34 in Africa
1:18:34 when there are
1:18:35 starving children
1:18:36 in Los Angeles?
1:18:38 How can you save
1:18:39 the whales
1:18:40 when homeless people
1:18:41 are freezing to death?
1:18:43 How does doing
1:18:44 volunteer research
1:18:45 on coral destruction
1:18:46 help those people
1:18:47 who need help
1:18:48 now?
1:18:50 Children,
1:18:51 please.
1:18:52 Everything out there
1:18:53 needs help,
1:18:54 so don’t get baited
1:18:55 into my cause
1:18:55 can beat up
1:18:56 your cause arguments
1:18:58 with no right answer.
1:19:00 There are no qualitative
1:19:01 or quantitative comparisons
1:19:03 that make sense.
1:19:04 The truth is this.
1:19:06 Those thousands
1:19:07 of lives you save
1:19:08 could contribute
1:19:09 to a famine
1:19:10 that kills millions,
1:19:12 or that one bush
1:19:13 in Bolivia
1:19:14 that you protect
1:19:14 could hold
1:19:15 the cure for cancer.
1:19:17 The downstream effects
1:19:18 are unknown.
1:19:19 Do your best
1:19:21 and hope for the best.
1:19:23 If you’re improving
1:19:23 the world,
1:19:25 however you define that,
1:19:26 consider your job
1:19:27 well done.
1:19:29 Service isn’t limited
1:19:31 to saving lives
1:19:32 or the environment,
1:19:32 either.
1:19:34 It can also improve life.
1:19:36 If you are a musician
1:19:37 and put a smile
1:19:38 on the faces
1:19:39 of thousands
1:19:40 or millions,
1:19:42 I view that as service.
1:19:43 If you are a mentor
1:19:44 and change the life
1:19:45 of one child
1:19:46 for the better,
1:19:47 the world
1:19:48 has been improved.
1:19:50 Improving the quality
1:19:51 of life in the world
1:19:52 is in no fashion
1:19:53 inferior to
1:19:55 adding more lives.
1:19:56 Service
1:19:57 is an attitude.
1:19:59 Find the cause
1:20:00 or vehicle
1:20:01 that interests you
1:20:02 most
1:20:03 and make no apologies.
1:20:06 Q&A
1:20:07 Questions
1:20:09 and Actions
1:20:11 Adults are always
1:20:12 asking kids
1:20:12 what they want to be
1:20:13 when they grow up
1:20:14 because they are
1:20:15 looking for ideas.
1:20:17 Paula Poundstone
1:20:19 The miracle
1:20:19 is not to walk
1:20:20 on water.
1:20:21 The miracle
1:20:22 is to walk
1:20:23 on the green earth,
1:20:24 dwelling deeply
1:20:25 in the present moment
1:20:26 and feeling
1:20:27 truly alive.
1:20:28 Thich Nhat Hanh
1:20:32 But I can’t just travel,
1:20:33 learn languages,
1:20:34 or fight for one cause
1:20:35 for the rest of my life.
1:20:37 Of course you can’t.
1:20:39 That’s not my suggestion
1:20:39 at all.
1:20:41 These are just
1:20:42 good life hubs,
1:20:43 starting points
1:20:45 that lead to opportunities
1:20:46 and experiences
1:20:47 that otherwise
1:20:48 wouldn’t be found.
1:20:50 There is no right answer
1:20:51 to the question,
1:20:52 what should I do
1:20:52 with my life?
1:20:54 Forget
1:20:55 should
1:20:56 altogether.
1:20:58 The next step,
1:20:59 and that’s all it is,
1:21:01 is pursuing
1:21:02 something.
1:21:03 It matters little what
1:21:05 that seems fun
1:21:06 or rewarding.
1:21:08 Don’t be in a rush
1:21:09 to jump into a full-time
1:21:10 long-term commitment.
1:21:12 Take time
1:21:13 to find something
1:21:14 that calls to you,
1:21:15 not just the first
1:21:17 acceptable form
1:21:18 of surrogate work.
