Joshua Becker's Blog, page 140

The Pursuit of Something Greater

“A thing is worth precisely what it can do for you; not what you choose to pay for it.” – John Ruskin

In early spring of 1992, I was in high school. I had just received my driver’s license. Yet, I always walked home from school… even though the winters of North Dakota were brutal. Luckily, the walk was only a few blocks.

We never used the front door to our home but always entered through the garage door. One particular afternoon, something out of the ordinary caught my eye as I happened to enter the garage. There was a brand-new car parked inside of it.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I had seen new cars before, but they were always parked in my neighbors’ garage – not in mine. I ran inside to ask my mom which neighbor had accidentally parked in the wrong garage. And at that moment, my hopes were confirmed – the new car was ours. Even better than that news, my brother and I would be the main drivers of the new car.

I couldn’t believe it. The car was a green 1991 Chevrolet Corsica – not exactly a Porsche or a Corvette – but it was certainly better than the yellow 1985 Oldsmobile we had been driving when my parents didn’t need it. It was an incredible improvement. And we loved it.

My brother and I took impeccable care of the vehicle. We washed it every week. We waxed the outside, applied Armor-All to the inside, shampooed the carpet, and scrubbed the tires. We did everything imaginable to keep that vehicle running smoothly and looking tip-top.

Five years later when I graduated college, I purchased the car from my parents. I paid them $4,000 – and it became mine completely. It was my first car and I loved it.

That was, until something better came along. Eventually, my wife and I purchased a newer vehicle, a 2001 Ford mini-van with low miles and a CD player. Because our family was growing, we felt a need to upgrade to a larger vehicle – especially for the long trips we were taking every year. So when we found a good deal on a used mini-van, we jumped at the opportunity.

Suddenly, with keys in my pocket to a newer, shinier vehicle, my Corsica quickly lost its appeal and importance in my life. In fact, about that time, some parts of the engine started to fail. I didn’t even bother to fix them (not that I could have if I wanted to). What did I care? I didn’t need it anymore. I had something better to drive – a newer automobile. Soon, the Corsica began sitting in my driveway for months at a time. One day, a young lady came by the house, knocked on my door, and offered me $150 for the car. I took it. I was just happy to get rid of it.

A short time later, I looked back at the interchange with an intentional eye. What in the world had just happened? This was, after all, the very same vehicle that 10 years ago my parents paid a large sum of money for – a vehicle that I washed and cared for – a vehicle that literally changed my life. It was a car that I genuinely loved. But it lost its appeal. And I practically gave it away to the first bidder just to get it out of my driveway. Why was I so willing – almost thankful – to part with it?

The answer lies in an important truth: Something better had come into my life. And when something better comes along, the old suddenly holds less value, if any at all. Just picture your storage room, your attic, or your basement. Often times, these places are stocked full of old things that at one time held great value, but no longer do. All because something newer, faster, or trendier came along – something far more valuable to you.

Looking back at this story again almost ten years later, I am almost embarrassed about the excitement I felt receiving this first new car. But I was in high school and owning a car was of utmost importance to me… maybe that is why I am so passionate about reaching teenagers and young adults with the life-giving message of minimalism (book coming soon, hint, hint). Minimalism wasn’t a discovery I would make for a number of years later.

But once I did, the significance of this story would again surface in my mind. Intentionally living with fewer possessions has provided the opportunity for the values that guide my life to be redefined. When we began pursuing minimalism, we quickly discovered our consumer-driven lives were not being lived to their greatest potential. We were too busy chasing the material possessions that always perish, spoil, or fade.

We also began to see many of the things we most valued in this world were actually holding us back, keeping us down, and preventing us from becoming all that we were destined to be. Becoming minimalist has allowed the value of material possessions to fade in my affections. I no longer desire to live in a big house, drive an expensive car, or keep a closet full of clothing. My pursuits now serve a higher purpose. You see, something better has come along…

Becoming Minimalist: Book Releases and Mid-Year Updates

It is not untypical for me to make annual reviews of the Becoming Minimalist blog. I find them personally helpful as they force me to intentionally evaluate the history, growth, and vision of this website which has become so important to me and the readers it serves. Additionally, the review posts are helpful for readers (especially recent followers) as they concisely communicate the background and most important posts which have helped shape the existing website they have discovered. Seeing as how this weekend represents the exact mid-point of 2012 and considering how much can change in one year, today seemed like a great opportunity for my first mid-year update.

The Website

Becoming Minimalist remains true to his goal of inspiring others to find more life by owning less. It continues to challenge me and its readers to seek higher passions than the pursuit and collection of worldly possessions. After all, the best things in life are not things.

The continued, steady growth of Becoming Minimalist makes these updates energizing. Often times I receive e-mails from readers seeking permission to reprint entire articles in off-line newsletters and publication. My response is always the same, “Absolutely, please do. I write for the purpose of the words being read. And the more who read the words, the better… regardless of where they find them.” My hope is the words on this website will be read widely and inspire many to find more life by owning less. And for that reason, I find the growth entirely motivating and look forward to sharing with you some of this site’s growth over the past six months:

Becoming Minimalist Subscriber count has increased from 12,000 subscribers to 14,200 (after less than 500 readers in 2010).
Twitter followers increased from 4,400 to 6,500.
Facebook fans increased from 4,000 to 7,350 (our biggest increase in social media sites).
Our lesser-known Tumblr blog, Substance Over Stuff, has grown to over 350 followers.
I also joined Pinterest as an experiment this past spring to continue connecting with new audiences.
Our book Simplify continues to sell well on Amazon (somewhere between 500-600 copies each month).

A heartfelt thanks to each of you who read the blog regularly. And sincere appreciation to anyone of you who have shared its message via blog posts, Facebook updates, tweets, pins, or good old-fashioned emails. Every time you share this blog with your circle of influence (whether it be on a social network or over a cup of coffee) you open up the life-giving message of intentionally owning less to a brand new audience – an audience who trusts you far more than they trust me. And for that, I can’t thank you enough.

Thus far, the most popular posts from 2012 include:

7 Common Problems Solved by Owning Less
Don’t Just Declutter, De-Own
35 Things I Hope My Kids Say About Their Dad
The Simple Guide to a Clutter-Free Home
Daniel Suelo: The Man Who Quit Money

While some of my personal favorites include:

Why Helping Others Succeed Can Be Your Greatest Success
Influence. You Already Have It
How Simplicity Appeals to the Heart
‘Cause You Can Get Better at Anything You Want

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The Book

Those who are closest to me know much of these past six months have been dedicated to the creation of a brand-new book, Living With Less: An Unexpected Key to Happiness to be published by Group Publishing, a Colorado-based publishing house. The book is scheduled for a mid-August release date.

