A Necessary Revolution

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Steve Sherlock, Jeff Gibbard. Jeff Gibbard said: A Necessary Revolution http://bit.ly/hlxab6 [...]

AJ its all about doing what makes you happy..if you do something that make you happy then will not have to work an day in your life.

“Black Seo Guy “Signing Off”

Totally agree. And far too many get stuck in lives and work environments that make them miserable simply because they think that’s their only viable alternative. I used to be one of them.

Thanks for sharing your story, AJ. This is a great lesson for everyone who wants to lead a meaningful life. Not that you can’t do that working for someone else, but as you mentioned, there are plenty of people who phone it in – do the job, get the check, go home and are miserable doing it.

I hope people take your advice…time to quit dreaming and start doing!

I really admire your bravery and your honesty AJ. It took a lot of guts to do what you did (and probably a lot of soul searching).

As always, great stuff AJ. I wanted to give a quick nod to #2, especially creating the signpost. As I read it, I immediately thought “that’s ballsy…I don’t think many people will be willing to do publicly express to do something other than their job.” Then you offered up your email. Great call. Now there are no excuses…

Yeah, it definitely is ballsy, but it takes some to leave your current situation. I used to “dream” about doing my own thing for years. When I finally started telling people what I wanted to do I was both ridiculed and supported. Both led to me actually doing it.

“Dont you know – talkin’ bout a revolution”

This is def teh theme for 2011 – go out and get it done.

Wow great to see you here AJ. Love this accumulation of contributors. Keeps getting BETTER. Look forward to more of your inspiration mixed with tactics.

Thank you, Diane. Yes, it did, but the alternative was living someone else’s life and there came a point where I just couldn’t do that anymore.

You are very welcome, Laura. And yes, I agree. Living a remarkable life does not necessarily equate to an entrepreneurial one. But it’f scary for me to look back and remember that roughly 8 out of 10 people I worked with wished they were living another life, but thinking “climbing the ladder” was what they were supposed to do.

Exactly.

Thank you, Kim, I truly appreciate that.

You are totally inspiring! I’m in the middle of my transformation and feeling energized by it. Thanks for sharing your insight!

Fantastic post AJ. I love to cook and I love the power of “3″s. Thank you!

I also left the 6 figure corporate world because it was time and while I didn’t know it at the time it was starting to kill me (mild form of whooping cough with insomnia and chronic high blood pressure).

I’ve spent the last three years testing the entrepreneurial waters and now I want more. Your call to action – perfect!

You are very very, welcome, Cindy. Good luck in your revolution.

Thank you for the kind words, Natalie. Some people *love* that world, I don’t know how, but they do. But many of us just went there because that’s what we were supposed to do. We are the misfits and this year is our time to take over the world.

[...] came across a good smack-in-the-face post this morning, and I’m using it to wake up. [...]

Hi AJ,

Congrats on living your life by design.

I feel most people live other people’s lives. They do things because they were told to do things that way, either by their parents, friends or society. The fear of criticism is a stronger emotion than the fear of death in most.

Reread the prior sentence. If suffering from this fear you can’t possibly start revolution against your inner critic because your inner critic holds you powerful. Pinpoint this strong emotion, turn it around and tell your inner critic to shut the heck up when the “I can’t, I won’t” arise when you decide to live your own life.

The biggest tragedy in life is living someone else’s life. The 3 ingredients you mention are the recipe for happy living. Time is precious; use it wisely. View yourself as a powerful, confident person and act in accordance to this self image. Write down a plan and stick to it each moment of each day. Throw in a dash of persistence and you’re all set

Thanks for sharing your story AJ.

RB

[...] January 6. 2011 This morning I stumbled across a blog posting that's…well…one hell of a wakeup call, and a very inspiring blog [...]

[...] I stumbled across a blog posting that's…well…one hell of a wakeup call, and a very inspiring blog posting. In the western world, we're all taught that if we work hard, plan well, and save [...]

WOW AJ! You totally nailed it. This feels like the Jerry Maguire speech. Or maybe it’s just because it feels like it was written for me personally to read at this very moment in time. My struggle has been between this: “If you feel like you don’t belong where you are right now, maybe you weren’t meant to just win. “Maybe you were meant to change the world. ” and this: “You’re selfish to think you deserve more. And you’re silly to think you’re important enough. ” What a great post. You have inspired me. –AJ’s manifesto…. I LOVE IT!!

Ryan, first of all, thank you for the kind words. And yes, I completely agree, I was there and that inner critic can be a hell of an enemy. The funny part if when we trick ourselves that money will make us feel better, I did this also. I had a “successful” career by all accounts and estimations, but essentially all I was doing was trading little bits of myself for more and more wealth. It’s a vicious cycle from whom many never find the inertia to leave. Thanks for your comment, bud, I’d love to connect more on the twitters.

Thank you so much, Dana. It is kinda like my Jerry Maguire speech, I lived all of that. I know exactly what it feels like to be stuck in between the life you live and a life that could have been. I know what it’s like to think you’re crazy because “everyone else is happy, shouldn’t I be too”. This disparity makes people like you and I misfits, and it’s time for us to start wearing that as a badge of honor.

It is great to hear from people that out there doing what they love. Our society is rife with discontent. Yay for revolutions!

I’m with you 100% Delisa, I saw it so much in my previous life and it’s disheartening to think how many people are still there. I’m dedicating this year of my life to helping as many people as possible start their own revolution.

I typically rate a post by how many times I instinctively chuckle and nod. Rest assured it was an above average amount on this one. Inspiring stuff.

