El Poder Del Disfrute

INTRODUCTION
A story has been sold to you for countless generations. The main character of this story was you.
For years, the CEOs had you believe that you were born into this world for a purpose and that one day you would achieve it. They told you to go after your dreams and pursue happiness, in the belief that you would one day possess them. Unfortunately, you were led on a wild goose chase. You were told to chase happiness and go after your dreams, but you ended up being fooled into pursuing something intangible instead of something real. Well, I'm here to wake you up to what is real. The truth is...
You can't really achieve happiness.
The Power of Enjoyment: How to Stop Dreaming and Achieve Whats Real | HiLife2B | Page 2
Now before you chuck this book into the recycle bin, realize that it's not as big of a deal as you think (though you should've seen my face when I figured this out). Its just that the happiness you thought you were shooting for might not be as easy to get or as clearly defined as you once believed. Throughout our lives, we place so much value on finding our purpose and obtaining happiness. And while we look for them, there are influences all around us, spanning anywhere from the countless history books to the elders of society themselves. We think because theyre older, the books and the elders have all the answers. And to some extent, they do. Much can be learned from the written teachings of Buddha and the advice of your grandparents. But its ultimately because of this constant search for meaning that were so easily led astray. When we dont trust ourselves to decide what our own purpose is, we seek the approval of others to tell us how to live, how to dress, and how to act.
We think that if we augment ourselves to what society wants, well be that much closer to true happiness. For example, I used to think success meant a big mansion and fast cars, and happiness was getting a hot wife and having geniuses for kids. Did I come up this myself? No, but at the time, I wasnt aware. I struggled with this idea of happiness for a while, to the point where I was just about ready to doubt whether I could ever truly be happy. Luckily, I was able figure out why I was so confused. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, so I sought someone else to decide it for me. To achieve my own happiness, I had to focus on what I wanted and not on what society thought I wanted. This goes for you too. If youre willing, put aside your preconceived notions of what happiness is. You don't have to chase the carrot on the stick anymore. You don't have to pursue what you can't touch.
Instead, you can go after what you've been working for all this time; the right to enjoy life on your own terms. The purpose of life is not to achieve happiness, a mere emotion, but to engage in the actions that evoke it. Ive taken the steps to discover these actions and have been living a life of enjoyment ever since. I hope that this book teaches you how to fashion your life so that you can do the same.
Don't let anyone decide the future but yourself

My first mistake was allowing others to decide my future for me. In doing that, I relinquished responsibility over myself, blaming others whenever I got into trouble and seeking material things to make me happy. When I found out my parents wanted me to be a surgeon, I was ecstatic. I knew surgeons made a lot of money, and it was an honorable profession as well. What I didnt know is that being a surgeon didnt align with what I wanted out of life. No offense to the profession, but I didnt want to work for most of the day opening people up. Learning new things and reading books was where my passions lay. So I took a chance. I turned my back on the conventional path in favor of becoming a writer. Instead of looking to others to decide your future, ask yourself, who are you living for? For yourself or for others?
Schools are constantly working to churn out math and science geniuses (or high school and college dropouts). They spend more time on memorization and less time on encouraging students to embrace their hobbies. Society tries to force people into the same mold, but everyone's not the same. The child with a mind bursting with creativity is lumped with the other "defects", put in a position where he has to decide between making lots of money doing what is acceptable, or working for minimum wage to make his passion worth something. Why does this happen, you ask? Purely because society laid out this foundation; a foundation that's been in power for decades. In exchange for years of conventional servitude, the people soak in steady income and honor and praise. The result: better doctors, lawyers, and engineers. But where does that leave people like you and me, whose passions lie not in doing work that doesn't matter, but work that matters to you? That's where this movement comes in. The path to freedom begins now.
These are two terms youre going to need to know. To put it simply: Happiness is an emotion attached to whatever society thinks is enjoyable or embodies success. Whether that means through getting laid with a lot of women or a lot of men (sex sells), or buying lots of clothes and useless technology, if you achieve this, youll definitely feel good. Chance of acquiring: Portrayed to be easily attainable, but itll cost you a lot of your time and money. Longevity: At the most, will last for a few days or weeks after each purchase/engagement (depending on how materialistic you are). Happiness is an emotion that we know we cant possess. Whats important, however, is what it symbolizes. The actions you take that give you the most enjoyment that is happiness. Chance of acquiring: 100%. Minimal to no purchases required...as long as you do what you enjoy. Longevity: It can potentially last an entire lifetime.
HAPPINESS
VS.
HAPPINESS
THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS IS A LOST CAUSE

Year after year, you're told the same storythat your primary goal in life is to achieve happiness. What you don't know is that the happiness everyone's been brainwashed into going after isn't something you can achieve. You can't buy it in small amounts or bag it up and save it for when you need it. Unfortunately, not everybody knows this. For decades we've tried to find ways to quantify happiness. Now weve found ways, or, in other words, society has found ways to sell us the dream of happiness. Happiness has come to be defined by: how much you own how many friends you have how cool you are how much sex youre getting
how well you get paid/how good your job is What Im about to share with you is how I think most American children (like myself ) are raised to seek employment in order to obtain happiness. Its a pretty sad cycle, albeit a very clever process. One that persists to this day.
HOW I WAS RAISED TO JOIN THE RAT RACE

As a young boy, I originally saw life as an adventure. A mythical journey with an interesting surprise at every turn. Seriously, I used to believe that this was how life was. Paying bills, getting jobs, driving cars; none of that mattered. Rather, I was more interested in getting life to reveal its secrets by running around and playing. The longer I played, the more alive I felt, and the more I enjoyed life. I'd recount the day's events and think to myself: "Life is good. I hope this feeling lasts forever."
For a while, everything was great (no wonder childhood is seen as the Golden Age by many!). But that all changed when I let myself become exposed to two things: 1. a TV 2. school The moment I came into contact with these two things, my life would never be the same. Now, Im not blaming either of these things for the problems I would soon develop. They were just significant factors that helped bring to light the fate of most Americans. Like many kids my age, as soon as I laid my eyes on the television, I was hooked. I swear, not a day went by without watching up to 3-4 hours of TV (6 or more on the weekends). Though, I admit, I learned a lot about people and life through the television,; I enjoyed watching nature shows and the hilarious sitcoms. Cartoons were peoples imaginations brought to life.
The moment I relinquished my own happiness

I know you saw this coming.
But the thing that I didnt notice at the time was the impact of the commercials. Now that I think about it, I saw A LOT of commercials; the majority of them specifically targeted at children.* Every time a commercial came on, I dreaded it (they interrupted my programming), but Id sit through them nonetheless. Theyd typically show kids playing with the hot new toy on the market. But the issue here isnt what they were advertising, it was how they acted while doing it. In every commercial, they acted happy. No matter what toy they had, the kids were always smiling and laughing. As a child, you wanted to be just like them. You wanted to have the fun that they seemed to be having so much of. Your new objective was to get that toy.
But what could you do? You didnt have money. You were just a child; powerless and weak... unlike your parents. No, the solution was to complain. To beg and to plead with your parents to get you that toy. Almost immediately, theyd respond with a no (or maybe theyd humor you with a why first). But that wouldnt be the end of it. How could it be when you had school to attend to, filled to the brim with people who watched TV just like you! It was funny; we had all seen the exact same commercial. In no time, the latest kids toy was the talk of the class. Everybody would share stories of how they asked their parents and got rejected. For a moment, that would make you feel better. But then, there would be that one kid whose parents had said yes. Wed stare at him in disbelief. Yes!? My parents said no! wed exclaim.
*The
average American child sees over 20,000 30-second TV commercials in one year.
In an instant, we knew what we had to do. It was either get this toy, or be left out of happiness. Thered be hell to pay when you got home from school.
The happiness the commercial advertised proved to be short-lived. Oh, but wait! Theres another new toy on the market. This time its something completely different. And look! The kids are having fun in this one too. Maybe more toys meant more happiness. And so, the cycle continued. But it didnt stop there.
The birth of consumerism

This time, you wouldnt accept no for an answer. You would do more than just beg. Instead youd erupt! Your rage would know no bounds. Youd do whatever it took to get that toy. Then, after much yelling, your parents would give in (trust me, they ALL give in). At long last, the happiness that the kids in the commercial had experienced would finally be yours! And for a while, it was. Youd play with your new toy every day, thinking it was definitely worth all the trouble. Even your friends at school seemed happier, as they too acquired that new toy. But then, as with everything else you got as a child, you got bored. The allure of the toy quickly faded.
Entering the workforce

