Revolutionary Misfit

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The Art of Nonconformity in Costa Rica

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Chris Guillebeau Art of Nonconformity

Read Chris Guillebeau’s manifesto for the first time this morning. I don’t know why it has taken me so long to do that. I am a big fan of this young guy. I have read $100 Start-Up and follow his blog. Chris is much younger than I am. I only wish I could have had his wisdom in my 30’s. Instead I was thinking like the typical conformista. Doing it the way it is “supposed” to be done. And as time did tell, that didn’t work out so well for me.

The manifesto is entitled, A Brief Guide to World Domination. In it Chris instructs us how to live a nonconformist life, and do things like take over small countries. In reality, his manifesto has impact mindfulness written all over and under it. He just uses different terminology.

I guess in some ways I did follow his advice. I did “occupy” a small country. And the manifesto inspired thought this morning on what that all means. What has turning nonconformist and occupying this strange place that I now call home really meant to my life? In other words, what is it that I really love about this place?

My entire worldview has drastically changed as a result of my over a decade long experience of Costa Rica. What can I honestly say that I like most about that experience? Is it the language, or the landscapes, the waves, or the women, the freedom, or the frivolity? As impressive as all of those things are…nope…it’s none of those things. What I like most is the change living here has wrought upon me…primarily in the following 3 ways…

Change #1: Learning Humility

When I first came to Costa Rica I was anything but humble. I was a lawyer-MBA type who was flown down to orchestrate a large business deal. It was a heady experience and one that indeed did go directly to that part of my body. I had what you might call a Mark Sanford-esque experience (and anyone from my home state of South Carolina will know exactly what that means).

But all that came crashing to an end and when the dust finally settled (I did as well) I had acquired a new home. And I learned, gradually, to be humble. Living in a foreign country can do that to you, if you really immerse. Oh, there are plenty who come here and never do that. But that is not my nature. I did immerse and it changed me.

How? Well, I believe the natural grandeur of this place put me in my place. I was, and still am, humbled by both the beauty, power and fragility of nature. I was humbled into dismissing the notion that human progress can proceed in a way that puts us at odds with nature. Nature will either win that battle, or the “spoils” will leave a bitter taste in the mouth of the victor.

I was humbled by living shoulder to shoulder with people who were different. I gradually came to the realization that being from the world’s largest superpower doesn’t make me any more exceptional than they already were. Neither did my education, money, language, customs, intelligence, or anything else. That we are all just people striving for the same basic thing…to live a dignified life.

I gradually came to the realization that being from the world’s largest superpower doesn’t make me any more exceptional than they already were.

Change #2: Learning Respect

I came here thinking very firmly that I had all the right answers. That the indoctrination of my upbringing, education, church and nationality made me a much brighter person than I really was. I often notice that attitude with gringos who come here either to visit or live. If it is to live, you either learn to respect, or you are in for a very unhealthy experience. Those are the ones who grow bitter and continuously grumble about how the ticos have it all wrong. Well, they may have it all wrong, but they’re smiling (actually laughing at you) while you sit miserable.

You see, it pays to learn to respect other viewpoints. It enhances your human experience to learn to stand in the other fellow’s shoes, especially if those shoes are far different from ones you have ever tried on. It is one of the greatest lessons of life I have learned here. It has served to remove those impact blinders that I came here wearing. I began to see the world from a different and far more open-minded perspective.

It enhances your human experience to learn to stand in the other fellow’s shoes, especially if those shoes are far different from ones you have ever tried on.

Change #3: Learning Patience

For many years this came as a hard lesson for me. I did not understand the concept of time that existed here. It seemed as if time didn’t matter, or at least that these people certainly didn’t respect my incessant worry over its scarcity. They seemed to take the view that there really was enough time to go around and meet everyone’s needs. Maybe that’s because there is a far different definition of “needs meeting” here than exists up there. People here just get along with a lot less and are content with that. The idea of arranging your life to achieve maximum efficiency with the goal of having more just doesn’t occur to most people here. The goal of life here is not to have more, but to live more. The two are not the same (I know that may come as a surprise to many).

The goal of life here is not to have more, but to live more. The two are not the same (I know that may come as a surprise to many).