1:21:20 That calling
1:21:20 will,
1:21:21 in turn,
1:21:22 lead you
1:21:22 to something else.
1:21:25 Here is a good sequence
1:21:26 for getting started
1:21:27 that dozens of N.R.
1:21:28 have used
1:21:29 with success.
1:21:30 1.
1:21:33 Revisit Ground Zero.
1:21:34 Do
1:21:35 nothing.
1:21:37 Before we can escape
1:21:39 the goblins of the mind,
1:21:40 we need to face them.
1:21:42 Principle among them
1:21:43 is speed addiction.
1:21:45 It is hard to recalibrate
1:21:46 your internal clock
1:21:47 without taking a break
1:21:48 from constant
1:21:49 overstimulation.
1:21:51 Travel
1:21:52 and the impulse
1:21:53 to see a million things,
1:21:54 can exacerbate this.
1:21:56 Slowing down
1:21:57 doesn’t mean
1:21:58 accomplishing less.
1:22:00 It means cutting out
1:22:02 counterproductive distractions
1:22:02 and the
1:22:03 perception
1:22:05 of being rushed.
1:22:07 Consider attending
1:22:08 a short silence retreat
1:22:10 of three to seven days,
1:22:11 during which all media
1:22:12 and speaking
1:22:13 is prohibited.
1:22:16 Learn to turn down
1:22:17 the static of the mind
1:22:19 so you can appreciate more
1:22:20 before doing more.
1:22:23 The Art of Living Foundation,
1:22:24 Course 2,
1:22:24 International,
1:22:26 artofliving.org
1:22:29 Spirit Rock Meditation Center
1:22:30 in California,
1:22:32 spiritrock.org
1:22:34 Kripalu Center for Yoga
1:22:35 and Health
1:22:36 in Massachusetts,
1:22:38 kripalu.org
1:22:41 Sky Lake Lodge in New York,
1:22:44 sky-lake.org
1:22:46 2.
1:22:49 Make an anonymous donation
1:22:50 to the service organization
1:22:51 of your choice.
1:22:53 This helps to get the juices flowing
1:22:55 and disassociate feeling good
1:22:56 about service
1:22:57 with getting credit
1:22:58 for it.
1:23:00 It feels even better
1:23:00 when it’s pure.
1:23:03 Here are some good sites
1:23:03 to get started.
1:23:05 Charity Navigator
1:23:07 Charity Navigator.org
1:23:10 This independent service
1:23:12 ranks more than 5,000 charities
1:23:14 using criteria you select.
1:23:17 Create a personalized page
1:23:17 of favorites
1:23:19 and compare them side by side,
1:23:21 all free of charge.
1:23:23 First Giving
1:23:25 Firstgiving.com
1:23:28 Firstgiving.com
1:23:29 allows you to create
1:23:31 an online fundraising page.
1:23:33 Donations can be made
1:23:35 through your personal URL.
1:23:37 I have used Firstgiving
1:23:38 in coordination
1:23:39 with a non-profit
1:23:40 called Room to Read
1:23:42 to build schools
1:23:43 in both Nepal and Vietnam,
1:23:45 with more countries pending.
1:23:47 If you specifically
1:23:48 want to help animals,
1:23:49 for example,
1:23:51 you can click on a related link
1:23:52 and access websites
1:23:53 for hundreds
1:23:54 of different animal charities
1:23:56 and then decide
1:23:56 which one
1:23:58 you want to donate to.
1:23:59 The UK version
1:24:00 of the website
1:24:01 is
1:24:03 JustGiving.com
1:24:05 3.
1:24:07 Take a learning mini-retirement
1:24:08 in combination
1:24:09 with local volunteering.
1:24:11 Take a mini-retirement,
1:24:12 six months or more
1:24:13 if possible,
1:24:14 to focus on learning
1:24:15 and serving.
