Justin Wright » Life

Changes – My Decision To Live In A Cave

Justin Wright — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:55:45 +0000

Home Sweet Home

I’m writing this article in response to Justin’s blog just to show that what he is talking about can and does work in practice. My name is Carl and I’m 56, born and raised in the UK although I have lived in Spain and Holland before. I had been living in the north of England and working for the Council in a dead-end office job along with 200 co-workers and hating every minute of it. Working for the Council only to pay back half my wages in Council Tax and rent for a Council flat. I lost both of my best friends to early heart attacks, I lost my mother, my dog died, I lost my father. I began to suffer from depression and ended up on medication.

I decided a couple of years ago that when I received the cheque from the sale of my parents’ house I would move back to Spain. I realised there was no way I could afford a big place or anywhere at all fancy and I didn’t want a flat in a town. I knew I wouldn’t be able to find a job with a Spanish company as there was widespread unemployment and the start of “The Crisis” was upon us. I had a few ideas for selling my own database software (opendatasoftware.net) and that was about it.

I decided eventually to look for a cave in the South of Spain and eventually settled on one in a small town of 20,000 inhabitants in the middle of nowhere. It’s a cave in that all of the rooms are built into a mountain side. Not a cave house where some of the rooms are extended outwards. This was an important choice of dwelling as a cave hardly needs any cooling in summer and very little heating in winter due to heat being conserved by the sheer thermal mass of a 3-metre thick roof, solid stone floor and metre thick walls throughout. The caves were previously used to house livestock but are perfectly habitable and come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. And prices – this was a very cheap one at 25,000 Euros.

Typical Cave (Before)

The Cave (After)

The cave is halfway up a mountain and is subject to extreme heat and full sun exposure in summer and torrential rain and gales in winter. The only heating is a small wood stove and there is only one window and one entrance door. There is a small entrance room with a small kitchen and small bathroom off to one side. Behind that is the living room with the wood stove. Behind that is the bedroom and behind that is a storage room. The garden is on top of the cave and the chimney protrudes up into the garden. When I moved in the garden was completely overrun with fearsome weeds.

The Garden (Before)

The Garden (After)

I decided that the only way I could survive was to live on approximately a quarter of what I was used to getting for a living wage – a drastic cut and one that would involve a complete change of lifestyle. I don’t smoke or drink any more so that helped. I’m a vegetarian and thought I would be able to grow most of my own food.

I don’t go out much at all except for walks and bike rides which don’t cost anything. The nature walk I use for a daily bike ride is just stunningly beautiful and I never tire of it. I realised that the lifestyle I was planning on living would be quite hard work physically and so decided to get fit as soon as possible. I started off just walking every day and now I jog 5 kilometres every day, bike 20 kilometres, train with weights and do Tai Chi, sit-ups and press-ups. I feel so much better for it and I think I will have a six-pack by the time I hit 60! Quite astonishing for someone who spent 8 hours a day sat in a chair in an office and never exercised apart from walking to work. The thing is, it is vitally important to be fit for this kind of lifestyle. I live on my own and if I cannot look after myself then I will have a serious problem. Apart from which, this lifestyle requires commitment and stamina. It is in no way an easy option or a cop-out.

I decided early on to dispose of most of the clutter that I had in my life and in the words of Thoreau “Simplify, simplify”. I have no TV. I sometimes watch Spanish television on my Eee laptop. I have no fridge and haven’t had for a year although I will be building a small Peltier cooler as I like yoghurt and it goes off too quickly in summer. I have a mountain bike – no car – I’ve never owned a car and I’m very proud to be able to say that. I have a wide assortment of clothes as I have to do manual work in all temperatures so anything from padded lumberjack shirts and work boots to sleeveless T-shirts and jeans to shorts and sandals, really. Lots of books, CDs and DVDs as I’m an avid reader.

I have no expensive hobbies. Most of them are free or cost very little – walking, running, cycling, playing guitar, gardening and reading. Watching the occasional DVD or documentary.

I try to do everything for myself as much as possible. I wash clothes by hand unless they are very dirty or very large items in which case I use the Eco setting on the washing machine about once a month. I use home made cleaning materials mainly made of either dilute vinegar or sodium bicarbonate solution. I always cook for myself using home-grown or locally bought vegetables. I use a home-made solar oven in summer and a home-made updated version of the old-time hay box or the wood stove in winter. I have an electric cooker but I don’t use it.

I boil water in a Kelly Kettle (check their website) and keep it in Thermos flasks and in the summer I use camp showers to heat water. I’ve learned how to sew, how to tie knots (a forgotten art), basic woodwork, electrical work and DIY. I make bricks out of old cardboard and paper to supplement my wood supply. All of this keeps my bills down to next-to-nothing.