Needless to say, you’ll be hearing more details about the book and its launch in the coming months. But here’s the first sneak peek: Living With Less is written primarily for teenagers and young adults (ages 12-22) and is desperately needed. For the past 13 years of my life, I have worked with teenagers encouraging them in both their personal and spiritual journeys. One of my greatest desires is to help students realize at a young age there are far more important investments they can make with their lives than the pursuit of worldly possessions.

This book helps accomplish that purpose and approaches living with less in a way I have not seen before in any book targeting teenagers and young adults. Don’t hear me wrong, I have read countless books articulating the evils of materialism, but never have I picked up a book for students that clearly articulates the practical and life-giving benefits of owning less… until this one. I believe Living With Less has the potential to completely reframe the argument as it boldly declares the benefits of minimalism rather than the evils of materialism. Its approach is encouraging, inspirational, and practical.

Group Publishing is a Christian-based organization. On this blog, I rarely venture into specific religious philosophies. But in the book, I go into great depth. The book finds its foundation in the specific teachings of Jesus on the topics of money and possessions. My hope is that those who are not familiar with the specifics of Jesus’ teachings on money and possessions will be introduced to them, while those who are already exposed will begin to see His words in a new light. While Living With Less: An Unexpected Key to Happiness is based on my previous book, Simplify, this spiritual aspect of the material will set it apart completely from anything else I have written prior.

More details will be made available in the coming months… or should I say weeks. I know full-well that I’ll need your help in spreading its message.

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The Speaking

World Domination Summit. Portland, OR. I’m excited to be co-presenting a seminar with Joshua Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus at the World Domination Summit hosted by Chris Guillebeau next weekend in Portland. The seminar is titled “How Minimalism is Changing the Entrepreneurial Landscape.” And while I have presented numerous times in numerous venues the minimalist lifestyle and its benefits for all, this is the first specific opportunity directed towards entrepreneurs. It presents how minimalism can help aspiring entrepreneurs fulfill their dreams of making a living following their passion. Registration is closed.

Okoboji Lakes Bible Conference. Okoboji, IA. On Sunday morning, August 5th, I’ll be presenting minimalism at the Okoboji Lakes Bible Conference. My desire is to make the argument that Jesus was right all along when he called his followers to sell their possessions and give to the poor – that his teachings in that respect are not words to be feared or reasoned away, but are to be accepted as a better way to live life. Registration is open and free. Come join us if you happen to be in Iowa this August.

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The 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Earlier this year, I explained my rationale for setting out to read 52 books in 2012. While I did not necessarily intend to give updates on my progress (I just meant the post as an opportunity to challenge others to read more), the mid-point of the year does seem like a good opportunity for an update.

Currently, I have read 17 books in the first 26 weeks of the year. Here’s the list in no particular order:

Every Body Matters by Gary Thomas
Seven Days in Utopia by David L. Cook
Death by Suburb by Dave L. Goetz
You Can Buy Happiness And It’s Cheap by Tammy Strobel
The Shooting Salvationist by David R. Stokes
Thirsting for God by Gary Thomas
The $100 Start-Up by Chris Guillebeau
A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer
The Lost Boy by Dave Pelzer
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
The Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Days After the Crash by Joshua Fields Millburn
You Are a Writer by Jeff Goins
Platform by Michael Hyatt
Getting Things Done by David Allen
FireStarter Sessions by Danielle LaPorte

Looks like I better pick up the pace a little bit. That is, unless I count the 6 or 7 Junie B. Jones books I’ve read to my daughter… then I’d be right on schedule.

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Whether you have been reading Becoming Minimalist for one week, one month, or one year, welcome and thank you. The past 6 months have been exciting and fruitful. We look forward to more of the same during the second half of the year. We would love to have you along with us. You can subscribe to updates via e-mail or rss feed. Either way, rest assured this blog will stay true to its core message: there is more joy to be found in owning less than can be found in pursuing more.

Don’t Let Blame Keep You From Change

“Everyone is responsible and no one is to blame.” – Will Schutz

Recently, we started a “blame jar” in our home. It’s kinda like a “swear jar,” only it’s not for swearing. It’s for blaming.

And it’s kind of a big deal for us. We don’t typically use a lot of the little parenting tricks and gimmicks – chore charts, allowances, prizes – that I see so often. Instead, we choose to set lofty expectations, intentionally communicate those expectations, offer praise when they meet them, discipline when they do not, and remain consistent to a fault. It works for us… although I’ll be the first to admit we have been blessed with some pretty compliant kids.

But recently, blaming has become a problem in our home. It almost always occurs the exact same way: My wife or I will notice one of our kids misbehaving. We’ll take the opportunity to point out the unhealthy action or attitude. And the response will sound something like this, “But, mom, she was the one who .” As if, somehow, the unhealthy action or attitude was not actually chosen by the child being corrected but is somehow the fault of another.

I fully realize, of course, this blame game is not a new one. It is not unique to my children. Regardless of our age or family of origin, we are all guilty of using it far too often. It is a defense mechanism as old as wrong itself. Literally… in the story of Adam and Eve, Eve blames Adam for allowing her to eat the fruit and Adam blames God for giving him the woman. But just because it is common, does not mean it is okay or healthy.

In fact, blaming others for our own faults is always a losing proposition. It is annoying. It is dishonest – other people don’t cause your actions or attitudes, they just provide the opportunity. It causes people to not like you – nobody wants to be called the reason for your problems.

But the worst consequence of blame – and the reason we began the blame jar in our home – is that assigning blame is a very real obstacle to change. After all, if I can successfully shift the responsibility for my shortcomings to another person or external factor, I can eliminate the need (and the motivation) to change. I can live my life as a victim trapped in the cell that somebody else built for me. And I do not want my children to fall into that trap.

Blame is far too prevalent in our world. We blame our parents, our spouses, our employers, our teachers, our government, our upbringing, our environment, our financial condition, just to name a few. We blame others for our faults and our unhappiness. And every time we do, we lose. The decision to blame others for our shortcomings will always keep us up from making the changes in our lives that are so desperately needed. And in the long run, it keeps our dreams just out of reach.