Lets fast-forward to your teenage years. Hormones are coursing through your veins. Strange thoughts are consuming your brainsmostly that of the opposite sex. Whats more is that the friendships we made in school are becoming more and more significant. Youre also beginning to care more about the self-image you project than how you feel about yourself. But thats not all. As you grow, the shows you watch and the ads you see on TV are growing with you. No longer are you interested in buying the childrens toys. Youre more interested in the drama-filled shows. However, the guys behind commercial advertising already know this. They know that youre going through a difficult time of confusion and self-discovery. Theyre here to take advantage of this. How do they do that? By putting images and innuendoes of sex in your face and making money from it, thats how!
The movies and TV shows start becoming more eroticized. Its like the medias sending you a subliminal message to go have sex; if youre not doing it, youre missing out. What do you think happens when you get back to school the next day? Everybodys talking about it. Everyone wants to do it. You hear the cool kids are having it too. Unfortunately, sex doesnt seem as easy to get as a toy. You cant just ask your parents to get it for you. Your parents have also portrayed sex as something forbidden. It seemed all hope was lost... thankfully, we had our good friend the television to tell us what to do. You turn it on, and what do you see? Not a toy (of course not, youve outgrown them by now) but something better. Shiny technology and name-brand clothing that could potentially boost your social proof. The Ipad. A new car. The next laptop. The hottest clothes. And look at the commercials. The people in them all looked so cool. You know what being cool got you, right? It got you lots of friends.
And when you have lots of friends, youll be really popular. And when youre popular, you get lots of sex, which, in addition to your body wanting it, you heard was good. Thats it then. You had no choice but to get what you saw on TV. But again, there came another roadblock. You werent a kid anymore. You already hit pubertyyou had responsibilities now. So when you asked your parents for [insert highlycommercialized product here], theyd respond with: How old are you? Get a job. Eureka! The only thing that stood between you and ultimate happiness seemed to be a job. So, like everyone else, you got one. Finally, youre getting paid; now you could buy whatever you wanted. This must be happiness. Or so it seemed.
YOUR IDEALS HAVE BEEN RE-SHAPED

So lets say you got a job. You got the gadgetspopularity was yours. You got the sex. But for some reason, you still felt unfulfilled. You didnt realize it at the time, but you were still confused. Maybe you felt great in the moment, but even when you looked back on all the fun memories, you continued to feel empty inside. But at this time in your life, it didnt matter. You had colleges to apply to. There were craploads of college letters (read: more ads) to sort through. And just look at the packaging! The kids seem happy there. Maybe if you went there, youd be happy too. Besides, if you ended up not being happy, youd still be able to get a degree, which will get you a better job, so you could buy more stuff and be even happier! And on and on it went. From college to employment to marriage to children: the things that everyone said would make you happy ultimately didnt.
The point of this story isnt what you think it is...

I didnt write this to bring to light the evil that is television or toys or gadgets or sex. The problem really isnt even the stuff you buyit actually stems from two things about ourselves: our narcissism our desire to belong These personal traits are a bit more complicated, so Ill explain them below.
1. Were the wrong kind of selfish

It doesnt matter what you say; were all selfish in some way. But dont feel bad about it. Without selfishness, youd give away all of your stuff to other people. Youd most likely die as a result of being completely selfless.
Whats important to note, however, is that we tend to have the wrong kind of selfishness. When youre young, you tend to use the positive kind of selfishness. You live life for yourself, and you play and laugh because its fun to you, not anybody else. But as you get older, you start drifting into the more negative type of selfishness. You see that guy with the better job and shinier car and all of a sudden, you want it. HIs life should be yours because it looks like hes having more fun. Unfortunately, the TV and school accelerate this narcissism. We start focusing on what makes other people happy (getting good grades, being cool) instead of what makes us happy. Ironically, taking the focus off of ourselves makes us unhappy.
2. We want to belong
As a human, you naturally want to be a part of a community. You want to be admired. You want to belong. But because of this desire to belong, we sometimes do things that arent exactly the best for us. We do things to try to fit in, to get approval from everyone else. This is what keeps the cycle going. We place all this focus on what everyone else wants because we seem to think that other people know about life much better than we do. Whats funny is that most people dont know where theyre going anyway.
THERES ONLY ONE WAY TO LIVE LIFE ON YOUR OWN TERMS

I used to seek everyones approval. I used to buy things to make people think Im cool or to make myself happy. I used to act a certain way just so I could be accepted. The end result was always the same. But now I know the answer. The only way to truly enjoy life is to focus on what you want. Remember when you were a child when all you did was care about what you got? When all you did was do what you enjoyed? Thats the type of selfishness you want; the selfishness that brings you the most pleasure in the long-run. Focus on what brings you joy. Zero in on the actions that make you feel most alive.
For me, this rings true in writing. Its both my therapy and my passion. Its what I truly love to do.
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOURSELF

(AKA CLEVERLY PLACED DISCLAIMER)
I know what I talked about earlier isnt true for everybody. Maybe television and peer pressure didnt affect you as much as it did me. But for the record, the television shows that I grew up with meant a lot to me (I love Seinfeld!) and if I never went to school, Id have never met the teachers who believed I could be more than what I saw myself to be. That being said, if youre ready to be live life on your own terms, be prepared for how much your life will change. Youre not going to be able to blame television, or your friends or your boss if you fail. Everythings on you. Focusing on yourself means that you shouldnt ask anyone for approval when you want to take risks. You have to have the courage to make the leap on your own. Dont hold me responsible for any of your successes or failures.
Why you decided to read this book

Maybe you shouldn't even be listening to me. Truth be told, I'm just a college kid, some guy on the internet. I don't even have a real job. I know what you're probably thinking and I'll tell you right now: I'm not a crazy party guy. I've turned my blog into a business out of necessity (Im not exactly the richest guy in Chicago). I don't waste money on beer (it's mostly on food and taking the bus/subway). I have maybe 100 or so truly valuable things to my name, possibly less. I'm a minimalist, in practice and in purpose (Don't know what a minimalist is? Find out here).
I cant teach you how to be rich. Nor can I guarantee that this book will improve your life in every aspect. But I can teach you how to enjoy it. This book isn't about me. It's about you. I'm already living the life I want, minus all the money and gadgets that you think that it requires. I wrote this book to help you to break out of what society says is happiness and find out what it means for yourself. No one should have to force you to wake up at 7 in the morning to do work you don't care about just so you can get a realistic job everyone approves of. Wake up because you have a reason to.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JOHN ANYASOR
John Anyasor is the guy in charge of HiLife2B, a blog where he writes to inspire others beyond their perspectives. He believes in pursuing pleasure and simply enjoying life. He is a third-year undergraduate attending the University of Chicago. His ultimate goal is to be location-free and financially independent by Sept. 19, 2011. He also despises pigtails.
BROADEN YOUR
PERSPECTIVE
If your perspective is limited, you can't reach new heights. The best way to see through the smoke is to break your foundations and step forward towards a new destiny; one which you can call your own.
DEACTIVATE YOUR
PROGRAMMING
Since the day you were born, your impulses have been suppressed.
Societal norms have taught you that expressing yourself differently was weird. That you were to act normal. Whats normal? Whatever they decide. Unfortunately, what's normal and what's weird isn't clearly defined either. You could be acting normal one day and everything's fine, but the next day you could be acting a little off or uncool. So instead of being ourselves, we live as if we're walking on eggshells. Starting now, you will have to stop caring what people think. The CEOs will tell you to send out resumes by the truckload to even get a chance at acquiring a decent 9-to-5 job. They will tell you that climbing the corporate ladder to gain years of experience is the only way to live a happy life and achieve your dreams. They will tell you that a college degree is absolutely mandatory for survival. Without it, all you can ever hope for is a cheap gig flipping patties on a grill. That without the gate keeper's key, you're nothing in this world, barely a contributing member of society. Now heres the kicker: whatever they told you was wrong. While some of what they say is true (hard work rules all), the rest of it is based purely on what the CEOs want. They want
you to work only for them for 8 hours a day. In return, they pay you much less than what your time is worth, and you get to keep paying rent or your mortgage. They make you assume that taking the road most traveled is the path to enduring happiness... if you can beat out the competition. Big business wants you to think that the only way to live well is to sacrifice your youth in order to merely survive in the future. We know that money can't buy happiness and buying stuff doesn't create it. What lies ahead for you now is to find your own meaning in life. Take the first step and find out what you want to do with your life.
TRY EVERYTHING
Everyone has trouble answering the BIG question; what do you want to do for the rest of your life? The most common answer I get when I ask people is I don't know. I used to give the same answer. The only way to find your lifes work Throw everything on the wall and see what sticks. When I was in the 2nd grade, I had my mind set on becoming a cook. That dream was quickly dissolved by my parents. You wont make any money that way. Go study your books. I eventually gave that up, convinced that I probably wasnt good enough to cook anyway (sadly, this statement holds true today). Then I wanted to be an artist. I thought this was my calling. Id draw in class, on the sidewalks, even on the walls of my home.
I even drew my first 2-page Garfield comic in the 4th grade. Everyone thought I was a pretty good drawer, and for a while, I believed them. But somewhere down the road, I stopped cold turkey. The passion just wasnt there. I tried a lot of other things too: singing, basketball, track, teaching. I couldnt connect with any of them. It turned out that my true calling was writing, which is surprising, since I never really considered it much of a hobby to begin with. Now I want to spend my entire life doing it. Once you figure this out, take advice from a man who makes his entire living doing what he loves: Assuming youve already figured out what you love, the first thing you should do is do what you love. Do it for free, in your spare time, and have a blast doing it. Connect with others interested in the same thing, feed off their energy. Eventually youll be able to make a living doing it, but for now, just do it. - Leo Babauta
THE ONLY REASON YOU EXIST ON THIS PLANET

