The Difference: Living Well vs. Doing Well 207 Comments

Written by Topics: Filling the Void, Travel


(Credit: h.koppdelaney)

“From all your herds, a cup or two of milk,
From all your granaries, a loaf of bread,
In all your palace, only half a bed:
Can man use more? And do you own the rest?”
– Ancient Sanskrit poem

Total post read time: 5 minutes.

Living well is quite different from “doing well.”

In the quest to get ahead — destination often unknown — it’s easy to have life pass you by while you’re focused on other things. This post is intended as a reminder and a manifesto: keep it simple.

This is written by Rolf Potts, author of my perennial favorite and heavily highlighted Vagabonding. In the below piece, I’ve bolded some particular parts that have had an impact on my life.

Enter Rolf.

###

In March of 1989, the Exxon Valdez struck a reef off the coast of Alaska, resulting in the largest oil spill in U.S. history. Initially viewed as an ecological disaster, this catastrophe did wonders to raise environmental awareness among average Americans. As television images of oil-choked sea otters and dying shore birds were beamed across the country, pop-environmentalism grew into a national craze.

Instead of conserving more and consuming less, however, many Americans sought to save the earth by purchasing “environmental” products. Energy-efficient home appliances flew off the shelves, health food sales boomed, and reusable canvas shopping bags became vogue in strip malls from Jacksonville to Jackson Hole. Credit card companies began to earmark a small percentage of profits for conservation groups, thus encouraging consumers to “help the environment” by striking off on idealistic shopping binges.

Such shopping sprees and health food purchases did absolutely nothing to improve the state of the planet, of course — but most people managed to feel a little better about the situation without having to make any serious lifestyle changes.

This notion — that material investment is somehow more important to life than personal investment — is exactly what leads so many of us to believe we could never afford to go vagabonding. The more our life options get paraded around as consumer options, the more we forget that there’s a difference between the two. Thus, having convinced ourselves that buying things is the only way to play an active role in the world, we fatalistically conclude that we’ll never be rich enough to purchase a long-term travel experience.

Fortunately, the world need not be a consumer product. As with environmental integrity, long-term travel isn’t something you buy into: it’s something you give to yourself.

Indeed, the freedom to go vagabonding has never been determined by income level, but through simplicity — the conscious decision of how to use what income you have.

And, contrary to popular stereotypes, seeking simplicity doesn’t require that you become a monk, a subsistence forager, or a wild-eyed revolutionary. Nor does it mean that you must unconditionally avoid the role of consumer. Rather, simplicity merely requires a bit of personal sacrifice: an adjustment of your habits and routines within consumer society itself.

“Our crude civilization engenders a multitude of wants… Our forefathers forged chains of duty and habit, which bind us notwithstanding our boasted freedom, and we ourselves in desperation, add link to link, groaning and making medicinal laws for relief.”
– John Muir, Kindred and Related Spirits

At times, the biggest challenge in embracing simplicity will be the vague feeling of isolation that comes with it, since private sacrifice doesn’t garner much attention in the frenetic world of mass culture.

Jack Kerouac’s legacy as a cultural icon is a good example of this. Arguably the most famous American vagabonder of the 20th century, Kerouac vividly captured the epiphanies of hand-to-mouth travel in books like On the Road and Lonesome Traveler. In Dharma Bums, he wrote about the joy of living with people who blissfully ignore “the general demand that they consume production and therefore have to work for the privilege of consuming, all that crap they didn’t really want…general junk you always see a week later in the garbage anyway, all of [it] impersonal in a system of work, produce, consume.”

Despite his observance of material simplicity, however, Kerouac found that his personal life – the life that had afforded him the freedom to travel – was soon overshadowed by a more fashionable (and marketable) public vision of his travel lifestyle. Convertible cars, jazz records, marijuana (and, later, Gap khakis), ultimately came to represent the mystical “It” that he and Neal Cassidy sought in On the Road. As his Beat cohort William S. Burroughs was to point out years after his death, part of Kerouac’s mystique became inseparable from the idea that he “opened a million coffee bars and sold a million pairs of Levi’s to both sexes.”

In some ways, of course, coffee bars, convertibles and marijuana are all part of what made travel appealing to Kerouac’s readers. That’s how marketing (intentional and otherwise) works. But these aren’t the things that made travel possible for Kerouac. What made travel possible was that he knew how neither self nor wealth can be measured in terms of what you consume or own. Even the downtrodden souls on the fringes of society, he observed, had something the rich didn’t: Time.

This notion – the notion that “riches” don’t necessarily make you wealthy – is as old as society itself. The ancient Hindu Upanishads refer disdainfully to “that chain of possessions wherewith men bind themselves, and beneath which they sink”; ancient Hebrew scriptures declare that “whoever loves money never has money enough.” Jesus noted that it’s pointless for a man to “gain the whole world, yet lose his very self”, and the Buddha whimsically pointed out that seeking happiness in one’s material desires is as absurd as “suffering because a banana tree will not bear mangoes.”

Despite several millennia of such warnings, however, there is still an overwhelming social compulsion – an insanity of consensus, if you will – to get rich from life rather than live richly, to “do well” in the world instead of living well. And, in spite of the fact that America is famous for its unhappy rich people, most of us remain convinced that just a little more money will set life right. In this way, the messianic metaphor of modern life becomes the lottery – that outside chance that the right odds will come together to liberate us from financial worries once and for all.

“Henceforth I ask not good-fortune, I myself am good-fortune,
Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing…”
– Walt Whitman, “Song of the Open Road”

Fortunately, we were all born with winning tickets – and cashing them in is a simple matter of altering our cadence as we walk through the world. Vagabonding sage Ed Buryn knew as much: “By switching to a new game, which in this case involves vagabonding, time becomes the only possession and everyone is equally rich in it by biological inheritance. Money, of course, is still needed to survive, but time is what you need to live. So, save what little money you possess to meet basic survival requirements, but spend your time lavishly in order to create the life values that make the fire worth the candle. Dig?”

Dug. And the bonus to all of this is that – as you of sow your future with rich fields of time – you are also planting the seeds of personal growth that will gradually bloom as you travel into the world.

* * *

In a way, simplifying your life for vagabonding is easier than it sounds. This is because travel by its very nature demands simplicity. If you don’t believe this, just go home and try stuffing everything you own into a backpack. This will never work, because no matter how meagerly you live at home, you can’t match the scaled-down minimalism that travel requires. You can, however, set the process of reduction and simplification into motion while you’re still at home. This is useful on several levels: Not only does it help you to save up travel money, but it helps you realize how independent you are of your possessions and your routines. In this way, it prepares you mentally for the realities of the road, and makes travel a dynamic extension of the life-alterations you began at home.

“Travel can be a kind of monasticism on the move: On the road, we often live more simply, with no more possessions than we can carry, and surrendering ourselves to chance. This is what Camus meant when he said that “what gives value to travel is fear” — disruption, in other words, (or emancipation) from circumstance, and all the habits behind which we hide.
– Pico Iyer, “Why We Travel”

As with, say, giving up coffee, simplifying your life will require a somewhat difficult consumer withdrawal period. Fortunately, your impending travel experience will give you a very tangible and rewarding long-term goal that helps ease the discomfort. Over time, as you reap the sublime rewards of simplicity, you’ll begin to wonder how you ever put up with such a cluttered life in the first place.

On a basic level, there are three general methods to simplifying your life: stopping expansion, reining in your routine, and reducing clutter. The easiest part of this process is stopping expansion. This means that – in anticipation of vagabonding – you don’t add any new possessions to your life, regardless of how tempting they might seem. Naturally, this applies to things like cars and home entertainment systems, but this also applies to travel accessories. Indeed, one of the biggest mistakes people make in anticipation of vagabonding is to indulge in a vicarious travel buzz by investing in water filters, sleeping bags, and travel-boutique wardrobes. In reality, vagabonding runs smoothest on a bare minimum of gear – and even multi-year trips require little initial investment beyond sturdy footwear and a dependable travel bag or backpack.

While you’re curbing the material expansion of your life, you should also take pains to rein in the unnecessary expenses of your weekly routine. Simply put, this means living more humbly (even if you aren’t humble) and investing the difference into your travel fund. Instead of eating at restaurants, for instance, cook at home and pack a lunch to work or school. Instead of partying at nightclubs and going out to movies or pubs, entertain at home with friends or family. Wherever you see the chance to eliminate an expensive habit, take it. The money you save as a result will pay handsomely in travel time. In this way, I ate lot of baloney sandwiches (and missed out on a lot of grunge-era Seattle nightlife) while saving up for a vagabonding stint after college — but the ensuing eight months of freedom on the roads of North America more than made up for it.

“Very many people spend money in ways quite different from those that their natural tastes would enjoin, merely because the respect of their neighbors depends upon their possession of a good car and their ability to give good dinners. As a matter of fact, any man who can obviously afford a car but genuinely prefers travels or a good library will in the end be much more respected than if he behaved exactly like everyone else.”
– Bertrand Russell, The Conquest of Happiness

Perhaps the most challenging step in keeping things simple is to reduce clutter – to downsize what you already own. As Thoreau observed, downsizing can be the most vital step in winning the freedom to change your life: “I have in my mind that seemingly wealthy, but most terribly impoverished class of all,” he wrote in Walden, “who have accumulated dross, but know not how to use it, or get rid of it, and thus have forged their own golden or sliver fetters.”

How you reduce your “dross” in anticipation of travel will depend on your situation. If you’re young, odds are you haven’t accumulated enough to hold you down (which, incidentally, is a big reason why so many vagabonders tend to be young). If you’re not-so-young, you can re-create the carefree conditions of youth by jettisoning the things that aren’t necessary to your basic well-being. For much of what you own, garage sales and on-line auctions can do wonders to unclutter your life (and score you an extra bit of cash to boot). Homeowners can win their travel freedom by renting out their houses; those who rent accommodation can sell, store, or lend out the things that might bind them to one place.

An additional consideration in life-simplification is debt. As Laurel Lee wryly observed in Godspeed, “cities are full of those who have been caught in monthly payments for avocado green furniture sets.” Thus, if at all possible, don’t let avocado green furniture sets (or any other seemingly innocuous indulgence) dictate the course of your life by forcing you into ongoing cycles of production and consumption. If you’re already in debt, work your way out of it – and stay out. If you have a mortgage or other long-term debt, devise a situation (such as property rental) that allows you to be independent of its obligations for long periods of time. Being free from debt’s burdens simply gives you more vagabonding options.

And, for that matter, more life options.

* * *

“It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after your own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self Reliance”

As you simplify your life and look forward to spending your new wealth of time, you’re likely to get a curious reaction from your friends and family. On one level, they will express enthusiasm for your impending adventures. But on another level, they might take your growing freedom as a subtle criticism of their own way of life. Because your fresh worldview might appear to call their own values into question (or, at least, force them to consider those values in a new light), they will tend to write you off as irresponsible and self-indulgent. Let them. As I’ve said before, vagabonding is not an ideology, a balm for societal ills, nor a token of social status. Vagabonding is, was, and always will be a private undertaking – and its goal is not to improve your life in relation to your neighbors, but in relation to yourself. Thus, if your neighbors consider your travels foolish, don’t waste your time trying to convince them otherwise. Instead, the only sensible reply is to quietly enrich your life with the myriad opportunities that vagabonding provides.

Interestingly, some of the harshest responses I’ve received in reaction to my vagabonding life have come while traveling. Once, at Armageddon (the site in Israel; not the battle at the end of the world), I met an American aeronautical engineer who was so tickled he had negotiated 5 days of free time into a Tel Aviv consulting trip that he spoke of little else as we walked through the ruined city. When I eventually mentioned that I’d been traveling around Asia for the past 18 months, he looked at me like I’d slapped him. “You must be filthy rich,” he said acidly. “Or maybe,” he added, giving me the once-over, “your mommy and daddy are.”

I tried to explain how two years of teaching English in Korea had funded my freedom, but the engineer would have none of it. Somehow, he couldn’t accept that two years of any kind of honest work could have funded 18 months (and counting) of travel. He didn’t even bother sticking around for the real kicker: In those 18 months of travel, my day-to-day costs were significantly cheaper than day-to-day life would have cost me back in the United States.

The secret to my extraordinary thrift was neither secret nor extraordinary: I had tapped into that vast well of free time simply by forgoing a few comforts as I traveled. Instead of luxury hotels, I slept in clean, basic hostels and guesthouses. Instead of flying from place to place, I took local buses, trains, and share-taxis. Instead of dining at fancy restaurants, I ate food from street-vendors and local cafeterias. Occasionally, I traveled on foot, slept out under the stars, and dined for free at the stubborn insistence of local hosts.

In what ultimately amounted to over two years of travel in Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, my lodging averaged out to just under $5 a night, my meals cost well under $1 a plate, and my total expenses rarely exceeded $1000 a month.

“When I was very young a big financier once asked me what I would like to do, and I said, ‘To travel.’ ‘Ah,’ he said, ‘it is very expensive; one must have a lot of money to do that.’ He was wrong. For there are two kinds of travelers; the Comfortable Voyager, round whom a cloud of voracious expenses hums all the time, and the man who shifts for himself and enjoys the little discomforts as a change from life’s routine.”
– Ralph Bagnold, Libyan Sands

Granted, I have simple tastes – and I didn’t linger long in expensive places – but there was nothing exceptional in the way I traveled. In fact, entire multi-national backpacker circuits (not to mention budget guidebook publishing empires) have been created by the simple abundance of such travel bargains in the developing world. For what it costs to fill your gas-tank back home, for example you can take a train from one end of China to the other. For the cost of a home-delivered pepperoni pizza, you can eat great meals for a week in Brazil. And, for a month’s rent in any major American city, you can spend a year in a beach hut in Indonesia. Moreover, even the industrialized parts of the world host enough hostel networks, bulk transportation discounts, and camping opportunities make long-term travel affordable.

Ultimately, you may well discover that vagabonding on the cheap becomes your favorite way to travel, even if given more expensive options. Indeed, not only does simplicity save you money and buy you time, it makes you more adventuresome, forces you into sincere contact with locals, and allows you the independence to follow your passions and curiosities down exciting new roads.

In this way, simplicity – both at home and on the road – affords you the time to seek renewed meaning in an oft-neglected commodity that can’t be bought at any price: life itself.

# # #

Resources for lifestyle simplicity

[Note from Tim: I took Walden with me, along with Vagabonding, when I traveled the world beginning in 2004. Less is More came a few months later, and I still reread it every six months or so.]

Walden, by Henry David Thoreau
The philosophical account of Thoreau’s experiment in anti-materialist living. An American literary classic for over 150 years.

Less Is More: The Art of Voluntary Poverty: An Anthology of Ancient and Modern Voices Raised in Praise of Simplicity, edited by Goldian Vandenbroeck (Inner Traditions, 1996)
Quotes and essays on the value of simplicity, from the likes of Socrates, Shakespeare, St. Francis, Benjamin Franklin, and Mohandas Gandhi — as well as the Bible, the Dhammapada, the Tao Te Ching, and the Bhagavad Gita.

Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence, by Joe Dominguez, Vicki Robin (Penguin USA, 2008)
A best-selling book that uses a nine-step process to demonstrate how most people are making a “dying” instead of a living. Practical pointers for achieving financial independence by altering your lifestyle.

Voluntary Simplicity: Toward a Way of Life That Is Outwardly Simple, Inwardly Rich, by Duane Elgin (Quill, 1993)

First published in 1981, this is a popular reference and inspiration for those looking to live a simpler life. Strongly themed toward environmental sustainability.

The Simple Living Guide: A Sourcebook for Less Stressful, More Joyful Living, by Janet Luhrs (Broadway Books, 1997)
Luhrs is the founder and publisher of The Simple Living Journal (and the companion website). Book contains tips for living fully and well through simplicity.

Budgeting and money management

The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to Living on a Budget, by Peter J. Sander, Jennifer Basye Sander (Alpha Books, 2005)
A concise guide to planning and abiding by a day-to-day budget.

The Budget Kit: The Common Cents Money Management Workbook, by Judy Lawrence (Kaplan, 2008)
Easy-to-use tips for managing your finances and getting the most out of your income.

