Disrupting the Rabblement

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A little over a year ago I posted an article on this here blog entitled My grand experiment in lifestyle design: the beginning, in which I announced that I’d soon be leaving 9-to-5 and striking out on my own. As I wrote then…

I’ll set up my own business. I’ll make money blogging, and I’ll also set up some systems to generate passive income. This will not take long, 3-4 months at the most.

And now here I am, past the four month mark of self-employment, and still trying to figure out that whole “making money” bit.

Oops!

I’ve been here before

I moved to New Orleans back in December of 2007. Why? Because my favorite basketball team (the Hornets) played there. I had created a fan website about the team, and my plan was to score a media credential when I got into town so I could go to all the games for free, interview players and coaches, and do some kick-ass reporting for the site.

I figured it would be easy. I imagined the Hornets’ PR department calling me up as soon as I got off the plane, gushing at me, “Hey, you’re the Irish guy who’s moving to NOLA for the Hornets, right? That’s so great, man! We’ve got a credential here with your name on it. We’re sending the team bus and all the cheerleaders to pick you up. Hang tight!”

Yeah, that didn’t happen.

It actually took me a good year and a half to get that media credential. I faxed in numerous requests, made several phone calls, networked with the front-line staff, went through some contacts at ESPN… all to no avail. It was frustrating, but I kept on working, stayed focused, and continued to try different approaches.

In the end, I got that credential by inviting the gatekeeper out for lunch. He saw I was for real, flesh and blood, and decided to give me a shot. Probably didn’t hurt either that we had a mutual friend.

But yeah…

My point is that it took 18 months for that whole thing to really get rolling. I rode into town on a high, soon figured out that it wasn’t going to be a cake walk, then dug deep and kept working until I got what I wanted.

Methinks I’m on a similar trip with this whole self-employment dealio. I started out on a high, launching my manifesto and getting lots of attention and enjoyment from Random Acts of Courage. I’ll be honest: I thought I had it made back then. There I was nodding my head, thinking to myself, But of course, it’s all going exactly to plan! I’ll have this online entrepreneur shit figured out in no time!

But I’ve been humbled by these last few months. I feel like I’m still being humbled, still being tested to see how much I want it. I’m fighting through that dip.

Getting real

I see now how my expectations were skewed. I was following a lot of online entrepreneurs a year ago, but the one whose story I clung to most was Everett Bogue. That chap quit his job, started a blog, and a few short months later he was making more money than he ever did as a wage slave. I thought to myself, that could be me!

Of course, I was ignoring the fact that Ev’s story was exceptional. Pay close attention to most other online entrepreneurs and you’ll notice the difference:

1. Corbett Barr failed at a start-up before succeeding at blogging.
2. Chris Guillebeau spent almost a decade learning how to earn money online before he started the Art of Non-Comformity.
3. Tim Ferriss had already built a lucrative (albeit time-consuming) company before he went to work on his 4-hour empire.
4. Ashley Ambirge made it through 67 emotions before she started kicking virtual ass.
5. Steve Pavlina went bankrupt as a video game developer before figuring out how to make ends meet.

No overnight successes there. Those folks spent years paying their dues and honing their skills before they broke through.

Is it possible to break through in just a few short months? Absolutely. You can’t discount that possibility, but you can’t count on it either.

Embracing the struggle

Robert Redford was asked recently what was the happiest time in his career. He responded…

“Before. Before it got easy. The struggle.”

I keep that in mind as I try to get my business off the ground. I just spent my first weekend in sunny Spain hunched over my laptop, working hard, setting things in motion. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. It is a struggle right now, but it’s a struggle I’m embracing. This is me earning my freedom.

Taking the leap

I’ve pretty much put myself in a sink or swim position. I went ahead and moved to Spain, opting not to wait until I had sustainable income flowing. I took the leap. Methinks that’s the way it has to be. You have to jump, you have to keep moving towards your dream. Fake it til you make it and all that.

That’s essentially what I’m doing. If I can afford it now, even if it’s only because of my savings, why wait? I might as well go for it and see where I end up. No regrets.