I've discovered the meaning of life. Everyone goes through a stage of finding themselves. Maybe they've begun to question why they do what they do everyday, or maybe they feel as if there's more they could be doing. Maybe they feel unfulfilled, even though they thought that with the right job and the right friends, they could achieve a life of purpose. Unfortunately, that's not the case anymore. I went through my first year of college without knowing what I wanted to do with my life. Wasn't I supposed to help people? It's my duty to save the world from destroying itself. I thought my purpose was already predestined, that everyone existed on Earth for a reason.
Now, I see that that's something else not worth wasting your time worrying about. The truth is that you aren't given a purpose. Nobody is. You aren't given a job to do. Purpose isn't fated, but decided by you. The person who truly enjoys life is the one who defies fate; he is the one who makes his own destiny. Sounds clich, but it's true. I could easily stop there, but I'm going to give you a hint as to what your purpose might be. People will say that you were put on this planet to do this, or you were created save that, but that's all baloney. Your purpose is to do what you enjoy. Your reason for living is to take pleasure in life (if you take pleasure in saving the world, by all means, have at it! Just dont force yourself to because you feel guilty about the state of the planet). Think about it. When the first humans thrived on Earth, all they did was eat, sleep, and have sex. These are the most basic pleasures known to humankind. In time, however, humans discovered other, more complex pleasures.
Some examples are stone-breaking, wheel-making, and bridge-building. Until these passions grew into writing, reading, and learning. Passions have evolved over centuries; some more important to you than others. The point is that your purpose should be what you enjoy doing the most. Not watching TV. Not playing video games. It has to be something that forces you to wake up, making you think, The day starts with [insert insanely awesome pastime here]. The thing to remember though is that not everyone discovers their purpose at the same time. Lots of things happen in our lives that cause us to drift away from what we enjoy the most; things like work or family responsibilities. To find your purpose, think back to when you were at your happiest, free from duty and obligation. Now, what did you enjoy doing the most? What gave you the most personal fulfillment? Once you figure that out, pat yourself on the back. That, my friend, is your purpose.
TAKE THE
NEXT STEP
I'm sure a lot of you have heard by now that if you do what you love the money will follow. While true, this advice isnt really practical. Luckily for you, there are people who've done what they loved and made great gains doing so. You can follow in their footsteps.
THOSE WHOVE PURSUED WHAT THEY ENJOYED

Want proof that you can do what you love and still get paid? Here are just some of the
most prominent bloggers in the world who became successful doing what they enjoyed: Glen Allsopp of ViperChill He s About Internet Marketing: Glen took a leap of faith and started his first website at the age of 15. Since then, he's gone very far in the internet business world, going on to become the main writer of one of the most popular self-improvement blogs in the world. After selling this website, he went on to teach others what hes learned about the reality of viral marketing on his new blog, ViperChill.
Everett Bogue of Far Beyond the Stars Hes About Teaching Minimalism: Formerly an employee of New York Magazine, Everett quit his job and started a minimalist movement to become location-free and financially independent in 6 months. Now that he makes a sustainable income, Everett's started traveling the world while teaching simplicity and minimalism from his blog, Far Beyond the Stars. Derek Sivers of Sivers.org He's About Helping People Make Music: Also a minimalist, Derek founded CD Baby, one of the largest independent music-selling companies on the web. He's changed the way music is bought and sold across the world, advocating that you have to sell who you are through the music you play (in other words, be unique). He's currently living a nomadic lifestyle.
Timothy Ferriss of the Four-Hour Workweek He's About Getting Others to Test Assumptions: Tim's one of the guys who inspired me to start my blogging career in the first place. The world is full of preconceived notions and untested assumptions; Tim constantly tests to see if theyre true. As a result, he's written a New York Times best-selling book known the world over as The 4Hour WorkWeek in which he tests the assumptions made about the way people do business and lifestyle design. Naomi Dunford of IttyBiz She's About Helping Aspiring Entrepreneurs Build Businesses: Naomi's firecracker, no bullsh*t attitude adds fuel to the fire of her passion; helping others create online businesses. Before this, she worked for 10 years in marketing and collaborated with a number of Fortune 500 companies. But
Naomi decided that she had to start her own business so she could spend more time with her son.
Have the courage find out for yourself what's real

These guys were once like you. They tried to thrive in a conformist society that told them when to work and when to play. Their pay depended on how many hours they slaved away. They were once comfortable trading their lives for money. But over time, they got fed up. They were tired of sacrificing their time just so they could get the next paycheck. They stopped caring about chasing a dream; instead they sought to live it. They decided to make their own status quo and a reality that was theirs to shape. Look where they are now.
What Does This Tell You?

Many things that people say are impossible simply act as limiters that you yourself give power. The solution? Challenge everyone. Dare to rise above the stars. The fear of failure will try and block your path, but the only way to overcome this is to crush it and act with purpose: Forget New Years resolutions. Take out a sheet of paper, write down your goal, and focus on what you can do TODAY. When in doubt, just ask. People need to start asking more questions, not think, Oh, hes probably too busy to help me. Start connecting with someone you thought was completely unreachable (for example, a famous entrepreneur or a singerin my case, I contacted New York Times Bestselling author, Seth Godin). The worst thing you can do is never venture outside of the lines. Youll never know what's possible if you dont.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SPREAD YOUR
If youre an artist, you might want to show your work at an art gallery or Deviantart. As a musician, you could also start a blog and showcase free downloadable mp3s of your music. I think blogs are the best and cheapest way to get your message to the world. 2. Create content worthy of your name Now that youve picked your platform, youll want to start creating kick-ass content for people to see. Dont be fooled by the overnight successes; this part will take a lot of work. If youre a beginneryouve never taken your passion seriously until nowexpect at least 6 months to a years worth of work before you start making true masterpieces. This stage is critical to your success, so dont try and rush things. 3. Connect with people bigger than you Once you have your insanely useful content made, its time to put yourself out there. Start contacting some of the big guys in your market; connect with your idols.
MESSAGE?
As we all know, youre going to need more direction than just doing what you love. Before you can start taking vacations on the Bahamas, you need to know how to get there first. Tim Ferriss didnt just start testing assumptions and, voil, half the world knew him. He had a plan get his message out there. Question is, howre you going to get your message heard? 1. Pick a platform, any platform Assuming you have a good one (i.e. one youre passionate about), youll need to have a proper platform to display your message. Since Im a writer, the platforms I use are blogs and e-books.
Do you make music and adore Lady Gaga? Find a way to contact her and build rapport. Although I myself have never tried to contact a celebrity (I dont really care to, to be honest), I think its totally possible, especially with the resources we have today. Important note: Dont forget that you dont want to come off as a fan. Busy people have tons of these already. Its better to treat them as you would a fellow colleague. Come offering value instead of starting off by asking for favors. 4. Give away your best content The most underrated tactic to getting what you want is to give value first. You dont want to start charging your audience when they dont even know you. Give away your best stuff for free so that when you finally do have a product to sell, your audience will be more than happy to spread the word.
GET RID OF WHAT DOESN'T MATTER