I grow a small quantity of vegetables and herbs in the garden above the cave and on the metre-thick windowsill but I’m planning on setting up some square-foot gardens and potato-barrels this coming Spring. It’s early days yet. I use a (self-installed) 120-watt solar panel for some of my power and I’m going to build a couple of small home-made VAWTs as there is a huge amount of wind power available in winter. Half of the mains power in this area is from windmills. I only use mains power for power tools and the washing machine. Most of my equipment is 12-volt or was deliberately chosen for low consumption (like the Eee laptop). I use a Vodafone dongle for the Internet which costs about 4 Euros a week and the same kind of package for a mobile phone although I’m planning on switching the phone to Skype soon.

I have started a local magazine with its own website, I’m making and selling solar ovens and I’m planning on going in for producing Biodiesel for sale once I can find a cheap source of used vegetable oil. I don’t have time for anything else as this is a full-time 24/7 365-days-a-year commitment.

What I would like to say is this. I’m not by any means an expert on anything and I don’t claim to have all or even most of the answers. I have found out how to do these things by researching on the Internet – something anyone can do. And by trial and error in many cases. When I came out here a year ago I struggled to wire a plug. Now I’m installing solar panels!

Most of my ideas came from adapting old 1970s Mother Earth News articles to this century and checking out YouTube. I won’t lie – the learning curve is pretty steep and many times I have had to start projects again from scratch. Anyone who thinks that this is early retirement and an easy option is way off the mark. Anyone who enjoys a challenge and really believes in Learning For Life will love every minute of it. It’s an awesome, inspiring rebirth and a path to self-discovery and I would heartily recommend it to anyone. And as for depression – sorry, I haven’t got the time …

Self-Employment – The 3rd Anniversary

Justin Wright — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:18:23 +0000

One of the great things about blogging is being able to look into your past and see what you were thinking/doing at any given time. For example, exactly three years ago today I sat down and wrote a post titled a new journey starts today.

I still remember writing that post because it was one of the most important days of my life. For the first time in my adult life, I woke up not having to go to work. I felt like my life had unlimited possibilities because there was no longer anything holding me back from giving self-employment a full-time effort.

Now that three full years have gone by, I thought it would be fun to take a look at what has all happened on that journey and talk about some of the things I have discovered along the way.

I’m Still Here!

The good news is I’m still alive and doing well. I’m living proof that you can in fact quit your job and make a living working for yourself. Hopefully you can use my story as a bit of inspiration if you find yourself in a similar situation where you completely hate your job and are planning on creating a new career path for yourself.

However, I do recommend reading the next few points first before making any decisions

It’s Not An Easy Road

One of the main things I mentioned in my blog post three years ago was the need to be challenged. Well, after quitting my job I quickly realized that working for yourself is definitely a challenge. It’s really, really, really hard. I’ve hit plenty of bumps along the way, some large enough to make me second guess my decision (luckily I’ve stuck with it).

Here’s some of the important things I’ve learned about working for yourself:

You Must Be Hard On Yourself

When you start working for yourself, you quickly realize that you no longer have a boss. The problem is you find yourself wondering who is going to tell you what to do. It took me a lot of adjusting to get used to the idea that I had to force myself to get things done.

If you tend to be easy on yourself, you might find yourself playing video games or watching TV everyday instead of getting your work done. In order to be successful at self-employment, you have to be willing to be hard on yourself since no one else is going to make you feel accountable.

No More Paychecks

Once I quit my job, I quickly realized that no more steady paychecks were coming in. I had to get used to the idea of getting paid sporadically instead of biweekly. This forced me to learn a lot about personal finance because you have to be on top of things in order to stay afloat. This is especially true when you have dry spells, which are guaranteed to happen.

The good news is learning about personal finance has changed my life for the better. I now have a much better understanding of where my money comes from and where it goes; two important things to know.

Working From Home Has Its Cons

When I tell people I work from home full-time, they usually respond by telling me how jealous they are. They have a beautiful vision in mind of working in their pajamas, not having to leave home, and not having to deal with co-workers anymore. All three of those things are in fact true about working from home. The problem is that I now look at them as negatives instead of positives (for the most part).

- I do in fact work in my pajamas most of the time. The problem is I often end up wearing the same pajamas for days with no motivation to change. Yes, it’s gross but it’s what happens when you no longer have to look presentable. I sometimes find myself looking like Robinson Crusoe after being stranded on a remote island for a few years.

- Secondly, not having to leave home on a daily basis isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. I often miss the idea of leaving the house to go work for a few hours. It’s easy for me to not leave the house for days because I don’t have to.

- Last but not least, I’ve found myself missing co-workers. I do a lot of solo work where I handle everything and I miss the idea of working with others. Co-workers are also a great way to make friends because you are forced to hang out with them often.