What leap are you taking? Can you go for it right now instead of waiting? Yeah, maybe you’ll sink instead of swim, but sinking ain’t the same as drowning.

A better story

Know that, if nothing else, taking that leap gives you a better story.

I’m pretty sure nobody would care to hear about how I stayed home in Ireland, figuring out how to get my business working right, and then (and only then!) headed off to Spain. No, that’s not a good story.

But by taking that leap first, I have you guys, my readers (and myself), wondering how in the hell all this is going to turn out. And that, mis amigos, makes for good reading, not to mention good living.

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“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller

I’m almost halfway through my four-month stint in Cork. As I’ve mentioned before, I’ll be moving to Spain on May 3rd. I haven’t really elaborated much beyond that though, so here’s a post revealing my loose plan for the next four years.

Spain

I’ve decided to try living in Burgos in Spain, a city of 180,000 people in the North of the country. My main reason for moving to Spain is to become fluent in Spanish, so I wanted to live in a city that wouldn’t be full of English-speaking tourists. Burgos sounds like it will fit the bill.

Also, I’ve heard it’s not too hot there in the summertime, which is fine by me. After spending the last three years in New Orleans, I’ll welcome not sweating through my clothes all summer.

In early June I’ll be leaving Spain for a week and taking a trip to the US for some world domination.

Early in September, I’ll leave Spain for good and head back to Ireland for my cousin’s wedding. So yeah, that only gives me four months to become fluent in Spanish. I’m trusting I can pull a Benny and make it work.

Touring Europe

As you may already know, I’m not very well traveled. Spain will be just the fifth country I’ll have visited (after Ireland, England, the USA, and Italy). I plan to have a bunch more stamps on my passport by the end of the year though. After my cousin’s wedding I’ll take off on a whirlwind European tour.

I have no fixed plan on where I want to go yet, but I’ll aim to be in Greece by December and hang out there for a few weeks. It would be nice to spend Christmas on a beach for once

The journey East

My next target after Greece will be India, and I expect I’ll travel there via Turkey, Iran and Pakistan. I’d like to spend at least a couple of months exploring India and Nepal, before traveling further East to check out a few countries like Myanmar and Thailand.

I’ll be heading towards Vietnam. I plan to settle there for four months, arriving no later than July of 2012. I don’t know a hell of a lot about Vietnam, except they once had a war there and it’s full of Asian chicks

China and Japan

I’ll finish my stint in Vietnam in October/November of 2012, then jump over to Hong Kong to see what the story is. I’ll also try to get a glimpse of Shanghai before I move to Japan in time for the new year.

I expect I’ll stay in Japan for four months or so, which would bring me up to May of 2013. I’ll be 31 years old by then.

Towards New Zealand

After I’ve had my fill of Japan, I’ll take my time moving South through the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia. I’d like to be in New Zealand by September of 2013, even though I hear they have lousy Internet. I’ll hang around there for a few weeks, going for long walks while I wait for my email to download.

Back to the USA

Late in 2013 I want to return to the USA. I may fly from New Zealand to Mexico first to see if my Spanish still works.

My original plan for my return to the US was to do a big three-month road trip and see all the bits and pieces I missed before, but I realize that winter may not be the best time to do that so I’ll just play it by ear. Regardless of how that bit shakes out, I intend to be back in New Orleans by the end of February 2014 to soak up the Mardi Gras festivities.

Brazil for kicks

Assuming I survive my time in N’Awlins, I’ll then dive down through Central America. My next big stop will be Brazil. The World Cup will be happening there in June and July, so I’d like to arrive in one of the host cities no later than the first week of May and get myself set up with an apartment. Ideally, the city I end up living in will be Rio, since the final game of the Cup will be played there. Should be one hell of a party.

And beyond…

That’s about as far as I’m looking ahead for now. I may end up touring a lot more of South America after the football has finished.

And then there’s that whole African continent to explore. Man, lots of world out there to see.

