Left The Office - Now The Next 4 Hour Work Week Project Begins

All,

Just a little missive.

Several things to tell you . I've changed the rss feeds. It all seems to be working for me, yet you never know.. Sorry if it doesn't for you. It would be best to unsubscribe and resubscribe.

I'm working on my next passive income stream/project. This one is really testing my boundaries. I'm so excited though. It rocks. This is taking me up a level or 3.

Good Bye Office

Well it finally had to happen. I've left the 'office'. I am now on the road to fulfilling my dream to becoming a fully fledged 4 Hour Work Week Worker.

Well it is more a remote worker at the moment. It is sometimes very scary, yet at the same time bloody exciting. I know I have it in me to succeed. I just need to keep telling myself and going forward.

Watch TV it is the Olympics

It is all too easy to sit and watch the television.
Bemoan that the money isn't coming in as fast as I would like.
People aren't returning my phone calls.
Emails go un answered. blah....blah....blah.

You know what? It is easier to blame somebody else for your current circumstance. So be it. Yet to get what you want you now have to say.

I've created this, I can dam as well create what I want to0.

When did I think people would just lie down and help me? Don't get me wrong. Some people have and are just being fantastic. The moral is I've got to be more stubborn and go get what I want.

Japan in October, isn't going to happen unless I book the flights and manifest the cash flow etc. Somethings are worth going after....trust me!

Dear Readers,

Can you do me a favour? Drop me a line and tell me, what you would like to see on this blog. I'll find something for you as a gift, that I'm certain will add massive value to your life.. Thanks

Happy Travels

A

Remote Working - Test At Home First

All,

It appears I'm off on my travels again. This time it is back to Japan for 3 months.

Just read and excellent 'try before you buy' about remote working, from the WebWorkerDaily Website.

http://webworkerdaily.com/2008/07/21/hone-your-global-nomad-skills-by-practising-locally/

I can't agree more. Remote working kinks can be ironed out before you hit those foreign shores. In addition your bag will be lighter...no foreign adaptor plugs and hopefully where you live, they speak your language too. Although sometimes around here that doesn't always seem the case.

Happy Travels

A

Technorati : Automation, Remote Working, Starting a Business., Travel

Skype Nomad

All,

If you haven't seen this already you should check out Skype Nomad. Rebecca has the enviable task of having to go around the world using the Skype product range. If she ever or Skype wants a companion...sign me up.

If this doesn't inspire you to carry on with your next idea so you can leave your cubicle. I don't know what will.

Happy Travels

A

Only 6 Months To Live

All,

I've just spent some of my lunch time in my local bookshop toing and froing between my favourite sections: cooking and travel.

Whilst I flipped though some of the travel books I thought, these writers get paid for these ideas? What an easy way to make a living. I can come up with an idea like this and get paid for it. Then I thought what would you do if you only had 6 months to live? What would you do? What would you do if you only had 6 months to totally change your life for the better?

First thing that came to mind was quit my job. No surprise there then. Soon very soon. Then I thought what else?

Tell more people I love them.

Travel More
Do something I've never done before. How none specific is that?

Several work things came up around more passive cashflow to fund all my travels.

Then what would I do to totally change my life within 6 months?

Apply some of the things I've read actually to my life..more to follow.

What would you do?

If you've never emailed or commented before, what would have to happen so that you did? I'm looking for inspiration, things to do, more reasons to quit my job and a book deal!

Happy Travels

A

Technorati : Goals, Starting a Business., Travel

When Traveling Expect to Eat Differently and Experience Different Things : McDonalds Is Not A Food Group.

So, I landed less than 24 hours ago and I'm already thinking about my other goals and outcomes for the year. If I can get to Japan in such a short period of time, my other goals should be easy to accomplish. I've got some huge goals that I want to accomplish this year.

In addition to thinking where do I want to go travelling next. Whilst I was out in Japan, which is a place which really pushes your comfort zone if you are a westerner. You should all do it. You don't understand the written or spoken language to a great degree. Customs and ways of behaving are very different. You drink cans of sweat. Or you see a slimming pill called fat magnet..You can have hours of fun going around a supermarket and reading the interesting tag lines.

It did make me laugh as when I go travelling I like to read up to some extent on where I'm going and what to expect. The one thing I noticed were many people (mainly US) were complaining about Japan and the food. What did they expect? Thankfully a few well chosen, please, thank you and the international language of point and say 1. Work magic. Yes it is nerve racking the 1st time, yet after that it is easy.

