Chris Guillebeau's Blog, page 42

“Trust the Path Even When It Goes Off the Map”: Asha Dornfest at WDS

On Wednesday we’ll release the first round of tickets for WDS 2016, a global gathering like no other!

But first, we’re rolling out a series of speaker videos from the 2015 event. Asha Dornfest, co-author of Minimalist Parenting and the popular blog Parent Hacks spoke to us about building trust in ourselves and reinvention. Check out the video!

“You have everything you need right now to get moving on your dream. You don’t need anything new to get started.”

“Reinvention is not just about doi...

One Year of Taking Adderall to Help with Writing & Focus

Last year I shared the story of why I got a prescription for Adderall, the brand name of the psychostimulant drug that can help you better manage your attention and focus.

Adderall is a controlled substance in the U.S. and most other western countries. It’s known for being abused by college students—you know, when you really need to study—but it’s also one of the most frequently prescribed treatments for both children and adults with ADHD.

I was diagnosed with ADHD as a kid (whoa, look at t...

WDS Tickets Go on Sale Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 9am PST

Link: Ticket Sales for WDS 2016 Begin Wednesday, Nov. 11

Six years ago, I traveled throughout the U.S. and Canada and invited readers to join me in Portland, Oregon, the following summer. The event that began in July 2011 was called the World Domination Summit—a modest name—or simply WDS.

Since then, more than 10,000 people have participated in what became an annual event. This past July marked our five-year anniversary event, and we had an incredible experience with everyone who showed up...

How to Be More Awesome: Kid President at WDS

Next week we’ll release another round of tickets for WDS 2016, a global gathering like no other! But first, we’re rolling out a different speaker video every day.

Brad Montague and Robby Novak, creators of Kid President, have started a movement and their Pep Talk video has been viewed and shared more than 80 million times.

Appearing on stage at WDS 2015, they taught us some awesome dance moves and spoke about their “joyful rebellion.” Check out the ultimate Pep Talk!

“We are a rebellion...

How to Rack Up Frequent Flyer Miles Using Shopping Portals

This is a free excerpt from Upgrade Unlocked: The Unconventional Guide to Luxury Travel on a Budget by Stephanie Zito.

The easiest and most lucrative way to maximize point earning on the things you already buy is to use a magic service online called a shopping portal. Shopping portals are simple websites run by your favorite airlines and hotels, and contain links to nearly every online store you can imagine (and probably already shop at). When you use a portal as a gateway to access your reg...

“Pain Deserves Acknowledgement, Not Repair”: Megan Devine at WDS

Next week we’ll release the first round of tickets for WDS 2016, a global gathering like no other!

But first, we’re rolling out a series of speaker videos from the 2015 event. Megan Devine, author of the audiobook, When Everything is Not Okay: Practices to Help You Stay in Your Heart & Not Lose Your Mind, called on us to approach life’s challenges differently for ourselves and the people we love.

Check out the video!

“When you hear the pain of the world, it’s not a call to overcome it – i...

Former Stockbroker Travels through Europe on $10 a Day

This is a traveler case study. ( Read others or nominate yourself . )

Former stockbroker Tomislav Perko says he’s nothing special: just an everyday guy who lost his job, and decided to take a different road in life—one that only costs him $10 a day.

Introduce yourself!

My name is Tomislav. I’m a 30-year-old regular, everyday, normal guy from Croatia—one who every now and then tries to do something irregular, unique, and extraordinary.

Back in the day I was a stockbroker. Suit, tie, lots of money...

Whatever Happened to the Road Not Taken?

You’ve heard the story a thousand times.

Two roads diverged in the woods, and the wanderer is forced to choose. One road has a bit more wear than the other, but aside from that, both paths look pretty good. What to do? Since you’ve heard the story, you probably know the ending.

After some deliberation, the wanderer chooses the road “less traveled by.” And that, we’re told, “has made all the difference.”

Great story! But did you ever think about what happened to the other road? Maybe it was j...

“Your Heart Will Always Lead You Home”: Lissa Rankin at WDS

Soon we’ll release the first round of tickets for WDS 2016, a global gathering like no other!

But first, we’re rolling out a series of speaker videos from the 2015 event. Lissa Rankin, physician and New York Times bestselling author of popular books like Mind Over Medicine and The Fear Cure, spoke to us about listening to our heart to find our purpose.

Check out the video!

“Sometimes we can just see the first step. We don’t need to know where we’re going, we just need open ourselves to t...

“Most of Us Have a Deep Desire to Be Great”: Lewis Howes at WDS

In just a few weeks, we’ll release the first round of tickets for WDS 2016, a global gathering like no other!

But first, we’re rolling out a series of speaker videos from the 2015 event. Lewis Howes, host of the popular podcast The School of Greatness, shared his own story about how he found the secret to greatness.

Note: In this video, Lewis shares a number of personal stories for the first time, including one that contains sensitive information.

“Most of us have a deep desire to be gre...