lallal

How to Start a Revolution (Or 3 Ways to Change the World)

See that baby face up there?  That’s my friend Karol–pronounced like Carl–who is a writer, traveler, & all around adventure-seeking bad ass over at Ridiculously Extraordinary.  Right now he’s living in Poland, but before that he was downing noodles in Thailand, dodging kangaroos in Australia, and doing the zen thing in India, to name a few.  Today is a big day for him–it’s the launch of his latest book, How to Live Anywhere, where he details exactly the various methods he uses to earn money online in order to fund his travels and, essentially, gain the freedom that we all crave.

In order to help him spread the word, I begged and I pleaded and did everything short of propose marriage if he would be so kind as to grace us with a guest post.  Fortunately, Karol was more than happy to, and even more fortunately, I didn’t actually have to propose marriage because, after all, what if he had said yes?  Though, I suppose on the bright side, since money bags over here is doing so well with his online projects, he could have taken us on a wicked honeymoon–with a butler, even, I bet.

My two favorite quotes from his book:

1.  “The balance between recklessness and frightened paralysis too often strays

to the side of paralysis. Do your homework, but don’t let fear

keep you from realizing your dream.”

2.   “You need to start thinking about what you’re going to do

before you get the money or else your life will only revolve

around the money.”

Score.

So, if you’re in the market for a layout of action steps that you can take in order to start making money online & be able to go on wild and crazy adventures around the world, I’d strongly encourage you to check out his book here:

And now without further ado, I bring you the one and only, Karol Gadja.  I can’t pronounce his last name, either, so don’t worry.

How to Start a Revolution (Or 3 Ways to Change the World)

I read Ash’s work because she’s starting a revolution and it’s fun to watch.  Maybe you’d like to start a revolution and change the world as well.  I hope so.  We need more revolutionaries.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty revolutionary world-changing bad-assery we’ve got to figure out how to change the world.

To change the world, you first have to define your world.  Once you’ve defined your world, you rule your world and anything goes.

I have regular conversations with people who have seemingly big dreams and big goals. World changing goals like ending poverty and AIDS.

Here’s the problem:  Those goals are admirable, but unapproachable.  They’re so far out of grasp that they’re almost not real.  Like a beauty pageant contestant who says she wants to end world hunger.  Be honest with yourself.  Choose big goals that you can take action towards accomplishing right now.

Make your world smaller and then you can instigate real change.

For example, instead of eliminating world poverty, how about helping just one family in need?

Back when I lived in Orlando, FL I belonged to an entrepreneurial organization for a short while. Every holiday season they would somehow, some way, find a family that was struggling and proceed to rock there world. How? Food, gifts for the kids, cash, clothes. Each member of the club would bring something to the table. When all 50 of us came together with something small we managed to change the world.

Yes, it was a small world, but it was a powerful change none-the-less.

I’m not saying you should do exactly that, but once you’ve defined your world you give yourself an immense amount of power to

revolutionize.

Now, 3 ways to start a revolution and change the world (your world):

1) Start A Blog: Write The Revolution

Simple. Get a Web host that has 1-click install of WordPress (most Web hosts do nowadays) and write your revolution. If you’ve already got revolutionary ideas to write about, great! If you think you’re just normal and can’t change the world, you’re wrong.

Seriously, you are unique. There is something fantastic inside you that the world needs to know about. Tell us. Share. Revolutionize!

Like I mentioned earlier we need more awesome people to spread their awesome ideas.  The Middle Finger Project is about rebelling against mediocrity. Go! Kick ass! Inspire others to kick ass!

2) Engage In Long Term Travel: Encounter The Revolution

This isn’t about getting holier-than-thou or pretentious.  It’s like this: Travel teaches you to respect people. Travel forces you to make bold actions.  Travel allows you to face your fears and come out on top.  OK, sometimes you’ll fall flat on your ass, but you’ll learn how to deal with that as well.

And I don’t mean travel as in going to Paris for a week or taking a 3 day holiday to the beach.  That’s fun too!  But I mean traveling by getting down and dirty.  Extending yourself.  Getting out of your comfort zone.  Leave for a month, 2 months, 6 months, 3 years!

I get e-mails every day from people who wish they could live in a new countries and experience new cultures.

My response is always:  You can!

Not only do we need more bad asses spreading their ideas via written form, but we also need you spreading your ideas live, face-to-face with people in every city and country on this big blue ball.

(Editor’s Note: Have a big announcement coming to the site in the next couple of weeks related to this topic.  For those of you who have been aching to find your appetite for life once again, & are interested in exploring travel as a medium for doing so, you might just have your chance.)

3) Start A Business: Enable The Revolution

It’s more difficult to start a revolution while you’re living life at a day job. It’s not necessarily easy to get rid of a day job and

change the world, but since when was being a revolutionary supposed to be easy?

What I can tell you is that freeing up your heart, mind, and time from a day job is worth it.  I’ve worked for myself for 10 years, and every day that I wake up I’m more inspired to initiate change in my world than the day before.  The passion grows consistently.  In another 10 years I might just explode. (Thankfully, science is on my side, and that is unlikely.)

Starting a business that allows you the freedom to do what you want enables you the freedom to change the world.

If you liked that jazz. . .check out some of these:

  • http://www.facebook.com/ShotrieRoc Nikoya Johnson

    Yes Yes and Yes! Tangible goals are the currency to success.  Love your blog btw!

