READ THIS: What Matters Now

This is a great compilation of diverse thought leadership. I like how each page covers a different topic and is offered in bite sized pieces that are easy to digest.

Check it out and pass it on!

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/12/what-matters-now-get-the-free-ebook.html

Do Interesting Things

Do Interesting Things

Posted: 07 Sep 2009 10:08 PM PDT

“Whatever you dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” - Goethe

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

We live in interesting times. We’re blessed that way.

The world is changing rapidly.

The way we work is changing, the way we live has already changed. Entire industries are crumbling, and more are growing on their ruins. People are empowered to express themselves, to create, to become a part of a global conversation and transformation, in a way that has never existed before.

What will you do with that?

What will your place be in this new, interesting world? Will you have a voice? Will you be a creator, or just a consumer?

Do something.

Do something interesting.

Be a part of the conversation, and say something remarkable. Create something unique, new, beautiful. Build upon the works of others and transform it into your own.

How to do this?

Write a book. Or an ebook. Write poetry and publish it on the web. Create interesting, lovely or funny videos, put them on You Tube. Be passionate. Write a web app that will solve a problem in people’s lives. Become a watchdog to replace the faltering newspapers. Explore the world, and blog about it. Try something you’ve always been afraid to try, and put it on video. Be yourself, loudly. Start a new company, doing only one thing, but doing it very well. Start a business that does a service you’ve always wanted, or that you are frustrated with in other companies because the service sucks. Put your heart into something. Say something that no one else dares to say. Do something others are afraid to do. Help someone no one else cares to help. Make the lives of others better. Make music that makes others want to weep, to laugh, to create. Inspire others by being inspiring. Teach young people to do amazing things. Write a play, get others to act in it, record it. Empower others to do things they’ve never been able to do before. Read, and read, and then write. Love, and love, and then help others to love. Do something good and ask others to pass it on. Be profound. Find focus in a world without it. Become minimalist in a world of dizzying complexity. Reach out to those who are frustrated, depressed, angry, confused, sad, hurt. Be the voice for those without one. Learn, do, then teach. Meet new people, become fast friends. Dare to be wrong. Take lots and lots of pictures. Explore new cultures. Be different. Paint a huge mural. Create a web comic. Be a dork, but do it boldly. Interview people. Observe people. Create new clothes. Take old stuff and make new stuff from it. Read weird stuff. Study the greats, and emulate them. Be interested in others. Surprise people. Start a blog, write at least a little each day. Cook great food, and share it. Be open-minded. Help someone else start a small business. Focus on less but do it better. Help others achieve their dreams. Put a smile on someone’s face, every day. Start an open-source project. Make a podcast. Start a movement. Be brave. Be honest. Be hilarious. Get really, really good at something. Practice a lot. A lot. Start now. Try.

Change in Direction

While on this backpacking trip I have been interviewing with HSBC regarding potential employment. Yesterday I formally agreed to join them in Mexico City as Head of Solutions Centers- Latin America. The bank is going through what many are speculating is the biggest HR Transformation in corporate history. My role will be helping the Latin American region streamline their operating model and manage the transformation from a human capital perspective.

My backpacking adventure will be cut short as they want me in London for 2 weeks of meetings starting on September 21st. So I will hustle down to Buenos Aires to reconnect with my cousin Chris then fly back to Denver to drop off my backpack, pick up some suits and finally cross the pond to London.

I will be relocating to Mexico City no later than Nov 1st.

Huayna Potosi

While in Arequipa I attempted to book to trek to one of the mountains that served as a backdrop for the city. The mountain I had my eye on was over 6000 meters high and I was told that I had to properly acclimated to even attempt the challenging hike. Having only been at a high altitude for a few days I couldn't make the ascent despite my desire. For the next few days having meals on rooftop patios I stared longingly at those mountains. When I got to Bolivia I was pleased to find out there were other magical mountains I could hike. I gave myself 5 days to acclimate in La Paz (the highest capital city in the world) before heading out to Huayna Potosi for a 3 day trek.

Huayna Postosi is 6088 meters and a beautiful yet intimidating spectacle. The 1st day of the trek was training on how to ice climb using crampons for traction and ice axes for rising up through icy terrain. The second day we climbed to Alto camp which was a tiny shack at 17,000 feet. 18 of us crammed into this small space and after some soup went to "bed" at 6pm because we were waking up at 1am to reach the summit by sunrise. That night my head felt like it was in a vice from a lack of oxygen. I got no more than 2 hours of sleep but was still charged by the upcoming ascent. We awoke as planned at 1am and hit the ice at 2am. The climb up to the summit was completely in the dark and probably better that way as had I been able to see the terrain we were hiking through I might have had second thoughts. ..We reached 200 ft below the summit right at sunrise which was a treat. Above the clouds there were priceless vistas to gaze at.

We were so close yet so far away from the summit. Completely spent some people decided not to summit. If it were not for my guide I am not sure I would have made it to the top. He continued to push and challenge me to keep my eyes on the prize. When I was finally at 6088 meters a sense of peace and accomplishment washed over me having completed one of the most challenging feats of my life.

Now all I had to do was get done the mountain...

