On Vagabonding, A Long Walk to Freedom, and A Million Bucks by 30
On Vagabonding, A Long Walk to Freedom, and A Million Bucks by 30
Books that changed my thinking, my behaviors, and my life
Hello all!
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Now back to your weekly dose of goodness:
1. Travel
Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel
Summary
This book has the potential to change the trajectory of someone’s life.
It is a transformative travel manifesto that goes beyond the typical travel guide. Potts advocates for the concept of 'vagabonding’ as a mindset that encourages individuals to embrace long-term travel as a form of personal exploration and self-discovery. In fact, after reading this book in 2013, my family planned to take a year off to travel around the world. After years of planning, we intended to ‘set sail’ in August 2020. Well, the trip did not happen (COVD derailed things). But we now try to take mini trips each year to regions from our RTW itinerary (we called the trip “RTW”, or round the world).
In Vagabonding, you’ll gain insights on how to break free from the constraints of the conventional lifestyle, emphasizing the importance of experiences over material possessions. Potts also provides insights on budgeting, planning, and immersing oneself in local cultures, encouraging readers to venture out and engage with the world on a deeper level.
By reading this book, you’ll be inspired to reevaluate your priorities, expand your horizons, and embark on journeys that enriches your life in profound ways. It is a perfect gift for a someone in their late teens or twenties or anyone looking for ways to add meaning to their lives.
Insight: We use the future as a phony ritual that justifies the present.
Insight: I don't want to hurry. That itself is a poisonous twentieth-century attitude. When you want to hurry something, that means you no longer care about it and want to get on to other things.
Insight: America is famous for its unhappy rich people, most of us remain convinced that just a little more money will set life right.
Principle: On a basic level, there are three general methods to simplifying your life: stopping expansion, reining in your routine, and reducing clutter.
Quote: We spend the best part of one’s life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of it. -Thoreau
Author: Rolf Potts
Themes: Travel, Personal development, Living a full life
My personal notes from the book
2. Autobiography
A Long Walk to Freedom : The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela
Summary
One of my favorite autobiographies about such an amazing human.
This book not only chronicles Mandela's life, from his childhood in a rural village to becoming the first democratically elected President of South Africa, but also serves as a testament to the power of perseverance, dignity, and forgiveness in the face of extreme adversity.
It vividly describes his role in the African National Congress and the journey that led him to embrace the fight against apartheid. Mandela's narrative covers his 27 years in prison, revealing the strength and resilience he maintained despite harsh conditions. It also details the complex negotiations that eventually led to his release and the end of apartheid, culminating in his election as president.
Insight: Virtue and generosity will be rewarded in ways that one cannot know.
Insight: Education is the greatest engine of personal development.
Insight: I have found that one can bear the unbearable if one can keep one's spirits strong even when one's body is being tested. Strong convictions are the secret of surviving deprivation; your spirit can be full even when your stomach is empty.
Latin phrase: Quis custodiet ipos custodes - who will guard the guardians themselves
Author: Nelson Mandela
Themes: Autobiography, History, Living a full life, Politics
My personal notes from the book
3. Personal finance
A Million Bucks by 30: How to Overcome a Crap Job, Stingy Parents, and a Useless Degree to Become a Millionaire Before (or After) Turning Thirty
Summary
This is an inspiring tale for young adults grappling with the challenges of early career struggles, financial literacy, and the pursuit of wealth. I read it at age 33 and found many parts quite useful. The book encourages an entrepreneurial approach to personal finance, inspiring readers to think creatively about money-making and wealth-building strategies. It’s best utility is for any individual who is trying to build a more disciplined personal finance system.
Insight: Treat yourself when you are a millionaire rather than when you are just starting out.
Insight: The common denominator that all the millionaires had was self-confidence, high self-esteem, and high personal motivation. They believed in themselves. And I mean believed, like New Coke believed. They had the self-confidence, on the boarder of delusional, that it took to be a millionaire.They thought they deserved better than the hand they'd been dealt. They believed that no matter how many times they failed, they would eventually succeed. And not marginally succeed, but be overly successful. They believed they would be millionaires. They aimed high and didn't stop till they reached their goal.
Insight: Be a dealmaker. Always be on the lookout for a way to make things work.
Author: Alan Corey
Themes: Personal finance, Memoir, Investing, Wealth creation, Real estate investing
My personal notes from the book
That’s a wrap. Thanks for reading!
Please continue to share with me the books that changed your life!
Best,
Adam
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