So a much slower pace of life is what prevails. One that breathes deeper meaning into the concept of “relaxing and smelling roses.” And there are so many “roses” to smell here…maybe that’s the impetus. In the U.S. people strive to make a gazillion so they can have maybe 50% of the peaceful experience that a tico making less than half the poverty rate in the U.S. has simply by walking outside of his humble choza (home) and taking in the spectacular and completely free panoramic vista of his daily existence. So why should he be in a hurry?

So, first out of sheer necessity, and later out of a deeper understanding of true happiness, I slowed down. And I believe (hope) that it has added years to my life. It has certainly decreased the moments of panic and rage.

Maybe you expected something different with this post. Maybe you expected me to tell of my favorite location, activity, or experience. But no, my favorite things about living here are the life’s lessons it has taught me. I have learned the art of nonconformity in Costa Rica. I am grateful for that.

Oh, and if you would like to learn more about those lessons, you can always get my own Misfit Manifesto.

Jesus on Impact Mindfulness

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Jesus on Impact Mindfulness

Impact mindfulness is pro-faith, in all the forms under which one’s faith might take shape. Mine happens to be the Christian faith.

Impact mindfulness proposes that religious dogmatic beliefs, on the other hand, are “impact blinders.” They cause us to see the world through a dogmatic prism that distorts the facts, or the true and bigger picture of what is. For instance, take the biblical story of the pharisees attempted stoning of the women caught in adultery. According to their dogmatic belief, what they were doing was 100% correct, righteous even. That is until Jesus stooped down and helped them see the bigger picture.

I was reading from the sermon on the mount this morning. In it I believe there are great kernels of truth that support the concepts underpinning impact mindfulness. Remember, impact mindfulness is nothing more than a term that I dreamed up to describe a mindset, or system of believing and acting that is as old as the bible itself. There is nothing new here. But maybe there is a new way of looking, or expressing, these very old ideas.

Impact mindfulness is nothing more than a term that I dreamed up to describe a mindset, or system of believing and acting that is as old as the bible itself.

Prioritizing Impact over Interest

There are many instances within the sermon that support this notion. Jesus tells us not to practice righteousness (giving, prayer, fasting) in order to be seen or heard (self-interest), but in order to accomplish good (impact). He goes on to tell us not be obsessed with wealth, or the things money can buy (economic self-interest), but in doing good (impact).

He sums up these admonitions with the simple law that we now call the golden rule…”do to others what you would have them do to you.” I believe there is no expression that better captures what is at the heart of “prioritizing impact over interest.”

“Do to others what you would have them do to you.” I believe there is no expression that better captures what is at the heart of “prioritizing impact over interest.”

The Big US

There are two areas within the sermon that I believe really speak to this idea of the Big US. One is where Jesus tells us to love all people, even our enemies. He then tells us that the sun rises on the “righteous” and the “unrighteous.” I am not altogether clear if maybe he wasn’t speaking a little tongue in cheek with those terms (hence my quotes). In other words, God does not show favoritism and neither should we.

He also tells us not to judge others. Not to look at specks and disregard planks. He is basically telling us that no one is perfect. All are in need of mercy. He is merciful…why can’t we be as well?

After all, as you have read here before, we’re all in this boat together…and we’ve all done something that merits the plank (walking it, that is)…but then who will be aboard to man (or, save) the ship?

We’ve all done something that merits the plank (walking it, that is)…but then who will be aboard to man (or, save) the ship?

Removing Impact Blinders

I have always looked at the entire sermon on the mount as an exercise in removing blinders. Let’s put it in context. Around the time Jesus delivered the sermon (to Jews), the Jewish faith had largely lapsed into one of rigid dogmatic precepts that deviously disguised evil as good. All of what Jesus said that glorious morning was in direct opposition to that. He breathed life into the letter of the law…letters that had been twisted and contorted for the self-interest of the Jewish religious leaders. In direct contrast to them, Jesus taught that the true “letter of the law” was not discover-able in the dogma, but in righteousness, or doing good, or (as I like to say) positive impacts.

Jesus taught that the true “letter of the law” was not discover-able in the dogma, but in righteousness, or doing good, or (as I like to say) positive impacts.

Many of today’s religious scholars will immediately began to shout in unison that I am advocating a works based religion. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I am not advocating any “religion” at all…only the benefit to humanity of people pursuing the path of positive impact. And I believe what was said by Jesus on impact mindfulness supports that.

Impact mindfulness is wholly consistent with my faith. In fact it provides the inspiration for me to actually put that faith into practice.

That, I believe, is what Jesus called us to do in his wonderful sermon.