"Death Road"

On my way to Bolivia I read about "death road" which some say is the most dangerous rode in the world. There are an average of 100 deaths per year on this narrow and mountainous road. In fact, the week before I took a ride down the 3000 meter Yungas road a tour guide had died. The road itself isn't that dangerous rather it is the mix of bullish bus drivers, sleep deprived truckers and tourists that create the drama. With proper equipment, a good guide and a wee bit of caution the bike ride is a lot of fun and death can easily be avoided.

Publish Post

Adventures at the Bolivian Border

Travel teaches patience and resilience. About 12 hours into what was supposed to be a 12 hour bus ride we arrived at the Peru/Bolivia border. My follow passengers and I "checked out" of Peru and then walked over to the Bolivian immigration center. The line was moving like clockwork until it got to me. The Bolivian official ask if I have a Visa and I said no. With a smirk on his face he informed me that I would have to pay $135 to enter Bolivia. I had read about these sorts of scams in the Lonely Planet and assertively said no and acted confused(this is the sage advice of the LP). After 10 minutes they still would not budge. Neither the travel agency I booked the bus ride with or my trusty lonely planet said anything about this Visa charge. I decided to involve my bus driver to get to the bottom of this situation. After a few minutes he came back and affirmed that without paying the fee I could not enter Bolivia. I resigned to this reality however there was one major catch...The closest ATM was over 2 hours away??? and I had about $15....Seems strange that there wouldn't be a ATM at such a important crossroad? By this time the bus driver was getting very impatient as my dilemma had been holding the bus up for about 30 minutes. He and his co-pilot decided I was screwed. One of them started fishing for my pack under the bus and the other went onto the bus to get my other belongings. Apparently I was getting kicked off the bus and left at the Peru/Bolivia border! In a desperate manner I jumped on the bus and broadcasted my situation to the people on the bus and asked if anyone would find it in there big heart to loan me $135 until we reached La Paz. Luckily to gracious couples (one french and the other Peruvian) pitched in and I was able to get my Visa and continue onto La Paz. Dios Mi0!!!!

1 footnote:

My trusty Lonely Planet is outdated by 3 years and this new visa charge was incorporated in 08 by the President of Bolivia who decided his country would charge an equivalent fee that Bolivians have to pay to enter the USA.

3 pairs of underwear???

This backpacking trip was the 1st of its kind for me from both duration and location perspectives. I had backpacked for a month out west when I was young and have done plenty of camping in my days. However, preparing to travel in South America for 2 months carrying everything I needed (as opposed to wanted) proved to be challenging to venture as I began to fill my pack. So I called upon some of my friends who were backpacking vets and done a few tours of duty to give me some solid advice. When one my buddy Seth told me to only bring 3 pairs of underwear for 2 months I almost fell out of my chair! I began to lay out my clothes based on his and other advice...2 pairs of pants, 4 pairs of socks, 2 long sleeved shirts, 2 tee-shirts and so forth... I was uncomfortable with having so few things for what seemed like such a long time. One thing I reminded myself of when packing is that I had to bear the weight of all my stuff and so packing light was smart. When I arrived at Denver airport I was curious how much my pack weighed. If felt like a ton as I strapped it on and walked through the terminal. I tossed it onto the scale and when it settled it weighed 32 pounds. I had a triumphant smile on my face. After 2 weeks of traveling I am thankful for my minimist approach. It is teaching me many lessons.

This reminds me of a link I had posted awhile back. Check it out: http://www.storyofstuff.com/index.html

On my back I carry all I need, this packs weight is freeing.

12 dias en Peru

My backpacking adventure started with a dizzying flight itinerary. I flew from Denver to Atlanta to Lima and finally arrived in Cuzco after about 24 hours of travel time. I spent a day in Cuzco which is a nice travelers mecca before heading on a four day trek to Matchu Pitcchu. The trek was incredible! On the way to MP we mountain biked down a 12,000ft high mountain, rode the highest zip line in all of South America and soaked our tired muscles in hot springs. The evening of day 3 we arrived at Aquas Caliente the town at the based of MP. That night we had dinner and retired early as our hike up to MP began at 3am. The hike up was grueling however we all were fueled with adrenaline by the anticipation of viewing one of the wonders of the world. MP lived up to all its hype and was breathtaking. While there we also hiked Wyna Pitcchu which is the mountain in the background of the picture above. It offers amazing views of MP from above. After the MP experience we headed back to Cuzco for a day of R&R including a blissful massage for 3 USD.

At this point, I was traveling with my pal Seth who had limited time in Peru so we wasted no time and got back on the road. We hopped an overnight bus to Puno which is where Lake Titicaca rests, the highest navigable lake in the world. The next day we spent on a boat cruising the lake and exploring the surrounding islands many of which are man made with natives living on them that we got to spend time with. After an action packed day we caught yet another bus to the southern town of Arequipa where we got our 1st showers and beds for 3 days. Arequipa is a charming city which many comforts that we partook in gleefully after being knackered from our travels. While in Arequipa I tasted many of the Peruvian fare; pollo la brasa, ceviche, llama and guinea pig (yes you read that correctly guinea pig). After two days in Arequipa Seth departed for the States and now I am preparing for a 14 hour bus ride to La Paz, Bolivia. Peru has been great and I know a return visit is in my future.