Thanks for the kind words, Chris.

I totally read this entire post like you were pissed off at me for not taking action. I read it like you were talking directly to me. I read it like a virtual ass kicking. I read it in an angry voice.

I read it like I needed it.

Thanks man, brilliant post. The timing is impeccable.

I like the three ingredients, especially #1. I had never considered time as sacred. When considered as sacred, it takes on a new context.

I have recently given myself a two year period to clean up some stuff in my life. As recommended in the 2nd ingredient, a written description of what things will look like then provides new light at the end of the tunnel.

It’s taken me 30 years but I’m finally working on an evacuation plan. I was always either working towards my next job through studying and practicing for it or wasting time with entertainment or socializing. I wouldn’t say that I “won” anything along the way. Maybe that’s why I’m finally switching to a more entrepreneurial approach.

Thank you, AJ, for reminding me why my husband quit his job 4 years ago to pursue his dream of working for himself. It’s been a tough couple of years for him, but I don’t want him to give up, and this reminds me why he shouldn’t. Thank you!

A.J. great read. I like to refer to this as living a “frontier” life. You left your semi-safe, predictable, domesticated life to pursue life out on the frontier. It maybe risky, but wow…what an adventure.

Chris, I was writing it in an angry voice, and I was writing it to you.

We have one life, and we’re not going to spend following well lit paths, we’re going to grab a machete and hack down our own.

In my previous life, I traded hours of my life away for a bigger and bigger paycheck. If I would’ve loved what I was doing that would’ve been different, but I hated it. I squandered those hours. I now realize that time is indeed sacred, the hours of our day is our most valued commodity, primarily because they are so limited. Glad you’re taking the time to delineate what you really want, Paul, it will make a world of difference. Good luck in your revolution.

Glad to hear it, David. Check out Pam Slim, she will be very helpful. The Monopoly game isn’t for people like you and I, David. Really looking forward to seeing what you put together

You’re welcome, Suzi. When I was in my previous life, I was a shell of who I am. My wife, Melissa, tells me I was like a shadow or a mist of myself and she would rather live under a bridge with the real me, than have security and luxury with a man she didn’t marry. Good luck to you and your husband, he’s obviously a lucky dude to have you.

I’m with you, Jack. I feel that people can only really learn about themselves in adventure, in uncertain moments. If Frodo doesn’t leave the Shire, he’s just another hobbit.

Thank you for the encouragement. I have come to realize I am good at a lot of different things, but actually doing what I was meant to do can be very different things. There are so many ideas floating around in my head, but execution is the hard part.

You’re very welcome, Daniel. And yes, execution can be difficult but the key is forward motion. Generating the inertia to lift off is the tough part, but once you do, it gets much easier.

Thanks for the kind words, Paul. I guess with respect to Monopoly, it’s one of those games that feels like fun and we remember as fun, but most of us never play anymore because at the end of the day accumulating stuff just ain’t much fun.

Ha. For me, it’s always the opposite with that game. It’s a suspension of disbelief…enjoying the thrill of the board game. I love board games, though, so it’s always been great for me. (But I never lose perspective!)

Thanks for the kind words, Jason, totally agree. I’ll check out that book.

AJ hell of a post man! I came to the site hoping to find some motivation to keep working on some personal projects that will hopefully lead to more opportunity one day and you provided some great motivation. It’s great to see someone living their dreams and encouraging others to do the same as well. Looking forward to more of your writings.

[...] it I could almost be hypnotised by its words…..then I read a blog post like this or this or this and bam…I’m back in the [...]

Thanks for the kind words, Eric. Remember, the more seriously you take your projects, the more seriously others will take them. There is a direct correlation. I used to talk about my passions as “side stuff”, but when I began thinking about them as my work, my calling, the game changed for me. Good luck with your, bud, I just followed you on the twitters, looking forward to see what you put together.

[...] you are human and are alive, you need to read this article by AJ Leon over on Escape Velocity. Create your own conspiracy against your inner critic with [...]

Hey AJ, I just have to say that I admire your strength. It’s a bit like Mandela’s words: ‎”Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerfull beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.”
I am at that crossroads right now: I have started my own one-woman company and I want to deploy my unique qualities to the better good of other people and companies. And I am scared shitless at the same time. But every time I feel the urge to fall back in my conveniently semi-safe life, I feel I’m not being true to me. So, here’s to me and my adventure! Thanks for inspiring me and others like me!

I actually got tears in my eyes when I read the line ” If you feel like you don’t belong where you are right now, maybe you weren’t meant to just win. Maybe you were meant to change the world. ”

I’ve felt this way since I was a little kid, but I’ve ignored it. I even tried to “escape” last year but I failed miserably. Now I’m back living for the weekend and trying to talk myself into enjoying what I do. I’m currently working up the nerve to try (and possibly fail) again.

[...] A Necessary Revolution “The time has come for you to plan your very own conspiracy. Not against your boss or your company, but against yourself. Against your inner critic who keeps telling you that you can’t make it outside the game of Monopoly that the world handed you. Who keeps telling you that you’re crazy to think you can. You’re selfish to think you deserve more. And you’re silly to think you’re important enough. ” ~AJ Leon at Escape Velocity [...]

[...] rules that form the fundamental framework for your expression can become the very prison from which you must escape. You cannot do this unintentionally or take it lightly. But it must be done if you are to create [...]

[...] in between work and sleep is sacred, it’s where you plan your insurrection.” – AJ Leon “Talent can’t be bought and sold. It must be retained with something more than [...]