Chris Guillebeau's Blog, page 84

“Your Time to Build for the Future Before the World Descends On You”

I’m not very good at all the things you’re supposed to do to be more productive. I check email first thing in the morning and then continually throughout the day. I jump from task to task and I read the news five times a day.

But I do try to be outcome-focused, and I appreciated this perspective from Tyler Cowen, a professor of economics who’s been blogging daily for a decade while also writing books, teaching students, traveling the world, and eating good food:

“There is always time to do mor...

Lessons from the Journey: Everyone has a calling. Follow your (own) passion

From my own 193-country journey to the stories of many other people who were kindly willing to share, The Happiness of Pursuit attempts to extract and convey the lessons of modern-day quests. This series explores some of these lessons.

Lesson: Everyone has a calling. Follow your (own) passion.

Pay attention to the things that excite you and the things that bother you.

In the book I wrote about Jiro Ono, a world-famous sushi chef from Tokyo. In one of my favorite clips from a documentary on his...

The Happiness of Pursuit Is a NYT Bestseller! (Because of you!)

Yep yep, it’s true… because of our great readers, The Happiness of Pursuit debuted at #3 on the New York Times bestseller list this weekend.

I’m so excited! Debuting on the list is harder than ever these days because paperback, hardcover, and ebooks are all combined into “one list to rule them all.” The same non-fiction list includes books about dieting, money, pregnancy, lifestyle, and a wealth of other topics. In other words, it’s a tough crowd to compete against.

But we did it, and I’m grat...

6 Discoveries from Near and Far: Volume XI

I. Around the World

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

Time Spent Creating Vs Consuming — “When you’re sitting at your desk and you find yourself thinking ‘this isn’t fun,’ that’s when you really start working”

How Conductors Keep Getting Better at 90 — 70, 80, and 90-year-old symphony conductors talk about keeping a passion for their profession
Architects Propose Converting World Cup Stadium Into Affordable Housing– An unconventional a...

Mini City Guide: Toubacouta, Fatick Region, Senegal, West Africa

I love big cities, and always enjoy returning to Hong Kong, New York, and Sydney—among many others. But what about those unknown gems that are off the beaten tourist path… those obscure places just waiting to be explored by real travelers?

Our “Mini City Guides” are here to uncover those gems, and we’re looking to our favorite explorers—AONC readers—to give us the inside scoop.

Tell us if there’s a city you’d like to nominate. This city was nominated by reader Megan Wannarka.

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Which accessibly o...

To Express Gratitude, Put the Do-Not-Disturb Sign Back Where It Belongs

When I check into a hotel room (something I do 100+ times a year), I immediately put the do-not-disturb sign on the door. I don’t want to be bothered while working or napping, and unless it’s a really nice hotel, I don’t care about turndown service.

Over the years I’ve tried to follow a routine when unpacking. The short version is: everything belongs in one or two places. A few things by the bed, a few things in the bathroom, and a few things on the desk. I try not to spread out, because that...

Giveaway: Win 25,000 American Airlines Miles!

Every Friday is giveaway day. Comment to win!

We wanted to do something extra special for this week’s giveaway… by offering 25,000 miles that can be used for a round-trip ticket with American Airlines!

See a new place, visit an old friend, or check out that wax museum you’ve always dreamed of. The possibilities are endless! (Well, they’re subject to availability—but still, there are a lot of possibilities.)

Share with us which exciting destination you’ll go if you win.

What you need to know:

25,0...

Why You Should Write

“That’s the promise: you will live more curiously if you write. You will become a scientist, if not of the natural world than of whatever world you care about. More of that world will pop alive. You will see more when you look at it.

Writing needn’t be a formal enterprise to have this effect. You don’t have to write well. You don’t even have to “write,” exactly—you can just talk onto the page.”

Link: More People Should Write

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Image: Oliver

Turning Fear Into Curiosity : On the Road with Audrey Scott and Dan Noll

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

Audrey Scott and Daniel Noll have sold everything to travel the world—twice. After five years exploring Europe and being settled in Prague, they decided to pursue a new adventure. Here’s their story:

Tell us about yourselves.

We’re a husband-and-wife speaking, writing and photography team. We’re both originally from the United States, but we’ve been living, working, and traveling abroad for 13 years.

With six suitcases and no job...

6 Discoveries From Near and Far, Volume X

I. Around the World

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

The Two-Story Houseboat named ‘Jerko’ — Great photos and behind-the-scenes of an unconventional lifestyle in Brooklyn
The Awful Reign of the Red Delicious — Likely the longest (yet most interesting!) article you’ll ever read about apples
Q&A with Kate Bingaman Burt — “With every single thing I do I experience impostor syndrome” (and yet she keeps doing things)
Dog Runs as Fast As He...