1:24:17 The longer duration
1:24:17 will permit
1:24:18 a language focus
1:24:19 which in turn
1:24:20 enables more meaningful
1:24:21 interaction
1:24:22 and contribution
1:24:23 through volunteering.
1:24:25 For the duration
1:24:26 of this trip,
1:24:28 note self-criticisms
1:24:30 and negative self-talk
1:24:31 in a journal.
1:24:32 Whenever upset
1:24:33 or anxious,
1:24:34 ask why
1:24:36 at least three times
1:24:37 and put the answers
1:24:38 down on paper.
1:24:40 Describing these doubts
1:24:41 in writing
1:24:42 reduces their impact
1:24:43 two-fold.
1:24:44 First,
1:24:45 it’s often the
1:24:47 ambiguous nature
1:24:48 of self-doubt
1:24:49 that hurts most.
1:24:51 Defining and exploring
1:24:52 it in writing,
1:24:53 just as with forcing
1:24:55 colleagues to email,
1:24:56 demands clarity
1:24:57 of thought,
1:24:58 after which
1:24:59 most concerns
1:25:00 are found
1:25:01 to be baseless.
1:25:02 Second,
1:25:05 recording these concerns
1:25:06 seems to somehow
1:25:07 remove them
1:25:08 from your head.
1:25:10 But where to go
1:25:11 and what to do?
1:25:13 There is no one
1:25:14 right answer to either.
1:25:15 Use the following
1:25:16 questions and resources
1:25:17 to brainstorm.
1:25:19 What makes you
1:25:20 most angry
1:25:20 about the state
1:25:21 of the world?
1:25:22 What are you
1:25:23 most afraid of
1:25:24 for the next generation,
1:25:25 whether you have
1:25:26 children or not?
1:25:28 What makes you
1:25:30 happiest in your life?
1:25:31 How can you help
1:25:32 others have the same?
1:25:35 There is no need
1:25:35 to limit yourself
1:25:36 to one location.
1:25:38 Remember Robin,
1:25:38 who traveled
1:25:39 through South America
1:25:40 for a year
1:25:41 with her husband
1:25:42 and seven-year-old son?
1:25:44 The three of them
1:25:46 spent one to two months
1:25:47 doing volunteer work
1:25:48 in each location,
1:25:50 including building
1:25:50 wheelchairs
1:25:52 in Banos, Ecuador,
1:25:54 rehabilitating exotic animals
1:25:55 in the Bolivian rainforest
1:25:57 and shepherding
1:25:58 leatherback sea turtles
1:25:59 in Suriname.
1:26:01 How about doing
1:26:03 archaeological excavation
1:26:03 in Jordan
1:26:05 or tsunami relief
1:26:06 on the islands
1:26:07 of Thailand?
1:26:08 These are just two
1:26:09 of the dozens
1:26:11 of foreign relocation
1:26:12 and volunteering
1:26:12 case studies
1:26:14 in each issue
1:26:15 of Verge magazine.
1:26:16 Reader-tested
1:26:18 resources include
1:26:20 Hands-On Disaster Response
1:26:22 H-O-D-R.org
1:26:23 Project Hope
1:26:24 Project Hope
1:26:27 Relief International
1:26:29 R-I.org
1:26:31 International Relief Teams
1:26:33 I-R-Teams
1:26:34 .org
1:26:36 Airline Ambassadors
1:26:40 Ambassadors for Children
1:26:41 Ambassadors for Children
1:26:43 Ambassadors for Children
1:26:44 .org
1:26:47 Relief Riders International
1:26:49 ReliefRidersInternational
1:26:49 .com
1:26:51 Habitat for Humanity
1:26:53 Global Village Program
1:26:55 Habitat.org
1:26:56 Planeta
1:26:59 Global Listings for Practical
1:27:00 Ecotourism
1:27:01 Planeta.com
1:27:04 4.
1:27:06 Revisit and Reset
1:27:07 Dreamlines
1:27:09 Following the mini-retirement
1:27:11 revisit the dreamlines
1:27:12 set in definition
1:27:14 and reset them as needed.