They were all saying thank god for McDonalds. If you think McDonalds is a food group, I don't think you should be going travelling. Stay at home.

More Travel

I kept saying to myself whilst there, I'm off to the US next for a catch up with friends and to visit areas I've not been to yet. Areas, I've been thinking about for the past few years. So in the pipe line I think are New York and North Carolina. So 1st things first, lets find a picture to add to my vision board and write out my goal.

I'm already booked to go to Italy this weekend for a very short visit to catch up with friends.

Happy Travels

A

Technorati : Travel

Off On My Travels - Yet Not How I Expected

Life can be pretty amazing and cruel sometimes to get things done.

Basically huge discussions and events have gone on here. The upshot being I'm getting on another plane.

If you remember in my recent posts and here.I said I wanted to go back to Japan in February. To be honest I had no idea how this was going to happen. I couldn't even believe I'd put it down.

Well I put it on my vision board. I wrote my goal out. I talked as if I was going (looked at a photograph of a friend of mine who lives there and I said . I'll see you soon, I'm coming for your birthday). I got all very excited, lots of good positive emotive power. It makes me wonder because at times I've added extras to I'll just be in Japan as I've thought about achieving my outcome..

I'm blown away with the fact that I'm going to be there. If the add-ons come true as well...OMG!! My other outcomes for the year are oh so easy to achieve now. This to me seemed to be the 'hardest' item to achieve. Bang here it is!

Advice

Write down your goal in the present tense. I have I am. If you already had the goal you would be. Talk to somebody who has what you want. How do they talk...in the present tense.

Create a picture of you outcome..you must see it ever day. It doesn't have to be a vision board. Mobile phone wallpaper? A great place for photographs is here at EveryStockPhoto .

Go for a walk and talk about the goal and why it is so great having already achieved it. Say Thank You many times.

Oh when do I leave..Saturday!

Happy Travels

A

Technorati : Goals, Travel

Was I Mad?

Oh boy.

After making the statement of my goals. I then told somebody, that I actually knew. Normally this would be a close friend. Well, this time I told my partner. Gee Whizz. The emotion!. I felt great for telling them. Yet, putting down the very verbal and real marker of 'in February' I'll be back in Japan for at least 3 months. I don't think I've quite felt anything like it.

The math hit me..Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb..Not that long at all. Have I bitten off more than I can chew? Yes, I have doubts...yet it is really forcing me to work on my e-books and see what is what. The goal is Feb, yet, that now seems real close. Part of me thinks what if I don't make it over in Feb. You will be upset the most. It is a pretty bold statement and mark to say I'll be there in Feb. Not forgetting cashflow, immigration etc.

This morning I gently let it out to my folks I want to go back to Japan in Feb and for longer than 2 weeks. I don't think they think that it is real. For me there and perhaps my biggest issue will be regular cash flow. I want to avoid working in an office. The Japanese office culture is radically different to anything that I am use to. Once I'm in an office I'll miss out on the travelling and freedom which is one of the reasons why I want to go back.

Then I think this is all part of my bigger goal and goals. I'd have not brought this into my life if I was not going to learn something or many things from it. So I thus keep tapping away on my PC, looking at flight tickets. I'm focusing on the end result as much as I can. 3 months in Japan with the ability to work from anywhere, with plenty of money available to me.

Happy Travels

A

Technorati : 4 Hour Work Week, Beliefs, Goals, Money, Travel

The Next Step

All,

Post travelling I always think..mmm..I need more of this. Travelling or even just landing in another country is just brilliant to me.The planning, the excitement. My passport is full of stamps and visas. I love it. They each remind me of a time, place and people.

Whilst I was travelling recently, I remember sitting in one of my many aeroplanes and as I sat there thinking.. I thought God...I have the next X number of years to sit in an office, earn a pittance..oh how dull. There must be more to life than that. I posted recently that after reading Rich Dad's Prophecy . Be it true of not I have only 2 years potential before something 'big' may happen. I think the signs may be screaming at us all. Am I financially ready for it...Not by a long shot! Yet I could easily be.

Fear

Sat here in my office I realise that all my efforts are helping somebody else further their own goals..At least on the surface not my own. I noticed in Japan that many of the people were just working for a company ie somebody else and not themselves...(Salary men) Ouch. This has really begun to play on my mind. I'm slowly finishing my E-Books, yet, again not as fast as I would like...why? I actually think because I have a job. If I didn't have a job and it was really life threatening . I'd be working harder and faster, no? Everything comes down to importance and a mind set. I've just ordered myself a heap of books from Amazon to kick start myself and the proper formation of ME.PLC and build the systems that I know I can and maybe even must.

