The great playwright and Nobel laureate George Bernard Shaw once
said, “Take care to get what you like, or you will be forced to like
what you get.” Wise words indeed.
The concept of lifestyle design was popularized by Tim Ferriss in his book The 4-Hour Workweek.
The idea was to create a system that would generate enough money to
meet your living expenses, while requiring only 4 hours a week to
maintain it. And then by not having a full time job, you’d have the
freedom to do whatever you wanted with your life.
As great as this sounds, the reality is that very few people will be
able to make a decent income in only 4 hours a week. Most people will be
lucky to work only 40 hours a week in the U.S. But that doesn’t mean
that you just have to take what you get. On the contrary, with a busy
schedule, it’s even more critical that you make the effort to design
your own lifestyle.
Make no mistake, your lifestyle will be designed. The only question
is whether it will be designed by thought or by chance. Here are some
tips for making sure you get what you like, instead of having to like
what you get.
Pick the Right Career
Pick the Right Career
Far too many people pick their career based on money. Money is
important, but it’s not everything. If you’re going to spend several
decades doing something, don’t you want it to be something you actually
like?
I’ve known people who said they would change jobs if they found one
that paid an extra $2,000 a year. That’s putting far too much value on
money. $2,000 a year is only $166.67 a month. After taxes, it’s maybe
$100 a month. Such a small amount of money is insignificant compared to
how much you enjoy the job.
It might be hard to pursue a career path that pays far less than your
current field, but if you know you’d be happier, you owe it to yourself
to consider it.
Give Priority to Your Relationships
A huge chunk of your life satisfaction will come from your
relationships, so be sure to give them the attention they deserve. Don’t
just leave your relationships to chance and hope it all works out.
First, you want to bring the right people into your life. Don’t date
someone you don’t like just to have someone in your life. I know that
sounds obvious, but it’s surprising how many people do it. Be honest
with yourself about what you want, and don’t stay in a relationship that
you know isn’t right.
The same goes for friends. If the people you spend your time with
just aren’t a good fit for you, go find people who are. Or if you just
need more friends because you don’t know anyone who shares particular
interests with you, then bring some more friends on board.
Second, when people are a part of your life, you need to remember
that relationships are a two-way street, and you need to keep up your
end of things. If you neglect people, or become a burden, they’ll leave
you. And since your relationships are a huge part of your lifestyle,
that’s probably not a price you’re willing to pay.
Find Fulfilling Hobbies
Everyone needs hobbies. Some are good for blowing off steam, some are
good for keeping your mind sharp, and some just make you feel alive.
Up through college, people have enough free time that finding
engaging hobbies isn’t very hard. With a job and maybe a family, it’s
harder to make time for hobbies. And since your interests might change
as you get older, you might find that you no longer enjoy the same
hobbies you once did.
To find the right hobbies, think about what you want to get from
them. Maybe you want to challenge your mind, maybe you want to spend
time outdoors, maybe you want an adrenaline rush. Think about some
obvious ways to meet those needs, but also get creative and think about
other possibilities that aren’t so obvious.
Many people will take up a new hobby relatively late in life, and
find that it’s one of the most important things in the world to them.
Maybe it’s writing, or sculpture, or horseback riding, or auto racing,
or any number of things you haven’t thought of yet. But find some
activities that are hard to tear yourself away from, and you’ll never be
bored.
Final thoughts
Lifestyle design isn’t only for people who make their living with
passive income. It’s for everyone who wants to have some say in their
future. We all need to do what we can to make our life what we want it
to be. Be sure to get the life you like, or you’ll be forced to like the
life you get.
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