Lifes too short to surround yourself with things that merely take up space. Stop overwhelming yourself with junk and make room for the things that matter.
WHY YOU SHOULD CULTIVATE A
Reading books about business and social media Doing 30-day life experiments (like checking email only twice a day for 30 days) Connecting with new people Enjoying life Now, your list is probably vastly different from mine, but what matters is that my pastimes don't cost that much money at all. I don't have to drop hundreds of dollars to buy a worthless Ipad. It's not necessary to play video games in order to waste away the day. I'd rather spend my time and money in activities that enrich my life, not take away from it. Cars are a sunk cost Unless you're in the middle of the suburbs, there's little sense in buying an automobile these days. In addition to needing a lot of maintenance, cars are extremely costly to use. There's gas to buy and oil changes to pay for; not to mention taking into account the risk of getting in an accident. You're much better off purchasing a bicycle. Bikes are easily one of the cheapest methods of getting around.
MINIMALIST LIFESTYLE
Have you ever heard the saying that when everything is stripped away, the truth will be revealed? I took this leap of faith and stopped buying things that didn't add value to my life.
The only things I go out of my way to pay for are food and transportation. You'd think that I'd be unhappy living this way. I'm not. The truth is that now I have less stuff to worry about keeping organized. Instead of focusing my attention on the latest tools and gadgets, I spend most days doing what I enjoy: Writing on my blog
Get rid of needless junk Receipts, magazine subscriptions, old mail and gadgetsthey've gotta go. Unless you're planning on hoarding these keepsakes as cherished memories, don't waste time and space keeping them organized. Do yourself a favor and just throw them out. I used to keep all my graded papers and essays after every school term, thinking that they I would someday come back to them as references. Low and behold, they just ended up wasting precious desk space. Nowadays I just keep them for a week and then get rid of them. Stuff you can trash right now: Expired magazine subscriptions Mail Loose papers Old tech/gadgets Clothes that you don't wear anymore/don't fit
Trust me, you'll be glad you got rid of the clutter and embraced the joy of spacial freedom. Only invest in products that give you the best bang for your buck The most expensive thing I bought this year was a MacBook Pro, and that's only because I use it for most of the day to work and connect with people doing amazing stuff. Moreover, my laptop is my main source of income, so I dont recommend skimping on such an important asset. I do suggest that you dont spend absurd amounts of money on things that aren't necessary, like an iPad or a giant 3-D HDTV. A big problem with people today is the amount of debt they accumulate. If you don't want debt, don't buy things you don't need. If anything: sell your video games. throw your TV away or sell it on eBay. dont upgrade your gadgets just for the sake of upgrading.
Again, the key is to get rid of clutter and maximize how you spend your time. Playing a video game instead of investing time in learning a new skill? Not the best way to enjoy life. Keep clothes to a minimum Anyone who knows me in real life with tell you that I don't have much of a wardrobe. Here's my closet in a nutshell: 5-10 undershirts 5-7 T-shirts a coat a few hoodies underwear and socks 5 pairs of jeans 4 pairs of shoes That's it.
Im not a shopping spree kind of guy. Also, I suggest you stay away from name-brand clothing. In the end, you're just promoting their stuff, which puts more money in their pockets, and only drains yours. I dont see the shame in buying clothes from Target or Walmart. People who judge you for what you own aren't people you should be hanging out with anyway. Sell the rest of your crap Im sure you've made some pretty useless purchases before you bought this book (I know I have). If you're thinking about getting rid of them all, now is the time to do it. Use eBay and Craigslist to exchange your trash for cash. Junk-free is the way to be When there's less clutter in your midst, there's less crap to sift throw. Misplaced essentials aren't difficult to find anymore. When you have less to worry about, you worry much less.
The happiest people aren't the ones who buy the biggest cars or purchase the most expensive estates. They're living a frugal lifestyle; one that doesn't require a lot of money to maintain. When you make more money than you spend, you have more freedom to do what you want. You don't have to keep buying junk. Get rid of it to be free. Eliminate barriers. We had so many barriers preventing us from living intentionally and doing what we loved. Sell your crap. Pay off your debt. Both of these create tremendous added burden. Do that. Do it immediately. - Adam Baker
In addition to junk, you have to be willing to get rid of people that don't matter. Remember that your time is valuable and spending it with people who aren't behind your pursuit of enjoyment is detrimental to your success. Opt for quality over quantity when it comes to your friends. Social circles are a bit more complicated to keep clean, so it's best to start with fixing yourself up first: 1. Be transparent The smoke and mirrors have to come down if you're looking to attract people in your life who are genuine. Putting your real self out into the world allows others to be more open with themselves. Take care to note that this isnt easy, especially if you're someone who has trouble opening up to strangers. You may have been taught that you can only be yourself with people you know, and that acting civil and polite is the gateway to making good friends. While you don't want to throw yourself at someone you've just met, stand out by being comfortable with who you are around them. Lasting friendships aren't made by being polite and acting like robots. They're created by taking off your social mask and being okay with revealing what's underneath.
HOW TO KEEP YOUR
SOCIAL CIRCLE STRESS-FREE
2. Spend time with people who have traits you admire The people you spend your time with must have some sort of trait you find appealing; this is true of all relationships. Characteristics like leadership, confidence, or even a sense of humor, are just some of what you should look for in individuals you may want to add to your social circle. Once you find them, do your best to keep them in your company. Make memories and go places with them. Through consistent interaction, you'll slowly acquire these traits, improving yourself in the process. 3. Stay away from poisonous people To remain in the company of those who constantly complain about how life's got them down or how life sucks is to willingly expose yourself to the same affliction. Negative people are like a poison; they can turn any good time into a real downer where you see only the problems in every situation. Now I know that you can't possibly rid yourself of everybody like this; sometimes you just can't avoid certain people (like your co-workers). Rather, try to spend as little time with them as possible.
As guilty as you may feel about doing this, realize that you can't change people. You can't make a person start loving life if he himself hates it with a passion. People can only choose to change themselves. Your social circle, greatly affects how you'll end up going through life. Have the conviction that you can choose friends that are right for you and let negative people fade into the background. Remember, you are who you eat with.
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS
When you think like everybody else, you become everybody else. Rise above that and find your own meaning, both in work and in life.
MAKE YOUR OWN OPPORTUNITIES

Most people think that opportunities are placed in their lives by fate. That it decides when its time for them to find the perfect job or stumble upon their big break.
Well I have news for you: The best opportunities are made, not found. Ive connected with and learned from countless people online whore doing amazing things. Theyre literally changing the way we view the world. And how did I meet them? By taking the first step and starting my blog. I took the initiative and wrote them e-mails. I worked for hours every day trying to perfect my content so that I could show I was worth connecting with.
Ive reached out to some of the top entrepreneurs online and learned from their life experiences. I never wouldve been able to do this if Id waited for someone to tell me. People will tell you all kinds of things, just to confirm that their view of reality is real. They will tell you that what you want to do is impossible because it seems impossible to them. Only 10% of startups succeed. What makes you think yours will? What makes you think yours wont? Do you want to end up as a statistic? Just another one of the 90%? Ignore impossible. Ive made my opportunity. Isnt it about time you made yours?
8 WORDS/PHRASES YOU
SHOULD STOP USING (UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT THEY
5. Its not fair. Guess what? Life isnt fair. Does that mean you should quit it too? 6. Success/I want to be successful. These terms are too vague to be used unless you include as many numbers to quantify them as you can. How many people do you ultimately want subscribed to your blog? How much money do you want to make? How many times a week do you want to exercise before you decide to quit/keep going after your dream body? 7. I quit. Remember that those who continue on when you quit instantly raise their chances of success. Of course, quitting may be the start of something bigger and better for you... 8. Impossible. Unless what you want could never realistically happen (and by this, I mean it defies the laws of physics), this word should never be used. It stops people before theyve even tried.
MEAN TO YOU)
1. Happiness. Never mind what I defined it as earlier. What does it mean to you? Does it mean having everything you want or doing anything you want? 2. I want everyone to like it/me. Why should everyone have to like you? Why should what you do appeal to the masses? 3. I cant. Do you know what it means to be absolutely unable to do something, or is that just an excuse? 4. Its too hard. Whats too hard? Nothing is ever too difficult for those whose desire is stronger than their fear.
THE TRUTH BEHIND DOING WORK YOU LOVE