The Complete Tightwad Gazette: Promoting Thrift As a Viable Alternative Lifestyle by Amy Dacyczyn (Random House, 1999)
Nine hundred pages of compiled tips for frugal living.

How to Get Out of Debt, Stay Out of Debt, and Live Prosperously, by Jerrold Mundis (Bantam, 2003)
This book helps you get out of debt, stay out of debt, and live prosperously.

Generation Debt: Take Control of Your Money, Carmen Wong Ulrich (Business Plus, 2006)
Personal financial advice for young adults.

The Dollar Stretcher
An online resource for saving money in day-to-day life. Weekly columns on thrift and simplicity.

Get Rich Slowly
A detailed blog with personal finance tips.

Vagabonding for seniors

Exploritas

The world’s largest educational and travel organization for adults 55 and over. Offers 10,000 programs a year in over 100 countries. A good way for traveling seniors to get a taste of other cultures before striking off on their own.

State Department Travel Tips for Older Americans
Posted online, this tip sheet is a useful primer for older independent travelers. Topics covered include trip preparation, passport and visas, health, money and valuables, safety precautions, and shopping.

Transitions Abroad’s Best Senior Travel Websites
Extensive rundown of links, resources and articles about senior travel.

Lonely Planet’s older travelers’ forum
An online message board for senior travelers.

AARP Travel
Products, services and discounts for travelers aged 50 and over.

Boomeropia
Online travel resources for Baby Boomers.

Vagabonding with children

Lonely Planet Travel With Children, by Cathy Lanigan (Lonely Planet, 2002)

A practical guide to the challenges and joys of traveling with children, including trip preparation and kid-friendly destinations.

Gutsy Mamas: Travel Tips and Wisdom for Mothers on the Road, by Marybeth Bond (Travelers’ Tales, 1997)
Inspirational and informative advice on staying healthy on the road, traveling to third world countries (and close to home), and keeping children of all ages entertained and adults energized.

Your Child Abroad: A Travel Health Guide, by Jane Wilson-Howarth, Matthew Ellis. (Bradt Publications, 2005)
Accessible and practical health information for parents traveling with children to far-flung areas of the world.

One Year Off: Leaving It All Behind for a Round-the-World Journey with Our Children, by David Elliot Cohen (Simon & Schuster, 1999)

When David Elliot Cohen turned 40, he quit his job, sold his house and car and left to travel the world — with his wife and three kids (aged 8, 7, and 2) in tow. A first-hand account of how vagabonding exotic lands can be a family experience.

Take Your Kids to Europe: How to Travel Safely (and Sanely) in Europe with Your Children, by Cynthia Harriman (Globe Pequot, 2007)
A book of practical tips for traveling families traveling to Europe on limited budgets.

Adventuring With Children: An Inspirational Guide to World Travel and the Outdoors, by Nan Jeffrey (Avalon, 1995)
A classic book of advice on roaming the world with children, including preparation tips and adventurous family destinations.

Family Travel: The Farther You Go, the Closer You Get, by Laura Manske (Travelers’ Tales, 2000)
A collection of literary tales about family travel.

The Family Sabbatical Handbook: The Budget Guide To Living Abroad With Your Family, by Elisa Bernick (Intrepid Traveler, 2007)
Advice for families considering an expatriate stint abroad.

WorldTrek: A Family Odyssey, by Russell and Carla Fisher (Rainbow Books, 2007)
A family of four spends a year traveling the world.

Family Travel Forum
Online information on worldwide destinations for adults and children. Features discussion boards and advice for all manner of family travel issues.

Traveling Internationally With Your Kids
Online resources for traveling overseas with children. Features guidebook recommendations, trip preparation tips, and activity suggestions.

Delicious Baby
Ideas and stories about how to make travel fun for kids.

Families on the Road

For families who are on the road fulltime, on extended road trips, or are just dreaming about it.

Boostnall Traveling with Children forum
An online message board where family travelers can ask questions and share information.

Lonely Planet’s Kids to Go
Another useful online family-travel message board.

Pilgrims’ Progress

A Kiwi family with eight kids and a grandpa chronicle their pilgrimage from Singapore to London and beyond — overland all the way.

Traveling with Elliot
A blog documenting parent-child travel around the globe.

Six in the World
A family of six, ranging in age from 38 to 4, embarked on an 11-month round-the-world adventure in August 2006. This blog tracks their preparation, travels, and return to the US.

(A version of this post originally appeared as Chapter 3 in Vagabonding by Rolf Potts)

Posted on May 12th, 2010

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207 Comments

  • Chris Grow — May 12th, 2010, 1:54 am

    Cheers to Rolf for the Jack Kerouc reference and the quote from Dharma Bumbs.

    I finished Jacks book “On The Road” last week and it inspired the road trip Im on right now. Most recent highlights: The chicken tacos I ate at an obscure taco shop in Provo utah and a 22 year old blond I met in a Salt Lake City Bar.

    Drinks all around.

    Reply

  • David Turnbull — May 12th, 2010, 1:54 am

    Ah, I re-read vagabonding almost obsessively. When I’m feeling uninspired I’ll open up any of the chapters for some “brief reading” and almost undoubtably end up reading it all over again. Such a brilliant book.

    Walden was great too although a bit too dense to re-read regularly.

    Will add a few of the suggested books to my Amazon shopping list. :-)

    Reply

  • diego — May 12th, 2010, 2:08 am

    food for thought from the great george carlin…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvgN5gCuLac

    and i can’t help recommending the slow movement… (see carl honoré’s book).

    Reply

  • Aitor Calero García — May 12th, 2010, 2:16 am

    What an inspiring post! In order to declutter your life I recommend this advice form Unclutterer.com: http://unclutterer.com/2010/05/11/evicting-justin-case/

    Reply

  • mic — May 12th, 2010, 2:18 am

    Total read time 5 minutes???
    Takes about 20 :)

    Reply

  • baahar — May 12th, 2010, 2:23 am

    I love that poem at the beginning. I have to find its original !!

    I find it interesting how Rolf points out that people became environmentalists by only changing their consuming behaviour and not the amount of their consumption. I’m guilty of adding fuel to that by buying essentials/selling non-essentials on Etsy, but I think/hope that our intentions are mostly agreeable :)

    And I like this sentence:
    “Because your fresh worldview might appear to call their own values into question (or, at least, force them to consider those values in a new light)”

    I see this happen a lot. Maybe we do the same sometimes? Hmm, I have to think about that.

    Lastly, one of my fav quotes about valuing time from Al-Ghazali:
    ” Each of your breaths is a priceless jewel, since each of them is irreplaceable and, once gone, can never be retrieved. Do not be like that deceived fools who are joyous because each day their wealth increases while their life shortens. What good is an increase in wealth when life grows ever shorter?
    Therefore be joyous only for an increase in knowledge or in good works, for they are your two companions who will accompany you in your grave when your family, wealth, children and friends stay behind “

    Reply

    • Linda Watson — March 15th, 2013, 4:45 am

      I agree with the intention of your comment on buying and this statement but but believe they overlook the chance we have to really be environmentalists hen we shop wisely for essentials like food:
      “Such shopping sprees and health food purchases did absolutely nothing to improve the state of the planet, of course”

      Buying Super New Chia-Seed Cheetoes won’t help anything, but buying organic and sustainably grown food can. Saving money and cutting your expenses by eating lower on the food chain reduces the amount of oil you consume.

      That said, I love this post. Will rethink an upcoming tour to see how I can make it thriftier and longer.

      Reply

  • Michael — May 12th, 2010, 2:50 am

    Good stuff Tim. I plan on heading out very soon, blogging the entire time. Thanks for posting.

    Reply

  • Christoph Eilers — May 12th, 2010, 2:51 am

    Hallo Tim,

    habe in deinem Buch gelesen, dass du ein bissel Deutsch sprichst und hoffe du verstehst den Kommentar.Großartiger Beitrag mal wieder, bin auch ein großer Fan von seinem Buch ” Vagabonding “.

    Für mich sind auch dolectures.com und die Beiträge immer sehr inspirierend.

    Besten Gruß aus good ol Germany
    Chris

    Reply

  • Sylvain — May 12th, 2010, 2:54 am

    Inspiring story, it gives you a completely different view on vagabonding, and make you rethink what your life is supposed to be.

    I’m looking forward to reading that book, thanks a lot for sharing!

    Reply

  • Tim — May 12th, 2010, 3:14 am

    Awesome, inspiring Post, Tim!
    Thank you also for the interesting book references at the end. Over here in germany, that kind of lifestyle doesn’t seem to be such a huge thing as in the U.S. So as I’m blogging about that topic it’s always good to have “brainfood” like this.

    Thanks!

    Reply

  • Andy — May 12th, 2010, 3:27 am

    A-MAZ-ING!

    A genuinely inspiring post that will serve me well over the course of my own expeditions.

    Nice one!

    Reply

  • Allen — May 12th, 2010, 3:58 am

    @diego Carlin had it figured out. Very glad I got to see him at IU before he passed.

    Reply

  • maxil — May 12th, 2010, 4:05 am

    Hi everybody,
    I really want to read vagabonding (and other books), but i can’t find it anywhere here (morocco). Besides, amazon isn’t available in my country :s
    Any ideas ??

    Reply

  • Joel — May 12th, 2010, 4:31 am

    Great piece. FYI, the opening poem reminds me of a chapter of Lone Wolf And Cub called ‘Half Mat, Whole Mat, A Fistful Of Rice’, where a simple-living – but happy -ex-samurai -challenges our itinerant heroes with the idea that they don’t need to be murdering people for pay, because everyone’s needs are essentially basic and the same. It’s a great story and heartbreakingly written, although obviously it ends in a massive sword fight.

    Reply

  • Haitham Razagui — May 12th, 2010, 4:33 am

    I couldn’t agree more. A former work colleague was clock watching and I berated her for always looking forward to five o’clock, lunch time or the weekend and wishing her life away, whilst dragging the morale of the team down by doing so. She said, “Working sucks but it’s better than the alternative.”

    I said, “There’s more than one alternative,” and showed her this site.

    I love that someone else thinks so much like me and that I can feel qualified in my unusual and controversial outlook by the existence of such a great book and website. You get one go at life, so keep it interesting! Nice one Tim.

    Reply

  • Leah — May 12th, 2010, 4:40 am

    Great article, Tim, and it just came at the perfect time. I have wanted to do this for so long and felt held back by the millenia of concerns, and namely i have a 1 year old. You totally smashed my fears out of the water and have inspired me with what ive always known deep inside. Its great to be able to connect with so many people in this online sphere. And it always amazes me, how i just randomly seem to stumble across the exact, perfect information that i needed :)

    Reply

  • Maxim — May 12th, 2010, 4:47 am

    The less you consume, the less you have to work. The less you have to work, the more time you have.
    As simple as that.

    The philosophical approach is already well-known and widely popularized by various books and blogs. As it was properly mentioned, for millions of years. However, it’s definitely worth reminding, so thank you for the post!

    Not sure if long-term vagabonding for several years is quite my thing even in the possible future, but principles surely apply very well for life in general and short-, mid-term traveling as well.

    Reply

  • David Hayes — May 12th, 2010, 4:50 am

    On the value of time, I recommend a story from Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh called Thanh Thuy’s Apple Juice. The little girl doesn’t want a glass of apple juice offered to her because the pulp is stirred up. Half an hour later, she is still thirsty, and the monk reminds her of the glass. She sees it is now clear, and after drinking some, says “Was it meditating like you?” In reply he says that actually he imitates the glass of water when he sits. The story is at the start of his great book “The Sun My Heart”, which has a lot of other stuff about living simply too. Highly recommended.

    Reply

  • Alison — May 12th, 2010, 5:25 am

    Wow, thank you Rolf and Tim! It took me a long time to feel comfortable owning more possessions than would fit in my car :) When one owns a lot of stuff, one’s concentration is inevitably held captive whether or not the stuff is being used at that very moment. You own material possessions in your head as well as your house.

    Does anyone remember a short special on PBS about simplifying your life? All I can really remember is a hand literally feeding coins into a hole in the ground labeled “rat hole.”

    Reply

  • Steve — May 12th, 2010, 5:28 am

    I left the US 3 years ago and I’ve been traveling Asia non stop for the last 10 months.

    Articles about traveling are sometimes uplifting, but a common theme I see is ‘You can do anything if you’re cheap!’ but when I think of cheap, I think of constantly roughing it like I’m camping in a foreign land, staying at dirty places, and constantly watching my belongs so I don’t get ripped off. That’s not everybody’s ideal way to travel. From my experience a person doesn’t have to travel by living a stereotypical backpacker lifestyle if they don’t want to. Sometimes you have to save on things while traveling, sure, but if you’re traveling for an extended period of time you might just be able to live a lavish lifestyle while on a minimalist budget.

    I read the 4 Hour Work Week in December of 2008 which got me motivated about what I do for a living, becoming a minimalist, and traveling. After some research and commitment I took the plunge and redesigned my lifestyle. I think budgeting is key to make sure you don’t get into any financial trouble when traveling, but it’s also important to remember that you don’t have to live the commonly thought “cheapest way possible” to make things happen. For example, I’ve never stayed in a hostel. But with a friendly smile, good attitude, a little networking, and some negotiation skills I managed to stay at a villa in Phuket with a pool, full kitchen, TV, wifi, daily maid service, and large patio area overlooking the ocean on one side and a jungle on the other side for less than $10 a day. With a kitchen it’s always easy to save money on meals and I made friends with everybody living there. Other times I’ve spent $5-15 per night staying in clean and modern guesthouses, apartments, and even condos. (I average about $10 per night.) One idea is to check ads in the area, look online, or get a roommate, and sublet an apartment. Another tip is to befriend a driver or two in the country your traveling in because most times if you’ve created a bond and you’re paying for their services they’ll tend to look out for your best interest. For example a driver I knew got a $40 per night hotel down to $15 for me.

    I often eat affordable meals, but at once every 1-2 months I don’t mind splurging on what I would consider 4 star restaurants with friends where meals cost $9-20 per person, or hit a fancy lounge/bar where drinks are $4-6 each. Most times my meals, entertainment, and travel have always been affordable like the author mentioned. But they’re all tasty, fun, and travel has been easy. Taking buses and trains are more affordable than expensive airfare, but when you can spare the cash and have want the cheapest route it’s good to remember there are budget airlines like http://www.airasia.com that will take you to another country for $60-100.

    I have nothing against how other people travel and how little or much they spend, I just wanted people to know that there are many options for travelers even when vagabonding on the cheap. Of course the path you like and what choose is up to you.

    Reply

  • Jack Bennett — May 12th, 2010, 5:29 am

    Great resources and advice for minimalist living and the transition to long term global travel! I look forward to returning to these resources again and again as I plan out the next few months! (… and will acquire a copy of Vagabonding immediately :) )

    Reply

  • Don’t Forget to Write Yourself Back « Major Progression — May 12th, 2010, 5:35 am

    [...] Living Well Vs. Doing Well – Much to digest here. I’m OK with my job for now, and I don’t feel the need to road trip around the country, but that’s not what this is really about, at least not for me. Dovetails nicely with the other reading I’m doing. [...]

  • CH — May 12th, 2010, 6:16 am

    Any advise for someone who’s motivated to follow this type of adventuresome life, but whose significant other doesn’t have the desire to come with?

    Reply

  • Joe — May 12th, 2010, 6:54 am

    I dig this post but felt there was one thing missing. Traveling alone in a country where you don’t speak the language, don’t know anyone and without the benefit of an empirical travel guide, is scary. You have that down moment when your close to paranoia that someone will rob you, lost, and you’re thinking “what am I doing here?” and that’s scary. But that moment, and what you do from that moment is what helps define you. Doing the things that scare you is exactly what you need to do. (Within reason)

    Reply

  • Johnny Jen — May 12th, 2010, 7:09 am

    Tim, because of your original book and the recommendations at the end of it, including Vagabonding, I am happy to say that for the last 24 months I have been living happily abroad in the islands of Thailand, and now in the west Caribbeans, a little island called Utila.

    Thank you so much for your insight and recommendations bro!

    Warm Regards,

    Johnny Jen – living well, scuba diving, muay thai kickboxing, and enjoying the world.

    Reply

  • Bryce McCormick — May 12th, 2010, 7:23 am

    Inspiring words from Rolf. I cant get enough of it. Great resources too… I’ve got a lot of reading to do.