So grab a roll of quarters. Toss one in a jar every time you hear yourself blaming someone else. And take control of your life today.

The Simple Guide to a Clutter-Free Home

“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” - William Morris

I have lived most of my life in a cluttered home. Closets were full, drawers wouldn’t shut, things weren’t put away, and unfinished projects could be found in most rooms. That was, unless somebody was coming over. Then, the entire family would pitch in to make sure the house was presentable. Looking back, the problem with clutter wasn’t that we didn’t notice or care. Instead, the problem was we could never get ahead of the mess or ever seem to develop a system that would keep our home clutter-free.

But that is no longer the case. Today, almost every room in our home rests in a state of order – free from the life-robbing presence of physical clutter. Over the past several years, we have found a system that works very well for our family of four. And I am perfectly confident you can do the same… no matter how far away from clutter-free your home may seem.

Consider implementing the four steps found in this Simple Guide to Keeping Your Home Clutter-Free:

1) Believe it is possible. Most of us know it is entirely possible to live in a clutter-free environment. I imagine that is what attracts you to this guide. You are just looking for some extra help to get there.

But some of you are not so sure. Your house has been cluttered for so long, you have given up all hope of ever living any other way. For you, the first step to living in a clutter-free home is to take heart and believe it is entirely possible. Realize that you will never get there if do not resolve in your mind that you can accomplish it. So find some hope and take one small step. Then, take another… and another… and another…

2) Remove the excess. Our homes are full of things. Clutter begins to appear most prominently when we own too much stuff. Conversely, the fewer items we own, the easier it is to keep clutter at a minimum. The first (and most important) step in keeping your home clutter-free is to remove the excessive possessions that are stealing our lives, time, and energy.

In your process of removing the excess, it can be helpful to find a working definition of clutter to aid you in this step. Early in our journey, we began to define clutter as a) too much stuff in too small a space; b) anything that we no longer used or loved; or 3) anything that led to a feeling of disorganization. With that as our guiding filter, we slowly moved from room to room, removing everything that fit the definition above.

In some cases, this step is easy:

Junk drawers full of unneeded items (rubber bands, old batteries, or old keys).
Closets full of clothes you no longer wear.
Decorations that are no longer meaningful and/or outdated.

In other cases, this step will take more time and intentionality:

Large projects such as the garage, basement, or attic.
Sentimental items that have collected over the years.
Books.
Other family members’ clutter that have begun invading common spaces.

The most important key in completing this step is to start with the small and easy projects first. Begin there. As you do, you’ll build up small victories. Then, after the small victories have been won, you’ll find extra motivation to begin tackling the harder cases of clutter in your home.

If you still do not feel fully capable on removing the excess possessions from your home, find encouragement in an intermediate step. For example, put the items you can’t quite part with in a cardboard box out of sight with a date on it. Getting rid of unnecessary possessions is essential, but it doesn’t have to be a race.

3) Implement habits to manage your clutter. For most of my life, I thought the key to maintaining clutter was found here. Just organize, clean, and organize again. But I was wrong. Because I had not taken the time to remove the excess in full (or in part), I could never get ahead of the clutter in my home. There were just too many things in too small a space – no matter what system we tried to implement. As a result, healthy clutter-clearing habits never had opportunity to emerge. So do not skip the removal step, it is absolutely important. And the more energy you put in removing the excess, the easier it will be to find and develop habits to better manage the things you keep.

Once you have cleared the excess, you will be able to better discover which habits keep your living space free of clutter. And once you experience the freedom and stress-free life of living clutter-free, you will find these habits easier to embrace.

Some of these habits will recur daily:

Cleaning the kitchen after each meal.
Placing daily-use items (clothes, books, toys) back in their designated homes.
Fully-completing projects around the house.
Developing an evening routine.

Some of these habits will center on specific locations that serve as clutter collection sites in your home. For us, our kitchen counter typically collects items (mail, schoolwork) during the day, our living room sees a highly-volume of traffic each day, and one of the bedrooms in our home finds itself a bit messier than the others. Each of these specific locations require extra effort and energy than the others.

Some of these habits will center of seasonal needs:

The changing of the seasons.
The need to remove excessive possessions after holidays and/or birthdays.
Significant life changes (birth of a child, new employment) will also require refocusing and adjustment.

Over the years, we have found clutter attracts clutter. Once it begins to collect, it requires intentional action to clear it away. Develop for your family healthy habits today to manage the daily use of the things in your home. Once identified, you’ll find them much easier to implement.

4) Slow the accumulation of possessions. To live is to consume. It cannot be avoided – especially in our society and culture. But if the influx of possessions into our homes can be slowed, clutter can be managed efficiently.

To slow the accumulation of things in our homes, we need to change our mindset and begin evaluating our purchases differently. Realize that your purchases cost far more than the price on the sticker. Each one will also require time, energy, and effort once they enter your home. Before making a purchase, begin asking yourself these questions:

Is this item really needed?
Do I have a place to store this when I get it home?
How much extra work will this possession add to my life?
Am I buying it for the right reasons?

This thought-process isn’t designed to keep you from making purchases ever again – at least, it’s not supposed to. Again, to live is to consume. But these questions are designed to bring intentionality into your life. They raise in your mind the awareness that some purchases take more from our life than they offer. They help you know the difference. And slow the accumulation of clutter-causing items into your home and life.

Again, it is completely and entirely possible to live in a clutter-free home. With this simple guide, you’ll be well on your way. From somebody who has lived both, I can quickly attest that once you begin to enjoy the physical and mental freedom that accompanies clutter-free living, you’ll make extra effort to ensure your home does not slip back into the home it used to be.

If you’d like to know more about the most important principles we learned during our journey into living with less, you’ll find great value in our book, Simplify: 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life.

Why Helping Others Succeed Can Be Your Greatest Success

“It is not true that nice guys finish last. Nice guys are winners before the game ever starts.” – Addison Walker

This past week I sent an e-mail to a friend. I thanked him for helping me over the years and being a significant factor in Becoming Minimalist’s success. He wrote back, “If I have helped you succeed, I am happy.” It was a short e-mail response, but it communicated an important truth: Our greatest successes in life are often found in helping other’s succeed. Our most lasting and fulfilling achievements are often earned by helping others fulfill theirs.