The other night, while I was working on this e-book, I asked myself why I was doing it. Why was I going through so much pain when I could've spent my summer vacation basking in the sun or getting paid the traditional way? There were jobs that I couldve easily applied for and gotten hired to do. I know plenty of people who could've recommended me for very good positions. In all honesty, it wouldve been simpler to just get a job. But then the answer came to me, as if I was struck by lightning: Because I enjoyed doing it. But in an instant, I had another conundrum. I already knew that I enjoyed it, but why was it so difficult? I thought doing what you love was supposed to be easy? Suddenly, I knew the answer:
For anything to be a success, hard work is necessary. Hard work is what separates the winners from the losers; the expendable from the indispensable. An unnecessary wake-up call Somewhere along the line, weve seem to have forgotten the adjective that goes in front of the word work. Whether youre pushing pencils, or striving to increase awareness about the impact humanity is having on the world. Whether youre a famous actor on the stages of Broadway, or sitting behind a desk in another one of those dull, gray cubicles. Whether youre doing what you love or doing what you hate. It all takes hard work from the get-go. Passion needs hard work When you live for a strong purpose, then hard work isnt an option. Its a necessity. Steve Pavlina
When you really care about something (maybe you want to start a movement and bring about change or you want to raise money for a good cause) you cant mull around expecting someone else to take the first step. Or rather, you cant let yourself do that. You already know that intention backed up by action makes things happen. For decades, weve run away from striking out on our own because it requires constant dedication and hard work, thinking that seeking a steady paycheck is easier. We couldnt be more wrong. Most of us dont realize that its actually harder to work for someone else than it is to work for yourself. Heres why: When you try to make money on your own time, the hard work is really intense and emotionally draining for five years at the most. After that it gets much easier. After the tipping point, you can start automating sales, meaning you dont have to actively pursue customers as much as you used to.
Compare this to just working full-time under someone else for the next 45 years, where your time is extremely devalued and paid for strictly by the hour. In this sense, the pain of working hard can potentially spread out over the course of a lifetime. Now, Im not against working under someone for a number of years to gain experience. What I am against is you not using what youve learned from your indentured servitude and building something awesome. You really can do it if you believe you can. There are no shortcuts There is no substitute for hard work. Thomas Edison There are no lottery tickets in life that will dramatically increase your odds of success. Hard work is the only tried and true way to make anything possible. The only shortcut to hard work is less work, which in the end only leads to a higher chance of you not succeeding.
You cant be lazy and expect greatness Unless you are willing to drench yourself in your work beyond the capacity of the average man, you are just not cut out for positions at the top. J.C. Penney Anybody can do hard work for a few hours. Take a look at how many people work part-time. But less can remain dedicated for an entire day. This is why there are so few at the top. Not because they took shortcuts or free-rode on the backs of the more dedicated. But because they understood that hard work is what rules all. The truth behind doing what you love The truth is that doing what you love requires you to work much longer and harder than your employee counterparts for no pay whatsoever (at least in the beginning). But what matters much more than the time invested, the money lost, and the sweat poured in is that you are doing what makes you happy.
Isnt this what lifes about? The pursuit of enjoyment? I can hear the naysayers already, crying out that this pursuit is imaginary and it was a dream that died long ago. I beg to differ.
GLORIFY FAILURE
Lets face it; failure blows. In addition to learning that YOU werent good enough, you also realize that just trying your best isnt enough. Your first attempt at anything will always suck. But think about the experience youll gain after trying tens of hundreds of thousands of times! Your experience level will be off the charts. Back in my artist days, I was addicted to drawing dinosaurs. As you can guess, my first go was pretty terrible. I mean, I could draw the eggs right, but the actual dinosaurs themselves seemed to allude me. But as a child, I didnt see the failure. I just saw one ugly TRex. So naturally, I kept trying. Again and again, I failed, until one day, my T-Rexes finally started looking like the ones in Jurassic Park.
Its natural for us to push through failure and keep trying until were satisfied with what we make. Unfortunately as we grow older, we associate failure with disgrace. That if you fail even once, you epically fail at life. You start focusing on all the things youve done wrong, instead of all the things youll do right. I call this an obsession with being perfect. And you know what? Its not healthy at all. You spend all your time drowning in your past flukes, when instead you should be pumping yourself up for the future. Failure should be heralded! It means that you can do better. It means that your abilities have not yet reached their peak. It means that you can either choose to remain where you are or improve your skills to the nth degree. Stop trying to be perfect When people tell you to forget about being perfect, they mean stop trying to live up to someone elses idea of perfect. Youre living for yourself, remember? How many times do you want to fail before you feel satisfied?
To try and be perfect in anothers eyes is to give up your personal fulfillment. This is what makes people think that having 8 gas-guzzling trucks in their garage means success. That having a hot wife or a wealthy husband is the shortcut to happiness. The myth of perfect timing What if Id waited a while to start drawing dinosaurs? Would my time have been better spent reading about drawing them instead? Maybe so. As we get older, we learn that foresight teaches softly and error teaches brutally. The problem with this is that were human. Before we do anything, we feel as if we have to know every outcome, good or bad. This is where foresight fails us. Although error is a brutal teacher, the lessons we learn from it stick to us, while the stuff we just read about slides off with time. I think was better off drawing sucky dinosaurs for a while than spending years of my life planning to draw that one, perfect T-Rex.
The present is everything You can choose to use your experiences as lessons, to help guide you towards success. Or you can choose to remain stagnant, obsessing over what's already finished. As with most things in life, choice is everything. The ball is already in your court. Dont wait to implement until you have the perfect plan, dont wait for the right resources to show up, or the right timing, or situation. Act now, and then keep acting. Make your business plan Do Stuff and thats it. It will get you much farther than most. - Jonathan Mead
Indispensable People Start Out the Same Way

They start out doing remarkable work from the get-go. Everyone starts at the bottom of the hill, making their way to the top. Some have the experience to walk faster than others; the less experienced try to speed things up and have to fall on their butts a few times to get the hint. Nonetheless, they all understand that you can't cheat the system. You won't get anywhere being generic and doing average work. You can't pull the wool over people's eyes and pretend that you put in real effort. I've written a story for you to teach the true value of being indispensable. While the beginning and middle could be exaggerated, the ending is more than real.
On Being Indispensable: A Story

The only thing that will ensure you will live a sustainable lifestyle for the rest of your time on Earth is becoming valuably indispensable. Now, what does it mean to be valuably indispensable? You must have value - as in, be worth something. You must be indispensable - as in, you must be someone who thrives so much on story and creativity that it would literally be an act of stupidity not to hire you or recommend you for work. In our world, being valuable + having a story that draws people to you = being valuably indispensable. Take Seinfeld for instance; Hes funny + he sees humor in everyday life that we dont see = hes worth A LOT.
Two paths - one choice In this world, there are two types of workers. The first type is the typical worker bee of an employee. He seeks to please the boss in the hopes of someday getting to be the boss. He would nearly go as far as considering jumping off of a bridge to get a gold star from the guy upstairs. When the boss says jump, this guy asks how high. When the boss says do this project or file that document, he does it in record time. But when the boss tells this guy to do what he thinks is best, the worker bee can only panic. He can only muster, "Aren't you supposed to tell me what to do, sir?" while the boss barks back, "Figure it out! What do you think I hired you for?" This is the plight of the worker bee. The second type of worker is extremely rare. We'll came him the valuable artist. An individual of vast creativity and knowledgeable experience, this guy is, in retrospect, nothing aesthetically
special. He has no denoting characteristics that make him look any different than the common worker bee. He may not be as fashionable, not as outgoing, or maybe not even as good-looking. But you'll know who he is once you look him in the eye while he works. When he shifts into overdrive, this person becomes unstoppable; a force to be reckoned with. Watch the worker bee work and witness the valuable artist create. The difference is prodigious. The worker bee will do everything diligently and efficiently, step by step, never straying even one hair from the lines. He'll sometimes get the urge to do something his way, but you'll never catch him taking that chance. His job, no, his life is on the line. He tells his inner artist to wait until another day. The valuable artist, however, will be sure to not disappoint. He asks not for guidelines, for he needs only one: to create the best work of art possible. He rises above and beyond the call of duty of any task put in front of him. He doesn't merely produce work, but he also strives to innovate.
Each and everyday is a chance for him to do something amazing. Of course, the valuable artist is not well-liked. A lot of people, in fact, live to despise him. You can hear the cries throughout the office walls: "Why is hasn't he been fired yet!? That's not what the boss wanted! Why does the boss like him so much? He's too unorthodox!" "Kiss up." But he cannot hear them. The only thoughts that are taking over his mind are the thousands of ideas that he wants to try, wants to test, wants to experiment with! This is the marvelous existence of the artist.
the boss, he will oblige. He sits down, eagerly awaiting the good news of a promotion or a massive pay raise. The boss will give a speech detailing how valuable the worker bee has been to the company. And at the end of the seemingly never-ending conversation, the boss will say the faithful words, "I'm sorry Worker Bee. I have to let you go." Appalled, the worker bee storms out, unable to even look his boss in the face. Without direction, what can he hope to accomplish? He decides to think on it for some time... After the worker bee leaves the building, the valuable artist is called in. The boss asks him to sit down. The valuable artist sits, ready for anything the boss can bring. He already knows his answer. "Do you know why you're here?" the boss asks.
The tipping point But one day there will come a time where everything will change for both the worker bee and the valuable artist employees. This day will change their lives forever. On this day, the boss will call them both to his office. He will ask the worker bee to come in first. Happy to do anything for "Yes... it is because you want to fire me", replies the creator. "...Actually, no. I want to keep you. You are one of the ones I need to keep this company afloat. I can't possibly let you go." Our artist is unmoved. He replies, "Thank you, sir. I thank you for allowing me to stay with the company for this long. Now I
know that I can do good work.... but I'm afraid I can't allow myself to stay." The boss quickly becomes flustered and baffled. "Wh- What did you say? I need you here on this team." "You've given me many great opportunities, sir, but I cannot allow myself to work under you any longer. My creativity means more than the world to me. I feel that I can do so many more remarkable things... on my own", says the artist. A deep silence befalls them both. For a moment, they look each other in the eyes. For just a moment, the boss sees himself in the eyes of the valuable artist. The eyes that have hidden a desire to grow and change the world. "I...understand", says the boss. "Good luck, sir. And thank you." The artist steps out into the world, his canvas, unsure if he made the right decision. But in the end, it matters not. The months ahead will not be easy, but rest assured he knows his path, his passion, his end. He cannot fail. Or, better yet, he won't allow it.
WHY YOU CANT ACHIEVE YOUR
GOALS (3 EASY STEPS TO REACH THEM)