    4HWW and Vagabonding changed my life. Just got back from 3 months in South America. Going to Italy very soon. Working on my muse right now…

    Thank you Tim. Thank you Rolf.

    Reply

  • Tim L. — May 12th, 2010, 7:34 am

    Great inspiring advice and there’s plenty more where that came from in Vagabonding. As someone who circled the globe three times before I started really being a travel writer, I lost count of how many friends and relatives asked how in the world two of us could travel so far and so long without being filthy rich. Often these same people had houses overloaded with stuff they seldom used and drove cars that they couldn’t really afford. I came back after three years on the road with a higher actual net worth than almost all of them—because I wasn’t so far in debt. Now I’m not vagabonding so much with a kid in school, but both cars in the driveway are 10+ years old and paid for…

    Reply

  • Laser — May 12th, 2010, 7:39 am

    Among all your works of writing, this is beyond the most inspiration I have yet to read. You’d be proud to know that I’m starting my own vagabond group. Our first meeting is this Saturday where we shall talk about our travels over wine at a picnic and possibly plan a trip to Belize. Tim, you are truly a gemstone in this panicky world of complexities.

    I will be posting some pictures of some future vagabonders on my blog after this weekend.

    “One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.” – Jack Kerouac

    Reply

  • Dr.D — May 12th, 2010, 7:40 am

    Words of wisdom and a sober guide to freedom. Thanks.
    Dr.D.

    Reply

  • Dobromir Stoyanov — May 12th, 2010, 7:48 am

    Wow that was a long post..I do agree with the basic premise that once you generate enough income to sustain yourself, anything extra has a much lower utility in comparison to the utility of free time. The most important reason people overspend is keeping up with the Joneses. People are watching TV and trying to live the lifestyle of the rich and famous, which is why so mane Americans are in debt.

    Reply

  • Dan — May 12th, 2010, 7:48 am

    I could never look at another website again besides this blog and have enough info to last me a lifetime. I’m always impressed with how much useful stuff you pack into a single post. Thanks Tim!

    PS – another book about getting rid of clutter that is very good is “It’s All Too Much”.

    http://www.amazon.com/Its-All-Too-Much-Living/dp/0743292642

    PPS – Ever been to Walden Pond? My commute takes me by it everyday. Still one of my favorite places (been going since I was 2, now I’m 30, ha!)

    Reply

  • Traver — May 12th, 2010, 7:53 am

    Thanks Tim, great post! One of the things that I’ve found most interesting from finishing grad school and starting a business (with virtually zero extra spending money left over) is that the habit of buying things is quickly forgotten. I honestly can’t remember the last time that I bought something for personal use that wasn’t either to eat, to make my car go or to read. When I was working fulltime for someone else though, personaly shopping was a weekly activity and the amount of crap that I owned but didn’t really need piled up.

    Reply

  • Nick — May 12th, 2010, 7:54 am

    Hello Tim and Rolf:

    Thanks very much for the post. I’ve not read Vagabonding, but I’ve read and heard very good things about it. I’ll make it a point to pick up a copy.

    Having been a Peace Corps Volunteer myself and having backpacked through more than a few countries, I can certainly identify with the simplicity of having everything that matters to you on your back (and even that stuff not all that much). There is a certain liberating feeling about not needing to maintain anything, not needing to replace anything, not needing to constantly “keep up with the Jones’” is a character building experience. And having lived in a developing country for almost 2 1/2 years and spent my time in local housing, at a local standard of living, interacting in local culture, I can say that it is both rewarding and reassuring of one’s own sense of self.

    However, I would like to suggest, based on my own experience, that there is a categorical difference between backpacking through countries, no matter how long you are there, and making an intentioned decision to stay in and interact with one community for an extended period of time. My experience in Peace Corps was far more rewarding than any country I’ve been to since, no matter how long I’ve been there. It’s been my own observation that after the initial introduction to backpacking/vagabonding, there is less marginal benefit to each new experience. I’ve found that countries and destinations start to run together after awhile, and you start to integrate less into the culture and appreciate your experiences less.

    On that note, it might be wise to schedule in regular breaks from vagabonding, else you lose the true splendor of the experience.

    I once read a quote about meditation (which I can’t find for the life of me) that went something like, “Meditation is not being calm sitting on some remote mountaintop, it is being calm in the middle of New York City.” This does point at the simplicity at home Rolf mentions, but I think it also suggests that building character is not a process that comes through avoiding your world or your community through travel, but rather pushing yourself deeper into that community. This is not said to denigrate vagabonding, but rather to keep perspective on the fact that travel in itself does not guarantee you understand the places you visit, and does not cut your connections to a community back home, even if it does free you from material responsibilities.

    Further, I think it’s important to point out that even though I think Emerson’s thinking was revolutionary and has really contributed to the argument for simplicity above all else, an argument could be made that he was also a misanthrope, that he held a sort of elitism about his place in society (or rather removed from it), and he seems in Walden to delight just a little too much in counting how much he spent in relation to look farmers, or voicing his opinion about how everyone else looked at the world. In addition, his essay on Civil Disobedience could be viewed as escapist, i.e. I am an individual and I have a right to refuse to do what my government says because it has no right to tell me what to do. That is a far cry for Martin Luther King, Jr. stressing the right of the individual to actively refuse to comply with unjust policies.

    My general point is that there is evidence to suggest that there has been a breakdown in American communities in recent decades (see the book Bowling Alone), and that has real implications that have nothing to do with materialism. I just want to acknowledge that while there is much to be gained from individual self-discovery on the road, there is much to be gained for society by being in one place and making a strident contribution, and I don’t mean a material one.

    Perhaps this explains why integrating into a foreign community with a sense of purpose is more rewarding than moving from one country to the next. But again, this is my perspective and absolutely, unabashedly, I value the message of your post and I would be a hypocrite if I claimed I didn’t pine for and hold dear life on the road.

    Reply

  • Joseph Doughty — May 12th, 2010, 7:59 am

    Tim,
    Thanks. Not just for this post, but for helping open my eyes to new possibilities. I read your book over 2 years ago and I’m happy to announce we (my wife and I) have officially started. Today we purchase 2 one way tickets to Europe. Itinerary in mind we plan to be on the road for 1 year. England, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Romania, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Greece, Italy, Egypt…that’s the plan. But, you know what’s said about “plans”? God laughs.

    Cheers

    Reply

  • Robert Fitzsimmons — May 12th, 2010, 8:05 am

    Well you lied about 5 minutes reading time, either that or I’m getting slower.

    I’ve been backpacking 15 months now and counting, it’s really not too hard especially in asia budget wise. Australia killed my budget a lot, but living out of a campervan reduced that heavily, I cook my own food using a gas bottle and stove, and don’t have to fork out $25 a day to stay in a hostel.

    Still yet to read vagabonding although it is top of my list!

    Reply

  • Bill DAlessandro — May 12th, 2010, 8:13 am

    Tim – Nice post, and I definitely agree with the sentiment. So many of us think that happiness is defined by “having”. That is to say having a 56″ TV, having a nice car, having an arbitrarily high account balance. So it turn, we break our backs trying to “have” as much stuff as possible.

    I think (and expect you’ll agree) that “having” is a poor substitute for “doing”. Thinking back, the happiest times in my life have not stemmed from things I had, but from things I did. The state championship my senior year of high school. The spontaneous overnight drive with roommates to Florida for a weekend in college. A wild weekend in New York City with my brother and a close friend. Experiences are far more memorable than possessions.

    So I sat down to figure out how I could reallocate my funds away from “having” and focus on “doing”. As part of this exercise, I made a list I called “30 by 30″ – 30 things that I want to accomplish while I’m still young and relatively unencumbered by things like a mortgage and children.

    You can checkout the whole list (along with some more thoughts on having vs. doing) at my blog, but I’ve excerpted a few of my favorites below:

    - Learn guitar well enough to play cover songs for tips one night in a bar.
    - Get lost for a summer weekend in the Rockies with only a tent, sleeping bag and camping stove.
    - Attend a party at a rooftop bar with a view in New York City.
    - Sail for a week in the Bahamas, on a rented boat, without a guide (become good enough sailor to accomplish this).
    - Beat one of the old men in the park at chess.

    I’d really encourage everyone to make a similar list – it’s a great exercise and helps give you that push to start doing things that are truly memorable.

    - Bill

    Reply

  • ami — May 12th, 2010, 8:18 am

    Fantastic post Rolf and Tim, gives me a lot to think about. It is hard to remember that focusing on the personal experience and interpersonal interaction make travel – and life! – so much more pleasurable. In a year, sometimes more, sometimes less, the stuff we accumulate is covered with dust, discarded, and forgotten. But never the experiences and never the connections.

    thanks.

    also – would love to know others’ experiences of simplifying and vagabonding with kids (and how they dealt with pets)

    Reply

  • Matt — May 12th, 2010, 8:20 am

    Great Post (as always)

    The title “On a basic level, there are three general methods to simplifying your life: stopping expansion, reining in your routine, and reducing clutter” is something I can really relate to….

    Having just moved from the UK to the US I took the opportunity to reduce clutter (although I was already fairly clutter free). One of the main things I now haven’t had for 4 months is a TV…it has been a great routine changer and given me the opportunity to reduce ‘mind clutter’ (as I call it) further.

    Thought I’d share

    Thanks Tim!

    Reply

  • Steve — May 12th, 2010, 8:21 am

    Good words! Whether you are talking about traveling, or anything else you wish to do, the point is to do it. Find the way and go do it. It doesn’t matter if it is going to some far off land, or recording your first CD at age sixty.

    Living by design is something that we all should be taught in school. It does not matter what your design is, only that it is your design!

    Reply

  • Jared — May 12th, 2010, 8:23 am

    Great post, expense is the biggest question I get as well and I always point out I left NZ debt free with $1000 2 years ago and haven’t worked a 9-5 since! Great RWEmerson Self Reliance quote.

    Reply

  • Josh Crocker — May 12th, 2010, 8:29 am

    Incredible. I’m recommending this to my “inner-circle” right away.

    Thanks guys!

    - JC

    Reply

  • Paolo Nagari — May 12th, 2010, 8:31 am

    Thanks for sharing this Rolf!

    I was privileged to participate to a one year foreign exchange program from Italy to the US as a high school student. And I know Tim you participated to one too. It was a great way to start vagabonding and learning about the world.

    Not to mention how many doors that experience has opened for me throughout my life.

    You don’t need to be wealthy to travel the world. There are plenty of scholarships to study overseas and volunteer abroad opportunities that if you haven’t been abroad you almost have no excuses. All these opportunities are just one click away.

    See you on the road,
    Ciao

    Reply

  • mike fiorillo — May 12th, 2010, 8:36 am

    I picked up Rolf’s Vagabonding book after reading 4HWW. It’s easy to mindlessly accumulate stuff over time, but living a life of simplicity is very much a conscious and deliberate choice. Great wisdom here, thanks Tim…

    Reply

  • Ramiro — May 12th, 2010, 8:37 am

    not everybody likes to travel constantly or vagabond. For others, to live life is to experience things that are near, explore beyond the usual confines only ocassionally. Also, some accomplishments in this world require a person to remain in one place for long periods of time. That being said, I like the thrust of the article, and it will be of great use to those that are more adept at being mobile and superficially curious. Like I said, to experience a culture fully, you have to delve into that culture for years. I know because I immigrated to the U.S. from Argentina many years ago and I still find things that are new to me in the U.S. Being an immigrant, my impetus is not so much to move around. But I understand that I may be the exception, and not the rule. Good article!

    Reply

  • Nick Sparagis — May 12th, 2010, 8:38 am

    The only thing that I can add to this piece is: Try not to identify or put a label on yourself. You can only do what feels right in the moment. Projecting an image as a monk or hippy does not make you one, instead, it pushes you further away.

    Warren Buffet is an interesting person b/c the way he makes money has no relationship to his lifestyle. If no one told you, you could mistake him for a guy that sold insurance for 35 years of his life. His lifestyle is independent of his money. If he lived like a person worth $50b, he would not be Warren Buffet, just another rich guy in history.

    Reply

  • Erik — May 12th, 2010, 8:49 am

    Thanks guys, this post made me reconsider my aspirations for more travel and a more enjoyable life.

    Reply

  • Scott Dinsmore — May 12th, 2010, 8:52 am

    I am a firm believer, subscriber and liver of this philosophy even since I was turned onto it by both you guys. Yet it’s still amazing how important the constant reminders and reassurance are to staying on track. The hardest part about it is the disapproval bordering on perception of arrogant entitlement of those around you. It’s like they’re offended that you choose life over what what everyone else is doing…consuming.

    Thanks Tim and Rolf!

    Happy travels,
    Scott

    Reply

  • Steven Dorner — May 12th, 2010, 8:55 am

    Tim, you traveled across the world at an exceedingly young age–the age of lust. Surely you must have enjoyed many a dalliance, particularly in the genetic jackpot that is Buenos Aires. I know I’d certainly treasure, as would many other young bachelors, a tasteful post on romance abroad.

    Un abrazo fuerte,
    Tu amigo

    Reply

  • kurt — May 12th, 2010, 9:01 am

    Tim-great post and resources. Also check out “Living Well on Practically Nothing” by Ed Romney. It’s on Amazon.

    http://www.amazon.com/Living-Well-Practically-Nothing-Revised/dp/1581602820

    Reply

  • Carl — May 12th, 2010, 9:04 am

    One of my favorite pieces of writing from Rolf.

    The section on Kerouac reminds me deeply of my last year living hand-to-mouth traveling the U.S. Vagabonding has a certain mystique to it that is only encountered alone, on the road, wherever you may be amongst millions in NYC or alone in the woods of Vermont.

    Reply

  • Adrienne — May 12th, 2010, 9:12 am

    Great post Tim. I read your book about a year ago and just got my firsts drop-ship order today! Things are happening. :) I also am getting ready to close on my third real estate property which when all said and done will allow me the freedom to do what I want (instead of work in a cubicle). Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply

  • Hethir — May 12th, 2010, 9:22 am

    Timely post! We have been re-reading Vagabonding and Rolf’s new book in preparation for our first long term travel trip. Built the muse (thanks Tim!), got out of debt, have been simplifying, and now ready to go. The combination of 4HWW + Vagabonding has made such a difference in our lives. Thank you both!

    Reply

  • Andrew — May 12th, 2010, 9:26 am

    Thanks for posting this Tim. Rolf’s way of simple living is inspiring. I think the important thing to consider is that this is one of many ways to live simply. I’m in the process of creating my own way of living simply. The phrase I keep in my head is simple luxury. For example, I’m not big on hostels. I’d rather rent out an apartment or shack up with locals through sites like couchsurfing.com or tripping.com. Basically, I think anyone serious about going simple should understand their limits and embrace them.

    Reply

  • Mukul Verma — May 12th, 2010, 9:28 am

    I still need to read that book, great insight once again.

    Cheers,
    Mukul

    Reply

  • SouthAfricanJono — May 12th, 2010, 9:35 am

    I’m a stickler. Although I really enjoyed this post I still see myself as a Comfortable Voyager and when I travel I believe living well means indulging materially, and sensually. Nice sheets and expensive cheese help!

    I don’t think there is a Kerouac in everyone.

    The trick I feel is to know when you’ve made enough in order to actually enjoy it.

    Perhaps I am lost to the notion that it’s “fame or failure.”

    Siyabonga – good meeting you at your talk in Cape Town earlier this year.

    Reply

  • Chris Mower — May 12th, 2010, 9:41 am

    Love this post. Simplicity is a great way of life. If we moved from our home, we could do it in a small rent-a-van. We used to have just tons of… STUFF. We sold all of it, made a few thousand dollars off of stuff we never used and we’ve been junk free ever sense. As part of that transition, we figured out where we were spending out money and made alterations to our spending habits as well. Now, we have the same income, but we don’t have to worry about living paycheck to paycheck–simplicity really does make a man free.

    Reply

  • A. Goode — May 12th, 2010, 9:43 am

    Where can these cheap beach huts be found?
    If I could stay somewhere like that for $2000/year
    I would go on a three month vacation TOMORROW.
    Can somebody expound on these?

