013: How to Create Your Own Freedom, Live an Adventure, & Do Work That Matters: A Chat with Chris Guillebeau [Podcast]
Wherever you look, there are voices telling you to "live a better story" or do something "epic." They make it sound easy. But it's not so simple, is it? The truth is the epic life requires more than just blind courage. Few people understand this better th
Wherever you look, there are voices telling you to "live a better story" or do something "epic." They make it sound easy. But it's not so simple, is it? The truth is the epic life requires more than just blind courage.
Few people understand this better than Chris Guillebeau.
This is Chris, doing what he does: taking risks.
Chris is a friend, mentor, and patron to the work that I do (he graciously endorsed my book, Wrecked). What impresses me most about him is his ability to stay true to his values of generosity and adventurous living while wisely providing for himself so that he can sustain those passions.
I had a chance last year to sit down with Chris and chat about these ideas. I’m bringing it back for the podcast because he has pulled off what most of us think is impossible. He’s living a life full of adventurous experiences and creative endeavors without going broke.
That’s what we discuss in this interview.
Click to listen
To listen to the show, click the player below (or if viewing this in email, click here.)
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You can also download it at iTunes or on Stitcher.
Around the world in eleven years
Chris has always loved adventure. In his mid-20’s, he set a goal to visit every country in the world. It’s taken over a decade (depending on how you count it), but he reached his goal last year.
As he approached the end of his journey, a funny thing happened. He started worrying about what was next. This had been his identity for so long time, that he wasn’t quite sure what to do next.
And as he reflected, he decided to do what he encourages others to do. Explore. Try something new. Seek out moments of inspiration or discovery. (Click here to tweet that.)
And it worked.
What do you want for your life?
Now, Chris doesn’t believe everyone has to travel the world. But he does believe we all should do things that stretch and challenge us.
For a long time, he wanted to be a writer instead of actually being a writer and just sitting down and doing it. Sound familiar?
We all have fears and misconceptions to overcome. But it’s important to think about what we really want for our lives. And it's even more important to take the next step, to ask how we can structure our lives in a way that brings us closer to our goals.
In the interview we also talked about:
Balancing risk-taking with responsibilities
The entrepreneurial spirit
The obstacles to starting a business in a world where it’s easier than ever before
Why it’s important to start right now
Make sure you listen to the whole episode or download the full transcript here. (Special thanks to Eva P. Scott for her wonderful transcription wizardry!)
[specialbox]To find out more about Chris Guillebeau, check out his website and pre-order his upcoming book The Happiness of Pursuit. He also hosts the annual World Domination Summit (WDS), which I attended this past weekend. It’s a great place to get inspired and have a good time in Portland. I hope to see you there next year!
And if you want to catch up with me before the next WDS, check out my upcoming speaking events. I’m also hosting a meetup in Duluth, Georgia next weekend and another in New Orleans, Louisiana in September. Click the city names for details.[/specialbox]
Have you considered the kind of life you want to live? What would it take? Share in the comments.