There's a reason why people aren't achieving their goals. No, it's not because they're too lofty to reach or too impossible to attain. Nor is it because people don't have the persistence to keep striving towards them. The actual problem comes in the way goals are set. These days, goals are created only with the end in mind. When you make it a goal to become one of the greatest musicians in the world, you set your sights on just that. You place more value on the end instead of the means; the destination instead of the journey. You ignore the struggle that comes with shooting for such difficult ambitions. Think of it in the same way you would a roadmap. If you wanted to go to Canada and you're all the way in Chicago, would you just point your finger on the map and say, I'm there! and then expect to magically appear in the heart of Toronto? If you would, you have quite the imagination. If you wouldnt, there's a reason for this.
Without a clear direction and steps on which to build on, the only place you'll be headed is nowhere. With goals it's the same thing. If you don't have a clearly defined path to pursue, your goals won't ever be realized. Once you understand this, you'll have a much better chance of succeeding. All you have to do is change the way you see goals. While they're significant in determining where you'll end up, goals aren't the most important part of your journey. You need to focus most of your attention not on setting goals, but on setting steps. Think of steps as subgoals; miniature courses of action specifically designed to help you take the next step towards achieving the bigger picture. They're created relative to what you're capable of at this very point in time. This summer, my ultimate goal really was to go to Canada, and I took the first step by just planning how long I would go away for. I was doing great so farbut then I decided the next step was to take a bus and go. Little did I know that my passport had already expired. Don't skip steps. Take a deep breath and know your pace.
For the average person, going to Canada may require more steps to achieve than someone who's more financially well off. In my case, I couldnt just head out to Canada. FIrst I had to get the necessary documents that would allow me to travel. I also shouldve to make it a goal to put aside some cash for the trip every week. You know, so I can afford a place to stay. On the other hand, the person who has more resources probably won't see going to Canada as a big goalfor him, it could be a step to achieving something bigger (like a goal to travel to every country in the world). The lesson to be learned here is that some people can take bigger steps. Some people can go faster than others. But regardless of your station in life, its within everyone's power to achieve their goals. Just focus more on getting them done over time than finishing them right now. 1. Make your steps as detailed as possible Clarity in action is the key to achieving any goal. Writing down the step send out 15 resumes today is heaps better than making it read send out resumes. The first one's the one you can measure and keep yourself accountable for
while the second one's just a vague mess. Make your steps as clear as possible and you'll be more likely to pull them off. 2. They have to build upon one another Take care to make sure that every step is logically followed by actions you can take right then and there. Telling yourself you want to go to Hollywood after college is admirable, but ultimately pointless. It's too big for the average person to be a realistic next step. Lets say your big goal is to be a comedian: maybe you could do improv at your local comedy club first or make a web series of your own sitcom on Youtube. Now there's an idea! 3. Track your progress Another big thing that most people forget is they don't record their progress. Not only that, but when they reach significant milestones, they don't celebrate. Its good to keep track of your successes and take note of your failures. Give yourself a reason to push harder towards taking the next step each day.
HOW TO BE MORE THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON

The ones who do more than the average get extremely good results. The man who works hard every single day gets the most compensation for his efforts, while the guy who works strictly on weekdays receives his standard pay. The girl who dances without limits, who tries her very best, and instills passion in every twirl, jump, and hip movement will become a master of the dancing arts yet, while the competition practices at set times throughout the week, never stepping outside the lines. In our society, there are only people who do the standard affair and people who do much more than necessary. Generally, people arent comfortable freely expressing themselves. They will do as much as they can to keep from looking awkward, or weird, or self conscious. In the process, they end up looking like all of these things anyway.
Very few people are bold enough to be themselves. Those who are whistle as they walk, and throw paint on the bland and the dull to make it into art just because they feel like it. As a result, these people are looked down upon. And its right that they should be, correct? I mean, how can they act so out of the ordinary and expect to be treated like everyone else? And thats just it. They dont. To be treated like everyone else is to be treated like just another person. Just another worker bee. Another cog in society going in one direction. This is why the bold decide to be different. Because when at first they are ostracized, in time someone will say: Whatever youre doing Ive never seen anything like it! And then another one will say that and then another. And another. And then, like magic, a movement is born and the one who is bold becomes its leader. Why do you think the ones going against the norms are singled out? Why do you think they have an easier (or should I say, more fun) time getting to where they want to be?
Why do you think the ones who are different get extremely good results? Because it makes them indispensable. The world has enough people running around who are exact clones of one another. Those who have the guts to stand out and be different already realize this. And, inherently, the rest of us know it as well. No one is born restricted We are not all created equal; some of us have disabilities that render us weaker than others. Some of us were born with the drive to succeed while others take a little longer to be motivated. Nonetheless, we are equally, as children, free to deem the world our oyster. But over time, we are given rules (through parental guidance or school training) that force us to obey. We are given orders to sit still and pay attention. To be quiet and stand in single file. These rules eventually crossover to the way we live our lives everyday. Eventually it becomes a habit. And in the end, it becomes who we are.
But the few that break through this programming are the glitches. The individuals with a spirit that standardizing rules and behavior-management laws cant control. These people are more than the average person. How to be more You too can be more than the average. You dont have to be another worker destined for corporate ladder climbership. You can create your own separate identity an identity far more valuable than you ever imagined. 1. Encourage breaks in perspective Your perspective is your reality. When you see something happen that you never thought was ever possible, this is called a break in perspective. Find as many of these as you can. If you think you cant do something because it seems way too out of the ordinary, assume youre probably wrong. I wouldve never guessed that a mere child (Justin Bieber) would be the focus of the most popular video on a social networking site and hes not even that great of a singer. But what makes him stand out is that hes different: hes a child with a half-way decent voice discovered by Usher. Look for the weird feats, and believe in bold accomplishments. You just might be able to pull one off.
2. Read the autobiographies of the indispensable Do you think that youre the only one pushing to be unique in a world of conformity? Countless others just like you are struggling to make the world their own. Through their struggles come amazing feats the impact of which you should be taking advantage of. Read about the people who accomplished great things. Learn from their turmoil. Understand the hardship. Use this to fuel your desires. 3. Act with your own incentives Average people have the typical incentives marry so they can have kids, have kids because it seems like the next step, get a job so they can make money. Incentives that are taken up because everyone else has them arent worth shooting for. Aim for incentives that are all your own and fit the lifestyle you want. Do you think the artist paints because art sells? No, he paints because he loves to do it. The extraordinary dancer dances because its her passion.
So dont be one who goes with the flow. Get a job that you enjoy. Live a life that you love. Take on challenges that inspire you to have them bested. 4. Infuse quality with time There is no such thing as closing time on a mind motivated above the average. If the work you enjoy requires you to do a project that will take most of the day to complete, you wont complain. Its your work. You can never work too much or toil too little, as long as every minute is dedicated to quality. Long ago, time was perceived to be valuable. Farmers took great care in making the most delicious crops. Owners sacrificed a lot to see their customers smile. Now, we are in a time where quality is sacrificed for the sake of speed and efficiency. Just getting a product out matters more than creating something useful. The average person values time over quality. The above average person values both. The average person wastes time doing needless tasks. The above average person invests time in quality, understanding that value takes both to make.
You dont have to be average Chances are youve been just getting by your entire life. Doing just enough to pass on to the next stage. Forget the next stage and forget about passing on. I used to always tell myself, I cant wait until this tedious period in my life is over, then I can do what I want. Foolish words I know them now to be. If you cant control your life now, then youll never be able to. This is something the average person already knows, but refuses to accept. Until the day they die, they will live under the heel of someone elses approval, most likely that of their boss. And when their social security checks come in at the ripe, old, gocrazy-with-your-money age of 65, then they will know: To live as average is to live a life controlled by others. You have to be more to be free.
WHERE
CONFIDENCE
REALLY COMES FROM
What gives you the right to be confident? Is it experience or merely birthright? Are some people just born confident? We have this image of confidence in our minds that its the man with the bulging arms and cocky smirk who is allowed to be confident or the women in a tightly fitted suit with sharp, high heels flashing her death glare. We believe that we have to have a reason for being confident. We think that without confidence, we can't achieve our goals or do anything amazing.
In reality, we already have that confidence. And it's not just the confidence that we've had as children and lost as adults, but it's the confidence that we know we can go on living the way we do. When I get up for class in the morning, Im confident that I'll come home at the end of the day. For most of you too, there's no question mark hanging over your head, putting your existence in the hands of fate. You know you'll come home after work because you take the same safe actions everyday. Even before you got your job, even after you saw news reports of people getting shot, you knew you'd be coming home alive. Why not bring that same confidence to other things you're afraid to try? The riskiest thing you can do is be safe You may think that the actions you take everyday (going to work everyday, being punctual, agreeing with the boss) are safe, but they're not. To be in a state of comfort is to be without challenge. You're no longer exercising your brain or training your muscles to achieve something better. You
instead settle into a routine that's unremarkable and becomes more so with each passing day. Ideally, if you keep doing what you're doing, you'll keep getting what you're getting. In reality, if you continue to do the same things over and over, you increase your chances of being blindsided by something unexpected. Like a recession that you never saw coming. Even so, you know everything will be okay, right? Because it usually is. Where confidence really comes from This confidence doesn't come from the actions you take or the goals you succeed in. Confidence comes from belief. The belief that you'll be okay in the long-run is confidence. Your belief that you'll keep getting paid at the end of the week is confidence. The people who said they were surprised to be laid off, even though they believed in that the value they provided was indispensable, they too had irrational self-confidence.
There's nothing wrong with having belief. Belief is what has made our country great, and it is what made you the person you are today. But when you place confidence in perpetual safety and work that simply pays the bills instead of fulfilling your life and testing the extent of your potential, that's when you should be scared. Instead, put that confidence in things that are potentially rewarding. If your first business flops, its no big deal. Youll simply start another. Believe that you can attempt whatever you desire and still come out with a smile on your face.
TIPS AND TRICKS TO MANAGING LIFE