    Reply

  • Michael Jackson — May 12th, 2010, 9:54 am

    After getting PIMPED one more time by my bank (I know it’s my fault – long story) this post came right on time.

    I have a lot of reading to do and I’ve already started getting rid of “stuff”.

    I’ll let you guys know how it’s going from time to time. Love the post.

    Reply

  • Mark Kennedy — May 12th, 2010, 10:07 am

    Great post.

    My fiancee and I just got back from a 3-month ‘mini-retirement’ – traveled through India and SE Asia. It was so inspiring and such a life changing experience.

    Also, it’s amazing how cheaply one can live while traveling through some of these countries. For anyone that is hesitating on taking a leave from work, go for it, you will not be disappointed!

    Thanks Tim and Rolf.

    Reply

  • Minimalist Business Success at the Basis of Existence « Far Beyond The Stars | The Art of Being Minimalist — May 12th, 2010, 10:08 am

    [...] Rolf Potts recently observed on Tim Ferriss’s 4 Hour Workweek blog “…neither self nor wealth can be measured [...]

  • Stephen Nash — May 12th, 2010, 10:13 am

    Looks like my next few months of reading is set. Loved, and will relove, Vagabonding. Also dig Leo Babuata’s Zen Habits site…it’s written in much the same spirit as Potts’ book and this post.

    Sn.

    Reply

  • Mike Roberts — May 12th, 2010, 10:15 am

    I have traveled, inspired by Rolf, Tim and mostly a strong desire inside of myself to “break” my way of living, and it was wonderful. My take upon returning from a year abroad is that travel and vagabonding was an awesome experience FOR ME, but it may not be for everyone.

    If an individual can look at their life as it is today and begin to fall in love with themselves, the people around them and everything they have (including their possessions), they may never need to leave their hometowns.

    Reply

  • Tim — May 12th, 2010, 10:17 am

    G’day Tim. As ever, you are an inspiration. Thank you for your continued reminder that I’m only back at work just long enough to get back on the road. Last year, at age 33, I finally put my failing health and 8 week old baby first and took six months off to travel around Australia in a second hand Winnebago. It was the best thing we’d done since driving a kombi from Alaska to Turkey 10 years ago. My wife and I are now expecting our second baby and will head off again, this time for two years (with two kids under 18 months). As soon as you’re on the road, you forget what you used to waste so much time worrying about back home. I hope you get a chance to checkout our blog at … We’re not rich enough to afford the Winnebago, we just chucked it on our home loan. Better to do the trip now and pay it off slowly over 20 years than save up for 20 years and do it when I’m in my 50s. Cheers, Tim.

    Reply

  • Brent — May 12th, 2010, 10:18 am

    YES YES YES !!! No worries, veggie curry !!!! Rolf rocks and the timely inspiration is much appreciated. Thanks Tim !!!

    Reply

  • Sandy — May 12th, 2010, 10:30 am

    What a nice reminder of what is really important…and all those quotes took me right back to high school and college. I’m going to have to read those books again…but will they fit into my backpack?

    Reply

  • Matt — May 12th, 2010, 10:47 am

    What happened to the bonus material on http://www.fourhourblog.com when I try to go to the site I am directed here.

    Reply

  • NothaDood — May 12th, 2010, 11:04 am

    This is just some really good stuff, man. Always wanted to read Jack’s books and this a good reminder. And Rolf is just a good writer. Plain and simple. His material is thought provoking, it just makes sense and is practical.

    Reply

  • Greg Jones — May 12th, 2010, 11:33 am

    I’m a huge fan of the outsourcing concept but I’ve found out the hard/expensive way that the India connection is not all its cracked up to be. I’ve lost thousands through Brickwork for example. They provided me with what we consider to be basic “cut&paste” research reports. They don’t follow (clearly defined, written) instructions very well, and they go into full hiding mode when complaints are launched.

    I hope others have better success – or take heed…
    Greg

    Reply

  • andrew — May 12th, 2010, 11:33 am

    Great post! Just one comment (which is bad news for the environment). The Exxon Valdez oil spill is actually only the largest oil spill in US waters (untill the recent BP Gulf disaster) Its not even in the top 30 for the world.

    http://www.absorbentsonline.com/oilspillbasics.htm

    It was, depending on who you ask, one of the worst environmentally. The largest oil spill ever? The Persian Gulf at 240million barrels of oil. The Exxon Valdez was (only?) 11 million. Thats 22 minutes worth of oil for the USA.

    Again, I enjoyed the post! Keep it simple.

    Reply

  • Alex Ikonn — May 12th, 2010, 12:10 pm

    A true manifesto! :) really enjoyed it! Thanks Tim and Rolf.

    Here is a funny campaign a postal service did – Stefan the Swopper. That everyone here should enjoy! This was commercial but if we all did what Stefan did, it would be liberating! http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/stefan-the-swopper-social-media-viral-campaign-case-study-english/

    Reply

  • Chris Hughes — May 12th, 2010, 12:40 pm

    Hey Tim, I’m graduating on Saturday and have to take 4 more classes throughout the summer to get my Undergraduate… Where can I find more information about living in Indonesia for a month’s rent? That sounds like something worth doing for at least a few months. Would be a great time, 22 years old and looking to travel starting in September and would love to get more prepared.

    Reply

  • Jennifer Barry — May 12th, 2010, 1:04 pm

    “Despite several millennia of such warnings, however, there is still an overwhelming social compulsion – an insanity of consensus, if you will – to get rich from life rather than live richly, to “do well” in the world instead of living well.” Even though I’ve never read the book, this really resonates with me and sums up the idea behind my blog.

    I am also working to get rid of stuff. My husband and I sold our house in 2006 so we could have a more mobile lifestyle. We are digitizing memorabilia and data so we can get rid of more possessions. We have almost no debt left of any kind. We don’t want our stuff to own us.

    Reply

  • Chris — May 12th, 2010, 1:27 pm

    Awesome post, as usual. Early next year, the wife and I are planning on buying a one-way ticket to Europe and just seeing what happens. Plans are to stay about a year, or however long we feel like it, then heading back at our leisure.

    Problem is Europe is rather expensive. Currently we plan on doing as much Couchsurfing as possible, though I know that’s not reasonable to do for a full year. Or maybe it is. I’d like to do Asia first to make sure money is OK but the wife insists on Europe; who am I to say no? Do you think that’s doable?

    I have a blog that brings in some money, maybe $20k a year, so that’s going to help out with income, then we’ll get part time jobs at a local deli or something as needed to get to know the culture and people too. I’ve been working on starting a real business but just can’t seem to come up with anything good enough.

    Reply

  • Ryan Flynn — May 12th, 2010, 2:01 pm

    Tim,

    You’re always mentioning “Walden,” which is on my shift, but yet to read.

    Have you read Edward Abbey’s “Desert Soltaire”?

    I’m working through it right now, and seems to be in a similar vein. Good read if you’re into the SW United States.

    Great post!

    Ryan

    Reply

  • Mike — May 12th, 2010, 2:37 pm

    work to consume VS work to experience.

    Thanks for simple reminder that in life there’s more important things then the latest car or designer jeans.

    While I think its nice to have a few nice pleasures, its important to stop at a certain point and realise that experiences create more meaningful memories.

    I’m looking forward to my next mini-retirement to Florianopolis, Brazil.

    Cheers Tim!

    Reply

  • Primal Toad — May 12th, 2010, 2:49 pm

    I am so grateful I found this blog post. Over the past year or so I have been wanting to travel around the world. I had no idea how I was going to do it because I by no means had enough money. I wanted to take at least 6 months and travel, but then thought that doing a week here, 3 weeks there, 5 nights here, etc. might be the better route.

    After reading this post… Traveling around the world – or in a different content a a time for that matter for 1 year now seems more possible then ever and more fun then ever. I have been trying to live a more simpler life over the past few weeks and am making progress, but slow progress at that.

    I will be referencing back to this article often, reading it a few times and engaging in the resources provided.

    Thanks Tim! I have stumbled across your site a few times and will now be back way more often. Your book is on my long list of books to buy… it has now certainly moved up to the list.

    To vegabonding!

    -Toad

    Reply

  • Brian M. Hays — May 12th, 2010, 3:25 pm

    Great Post! It makes me want to reread Vagabonding. Thank you.

    Reply

  • Sue Swift — May 12th, 2010, 3:31 pm

    I wanted to express that living simply is often a matter of figuring out what really makes you happy instead of swallowing the line that to be happy one must own a big house, fancy car and so on. But can take a lot of living before that knowledge is gained.

    In my case, I had the fancy car, a law practice, the gorgeous house. When my life turned around, I found myself living in a studio apartment in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and completely happy even though it measured perhaps 20′ x 20′.

    Upon my return to the USA, I moved into a one bedroom/one bath apartment and continued to drive my old Rav.

    Lessons learned.

    Reply

  • Rob Rawson — May 12th, 2010, 4:30 pm

    I have been travelling full time (no home location) since June last year, and about 7 months per year for 3 years before that.

    So many things I have learned about making it work, but the number one is about who I am with and what I am doing. The most fun is staying with friends or staying in a youth hostel. It also depends if you are travelling by yourself or with a partner.

    I would go so far as saying that if you have money you are less likely to have fun when travelling, because you are more likely to stay in boring hotels, and boring 5 star resorts.

    Travelling is one of those things where cheaper is often better (although there are exceptions: Business class flights and heliskiing are two exceptions, both very expensive and but good if you can get them … I would never pay for business class flights, but points flights are great).

    Now I’m thinking it’s time to settle in one place however for a few reasons: It’s harder to develop a consistent group of friends and community when constantly travelling, and it’s maybe harder to maintain relationships when travelling (although it is easy to meet people if you stay in youth hostels).

    Overall, it’s a good experience to go vagabonding for a few months or a couple of years. In fact I think it’s a must do. But extending it past a couple of years is difficult on the Psyche.

    Also I think a lot of people have the “illusion” that it would make them so happy to have the freedom to travel and do whatever they want. I think if you are unhappy at home doing your 9 to 5 job, you are also likely to be unhappy travelling around the world seeing amazing places.

    Reply

  • Jeremy — May 12th, 2010, 5:40 pm

    Thanks for posting this at just the right time for me. I’m ready to jump on the minimalist train simply to free life up. I’m a fairly new father and life is taking over. I have finally realized that I put too much attention where it does not need to be. The more I cut out, the more value comes in.

    Peace Out.

    Reply

  • Steve Spickard — May 12th, 2010, 5:46 pm

    So the message here is to simplify and travel. Now, how do I justify  
    burning thousands of gallons of non-renuable fossil fuel to take tango  
    lessons in South America?

    Perhaps I should stay home and plant trees to sequester the carbon dioxide vagabums create?

    Bush was right you (we) are addicted to oil. By the way, the McDonald’s in Paris is much like the one in San Francisco. So put on a baret and plant a tree.

    Reply

  • Kent — May 12th, 2010, 6:54 pm

    there is a typo in the paragraph that begins “This notion – ”

    i believe in the last sentence the word never should be in place of ever.

    otherwise, brilliant, i will be sending to all my family.

    Reply

  • Christoffer Torris Olsen — May 12th, 2010, 7:32 pm

    I’m currently reading Walden, which basically incorporates many of my personal-political ideals into a great story and philosophy. I’m reading it as a public domain ebook on my new Nexus One, though – if a non-religious man can commit blasphemy, I think that’s it.

    But the more important part is this:
    I read Vagabonding on my plane ride to my six week sabbatical in Dominica plus the US, which has taken me through the most beautiful nature island in the Caribbean, the music (and flooding) of Nashville, the post-Katrina soul (and oil spill) of New Orleans, and the cosmopolitan soul of New York City that I’ll always love, and will always make my home of Oslo a little too small.

    Really, Rolf has let me enjoy that trip even more than I would have original, and if anything, the book should carry a warning label like 4HWW. It’s basically like willfully committing yourself to being stateless. At the moment I finished it I wanted to cancel any plans that might force me to go anywhere. I didn’t go there that quickly, but I did start planning for longer mini-retirements in the near future.

    But if there’s one thing to do to feed the soul, it’s travel. I’ve been gone for six weeks, and I’ve experienced more than in a long time. It feels like I haven’t been home in a year. And, I have *lived*.

    The next challenge is to incorporate the slow-paced life full of experiences into my “other” life and making them one. That challenge starts when I’m going back to Norway on Saturday. Couldn’t be a better time, though – Oslo is really the perfect place to spend a summer.

    Reply

  • Christopher Lowman — May 12th, 2010, 7:54 pm

    Awsm post and resources.

    I live this lifestyle of simplicity and am about to embark on an abroad vagabonding journey myself. I get it and subscribe.

    I wonder: will this understanding become mainstream? Or continue to be an underground movement?

    With the degree of volatility permeating the globe, an investment in becoming highly mobile and valuable as an individual seems to me to be very wise.

    Reply

  • Derek Nye — May 12th, 2010, 8:21 pm

    Great Post!

    It resonates with me in that recently I have been taking inventory of everything I do, and slowly working out what I do and do not need in my life. Simplicity and focus are concepts I wish I had started applying years ago!

    Reply

  • Shushu — May 12th, 2010, 8:33 pm

    Tim
    you are the real deal!!!
    With your words, blog posts and THE book you inspire me in every step for nearly 3 years. Thank you!

    About a month ago I packed my bags (yet again…) and started a new adventure: 1st working to save money in a new country, than planing to go traveling, learning and volunteering in Brazil (this would normally light my fire-”ADULT ADD- adventure deficit disorder” Tim Ferriss).
    BUT what I’m present to is: I miss HOME.
    Going traveling again, suddenly seems like I will have to give up on being with my love ones.

    Anything you can say in the matter?

    Looking forward to hearing from you
    Thanks in advance
    Shushu

    Reply

  • Joel — May 12th, 2010, 10:27 pm

    Just wanted to point out that the quote from the Bible mentioned above is not “gain the whole world, yet lose his very self” it is rather “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” – Matthew 16:26 (NKJV)

    I checked Bible.cc and from the 17 versions quoted there they all say pretty close to the NKJV above and none of them mention “self” as the important distinction between using “self” and “soul” is that material things are not important when in comparison to where one’s soul will go when they die rather than in comparison to one’s sense of self (although that is still a good but lesser point).

    In context of the entire chapter of Matthew 16 the point is that earthly possessions matter little and that one should look to Jesus Christ for their salvation since where one’s soul spends eternity is what is important.

    Reply

  • Rick — May 12th, 2010, 10:53 pm

    Reignited by this post. Thanks Tim, I have been downshifting on my personal space lately. I just sold my house and moved into an apartment. I can lock the door and drive off and not worry about anything.
    Rick

    Reply

  • Evgueni — May 12th, 2010, 10:58 pm

    Tim, although a lot of it is spot on there is one thing that bothers me – in the majority of the examples the author is capitalising on the dollar to local currency ratio and market difference. That is very formidable factor but how do you build a system with such an unstable variable?

    Reply

  • Sue Swift — May 12th, 2010, 11:20 pm

    Shushu, if you miss home GO HOME. Living simply doesn’t mean giving up what you need and want. And why travel if it isn’t fun?

    Rob, it is true that ‘wherever you go, there you are,’ but travel–simply getting away for awhile–literally saved my life…took me out of a bad situation into one in which I was able to become a healthier, happier person. I would hazard a guess that I am not alone in having this experience.

    Best of luck in your travels, everyone, whether they be around the world or around your neighborhood.

    Reply

  • Freddie Smith — May 13th, 2010, 4:32 am

    Thank you for posting this Tim and thank you to Rolf for taking the time to put the post together. I find this sort of post truly inspirational. I think to a certain extent Rolf’s anecdote about the American aeronautical engineer reflects also the general attitude towards breaking the mould in other areas of modern society. It seems astonishing to me that people who decide to go against the grain and not life a hectic 9-5 lifestyle are sometimes perceived as ‘lazy.’ It shows how deeply engrained in society the ethic of living to work is when it really should be the other way around.