With all that said, I still wouldn’t give up the freedom that working from home does offer. I do love the ability to work from anywhere and wouldn’t give it up for anything.

Plans For The Future

So what’s next you ask? Well, I still love what I do and hope to continue to work on things I truly enjoy far into the future. Everyday I get emails from people who want to say thanks for the inspiration. These emails give me the motivation to keep dong what I do.

Things over at ZoopMedia have been going great and I hope to continue writing here on the blog. I have also taken on an interesting opportunity recently that may lead to something but only time will tell.

Best of luck to everyone out there!

Photo Credit: Cappellmeister

Your Money Or Your Life

Justin Wright — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:50:48 +0000

When it comes to finding a career we truly love, one of the main things that can really hold us back is the lack of money (as well as large amounts of debt). I know this from personal experience because I was in this exact situation a few years ago. It can be really depressing when you find yourself in that “stuck” mode, where you have to keep your job in order to stay afloat even though you hate it. I might still be stuck in that same situation had I not hit my tipping point with office jobs and went through a financial overhaul.

Luckily, there is a solution to this problem and I feel that it can help people in just about any situation. What is it? Taking control of our personal finances. I know, the topic can get really boring, especially if all you do is read the “How to Get Rich” books that rehash the same content (save more money, make gazillions with real estate, etc.). It can also be overwhelming, especially if you find yourself in a tough position. But there is no better time to do an overhaul of your finances than right now.

In my book Life After the Cubicle I cover some of the basic finance steps I took to escape my job, which includes things like reducing expenses and saving up a nest egg. However, I HIGHLY recommend grabbing a copy of the book Your Money or Your Life since it covers these steps in detail. I can easily say it is the most interesting finance book I’ve read and it goes along with my own principles on living life to its fullest. It was written some time ago but all the principles in the book still apply, especially in the current economy.

Below is a breakdown of the five main principles shared in the book. While the book does cover a few more, I believe these to be the most important ones. Especially if you are new to the topic of personal finance.

Making Peace With The Past

Your Money or Your Life starts out with an introduction about why the “old road map to money” is no longer a good one. I completely agree with the authors and feel that a lot of us force ourselves into the money trap where we work ourselves to death in pursuit of money (myself included).

The book also addresses the problem of thinking we are our jobs. I have always hated the question “what do you do?” because it makes me feel like what I do for work is who I am as a person. This does not have to be the case. There is far more to us as human beings than what we do for a living.

Last but not least, it’s time to make peace with the past. Regardless of what situation you may find yourself in, just remember that going forward it can only get better.

Being In The Present – Tracking Your Life Energy

The next principle in the book is all about tracking the time you spend earning money. This is referred to as “life energy” in the book. If anything, it makes you realize that we do in fact exchange our life for money. We do this everyday when we perform paid employment, whether we like it or not.

However, the book takes it a step further and has you calculate the actual cost of time and money required to maintain your job. This includes things like transportation time and costs, the price of eating lunch at work, and other job related expenses. Once the total time and money is calculated, you then figure out how much per hour you actually earn. The number can be shockingly small, especially if you commute a lot.

Where Is It All Going?

Of all the principles in the book, this is my favorite one. Creating a monthly tabulation of every penny that leaves your hands is an amazing way to get a grasp of where all your money goes. You might even go into shock when you realize that small, frequent purchases can really add up over the course of a month.

As I mention often on this blog, one of the things that allows me to continue to work on things I enjoy is reduced expenses. And no, this doesn’t mean I live with my parents and eat rice and beans for every meal. I simply choose to spend my money wisely on the things I truly get fulfillment from. Tracking my spending every month allows me to keep my expenses in check.

I highly recommend giving it a try. At the very least, you will have a rough idea of where your money goes every month. From there, you can make adjustments and fine tune your expenses so they fit your lifestyle.

How Much Is Enough?

This is where the book really aligns with my personal way of living. There is a chapter in my book titled “A Million Is Not The Answer” where I talk about the idea of making “enough” instead of trying to make millions. If you do want to make millions, then by all means go for it! I personally feel like I can live my desired lifestyle on far less than a million dollars.

The real key is figuring out how much is enough for you. You might have a family and require more income to get by or perhaps you have little to no expenses so you can get by with very little. The important thing is to not go too far past enough. It’s been proven that a certain amount of excess money is a positive enhancement on your life but after a certain degree it can actually decrease your fulfillment. This is usually due to the fact that as you earn more money, you tend to sacrifice more life energy to get it.

