What Am I Doing With My Life?!

Periodically I review books, e-books, and other writings that I feel readers may benefit from.

UNTEMPLATER

Earlier this week, and much to my surprise, a new website called Untemplater launched. It is a collaborative effort focused on helping people achieve the life style they want, not following the template that society has forced upon us with the education-career paradigm. In their own words Untemplater strives to help you “work where you want… live how you want… be who you want.” A lofty and impressive goal, and if anyone were to actually help people with these goals, then these individuals are going to be the ones to do it.

The Manifesto

Untemplater’s Manifesto serves as an introduction to the writers. It provides their stories, their specialties, and why they’ve chosen to lead an untemplated life. Above all, it is compelling, inspiring, and provides the context and assurance that what they’re promoting isn’t bullshit. Additionally, most people should be able to identify with at least one of the writers. I know I do, I literally had that same moment where I looked around at my bosses (yes, plural) and our hired consultants and realized I didn’t want to end up leading a lifestyle like any of them. That’s when I made a decision to quit my job.

The Authors

The authors are an eclectic mix of writers. Adam Baker of Man vs. Debt is focused on writing about how he and his wife have untemplated their family. Andrew Norcross, a self proclaimed geek-for-hire, and consultant is focused on untemplating the tools. He uses technology to untemplate his life. Jun Laoyza is untemplating entrepreneurship. He’s started several businesses and is focused on setting up the operations so he can focus on what really matters in life: whatever he wants to do in addition to it. Monica O’Brien is untemplating careers. Starting in college she realized she was headed down the wrong path and switched over to another career, still not content she keeps searching for the right match and has recently written a book, Social Pollination. Cody McKibben considers himself a nomadic entrepreneur, who is currently working freelance from Thailand, where he decided he was going to fly to one day. He’s focused on untemplating travel. Rounding out the group is Carlos Miceli, who can be found at Owl Sparks. He is focused on untemplating the mind.

The Stories

Each of the 7 authors provides several anecdotes about how they ended up breaking the template to set off on their own. On its surface this sounds like some people who have made it and decided to turn their stories into a product. It isn’t. While they’re all well on their way to making significant impacts, they quickly make the distinction that they aren’t there yet – they’re all at the beginnings of their untemplated lives. That said, they all have the experience to make you believe in their journey’s, and buy into their own narratives.

“In the end it’s all you but we can help!”

Hard work, perseverance, picking your self up off the ground and trying again. This is the theme you should walk away from the manifesto with. You have to have the vision, the realization that you need to make a change, and the folks at Untemplater are going to provide some guidance based on their own journey’s to help. Already in this first week there have been many helpful articles published there. I suggest heading over and seeing what Untemplater is all about. Also, here is a direct link to the Manifesto.

Kerry Reviews