Impact Mindfulness and Wealth

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Impact Mindfulness and Wealth

Recently ran across a Tim Ferriss blog post where he is taking advantage of recent changes in investment solicitation laws. Prior to the change (which came into effect this week), only “members of the club” were allowed to be solicited for investments in private, non-registered, companies. Now, you can solicit anyone, but still can only accept investments from so-called “accredited” investors (i.e., rich dudes, or at least rich by world standards). Tim, a renowned “angel” investor, is taking advantage so as to let his richer blog followers in on his latest investments, normally start-up technology ones (for instance, he was an early investor in Facebook).

Private equity is indeed where the action is and where the big money is made (and lost). But it is a rich man’s game and the vast majority of humanity just isn’t allowed to play. The recent trend of “crowdfunding” with sites like Kickstarter proposes to change that to some extent, but so far the laws that only deem the rich “capable” of playing are still in full force. So, this new law really changed nothing for people like us, but only allows private companies to more easily reach out to rich investors.

Now, having tapped out the above rant to start this post, what am I really saying with respect to impact mindfulness and wealth? Am I against success? No, of course not. I certainly do not begrudge anyone’s success. And impact mindfulness does not propose that we all take a vow of poverty. Like I have said before, the concept is purely motivational and supplies the “why” for pursuing…life’s pursuits. It also encourages a de-focusing of attention on the financial end results. I mean, of course we have to “make a living”, but we don’t have to “get rich.”

Of course we have to “make a living”, but we don’t have to “get rich.”

I am familiar with the rules of the private equity game. A game, that along with its close relative, the hedge fund, brought the United States economy to its knees in 2008. The game and its players operate under the radar screen of scrutiny suffered by the public stock markets. Of course, the end game for private equity generally is entry (or exit) from that market. It is a game reserved for the richest of the rich…the so-called 1%. And the motive is to exponentially expand the already tremendous wealth of its players. Admittedly, innovations that improve the lives of us all are sometimes created in the process. But the motive for doing so is wealth, pure and simple.

Which is where my little concept for impact mindfulness would have an issue. When the motive is wealth, “success” tends to become nothing more than rapidly burning fuel for the ever expanding engine of consumption. Impact mindfulness would rather encourage one to consume less, live more, and be an inspiration for others to do the same. I am awed by this newly sprouted community of online entrepreneurs who are doing and encouraging just that.

When the motive is wealth, “success” tends to become nothing more than rapidly burning fuel for the ever expanding engine of consumption.

I believe checking motivation is essential. We have to ask ourselves, honestly, why am I doing this? Is it to achieve wealth, to consume more? If it is, that’s fine. But don’t expect real positive impact to come from that, nor true happiness and fulfillment.

Wouldn’t I like to invest with the amazing Tim Ferriss? Well, my answer is no. Not because I am a poor guy and would never qualify in the first place, but because I know any motivation I could rationalize for doing so would come from the wrong place.

And I don’t want to do that anymore.

How the Revolutionary Misfit will be Different

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People Planet Universe

I am asking myself this morning what makes Revolutionary Misfit different? What makes this website idea that I envision as a forum for thought, conversation, and inspiration around a concept that I call impact mindfulness unique enough to deserve your attention?

The truth is that there are many good sites out there focused on living impactful lives. I follow many of them, like:

Leo Babauta’s Zen Habits

Scott Dinsmore’s Live Your Legend

Chris Guillebeau’s Art of Nonconformity

AJ Leon’s Pursuit of Everything

Srinivas Rao’s Skool of Life

also Srinivas Rao’s blogcast – BlogcastFM

Thinking hard this morning about what truly sets my idea apart, I believe there is a big difference between Revolutionary Misfit and these sites.

The sites above deal with alternative career and lifestyle choices. That is a very timely topic these days and it has been since the economy collapsed in 2008. What many thought was the functional career path toward realizing the “American Dream”…

primary then secondary school – university – advanced degree or training – job for life – retirement…

suddenly, no longer works. The guru of the alternative career (Seth Godin) predicted the death of the industrial age some time ago and the birth of a new era in which you must “ship your art.”

And that is what those sites are about…discovering, creating and shipping your art.

And this thing called the internet has now developed to the point that traditional career path thinking is indeed outmoded. All of a sudden the opportunity has emerged to do what one loves and make a living at it…online…anywhere.

OK, I get all that. I love those ideas and I am inspired by all of the above sites. In fact, I have been making my living primarily online now for over a decade. That is why I follow them.