Tracking Your Progress

Last but not least, it’s time to track your progress. Once you start monitoring your expenses, you can see how they compare to your income every month. The goal is to take the difference and invest it each month (retirement accounts, savings, etc.). You could also use the difference to get rid of any debt you may have. I did this for a long period of time and can honestly say that getting out of debt was one of the most liberating feelings I’ve ever had (even more than quitting my job).

Time To Get Started

While those are only a few of the principles shared in Your Money or Your Life, I feel that they are the most significant ones.

Being aware of your spending habits and defining enough are the two most important things you can do for yourself. You might just find that you can get by on a lot less money, which will open up doors to job opportunities you may have overlooked in the past.

Photo Credit: AaronPatterson

Should I Quit My Job?

Justin Wright — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:04:10 +0000

Over 3 years ago, I hit a tipping point where I could no longer handle working at an office job. I remember this experience like it was yesterday because I wrote a post about hitting my tipping point, where I wrote out my feelings and what was going through my head while I sat in my cubicle. Luckily I was able to make a change for the better and haven’t looked back since.

Since then, I’ve continued to work for myself and am soon going to be celebrating my 3 year anniversary of being self-employed. It’s been an interesting journey but I have enjoyed it and have learned more about business (and myself) than I ever would have anticipated.

However, the thing I find most interesting is that since writing that post, more than 230 people have stopped by and left comments (and stories) explaining how they no longer enjoy their jobs and are looking for a change in their life. It amazes me how many people feel the way I did and how the stories vary from person to person.

Besides getting a lot of feedback in the comments, I also get emails everyday from people who read that post and fill out my contact form looking for advice and information on what they should do regarding their job or career.

In almost every email I receive, the most common question I get is…

Should I Quit My Job?

This one question comes up so often that I thought it would be worth publishing a post addressing it. It can be a really difficult decision, especially if your situation makes it tough to live without that job.

I always struggle to answer this question for people who contact me because the answer can vary so much depending the person and situation. I remember when I asked myself this question it took almost 6 months before I actually got the balls to quit. It can be a really scary thing to consider, especially when money is tight and you have bills to pay.

Here are a few quick things to consider when asking yourself the question. I hope these tips will at least give you an idea of whether or not you should actually consider quitting your job.

1. Make Sure Your Job Is the Problem

Before you do anything crazy (like saying I quit this afternoon), I highly recommend taking a nice long look at your life. Make sure that the job you have is actually the problem and that it’s not something else outside of work that is causing you to hate your job or career.

If you’re like me, you might come to realize that your job is in fact the cause of your stress and the reason you feel like you need a change in life. Others might find that their job is not the reason for wanting a change.

2. Create A Game Plan For the Future

If you decide that quitting your job is the best solution, I highly recommend creating a game plan for the future. The biggest mistake you can make is quitting your job with no idea of what you are going to do next.

What should your game plan cover? For starters, it should address your living expenses and savings. Can you get by for awhile without a paycheck? If so, make note of that. If you find money is tight, you might have to make your first step saving up a nest egg so that you can quit your job without being stressed. You could also focus on ways of reducing your expenses, which can help you stretch your savings even further.

Another thing that is important to consider is your benefits. If you have health insurance (especially family coverage), you might need to look at alternative options to see what is available. The same goes for life insurance, retirement accounts, etc.

3. Figure Out What Career Is Next

Besides creating a game plan, you should also start looking into jobs and careers that you want to do. The last thing you want to do is quit your job and have absolutely no idea what you want to do next. If working for yourself is one of the things you are considering, I highly recommend starting on the side while still working your job (it worked for me). That way you can start to build up some momentum before you flip the switch and make it a full-time effort.

4. Say I Quit!

Last but not least, you eventually have to say I quit and take the leap. From my own experience, I can honestly say this was the hardest step for me to take. I got very nervous about quitting a job since I had never done it before. I had no idea how to write a letter of resignation, nor did I know what to do with it once I did type one up.

One thing I will highly recommend is giving a two week notice. Despite how much you might hate your job, the one thing you don’t want to do is burn bridges. You never know what life might have in store for you so it’s always best to do things correctly and professionally (I know, I sound like a career counselor).

And that’s it! While I know those are just basic steps, they should at least give you something to ponder instead of asking yourself “should I quit my job?” everyday. You can also read a more detailed version of these tips in my book Life After the Cubicle.

Best of luck!

And remember, this isn’t professional advice but simply my opinion. While I have done it myself, I can’t possibly know if quitting your job is the right thing for you are and your own situation.

Photo Credit: dplanet

It’s Been So Long…

Justin Wright — Tue, 10 May 2011 22:11:12 +0000

It feels like it’s been years since I published a new blog post. Turns out it’s only been two months. Then again, that’s still a heck of a break between posts. I hope to get back into the habit of writing more often but I can’t make any promises.

So what have I been doing the past two months?

