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Yea baby. Good stuff. Been rocking to no one else but myself as boss since a sophomore in high school. Read this blog 20 times if you have to folks.
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hey thanks Randy, yeah man, you definitely do what you love and it shows brother
ReplyGreat post Chris. I’ve was lucky – I had experience early on to see people at work doing what they loved & I was also lucky enough to understand how special that was 20+ years ago when I entered the workforce. I’ve being doing (and at times) failing at things I love, but it has always been rewarding. I don’t make shit & never have, but I’ve been fulfilled in the work I do.
I’d add one thing to this – sometimes volunteering in something you love helps & an balance an otherwise unfulfilled career. Again, I’ve been blessed to volunteer time to two things I love deeply – coaching basketball & being a member of a volunteer fire department. I’ve found that the experience outside my regular job can help me in my day-to-day duties and make everything even more rewarding.
But it all goes back to doing things you love, as you said, that satisfaction is worth every penny (or lack thereof).
Be well.
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Well said Andy, yeah I know you dig what you do brother
and you couldn’t be more right on about Volunteering, so fulfilling
ReplyGreat stuff as usual, brother, some eerily similar oaths we’ve taken! I am just blown away grateful that someone turned me on to your stuff! Totally dig every one of your blogs and its like you read my mf-ing mind!
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Great post Bro! My passions are Wine, Sex, and Napping…….. Can you help me figure out how to make a living from that? LMAO
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Chris,
Thanks for the tip on Bukowski. Never read any of his stuff. Very entertaining! YOU ROCK!

Love Bukowski
reading Ham on Rye right now
so good
I’m like damn, I need to step up my writing
ReplyLove Buk, his writing is what inspired me to write raw and in your face poetry and stories. My problem has been being scared to publish it (blog/submissions) under me real name. I had one story published in the first issue of an internet lit mag, the editor asked me if she could publish the story and she did. When my employer at the time saw it they asked that I have it removed because it would not have reflected well on the company. (It was a story about me being a drunken Dominos pizza delivery guy, crashing my car and trying to bang the phone girl). If I write under a pen name I can write whatever I want, I just feel like a pussy for not doing it. (being stuck in the ‘what other people think of me’ area. I know its none of my business what they think of me, I just have always struggled in that area).
Check out Buk’s “Roll the Dice”, I think the lines come from Factotum. Great book, if you haven’t read it yet. Matt Dillon plays a decent Chinaski in the film version.
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Hey Dave, love Factotum
cool movie too
LOVE the book though
my fave is Ham on Rye
but post office and women are close
I can understand your hesitation with your job and all
hell, use a pen name at first if you have to, just fucking write brother and get it out there
ReplyAWESOME as usual Chris!
Strangely enough I was watching Scott Dinsmore’s TED talk only yesterday. I watch it a LOT 😉
Thanks for the article and thanks for continuing to kick my lazy ass time and time again!
See ya on FB bro
Phil H
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yeah thats a great video, very inspiring
thanks Phil, see ya on the FB
ReplyReally inspiring article. The first time I read about enterpreneurship on John Carlton’s blog, I knew right away I was never going to settle for a 9-5 job.
Cheers,
Jay
P.S. The quote “I have not failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that don’t work” was by Thomas A. Edison, not Albert Einstein.

Love Carlton’s stuff man, he nails it
A huge influence of mine when it comes to writing
thanks for catching the misquote – fixed!
ReplyThank you so much Chris! When you write your thoughts, they are often resonated in other peoples’ thoughts as well. AMEN brother! You’re my inspiration to keep on inspiring. I love what I do and this just brought validation that I am going in the right direction..
Peace!

hey thanks Jenn
it means a lot … some of these post take me like 10 hours, I enjoy every minute
But I also love hearing when people find them helpful, stoked me out
ReplyHaving read the 4-hour workweek 3 years ago, and following up with several books and articles ever since, most of the things you wrote are not entirely new to me. But I like your touch and style of writing, truly enjoyed it!
P/S: The Asian singer in one of the pictures is Cheer Chen, a Taiwanese singer-songwriter. Check her songs out. Good stuff!
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hey thanks Graham
yeah, nothing new here, just said in a new way (=
ReplyChris,
It’s 19:00 PM, I’m at the office reading your post instead of working. 🙂
I swear that someday I’ll do only what I love doing! You inspire me every day!
Thanks a ton 🙂

