Chris Guillebeau's Blog, page 72

Just To Be Clear

By Ella Frances Sanders

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6 Discoveries from Near and Far: Volume XXIII

I. Around the World

Things I found on long walks in foreign cities, or perhaps when someone posted them on Twitter.

Ten Lessons from 1,000 Days of Building Maptia – A founder’s story of trial, error, and meaningful growth
The Dual Lives of People Living with Mental Illness — Photographer captures different scenes from people who suffer from depression and bipolar disorder
29-Year-Old NFL Player Leaves $37 million Contract to Become a Farmer — Well, first he made $25 million … but it’s still a fun...

“50 Hourly Jobs in 50 States”: Alyssa and Heath Padgett’s Quest

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

I met Alyssa and Heath Padgett when they joined our media team for WDS 2014. They arrived with an interesting story—as part of an unconventional honeymoon, they were visiting all 50 states in a used RV, working an hourly job in each one.

Tell us about yourselves.

Heath and I are from Austin, Texas. After graduating college and taking traditional office jobs like we thought adults were supposed to do, we realized we weren’t actually h...

The Belief That Career Success Can Make Us Happy Is the Central Illusion of Our Time

From David Brooks in the Times —

“The real contradiction of capitalism is that it arouses enormous ambition, but it doesn’t help you define where you should focus it. It doesn’t define an end to which you should devote your life. It nurtures the illusion that career and economic success can lead to fulfillment, which is the central illusion of our time.”

Wow. Deep breath.

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Image: Luciano

Traveling in a Financially Sustainable Way : On the Road with Nora Dunn

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

Long term traveling doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, it can actually be cheaper than staying in one place with rent, bills, and a home. Nora Dunn, originally from Canada and now from “anywhere,” has mastered the art of being permanently on the go without breaking the bank.

Tell us about yourself.

Hi there! I’m Nora, AKA The Professional Hobo. In 2006, I sold everything I owned in Canada (including a busy financial pla...

Michael Hyatt Early Bird Offer Opens

Link: Early Bird Offer for “Best Year Ever”

It’s not New Year’s yet, but 2015 is on the way. Last week I went to Washington, D.C. for my final speaking event of the year, and I’m now preparing to wind down and spend some time planning next year.

I recently mentioned that Michael Hyatt is opening a course he started last year called Best Year Ever. It’s now open with Early Bird Pricing, which is only available for the next few days.

Michael does great work and this course is a worthwhile investm...

Top 5 Credit Card Signup Bonuses for Miles & Points: December

Every year I earn well over one million Frequent Flyer miles and points. About 250,000 of them come through actual travel, and the rest come through travel hacking: the art of seeing the world on a budget.

One of the easiest ways to earn a lot of miles all at once is through credit card signup bonuses. This post contains the best current card offers as of Tuesday, December 9. If getting every card from this post, you’d earn 165,000 points or miles and $250 in cash. Happy travels!

In this editio...

If Your Life Is a Movie and You’re the Director, Why Did You Add this Scene to It?

Imagine your life as an epic, three-hour movie. In this saga there are numerous high points and low points, and both drama and comedy. There are coming-of-age moments and passages of growing older.

There will likely be some real challenges, and maybe even a few moments when you think you won’t make it. The movie may have some scary scenes. It will be tough! But there will also be scenes of joy and victory. There will be times when you’re proud of what you’ve overcome.

Sooner or later, every m...

6 Discoveries from Near and Far: Volume XXII

I. Around the World

Things I found on long walks in foreign cities, or perhaps when someone posted them on Twitter.

TRIBUTE: The Most Meaningful Gift On Earth — I backed this great Kickstarter to help friends and family more easily create video montages
75-Year-Old Swedish Man Builds 10-Foot Boat to Sail the World — “Most people misunderstand life,” he says
50,000 Volunteers Needed for New Language Learning Program — Sign up for a creative experiment from Great Escape Publishing
The Pirate of Vanc...

The Flatlands of Suburbia: Abandoned Shopping Malls of America

When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time at the mall. I had two sets of parents and lots of grandparents, but pretty much everyone I knew loved to go to the mall. No matter who I was with, a lot of early evening conversations went like this:

“What should we do tonight?”

“Uh… why don’t we go to the mall?”

“Okay!”

The mall was the place to be, and the only big decision was: which one?

Starting from a young age, whenever I went to the mall with some sort of chaperone, I’d usually be turned loose w...