Well, besides working on projects, I’ve been spending A LOT of time outdoors. I’ve been trying to get out hiking as often as possible and just broke the 200 mile mark for the year. My goal is to hike a thousand miles in 2011 (view my hike log).

I’m also getting ready for my first attempt at climbing Mt St Helens in a couple weeks. I’m really excited and hope the weather takes a turn for the better. We’ve had a few sunny days in the past couple of weeks but a lot of rain as well.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately as well. A few of my latest reads include Walden, Cat’s Cradle, and Franny and Zooey. I’m currently reading Ed Viester’s No Shortcuts to the Top, a book about climbing the 14 tallest peaks in the world. Mountaineering is the next hobby I’m looking to try out but it’s going to take some time.

Last but not least, I just want to thank everyone who’s taken the time to contact me over the past few weeks. My blog post about office jobs has been getting a lot of feedback lately from people who feel just like I did when I used to work in a cubicle.

So what’s been going on in your life? Feel free to leave a comment.

I’m Not Dead, Just Busy Shopping For A Duvet Set

Justin Wright — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 21:06:52 +0000

It’s hard to say it, but today I am celebrating my 25th birthday. That means I only have 5 years before I turn 30! I am amazed at how fast time has been going by over the past few years. It feels like just yesterday I was graduating from high school and heading off to college. Yikes!

If anything, I’ve really started to notice how “grown up” I’ve become. Not only do I sit around and drink tea and read books all day, but I now spend my free time working on my budget spreadsheet and browsing the shelves at Goodwill hoping to find a flannel shirt for a dollar.

The feeling of being a grown up really sank in when I recently found myself spending a fair amount of time in off-price retail stores (I refuse to pay full price for anything) looking for a down comforter and duvet set (apparently they cover the blanket). Luckily I found one yesterday and no longer wake up freezing from the lack of a heater here in Florida.

Anyways, if you haven’t noticed it’s been fairly quiet here on my blog over the past few months. Heck, I didn’t even post anything in the entire month of November. Luckily it’s a been for a good reason: I’ve been swamped working on various projects over at ZoopMedia

I’ve also been attacking The Man’s Essential Library. What is that you ask? It’s a kick-ass reading list made of up 100 various books. I’m 20 books in so far, with my favorites being The Dharma Bums, The Catcher in the Rye, and On the Road.

Last but not least, I’ve also been spending my time getting ready for another big move across the country. Florida just isn’t the place for me. I moved here just over a year ago and have enjoyed it, but it’s time to move on. Why? It’s missing one important thing that I miss more than anything: mountains.

Hiking and backpacking are my two favorite hobbies (besides reading) and what Florida has to offer just isn’t for me. I really miss the wilderness out West where you can go hiking just about anywhere. I also miss the seasons I grew up with in Wisconsin. If anything, Florida has made me hate the sun. Sometimes I wish it would just go away for a few days.

With all that in mind, I’ve officially decided to move to Portland, Oregon next month. My girlfriend and I are planning to make the drive from Florida, which will most likely come out somewhere around 50 hours. It will be the longest drive I have ever embarked on so if you happen to live along the I-10 or I-5 and have a place for us to crash please let me know.

PS. Need some inspiration for the new year? Check out this post featuring 30 Inspirational Presents For The Ones You Love.

Stop Making Excuses – Why There’s Never A “Right Time” To Get Started In Making Lifestyle Changes

Justin Wright — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:13:28 +0000

It's Time To Stop Making Excuses.

Why do so many people join the gym and go on a diet in January each year? Is it because they’ve all piled on plenty of weight over the Christmas period? To a degree the answer is yes. But of course this isn’t the whole story.

The people who go into a new fitness regime in the New Year are typically people who have been concerned about their figure for months. Maybe even years. But it’s the kick of making “New Years Resolutions” which provides the motivation to finally go out and do something about it.

Why didn’t they start getting in shape earlier in the year? Probably because they’re looking for the right time.

Attempting to achieve any major change in your life requires preparation and setting a time to really get started. Everyday life can be hectic and tiring and so we trundle along doing the same things week after week, month after month. Making a massive change to our everyday activities – even if it is going to significantly benefit us in the long run – requires considerable energy, time and focus.

Another example. I spent the last three years working in the Christmas gift industry. Whilst you always get a few very organized people who have finished buying their gifts by the beginning of November, most people are “too busy” to get started that early and instead have a mad week of panic-buying once December gets going. You’d be shocked how many people are still knocking on the door after we close on Christmas eve begging to be let in.

The fact is that all of us manage to “create” time to do our Christmas shopping, whether that is in October or a few days before Christmas. So if we can create that time when we really need to, why not create it earlier? People aren’t too busy, they just haven’t prioritized. They haven’t applied themselves. Christmas holidays appearing round the corner finally gives them the kick to find the time to do their shopping.