Some of the lack of 'work' on my goals is fear. What if it all goes wrong...or even what if it all works out? It is a balance sometimes as to what I'm focusing on. What will my friends think? Yet in all fairness, the only person I really have to satisfy is myself. I know if by next trip I'm no further down the line..I'll be cross with myself. Is actually what I'm working on something I really, really want? Maybe there is some apathy. I'm a great talker after all. Not always a great doer.

Insight

I know the following :

I can do it. I need to do it. I must do it.

I'm worth more than the next X number of years sitting in front of a PC at a desk..wishing and hoping. Yes, you get what you focus on...yet sometimes you also have to do as much as you can to help, further, draw your goals towards yourself. Are you doing all that you can, from where you currently sit to achieve your goals?

As far as my career is concerned and there are many other areas where you should have goals :

I want to work (Well, almost)...yet the ultimate goal is be the owner not the worker. So that I don't work, I play..I spend time with my family and friends in all corners of the globe.

Once I have my business set up, the goal is to have it run itself.

I want more travel and if I choose 1st Class and stay in the best hotels. = Web based control or view of work therefore I think.

Earn as much in a month as I currently do in a year. This should be passive income ie I get the money without being tied down to one location. (Question to Accountant - How can I get that as a wage without paying 40% tax or how to get more each month without waiting for a dividend

I've got more studying and revision to do and quickly.

On the bright side

I've found that because you desire or want something. Your mind and you only think of that because you have the potential to achieve that. Therefore all that you want you can achieve if you can think about it.

Happy Travels

A

p.s I really wondered what I was going to write about today and in the future...I just started writing..Does it all make sense, is it coherent...should it actually have been multiple posts (rants) ? Anyhow, thanks for letting me just run with it!!

Technorati : 4 Hour Work Week

Less is More

All,

Well I find myself back in the office after a fabulous trip, many miles and flights to and around the other side of the world. The trip and time out was much, much needed. It gave me time to recharge my batteries, ponder over things, really think about what I want and where I am going. It also gave me time to catch up on my audio book mp3 listen. I listened to several books that I've already read. After all, they say repetition is the mother of all skill. Several light bulbs went off inside my head. The bottom line being I really need to forge ahead with my own ideas and begin creating things that can run and sustain the lifestyle that I want, whilst not being tied to and office chair.

Working

I checked my email maybe 2 or 3 times if that. Japan and Fiji, at least the main Island has good Internet connections. Didn't really need to as most emails where not that specific. My mobile would not work in Japan. Most mobile phones don't. Part of me missed not being about to send the quick txt or chat, the other half didn't. It did make me think time for a new mobile.. I'm thinking something with wifi..then I can use skype more and I don't need to worry about mobile phone contracts etc...I need to do the numbers and really see if it is a viable solution. Or just carry a laptop which I am a little loathed to do. Yet that is they way I'm headed. My goal is to be able to work from anywhere in the world. Only I know where I am, clients and others don't.

Japan

Briefly things that fascinated me where :

1. Toilet Seats - All had buttons to press and play with...oh how bizarre and for me terribly exciting.

2. Vending Machines - Beer and food from a vending machine...brilliant.

3. Customer Service - They take it to a whole new level. The Saturday, spotty teenager could learn a think or two.

4. The People, culture, language and food...I hear the words road trip coming on.

5. Most people appear affluent, yet most work for companies...everything is about show and keeping up with the neighbours. - Yet how many are really wealthy and happy. During the day, I didn't see many men about. Mostly women. At night, not many smiling men.

6. Tokyo is one hell of a city.

What I Learn From My Travels

I still adore Fiji.

I want 3 months more travel in Japan at least.....radically different to anything I've ever experienced before. Cultural, Food, People and Language all so different, yet I had a ball. We could all learn so much from them.As stated above time to get moving and pushing forward. Nobody else is going to give me the lifestyle that I want other than me!

My money beliefs were coming through almost on a daily basis...things have shifted 'upstairs'... I have to be rich because I like to travel and I like fine hotels...I stayed at one of the best yet in Kyoto . I really did keep thinking I can afford, I have more than enough money.This is why I want my own business and have to have my own business!

Happy Travels

A

Bang Goes the Dollar

Crikey,

This came to hit me full swing. It looks as though I'm finally going to move house...yippee about time. At the same time I'm going on holiday to Japan and Fiji. I can't wait.