1:27:16 The following questions
1:27:16 will help.
1:27:18 What are you good at?
1:27:19 What could you be
1:27:21 the best at?
1:27:23 What makes you happy?
1:27:25 What excites you?
1:27:27 What makes you feel
1:27:28 accomplished and good
1:27:29 about yourself?
1:27:31 What are you most proud
1:27:32 of having accomplished
1:27:33 in your life?
1:27:34 Can you repeat this
1:27:36 or further develop it?
1:27:38 What do you enjoy
1:27:40 sharing or experiencing
1:27:40 with other people?
1:27:42 5.
1:27:44 Based on the outcomes
1:27:46 of Steps 1 through 4,
1:27:48 consider testing new
1:27:49 part- or full-time vocations.
1:27:52 Full-time work isn’t bad
1:27:54 if it’s what you’d rather be doing.
1:27:55 This is where we distinguish
1:27:58 work from a vocation.
1:28:00 If you have created a muse
1:28:02 or cut your hours down
1:28:03 to next to nothing,
1:28:05 consider testing a part-time
1:28:07 or full-time vocation,
1:28:08 a true calling,
1:28:10 or dream occupation.
1:28:12 This is what I did
1:28:13 with this audiobook.
1:28:15 I can now tell people
1:28:15 I’m a writer
1:28:16 rather than giving them
1:28:17 the two-hour drug dealer
1:28:18 explanation.
1:28:20 What did you dream of being
1:28:21 when you were a kid?
1:28:23 Perhaps it’s time
1:28:24 to sign up for space camp
1:28:26 or intern as an assistant
1:28:28 to a marine biologist.
1:28:30 Recapturing the excitement
1:28:32 of childhood isn’t impossible.
1:28:34 In fact, it’s required.
1:28:36 There are no more chains
1:28:38 or excuses to hold you back.
1:28:49 If you don’t make mistakes,
1:28:50 you’re not working
1:28:51 on hard enough problems.
1:28:53 And that’s a big mistake.
1:28:55 Frank Wilczek,
1:28:57 2004 Nobel Prize winner
1:28:58 in physics.
1:29:09 I’ve learned
1:29:10 that nothing is impossible
1:29:11 and that almost nothing
1:29:12 is easy.
1:29:14 Articolo 31.
1:29:16 Italian Rap Group.
1:29:17 Un Orlo.
1:29:21 Mistakes are the name
1:29:22 of the game
1:29:23 in lifestyle design.
1:29:25 It requires fighting
1:29:26 impulse after impulse
1:29:27 from the old world
1:29:29 of retirement-based
1:29:30 life deferral
1:29:31 Here are the slip-ups
1:29:32 you will make.
1:29:34 Don’t get frustrated.
1:29:36 It’s all part of the process.
1:29:37 1.
1:29:39 Losing sight of dreams
1:29:40 and falling into
1:29:41 work for work’s sake.
1:29:43 W4W.
1:29:45 Please re-listen
1:29:46 to the introduction
1:29:48 and next chapter
1:29:48 of this audiobook
1:29:50 whenever you feel yourself
1:29:51 falling into this trap.
1:29:52 Everyone does it,
1:29:53 but many get stuck
1:29:55 and never get out.
1:29:56 2.
1:29:58 Micromanaging
1:29:59 and emailing
1:30:00 to fill time.
1:30:03 Set the responsibilities,
1:30:04 problem scenarios,
1:30:05 and rules,
1:30:06 and limits
1:30:08 of autonomous decision-making.
1:30:10 Then stop
1:30:11 for the sanity
1:30:12 of everyone involved.
1:30:14 3.
1:30:15 Handling problems
1:30:17 your outsourcers
1:30:18 or co-workers
1:30:19 can handle.
1:30:20 4.
1:30:22 Helping outsourcers
1:30:23 or co-workers
1:30:25 with the same problem
1:30:26 more than once
1:30:28 or with non-crisis problems.