This is foreign thinking to a culture that often sees the world as one giant competition. In their mind, there is a set number of winners and losers. And if somebody else wins, that’s one less opportunity for me. But I have come to realize the mindset of competition is based on a faulty premise. It assumes there is a finite sized pie – that one more success in another’s life equals one less success in mine. But quite frankly, this thinking is incorrect.

There is wonderful freedom and grace in realizing the size of the pie is not finite – that in reality, the pie keeps growing. Another’s success does not mean I have less opportunity. In fact, another’s success can actually be my success if I had opportunity to enable, encourage, and promote them along the way!

Consider how helping another achieve success (however you/they decide to define it) results in significant benefits in a number of directions:

The receiver has reached a far greater potential than they could have on their own.
The world has been bettered and has been given a life-giving model to emulate.
The giver is remembered fondly and is often publicly (and privately) thanked for their contribution.
A stranger is likely to be the recipient of the original receiver “paying it forward.”
And the cycle begins again.

Now, just to be clear, I am starting with an assumption that our greatest joys in life are rarely found in the relentless pursuit of selfish ambition – that selfish desires always leave us lacking and searching for more. Some may think that line of thinking is too unrealistic, far-fetched, or old-fashioned. They believe that in a dog-eat-dog-world if I’m not looking out for #1, nobody is. But that line of thinking is short-sighted.

Inherently, we know we have been designed to live for something greater than ourselves. Our contribution to this world has to be measured by something more meaningful than the size of our house or the neighborhood where it is located. And our lives are going to find lasting significance in how we choose to live them… and how we enable others to live theirs.

You Are a Writer. An Interview with Jeff Goins

“Most people don’t realize that the thing they dream of doing is closer than they think.” – Jeff Goins

I was first introduced to Jeff Goins on Twitter when a tweet from a friend led me to his blog. After clicking through, it took roughly 30 seconds for me to realize how much Jeff and I have in common. We both have young families, work full-time jobs, and write/blog on the side, among others. More importantly, I noticed Jeff was offering valuable material for his readers – providing both inspiration and practical tools for them to become better writers. His writing began inspiring me as well.

So when he wrote a book about the writer’s life, I was anxious to dig in and be encouraged. After reading the book, I looked Jeff up and asked for an opportunity to further explore some of the concepts in the book. And I’m positive if you are a writer (or aspiring to be one), you’ll enjoy the resulting conversation:

1) For Becoming Minimalist readers who are not familiar with your story, can you give us the quick sketch in less than 4 sentences?

Sure. Here goes: I used to write a lot but didn’t consider myself a writer, so I used words like “aspiring” and “wannabe” to minimize my own gifts — mostly because I was scared. Then one day, a friend said, “You are a writer; you just need to write.” So I did, and before I realized it, I had an audience and a book deal.

2) Thanks, why did you decide to write You Are a Writer: So Start Acting Like One? And what are you hoping to accomplish with it?

Really, I just wanted to tell my story. I wanted to create something short and impacting that I could point people to when they asked, “How do you become a writer?” Now, I can share with people what I believe is one of my most important messages: If you’ve written, then you’re a writer. Time to start acting like it. My hope is people will read it, make that bold declaration in calling themselves a writer, and then start taking their skills more seriously.

3) Your book is founded on a simple theme, “The journey of becoming a writer begins with a simple but important statement of belief: I am a writer (hence the title of the book).” What are the biggest reasons people who would love to become writers fail to believe this about themselves and subsequently neglect to pursue their dreams?

Fear. It’s always fear. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of being ourselves. I find that for me one of the reasons I’m afraid to own my gifts is because there is responsibility that comes along with such ownership. I tell people it’s because I don’t want to appear haughty, but really I’m afraid of doing the work — and then failing. Better to just not try and never get disappointed, or so the rationalizing goes.

4) Your book strikes an intentional balance concerning both the positives and negatives of writing as a profession. At one point, you write, “This is the difference between professionals and amateurs. Pros are always looking for a chance to get better, to improve their craft just a little bit more.” What specific, helpful advice would you give to a new writer who desires to improve their skill?

This is simple, and you’ve heard it before, but there’s no other way to say it: Show up. Most amateurs I know (and to be clear: being an amateur is simply a mindset, as is being a professional) say they struggle with knowing what to write, or feeling confident, or having an outlet to publish their work. All of those are excuses, justifications for stalling. Most pros I meet (real full-fledged authors) struggle with those same doubts; they just don’t let that stop them. They get up every morning, sit at the desk, and just start typing. If you want to get real, you’re going to have to do the same.

5) You work full-time, you’ve got the young family, you blog 3-4 times per week, you write plainly about the hard work that goes into writing, and yet you were still able to launch and build a very engaged writing platform. Quite impressive. How do you find your balance in life? Are there any specific habits you have put in place to keep you successful in each of your endeavors?

Well, shucks, thanks. :)

Personally, I don’t believe in balance. If I had to pick a “thing” that I believe in, it would be harmony — the idea that over time, there is a rhythm of life we must fall into. I treat my life as a series of seasons, and for the past year, I’ve been building a writing platform. That meant saying “no” to a lot of really good things that weren’t writing. Now, I’m entering a season of being a father, which I’m sure will have its own series of “no”s associated with it.

I’m not very disciplined and am pretty terrible at commitment, but if there’s one habit I’ve learned it’s this: You have to focus. You don’t have to do something every day for the rest of your life in order to be good at it. You really only have to do it for a concentrated amount of time. It’s like working out: if you do it several times a week for 30–60 minutes, you’re going to get good. Writing is the same way. It only took me eight months of writing like a maniac to get a book deal. Most people don’t realize that the thing they dream of doing is closer than they think. It’s just a matter of dedicated practice.

6) You encourage your readers to build a community online that focuses on building people rather than counting numbers. And I LOVE that distinction (I wish I had written it). Why do you think we have such a tendency to show more concern tracking statistics rather than making friends? And how did you go about turning that corner in your own life?

I think it’s human nature. The desire to compete. To try to measure up. We can’t help it. At very least, it’s a result of capitalism (which is a great thing) and consumerism (which is not such a great thing). In the U.S. (where I live), we’re taught to aspire and achieve, to make things. However, very few people talk about enough. That’s the deceit of chasing numbers: you never know when enough is enough.