Anyway, I've been all doom and gloom. I don't really or didn't actually really what to move. Why. I think in my head. I'll be on holiday and go well I can't do this or that because I'm about to shell out a load of cash on the new house...Ouch. There I have been for days, weeks realigning my beliefs about money. Thinking about money. What it is, what it means to me. There is more than enough etc. Then, Bang, this hits me square between the eyes. Thankfully...phew I'm the otherside...how?

I'm viewing it this way..it may not be the house that I want. It certainly is not the one I'm consciously visualising each day. Yet, it is a house. I'm moving to a totally new area where more affluent and prosperous people live. This fits in with my new beliefs about how much money I now earn. After all they say, people tend to move in the same financial circles..I'm changing my circle! I'm viewing this move as only temporary. I'm moving there so that I've fewer distractions. I'm surrounding myself with wealth, abundant and more prosperous people. I'll be in my new home to work in my free time on my few projects that I've going at the moment, as mentioned my ebooks etc.

Juggling House versus Holiday I've been in a there isn't enough money mindset. A scarcity frame of mind. Yet there is. How much of 40 million, trillion dollars do you want? Once I realised I was thinking this way and it took some time. I began to go. Thank You, you're testing me...do I really want the kind of wealth, prosperity and abundance I've been visualising, writing down daily? It took 24hrs to get back on track. Yet I think I'm pretty much there. Yes, money is going to go out when I'm on holiday and all the estate agent et al fees and website/business all at the same time. I've caused all of this. Yet,is it good for me to move? You bet. The money will come back to me. I've created much space for it. More and more people are coming to the blog site. More and more people are having one on one sessions with me. Who knows who I'll meet in my new location?

Happy Travels.

A

Technorati : Beliefs, Goals

4HWW - Money

Oh how I am beginning to love this subject. I am really getting into thinking about money, what it is and what it actually means to me. How to generate more. I seem to be hearing and picking up people's beliefs about money really easily at the moment. As I've said before if you just take what they say as fact, whether it is or is not. Isn't that how things turn out for people?

I've recently had another shift in my beliefs about the green,blue and red stuff thanks to Stuart Wilde's book. I was out and about over the weekend and I heard the following:

My quick research to begin your "shifting" about money is in red

There isn't enough

As a rough estimate the US has $7 trillion, the World bank more than $40 trillion - how much would you like?

Some people are smarter than others

Yes, maybe according to school standards and grades. Many of the super wealthy didn't finish school or university. Once you start working. You soon realise for many a job...your grades are useless. The sooner school teachers realise this the better.

There is scarcity

Same answer as the 1st point. If you think that, what are you focusing on???

There is not enough to go around.

Yes, much of the wealth is within less than 1% of a given population...yet how much money do you really want? Money after all is just energy, that is around you all the time. You use your credit card to book something on line. You don't see the money yet, it still get deducted from your account. Therefore if you think there is more than enough to go around, you can attract more into your account too.

Working for yourself to me means financial anxiety.

Ouch...if you think that, why go into business for yourself? There are many a self made millionaire. Tim Ferriss isn't doing too badly I bet.

For me I was just really pleased that I baulked at these and went phew..I think of something else, that is totally different. Yet I use to think of those and more. I know every now and then I have a doubt. Like when I'm looking at hotel prices in Tokyo. Yet, thankfully I seem to be able to pull myself up and out of that and into something that is far more financially positive. It did leave me wondering, don't people realise what they are saying. I know sometimes in my own experience that I don't . Then I do get an aha moment and I realise what I am saying. Although I don't always know how to change it..working on that.After all, if a phobia can be caused in a one time, split second event, why can't positive beliefs be got, held on to and lived? It's not important enough?

Happy Travels

A

Technorati : 4 Hour Work Week

4HWW - Emailing USB Helps On The Run

As part of the 4HWW elimination strategy. It is recommended that you check your email twice a day. As soon as I began reading about this on the web. I started doing it. The first thing I did was to remove my personal email accounts I had set up within my office email clients. I use both Lotus Notes and Outlook. Then I thought about what to do next. I've multiple email accounts: ISP, bought domains, various Internet web mail facilities. They all 'serve' a purpose, mostly email testing.

The Other Side

It has taken me a long time to move to the firefox web browser. I didn't see the point. MS, whether you like it or not, in some form or another provide many IT types with a direct or indirect income. I wasn't about to join the I hate MS club, just to appear cool. Here in my office, they adore firefox. I do now. If nothing else the extensions and the biggest plus it is portable ie carry it on a USB stick! Thus much smaller and lighter than a laptop. This makes it an ideal remote company owner's tool.