1:30:30 Give them
1:30:31 if-then rules
1:30:32 for solving
1:30:34 all but the largest problems.
1:30:35 Give them
1:30:35 the freedom
1:30:36 to act
1:30:37 without your input.
1:30:39 Set the limits
1:30:39 in writing
1:30:40 and then emphasize
1:30:41 in writing
1:30:43 that you will not
1:30:44 respond to help
1:30:45 with problems
1:30:46 that are covered
1:30:46 by these rules.
1:30:48 In my particular case,
1:30:50 all outsourcers
1:30:51 have at their discretion
1:30:52 the ability
1:30:53 to fix any problem
1:30:54 that will cost
1:30:55 less than $400.
1:30:57 At the end
1:30:58 of each month
1:30:58 or quarter,
1:31:00 depending on the outsourcer,
1:31:01 I review how
1:31:02 their decisions
1:31:03 have affected profit
1:31:04 and adjust
1:31:05 the rules accordingly,
1:31:07 often adding new rules
1:31:08 based on their
1:31:09 good decisions
1:31:10 and creative solutions.
1:31:12 5.
1:31:14 Chasing customers,
1:31:16 particularly unqualified
1:31:18 or international prospects,
1:31:19 when you have
1:31:20 sufficient cash flow
1:31:21 to finance
1:31:23 your non-financial pursuits.
1:31:25 6.
1:31:27 Answering email
1:31:28 that will not result
1:31:29 in a sale
1:31:30 or that can be answered
1:31:31 by a FAQ
1:31:32 or autoresponder.
1:31:33 7.
1:31:35 Working where you live,
1:31:36 sleep,
1:31:37 or should relax.
1:31:40 Separate your environments.
1:31:42 Designate a single space
1:31:43 for work
1:31:45 and solely work,
1:31:46 or you will never
1:31:47 be able to escape it.
1:31:48 8.
1:31:50 Not performing
1:31:52 a thorough 80-20 analysis
1:31:53 every two to four weeks
1:31:54 for your business
1:31:55 and personal life.
1:31:57 9.
1:31:58 Striving for
1:31:59 endless perfection
1:32:01 rather than great
1:32:02 or simply good enough,
1:32:03 whether in your personal
1:32:05 or professional life.
1:32:07 Recognize that this is often
1:32:08 just another
1:32:10 W4W excuse.
1:32:11 Most endeavors
1:32:12 are like learning
1:32:13 to speak a foreign language.
1:32:14 To be correct,
1:32:16 95% of the time
1:32:17 requires six months
1:32:19 of concentrated effort,
1:32:21 whereas to be correct,
1:32:22 98% of the time
1:32:25 requires 20 to 30 years.
1:32:26 Focus on great
1:32:28 for a few things
1:32:28 and good enough
1:32:29 for the rest.
1:32:32 Perfection is a good ideal
1:32:33 and direction to have,
1:32:35 but recognize it
1:32:35 but recognize it
1:32:36 for what it is,
1:32:38 an impossible destination.
1:32:40 10.
1:32:42 Blowing minutiae
1:32:43 and small problems
1:32:44 out of proportion
1:32:45 as an excuse
1:32:46 to work.
1:32:48 11.
1:32:51 Making non-time-sensitive
1:32:52 issues urgent
1:32:53 in order to justify work.
1:32:55 How many times
1:32:57 do I have to say it?
1:32:59 Focus on life
1:33:01 outside of your bank accounts,
1:33:02 as scary as that void
1:33:04 can be in the initial stages.
1:33:07 If you cannot find meaning
1:33:07 in your life,
1:33:09 it is your responsibility
1:33:10 as a human being
1:33:11 to create it,
1:33:13 whether that is
1:33:14 fulfilling dreams
1:33:15 or finding work
1:33:16 that gives you
1:33:17 purpose and self-worth.
1:33:19 Ideally,
1:33:20 a combination of both.
1:33:22 12.