    As a final year student myself, I have found it very interesting asking others what they intend to do once they graduate. My experience has shown me that towards the start of their courses, my friends were a lot more open minded and generally seemed to have an interest in not being just another person, living a stress inducing, hectic lifestyle where they sacrifice their greatest currency of time for that of money and material possessions. However, towards the end of their studies I noticed a distinct shift in attitude. Despite showing a burning intrinsic desire to break the mould, people start to seem content to ‘settle’ for the norm. Usually they are drawn in by the prospect of earning decent money and when I remind them that previously, they said to me that they would not get caught in the cycle of living simply to earn more and buy more material possessions, they seem to reply that earning big money will help them live that lifestyle they want ‘after a few years.’ At that stage, I realise I’ve lost them to a kind of deferred lifestyle pattern that is so engraved in our present society. Maybe if people were taught at a younger age that there was more than one type of lifestyle, it might encourage them to dream a little more and really seize life for what it’s meant to be; fun. Why are we not taught at a young age that life is what we decide to make it? I know I definitely would paid attention to that class at school!

    Thank you for the post once again guys.

    Reply

  • Ben — May 13th, 2010, 5:59 am

    I am planning to go to the Carnival Cruise terminal on Sat where a ship is departing at 4:00 pm and try to buy a no-show’s cabin. Has anyone done this successfully? I mean just go with cash and passport in hand and try to get on the boat because with over 2,000 passengers I bet someone will miis the boat.

    Reply

  • Brad — May 13th, 2010, 7:10 am

    @Nick Do you mean Thoreau in Walden? I have had the same thoughts. He seemed to argue simply that the people who look like they need help don’t actually want it, so you should just live for yourself. And I think his criticism of “progress” at that time (e.g. building national railroads) was a little simplistic. I don’t know if he was in fact a misanthrope in real life, if he does seem somewhat elitist in his book. He did have some very deep thoughts.

    Reply

  • Rolf — May 13th, 2010, 8:24 am

    Thanks for all the great feedback, everyone! It’s been eight years since I put that simplicity advice into the pages of Vagabonding, and it’s been great to see so many people take those ideas to heart. I always learn a lot myself when people get together like this to sound their ideas and share their experiences.

    For everyone who enjoyed the resources above, I have even more extensive (and updated) vagabonding resources online here:

    http://www.vagabonding.net/resources/

    Keeping in mind that I don’t have time this morning to address everyone, here are some quick thoughts:

    @Baahar: Thanks for the Al-Ghazali quote. “Do not be like deceived fools who are joyous because each day their wealth increases while their life shortens.” Great stuff.

    @Maxil: You might check any big-city Moroccan bookstore that stocks English-language books. Odds are they can special order Vagabonding for you.

    @Steve @SouthAfricanJono: I completely agree that “cheap” is not the bottom line when you travel — “value” is what it’s all about. I talk about this in Vagabonding, and Tim touches on it in the 4HWW. It’s all about getting the best value out of your travel experiences with the money you have. Usually this means avoiding “luxury” resorts, but it also can mean spending a few extra dollars (or a few extra weeks) to create the best experience possible.

    @CH: It’s fairly common for a “significant other” to be less enthusiastic than their partner. You actually might have them read Vagabonding — since it has convinced many a spouse (and parent, for that matter) that travel is less expensive/complicated/dangerous than you might think. You might also start them slow. Take them someplace exotic for a week or two and just chill out, get to know the place, enjoy the vibe. That might help them “get” the joy of slow travel.

    @Joe: You touch on another point from Vagabonding (chapter 7, actually). Facing fears and learning to love improvisation is key to the travel lifestyle.

    @Nick @Ramiro: You guys also touch on a point from Vagabonding (chapter 9). I’m all about slowing down, about finding a place you fall in love with and living there for awhile. If a yearlong trip is about constantly moving from one place to another, it will eventually feel like work. That’s why I encourage people not to over-plan their trip — that way they can linger when they unexpectedly discover a place they love. Volunteering (Peace Corps or otherwise) is another great way to experience a place.

    @Matt: I agree that TV can create a kind of “mind clutter.” I don’t own a TV, since so you spend so much time just surfing around and killing time. Plus you’re not really missing anything by not having a TV: News can be found more efficiently online, and can’t-miss TV shows can be streamed or watched on DVD.

    @Chris: You’ll get more mileage for your budget in Asia — and Asia is mind-blowingly amazing — but if your wife insists on Europe there are strategies to save money. Couchsurfing and similar services are key, as is doing your own cooking. You might also consider making your way down to North Africa or the Middle East, which is going to be a lot cheaper than Europe. Eastern Europe is a lot cheaper than Western Europe — but still a lot more expensive than Asia. You could travel twice as long on the same budget in Asia.

    @Ryan Flynn: Yes, Edward Abbey’s “Desert Soltaire” is fantastic. I quote it in the pages of Vagabonding. If you have the time, it’s worth reading all of Abbey’s books. He’s an American classic.

    Reply

  • Benedict Westenra — May 13th, 2010, 12:38 pm

    Hi Tim,

    This is just to say “thank you” for the tweet about a group of donors matching all donations to Room to Read’s Girls’ Education program in May.

    I bought a load of £8 ($12) theatre tickets for a new play to give to friends, but was inspired by reading “Leaving Microsoft to Change the World” on your recommendation to only do so if they each gave £25 ($37) to the charity. In exchange I’d also give them drinks and nibbles after the show and a copy of the book.

    One of the attendees then pointed out that he pays 40% tax and works for a company that has a donations matching scheme, so if we put the money through him the government would increase the donation by 1.66x, which his company would then double to 3.33x. Then I read your tweet about R2R’s Mothers’ Day challenge so am going to collect the money in advance, doubling its buying power to 6.66x. The evening is now going to raise well over $3,000 (more than enough to fund a girl through her entire education) despite an investment of only £325 from us. Giving away money has never been cheaper.

    Of course, this is just a small initiative but I plan for it to be the first of many. I’m currently working on a long-term project which is a muse that will donate a percentage of its profits to the charity.

    Oh, and this is a great post. Rolf Potts and yourself put some of your best material into this blog!

    Best wishes,
    B

    Reply

  • Alex — May 13th, 2010, 1:59 pm

    Tim and Rolf,

    Thanks so much for your books and wisdom. Vagabonding and 4HWW have a prominent place on my book shelf. Also, I’m reading “Marco Polo Didn’t Go There” right now. It’s a great read and basically provides storied examples that compliment the lessons in Vagabonding. I highly recommend it.

    Also, inspired by both of you, I will be traveling to Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, and hopefully more places this Summer. Thanks!

    Reply

  • Dan — May 13th, 2010, 3:14 pm

    Great post Tim !

    Dont like the googleads: your blog is great because there are no distractions on it – it helps minimise the interruptions and focus on the material: keep it that way! What do you really want?: someone who clicks on the ad, or someone that “stays” with the topic and reads the whole article?

    Great content as usual: although I am failing miserably at the moment with outsourcing: I end up micromanaging… Any recommendations on Letting Go? I intellectually get it (let small bad things happen) but the bug of perfectionism catches me daily…. Help !

    Dan

    Reply

  • Roger Ost — May 13th, 2010, 5:59 pm

    Love the Emerson quote! – Roger Ost

    Reply

  • dnongbri — May 13th, 2010, 7:38 pm

    Some of the best times in my life were spent “vagabonding” between teaching stints in Asia. Two years of teaching in Japan financed my hitchhiking the length of that country, biking across Indonesia and biking the length of the Philippines.

    Didn’t travel with much, helped folks along the way and was never without a place to rest and pick up the next day. Simply the best way to soak in a country, its culture and its people and learn a lot about yourself along the way.

    Reply

  • Kirk Strobeck — May 13th, 2010, 8:01 pm

    Tim,

    Wanted to thank you for the work you put into your book. I have been optimizing my business practices for years, but I’m not quite as close as I need to be. Your book has given me an unmovable target and I am driving hard to get there. I burned thru your book in a few days and am mid-way thru read two.

    Wanted to let you know..

    - I started a connection with Brickwork, but they didn’t give me much of an opportunity, with a prompt “We have gone through your request and unfortunately we will not be able to assist with your business needs,” with one mention of taxes out of several actionable items. We’ll see if I can salvage it, but do you have any other recommended companies?
    - I didn’t have any meetings on my schedule when I read your book, because I was following some tips from REWORK by 37signals. I was maybe a bit too aggressive though as I politely declined meetings in person via email and appended a link to “Meetings are Toxic” http://gettingreal.37signals.com/ch07_Meetings_Are_Toxic.php – - Oops.
    - I’ve been researching niche markets, but am a bit stumped on a product-based idea, I’ll persevere though. Any bones you want to throw to a random person?
    - I do believe that this will arrive in your inbox, and I do expect a reply, because while you are “unreachable,” you also wrote a book that lets me know that I can be confident in reaching the unreachable. lol – - because..
    - I do have an incredible social website idea that would create a deep social media niche while harnessing the power of current social tools. A recent patent search assured me that it is unsaturated for future development as well. If you’d like to contact me, you have my email. I am convinced this is a technology that would send you reeling.

    I am recommending the purchase of your audiobook to everyone I know. I have a clear goal in mind for my future now, thanks for guiding me to its discovery. BTW, I plan on racing acrobatic polar bears in a zero G jet while over the Atlantic in transit to .. [ this is where you add to the agenda ] with you sometime in August, 2024, so be sure to mark me down.

    A friend,
    Kirk

    Reply

  • Doug — May 13th, 2010, 10:04 pm

    It is hard to wrap my head around how this post and the visa concierge post could be on the same blog. I thought there was a real narcissistic bent to the previous post that contradicts the point of this particular post.

    Reply

  • John B Jackson — May 13th, 2010, 10:33 pm

    Ultimately, you may well discover that vagabonding on the cheap becomes your favorite way to travel. I would like to make a trip to go to all the pro hockey arenas, there are some great ideas here.

    Reply

  • Esther Slinkman — May 14th, 2010, 1:16 am

    I was inspired by the poem Slowly Dance I read in the book fourhourworkweek. I would like to know the girls name who wrote it. Who is she and when did she write this beautiful poem? Thanks for helping me out!
    Esther.

    Reply

    • Tim Ferriss — May 16th, 2010, 4:08 am

      Hi Esther,

      It was actually originally written by David Weatherford, a child psychologist (if I remember correctly), as I found out after the book was published. This was added into the book after the first few printings.

      Tim

      Reply

  • Mike — May 14th, 2010, 1:30 am

    Boy ! this is such an great post !. I really liked those resources of simplicity links very much. Will keep visiting for some more wonderful posts here :)

    Reply

  • Helen — May 14th, 2010, 3:33 am

    Tim,

    This post made me smile. In an era where houses are bursting at the seams and self-storage is booming business, it’s more important than ever to own less and do more!

    I have been making a huge effort to simplify my life over the past few months. The act of doing this has been very therapeutic. My small home now seems fresh & clear, with room for friends to stay. I now have room to practise yoga and martial arts – at home! It has made such a positive impact on my health and happiness!

    I even wrote to Rolf back when he was looking for case-studies, my e-mail was on these very topics! Mainly dealing with debt after University and removing belongings to which you feel responsible.

    I was doing all of this to prepare for my first mini-retirement however I have recently been accepted onto an 8 month business incubator/mentor programme to work on my business ideas. This is simply a dream come true! My first mini-retirement will be just a few months long now but that’s fine. There will be many more to come!

    Also I’d like to add a note to anyone here looking to visit the U.K on their travels please don’t just visit London or Edinburgh! There are SO many Couchsurfers in the smaller towns & villages who are willing hosts! Me being one of them! There are so many little gems that are so often missed in the hidden shires of England!

    Thank you!

    Helen. :o )

    “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” ~ Leonardo da Vinci

    Reply

  • Jeanne Dee & the Soultravelers3 — May 14th, 2010, 7:02 am

    FANTASTIC post Tim & Rolf! I couldn’t agree with you more!

    My only disappointment is you didn’t include us as a link as we are a family case study in the new 4HWW & we are a family STILL on an open ended world tour ( since 2006) with no plans on stopping! We’re trailblazing this lifestyle as a family and have learned a lot along the way:

    http://www.soultravelers3.com/

    We LIVE this vagabond life as a family, love the freedom & have inspired many as we share the keys as we roam ( 4 continents, 32 countries so far) while also living large on little ( just 23 dollars a day per person) and building our nest egg as we explore the world.

    “neither self nor wealth can be measured in terms of what you consume or own.”

    So true! We lived this kind of mindful life at home as well before travel, but this travel lifestyle has helped us hone it to a higher degree. We have really embraced a minimalist lifestyle and love the freedom it gives us and what it teachers our child about what is important in life. Family bonding is so enriched through international slow travel.

    Vagabonding does have to be different for a family than it is for a single or couple, yet there are even more advantages. As a family with young children, it is easy to connect deeply with other families and integrate with other cultures and communities because of the common bond of children.

    The educational benefits are astounding and perhaps even more so for today’s changing world & new economy. As monolinguals we are raising a very fluent trilingual and tri-literate ( Spanish, Mandarin & English) who speaks many other languages as well. Knowing a language well means knowing a culture in a much deeper way, new ways of organizing concepts and new ways of thinking, thus it adds to creativity. Bilinguals from birth learn abstract thinking much earlier than monolinguals and have advantages in math and other areas because of that.

    Vagabonding as a family today also means being able to take advantage of tech advances like our child taking piano, violin and Mandarin Chinese online from teachers on other continents using webcams. ( Yet, we also spend much time unplugged and spend most of our time in nature which I think is also an advantage for kids). We homeschool all year, but also take advantages of local foreign schools for the language immersion. It’s also a great way to teach entrepreneurship in this new economy. I’m passionate about the advantages of slow travel with families and the educational advantages and write about it often.

    Today one can work and school ANY where, so there are no limits for families that are willing to think differently and want to live a greener and more enriched life.

    Thank you Tim and Rolf for educating so many about the advantages of thinking differently and starting a revolution for a new way of being!

    Reply

  • Yadgyu — May 14th, 2010, 9:32 am

    I really do not understand the purpose of vagabonding.

    Sure, it seems exciting to travel to foreign lands and to meet new people. But in the end, it seems pretty selfish and unfulfilling. What do you really build or gain from this lifestyle other than having a bunch of stories to tell?

    Also, you are going to want to reintegrate back into society. If you have not been connected to people in the real world, you are not going to be successful at gaining a firm setting once the jetsetting lifestyle is over.

    I do agree that reducing consumption and doing away with frivolous things is important. But I find it hard to do this without getting rid of certain people in life. I believe that having less friends is much more beneficial than reducing purchases.

    Reply

  • heuristic — May 14th, 2010, 10:04 am

    Yeah well, I wonder how much “living simply” and “caring about the environment” is just liberal posing and oneupmanship.

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  • Andrew Crump — May 14th, 2010, 10:46 am

    I have recently been doing everything I can to simplify things. It’s working.. slowly but I need to stop hanging on to material possessions. I do hope to set off soon. Will be reading through those ‘Vagabonding with children’ links tomorrow.

    PS. On a separate note, I think I need to go back to practising those quick reading techniques. This used up all of my allotted 15mins today, is its just me that missed the 5min?

    Reply

  • Eric beck — May 14th, 2010, 11:41 am

    Tim – nice work. Living and doing are not the same and I totally agree that while western culture worships “doing” there is another means by which accomplishment can occur. Being and Nothingness as well as Critique of Pure Reason shed some light on this.
    Thanks,
    Eric

    Reply

  • Mark Hellweg — May 14th, 2010, 3:22 pm

    Excellent post, and it prompted me to post this plea for advice. I read 4HWW back back in May 2007. It inspired me to start my own business and to not defer retirement until I was 65. I pulled together $10k and started an online business selling high quality coffee equipment. Customers wanted great coffee with their equipment, so I started micro roasting coffee. 2009 was my first full year of business and I cracked $1.5M in gross revenue with just me and one full time employee. It wasn’t totally 4HWW style as I still had to work in my business and I certainly didn’t delegate or automate everything.

    My goal is to have time to do precisely what is described in this blog post. I did get to spend 3 weeks in Costa Rica sourcing micro lot coffees with my wife and 3 year old. I managed my business from my Macbook with the help of Google Apps, LogMeIn, MailTank, RingCentral, etc. I credit Tim for giving me the chutzpah to try this whole thing out.