I don’t know that I’ve turned a corner; it’s a daily struggle. However, I was fortunate enough to have an article go viral, getting over 50,000 page views in a single day (it’s been shared over 90,000 times on Facebook). After that, I didn’t have anywhere to go but down. It would’ve been insane to try to reproduce that kind of traffic the next day and the one after. But for awhile, I struggled with that. Then, I saw it for the liberation that it was. I had seen the top and still didn’t feel satisfied, so I realized I must need to create for another reason.

7) You own quite a list of well-known writers who have endorsed your work (Seth Godin, Michael Hyatt, Darren Rowse, Sarah Mae). And I’m glad to see you give practical advice in your book about how to build your platform by approaching influencers (or as you call them, patrons). What encouragement would you give to somebody who thinks they could never get the attention of someone so well-known in their niche?

Most people (especially online) are more accessible than you realize. You just have the courage to ask and the sensitivity to care. Pay attention, be patient, and don’t give up — that’s the formula for earning influence.

8) You’ve got some interesting bundle packages that you are offering with the book. Would you care to tell us about them?

Sure. You can buy the eBook on Amazon or Barnes & Noble, but you can also get it bundled at You Are A Writer with some other goodies (like a worksheet and an audio interview I did) if you want to go a little deeper into the content. Of course, if you’re not sure you want to make the investments into one of those packages, you can always buy the eBook, then go back to add the other stuff on later. It was just my attempt at giving people a little bit more than words.

Thanks so much for the time Jeff. My hope is that aspiring writers will find motivation and meaning in this interview. And that everyone else can find inspiration in your journey to pursue their dreams as well. Best of luck in the future. Know that I’ll be cheering for you.

We Are Far Too Easily Pleased

We live lives that are too easily pleased. Too often, we rely on possessions and money to satisfy our heart’s desire. We rely on selfish pursuits. And routinely fall into the lie that the secret to a fulfilled life is the possession of more belongings and the achievement of personal gain.

But while we are settling for the temporal pleasure of material possessions, is it possible we are missing out on something better? Is it possible we are missing things that would bring even greater satisfaction and more lasting pleasure to our lives? Could it be that we were designed for something greater than material acquisitions? And we are acting foolishly by settling for something far less than the very best?

C. S. Lewis said it like this, “Our desires are not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

Since becoming minimalist and shifting my life’s focus away from possessions, I have begun to notice how much of my life was wasted chasing empty pursuits. If I wasn’t working to earn the money to buy more things, I was researching my next purchase, reading advertisements, shopping at the store, or managing the possessions already in my home. I now consider all of it time wasted that I can never get back. Time I could have spent chasing things of lasting value.

My life was lived too haphazardly. I became so involved in the day-to-day meanderings of life I was no longer able to visualize anything different. My values and pursuits were being dictated by the voices around me… not the voices within. But I have learned there is something of far greater value to be found by those who will withdraw intentionally long enough to listen.

My life was lived too selfishly. I worried about my career, my house, my paycheck, my appearances, and my glory. Little concern was offered towards the plight of others. I was too busy loving myself to love anyone else. But the size of our universe shrinks significantly when we place ourselves at the center. Instead, when we begin to love others and care for their interests rather than just our own, we begin to see our potential for joy increase dramatically.

My life was lived too focused on the wrong things. I sought to collect and compare things that can easily be measured. But there are invisible things in this universe that will bring far greater joy and satisfaction to our lives than the trinkets on sale at your local department store. Albert Einstein once said, “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” I have come to discover the lasting fulfillment that can be found in hope, peace, faith, love… just to name a few. And I have come to realize there is a greater joy available to those who learn to fully appreciate the value of each.

Some of the most fulfilling moments in my life have been times when the world’s system has been flipped upside-down. Seek intentional opportunities to evaluate and review the trajectory of your life. Rather than always rushing to get on top, to acquire more, or to impress others, take time to help someone else. And rather than looking at a person through the lens of worldly success, look into their heart instead – you may be surprised what you discover. It’s time to seek more. And time to realize there are greater things available to us than simply acquiring and managing a storehouse of shiny things.

Today, I wish you the very best.

The Man Who Quit Money: An Interview with Daniel Suelo

“Money only exists if two or more people believe it exists.” – Daniel Suelo

When I first heard the story of Daniel Suelo, I was immediately intrigued. After all, Daniel lives entirely without money and has done so for the past 12 years. In 2000, he put his entire life savings in a phone booth, walked away, and has lived moneyless ever since. Most frequently, he lives in the caves and wilderness of Utah where he eats wild vegetation, scavenges roadkill, pulls food from dumpsters, and is sometimes fed by friends and strangers. Daniel proudly boasts that he does not take food stamps or government handouts.

I found myself very interested in hearing what he has learned from the experience and how it might inspire me in my own journey to live with fewer possessions. So I contacted Daniel to see if I could ask him a few questions about his life and what views on money and possessions have shaped his existence. He graciously agreed. This is how our conversation went:

1) Earlier this year, your story was documented in a book titled The Man Who Quit Money. I opened this interview with a brief introduction. Am I missing anything here Daniel? Anything I should be adding to help us get a better understanding of who you are and the life you have chosen to live?

I don’t care for the statement, “Daniel proudly boasts that he does not take food stamps or government handouts,” because it can be construed that I put myself above those who must take food stamps or government handouts. I don’t judge those who do. I merely mention that I don’t take government assistance for the sake of those who might think I’m living on their tax dollars. I do boast about having few possessions and no money, because it’s ironic fun to boast about nothing special (wild creatures, after all, have few possessions or money and it really feels like no big deal), and to boast about what the rest of our commercial society debases.

I will add that I do make a small exception to taking government handouts: I use the public library to maintain my blog, website, do emails, and read books. This does cause ire in people searching for loopholes in my lifestyle. In my blog comments, a woman once responded to their anger by declaring that she pays taxes and doesn’t use the library, and that she donates all her library time to me. Then they were quiet.

2) Thanks so much for taking the time for this interview. I find it interesting that so many of the articles highlighting your story include something similar to this line: Suelo “came from a good family and has been to college. He was not mentally ill, nor an addict. His decision appears to have been an act of free will by a competent adult.” So, for starters, you are clearly not a crazy man. Correct?

A crazy man does not think himself crazy, so my opinion on the matter is meaningless :-) People will have to judge my sanity for themselves.