But the fact that alternative career choices are suddenly the trend and making an impact has now become more interesting than simply making a buck, doesn’t answer the question of…

WHY?

I admit my idea for Revolutionary Misfit and Impact Mindfulness is more philosophical than practical. I do not envision the site as a practical guide to alternative career or lifestyle design. It centers more on the philosophical why than it does on the practical whats or hows.

Revolutionary Misfit focuses more on the philosophical why than it does on the practical whats or hows.

And that is a pretty important distinction…I think. People need a why…and now more than ever. And the why proposed by Revolutionary Misfit is Impact Mindfulness.

The why proposed by Revolutionary Misfit is Impact Mindfulness.

Lately I have written about what I believe are the three prongs or legs upon which the idea of impact mindfulness stands. They are:

– Prioritizing Impact over Interest

– The Big US

– Removing Impact Blinders

Impact over Interest – This idea penetrates to the heart of what impact mindfulness is about, as well as why it is different. The other sites place the priority on interest. That is, figuring out what you are interested in and creating a life around it. That’s great. However, when we place priority on interest, we tend to live our lives ensconced inside our compact interest bubbles. Anything on the outside escapes our notice. The idea being that there is simply too much noise to allow anything and everything to penetrate the membrane. And the harder we work to keep the noise out, the thicker the membrane becomes. Impact mindfulness suggests breaking the bubble and being open to all universal calls for impact. That is the essence…prioritizing impact, even when doing so is outside our immediate interest.

The Big US – Impact mindfulness proposes that the universe does not recognize fictitious boundary lines (geographical or mental) that only serve to constrain our realms of impact (i.e., the small us). And we shouldn’t either.  It is rather a “we’re all in this boat together” mindset.

Removing Impact Blinders – Here is where impact mindfulness can take a predominantly philosophical turn. For it adamantly disregards ideological or dogmatic patterns of thought that constrain our realms of impact. Impact mindfulness strives for a form of free thinking that seeks the absolute goods of truth and love.

From what I have written above I believe it is clear that this site will indeed be different.

What do you think?

Why the Armed Revolutionary Misfit?

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rev misfit landscape

It has occurred to me that my little misfit looks as if he is trying to stir up trouble. Some may even be alarmed about his (or her…the misfit is gender-less) big green gun. So, what the hell was I thinking with this little fellow?

Well for starters I stole it from a poster I saw of a gorilla holding a gun and underneath there was a caption that read…”arm the animals.” I thought hey that’s cool. So I took the image, traced its outline and started playing with it using my handy dandy Ipad drawing app and, voila!, the revolutionary misfit was born!

First off, let’s get something straight. I am a completely nonviolent person. I don’t even own a gun. And, no, I am not advocating a violent overthrow of the establishment, or anything like that.

However, I am advocating revolution. And the gorilla represents the type of warfare that revolutionaries engage in against more powerful adversaries. So having the misfit somewhat resemble a combat ready gorilla is no mistake. But the revolution that the site advocates is one that takes place in the battlefield of the mind.

Revolutionary misfit proposes a revolutionary idea. And that is the idea of prioritizing impact over interest. You see, we tend to live our lives as if the only thing that matters is what interests us. I’ll give you an example. Yesterday I was eating in Subway (we actually have one here in Perez Zeledon!). There were two kids outside, I believe brother and sister. They were dirty and they looked hungry. I was busily downing my tuna burrito and reading the paper. I noticed them, but I just kept on doing my thing…the thing I was interested in. I could have made an impact. I could have bought those kids a sandwich. But I didn’t.

So, you see I am advocating something that I myself am a long way from perfecting. This site is about a journey I would like to take along with this soon-to-be-formed tribe in doing just that…perfecting the art of impact mindfulness. Caring enough (giving a shit) to put down the damn paper, forget my own stomach, and feed a hungry kid. But in order to do things like that I have to think in a new way. I need a new set of eyes and ears. Ones that are in tune with how the universe is calling me to action.

This site is about a journey I would like to take along with this soon-to-be-formed tribe in doing just that…perfecting the art of impact mindfulness.

We miss too many opportunities to make an impact because they just aren’t in line with our interests. Our lives become so much about what it is that interests us that we become apathetic to everything else that is going on around us. But people are hurting, the planet is wounded and losing blood, and we just keep our heads bowed to the thing that captures our immediate attention.