    Here’s where I need help. Last week I got a call from Google. I almost didn’t take it because I don’t like unsolicited sales calls, but it was one of their PR people from their “Global Communications and Public Affairs.” Google is hosting media events in 10 cities to showcase small companies that have grown quickly with Google tools like Adwords and Analytics. The idea is to showcase Google helping local economies by growing small businesses. They chose my business, Clive Coffee, for Portland, Oregon. They’re inviting Oregon politicians (governor, mayor, city council) and press (newspapers, TV, radio, bloggers) to a catered event at my warehouse in southeast industrial Portland. It will be interesting to get all this attention in my somewhat ghetto digs, but this is how startups stay profitable.

    I don’t want to miss this opportunity to have such a big partner showcasing my business. I want to leverage this into blog posts, interviews, increasing Twitter and FB fans, etc. I would love input from people that have had experiences like this. I’ve read through the tips from 4HWW on becoming an expert and some of the media/PR resources, but I’m still not certain how to proceed. Should I hire a PR firm at this point, or try to do it myself? Should I let it all happen organically, or how much effort should I expend to keep this thing rolling?

    Thanks so much for any input!

    Reply

  • rufus — May 14th, 2010, 5:54 pm

    Walden and vagabonding seriously help in preparing for a big trip- I was amazed at the freedom I felt after selling/ getting rid of most of my possessions.

    Highlights from Chile: kiwi fruit and oranges, and crashing while hitchhiking down the mountain in the back of a pickup truck. Costa Rica: the delight then disappointment when I thought I got the food I had ordered (in MINIMAL Spanish) – then was handed a sandwhich bag full of white liquid. hmm. Ski season at Kirkwood, Lake Tahoe: Seeing my wife grinning then being buried in the endless snow.

    THANKS TIM

    Reply

  • Eric Mertzlufft — May 14th, 2010, 7:07 pm

    Nice touch with the Emerson quote. :)

    Reply

  • Marty Vornkahl — May 14th, 2010, 9:16 pm

    Well, a great post once again Tim…thank you. I have “long termed” traveled and will do so again. But, what I have noticed most with reaction from people is simply put….there must be something REALLY wrong with our society that would make people want to escape to a better experience. My response is always the same…”ones true reality may not always be able to be found within their surroundings, it has to be “sought-out”. This doesn’t mean you have to travel 5,000 miles to find it, often, it’s just a short jaunt- maybe to the next town or the next state. You’ll know it, when you get there. It’s a big planet and your time is limited——go out there and find it! I’m just having fun seeing new places, and that is what it’s really about!

    Reply

  • Ben — May 14th, 2010, 9:46 pm

    Ahh this post is perfectly timed. I’m leaving for Europe in August and have been obsessing over it to the point that my current situation has become mundane and stagnant. Living well can certainly be attained right here and right now thought…..I am sure of it. Business has become increasingly better while my social life has all but disappeared…

    ….and to top all of this off, after eating at a chinese restaurant in Boulder today – guess what my fortune cookie said? “The road to success is often a lonely one” Life is a trip!

    Reply

  • Michelle Brown — May 14th, 2010, 11:20 pm

    Great article – I have copied out a few quotes to hang around the desk and front of the fridge. Now I’m off with renewed energy to get decluttering!

    Reply

  • Sunny Strasburg, MA, LMFT — May 15th, 2010, 7:38 am

    The beginning poem is beautiful. I find that as a Type A personality, I have a hard time “keeping it simple”". Thanks you for that.

    In my Psychology of Wealth workshop, I observe that my therapy clients began the course wanting “More Money” but by the end of the course, they almost universally realize they really want “More Freedom”. We can create freedom in our minds now–we have the power to create that sens of freedom at any moment. Often, creating that “vibration” brings financial abundance–added bonus!

    Sunny Strasburg MA, LMFT
    Depth Psychotherapist & Visionary Artist

    Reply

  • Patrick Hitches — May 15th, 2010, 1:45 pm

    As always, a post to keep the fire burning and the life mentality of simplicity alive. I would say that I’m on step 8 of 10 of a true vagabonding life scenario. Downsized to literally 1 bag of clothes, a virtual business and what I like to call the party bus (Ford Explorer – that perfectly snugs a blow up air mattress just in case).

    The past 6 months have been an amazing experience creating this lifestyle and I have stumbling on this site after google searching travel the world with 10lbs (Tim, I have your SEO skills or your webmasters SEO skills to thank for that key phrase) 2 years ago. A process that takes time to implement and truly embrace, but as all life changes are, it’s a process.

    Thanks for the continued great content brother!

    Patrick Hitches

    Reply

  • Lin — May 16th, 2010, 9:57 am

    Warning: some slightly critical questions following (i.e. only read after breakfast):
    ————————————————————————————–
    So, like Doug mentioned, I also get confused about your ideology Tim. Sometimes you endorse and write posts supporting contradictory ideas. I personally don’t care so much about pushing the visa concierge boundaries, that was funny, even if a bit uninspiring to me.

    But, here, we read about simplicity and reducing the stuff we own to a minimum. Yet, in a video from a while back I saw you being excited about having purchased this super expensive… what was it, like a decorative wooden saddle, from your Asian travels? Something completely not functional that you’d put in your home to take up space and gather dust. A home where you presumably spend little time, since you mini-retire a lot.

    If we all need so little, and we should only buy what we need, and avoid getting suffocated by “stuff”, then why should we see you spending so much money on something like that?

    As a side note, it’s a bit ironic that on this very page, next to a post against consumerism, there is a huge banner ad “Gizmodo’s Best Gadgets 2009 – GoPro – the HD hero”. From what I gather, it’s an ad for a site that sells sports cameras.

    It’s okay, we all need to make money somehow. And I recently read that 70% of the American economy is built on consumerism. But what about consistency in the ideology that you support?

    My other thought is, why should we want to travel? Is traveling the most satisfying thing that life can offer? In the 4HWW you imply that the mini-retirements’ purpose is to live on less money so we don’t have to work that much and enjoy life more. But some people refer to traveling as THE thing that will give meaning to their lives. I don’t feel that way. I like living in one place. I LOVE living in America. It’s a privilige to live in a country that is structured and organized and everything is easy to do; a country that gives everyone a chance, and where people are open-minded, positive, practical and intelligent (compared to many other nations – and I too have had my fair share of traveling and living in other countries). I didn’t immigrate here for the need of something exotic. I immigrated here because it’s an amazing, intelligent, friendly place to spend your life, unlike so many places in the rest of the world. Where if I have to be honest people probably treat you nicely only because you’re American and to them you are rich. Not because they are all that warm as people. And I’ve been on the other side when I was younger, so I know what I am talking about.

    So what do you really think Tim? Do you really believe in minimalism to that much extreme as is described in this post? Is the constant traveling what everyone should want, and if so – why? And why the conflicting messages?

    Lin

    P.S. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan. I follow you. I love your intelligence, free spirit and innovative ideas. I wouldn’t post all this if I didn’t care.

    Reply

    • Tim Ferriss — May 18th, 2010, 5:30 pm

      Hi Lin,

      Thank you for the comment. The key here is whether your belongings own you or not. The question therefore is: how would you feel if you lost X, and how long would you be affected? The answer to the latter should be “not long.”

      It’s easy to be a consumer. It’s also quite easy to be minimalist. It’s harder — and often more worthwhile — to practice ownership of select items (I’d wanted the Japanese saddles since age 14) without letting them ever become essential to your well-being. Seneca was a good example of someone who mastered this. Being rich isn’t a problem either, for example, unless those riches own you.

      Hope that helps!

      Tim

      Reply

  • gwern — May 16th, 2010, 11:16 am

    What an amazing coincidence – I was pondering teaching English in South Korea, and this pops up, and how did the author finance his 18 months in Asia? Savings from teaching English in South Korea.

    Reply

  • Robbert — May 16th, 2010, 3:15 pm

    Dear Rolf,

    Thank you very much for this post. It’s a great read! I have ordered your book, can’t wait to read about your adventures. I’m finishing my studies soon and can’t wait to make some money and GO. Somewhere, anywhere :)

    Kind Regards! Robbert

    Reply

  • Yuri — May 16th, 2010, 6:41 pm

    Great post Tim. I think that living simply would probably make more people happy than owning more material possessions. However, it’s a big leap for most “westerners”.

    Reply

  • Stephen Martin — May 16th, 2010, 10:29 pm

    Great Post. I think of my self as a free spirit in a way but it is so hard to break the habit of hard work. I truly believe in what you speak of Tim with all of this but you worked long and hard to build a business that was great. You then once at that point turned it in to a business that ran itself.

    I still think that is an important part of life is to build that business and be your own man before hand.

    Vagabonding does sound Sexy though!

    Reply

  • Markus — May 17th, 2010, 3:03 am

    I just came back from a short trip to Amsterdam meeting friends from another city. I stayed in a simple dorm hostel room; my friends in a fancy hotel. I ate simple bread and butter supermarket purchases; my friends went to restaurants. I drank beer; they drank cocktails. We saw the same things, listened to the same music, engaged in conversations and enjoyed the vibrant atmosphere. I think, we equally enjoyed the trip and made basically the same experiences. At the end of the trip, I suggested to meet in a few month in a different city. But unfortunately that is not going to happen, since my friends run out of their travelling budgets.

    It is hard to commit yourself to a simply lifestyle and reject consumerism, but it is even harder to convince your peers.

    Reply

  • Dewita — May 17th, 2010, 5:17 am

    Hi Tim,

    Just wanted to thank you.. your 4HWW book, changed the way I look at things. It truly changed my life. Think recession in a way is a good thing. It forced us to re-think about our priorities in life.. and about things in general. Living life to the simplest, and yet fullest.

    “A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.”
    Lao Tzu

    Life is a journey.

    Reply

  • Project Amihan — May 17th, 2010, 7:09 am

    Long story short, I’d rather live a simple life…I choose to do well first and live well after…

    Reply

  • Maximilien&Hanna — May 17th, 2010, 12:38 pm

    Dear Tim,
    thanks for your inspiring book and inspiring life.

    we are living a very free life and we are part of the “new happy people” generation.

    We are living in Villefranche sur mer, a paradise in Cote d’Azur (between Nice and Monaco)
    We are going to Argentina for 2 months in Buenos aires to challenge ourselves to learn tango in november and december 2010.

    2 questions :
    1. Could you recommend 1 to 2 great teachers (the best) to learn tango in Buenos aires?
    2. Where do you recommend to live for this 2 months period in buenos aires?

    thanks a bunch, if you pass by buenos aires during this time , it’ll be a pleasure meeting you up for a coffee.
    email : piccinini1@free.fr

    All our best
    Maximilien & Hanna

    Reply

  • Jaya — May 17th, 2010, 2:44 pm

    Man, love “Vagabonding”. After about a decade now of hitchhiking, professional travel and random walkabouts, I can honestly say that I look at physical possessions so much differently. You start thinking in terms of “how much is it worth it to me to store this when next I head out” … or, my current favorite, “who could I get this for, who it’s perfect for, and who would let me use/watch/play with it as well when I’m around?” Anyone can travel. It’s just putting one foot in front of another.

    Reply

  • JLeach — May 17th, 2010, 6:01 pm

    My husband and I are reading your book and disagree on what age group your book is written for. He believes that the book is written for people before they have families and settle in early 20s-33. He doesn’t think that it is written for people in the early to mid 50s, as this group would be nearing retirement and a complete change in lifestyle now could prohibit being hired for any job in the future as we would be too old. In your book, you ask to come up with his worse case scenario. His would be that he wouldn’t get hired in the future, worked for 30 years and threw away his medical benefits, bonuses, etc. which doesn’t make sense to him. We are currently debt free, done paying for college, etc. Age 49 and 53.
    Can you comment??

    Reply

  • soultravelers3 — May 18th, 2010, 4:18 am

    @Chris: Europe doesn’t have to be expensive at all! We have been traveling in Europe since 2006 & live really large on 23 dollars a day per person and could do it on less. We haven’t done any couch surfing, WWOOFing yet ( although they sound great) and rarely use hostels ( which are quite expensive in Europe, especially for families).

    We’ve done it when the euro and pound were ridiculously high compared to the dollar and when gas prices were much higher, so it is even easier now.

    You can see all the expensive cities like London, Paris, Oslo, Rome, but spend the majority of your time in the smaller cities, villages and rural areas where most of the authentic charm is anyway and live like a native. The mass transit, biking and walking makes Europe a real paradise for independent budget travelers.

    Reply

  • tony mac — May 18th, 2010, 7:36 am

    Anyone know of a good copyright or license infringement resource? I want to distribute a product but am not sure if I would be violating the university’s license to sell that existing product. A hypothetical… University of Florida sells Gator t-shirts. Can I sell anything that has the UF logo on it without prior permission? How do I know what is protected and what isn’t?

    Tim’s book has me pursuing every business idea I’ve ever thought of but was too much of a punk to initiate. Thanks in advance!

    Tony

    Reply

  • Doc Kane — May 19th, 2010, 10:49 am

    Normally I wouldn’t toss a comment in here just to say “this is a great post’ … but, well … this IS a brilliant post. Thanks for sharing Rolf and Tim. ;-)

    Cheers,
    D

    Reply

  • Genghis — May 19th, 2010, 7:30 pm

    I agree with Nick. After having traveled a bit in several countries i always had the feeling that it was not really about finding myself but escaping from my own reality and condition. Of course I felt relieved traveling and seeing things my eyes could never look at back to my own country but I also always felt like it was just a coward way of using my time.

    I don’t despite vagabonding at all but i think it can be a dangerous thing. How many times have I seen people traveling around the world from backpackers to backpackers and coming back with pictures of 3world countries children and olders ppl and saying how amazing and life changing it was. But they didn’t get that much about the culture about the people about anything except few experiences that i reckon might have been interesting but those were few scattered around a 1year trip. Sometimes people make things better than they are or think they learned stuff that they don’t really understand. When I hear stuff like “Chinese are like…” “Indians are…” from people who stayed vagabonding 2 or 3 weeks in those countries I’m getting pretty confused. How to understand people and countries of thousands and thousands years of history in weeks moving place to place? I think you have to stay years. Live with the locals get insights within their culture, gaining understanding years after years then I agree with Nick it will be rewarding (even if i disagree on the fact that you will be integrated within the society).

    I’m assuming that every consequent amount of time you dedicate to something in life you have to learn something, from people, travels, vagabonding is not about quitting your life it’s about enhancing it and many people don’t understand that, they just do it because it’s cool, because they will have a lot of pictures on their facebook and will be able to date girls they weren’t able to date prior to having so many life experiences as a cool vagabond. It’s like people going to harvard mba’s they all have to climb some K2 or Himalayas to look cool. Vagabonding is the new average and as all trends if you’re just a follower you won’t get as much as other people.

    Reply

  • John Sherry — May 20th, 2010, 3:40 am

    Living well to me is being happy, enjoying being alive, good nutritious diet, variety of hobbies, social life, friends and family and feeling content with who you are as a person. Doing well is more “bought” being measured in assets, possessions, size of pay packets, roles and titles held and keeping up with the Joneses. Whilst curbing material expansion we need to awaken emotional connection to the finer things all of which are priceless and can never be bought.

    Reply

  • Ted Burnett — May 20th, 2010, 4:46 pm

    Tim,

    I recently picked up your book at the local B&N after hearing about The Four-hour Workweek by a friend. I just finished reading Chapter 4 and I decided that I wanted to write because I can so identify with your message and your new life. I have found my own version.

    Since February 2007, I have been living life as a philosopher and writer. Each month, I produce one to two commentaries on business, political, social and spiritual matters. My following has grown to over six thousand contacts including attorneys, business executives, clergy, major foundations (John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur, Open Society Institute and the Soros Foundations Network, Pew Charitable Trust, Charles and Helen Schwab and the Turner Foundation), state and federal lawmakers, media and Washington DC policy institutes of which fifty-seven hundred are PhDs teaching at more than sixty colleges and universities in ten countries — the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

    Included are nine nationally top-ranked university professors — Emory University’s Patrick N. Allitt, PhD (Berkeley), University of Toronto’s Kenneth R. Bartlett, PhD (Toronto), University of Pennsylvania’s Thomas Childers, PhD (Harvard), University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s Bart D. Ehrman, PhD (Princeton), University of Oklahoma’s J. Rufus Fears, PhD (Harvard), University of Virginia’s Gary W. Gallagher, PhD (U.Texas @Austin), Emory University’s Luke Timothy Johnson, PhD (Yale), University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s Lloyd Kramer, PhD (Cornell), University of Georgia’s Edward J. Larson, PhD (U.Wisconsin @Madison).