How many times do people tell you they want to give up smoking, they just need to “find the time”. I know someone who has been planning to give up smoking for the last two years but the time is “never right”.

The fact is that the time will never be right to start on a new journey and make changes to your life. All major journeys take time and effort. The key to making those changes is simply to set a date and to go for it.

If you’ve read The Four Hour Work Week and from there started to read a number of lifestyle design blogs and newsletters then this is really your wake up call. If you’re enjoying reading about the concepts, dreaming about what life *could* be like but you have yet to actually take your first practical step and start making changes to your lifestyle then *now* is the time.

There will never be a “perfect time”. Life will still get in the way. You’ll still get ill. Your computer will still break. You’ll get fed up with your job or fall out with your best friend. Life happens. But these challenges will crop up whether you start on your lifestyle design journey today or next year.

And frankly the sooner you get started, the sooner you will start to see results. The sooner you’ll start noticing the differences to your life and one day soon you’ll wake up and thank your lucky stars that you started when you did and have created a lifestyle full of freedom, passion, excitement and fulfillment.

If you’ve read this far then I want you to make yourself a promise. Make time this week to sit down and sketch out your ideal lifestyle. Make a formal plan of the changes you want to make. Use a pen and paper so your plans are written down. Then commit to getting started. There’s never an ideal time, so *make* this your ideal time.

***
This guest post was written by Richard Adams. Richard blogs about his own journey into lifestyle design over at Lifestyle Design Unleashed.

Photo: Danielle Scott

What Exactly Is Lifestyle Design?

Justin Wright — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:15:17 +0000

Over the past few weeks, I have received a handful of emails on the topic of lifestyle design. Specifically, a few people asked me what lifestyle design actually means. Instead of coming up with a short definition, I decided to put together a post that answers that question in detail.

In a nutshell, lifestyle design is all about creating your own design and plan for life. You start by asking yourself some basic questions such as:

What do you want to accomplish in your life?
What is important to you?
Where do you want to live?
What do you want to spend your time doing?

Once you have a good understanding of what you want out of life, you then design a lifestyle to suit your needs. Last but not least, you create a plan to make it happen.

Want a longer definition? Here is what I think lifestyle design is all about:

It’s All About Choices

Lifestyle design is all about realizing that you have a choice in life. No one ever said you had to stick with your job or go to college (parents are an exception).

Instead, you have complete control over everything you do (or don’t do). If something isn’t the way you want it to be, you can change it. If you are not where you want to be, you can create a plan to get there.

Once you realize that you have control in life, you can start to think outside the box and start having fun with it.

It’s All About You

As selfish as it sounds, lifestyle design is all about you. Sometimes you have to spend a little time on yourself and truly figure out what it is you want to do in life. Otherwise you might race through your whole life without even realizing it.

No one can tell you how or why you should live your life a certain way. Many “Lifestyle Designers” will try to tell you that traveling and wealth are everything but this is far from the truth.

However, I have come to realize that time, passion, and freedom are the three things that most of us are after. Other than that, everything is custom to who you are and what you want to do.

It’s All About A Design

Lifestyle design is all about designing a lifestyle that suits you. Instead of accepting the typical lifestyle that many people have told you to follow, you go out and create one from scratch that suits you (a unique individual).

If you want to travel, then by all means design a lifestyle that allows you to travel as often as possible. If you like being a waitress, perhaps you should design a lifestyle that allows you to be the best damn waitress on the planet.

The key is to design something that is ideal for yourself. Do not listen to what anyone else has to say and do not fear what others might think of you.

It’s All About A Plan

Lifestyle design is all about taking your design and creating a plan to make it a reality. Trust me, it is a lot easier than you think once you already have the design aspect figured out.

The important thing is to completely breakdown your lifestyle design and figure out what obstacles, tasks, and projects need to be figured out in order for you to live life the way you want it to be. Then start coming up with small steps you can take in the right direction.

It is also important to realize that lifestyle design takes time. Don’t expect everything to fall in to place overnight. Try your best to enjoy the journey and constantly remind yourself that your life is happening right now.

It’s All About Action

Lifestyle design is all about taking action. Without it, you are not going to get anywhere you haven’t already been. So take my advice and get started today, not tomorrow. Start taking any steps you can and before you know it your life will be just how you planned it.

From personal experience, I have found that the very first step is always the hardest. Once you get started, you start to build up your motivation to keep going and things start falling into place.

It’s All About Dedication

Lifestyle design is all about dedication. While taking action is very important, it is not the only thing you need to be successful. Since most people are going to hit roadblocks (including myself) along the way, you have to be dedicated to making this all work.