Napa to Sonoma Valley Half Marathon

This past weekend I ventured to Northern Cali to catch up with friends and run a half marathon from Napa to Sonoma Valley. I had never even come close to running that far, however I was up to the challenge and the fact that it was in such an enchanting place didn’t hurt. I spent a few weeks training and every time I ran my goal was to go just a little bit further. That tactic helped and as I boarded the plane to San Fran I felt confident in my ability run the race. The race itself was great, the adrenaline rush provided much more fuel for my fire that I expected and the ending was in the beautiful downtown Sonoma square. Afterword there was wine tasting from many of the wineries in the valley which gave the runners a sweet way to decompress. For anyone interested in a great destination race check out their site: http://www.destinationraces.com/

THE SEA-ESTA SAGA

A few months of ago my pal Garrett and I bought a boat. She was rough around the edges, required some TLC and we spent a few months getting her back into running condition. Neither Garrett nor I had much experience with boats so the 1st few voyages where a comedy of errors. A few weeks ago after a weekend of non-stop rain we got a call from Rich the harbor master requesting us to get to the lake ASAP because Sea-esta was sinking…!!!!Sure enough, when we arrived there she was submerged in the water… Apparently some of the rubber seals around the engine valves were cracked and when the heavy rains came the large amount of water pushed the engine down until the level got to the cracked seals which led to her sinking…Oh and the fact we did not have her covered…It was a sad sight to see her in such a condition and after a few attempts at towing her into shore and having the ropes snap we had to call our insurance company for assistance. Their review of the situation and sea-esta was that she was totaled and we would get our full insurance claim. After a period of mourning we set out for Sea-Esta’s replacement which we now have. Sea-Esta II is a serious upgrade and we pray for smooth sailing….RIP Sea-Esta I

Below is Sea-Esta’s eulogy written by my Co-Captain Garrett Lister:

Her spirit lives on- Sea-esta was pronounced dead at the scene on May 26th at 4pm mtn time at sloans lake by the honorable Justin from Progressive Insurance Specialty Lines Claim dept.She will now ride the clouds of heaven like others before her. So take some time (when the weather is better) to lay in the grass and look up in the sky and find that cloud that reminds of you Sea-Esta. My cloud will look like a tear, a champagne bottle, a destroyer battleship all rolled into one. Do not fear Justin (from Progressive) said that boats can and do reincarnate themselves (with the help of an insurance settlement). So, look for my smiling mug to be piloting another craft in the near future. But, this time a proper christening party will take place to ward of the voodoo of Sea-esta and welcome in her worthy replacement - possibly named La Pesadilla- The Nightmare. Let one of your captains know if you see or know of a worthy replacement as we are looking to mend the voids in our hearts as quickly as possible.

Regretfully yours,

Captain Garrett

Turning pages and starting a new Chapter

In May of 06 I left the States and moved to India to work for a company named Satyam and for my own personal development. This experience is one I am extremely grateful for and impacted my development on all levels on self. Professionally we were able to create amazing results and impact for the organization. Unfortunately on January 7th the CEO of our company announced that he had cooked the books by over 1 billions USD!! The news rocked India and the 53,000 employees of Satyam. Only a handful of executives knew this was going on. This article and video give a good summary of what transpired: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7818220.stm

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=988857939

Since the 7th of January the companies board of directors was replaced by Indian government appointed business leaders and subsequently was acquired by another Indian company Tech Mahindra. Trying to help the organization manage this crisis and go through the acquisition process has been an undertaking our team has been focused on. There have been rich learning's from the process and on the 14th of August I will end my end my tenure with the company.

As a capstone to this professional chapter I have decided to backpack through South America starting in mid August. I look forward to the opportunity to decompress from the last 3+ years of working for Satyam and clear space for my next professional chapter, whatever that might be.

Back to the Future

In the summer of 1997 I moved out to Virginia City, MT to help my Aunt Paula open a restaurant, bakery, and deli in the historic gold mining town. That summer was one of my 1st experiences out west and I loved the wide open space and big sky culture. Fast forward to present day and here I am in VC after 12 years. Much has changed in my life however Virginia City for the most part has remained the same.

Recently my Aunt has opened an Art Gallery in town which has great art from well known Western artists. Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHcpgVp5Png

SOJA

It is great to see people you know develop and shine. A band from Arlington, VA where I grew up called Soldiers of Jah used to play at local bars and now have an international following. They recently played a show at Cervantes in Denver for a packed house. If you are into Reggae there is no doubt that you will enjoy Soldiers of Jah’s music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE5XuF_CB90

http://www.sojamusic.com/

Lost Generation

Dear Friends,



This is a powerful clip. Make sure to read the text on its way down and then also on the way up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA



I believe we are on the way up after being down for some time.



Be Brave!



P.S. This was submitted to an AARP contest by a 20 year old...

Extra-Ordinary Life

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RQ4WVeLKJI

Sacred Prayer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmrw53Gd5_c