1:33:24 viewing one
1:33:24 product,
1:33:25 job,
1:33:26 or project
1:33:27 as the end-all
1:33:28 and be-all
1:33:29 of your existence.
1:33:31 Life is too short
1:33:31 to waste,
1:33:33 but it is also
1:33:34 too long
1:33:35 to be a pessimist
1:33:36 or nihilist.
1:33:38 Whatever you’re doing
1:33:39 now is just
1:33:39 a stepping stone
1:33:41 to the next project
1:33:41 or adventure.
1:33:43 Any rut
1:33:43 you get into
1:33:44 is one you can
1:33:45 get yourself out of.
1:33:47 Doubts are no more
1:33:47 than a signal
1:33:48 for action
1:33:49 of some type.
1:33:51 When in doubt
1:33:52 or overwhelmed,
1:33:53 take a break
1:33:54 and 80-20
1:33:55 both business
1:33:56 and personal
1:33:56 activities
1:33:57 and relationships.
1:34:00 13.
1:34:02 Ignoring the social
1:34:03 rewards of life.
1:34:05 Surround yourself
1:34:06 with smiling,
1:34:07 positive people
1:34:08 who have
1:34:09 absolutely
1:34:10 nothing
1:34:11 to do with work.
1:34:13 Create your muses
1:34:14 alone if you must,
1:34:15 but do not live
1:34:16 your life
1:34:17 alone.
1:34:19 Happiness shared
1:34:19 in the form
1:34:20 of friendships
1:34:21 and love
1:34:22 is happiness
1:34:23 multiplied.
1:34:25 Hey guys,
1:34:26 this is Tim again.
1:34:27 Just one more thing
1:34:28 before you take off
1:34:28 and that is
1:34:30 Five Bullet Friday.
1:34:31 Would you enjoy
1:34:32 getting a short email
1:34:33 from me every Friday
1:34:34 that provides a little
1:34:35 fun before the weekend?
1:34:37 Between one and a half
1:34:37 and two million people
1:34:38 subscribe to my
1:34:39 free newsletter,
1:34:40 my super short
1:34:41 newsletter,
1:34:42 called Five Bullet Friday.
1:34:43 Easy to sign up,
1:34:44 easy to cancel.
1:34:45 It is basically
1:34:47 a half page
1:34:48 that I send out
1:34:49 every Friday
1:34:49 to share the coolest
1:34:50 things I’ve found
1:34:51 or discovered
1:34:52 or have started
1:34:53 exploring over that
1:34:53 week.
1:34:54 It’s kind of like
1:34:55 my diary of cool
1:34:55 things.
1:34:56 It often includes
1:34:57 articles I’m reading,
1:34:58 books I’m reading,
1:34:59 albums perhaps,
1:35:00 gadgets,
1:35:01 gizmos,
1:35:02 all sorts of
1:35:03 tech tricks and so on
1:35:04 that get sent to me
1:35:05 by my friends,
1:35:06 including a lot of
1:35:07 podcast guests.
1:35:09 And these strange
1:35:09 esoteric things
1:35:10 end up in my field
1:35:12 and then I test them
1:35:13 and then I share
1:35:14 them with you.
1:35:16 So if that sounds fun,
1:35:16 again,
1:35:17 it’s very short,
1:35:18 a little tiny bite
1:35:19 of goodness
1:35:20 before you head off
1:35:21 for the weekend,
1:35:21 something to think
1:35:22 about.
1:35:23 If you’d like to try
1:35:23 it out,
1:35:24 just go to
1:35:25 tim.blog.friday,
1:35:26 type that into your
1:35:26 browser,
1:35:29 tim.blog.friday,
1:35:30 drop in your email
1:35:30 and you’ll get the
1:35:31 very next one.
1:35:32 Thanks for listening.
1:35:34 I asked millions of
1:35:35 you about Gusto
1:35:36 on social media
1:35:38 and I’ve never seen
1:35:39 such overwhelmingly
1:35:40 positive responses.