Have Email Will Run

I thought I'd give their email client another go too. This again I can add to my USB stick and take it with me where every I go. When travelling, I didn't find one Internet cafe, that didn't let you plug in all manner of camera, memory stick or other device. Yes, there are times when you'll want your laptop, but the USB stick is a great way forward. Check out PortableApps.com . There are many other utilities that you can add to your usb stick. Not least an SMTP service. I now don't have to worry about whose internet line I am using, I can send emails from 'my' SMTP server. Touch wood, I seem to still be able to email everybody. Nobody seems to be blocking me. Ultimate test with be Japan in Oct I guess.

Thunderbird, now collates all my personal email accounts into one. It has a built in SPAM filter, which gets better the more you train it. I've seen various solutions that Tim suggests, which I may investigate in time. At present I'm just not getting, that many emails let alone SPAM (fingers-crossed). Having said that the biggest advantage is you can unplug your usb stick from your PC. Therefore, forcing yourself to look only twice a day if that. The calendar still needs work..yet. I'm looking at other tools for a 'calendar' function. A big help has been the following site : lifehacker . They seem to have some very productive people on their site. Many small business/workers who work from home or remotely. There are great at finding tools and getting the most from firefox, thunderbird et al. to help you work remotely and productively.

But, I've Work Email Too

Well, I've set up a reminder as recommended, Are you being productive. Although sometimes I just laugh and go, not being productive at the moment. I've not set up a reminder or out of office agent to run, saying I'm not checking email twice a day. I just do it. If you don't answer you work email straight away, it seems to me people think you're in a meeting or something anyway. Oh and on the plus side, I use predominately Lotus Notes as my work email client, which just happens to be portable too!.If you're getting so many emails that you need to keep checking it all the time. You need to stop. What is really important? Or think of it this way. When you're away on holiday, the office still functions doesn't it. Ergo, most email isn't that crucial.

Other Low Information Stuff

I just ended up unplugging the television...problems solved. Therefore it is now harder to just flick it on.. Once you start travelling, you quickly forget about television and the news as much isn't appropriate for you anyway as you're a traveller. I still listen to audio books. I did when I was travelling the last time. In addition, it is a productive way to use my car journey into work. I now read fiction before I go to bed. Although if I wake up early. I'm still struggling with not turning on the laptop to randomly web surf. Getting better though.

Thankfully meetings don't happen too often and when they do, they are so dull..So here is to ending meetings. I also now only answer my own personal phone twice a day. I've changed my voice mail message. The only people to kick up a fuss...my parents. I just told them it was all about being productive at work. They seem to accept this. I'm still looking for other tasks to batch. That I don't do already.

Web Surfing News.

To curtail my random web surfing. I've found two firefox extension.WebStats . This just tells you where you're web surfing and how much time you are spending. In addition I use leechblock . This blocks websites for you, based on time of day. There are others. They just work for me. I can spend time just randomly web surfing, which is a big No, No to getting things done. These two just help me curtail it a little more.

Happy Travels

A

Technorati : 4 Hour Work Week

4HWW - Internet Down

Oh, how funny is this.

The last 4, and counting days. My current work office hasn't had any Internet connection. This for me has pointed out many things of office work. If the Internet is down, nothing gets down. People just stop. They forget about the pen, paper and telephone.Companies hemorrhage money as SLAs keel over. This to me screams you need to spread the risk.

This is where remote working, hosting, doing things less often has its advantages, surely. Nobody is use to you 'working' anyway and not expecting an immediate response. Disaster Recovery, connectivity becomes somebody else's issue. All your workers and you are on different Internet pipes in different time zones, therefore the company and work doesn't grind to a halt. After all the whole objective of the 4HWW is to remove you from the work equation and yet still generate plenty of income, no?

Was I Being Productive?

Me, I started mind mapping blog entries, did the cardinal sin of organising my email contact lists. Yes, I could outsource it..I did some exercises from Tim's book, took a backup of our firewall. I joked to the no. two boss that I'm only doing this so that I can work from the garden at home. The funny thing is he chimed in the first time, no Ibiza, I then said France. I thought I'd leave in Europe before I mention the US and Japan and for months at a time...maybe I should have continued? One of our senior 'consultants' piped in..NO CHANCE. Oh how I look forward to proving him wrong. Then again, he is the type that would give a hundred reasons why something would fail. He is not the person to have at the beginning of a project. He is however a critic to have once you have formulated a plan of action as he'll point oversights and holes. Maybe he should receive the first postcard?