Use these quick tips to get moving right now. There's more to life than doing what you love. Personal things come up and you still have to work to make a living.
10 WAYS TO START ENJOYING YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW

1. Live passionately Life isn't meant to be spent behind a desk or wasted in front of 1,000 TV channels, but to be lived out in the world. Try to remember every detail of your surroundings while walking down the street. If you can't, you're not living passionately enough. You have to be in the moment; fully experiencing what's happening right now. When reading fiction, put yourself in the character's shoes. While hanging out with your friends, don't hold in your laughter because you're in public, but unleash it as if you were in your own home. The world is your oyster; treat it like it is. 2. Spend time with people who matter When you live passionately, you have to make experiences with people important in your life. Put the precious moments of your life in those that deserve your time and company. Spend time with people who are just as passionate, if not more, than you are. Through the good times, they'll be right by your side, laughing and living, and couldn't care less who's watching. You and your friends are the main event, and the stage of life is yours to set aflame.
3. Love ferociously You have my permission to love with all your heart. When you're discouraged constantly by life and its pitfalls, you end up building walls to protect yourself from the pain it brings. But while this does keep you safe for a short time, putting up walls ends up hurting you in the long run. Shake off the notion that you must hold in your emotions. We are animals at our very core; society can't force us to be robots. Destroy your inhibitions and love with all you've got. Let passion come forth in every word you say, every step you take. In most people, I can hear the fear in their words; the self-consciousness bubbling right underneath the surface. Crush your insecurities and let your passion roam free. 4. Take a trip When the world is yours, it's easy to become comfortable living in one spot. You may think that you have your whole life to walk the earth, so why bother? Don't delude yourself. Life will inevitably rear its head and you're going to have a lot of responsibilities. Where you were once going to put off your expeditions until next year, you may soon find yourself putting it off for two years, or three, or even a decade. You'll
get married. You'll make children. You'll get a promotion. If not now, when? Go on a journey. You won't know where you'll end up, but it'll be far more exciting than working your day job, where the end is usually predictable. 5. Worry less The bold live happily because they're without worry. Worry comes from feeling negative about the future, which isn't conducive to enjoying life. You may not be a millionaire right now, and you might not have the flashiest clothes, but when did that ever matter? Forget consumption for the sake of assimilation into society, and sell your junk to pay the bills. In between jobs right now and feeling less than hopeful for the future? Go online and do something. The resumes can send themselves, but you have to put yourself out there. Do something awesome. Afraid that you just don't resonate with your job anymore? Live a life where the work you do matters more than the hours you work. Start an enterprise on the side before you send in your twoweeks notice. Put a safety net under you. Have something to
keep you from falling all the way down just in case you do fall. 6. Assume there are no limits Limits? Ha! With you, there's nothing in your way. Your laughter knows no bounds, and your life, no barriers. People had to work for years just to get a chance at living the lives they wanted. Not anymore, though. The walls have fallen and the Internet awards those with intent and creativity. You don't need permission to live life on your own terms. All you have to do is take it. There are no more ladders to climb and no more promotions to work for. The rat race lives on in those who seek it, but personal fulfillment is what drives you. In your world, the people who decide that they are victims of their circumstances are the ones who accept the standard and remain as they are. You, however, have other plans. 7. Let go of emotional baggage You are human. Mistakes were made in the past and are going to be made in the future. There's just no escaping that. Even if you've done horrible things, to yourself or to others, have the courage to forgive yourself. Baggage is the death of enjoyment.
But let's be honest here; you can't get rid of baggage in one sitting. It has to be pushed out over time, and set free in other ways: Write about the pain you feel. Sing about the struggles you've overcome. Shout about all the things you've done wrong. But after this... believe in all the things you can do right. Have faith in the fact that life for you isn't over. No matter what's taken place before, what's happened in the past is done. What matters now is that you enjoy the life you have left, no matter what the cost. 8. Don't do what everyone expects you to do (yourself included) As long as you live, people will judge you without mercy. They will look at you and see one thing, even when you look inside and see something else. They will pass judgement like they've known you their entire lives. To this, I say be glad when that happens. When someone thinks they know who you are based on only their own opinion, that's your cue to show them up.
Everyone expects you to be exactly how you look, but you can be whoever you want. Joy in life can come from doing the unexpected; taking chances where there's no luck to be found. And if and when you succeed in shattering your expectations, laugh a hearty laugh. You're stronger than you think you are. 9. Help someone You, conqueror of the world, are nearly there. You've broken expectations and poured your heart into every waking moment. But you still feel incomplete. It's as if your journey to enjoyment isn't enough. You're having a good time and so are your friends, but is that the end? No, it's not. There are still people out there living lives that are less than enjoyable. You might want to help them out. You don't have to do anything drastic; declaring to stop world hunger is admirable, but ultimately unreachable for now. Instead you can use your talents to bring others joy. Share what you know with the rest of the world, and make everyone's lives a little more enjoyable. Helping someone else achieve what you've achieved is not only fulfilling, but makes living how you live worthwhile. It's not the money that should drive you to help others, nor the publicity.
It's the feeling that you're making changes in other people's lives, and widening your sphere of influence just a little bit more. 10. Do what you enjoy People think that to live an enjoyable life you have to make lots of money. You have to own ten houses and work all day. You have to inherit a bazillion dollars so you can buy a giant yacht, then you'll have more fun! That's funny. If you want to have a lifestyle that makes you happy, just do what you enjoy. What do you like to do? Got that in your head? Now go do it. If you can't because you don't have time, make time. You can do whatever it takes to spend just one more hour in pure joy. Experiencing the joy in doing what makes you happy, not just in what makes others happy, is what life's all about. You only get one. Do what you enjoy while it lasts.
TIME MANAGEMENT 101:
Killing Time on What Wastes It