But it would be nice if we lived in a world that considered it crazy to cause harm to ourselves, others, and our environment or to praise those who do cause such harm. Then we’d have to say we live in a truly crazy civilization. A sane society would consider it crazy to kill living things and destroy food and water supplies in order to amass something that nobody can eat or drink, like gold, silver, and money. It’s crazy to sacrifice reality to the idol of illusion.

3) The thinking that led to your journey into willful moneylessness evolved by degrees during your travels. Could you share with us some of the foundational beliefs that have evolved in your life that led you to make this decision to give up money entirely?

My first thought of living moneyless came when I was a child. In my Evangelical Christian upbringing, I wondered why, if we were followers of Jesus, we didn’t practice his teachings–namely giving up possessions and doing not for the sake of reward (money and barter), but giving freely and receiving freely.

When I left home for college, I studied other religions and found that all the world’s major religions teach giving up possessions and doing not for the sake of reward. If all the separated witnesses are saying the same thing, it must be true. Ironically, few practice the one thing they all agree upon in word. What would happen if we actually practiced this stuff, I thought.

My dad also took us camping a lot, and I was a nature freak. I couldn’t help but see how perfectly balanced nature was, and it ran on no money. Why, then, couldn’t we?

As an adult, I thought it through more thoroughly. Nature’s economy is a pay-it-forward economy. This means one sows, another reaps, ad infitum. For example, a bear takes a raspberry, and the raspeberry bush demands nothing in return. The Bear takes with zero sense of obligation, zero guilt. The bear then poops somewhere else, not only providing food for soil organisms, but also propagating raspberry seeds. You never see 2 wild creatures consciously bartering. There are no accountants worrying what the bush will get in return. This is exactly why it works, because nobody knows how it works! There is no consciousness of credit and debt in nature. Consciousness of credit and debt is knowledge of good and evil, valuing one thing and devaluing another. Consciousness of credit and debt is our fall from Grace. Grace means gratis, free gift.

My next impetus for living moneyless came from observing the world economy and politics. Do our economy and politics function well? It’s self-evident, isn’t it?

My next impetus for living moneyless was to find authenticity for myself. To do out of one’s heart is to be real. To do for somebody, expecting something from them, is ulterior motivation, which is to not be real, which is to prostitute oneself.

My last impetus for living moneyless was to heal myself. Okay, I guess I’ll talk about my craziness. To heal myself was to first see myself as crazy, and only them could I become free of craziness. I was suffering clinical depression. Mental illness is rooted in having unnecessary, thoughts and to let go of unnecessary thoughts is to free oneself from mental illness. This is basic Buddhist philosophy. It is the philosophy of all the ancient religions. To cling to thoughts is to possess thoughts and this outwardly manifests itself in having unnecessary physical possessions. We accumulate what we don’t need out of fear and anxiety. This is true craziness. Unnecessary thoughts and unnecessary physical possessions (including possessing people) are inextricably linked. To accumulate unnecessary possessions is not to live in abundance, as we’re led to believe, but is to live in scarcity. Why would we have too much stuff if we believed the universe was abundant? Why would we worry if we weren’t crazy? Worry is simply lack of faith, faith that everything we need is in the here and now.

4) Your spirituality is clearly an important part of your journey. In what ways, have your spiritual beliefs strengthened you for this journey and lifestyle?

I mentioned above that this is about faith. Faith is eliminating unnecessary thought, trusting that everything we need comes as we need it, whether it is the right thoughts or the right possessions. Faith is being grounded in the Eternal Present. This is the common truth of the world’s religions.

5) What are some of the most important lessons about money/people/society you have personally learned over the past 12 years? And did any of these lessons surprise you?

Most important is that I’ve learned our true nature lives moneyless, giving freely and receiving freely. Even the most staid CEO is human underneath, and gives and receives freely with friends and family. By cultivating this nature in myself, I can see it in others, and it can be cultivated in others. When our real selves are cultivated, the gift economy is cultivated, our unreal selves (based on ulterior motivation) and all the nonsense drops away.

I have been surprised at the intensely angry reaction thousands of people have had at my living moneyless. It used to bother me, but now I realize that anger doesn’t come from people’s true nature, but from the facade they build up. The facade is threatened by reality. Who wants to hear that the basis of our commercial civilization is an illusion? Money only exists if two or more people believe it exists. Money is not a physical substance, but merely a belief in the head. Money is credit, and credit literally means belief (e.g. credibility). Money is literally a creed, the most agreed-upon creed, or religion, in the world. And what fundamentalists won’t get angry if you question their creed?

6) The reality of today’s society is that most people will never make the full leap into moneylessness like you have. Do you believe that your lifestyle still offers important inspiration for individuals and families? And if so, in what ways?

As I said, we all live moneyless at our core, in our everyday actions with friends, family, and even strangers. People tell me almost every day that they find living this way inspiring and even comforting. Even if people don’t intend on giving up money, they can still find that it isn’t the end of the world if they lose their money. If you are not religious, it is comforting to be reminded that life has flourished in balance for millions of years without money, and why should it fall apart without money now? Nature evolved you from an amoeboid to a human over millions of years, with zero money, so why should nature give up on you now? How is it that, when natural disasters (tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis) hit towns and cities, people suddenly forget about money and start helping each other? It’s comforting that we have a true nature beneath the falseness and ulterior motivation of commercial civilization.

And if you are religious, it’s comforting to know there is profound truth at the core of your religion (whether Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, Sikh) that actually works if you practice it, that it isn’t all a lie. If we don’t practice the core truth of giving up possessions and ulterior motivation that every religion teaches, then of course our religion becomes a destructive lie, as we see all around us.

7) What are the practical steps individuals can take to free themselves from their pursuit (and bondage) to money – even if they will never live entirely moneyless?

People get overwhelmed unless they realize that all the tools they have are here and now, and steps can be taken right here and now.

Everybody, no matter how entrenched they are in the money system, can freely give and freely receive. Freely giving and freely receiving is our true nature, is true human-ness. And everybody is human. As I said earlier, it’s about being real, cultivating our true nature, and everything else falls into place, and all the falsehood drops away, no matter what station in life people are in. Even if somebody is totally skeptical about what I am doing, I challenge them to make it their goal to be totally real, with themselves and with every human interaction, and I propose they will then know whether or not I’m living a pipe dream.

Somebody once commented that our cities and towns could not function without money. But I say they and the world can’t function right now in the present system.