I've implemented a different remote working solution to our current system. This is me being productive in my current environemt. In addition my firm is quite small. Therefore I am getting lots of exposure to using different software and companies that are for smaller businesses. After all being a remote boss, I may have many people working for me, yet not actually physically all in the same location or using the same equipment other than maybe email to communicate or physically belonging to my company.

The big boss, who seems to spend most of his time overseas has jumped on board and is using my solution. I've given information to the no.2 about incorporating Internet telephoning to our current antiquated system. Although it was not done in the I propose fashion as recommended by Tim.. That will come next after we have the debrief of the long Internet outage.

As a side note, Time recommended Gold Lantern Wifinder . You look pretty stupid carrying a laptop, knowing there is a hotspot somewhere, yet your laptop can't find it. After adding international shipping I opted for this item instead by Kensington. The UK price was pretty good.I was going to wait until I was off travelling again. The Internet outage has just hastened that decision. There were many a comment from my colleagues, what is the point..I didn't have the heart to tell them...Brazil.


Happy Travels.


A

Technorati : 4 Hour Work Week

4HWW - Previous Experience - More Than I Thought.

Where do I currently fit in?

I've travelled for a year before. Australia,Fiji and Singapore. By myself...often the best way to do it I think. Therefore I know that I am able to travel and live out of a rucksack for a year. I would like to stay in a few more hotels or apartments. 8-12 bed dorms, get a little tiresome after a while. I've been able to come back, fit into the workplace. Pretty much pick up from where I left off. I've grown as a person because of my travels. I've been, seen and done some amazing things, yet the the best thing for me has to have been the great people that I've met and seen along the way. I am still in contact with many of them. This means European Weekend Trips...pleasure!

The downside... Each time I prepare, go away. I'm terribly excited. I just want more travelling. For me there is something exciting about going somewhere, seeing somebody. Each time I come back home. The travelling blues hit. Sometime maybe a month later or so..I just want to go somewhere else. This time though, perhaps for 3-6 months at a time, not the year.Yet, I want to travel when I want and how I want. Not have to work to some two week schedule.

I did work whilst travelling. Thankfully I had IT to fall back on. It certainly beats fruit picking! Somewhat more lucrative. Yet, now I want an automated cash flow machine. I don't want to be in the or an office and yet still have money coming in. This was the key missing component last time around. When you are travelling, many people, certainly the younger ones have to make a decision on a daily basis...trip somewhere or food? How they and many think 2 grand is going to last them a year, I just don't know. Does it last that long at home? Many don't realise the cost of accommodation. That can eat a large chunk of your pre saved travel cash. With an automated cash flow...this worry disappears.

My Friends Will Miss Me If I Go Away.

Sorry, no they won't. Or not as much as you think they will. Many actually are jealous of you for being brave enough to go travelling. They'll all say I wish I could do that..The fact is, they all can. They just don't want to. It isn't important enough for them. They'll give you all manner of reasons or excuses why not. Remember, Your Wish Is My Command. Therefore until they change what they say and think, they aren't going anywhere.

I Need My Entertainment

You'll get use to not having the TV, news, instant messenger, hell even the Internet and Email. If something is really important you just find out. The news comes to you. You'll begin checking email once a week maybe even less. Yes, there are still places that don't have the Internet. You'll be surprised at the amount of email you don't receive. Especially if you unsubscribe from your junk mailing list that you joined to access a website that you know longer use.

I would write up my travel stories with links to photographs etc. The length was something I'd have been proud to hand in as a college assignment. It went out to more and more people. At the last count 100+. How many replies did I get? Apart from my parents, even they were few. You could count on your two hands how many people would email you back in the year, forget after each mailing.

I sent out 30 ghastly kangaroo/koalas Christmas cards. They were cheap and tacky, yet Australian.What does that tell you? How many did I receive whilst at the other end of the world. 1. This is despite, before my departure, giving everybody email, mobile and postal contact options for the year.

Coming Home

This is where it all really kicks in. You have been to and done some amazing things. Your friends haven't. After the third saying "In Fiji, In Australia.." their eyes will glaze over, they will still talk about and go to the same places that you went to before you left to go travelling. This is when you begin to contemplate your next away day. Realising that actually it is all rather easy.

Meeting The New Rich (NR)

I met a New Rich, type in Exmouth, Australia, without realising it. His name was Paul. He had founded an IT company, and then upped sticks and left his office to let it run itself, and he was still getting paid for it. He was currently scuba diving, what seemed like the world. If he and others have done it, then so can I.