ha ha
in the office reading this post instead of working
awesome
thanks Stelly
ReplyHey Chris,
Sweet post!
I’ve been on my own for the last 20 years and absolutely luv’n it, and have actually changed what I love doing twice, going from a Mobile Diagnostic Mechanic to teaching Martial Arts and Fitness… Like they have a lot in common, NOT!
I loved the “To Be List” I’m definitely going to work more on that puppy.
Thanks again for the blast of inspiration.
You are Da Man 🙂
Tim
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right on Tim
20 years doing what you love
now that’s awesome
you’re an inspiration brother
ReplyAnother great post.
In one of your lines in the email you sent out announcing this post you stated: “But if you’re 100% happy in your training business right now, and wouldn’t change a thing, then don’t read it.” Even if that was the case (and I like to think of myself as pretty damn happy with my business), there is always something to be learned. If you are someone who wouldn’t click through to read this post, you are probably someone who is being held back by some form of self limiting actions or beliefs.
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right on James
I agree
the email was soft
I appreciate your comments as always brother
insightful
ReplyFantastic article. Brutal honest truth.
I quit my job 3 years ago this August, and did what it took to do what I love. There have been hard days, weeks, and even months, but I couldn’t possibly be happier to be living my life the way I do now.
I wish I could have read this article 10 years ago to give myself the kick in the ass I needed to live my life to the fullest rather than spending over a decade doing jobs I hated.
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Hey thanks James, good to hear you’re doing your thing now man, that other shit’ll kill ya
ReplyJust came across your blog for the first time and kicking myself because, yeah, it’s so spot on; like Dharma Punx for those of us rehabbing from cubicle addictions. Got a 12-step program, brotha? Ha.
Right now I find myself at that edge (& don’t tell me I’m in the kitchen, I’m in fucking Cambodia) looking down the gauntlet at the leap of faith. I know I’ll make the jump but first I’ve just got to pack it in a little bit more ’til the tension is strong enough to launch me over the edge.
So thanks for a little more inspiration, some solid advice and resources to move my center of gravity further over the abyss!
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hey Lale, thanks for chiming in
I actually just watched the Dharma Punx documentary
great stuff
ReplySometimes I have this motivation to do something…work really hard at it…and then just lose all motivation. I’m a pretty decent artist..but even though I’m good at it…I lose interest. Hardest thing is finding something like that I can do every day or every other day to make a living. When you have bills to pay and something doesn’t pan out the way you’d expect it to…you find yourself turning to other resources. The worst thing is, I get different ideas everyday…but how do you know what you’ll like if you can’t try all kinds of different things. When it comes to work/jobs anything you do is a long commitment. You can’t just try stuff out for a week or 2. There not excuses. I just feel that finding what you want to do for a living is extremely challenging.
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hey Ryan
I can understand where you’re coming from
I’d meditate on it like a mother fucker man
If you seek, you WILL find it
Maybe not as quickly as you’d like
BUT IT WILL HAPPEN – just be open and don’t relent no matter what
Also, maybe dropping this belief “I just feel that finding what you want to do for a living is extremely challenging” for a new more empowering one would be a good idea
Fucking visualizations, affirmations, whatever you gotta do to start planting a better belief that serves your purpose more
my 2 cents
ReplyI just want to say that I am not taking your webpage seriously, even tho it may be filled with good ideas. Anytime you have to use Inappropriate Language in your Presentation and/or Title of your project, you seem to think Everyone will accept Foul Langauge as normal and okay to use. I find that if a person uses it “in their presentation” of a project, they “have Lost the key ingredient (Character) of their project”. If you have to use foul language, it should be in a personal manner away from the “Subject at Hand”. Clean off the word “Shit” or words close to that, and I will take you Seriously then.
ReplyChris, every time I read this post it inspires me! I’ve been bouncing since I was 18,now 34, and it has been the only job I have been great and accelerated at. My day job has always been confined to a desk and I have never ever been on for school. With that being said I go to my cube every day miserable, but I am currently kicking ass in school and earning a degree towards sports and cancer massage. Having to pay bills keeps me behind a desk, knowing that I’m working toward my dream keeps me going.
Thank you for the inspiration and amazing work u put in. I appreciate it and always look forward to it!!
This Article changed my life!! I’m a 24 year old solider in the U.S. Army, and I FUCKIN HATE being in the Army and all of the bullshit that comes along with being a solider. I joined the Army at 18 years old fresh out of high school. I never really had a desire to join the Army, I just did it because my mom insisted. She knew I hated school and didn’t want to go to college so she thought the Army was the best thing for me, and at the time maybe it was. As I sit here at my desk having been an active duty solider for 6 years all I can say is ENOUGH!!!! I’m 24 years old and I feel like everyday I put on this uniform and drag myself into this office, I feel like a little piece of me dies inside. I feel like this simply isn’t what I want to do. The only reason I this I’ve stayed in the long is because its the only job I ever had and I scared shitless that if I get out I wont succeed in life and I will be a bum asking people for spare change. I’m tired of being scared!! I’m tired of feeling like I’m wasting my life and my youth!!! Its time to take a risk, instead of playing it safe all the time and being ABSOLUTLY FUCKING MISERABLE!!! MY PASSION IS FITNESS!!! ITS MY FUCKING DREAM TO OWN MY OWN GYM AND TO INSPIRE PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD TO GET IN SHAPE!!
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I feel your pain and frustration, brother. Had my own version of it for years. The good news is your young and there’s never been a better time for people to find work they love and go after it. The resources and oppourtunites are plenty. Thanks for chiming in!
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