    Among these schools are twenty-eight world-class universities with over four thousand professors at Harvard College, Harvard Kennedy School (Government), Harvard Law School, Harvard Business School (over 750), Yale, Yale Law School, Stanford, Stanford Law School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Berkeley, Princeton, Columbia, Columbia Law School, Chicago, New York University School of Law, Duke, Penn, The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, MIT Sloan School of Management, Cambridge, Cambridge Faculty of Law, Oxford, Oxford Faculty of Law, London School of Economics, Trinity College Dublin, École normale supérieure, Paris (ENS-Paris), École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS), Universiteit Leiden, ETH Zurich, Freie Universität Berlin, Toronto, McGill, British Columbia, Australian National University, Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland. Among the fifty-seven hundred professors, my retention rate exceeds 99.8% (as of 5/10)…

    All this was impossible for well over 30 years of my life, I was unable to write and speak effectively due to a learning disability. Writing was an impossible burden for me. I was an underachiever, both, in school and at work. In 2002, at the age of 32, I had a nervous breakdown, or breakthrough, costing me everything as I was forced to face confinement in jails and mental institutions. It was a real death and rebirth. I lost old friends, my cherished reputation, my career and job, home, marriage and finally, I was kicked out of graduate school.

    Out of the desert sprung some beautiful flowers, I became a new man, a free and a happy one with a burning desire to sit down and to finally write out my story (60k words). I haven’t stopped writing since and I couldn’t be any happier. Who knew what my talents were? Nobody ever said it was writing.

    What did I do this week, I made a second pass through the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge (U.K.) adding more professors from four programs including the entire Faculty of Law at both schools. For me, the sky has become the limit after I, first, broke through my own. That’s so critical.

    Not too bad for a “C” student.

    That’s what you’re talking about, isn’t it? Free to live each day as you see fit.

    Sincerely,
    Ted

    Reply

  • Charles Davis — May 21st, 2010, 12:35 am

    I just read a guide on how to live tax-free, vagabond lifestyle, and it gave a mention to 4-Hour Workweek:

    “Expatriation is perfectly suited to the lifestyle possibilities outlined in Tim Ferriss’s best-selling book, The 4-Hour Workweek. For Americans who have the goal of earning their income online – and of course for those who are doing it already – expatriation opens the door for you to earn your income tax-free while you travel and enjoy the world.”

    The guide was super useful for me, so I wanted to pass it on. It’s available for free here:

    http://www.scribd.com/doc/30923462/American-Expatriation-Guide

    Reply

  • Lian — May 21st, 2010, 8:20 am

    A very well written piece. This article reminds me of Annie Leonard’s “The Story of Stuff” which tells about how much consumerism has taken over the important answers to the questions ‘Why do we live?’ and ‘What do we live for?’. You can find more here: http://www.storyofstuff.com/ It’s a helpful wake-up call for everybody.

    Van Gogh speaks his mind: “How difficult it is to be simple.” Difficult, especially at first… but not impossible.

    Thanks for sharing, Tim!

    Reply

  • vasanth — May 21st, 2010, 10:50 am

    great post tim…………loved it :)

    Reply

  • erick recors — May 21st, 2010, 12:29 pm

    Great post, love it. I’m curious though Tim how this elimination, vagabonding, and simplistic life line up with your beliefs though. I mean in you book you talk about time management, and getting more out of your time but this is something else entirely. Isn’t it?

    Reply

  • Robert L. Ray — May 21st, 2010, 12:32 pm

    Tim,

    I read the first edition of your book after discovering your blog and was so impressed, I’ve bought the second edition both in print and Kindle formats. Ideas have flowed naturally since reading but, unfortunately, so has fear. I recently quit a job working in the Middle East to come back to the United States. For some reason, I felt safer playing the stock market rather than throwing it in an idea that could provide residual income with little maintenance. Now, I’m down to my last couple thousand dollars.

    I’m in the process of getting rid of everything unnecessary (of which I have a lot), starting one of the businesses I have had in my imagination for months, and setting off on foot across North America with a backpack consisting of a few pairs of clothing, a flashlight, my iPad, a cell phone, and three books: Vagabonding, 4HWW, and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I’m also starting a journal, which I’ll attempt to turn into a book if I’m successful: “How To Turn $2000 Into $2 Million….And Not Care”.

    I’m aware that what I’m doing may seem drastic to most, including my friends and family. I’m also aware that I’ll be a walking cliche’ if I don’t go all-out. Being a 28 year old ex-Marine, I feel strong enough physically to undertake the journey. I only hope that my mental strength doesn’t fail me.

    Either way, if I reach my goals of freedom from finances and the ‘rules’ of society, I owe a lot of it to you. Thanks for your willingness to break the rules first and your consistent positive attitude.

    Reply

    • Tim Ferriss — May 21st, 2010, 1:59 pm

      Thank you for the comment, Robert. Ex-Marines are tough. I have no doubt you can pull it through. Just test small and inexpensively. There is no need for big risk in what I suggest.

      Good luck!

      Tim

      Reply

  • Mike Arone — May 22nd, 2010, 10:01 am

    Tim,

    Great post man…as usual you put things in perspective….ha!

    I have spent way too much time not knowing the difference between the two…as most probably have!

    Reply

  • ParisLove — May 22nd, 2010, 11:06 am

    Love your writing, Mr. Ferriss, I really do. But this article would have been more meaningful had it been written prior to you becoming rich and famous. Unless you’ve taking some kind of vow of poverty that I’ve missed in the interim, this smacks of condensation considering your own personal financial circumstances.

    Maybe I’m just bitter, having fallen into the trap of possessions that I can’t seem to unload.

    Reply

  • Michele — May 23rd, 2010, 4:08 pm

    What a fabulous post, it’s great that you are inspiring so many people.

    I started living as a vagabond in 1998 and haven’t looked back.

    Recently, I lived for FREE on a 5 million dollar yacht for 4 months, in a house on a gorgeous Caribbean Island for 5 months and in a beautiful home near the beach in Florida.

    All of these opportunities came to me because I was open to meeting new people and HELPING them. In each case I helped people in exchange for a place to stay. It was a win/win situation.

    As the post says, it doesn’t cost a lot of money to live this way, you just need to be thoughtful and open minded.

    I’ve had fun and adventures far beyond my wildest dreams. Yes, there were challenges but through it I’ve learned resilience, compassion and the biggest lesson of all – we each create our own reality!

    Albert Einstein once commented that the most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile. He hypothesized that your answer to that question would determine your destiny.

    Thanks Tim, you’re a star!

    Reply

  • Alex — May 24th, 2010, 7:27 am

    Is it just me or do I simply think differently? After 3-4 months of travelling no matter how much you like visiting sites and beaches it gets bit dull for me. Just like eating chocolate. You can only have this much of it. The idea of vagabonding somewhere for 2 years would simply drive me mad I think. What exactly do you do on your travel all this time? People are social animals and most of us need some kind of routine, that you oppose. You also forget that it is actually quite difficult not having friends travelling with you (if you are doing it alone).The random people you meet on the trips will never usually become real friends as you will never see them again as you leave one country and go to the next. Waking up at 9 and going home at 5 is something people like to hate but actually most of us cant “live well” without it.

    Reply

  • Jaya — May 25th, 2010, 5:24 am

    @Alex – It’s not just you, as I’ve met plenty of others who grow bored with travel as well as a few who are not interested at all. However, I would suggest trying different ways of traveling than the ones that you’ve grown bored with in the interest of creating a different experience thru experimentation. You asked some questions and posed some conundrums. While I don’t speak for everyone, I’d love to chime in.

    Q: What exactly do you do on your travel all this time?
    A: People, study, exploration. People are generally those you rideshare with, stay with at hostels, meet at coffee shops, etc. Some of the best of these you network with online and often meet up in multiple places across years and countries. A few of these become family and you end up rooming with ‘em when you bunk down somewhere for an extended period. Study can be learning the local history, learning a new language (hours and hours of talking to myself while learning), memorizing maps or at least landmarks, etc. Exploration doesn’t even require a city, as it can be climbing, hiking a mountain chain or exploring your own mind in meditation… but a city can be just as fun.

    Conundrum: People are social animals and most of us need some kind of routine, that you oppose.
    Reply: Many people do prefer a routine, although “need” is a strong word. Many other people are not routine-oriented. Travel can be adapted to either personality, although tourism caters more to the routine while vagabonding caters more to the spontaneous. Both routine and spontaneity are native to our organism and can are learned with earnest effort (although one of the two will almost be the “left hand” of the pair).

    Conundrum: You also forget that it is actually quite difficult not having friends travelling with you (if you are doing it alone).
    Reply: If you have adapted to one form of travel that includes traveling with others, then this statement is true for the way you know. In reality, however, neither group or solo travel is more difficult (although I’d love to say solo is easier). A group can’t easily rideshare, and a group has to look for a hostel or other place of lodging that can support their numbers, and a group often gets stuck doing what “everyone wants to do” while individual members often miss out on their personal desires. They’re just different difficulties.

    Conundrum: The random people you meet on the trips will never usually become real friends as you will never see them again as you leave one country and go to the next.
    Reply: After a decade of travel now, only a handful of my friends from before my traveling days still remain. The many I now surround myself with–my family; my friends; my tribe–are other travelers that I’ve met along the way. Although it’s come a long way, the Internet has been key in this. Nowadays, we update our Facebook/Twitter with where we are and where we’re going. You see someone you love going your way and you hit ‘em up and connect a few cities down. You’ll find seasonal work somewhere and let others in on it, or someone tips you off and you end up migrating countries (sometimes continents) to not only work a great gig but with people you love. On extended downtime, we room with each other. Eventually, there’s just too much trust for them to be anything other than family (and, yes, with plenty of that family drama thrown in for spice).

    Conundrum: Waking up at 9 and going home at 5 is something people like to hate but actually most of us cant “live well” without it.
    Reply: There are always more negative voices shouting out than positive, so mad props for standing up for the nine to five. Some people are definitely daybreakers. I have a hazy memory of that shift and remember not liking it, but I think it’s just the schedule our schooling trains us for and it’s a form of conditioning that is easily undone (otherwise people couldn’t work evenings and graveyards with ease). To say most can’t “live well” without it may be applicable to some, and even preferable to those, but it shouldn’t be assumed that it applies to “most”.

    Reply

  • Eric Marasco — May 25th, 2010, 1:43 pm

    Great advice. Once resource left out under budgeting is anything from Dave Ramsey http://www.daveramsey.com, He is strait to the point; love him or hate him, he is on point.

    The section on kids is awesome. One of my so-called obstacles is vagabonding with kids. Great resources once again.

    FYI: Post read time 5 min. I must read SLOW! LOL

    Reply

  • Dara — May 26th, 2010, 10:46 am

    Your link to the simple living website should be taken down. The web site is closed to new subscribers, so content isn’t accessable.

    Like your idea, would love to live a life more like yours. I’m feeling trapped by massive student loan debt that I’m not able to generate enough income to pay on. Most people view student loan debt as “good debt”. I’ve come to disagree.

    Reply

  • Nancie (Ladyexpat) — May 27th, 2010, 2:04 am

    I learned something from this article….I am now a senior ………….I never knew that 55 was the year.

    Seriously, a good article and worth the read.

    I’m off to check out all those senior websites!

    Reply

  • Linda Dewey MD — May 27th, 2010, 7:17 am

    I enjoyed the book, “Voluntary Simplicity”, based on similar ideas and principles. Add it to the reading list?

    Reply

  • Jeff Johnson — June 1st, 2010, 11:34 am

    Thanks for posting this, Tim. I needed it, both as a reminder on the value of travel and to help move its financial support back to the top of the priority list. Everyone should start moving their 401k, SARSEP, and other investments into Vaga Bonds. JSJ

    Reply

  • Experiments in Lifestyle Design: Internet Business from Rural Japan | Darren L Carter — June 2nd, 2010, 2:49 am

    [...] Design. I take that back I recently discovered lifestyle design. I first heard about it in Tim Ferris’ book the 4-hour Work Week less than a year ago but I never focused on all the stuff about lifestyle [...]

  • George Resch — June 2nd, 2010, 3:07 pm

    Unconditional happiness. That’s what I’m all about. The ego loves stuff. The ego loves ANYTHING outside of itself, when all the happiness we really need is already available to us. Much like the Schwartz ring in the movie “Spaceballs”, the stuff we have is the key to our true selves, but we don’t really need the stuff. All the stuff does is open up a path to that unlimited joy that is in us all the time, but if we can learn to find a new way to get to that source, our lives will become exponentially incredible every time we look. Well, mine has anyway…

    Reply

  • George Resch — June 2nd, 2010, 3:39 pm

    This is a test. I posted a comment before, not sure if it took. Damn, I meant it too haha

    Reply

  • David — June 8th, 2010, 6:26 am

    This was a great post. I have been reflecting on these very points the last few days. I first read 4HWW a couple of years ago and made a plan to get outta my day job, did that but now find myself working as hard and worrying about it. I didn’t get the time back I wanted… These points will help me get back on track along with some self reflection and writing I think.

    Reply

  • Daniel Lu — June 8th, 2010, 8:35 pm

    where do you recommend i find these “clean, basic hostels”?

    Reply

  • Jon G — June 14th, 2010, 12:43 pm

    Very inspiring. I’m already picturing a few items that I could do without. Thankfully, I go to school in a VERY cheap area of upstate NY. I may stay there after graduation and work virtually / locally and save up money to travel Europe and Asia.

    Reply

  • Tim — June 14th, 2010, 2:00 pm

    Tim F,

    Fabulous post. I’ve got no idea why you write about the subjects you do; whether it’s for other people’s benefit – to educate and open minds; or whether it’s to stimulate thoughtful conversation with like-minded people; or maybe it’s something completely different. Either way, I’m glad you do. Why? Because, once again, as I sit here reading one of your articles and the clever, informed, comments it has generated, I’m reminded (again) that going out to work to ‘earn a living’ (particularly in the manner I do) is so, so far from really ‘living’ that it is laughable. And for these (constant) wake-up reminders, I cannot thank you enough!

    Keep it up.

    Tim

    Reply

  • Michele — June 16th, 2010, 1:59 pm

    Help! Have you ever taken on the challenge to help a mother of three? I’ve read both of your books and don’t know what to do when I grow up. I was in real estate and real estate was my obsession (until my husband told me to take a new job). Obviously, there is no future career in real estate. I have taken on another job that I know is not exactly where I want to be but pays the bills. I need help. I can’t settle for average.

    I do wish I could have provided you with a “success story”.

    Any ideas, suggestions, advice….

    Thanks!

    Reply

  • Leo T — June 16th, 2010, 4:28 pm

    I’d have to agree with the skeptics on the reading time. 3000 words in 5 minutes == 600 wpm. More typical is 250 wpm, or 12 minutes. 600 is quite fast, and for a post that’s supposed to be though-provoking, doesn’t leave much time for thinking.

    Leo

    Reply

  • Dana — June 21st, 2010, 4:50 pm

    Great Great Article. Thank you for this.

    I would like to also recommend a book to you if I may that guides me on the path less travelled. It really should be on the list above. The title is “Free Parking” written by a Canadian named “Alan Dickson” who describes himself as a recovering financial planner.

    “Earn Less – Live More” is the subtitle.
    Needless to say I read this book cover to cover regularly to keep focused moving forward when choosing life over making a living.

    Dana

    Reply

  • Clinton Moffat — June 24th, 2010, 1:56 pm

    Personally this quote sums it up for me.

    “Content makes poor men rich; discontentment makes rich men poor.”
    Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist and philosopher.

    Reply

  • Harris Silverman — June 24th, 2010, 5:39 pm

    I think a lot of people spend their lives on autopilot, always pursuing more than they need or even want, without understanding why, instead of just achieving what’s necessary to express their personalities and their own desires, and to live the way they genuinely want to live.

    Reply

  • Bryan — June 25th, 2010, 3:56 pm

    Excellent post Tim/Rolf….these always help bring things back into perspective for me. Thank you.