Business Employee

I've briefly had my own company, yet I was in effect the employee, not the owner. This is now going to change. Yet I've been exposed to the joys of accounting, law etc. Some things are worth outsourcing!

Happy Travels

A

Technorati : 4 Hour Work Week

PhotoReading - Day 21- Lets Learn Japanese

Dear All,

I am back in the land of the living. Not great being off. Anyway. I've finally booked my ticket for Japan. I am there in 3 months. After my frustration at not speaking much German in Germany. I thought I'd make amends and learn some Japanese.

I have 3 months to learn some basic Japanese. I've got several books to PhotoRead daily. I am activating by skimming and flicking through the books daily and noticing what I notice. Looking up words that interest me.

Berlitz Japanese for Travellers

English Japanese Dictionary

In addition I am using my car journey to and from work to listen to

the Pimsleur Language Course This will activate the language in another format. If you think about it, this is really a good way to activate since most language people use in a day is spoken, so surely you should activate in that way too? Lets just hope you don't see me talking to myself as I drive along the road.

If anybody has any ideas on what I should see or do, please drop me a line. I'm thinking yes Tokyo, Mount Fuji, I want to spend some time in a Ryokan and Onsen. If I can I'd also like to visit Kyoto. I'd like to watch some bunraku theatre. That on top of catching up with some really missed friends. Now where are my chopsticks?

Happy Travels

A

Technorati : PhotoReading

PhotoReading - Day 19- The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

Day : Day 19

Title : The Secret - Rhonda Byrne

So I've seen the film, heard the audio , blogged about it. Now it was time to read the book. Very quick, very easy. I know this book. I practise the secret some of the time. This and Tim Ferriss's book have reinvigorated my goal setting and manifesting the goals in my life . I've photoread this book several times now as I want to have this information at a very deep level within myself.

I've set up my vision board.

Happy Travels

A

The Secret - Aha - Do It, Done It, Stopped

All,

Wow, what a weekend. I didn't PhotoRead.I've had much going on in my head and I've been attending my course.

This weekend we learnt about TIR . A deceptively simple set of techniques for reducing and resolving trauma. Whilst the set of techniques didn't do much for me on the day. I did discover things about myself. To cut along story short. I felt guilty about certain events that had happened to me when I was very young. I was able to release the guilt about the event and the larger issue.

That night I watched The Secret

For me this was an aha moment. I've had many negative thoughts going through my mind the last few days. Yet I thought they were positive. I was asking for what I wanted. Yet, I was actually asking for what I didn't want. The irony for me has been. My last two large manifestations (travelling around the world for a year and got a car that I've wanted for the last 5 years).I've done the Secret Process without knowing it.

Recently I've been thinking about where to live, yet wondering why I'm not living there already. Firstly thinking about the Secret Process as I understand it. I've not been focusing on the idea completely. I found that hanging a picture or as one of the expert says a vision board has really helped me in the past.

For my travels, I hung a map on the wall and discussed my travels, where I was going, what I was doing. I was able to see it every day. I imagined myself on beaches, swimming with whale sharks etc.

For my car, I had the brochure, had the car as my desktop wallpaper.

Each and every day I've seen my goals. With both I've spent time imaging what it would be like to have them.

On each goal. I 'made up' my mind it was going to happen. Still not sure what the 'turn in the key' or my mind was that made the thoughts solidify. I think it maybe the constant visioning, discussing, planning and doing something to that goal. Although I don't always know what I consciously did as an action.

The creative process has worked it for me, why have I stopped or only use it for certain goals not everything that I want?

Thankfully, I've a really good friend on the course and we talked about it all over lunch. I've got him to get in contact with me by Friday.

Since I need to create a vision board or something visual that I can see EVERY DAY. This I think for me has been a really important step to achieve my other goals. They say only 2-4% of people write goals. I think I write enough for that 2%. Why do some work out and some don't? I'm watching the next 30 days/months as I fully apply the secret process. What is truly possible for us all?

For the last few days, I've been on a totally energetic level. Yes, I've had negative thoughts. I managed to catch myself. Then change the thought to something more positive. I've done this by thinking about what I really want. The people I'll be with. Sometimes, I've played music, that is just hi tempo and makes me smile. The willingness to sing or dance around ie change your physical state has an amazing affect on your thoughts.

Happy Travels

A

PhotoReading - The journey so far.

Dear All,

I sit here with a cheeky beer reflecting on the past days and what I've achieved so far.

PhotoReading holds much promise, yet I do wonder am I PhotoReading the book or skimming the book? Then again I don't want to go back and try the old/normal style of reading that I and most of us do. I don't have the time or inclination.