1:35:41 It was kind of
1:35:41 bonkers,
1:35:41 honestly,
1:35:42 because I’ve done
1:35:43 this dozens of times
1:35:44 and it makes sense.
1:35:45 More than 400,000
1:35:46 small businesses
1:35:47 already trust Gusto
1:35:48 and it’s been named
1:35:49 the number one
1:35:50 payroll software by
1:35:51 G2 for fall 2025.
1:35:53 If you’re a small
1:35:54 business owner looking
1:35:55 to simplify payroll
1:35:56 and HR tasks,
1:35:57 because why would you
1:35:58 want to spend more
1:35:59 time on those things?
1:36:00 Gusto could be the
1:36:01 game changer that you
1:36:01 need.
1:36:02 Gusto is the all-in-one
1:36:03 payroll benefits
1:36:04 and HR platform
1:36:05 designed specifically
1:36:07 for small businesses.
1:36:08 They automatically
1:36:09 file federal,
1:36:09 state,
1:36:10 and local payroll
1:36:11 taxes,
1:36:12 handle W-2s
1:36:13 and 1099s,
1:36:13 what a pain in the
1:36:14 ass all those can be,
1:36:15 and offer straightforward
1:36:16 health benefits
1:36:17 and 401k options
1:36:19 for nearly any budget.
1:36:20 Now is the perfect
1:36:21 time to choose Gusto
1:36:22 to take care of your
1:36:23 team and stay compliant.
1:36:24 So go to
1:36:25 gusto.com
1:36:26 slash tim
1:36:27 to see why
1:36:28 9 out of 10
1:36:29 Gusto customers
1:36:30 recommend Gusto.
1:36:31 Listeners get
1:36:32 three months free
1:36:32 once they run
1:36:33 their first payroll.
1:36:34 Again, that’s
1:36:35 G-U-S-T-O
1:36:36 dot com
1:36:37 slash tim.
1:36:38 Terms and conditions
1:36:39 apply.
1:36:41 Creatine isn’t just
1:36:41 for muscle.
1:36:42 It’s essential
1:36:43 daily fuel for your
1:36:44 brain, your body,
1:36:45 and long-term
1:36:45 performance.
1:36:46 For me, I have
1:36:47 Alzheimer’s and
1:36:48 dementia risk in my
1:36:49 family.
1:36:50 The cognitive benefits
1:36:51 are the reason I take
1:36:53 creatine every single
1:36:53 day.
1:36:54 And today’s episode
1:36:55 sponsor, Momentus,
1:36:57 is the gold standard
1:36:57 in creatine.
1:36:58 There’s a lot of BS
1:36:59 floating around,
1:37:00 but I choose
1:37:01 them.
1:37:01 Why?
1:37:02 Because they source
1:37:04 Crea Pure Creatine,
1:37:05 the purest, most
1:37:06 effective creatine
1:37:06 monohydrate available.
1:37:08 So if you’ve been
1:37:09 curious about creatine,
1:37:10 this is your moment to
1:37:11 get back on track or
1:37:12 try it for the first
1:37:12 time.
1:37:13 Momentus is also now
1:37:14 introducing the
1:37:16 Momentus Creatine
1:37:16 Chews.
1:37:18 Each chew delivers one
1:37:19 gram of pure
1:37:19 Crea Pure
1:37:20 Creatine
1:37:21 monohydrate.
1:37:22 I was skeptical of
1:37:23 these chews.
1:37:23 I was like, I’m never
1:37:24 going to use these.
1:37:25 It turns out that I
1:37:26 use them all the
1:37:26 time.
1:37:26 they’re super
1:37:28 convenient and they
1:37:29 are NSF certified for
1:37:30 sports.
1:37:31 So you get the gold
1:37:32 standard purity without
1:37:33 all the mess.
1:37:34 Head to
1:37:35 livemomentus.com and
1:37:37 use code TIM for up
1:37:39 to 35% off of your
1:37:39 first order.