Sovereignty of the Individual

Response to and thoughts about Chris Guillebeau’s A Brief Guide to World Domination

I recently downloaded and read Chris Guillebeau’s popular a brief guide to world domination (ABGTWD).  I was not disappointed and found myself challenged and encouraged.  I highly recommend this free download for anyone who’s thinking about how to create some momentum in their life.

One section, “11 ways to be unremarkably average,” really hit me hard.   Even though I consider myself a free thinker I realized I was guilty of each of these to at least some degree.

1. Accept what people tell you at face value

2. Don’t question authority

3. Go to college because you’re supposed to, not because you want to learn something

4. Go overseas once or twice in your life, to somewhere safe like England

5. Don’t try to learn another language; every­one else will eventually learn English

6. Think about starting your own business, but never do it

7. Think about writing a book, but never do it

8. Get the largest mortgage you qualify for and spend 30 years paying for it

9. Sit at a desk 40 hours a week for an average of 10 hours of productive work

10. Don’t stand out or draw attention to yourself

11. Jump through hoops. Check off boxes

So I’ve decided to turn each of these around, as I’m certain Chris intended:

1. Think about what people tell you and consider their motivations and ambitions when coming to your own conclusion.

2. See #1

3. Continue to learn and grow based on your curiosities, business interests, and passions

4. Travel internationally at least once a year

5. Develop fluency in a second language (Spanish)

6. Start your own charity/business (ready, shoot, aim = sovind.org)

7. Start collecting thoughts and ideas around living a thoughtful life in preparation for a book on the same subject

8. Review finances and budget, figure out ways to live more within your means

9. Consider quitting your job, changing to something you have more passion about, or using your extra time productively to improve the world (sovind.org)

10. Dare to be different, bold, and accept any criticism as an indirect compliment

11. Make every major action you take a willful decision that will lead you to fulfill your ambitions and goals

Later in ABGTWD Chris challenges us to answer two questions:

1. What do you really want to get out of life?

Having rich experiences with my children

Travel and experience other parts of the world

Learn and master new things

Have an adventurous life

Be a catalyst for positive change in the world that makes it down to individual’s real lives

1. What can you offer the world that no one else can?

I am very introspective and self aware

I am outstanding at understanding complex systems and visualizing them

I have a good deal of corporate fortune 10 experience

I have a solid grasp on personal finance and live well within my means

I have the ability to discover and reduce red-tape and waste in a system or process

I have a passion for self improvement and growth

I have a passion for the outdoors

I have a passion for personal fitness

The other exercise I particularly enjoyed was to describe in detail your perfect day.   I had the HARDEST TIME writing the perfect day without an 8-5 day job in there!   I’m going to have to work on that!

My Perfect Day:

I wake up without an alarm clock and feel very well rested

Exercise (Run/Bike/Swim/Gym)

Take a shower, shave, and get dressed for the day

Pray/Meditate

Eat a light breakfast including a bowl of fruit

Journal/Write

Learn a new skill / experience something new

Eat Lunch

Wow, what a void is created by not putting “Going to work”  (Hard to get my mind past it)

Eat Dinner

Sleep