Advice On Doing What You Want, When You Want, And How You Want.
As many of you know, I left my corporate gig over 2.5 years ago to strike out on my own. I get emails all the time asking me how I did it, and it’s really a hard thing to answer in a single post as it is a culmination of so many things I went through. However, I can say that it has been the best years of my working life, which started at 14 with a paper route. The ability to work when I want and for whom I want has really changed my life. I no longer dread sitting in a cubicle all day making someone else rich; instead, my every move is dedicated to both increasing my earnings while reducing my work time. For the most part, I now try to get the majority of my work done in the first 4 hours of the day, from 8-12, which leaves me the rest of the day to go hiking, do some woodworking, run errands, or just sit outside with a good book. It’s not for everyone, but it’s certainly for me. Along the way, I have read a whole bunch of books that have enabled/assisted me in getting to this place in life, and if you have been looking for ways to simplify your life and live life the way you want to versus how someone else wants you to, you might want to check a few of these out. They were essential to me changing my attitude towards money and how I spent it, and learning how to adapt my thinking to be able to survive on my own without a boss to report to. If you can find them at the library, I would definitely borrow them. Alternatively, if you buy them, you can refer to them often – I have read several of these books a few times each and will continue to go back to them often. For me, they have been invaluable in teaching me what I needed to know to succeed on my own and change the way I look at making money. Check them out if you get a chance and are looking to make some of these changes in your own life.
Radical Simplicity: Small Footprints on a Finite Earth
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
A Reasonable Life: Toward a Simpler, Secure, More Humane Existence
I cannot promise that any of these books will help or solve all your problems, but they certainly helped me out as I started thinking about/exploring my options for being self-employed and living a simpler life. Good luck!
You might also like:
- How Do You Know When You Have Enough?
- I Have No Need Or Desire To Be Wealthy.
- Listening To Financial And Life Advice From Our Elders.
- Money Management Advice From My 9 Year Old.
- Living Below Your Means Does Not Mean Living Poorly.
Related Websites:
- Retirement Rx - A Plan for Living the Rest of Your Life
- Review - The 4 Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss
- Announcement: The Money Life Network of Blogs is now live!
I just finished the updated version of Your Money or Your Life. I’ll have to check out the others. I’d like to achieve what you’ve accomplished someday!
Wow, great reference. I’ve read a couple you have listed, but really need to get ahold of those simplicity books. My wife and I are selling all of our possessions and moving to Australia in two months. Thanks for the references!
That’s cool Baker. That must be quite an undertaking!
Given that the two books I’ve read on that list are my two favorite PF books of all time(”Your Money or Your Life” and “4-Hour Work Week”)I’m definitely going to check out the rest of these books.
I should have an interview with Monique Tilford one of the authors of the updated “Your Money or Your Life” on my blog late next week.
Thanks for the book ideas! As I’ve mentioned in several places, I’m moving overseas this summer and will be learning for the first year I’m there. That means no work, and no income! So I’m looking for all the help I can find on frugality, saving, etc…
Thanks again David!
I’ve read two of those books, Your Money or Your Life – as well as the 4HWW. I wrote a review of Your Money or Your Life on my own site. Both were excellent. Looks like we’ve got some similar sentiments here with the other readers – great minds think alike! I think I need to check out _Refuse to Choose_ next, since that’s an issue for me.
Thanks a lot, and congrats on your new lifestyle…
Ok, this is probably a stupid question…but how are you making money with these blogs? I am in the same situation where i was at the same company for 20 years and laid off. I will get full pay (severance) until April 2010, so I have some time to play. I have been going nuts trying to figure out what the best route is going to be with little to put in.