Take my advice and realize that you will fall down sometimes. When it happens, force yourself to get back up and continue you on. Eventually you will get where you want (and need) to be.

It’s All About Passion

Lifestyle design is all about passion. Regardless of how you design your lifestyle, you should be 100% certain that you are passionate as hell about it. You should be ready to eat, sleep, and breath your lifestyle and everything that comes along with it.

Why is passion so important? Because you should enjoy what you do on a daily (even hourly) basis. Everything you do in your life should be something you want to do, not something you feel forced to do.

It’s All About Change

Lifestyle design is all about change. What kind of change? A change for the better.

This is a personal opinion, but I feel that lifestyle design should be about making a difference in the world, someone’s life, or in the way we do things. I truly believe that as humans, we have a desire to help in as many ways as possible.

Don’t believe me? Just ask someone what they would do if they didn’t have to work and many people will answer with volunteer, teach, or some other form of activity that benefits someone or something.

If your lifestyle design is nothing more than making a bunch of money and doing nothing, then by all means do it. However, I highly recommend seeking a lifestyle where you can benefit others (and/or the world we live in).

***
There you have it, an in-depth look at lifestyle design. I probably missed a few things and some people may have differing opinions but I think this is a great starting point.

Photo Credit: icathing

Have something to add? Feel free to leave some feedback and let me know.

Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?

Justin Wright — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:33:22 +0000

Over the past week, I’ve been hiding out and reading a new book I bought. For some reason, I could not put the book down until I finally finished it up. So what book was it?

The book was Linchpin by Seth Godin. Seth is not only one of my favorite authors, but he is also one of my role models. The guy is a genius in so many ways and I’ve been a follower of his blog since college.

Whenever he comes out with a new book, I tend to make it a priority to give it a read. After finishing this one up, all I can say is “wow.”

Despite that a lot of the content was not new to me, the book still managed to open my mind in many ways. It’s much different from some of his other books and focuses on being, rather than doing.

Here’s my Linchpin review including some details about the book and what I thought of it.

The System Is Broken

In his book, Godin talks about our current work system and how it is broken. Many tasks that used to be done by white-collar employees can now be done for free, by groups of people or by machines thanks to advancements in technology. A great example of this is Amazon’s Mechanical Turk.

The idea of just showing up for work and putting in your time no longer works. Unfortunately, most schools teach people how to do this with perfection. When it came to working in an office, I used to be amazing at “just showing up.”

Unfortunately, people have no problems buying into the career system that basically states that if you do what your boss tells you to do, you’ll be fine. And who can blame them? It’s the way we’ve been raised and educated.

It’s Time To Be An Artist

So what is the solution to simply showing up and following orders at work? Becoming an artist.

Seth spends a good part of the book describing the modern-day artis. The modern-day artist doesn’t necessarily work as a painter or a musician. Instead, they are someone who brings their heart and soul to their work, regardless of what it is that they do.

An artist is someone who is willing to do things differently to see results. It doesn’t matter if it’s the difficult road or the road less traveled. An artist will create and invent whatever is necessary to make progress and carry out their work.

Seth also makes it a point that everyone has an artistic side. Everyone has faced a problem at some point in their life that they were able to find a solution for. It doesn’t matter if it is a big problem or a small one. The point is to realize that if you did it once, you can do it again.

The Lizard Brain

Unfortunately, most people have hidden their artistic abilities due to the lizard brain. The what?

The lizard brain is that little voice inside your head that tells you that it’s too risky or that you should just follow orders. This voice usually convinces you to stick to the old way of doing things since it would be embarrassing to fail or get caught doing something unusual.

The lizard brain tends to make you hesitate and give in to the “typical way of doing things.” I can still remember my lizard brain telling me to stick with my job. It convinced me to stay there for almost a year even though I knew I wanted to quit. The voice can be very powerful voice and can often stop you in your tracks.

The Linchpin

As I mentioned above, Seth makes it a point to remind us that we need to be artists. In other words, we need to stop being clones and start being unique. We need to be the linchpin, the piece that’s needed in order for everything to function.

A linchpin is someone who is indispensable and cannot be easily replaced. They make their own maps and follow through with them. Instead of taking instructions, linchpins take action and figure out how to get things done.

They are intelligent, creative, and do not shy away from human communication. Linchpins are the type of people who interact with customers, coworkers, and anyone else they come across in their life. They aren’t afraid to speak up and make conversation.

However, he does mention that some art cannot be monetized. If this happens to be you, don’t be afraid to give your work away. He also recommends trying to love whatever it is that you do to make money, even if it means sticking with a job that isn’t perfect for you.

