lifeoutside the lines

What if I could do whatever I wanted? What if the 9-5 grind was simply for those who just never pursued another option? What if business could really be whatever I wanted it to be? In the words of Tim Ferriss, what if you could:

“Escape 9-5, Live anywhere, and join the New Rich?”

My name is Glen, and I am a skeptical believer.

Last year I had the chance to meet up with Tim Ferriss in London while he was promoting his best selling book that professes the ability for any of us to cut our working hours to 4 hours a week – escape the 9-5, live anywhere and join the New Rich.

Sounded pretty good to me.

The New Rich I discovered, is a term that refers to people who buck the status quo and reject the idea of working hard now in the hope of being able to live “the good life” later.

Instead, these ‘Lifestyle Designers’ go about living NOW and doing things others only dream about by implementing ingenious strategies to create the ultimate currency of the New Rich (NR) – Time & Money.

• Do you want to dive the Japanese Imperial Naval wrecks in the Philippines?
• What about learning salsa in Brazil for 6 weeks without looking at your blackberry?
• Want to ride a motorbike through the Himalayas with your fellow NR buddies?
• Are you experimenting with ways to live a life less ordinary where the world is your home and each country another room to explore?

I do. I am.

From outsourcing your workload to India (my VA is actually in Kenya) to creating an automated online income stream to fund your epic adventures – Tims book The 4 Hour Work Week introduces some pretty wild claims and positions it as ‘Lifestyle Design’

My goal over the next 12 months, (and the intention of this group) – is to suggest and test theories like those in the 4HWW to see if I can replicate even a small percentage of what the book- and others like it – suggest is possible.

• I will create ‘dreamlines’ of my goals with clear time lines.
• I will hire a ‘virtual assistant’ to handle my every whim (for less than $5 an hour).
• I will follow the rules and develop a product to ship to fund my adventures.
• I will learn to live laterally.
• I will seek out and interview other lifestyle designers and members of the New Rich.
• And I will document the entire process

If there is a way for me to generate an income, do what I love and join the elite ranks of the perpetually traveling New Rich (and change the world while I am at it) – I will travel any distance and pay whatever price to do it.

My name is Glen Carlson – I hope you join me and share your own experience and experiments in lifestyle design.

Rock on.