The why and the how

Above I’ve told you what I want to do for the next four years. The why is pretty simple: I believe travel is an unrivaled growth experience. I crave to explore other countries and cultures, connect with people much different from me, gain a better understanding of the world, its inhabitants, and myself.

Plus, my whole plan sounds completely unrealistic, so naturally I want to give it a shot

And that brings me to the how. The biggest challenge will be earning enough money from the road to sustain my vagabond lifestyle. Then there will be all the visa regulations and such to figure out, plus language barriers, and the inevitable periods of loneliness. I don’t know how I’ll manage all that, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out somehow. I follow many so-called location independent professionals (or digital nomads, if you prefer) online, people who are out there making their own travel adventures a reality, and I’m pretty sure they don’t have anything I don’t have or can’t learn.

Opportunity cost

I told a friend about my plan last week. She sees many guys my age (28) settling down, starting families, planting roots. She wondered if I’d regret missing out on any of that.

I don’t think too much about what I have to lose by spending four years traveling the world. There’s always an opportunity cost, that’s just the way life works. You can have anything you want, but you can’t have everything at the same time.

I prefer to instead focus on what I have to gain by embarking on this epic adventure of mine. I keep in mind all the things I’m likely to learn, all the friends I’m likely to meet, all the sights I’m likely to see, all the stories I’ll have to tell.

Plus, I’ll only be 32 years old by the time I complete my full lap of the planet. Lots of life left to live. I’m sure I can go lay down some roots then if the mood strikes me.

Plans can change

I should note here that the plan I set out above is just a plan, and plans can change. It will serve as a rough guide for the next few years of my life, but I’m free to deviate if I find it no longer resonates with me, or if some of the challenges prove too great.

Maybe I’ll be in Greece next Christmas when I get a sudden yearning to see South Africa. If I can’t shake that feeling, I’ll allow myself to go down there. Or maybe I’ll find myself penniless in New Zealand and unable to afford the airfare to Mexico. No worries. I’ll hang with the Kiwis until I can get my funds up.

In fact, I expect I’d end up disappointed if everything on my trip did go according to plan. Where’s the adventure in that?

Living life on your own terms

My mother isn’t a big fan of my plan. She’s been pointing out all the birthdays and holidays I’ll miss while I’m away. Being an Irish Mammy, she would of course prefer I settle down nearby with a nice local girl. I’m sure that wouldn’t be a bad life, and I know many guys my age are aiming for nothing more than that. More power to them.

But it’s not for me. I feel that itch in my soul to get out there on the road and experience the highs and lows of the vagabond lifestyle. So that’s what I’m going to do.

What about you? Are you living life on your own terms, embarking on your own epic adventure? If so, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

If not, now would be a good time to start.

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Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them. – Henry David Thoreau