  • knew

    tHank yoU

  • Pingback: The Virtual Business Lifestyle Top 12 “Lifestyle Design” Blogs

  • Pingback: Sweet Shit Saturday #010 (Giving Thanks Edition)

  • gustrafo (gustavo silva)

    Ashley, getting married with Karol, and not been able to pronounce his last name?… That automatically would make her a blue chip character for a Woody Allen film, with a handful of hilarious circumstances like… well, I’m not Woody Allen.

    Pardon the shallowness, I could not retreat the comment.

  • MarcTheEngineer

    “I have regular conversations with people who have seemingly big dreams and big goals. World changing goals like ending poverty and AIDS.

    Here’s the problem: Those goals are admirable, but unapproachable.”

    I think you might be stumbling on a limiting belief…

    Ending AIDS is hardly an unapproachable goal – I have a friend who when in highschool was passionate about exactly that subject – It was almost her “what I want to be when I grow up”.

    She went to university with that intent.  It has only been 8 years since highschool and she is part a group doing research that might reach her goal – Something to do with figuring out why a bunch of Kenyan prostitutes don't have HIV (it's not because they used condoms). 

    Try not to let your limiting beliefs (what you believe to be approachable for yourself) define what is approachable for others.

    • http://www.searchengineoptimisation.com Phil

      I agree “Those goals are admirable, but unapproachable.”  but if we will start that, we at least achieve something, i am one of leading worker in that when i get time from my IT business, so look always positive

  • http://www.sexycopy.org k0zm0zs0ul

    A former fellow Orlandonite! oh if only I'd known! :D Great post Karol.. I especially like the part, 'travel teaches you to respect people'.  As one who dreams of traveling more often, I hope to drag my kiddies around the globe with me, for that very reason. Being exposed to other cultures and new things is an excellent path to self-growth.

    • http://www.ridiculouslyextraordinary.com KarolGajda

      Hi k0zm0z0ul (wow that was difficult to type, shoulda copied/pasted!) … I love when I see families out traveling. I met an awesome family of 7 on the train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. The children (aged 6-16) were the most well-behaved, respectful children I may have ever met. AND they all had obvious leadership qualities. It was really cool. :)

  • http://www.ugeideas.com Eugene

    These blogs are always inspiring. I have a couple things on the burner that I am trying to get moving to free myself and thank you all for your continued efforts to liberate the rest of us.

    • TMFproject

      @Eugene
      Glad you thought that Karol is as rad as I do.  Keep on hustling out there–it takes hard work, but it can be done!

    • http://www.ridiculouslyextraordinary.com KarolGajda

      Rock on Eugene! One suggestion: instead of a couple things on the burner, pick one and focus on it until it's either a success or you know it's going nowhere. It's mind-blowing what happens when you just focus on 1 project. :)

  • http://www.parentplanet.wordpress.com Nina

    I just discovered this site yesterday – http://www.wwoof.org/ – it is one way for people to travel if they don't mind working to help others too. I am definitely going to be exploring it more as my son grows – I think we would both enjoy this.

    • http://www.ridiculouslyextraordinary.com KarolGajda

      Hi Nina,

      Yes, WWOOF is great. I've not done it myself but I have a handful of friends who loved their experiences.

      And in certain places you don't even have to work on a farm if that's not your bag. :)

      Karol

    • TMFproject

      @Nina
      What an awesome org!  I had never heard of them before–thanks for mentioning this here.

  • srinirao

    Karol,

    Looking forward to checking out the stuff you are doing with your product and learning more about it. On starting a revolution, I think many of us are on are way there. I think it's inevitable if I keep surrounding myself with people like the two of you :) .

    • http://www.ridiculouslyextraordinary.com KarolGajda

      Thanks Srini! You're right, many readers of Ash's words are on the way there. This is an extra little push. We need more revolutionaries! :)

      • TMFproject

        @Srini
        @Karol
        Viva la revolucion!

  • http://www.ridiculouslyextraordinary.com KarolGajda

    :) Thank you for your support Ash!

    • TMFproject

      @Karol
      You know I only did it because I want a ring.  HA.

      • http://www.ridiculouslyextraordinary.com KarolGajda

        we've got to start a revolution against rings! ;)

        • TMFproject

          Just kidding–everytime I looked at it, I'd be thinking of the kid that had to die in Africa to mine that stupid diamond.  Not that this is on topic, but if I ever get married (biggg IF), I have no desire for a ring.  Unless maybe it's a big, cool, funky, silver one.  Haha.

          • http://www.ridiculouslyextraordinary.com KarolGajda

            hehe, I'm down with that! decided years ago I refuse to get married until anybody who wants to get married can get married. Unfortunately that doesn't seem like it will happen any time soon. :(

          • TMFproject

            COULDN'T.

            AGREE.

            MORE.

            You should read Liz Gilbert's sequel, “Committed,” where she examines the institution of marriage and discusses topics such as the one you just mentioned.  It's been nothing short of inspirational–even if it does seem like a chick book. ;)

          • http://www.ridiculouslyextraordinary.com KarolGajda

            Have not read Committed. The cover makes me puke. But I did like Eat Pray Love. So maybe I will check it out.

          • dixonge

            So this is where the rest of the people in the room get uncomfortable.  You two get a room already! LOL

            Bonding over a shared dislike for matrimony.  Is this a match made in heaven or what? :)

          • TMFproject

            HA HA HA! 

            Who ever gave meeting people over the internet a bad rap?  In my experience, it's been the best way to find others who have similar mind sets.

  • Pingback: Tweets that mention How to Start a Revolution (Or 3 Ways to Change the World) | the middle finger project -- Topsy.com

Custom WP Theme created with love by violetminded & Amanda Farough Header by Marta Spendowska &PolishLab