Jake Desyllas's Blog, page 24

233 The Next Level — Horizons of Focus Part 2 (School Sucks Interview)

This episode is Part 2 of the discussion between Brett Veinotte and Jake Desyllas about using Horizons of Focus for productivity and purpose. In this episode, we conclude our discussion by talking about how to identify your vision for your future, and how to find purpose in life.

Show Notes:
Episode 232 The Next Level — Horizons of Focus Part 1School Sucks PodcastThe Voluntary Life Productivity EpisodesListen to Episode 233

232 The Next Level — Horizons of Focus Part 1 (School Sucks Interview)

Brett Veinotte from School Sucks podcast interviews Jake Desyllas about using Horizons of Focus for productivity and purpose. In this episode (part 1) we introduce the concept of horizons of focus and talk about the best ways to identify actions, projects, goals, and areas or responsibility.

Show Notes
School Sucks PodcastThe Voluntary Life Productivity EpisodesAutomated Mindmaps Using OmniFocusHorizons of FocusListen to Episode 232

231 Liberty Entrepreneurs Interview: Financial Freedom and Exiting the Rat Race

I was recently interviewed by Ashe from the Liberty Entrepreneurs podcast about starting a business, selling a business, and financial independence.  We talked about my background, becoming an entrepreneur, selling a company, and life afterwards. In this episode, you can hear about the people and books that have influenced me, and some hacks and suggestions for anyone interested in starting a business.

Show Notes:
Liberty Entrepreneurs PodcastBecoming an Entrepreneur by Jake DesyllasHow I Found Freedom In An Unfree World by Harry BrowneThe Ultimate Guide to Journaling by Hannah BraimeAnything You Want by Derek SiversLosing My Virginity by Richard BransonGetting to Yes by Fisher and UryListen to Episode 231

230 How I Crowdsourced Feedback on my New Book, "Job Free"

My new book,  Job Free: Four Ways to Quit the Rat Race and Achieve Financial Freedom on Your Terms, is now available. I had an amazing experience getting feedback during the writing of this book. 165 people agreed to be beta readers during development. I received edited versions of the manuscript (with detailed comments) back from 85 people. That's a lot of feedback!

This episode is about the process of crowdsourcing feedback, using the example of my experience writing Job Free . I describe the workflows, tools and benefits of crowdsourcing feedback. I also tell you all about my new book, and explain how it can help you achieve real freedom in your own life.

Show Notes:
Job Free by Jake DesyllasBecoming an Entrepreneur by Jake DesyllasPresentation on Four Ways to Quit the Rat Race99 DesignsThe Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki
Listen to Episode 230

229 Travel and Life on Bitcoin: Interview with Tuur and Becca

In this episode, Tuur and Becca talk about life as perpetual travellers, living on bitcoin. They describe how they got interested in bitcoin and how it has become an integral part of their international lifestyle. They also explain how they cope with the roller-coaster volatility of living from bitcoin.

Tuur was one of the first investment newsletter writers to recommend bitcoin.  He describes his own journey in the industry, and shares his thoughts about where bitcoin is headed.

Show Notes:

Previous TVL episodes about BitcoinThe Voluntary Life Community (Facebook Group)Tuur Demeester on TwitterAdamant Research Report "How To Position For The Next Rally In Bitcoin"
Listen to Episode 229

228 Making Sense Of Civilization

This episode shares some fascinating ideas about how to understand culture, identity and civilization. The historian Steve Davies argues that rather than being at the end of a long story of "western civilization", we are at the beginning of something radically new, unplanned and totally alien to the historical cultures of both the "West" and everywhere else before circa 1800. I've summarised these ideas in the podcast, but I also recommend that you watch the thought-provoking lecture by Steve Davies.

Show Notes:
Stephen Davies on Western Civilisation
The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley

Listen to Episode 228

227 Review Of The Better Angels Of Our Nature By Steven Pinker

This episode is a review of a fascinating book, The Better Angels Of Our Nature, by Steven Pinker. The following quote summarises the book's main argument:

"Believe it or not—and I know that most people do not—violence has declined over long stretches of time, and today we may be living in the most peaceable era in our species’ existence. The decline, to be sure, has not been smooth; it has not brought violence down to zero; and it is not guaranteed to continue. But it is an unmistakable development, visible on scales from millennia to years, from the waging of wars to the spanking of children."
Steven Pinker

Show Notes:
The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined by Steven Piner
Listen To Episode 227

226 The Mindset For Financial Independence

This episode is about three concepts that I've found helpful for managing money. These concepts are about the big-picture when it comes to money, rather than the details. I think they express the mindset for achieving financial independence. Here is a summary of the ideas discussed:
Be Your Own CFO: managing your own money as you would manage the finance of a business.Be Investment-Oriented, Not Consumption-OrientedBe A Passive Investor. I've just set up a Facebook group for TVL listeners. Hope to see you at The Voluntary Life Community on Facebook!

Show Notes:
The Voluntary Life Community on Facebook How to Be the CFO of Your Own Life by Luke Landes How to Become CFO of Your Life by JD Roth E219 How To Do A Monthly Financial ReviewThe Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley Previous Episodes on InvestingE155: Review of A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton MalkielPlease note: I'm not a financial advisor and your money is your responsibility. 
Listen To Episode 226

225 Comparative Advantage Is Mind-blowing

This is a short episode to explain a key idea from economics. Comparative advantage is a simple idea, but its implications are mind-blowing when you really get it. It is a process that most people don't understand, but it is at the root of everything that we create. Comparative advantage is intimately linked to what it means to be human.

Show Notes:
Economist article on comparative advantageMatt Ridley on comparative advantageListen to Episode 225

224 Ancient Vs Modern Ideas Of Liberty

This is a short episode to share an interesting idea from a book by Benjamin Constant called  The Liberty of Ancients Compared with that of Moderns . Constant was a French classical liberal writer who lived through the French revolution and the reign of terror. As he thought through what had gone wrong with the revolution, he came up with a distinction between two conflicting ideas of "liberty" that had influenced the people involved- an ancient concept of liberty and a modern one. I think his distinction is still useful today and can help make sense of the incompatible ways in which different people talk about freedom.

Show Notes:

The Liberty of Ancients Compared with that of Moderns by Benjamin Constant (1816)

Listen to Episode 224 (9 mins)