Take classic American suburbia, for example. People don’t know their neighbors, and everybody has their own cars, computers, TVs, lawn mowers, washing machines, etc, etc, as well as stockpiles of food and land they could grow food on. All we need is right here, but the only thing that’s holding us back is not physical reality, but belief, dogma. What if we actually spoke to our neighbors and agreed to share, like we learned in kindergarten and in church? What if we realized we could share cars, computers, washing machines, have dinners together, etc, which would not only save us expense, but would save expense on the environment, and, as a bonus, put smiles on our lonely faces? Then cities and technology would start serving us, rather than us serving them. But what’s holding us back? Not reality, not scarcity, but only our thinking!

As far as going all the way and living without money, people often ask me to teach them survival skills. Often I feel like I don’t know many skills, that it’s really about determination and getting up the confidence more than actual skill. Sometimes I tell folks to imagine something really silly: what if somebody offered you a million dollars to live without money for a year? I guarantee most people would figure out how to do it, skilled or no. This is about finding a determination, a motivation greater than a million dollars!

8) I’m curious how concerned you are about spreading this message of living free from money. I know you had the book written about you, you maintain your website, and you have agreed to this interview and various others. Is there a message you believe you have inside that is important to get out? And do you look forward to your story continuing to spread?

Yes, I now have a strong urge to spread the message. At first I just wanted to live my own life, whether or not anybody else took notice or not. Then I realized a message was errupting in me that I could no more suppress than an erupting volcano. Our society is not sustainable and we are not only heading rapidly into, but most the world has already reached disaster, due directly to our being trapped by our own beliefs. I want to shout this out to the world. But talk isn’t enough. It must be talk with action, right now. We could debate whether or not Paul Revere was trying to gain attention for himself, or we could simply take notice that the British are invading and we have to get off our butts!

Thanks so much for your time Daniel, I really do appreciate it. Your experience is unique – at least, in our society. As a result, it provides each of us an opportunity to reevaluate your own opinions and views on how we choose to live. And for that, I am very thankful.

—

To discover more about Daniel’s specific journey or find the answers to the questions swirling in your hear, I’ll refer you to the FAQ on his website.

But before you leave, what parts of Daniel’s story resonated most with you? Did you discover any new insight or inspiration during the interview? Let us know in the comment section below. I’m interested to hear how his story is challenging others.

Start Big. Start Small. Start Somewhere.

“Your first step in the right direction doesn’t have to be a big one.” – Source

There may be a number of factors that keep us from making the positive changes we desire in our lives. There is fear, complacency, laziness, distractions, negative peer pressure, addiction… there could be much written about each. But for most of us, the inability to change the course of our lives boils down to one simple problem: The change seems too difficult. And as a result, we simply don’t know where to start.

We understand the importance of healthy, life-giving habits. We’ve seen their positive influence on the lives of others. We envy the life they live. We desire it, but the road looks far too long from our Point A to their Point B. And we give up the pursuit before we even start.

I’ve seen this countless times in my conversations with others (both formally and informally) concerning the importance of decluttering our homes and lives. I’ll mention the countless benefits we have discovered by purposefully living with fewer possessions. The message will be well-received… even desired. But almost immediately, the pursuit of this specific positive life-change will be countered by the most difficult of objections. They usually sound something like this, “But what will I do with my book collection?” “I’m a sentimentalist. I could never get rid of this or that. There’s too much emotional attachment.” or “I’ll never get my husband/wife to go along with it.”

And my response is always the same: Just start small. You don’t have to start with a big step. You don’t have to have everything figured out before you start. Just one small step down the right path is all you need to start heading in the right direction.

This truth applies to every positive life change we desire to embrace with our lives. The journey anywhere almost always starts with one small step. As I look back over the past four years of my life, I see this theme recurring over and over again:

The journey of removing most of our worldly possessions began by simply removing the clutter from our cars.
The accomplishment of running my first marathon started by waking up one day and running one mile.
The journey of establishing this blog and inspiring others began with one simple post.
The goal of becoming a life-long reader started by picking up one book on January 1st.
When my wife wanted to learn how to sew, she accompanied her friends to a sewing class at a local church.

Interestingly enough, I am not alone. In fact, this is a theme I see recurring in all sorts of pursuits and personalities. Each of them successful in their field, each offering the same advice: Start small. For example…

Chris Guillebeau recounts that his success started when he simply decided to start writing twice/week.


Leo Babauta has written for years the key to changing any life habit is to start as easy as possible.


Dave Ramsey tells those in debt to get out by paying off their smallest debts first.


Tsh Oxenreider started her blog by combining her two existing passions, mothering and productivity.


Lori Deschene began building her powerful online community by posting one inspirational quote each day.


When I asked Brad Lomenick for advice on taking my message to a larger audience, he replied, “Just keep showing up.”


Benny Lewis says the first step in learning a new language is to simply embrace an optimistic attitude (and a simple phrase book).


Jeff Goins claims his writing career took off when he intentionally began telling himself, “I am a writer.”

When it comes to embracing positive life change (whatever that may be in our unique lives), the road may indeed be long from Point A to Point B. But it always starts with one step. So go ahead, take one small step in the right direction. And then, take another one tomorrow. Before you know it, you’ll be further down the road than you ever expected.

I’m Fine, Thanks. An Interview with Adam Baker.

Adam Baker is one of those guys that make other bloggers look good. Since crossing paths a few years back, I’ve watched him tackle a number of personal and professional projects. And every time, he exceeded expectations. He works hard. He offers fresh insight. He partners with the right people. He doesn’t rest until he’s sunk every bit of his heart and soul into creating a product that brings value into the lives of others. And in that way, his work makes all of us look better.

So when he calls, you answer.

Last winter, Adam introduced me to his dream of creating a full-length documentary that would expose the foolishness of living life like everyone else. His dream was to highlight the stories of a number of people who had broken free from the typical pursuit of the American Dream. He asked if I would be willing to sit down with him and his crew to film an interview for the project. I, of course, accepted. And enjoyed my opportunity last March to share with him my story of downsizing, minimizing, and realizing the endless pursuit of possessions is no way to enjoy life.

To help spread the word, this past week, I had an opportunity to pull Adam aside and ask him to introduce the film a bit more. Here is what he had to say:

1) Adam, introduce us to your film, I’m Fine, Thanks. What’s it about? Why did you make it? And what are you hoping to accomplish with it?

Well, the short version is I’m Fine, Thanks is a feature-length documentary on the issue of modern day complacency.