The misfit is intended to shake things up a bit…maybe even have a little shock value. It’s suppose to be edgy…not necessarily nice. In fact, a lot of what I write is not that nice. I don’t write positive thinking stuff that encourages connection-age lifestyle design. Those sites are great and I follow many of them, but this one is not about that stuff. My aim is for this concept of impact mindfulness to attract a small token of your coveted interest and over time that perhaps can grow into a full-scale revolution.

The misfit is intended to shake things up a bit…maybe even have a little shock value. It’s suppose to be edgy…not necessarily nice.

I believe it is what the world needs.

By the way, the colors stand for people (red), planet (green) and the universe (blue), of course. Notice that the gun is green…it shoots sustainable bullets. They don’t kill or maim, they are regenerative bullets…life giving bullets.

Sound nuts?…it is…join the revolution. The misfit needs YOU!

Abundant Scarcity

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abundant scarcity - costa rica guy blog

I love listening to the BlogcastFM podcast hosted by Srinivas Rao. If you haven’t caught it yet, I highly recommend it. The most recent episode with Meg Worden is epic.

I was listening the other day and one of Srini’s guests (a guy by the name of Andy Drish) mentioned something that really resonated with me. He said that his online business never began to really take off until he began to approach it not from a position of scarcity, but one of abundance.

Very interesting. I have written before in this blog about the “scarcity mentality.” In many ways it is at the heart of our capitalistic system. A system that presupposes two sides to every “trade”…a winning side and a losing side. The idea that there is an endless supply of suckers and business ideas to take advantage of them. A zero-sum game where the outcome is enrichment of the few at the expense of the many.

These days abundant scarcity exists throughout the online business world. There is always a sense of desperation behind a scarcity approach. It is a little like the high pressure used car salesman whose next meal is riding on you buying that lemon and him getting his coveted commission. I know all about it. I was a lawyer and later a business broker for years. In the online world it is evident in the tons of spam we all receive that attempt to make us think the world is riding on us taking advantage of their offer.

To be honest, it is damn hard to approach business from the standpoint of abundance. What does that even mean exactly? That you have something with value and you are willing to give it away? And if someone out there is so kind as to be willing to pay you, well then, how nice! But you don’t expect it and you certainly don’t demand it. Is that a feasible way to run a business in this tit for tat world of ours?

Not really. Customers generally aren’t altruistic enough to support that level of an abundant approach. But I believe an abundant approach has more to do with the mindset you bring to the table than it does with whether or not you actually expect to get paid at some point.

I believe an abundant approach has more to do with the mindset you bring to the table than it does with whether or not you actually expect to get paid at some point.

A mindset of abundance means above all that you genuinely care. You give a shit as I have previously posted. You give a shit that whatever it is you’re peddling actually produces the intended life or world enhancement. And for that to be the case, of course you must believe deeply in what you are doing. If it is hustling puffed up penny stocks or 30-day ab routines, then it gets kinda hard to approach things from the standpoint of abundance.

It also requires that you, the seller, focus more on the customer than you do on yourself. And that’s not easy. Especially when you are measuring your success against everyone else’s. If all you are doing is aspiring…if your success is the end and your business is simply a means to get there, then your approach is not an abundant one.

If your success is the end and your business is simply a means to get there, then your approach is not an abundant one.

I used to believe exactly the opposite. That you first had to have abundance before you could deliver it. I even had a life’s mission statement that supported the idea. But abundance does not flow from abundance…neither from scarcity. It flows from the heart. If you really care it shows. People respond. Abundance flows in all directions.

But you have to be patient. An abundant approach is a patient approach. If you are impatient to receive results, then you are in scarcity mode. Believe me, I’ve been there far too long.

The scarcity approach is the easy one. It is the one taught in business school. It is the one that generally prevails on main street. It is the approach that prevailed throughout the industrial age. So, it is no coincidence that it is the one we are most likely to attempt. And it has worked for a long time. Many are rich as a result. Hey, if you are a good enough salesman you really can sell a ton of ice to a shitload of Eskimos…today!

I guess it comes down to what it is you really want…what it is you are actually about. What is the no-bullshit version of yourself, as Srinivas is fond of saying.

If what you are about is material success…then by all means take the scarcity approach. The world will be no better off for it…but you might be. But if making the world a better place is your measure of success…and the size of your bank account is irrelevant…

then the abundant approach just might work for you.

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