I've, to my knowledge had no direct learning experiences yet. I've looked at or read more books than I would every normally do in a year, let alone a month. It has only been 15 days, 15 books officially. Not to include emails, magazines and wet sites etc. How much practise did you do in order to be able to walk or talk? PhotoReading is easy in comparison.We've already done the hardest learning we'll ever have to do in our life by the time we are 7 or 8. Despite what teachers and schooling may tell us. Most exams don't actually matter in the real world.

I've noticed that I am sleeping better ie. I may only wake up once during the night and normally not too early. Very often before I would wake up several times in the night and at silly hours ie 4,5, or 6am. Getting into state is good. This constantly relaxation effort can only be a good thing for myself and my body.

When presented with books and book lists, I have begun to get excited. "I can PhotoRead these". I should get more book suggestions this weekend. Previewing a book is one of the greatest skills I have learnt and reinforced so far to date. PRing books from a library or well thumbed are easier when doing the photoreading step of the PRWMS. I've read all types of books, except fiction. In a variety of locations and times.

Moving forward, I am asking myself for an undeniable experience of PhotoReading success. Yet what is that? I am just wondering how I could test myself or prove to myself that it is working. Although this may put added pressure on me, I want concrete proof that the system is working, or I am doing it right...or just an aha moment.

Anybody wish to test me..recommend a book? How or where to go from here? I suppose you would have to ask yourself, how long would it normally take you to read book X and gain the information that you want from it. After all, PhotoReading isn't about photographic recall of a book and its material. It is getting the information and comprehension that you want in the time you have available, as they say.

Happy Travels

A

PhotoReading - Day 15- Japan by Mikiso Hane

Day : Day 15

Time : 2230/1500

Location : Kitchen/Train

Trigger Words : 15 - I hardly saw any trigger words from the text itself Most came from the index.

Title : Japan : A Short History - Mikiso Hane

Purpose : I'm off to Japan later in the year, so along with learning some of the language, I thought I'd better read more than just a guide book or two.. I read about the Geisha recently. This was a most fascinating book. I'll hopefully be stopping off in Kyoto. I'm wanting now to read more about the history of Japan, if nothing else to understand the history of their politeness. I thought I was polite and fairly well behavioured and mannered. I'm nothing compared to my Japanese friends. Yet like all cultures, we have things that irritate them and vice versa. The biggest thing that worries me about going other than the language is making a huge social faux par. Although my friends say not to worry. In addition how will this book add to what I already have read about Japan?

Prepare and Preview: As I began to prepare I became very excited and it was actually quite difficult to relax. The is a book that I've hired from my local library. It is actually rather tatty. The spine is broken, not all pages seem to be within the spine.

Thoughts on Process : PhotoReading the book was actually easier than I expected. If I have time I normally PhotoRead the book back to front and then front to back and in at least one direction I'll have the book upside down. I gave up going back to front as the state of the book and spine prohibited easy page turning.

Time Spent activating and how : I activated the book on a train. This for me was really interesting because originally I had wanted to super read and dip the entire book. Yet, when it came down to it. I wasn't actually that bothered. Therefore I changed my purpose to something that actually I might want to get from the book. This was a much better idea. I was interested in what I was reading and not just reading for the sake of reading.

Happy Travels

A

PhotoReading - Day 12- Uncommon Therapy by Jay Hayley

Day : Day 12

Time : 11:00

Location : Germany

Trigger Words : some

Title : Jay Hayley - Uncommon Therapy

Well what can I say. This was the worst PhotoReading session I have had so far. This is a book on my course reading list and yet I just could not, did not want to read it. I prepared, although not that successfully. Previewed, PhotoRead the book. Yet SuperReading and dipping was terrible. I kept asking myself am I PhotoReading, or just skimming. How will I know the difference? I gave myself an hour to activate the book and yet kept looking at the clock for my time to finish. In the end I just gave up. I wasn't enjoying the process or even motivated to do so. I felt uncomfortable, I just could not get 'into' the book.

Was it because of my purpose not being specific enough, or the fact I was in a new location, physically? Not taking the time and effort that I normally do to complete a book? Therefore the best thing for me to do was to stop. Or was that the easy way out. Am I being tested..do I really want to learn this skill?

The last few days before my travels I've been PhotoReading the German Dictionary. I'm curious to notice what happens. Will I be able to speak and or understand German any better than I do now? What is my purpose for PRing the dictionary, what is my ultimate application?

Happy Travels

A