But to be a little more specific, it’s a collection of stories about the choices people make in life, what influences those choices, and how those choices lead us into specific life paths. It’s about the push to lead the traditional scripted “American Dream” and whether or not that dream is truly our dream or not (for each one of us).

We made it because it’s an issue that’s impacted the very core of my life and my film-making partner, Grant Peelle’s (director) life. And the more we spoke with people across the country, the more we realized how universal a problem this is. Every single person seems to struggle with it at some point!

We’re hoping the film sparks action. It’s really that simple. We want people to look at their lives and identify if they are living their own dream or if some of their choices have been influenced by somebody else’s vision for their life.

Most importantly, we want people to take small steps to realign their lives with the dreams and passions they’ve likely pushed to the back of their mind.

2) Give us a little sneak peek into the production process. How long have you been working on it? How much have you guys committed to this project? And would you say it has been an enjoyable process for you?

Production started in February of this year and we should premiere in early July! This means it’s been one heck of a production schedule! (That’s an understatement). We had about a week before we went on the road to prepare. We then set off on a 6 week cross-country road trip where we interviewed over 60 people along the way.

The crew existed as a team of 5 – the producer (me), director, director of photography, camera operator, and sound technician. We piled into a 15-passenger van with all our gear for the whole 6 weeks.

We’ve since completed the tour. Now, most of the crew (and our families) have moved out to San Francisco to finish the post production of the movie (for two months out here).

It’s been an insanely demanding process! Many parts of the movie are an absolute blast to work on – and others are too stressful to be enjoyable in the moment. :)

Overall, it’ll be a 6 months I think all of the crew will look back on and be extremely proud of. The work we’re putting in now will change thousands of lives. And in that way, it’s always enjoyable.

3) Has the project changed at all while making it? By that, I mean, did you change any course while producing it because of the stories you were hearing? Or will the movie end up closely resembling what you originally pictured?

How hasn’t the project changed while making it? ;)

It changed almost every day on the road. Almost. The first week or two of work was basically scrapped once we found the way we’d actually shoot the far majority of interviews! (gulp)

But once again – our flexibility paid off. We eventually fell into a smooth pattern and captured amazing footage and stories. It just didn’t all come together without some major trial and error. The thing was – with 3 months or a year to plan – we could have had everything perfect, lined up, scheduled, and locked in. But we had a week. A week with a new team who had never worked together!

But we had two advantages. We were flexible and we were willing to jump in and DO IT. That helped more than anything. Just willing to go and do it – and then learn from what we did.

That’s the beauty of documentaries – they are meant to be discoveries. We knew a lot about the issue and the topics we talked to people about, but were still constantly surprised along the way. During post production the stories have changed in part or whole half a dozen times. It’s like molding a sculpture, not necessarily drawing the most perfect straight line!

4) I have heard you say repeatedly this project has changed your life. Could you elaborate for me? What are some of the most valuable, life-changing lessons you learned during your interviews?

Well, for me, it’s rekindled my commitment for the work I’ve been doing. Like any creative or entrepreneur out there – I second guess the work I’ve poured myself into from time to time. Often times a HUGE project like this can splash some water back on your face and make you realize how amazing an opportunity you have to help change people’s lives.

Picture this, we traveled for 6 weeks, around the country, talking to people about following their dreams and how powerful that experience is. How can that NOT change you?

We rarely talk about this at all in everyday life, yet we lived it for 6 weeks. People on the crew completely changed their jobs and pursuits when they got back. Others rededicated themselves to a craft, an art, or a business they loved.

Our goal now is to take the impact these stories had on us (having lived them) and share these wonderful stories with a wider, bigger audience on the movie screen.

5) How would you define the target audience of I’m Fine, Thanks? Who is going to benefit most from the stories that you tell? And what influence are you hoping to have with it?

First and foremost, it’s a film for those who have the luxury of being complacent. Complacency is not a luxury for most of the world. People who struggle daily to find food, shelter, or basic survival needs – by definition aren’t complacent. They can’t be. And it’ll take someone smarter and more dedicated to tackle the problem of real poverty.

But there are millions of us in the Western World (for lack of a better term) who are lucky enough to have the opportunity to be complacent in the first place. And in exchange for our fortune, we’re living our lives at a 6 out of 10 on the fulfillment scale. Maybe a 7 out of 10 on most days if we’re doing even better. But we have no idea what it would be like to live at a 9 or a 10 out of 10. (This analogy was actually provided by one of the people we interviewed – it fits well).

This is a movie for those who are doing “o.k.” or “just fine” or “getting by,” but know deep down that there is something much more to live than the path they’ve followed so far. It’s for people ready to rediscover themselves and their childhood dreams and who know a good ‘ole fashion kick-in-the-pants will help them get there.

We want to be that. We want to be that inspirational adrenaline shot. We want to be that swift kick in the butt to get people started!

6) Currently, you are trying to raise $100,000 through Kickstarter to finish the documentary. What is the money going to be used for? How is the progress? And how can we help you get there?

The movie business is an extremely expensive business. It’ll take us $100,000 simply to get the film edited, produced, soundtracked, colors, pieced together, and distributed. There are dozens and dozens of tasks we can’t do alone as a team.

Normally, a Hollywood studio or t.v. network swoops in and fronts the cost of production in exchange for all the right to the movie. We don’t have a studio or network – nor are we willing to give up the right to such an important message.

Instead, we have the public. A much better force!

We decided to use Kickstarter to help engage the community that has made the film possible in the first place. For as little as $5 you can help back the project, get the FULL download of the documentary when it’s released, and be responsible for helping get the message out to the world.

So far, as of this writing, we’ve crossed over 1/3 of our fund raising goal, with over 1,300+ backers, and almost 6,000 Facebook likes on the trailer! It’s been amazing to see everyone’s response!

Here’s how to help:

Watch the trailer.
Pledge to back the Kickstarter Campaign (and get fun rewards from us).
Like the trailer on Facebook (right under the video).
And share the message and campaign with any family and friends you know it’ll resonate with deeply.

Lastly, you can reach out to me personally anytime. My contact information (including personal email) are listed on the Kickstarter page. I’d love to answer any questions or chat about the documentary!

And thanks to Joshua for giving an amazing interview and supporting the project in such a big way. We owe you!

My pleasure, Adam, my pleasure. Proud to be a part of it.