    Reply

  • Kathlene Mullens — June 26th, 2010, 8:04 am

    Tim:

    Thanks for sharing this- it took more than five minutes since I have not yet mastered your speedreading but it’s a great investment!

    Kathlene

    Reply

  • Ryan — July 2nd, 2010, 8:09 am

    Awesome post, but I do have a question. I don’t doubt that the beach huts can be found at great prices compared to living in a US city, but does anyone have any information on where to get these deals? I Tried googling a bit, but haven’t come up with much.

    I think debt is my big thing, but reading this post makes me want to take action and enjoy life. I feel very tied down at the moment with big car payments and student loan bills to pay each month. I’m thinking I will try selling my car and freeing up some income so that I can some day set out and travel as well.

    When you think about it, we really do accumulate a lot of useless crap over the years.

    Reply

  • 4th of July Weekend - Doug Anderson — July 5th, 2010, 7:04 pm

    [...] The following two days of my vacation were filled up with yard sale preparation and sale. The work was worth it as our yard sale practically sold out during the first four hours. We gathered up a few stragglers for donation and put a sold-out sign in front. People continued to drive by all day with newspaper in hand.  We sold over half of our material possessions. It was very liberating. [...]

  • Kristin — July 18th, 2010, 9:29 pm

    Great post. I move every three to eight months and still add Uni into the mix. I am currently living in Bangkok and fluttering around the region heading back to study too soon. Here is my advice/insight into being a minimalist or enjoying extended travel (or just being away from Homebase):

    –To keep it cheap– It’s less costly to travel in the off-season of a country (i.e. Not tourist season) hotel prices are down and there are a lot more deals and specials available (or at least made noticeable) to tourists. Ex. I came to Bangkok right after the Red Shirt Protests (and while I do live with family that moved here long ago) hotel prices have been cut dramatically (some 50%) and there was No traffic!! Now things are almost back to normal, but prices are still down. Fyi. Even if there wasn’t a crisis prices are still low in the off-season in lots of countries.

    –Think about what you value about your home routine, you can tie it into your travel lifestyle– I value a good workout because it sets the pace of my day and keeps me healthy physically and mentally. The hardest part for me when I move is adapting my workout routine to my new lifestyle. But, once you realize you need to find a way to incorporate that valued routine into your life, wherever you are, it can make the whole experience much more enjoyable.

    –Take Baby steps– You don’t have to give up your life at home if you don’t want to. Especially if you are older and have lived somewhere for a long time, doesn’t mean you have to give it all up (but it may be necessary to downsize). Take baby steps, if you do this you will learn if and how you want to incorporate these travel experiences into your current life. I’m currently helping my dad do this. My sisters still live in the house and it is not time to move yet, but every time I go back I clean out a room and go through all of our stuff and either give it away or prepare them for a yard sale (I don’t stay long) As for me all my belongings fit in my car and I usually just borrow a bed and dresser from family or friends nearby wherever I am (in the US). Not many people are minimalists, so you could have many options. –to start.. what are you doing this weekend? Oh nothing? Well pack ONE bag and get the hell out of town! (go to the mountains, on a boat ride, to another state nearby, you don’t have to get on a plane yet if that is a big step)

    –Learn your pace— What do you enjoy doing when you travel? Do you just want to relax on a beach? Do you want to immerse yourself in a culture? Do you just want to see the sights? Do you want to travel from place to place and not stop? Any of these will work, as long as you are happy doing them. The purpose of these experiences is not to come ‘home’ and compare where you’ve been and how much you know with someone else, the purpose is to add happiness and value to your life. I’m still figuring this out and I know what I don’t want and slowly figuring out what I do want and how I get the most out of where I am. Tim is a great example (if I understand correctly): He has learned that he enjoys learning about other cultures and the activities within them and he is willing to invest his time into doing this. The book, blog, etc. are byproducts of his experiences, and he seems to enjoy passing along what he has learned to anyone willing to listen (just like everyone else whether family, friends, or strangers). Lucky us!

    Although long that was my brief two cents on the traveling/minimalist lifestyle. Hopefully helpful to those who think they’ll leave the vagabonding to the “professionals”. Just remember where the professionals began!

    Kristin

    Reply

  • Happiness Elsewhere - tales from urban dilettantia — July 19th, 2010, 2:44 am

    [...] Tim Ferris has written an epic piece on vagabonding, simplicity, travel and well-being. [...]

  • Don Weyant — July 28th, 2010, 9:16 am

    Developing and living a set of core values will de-clutter your life in astounding ways. It’s ok to “have it all” but your core values will allow you to determine what is important to you and your life. Simple but effective way to live. Here’s some great core values to get started, keep your list about to about 10 or 12 core values. Appreciation, humility, valor, understanding and forgiveness.

    Reply

  • 52 Blog Posts with Travel Ideas for Older Adults | AssistedLivingFacilities.com — July 28th, 2010, 6:50 pm

    [...] Vagabonding for Seniors Guide to minimalist travel with specific links for seniors. [...]

  • Katarina — July 30th, 2010, 9:12 am

    That’s an amazing article to read and it’s very inspirational. For a long time I dream of traveling the world and I have no problem with simplicity, sleeping in hostels or taking buses and trains at all. I would give up a lot to be able to travel for months.
    The think that sadness me is that all of the articles of this type are write from American point of view and as much as I love this article this advices just can’t help me in my situation. For example: “and my total expenses rarely exceeded $1000 a month” maybe sound cheap for an average American or someone from Western Europe, but I’m from Bosnia and my month income is around 500 dollars, so no matter how much I simplify my life, I am still far away from being able to travel, even the way described in the article.
    Is there any advice for someone like me?

    Reply

  • Emma — August 1st, 2010, 10:12 am

    I seriously loved this blog, thank you so much! I’ve always been good at letting go of ‘stuff’ and feel even more determination to let go of what’s left. I think decluttering your home and life frees up so much energy for pursuing your dreams.

    Reply

  • Richard — August 1st, 2010, 11:32 am

    Hi, everyone!

    I’ve been living out of my suitcase for the past two months and have worn the same clothes during this time. Luckily, I’ve been doing laundry along the way! My sweety and I have been able to visit Australia, Nunavut (Canada), Yellowknife, NWT (Canada) and Indiana as well as Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    It’s very, very easy to keep in touch these days via Facebook and webmail to stay on top of business and connect with friends and family.

    At 38, I’ve never been happier. This morning I cooked a meal for my sweety and a dear friend who checked his nets at 1 am with the tides last night. Our friend donated his catch to us and our crew for tonight’s feast. It’s marinating right now for supper. After, we’ll have a cake in the shape of an ulu for a friend’s birthday. Then for 5 dollars, we’ll be able to attend a community music festial for a few hours before heading up the hill to our tent.

    As I write this, I’m amazed at how much I’ve accumulated over the past 4 years living in one place. Most of it I do not need. I’m so happy to be moving next month as I’ll cull a lot before I go and give all of my furniture away.

    I think one of the quickest ways to cull your stuff is to move. When your movers are charging you by the pound things become clear very early about what you really need and want in your life.

    I’ve read Tim’s book and love it so much. Even just looking at the cover fires me up for business and starting scholarships for my communities who’ve always been there for me. Thank you, Tim!

    It is a joy to wake up every day and know the basics are covered (food, warmth, a quick check of the Internet, laundry if we need it, visiting with friends and elders and some serious cuddling every single night) at a very low cost.

    My question is about renting versus owning a home. I’ve always rented and find that landlords are fabulous when it comes to looking out for you if you are respectful of them and their property. I find so many friends who own a home are cash poor and usually have an excuse for not doing a lot of things.

    Mind you, I do not have children and having children and becoming a home-owner usually go hand in hand.

    Is there a book or movement out there that suggests renting is the way to go? I have investments and many ways of generating money on the road, but it seems to me that renters have a bliss they keep to themselves.

    Anyhow, please respond and let me know what you think about renting vs. owning. Tim, you’ve created an international movement for this generation and please come out with more books, etc.

    You’re a man on the move and you remind us all of our dreams and what’s important: health, time, friends and family, adventure, spontenaity and not knowing what will happen next. There’s a joy in this. I feel it every day.

    Take care,

    Richard

    Reply

    • Tim Ferriss — August 1st, 2010, 8:53 pm

      Hi Richard,

      I just sold a home at a six-figure loss because I decided home ownership wasn’t for me. I prefer the flexibility of renting and have no plans to purchase homes in the near future.

      Congrats on the wonderful travels!!!

      All the best,

      Tim

      Reply

  • Michael — August 1st, 2010, 11:36 pm

    @Richard

    Lots of good arguments for renting versus owning. Here is just one sample: http://patrick.net/housing/crash3.html

    take care,

    Michael

    Reply

  • Nadia — August 2nd, 2010, 5:13 pm

    Hi Tim,

    This is just to thank you and The 4-Hour Workweek for providing me with the tools and encouragement to take a 2-month “mini retirement” overseas earlier this spring. It took a lot of budgeting because I chose not to work while traveling and still had to maintain certain expenses at home, but the experience was tremendous! I volunteered, rented an apartment in a city I’d always wanted to visit, unleashed a long-suppressed creative streak by keeping an online travel and photo diary, made some beautiful friendships and returned home without a job but incredibly satisfied and rejuvenated to continue to make future choices about “living well” instead of “doing well.” To anyone reading this, you really can do this too!

    P.S. I think we were in Amsterdam (for Queen’s Day) and Istanbul at the same time!

    Best wishes,

    Reply

  • Aaron Gaily — August 4th, 2010, 11:15 pm

    Thanks Tim! Inspiring as always. Got my goals set on not just living well, but doing well at the same time still. I think you’ve proven that both can be done if your focus is right.

    Aaron Gaily

    Reply

  • Virtual Miss Friday — August 10th, 2010, 12:49 am

    After falling into the trap of a job which I worked from dawn until dusk to pay for my 1/4 of a million pound mortgage on a 5 bed house, and material possessions such as TV’s and entertainment systems, I decided enough was enough. I sold EVERYTHING and quit my job, 6 weeks from making my decision – with a couple of suitcases I bought a plane ticket to Egypt and I never looked back. I started my virtual business, which I established in Egypt (it’s a great place to go if you want your money to stretch a long way) where I was for over 2 years, since then I have lived in the UK, France, Spain and soon off to Italy. I have no desire for anything other than as little as possible – it makes it so much easier to move around :)

    I met my husband along the way too and had 2 children both born in different countries – it’s so much fun!

    Great article Tim, thank you…

    Reply

  • Adam — August 10th, 2010, 12:39 pm

    Dear all

    just a quick message and question, I recently read The 4 Hour Work Week from someone who brought it to my Filipino Martial Arts class. It really touched on the many anxieties and concerns that I have as I find myself in a situation where I am stuck in a job I never wanted and “dying a slow spiritual death” as you put it. After reading the book however it seemed that Tim and many of the NRs already came from an entrepreneurial background and past work history in the private sector. So I suppose one of the questions I had was, is an NR necessarily always an entrepreneur/business type person? How does Tim’s book apply to a lowly public sector worker such as myself, or even a bartender, gym instructor, teacher, accountant or unemployed person? In fact the latter five are friends of mine who have all purchased the book after I recommended it to them as they are in the same situation as me. I don’t really have a business mind although I am taking the concepts in the book very seriously and I am willing to learn the workings of entrepreneurial initiatives and outsourced business. If anyone can answer this question I would be grateful.

    regards

    Adam

    Reply

    • Tim Ferriss — August 10th, 2010, 3:31 pm

      Hi Adam,

      Thanks for the comment. I believe business building is a learnable skill. Take heart! The “Automation” section should help you develop some entrepreneurial critical thinking, and then it’s all about experimenting and trial and error. I just had a slight head start, that’s all.

      Good luck!

      Tim

      Reply

  • Adam — August 15th, 2010, 8:16 am

    Hi Tim

    Thanks for that, in fact Ive already started outsourcing, been hiring assistants to re-work my CV and do my application forms, more time to have fun!! My other question was would VAs from companies such as Brickwork and YMII also conduct research on niche markets and re-sale techniques let alone set up my webpage for my business? I just dont have the time to do all that or study too much about the workings of business, economics etc although once I leave my job then I will.

    Adam

    Adam

    Reply

  • karmyn — September 27th, 2010, 2:06 pm

    Great article. A couple of years ago my sister and I moved to Tokyo to work and travel. We basically moved with nothing and then found jobs and traveled around Southeast Asia. We were in Asia a year total. We only let ourselves take regular school backpacks, not those huge traveler backpacks when we arrived in Bangkok. We never needed more and loved living with less. We also decided to take only the local methods of transportation which made for some crazy interesting adventures in the north of Thailand and Laos, that included hitchiking some 300 miles. Our best memories are when we took the local way. It wasn’t always comfortable but we got to slow down and live in each moment and we met the sweetest people.

    If you really need it, you can find it on the road. Just pack some bug spray and sunscreen and have an adventure!!!!!!

    Reply

  • Tigsy — November 27th, 2010, 9:53 pm

    From someone who grew up in the Philippines, lived in the US (Los Angeles and Vegas), and then moved to Thailand in my late 20′s, this article surely hits home.

    Thank you for introducing us to Rolf’s work.

    Simplicity and freeing up time for meaningful activities- like engaging in one’s passion and spending time with loved ones- should be top priorities.
    My parents gave us a comfortable yet simple and laid-back upbringing. After moving to the States and having lived there for over 5 years, I experienced expensive dining, fancy car rides, fancy hotel rooms etc. Was I happier there than my previous stay in the Philippines and my current stay in Thailand? A resounding “No!”.

    Great blog. I can’t wait for your future work and Rolf’s as well. :-)

    Reply

  • Ryan Critchett — January 6th, 2011, 10:42 am

    This is:

    1. Precise

    2. Actionable

    3. Counterintuitive

    All of which are the new way of seriously kicking ass. Love your stuff Tim, this is absolutely it!

    RC

    Reply

  • F Patrick Butler — February 3rd, 2011, 11:56 pm

    Don’t forget that the United Nations predicts, accurately I believe, that the population of earth by 2050 will be 9.3 billion souls. Question: who is going to feed, education and care for these people. Yep, you guessed it. All of us. That takes a lot of work, creativity and peace to keep earth a sane place to live. A loin cloth, bowl of rice, reflections, and donkey will not help anyone. We need approximately 9.3 billion pair of shoes, pants, shirts, hats, glasses, band aides, books, computers, hamburgers, coca colas, carrots and a few other things.
    Get real, ladies and gentlemen, if you don’t work hard and creatively, the global village will falter and descend into one of the biggest hell holes you can ever imagine, and recent history (you don’t have to go back far, Cambodia’s killing fields will do) proves it.
    See you Monday on the 8:00 a.m. bus.

    Reply

  • tim slechta — July 5th, 2011, 7:15 am

    Tim,

    2 Things: 1) You lied. Or are an incredibly fast reader. Total read time (not counting the book recommendations): 11:36, timed on my Android. 2) Great post, very inspiring! I have not read Vagabonding yet but it sounds awesome. Also, I humbly appreciate the book recommendations on money management. I think we can all use a little more advice in that life quadrant.

    Thanks!
    Tim

    Reply

  • Oliver Olsen — August 18th, 2011, 1:18 pm

    The marketplace seeks to interlock with our human makeup: emotions, insecurities, desires. In our society, virtually impossible to escape. With two young boys, I see them being drawn into it…and we not about to go live in the woods. I make them aware that when they feel that desire it’s because the marketing has put a deliberate hook in them. It’s fun to watch them realize the feeling of that hook. When they are teenagers we intend to vagabond to bring about the full feeling that you don’t need all this stuff and that a rich life is truly about experiences with other living creatures.

    Reply

  • Shaun — November 16th, 2011, 11:33 pm

    I love it! this is how I travel. People constantly ask me how I can take as much time to travel as I do. I do it by adjusting myself and excellent savings habits. Here’s a video from one of my recent escapades where I got to meet Frank Kern.

    Reply

  • wholesale nike shox — December 20th, 2011, 11:15 pm

    The man who has made up his mind to win will never say “impossible “.
    (Bonaparte Napoleon ,French emperor )

    Reply

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