1. When I was 16, I threw stones at a high flood light in my Dad’s yard until I smashed it. My Dad suspected my cousin of doing it, and I did nothing to convince him otherwise. Sorry Dad. Sorry Cuz.
2. A few weeks after moving to New Orleans in 2007, I awoke from a drunken blackout in a strange bedroom with a guy’s hand down my pants. I told him to stop and he did.
3. My first kiss came at age 17. I lost my virginity at age 22. Neither memory is romantic. Both are kinda funny though.
4. Back in 2008, I had a bout of what the TV calls erectile dysfunction. I’m pretty sure it was because I was pretending to be interested in a relationship with this one girl so I could keep having sex with her. That dishonesty apparently didn’t sit well with my subconscious, hence the floppiness. Thankfully, I was able to overcome that problem. All I had to do was be honest about my intentions with women.
5. If you think it’s totally fine to eat cows and chickens but not cats and dogs, I believe you’re suffering from what psychologists call compartmentalization.
6. I expect that someday, hopefully within my lifetime, mankind will look back on meat-eating the way we now look back on slavery.
7. I sometimes pee in the shower.
8. I sometimes think I have a drinking problem.
9. I don’t recycle as much as I should.
10. Several times when I worked at Dunnes Stores in Ireland, I made a bed for myself in a hidden corner of the stock room and took a nap. I also stole a few pairs of pants during my time there.
11. As an 11-year-old, I’d torture slugs to death in the garage with a can of deodorant and a naked flame.
12. I’ve long felt that I’m destined for great things. As such, I feel obligated to work towards being the best person I can be. I’m terrified of becoming one of those “most men” Thoreau described.
13. I have one big secret that I’ll reveal here in January. I’ve only ever told one person about it. I want to tell at least one more before announcing it to the world. (Subscribe here so you don’t miss it
14. I once peed on the front steps of the courthouse in Waterford. I was trying to impress my friends.
15. I often worry that I’m not thinking enough for myself.
16. One of my biggest fears is being a hypocrite.
17. I haven’t said “I love you” to any girl for the past six years. I’m terrified that those words will be interpreted as “I’ll love you forever,” and I’m really not comfortable making promises I can’t keep.
18. I believe I’m better than average in the looks department. I consider both my brothers to be better looking than me. I used to be bothered by that, but not so much anymore. I guess that’s because I’ve really learned to enjoy being me. Sometimes I envy others, but at the end of the day I wouldn’t want to swap places with anyone else in the world. I’d rather see my own life through.
19. I love Asian women. If there weren’t so many of them in Asia, I wouldn’t be so interested in going there.
20. I’m wondering if you’ll think I’m a pervert since so many of these points are about sex :-/
21. I don’t believe I am a pervert. I checked the definition and methinks it no fit.
22. Much of the inspiration for this post comes from Corbett Barr.
23. I believe veganism is a significant step towards world peace.
24. I began writing all this in September. I didn’t want to post it until after I quit 9-to-5. I tell myself that was because I was concerned about what my colleagues would think of me and I didn’t want that to be a distraction at work, but fear also played a part. It was easier to wait.
25. I’m sure many people consider me flaky. I can’t say they’re mistaken. I get bored easily, I like to try lots of new things, meet lots of new people and visit lots of new places. I don’t see this as something being wrong with me. It’s just who I am. I’ve chosen to embrace it rather than try neuter myself to fit other people’s expectations.

That was a peek inside my soul. Thanks for reading. I hope you’ll also choose to share a little more of the real you with the world. Because Oscar Wilde was right:

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.

Today I’m trying something a little different. Here’s a video update. If you prefer to read, the text below will fill you in.

(Note: if you’re reading this as an e-mail or via a feed reader, you may have to click through to watch the video.)

I was talking with a friend recently, and she was kind enough to be very honest with me. She told me that I come across very different in person than I do online. Now I knew there was a disconnect there and I’ve never been entirely happy with my writing voice, but I didn’t think the gap was huge. My friend begged to differ. We didn’t actually know each other well before becoming Facebook friends a few weeks ago, so most of her initial impression of me came from my Facebook and blog posts. She admitted to being a little hesitant to hang out with me in person, because online I came across fairly preachy and not entirely real. She was pleasantly surprised then to find that I was a lot more real and a lot less preachy in person.

So this got me thinking: how can I let more of the real, in-person me shine through online? And the best answer I’ve come up with is to start doing regular video updates.

So here we are.

The plan going forward is to include a video with every post. I’m not sure how feasible that is yet, but sure I’ll give it my best shot. Each video will be me relaying the important points from the related post. I’ll try to keep them short and sweet.

Overcoming the fear

It had crossed my mind to do video updates many times before, but fear always held me back.

What if people think I look or sound stupid? What if I don’t provide value and end up wasting people’s time? Maybe I should just wait until I’m more comfortable in my own skin and then start doing video updates.

Yeah, all that was fear. I realize now that I’ll look and sound on video pretty much the same way I look and sound in real life, and very few people seem to think I look or sound stupid in real life. I also realize that it’s not up to me to decide if I’m providing value to people. I’ll just try to do the best I can and let people decide for themselves if what I’m providing is valuable. If not, they can just stop watching. No big deal.

And as for waiting until I’m more comfortable in my own skin before I start doing video updates, I just had to remind myself of a significant truth: you don’t overcome the fear and then do the thing, you do the thing and then you overcome the fear. So while it’s likely that my first few video updates will be a little awkward and uncomfortable, I know that diving in and doing it regularly is the fastest way to improve.

