World Domination and Me

I recently read Chris Guillebeau's "Brief Guide to World Domination" and found it insightful and engaging. If you haven't read it, do. It is 29 pages of "kick in the butt." Do you need that? I don't know, but if you are living a life that is "average" you probably do. Here are the things in an average life according to Chris:

1. Accept what people tell you at face value
2. Don't question authority
3. Go to college because you're supposed to and not because you want to learn something
4. Go overseas once or twice in your life to somewhere safe like England
5. Don't try to learn another language; everyone else will eventually learn English
6. Think about starting your own business, but never do
7. Think about writing a book, but never do
8. Get the largest mortgage you qualify for and spend 30 years paying for it
9. Sit at a desk 40 hours a week for an average of 10 hours of productive work
10. Don't stand out or draw attention to yourself
11. Jump through hoops. Check off boxes.

Are you feeling uncomfortable. They make you think, don' they? But it must be hard not to be average, so many people are. Actually I think Chris would argue that it's not hard to be better than average because so many people are average. His solution is to ask yourself the "two most important questions in the universe:"

1. What do you really want to get out of life?
2. What can you offer the world that no one else can?

If you didn't have to do the things you currently have to do what would you do? And, secondly, since life is not all about you, what can you do to improve the lives of others? How can you do what you would do if you could and improve the lives of others? Chris' recommendation is to find out and then do it. You'll face opposition from gatekeepers, critics, and the widespread acceptance of mediocrity - but Chris has recommendations on how to succeed.

In the final analysis he says:

1. "You don't have to live your life the way other people expect you to
2. The world is waiting for you to figure out what only you can contribute. Take as much time as you need to find the answer, and then get started on it."

If you needed permission, now you have it. Be better than average. Achieve world domination.