Spending time on what matters means killing time on what doesn't. - Stop reading/watching the news. Scan the headlines instead. - Keep only three tabs on your browser open at once. - Have people you don't like? Stop talking to them. - Do not keep Facebook/Twitter active in the background. - The same goes for email. - Send emails instead of opting for phone conversations. - Remember that you don't have to finish a book if you don't like it. - Two words: use autoresponders. - Check your e-mail twice a day. *CHALLENGE*: Do NOT check it first thing in the morning or right before you go to bed. - Clear out the clutter you accumulate at the end of every day.
5 TIPS TO RECLAIMING YOUR TIME
why you have to be proactive and eliminate the distractions that you can control. Understand that it doesn't matter if you miss one new piece of information; what matters is whether that update takes away from the time you spend on your work. Don't try and work in an environment that's got people laughing and making noise; you just won't work in this setting. Engaging in idle chit-chat and checking your email is also off-limits. Just do what you have to do to get things done. Tip: Use Leechblock (for Firefox) to block your favorite timewasting websites. 2. Focus on what's important Put your time in the work that's really important. Is typing up that invoice what you got hired for, or is it better to invest energy in the work that pays the bills? Increase your efforts on doing good work and watch your productivity skyrocket. Great results come from an unwavering focus and attention to detail. You can't do this typing up memos to your boss or photocopying papers. Let the interns do the busy work. You're at work to create something amazing. You're there to add insight and put long held ideas into tangible action.
Finding time to enjoy yourself is no easy feat. I know that you want to spend every waking moment in glee and laughter, but at the end of the day, you have work to do. The bills piling up on the counter aren't going to pay themselves. So, with all of your responsibilities at the center of your life, where do you get the time to enjoy it? I'm not suggesting you do anything crazymaybe you just can't quit your day job or start an online business. Thankfully, there are other ways to free up time that I've used to great success. 1. Eliminate distractions Get off of Youtube and put your cell phone on vibrate. The world we live in is a vibrant and constantly moving one. Something's bound to avert your attention if you let it. That's
The busiest workers are the ones doing nothing. Focus your efforts on the things that matter so you can get leave early and enjoy yourself. 4. Keep your desk space organized If your desk is cluttered, don't expect to get a lot done. This is one of those times when you can't simply rise above your surroundings. You yourself may have a strict focus, but in time the chaos of your environment will grip and pull you down into confusion. Don't waste time looking for that pencil (or that one document you weren't supposed to lose!); instead, heed these tips to staying organized: Put unused papers in a bin for later use or recycle them. Don't bother keeping what merely takes up space. Create a to-do list on your desktop and put 1-3 tasks that you must achieve by quitting time. Sit still and stay focused. You're not organized and on task when you're running around and fidgeting all over the place.
5. Time yourself It's a good idea not to spend too much time doing any one thing. To keep track of how much time you put in your activities, it's a good idea to time yourself. When you want to get things done, you have to place limits. I spend no more than three hours every other day writing blog posts; the rest of my time is spent however I want. To save time you must limit your time. Taking minutes on what usually takes hours will no doubt free up plenty of free time to do other things with your life. Unplug from your routine and do something different: By unplugging from your normal life for a day or a week or even months (thats what I did), youll be able to listen to yourself in ways that your normal life stifles. - Corbett Barr
Who decides where you end up? Who gives you permission? Who lets you give up? Who decides whether youre a winner or a loser? Who defines happiness? Who has the power to make dreams reality? Who can be better than the average person? Who has to believe in your potential? Who can make your passion profitable? Who can create the life you want? Who makes you insecure? Who has the power choose between being a victim or a force? Who decides when failure isnt an option?
Who should believe in the impossible? Who will be there when you hit bottom? Who controls your life? Who decides your destiny? Who makes your life boring? Whos wasting your time? Who spreads your message? Whos your biggest fan? Who makes life worth living?
YOU.
Welcome to the single most important part of the book. If you read nothing else, READ WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY TO YOU RIGHT NOW.
I've given you a bunch of tips to help you enjoy life more. I've gone on and on about how to start on the path to doing what you love and taking action. But what's more important than that is understanding that whatever I've told you to do doesn't matter at all. Not in the least. I can tell you what to do and what not to do, but remember that in the end, your life is your life. What happens tomorrow is the result of what YOU do today (I know this sounds selfhelpy, but bear with me). In the beginning, I told you that you couldn't achieve your dreams. And I'm betting a lot of you said, Poppycock! I'll never give up my dreams! You have the permission to ignore what I said. Do you know why? Because it's your life. The clearest path to enjoyment is doing what you want to do.
It's okay to dream, as long as you remember one thing: Risk is what unites dream and day. If youre not willing to fight for your life, you dont deserve to enjoy. If you dont practice not only resilience, but enduring patience, youre not worthy of whatever dream you have. No amount of self-talk and personal development blogsurfing is going to change that. Ive blamed society for making me see value in things that had none. I accused the media for shaping the way I lived life and making me feel like I had to live up to expectations I never believed I could reach. But thats all over. Now I take responsibility from here on out. When you dwell on the past, you admit youre scared. Afraid of what you can really do. But fear doesnt make things happen; action does. The greatest risk you can take in life is not to risk at all.
ENJOYMENT COMES FROM
ACTION
But that doesn't mean you can't feel it. Those who feel happiness most of the time are the ones truly enjoying life. Others constantly trying to buy it, aren't. The enlightened ones already understand this and are much more at ease. Happiness isn't a state of being nor is it a prize to be won. It's simply a way of life.
Although this book is at an end, don't forget that the most important part of pursuing enjoyment is taking action. Anyone can read a book and close it forever after it's finished. Only the brave few will revisit this book and use it as a guide to pursuing what matters. Comeback and extract what you can. Use what you've learned to change your life for the better. And once you've done that, thank yourself. It's only by choosing to change can you really make a difference. At the beginning of this book, I told you that you couldn't achieve happiness. I stand by that statement. Happiness isn't something you can quantifyit's just not possible.
5 THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

1. DO something The path to pursuing enjoyment doesn't end with this book. Do the things youve always wanted to do. Without action, the life you seek will continue to remain out of reach. 2. Spread the word I see that look on your face. Yes, you definitely paid for this book, but what matters is that more people hear this message. Think of 5 others who would benefit from this information the most and give it to them as a gift. *Bonus*: - Retweet the original blog post here. - Ask me to do an interview about the ideas behind the book.
3. Enlist in the crusade to do what you enjoy The message of this book was intended to inspire you beyond your perspective to achieve more than what you thought possible; a topic I write about on my blog, HiLife2B. For updates on the topics I've merely scratched the surface with here, subscribe to my blog through RSS or email. And guess what? Its FREE. You can even follow me on Twitter --> @cjanyasor. 4. Watch the Lemonade movie. A lot of the inspiration for writing the book came from this documentary. I think everyone needs to see the reality of being unprepared for the worst while you work for someone else. 5. Tell me what you think The most important part of writing this e-book was my intention to benefit you, the reader. Tell me what you thought by email at cjanyasor@yahoo.com.
CREDITS
Author, Designer, Editor: John Anyasor Cover Art: Jason and Reese Spykerman Photographers: Ben Heine (his blog) and the Clip Art Kid
Leo Babauta for showing me what's possible when you're truly passionate about what you do. You can make a living doing what you love. Google him up and you'll see what I mean. Everett Bogue for inspiring me that one day when I stumbled upon his blog, right when I was on the verge of giving up. My mother, for without her, our family would've been broken, our siblings would've split apart, and the family name would be in shambles. She raised me to be as strong as a rock and as unwavering as an oak tree towards what I believe in. To all my readers across the world whove visited my blog and encouraged me through your many emails and comments. Without you, this movement wouldnt exist.
SPECIAL THANKS
There are a freaking lot of you that I want to thank, but writing all your names down would make this book twice as long. Instead, Ill stick with a few notables: Timothy Ferriss for being the spark that ignited my passion to start my own blog and help teach others to enjoy life. His book is what inspired me beyond perspective.
This e-book is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License (details.) 1
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INTRODUCTION

You can't really achieve happiness.

Don't let anyone decide the future but yourself

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS IS A LOST CAUSE

HOW I WAS RAISED TO JOIN THE RAT RACE

The moment I relinquished my own happiness

The birth of consumerism

Entering the workforce

YOUR IDEALS HAVE BEEN RE-SHAPED

The point of this story isnt what you think it is...

1. Were the wrong kind of selfish

THERES ONLY ONE WAY TO LIVE LIFE ON YOUR OWN TERMS

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOURSELF

Why you decided to read this book

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

THE ONLY REASON YOU EXIST ON THIS PLANET

THOSE WHOVE PURSUED WHAT THEY ENJOYED

Have the courage find out for yourself what's real

What Does This Tell You?

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SPREAD YOUR

GET RID OF WHAT DOESN'T MATTER

WHY YOU SHOULD CULTIVATE A

HOW TO KEEP YOUR

SOCIAL CIRCLE STRESS-FREE

MAKE YOUR OWN OPPORTUNITIES

THE TRUTH BEHIND DOING WORK YOU LOVE

Indispensable People Start Out the Same Way

On Being Indispensable: A Story

WHY YOU CANT ACHIEVE YOUR

GOALS (3 EASY STEPS TO REACH THEM)

HOW TO BE MORE THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON

TIPS AND TRICKS TO MANAGING LIFE

10 WAYS TO START ENJOYING YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW

TIME MANAGEMENT 101:

Killing Time on What Wastes It

5 TIPS TO RECLAIMING YOUR TIME

ENJOYMENT COMES FROM

5 THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW

The next one wont be.

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