The Art of Non-Conformity - Chris Guillebeau

Do you feel stuck by the rules that aim to keep everything as it is? Are you that person who has the energy to spare to get hands dirty and do new things? Chris Guillebeau shows in the book "The Art of Non-Conformity" guidelines to polish this feeling and then extract the best results of it.

Here, in this summary, we'll show you how to explore your own ideas, set more exciting goals, and find ways to work using your greatest skills. By following these tips, you will be able to achieve your dream!

Got curious about how to do it? Stay with us in this summary and discover more!

About the book "The Art of Non-Conformity"

The book "The Art of Non-Conformity" (2010) aims to present concepts and strategies for living differently from the mainstream, traveling the world, and working to achieve that longed-for dream.

Chris Guillebeau seeks to expose his view of the world and the possibilities that are ignored by common sense.

About the author Chris Guillebeau

Chris Guillebeau is a businessman, writer, and globe-trotter. He traveled to almost every country in the world during his career, doing volunteer work. Chris currently writes and maintains a blog, for which he became famous and motivated to write books, and published another four books, among them we can quote:

• "The $100 Startup".

To whom is this book indicated?

The content of the book is ideal for people who find themselves reflecting on their lives and have thoughts such as "life must be bigger than that".

Moreover, it's a book for those interested in continuous improvement, which shows some dissatisfaction with some aspects, from the tiniest to the most considerable.

Main ideas of the book "The Art of Non-Conformity"

• For change to occur, you must be open to new ideas and perspectives on things happening around us;
• Be yourself, not what they want you to be;
• Leisure is also important to achieve our goals;
• To motivate those around us is about building an army to achieve greatness;
• Every day is a different opportunity to learn new things.

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Overview: Sleepwalkers and the living world

Chris Guillebeau begins his book with the idea that some attitudes and thoughts need to be changed in order to achieve success in a non-normative manner.

For change happen, there are certain steps that should be followed, however simple.

This doesn't necessarily mean that it will be difficult, much less easy. You simply need to keep an open mind and be determined to get where you want.

• You must be open to new ideas;
• You must be dissatisfied with the mediocre routine;
• Take responsibility for your actions;
• Strive to achieve what you want. Life is made of trial and success.

According to the author, you can make a difference with things you don't even realize. Just as he did in his life, selling his personal items to raise money and investing in other areas, making a huge snowball of success.

Sometimes a human being behaves in a way that he thinks is right, without even knowing why. Chris comes up with this topic to make you think and develop the power to question things:

• Question the actions that you don't know the origin of;
• Act like a five-year-old who can only say "Why?"

Also, one must keep in mind that it is not always advantageous to change the world. Not everything is worth changing, as changes may be good, but some may also have bad consequences.

Moreover, we cannot prioritize ourselves or others. Being neither selfish nor selfless is the balance we must seek to bring about change that is beneficial to all.

Overview: Set the terms for an exceptional life

The author suggests that you start thinking about what you really want, what you expect from life. In addition, Chris indicates taking your dreams very seriously so that in time they will become objective, ready to be completed.

This requires you to map out your "ideal world", having everything you crave in it, without exception. After that, you must set very radical goals to achieve your ideal world.

Also, have some time for yourself. Take time for your enjoyment, for your family, so that focusing on your dream does not detract from the best things life can offer.

Assuming that there is always more than one way to accomplish something, try to make your choices unconventional.

• Take a chance;
• Be ambitious and determined;
• Have focus;
• Trust yourself.

Overview: Tear down the Great Wall of Fear

First, you must find out what scares you most fear when it comes to change. After that, you must fight your fears, as they will be the door to the biggest change you can make in your life.

According to Chris Guillebeau, life doesn't change unless you change it.

• Face your fears;
• Have confidence;
• Create courage;
• Master what freaks you out

Don't think it's the end of the world if something goes wrong. Mistakes simply happen.

The work of overcoming fear can be very laborious. Therefore, set goals and, if so, even reward yourself for each goal hit. When you overcome your fear, you will find that nothing was in vain.

Overview: How to contest authority and win

You cannot settle and let the one who has always ruled the world stay in charge. Don't accept unfounded and poorly grounded answers to matters that require attention.

The common tendency is to be prevented from doing what is right if that right thing is different from the ordinary.

You don't have to settle for a bad situation. Be who you want to be; Not the person they want you to be. In Oprah Winfrey's words:

"Expressing your truth is the most powerful tool we have."

Overview: Revolutionize the work

In this part of the book, Chris Guillebeau elaborates on the idea of changing his job or even his way of working. Be responsible for yourself, and in addition, you must mostly create your own security.

Competence is your safety

You do not necessarily need a college to be successful. But if so, here are some tips suggested by the author:

• Study what you want to work on in the future;
• Do not graduate to postpone work life, do it out of necessity;
• Always broaden your knowledge.

The power of your little army

You need the strength and support to achieve what you want. Create an army based on what you captivate.

• Be very receptive. Show them your motivation and make them feel and share that motivation;
• Create reward systems, so that there is a certain loyalty;
• Make sure that you inspire someone, that you fulfill an important need in their lives.
• Build rapport with these people: a blog or a social network.

The journey of personal finance

According to Chris, money, and happiness are correlated to some extent. After that, nothing else changes. You must prioritize your values and purposes over material wealth.

Invest in yourself, or invest in other people. But don't make your property material such as cars, yachts, or even luxury homes.

Overview: The power of convergence

Radical Exclusion and the Search for Abundance

The author is in favor of a somewhat different lifestyle, having parts of frugality, abundance, and extravagance, and another of simplicity and minimalism. To do this, you need to follow some strictly selected steps for success:

• Breakaway from what is not really necessary;
• Enrich through abundance.

What did Guillebeau mean by that? Simply dismiss any need to live with the unnecessary.

Amazingly, the unnecessary things are the ones that consume us most at the current juncture. Also, you must fill your life with good things, those things you need. Surround yourself with what you appreciate that will leave your name written in the story. This is the concept of convergence of minimalism with extravagance.

Economic Adventures

The main premise given to us by the author is that we all need to travel to at least one place. The idea is to venture out and have new experiences.

If you don't like to travel, find out what you like and embark on an adventure to have experiences worth living. That way you recharge your energy and broaden your goals by encompassing new discoveries.

Overview: Your legacy starts now

From now on, you have everything to get your legacy really started. Think that all your days are the first of your life, contrary to common sense. The idea is that you make life a creative studio:

• Work;
• Produce;
• Innovate;
• Act!

Above all, be grateful for the person you have become. Thank you and don't forget: If you have good ideas, make the world listen to them.

What do other authors say about it?

In the book "Disrupt You!", Jay Samit says that innovative ideas have the power to transform the world and disrupt the system. For you to unleash a disruptive profile, you need to plan your goals and be susceptible to both internal and external changes.

The author Daniel Goleman of the book "Emotional Intelligence" clarifies that IQ contributes only 20% to your success in life. The rest is the result of emotional intelligence, which includes factors such as the ability to motivate oneself, persistence, impulse control, mood regulation, empathy, and hope.

Finally, in "Awaken the Giant Within", Tony Robbins explains that staying committed to your decisions can be challenging, but the harder you try, the easier it gets. So, when you fail to evoke a change in your life, don't be discouraged. Instead, think about what you can learn from failure.

Okay, but how can I apply this to my life?

• Act as if it were the last thing to do in life;
• Take a chance;
• Make decisions;
• Don't settle: strive to be what you want to be in the world;
• Be in the company of people who motivate you (and motivate them too!);
• Do what you like;
• Always be open to new ideas, new perspectives, new changes;
• Transform the world!

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