My Take On The Book

The book is definitely a great read. Being an entrepreneur myself, I didn’t take much from the first few sections of the book since the idea of plugging in to the system is something I’ve disagreed with my whole life. I’ve always considered myself somewhat unique and never liked the idea of following instructions. It’s so much more fun to make your own, even if it takes you a few tries.

The whole idea of being an artist is something I enjoyed reading about. It reminded me of why I started working for myself. The freedom it offers cannot be beat. I tend to be creative and love facing new challenges and finding ways to overcome them.

If you are new to the idea of being a linchpin, the book will most likely be an eye-opening experience for you. It will really open your mind and will challenge you to look at everything you do differently.

***

My advice is to go out and challenge yourself today. Do something completely different and see what happens. You’ll most likely realize that the lizard brain is full of crap.

The Art of Voluntary Simplicity

Justin Wright — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:51:15 +0000

As many of you know, ever since I hit my tipping point with office jobs I decided to live a life of voluntary simplicity. This lifestyle change is the main reason why I was able to leave that job and pursue my passions.

However, a lot of people who I talk to are curious to know what simplicity means in terms of a lifestyle. So here is an in-depth look at the lifestyle and how you can start living it yourself.

What Is Voluntary Simplicity?

From my experience, voluntary simplicity means different things to different people. For the most part, choosing a life of simplicity means that you stop living the “modern-day lifestyle” that many of us have grown accustomed to. You stop focusing on accumulating possessions and whatnot and start focusing on getting as much value out of your time as possible. You remove the things you do not need in your life, whether they be physical or mental.

By removing the clutter from your life, you can spend your time pursuing your passions, hanging out with your friends and family, and doing the things that make you happy. You clear out all the junk for good and live a life of passion, freedom, and happiness.

Living a life of simplicity also helps you focus on living in the moment, rather than the past or future. None of us can travel in time as of date, so the only real time we have is now. This very second is your life as you read this sentence. By living in the moment, you can truly experience everything you do in your life.

Want a good example? The next time you sit down to eat, make it a goal to focus on what you are eating. Taste the food and actually enjoy the different flavors that each food has. It’s pretty amazing if I must say so myself.

Last but not least, a life of simplicity usually involves frugality. You start to focus only on the things you need (roof, clothes, food) and not on the things your television tells you to buy. By spending less money, you also open yourself up a lot more possibilities since you no longer need as much money to live from.

Where Should You Start?

Since voluntary simplicity is a personal choice, the best place to start is by deciding whether or not the lifestyle is for you. If it is, you should know that it does take time to transition into the lifestyle. It’s very difficult to make the switch overnight since you most likely have a lot of different things you will need to change in your life.

Here are a few things you can do to start implementing the lifestyle:

Reduce Expenses

A great place to start is by doing an in-depth look at your expenses. Take the time to figure out where your money goes and see if you can reduce any of the expenses. If you have cable, think about ditching it. If you have a cellphone, think about getting the cheapest plan possible.

Reduce Clutter

Have a ton of stuff lying around? If so, you might want to consider decluttering. Go through everything you own and decide what things you need and what things you could live without. Then make a plan to get rid of everything you do not need. You could try selling it on Craigslist or donate to a local charity.

Organize

Once you remove all the clutter, it is time to organize everything you have left. An organized home is an important aspect of simple living and makes it easier to keep your mind at ease.

Go Green

Believe it or not, going green is a great way to save money and reduce the amount of things you need and use. For a list of things you can do, check out my post on going green and saving money.

Automate

A great way to free up more time in your life is by automating various tasks and chores. For example, sign up for automatic billing on any of your recurring expenses. This cuts down on the amount of time you have to spend paying them every month.

Consolidate

Just like automating, consolidating your tasks and chores can free up a lot of time. For example, instead of running to the grocery store on Tuesday and the laundromat on Wednesday, do them both on the same day. Start planning ahead so you can take care of all your errands at one time.

Cut Back on Email

Not only is email a time killer, but it is also a productivity killer. Try cutting back as much as you can and close your inbox if you need to.

Focus on What Works

I highly recommend taking some time to analyze your entire life at this exact moment. Figure out what is working in your life and what isn’t. Then make a plan to remove all the things that are not working so you can focus all your energy on what works for you.

Eat Real Food

One of the things I started doing a few months ago is eating real foods. By focusing on eating natural foods instead of highly processed foods (canned, boxed, etc.), you not only make yourself healthier but also reduce the waste you go through since most processed foods are heavy on the packaging.

By no means are these all the things you can do. These are just a good place to start, especially if you are new to the idea of living a simple life.

I must say that I truly enjoy this lifestyle. By no means do I feel like I am missing out on anything nor do I feel poor. Matter of fact, I feel rich since I actually have time to enjoy myself and spend time with the people I care about.

Do you live a life of simplicity?

Photo Credit: Katie@!