One of my favorite quotes reinforces this point:

“The rate at which a person can mature is directly proportional to the embarrassment he can tolerate.” – Douglas Engelbart

Feedback welcome

I’d love to get your thoughts on these video updates, especially if you know me in real life as well as online. Like I said, I’m aiming to close the gap between online Niall and real-world Niall, so hopefully you can help me pinpoint the inconsistencies. If you have something to share, please leave a comment below or send me a private message via the contact form.

Here’s to being real

Back in April of this year I attended a Get Motivated seminar, at which Drew Brees, quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, was a featured speaker. I already had a tremendous amount of respect for the man since he was just two months removed from leading the Saints to their first ever Super Bowl, but he still managed to wow me with his speech.

Brees shared with the audience what he called his 5 pillars to success, which were collectively represented by the acronym FAITH. Some notes and comments on each:

F is for Fortitude

Fortitude is defined as “mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger, or temptation courageously.” You could also define it as the mental and emotional strength to carry the 40-year-old hopes and dreams of a wounded city on your shoulders.

The Saints had a good run in 2006. They could have left it at that, figuring they’d done their part. But Brees and company wanted more than a good run. They wanted it all. They had to endure disappointing seasons in ’07 and ’08, but all the while they stayed strong and they believed in themselves. They knew that if they could persevere through the tough times, they’d eventually get what they deserved.

Do you have fortitude? Can you keep your head up when times are bad?

A is for Attitude

You have to have the attitude that adversity equals opportunity. Brees signed with the Saints after Hurricane Katrina laid waste to New Orleans. Most people just saw adversity, Brees saw opportunity. New Orleans was where he would resurrect his career and help build something bigger than himself.

Brees mentioned guys on the team he loved being around because of their attitude (e.g. Billy Miller). If you want to win, what kind of people should you surround yourself with? Who are you most likely to succeed with? People with great attitudes of course.

“There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.” – W. Clement Stone

How’s your attitude? Would you want you as a teammate?

I is for Integrity

Brees spoke about keeping promises and doing your part. Be there early for practice if you say you will. Help your teammates get better rather than stand back and criticize them. Say what you mean and mean what you say.

A word from M. Scott Peck:

The word integrity comes from the same root as integrate. It means to achieve wholeness, which is the opposite of compartmentalize. Compartmentalization is easy. Integrity is painful. But without it there can be no wholeness. Integrity requires that we be fully open to the conflicting forces and ideas and stresses of life.

Would those who know you best describe you as a person of integrity?

T is for Trust

“Trust is the cornerstone of every meaningful relationship.” Brees paused after speaking those words, then repeated them. He has to trust his linemen to protect him. He has to trust his receivers to run the routes as practiced so they’re in the right place at the right time and the pass doesn’t get picked off.

The message: You can’t do it all yourself. Sooner or later, to really be at your best, you need to put your trust in others.

Do you trust others and work as part of a team to achieve great things?

H is for Humility

Brees quoted Harry S. Truman: “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”

A great leader never asks someone to do what he’s not willing to do himself. Brees stays back after practice and helps guys get better. He busts his ass on every sprint, leading by example. It makes a big difference to have your superstar going all out for every drill. The rest of the team follows suit.

Do you have humility? Are you willing to accept blame and share praise?

Goals

One other thing that stood out from Brees’ speech was his few words about goals and their importance. He has goals written on the inside cover of his notebook that he reviews every day. His goals are concrete and measurable, so he can evaluate his progress daily.

One of his daily goals is to show at least one small act of leadership, whether that be staying back at practice, offering a few encouraging words to a teammate, working harder than everyone else during drills, whatever.

Brees noted that it’s also important to have team goals, and everyone must know how their individual goals fit in with the team goals. Everyone must know their purpose.

If you don’t have goals or a purpose in life, these two articles from the archive may help you:

• Finding your life purpose
• Prioritize your life

The 2010 NFL season starts this Thursday. Two Dat!