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Site Update: May 2009

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This overdue monthly update comes to you from the Dominican Republic – I’m actually not there now, but that’s where I wrote most of this update, so we’ll call it…


French Guiana and the $100 Question

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french-guiana

After arriving in Paramaribo, Suriname on a long overland journey from Guyana, I was tired.

The week before I had been in Haiti, relearning humility thanks to missionaries and mosquitoes. The missionaries I liked, the mosquitoes, not so much – but as I tell myself from time to time, it's all part of the adventure.


Building Influence to Gain Widespread Authority

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This is a more advanced look at how I've been able to build the AONC site into a diverse community over the past year.

I've already written 79 pages about this subject, so this follow-up is mostly for the 50,000 people who have read that report so far. What I want to do in this article is focus on using multiple spheres of influence to create widespread, perceived authority.

One of the most important parts of developing a following is answering the “reason why” question and proving yourself to be an authority on at least one thing other people care passionately about.


Update on Location Independent and the “Art and Money” Guide

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It's time for the Sunday Store Update. I use this time every Sunday afternoon to tell you more about the small business I'm building to support the rest of the site.

I have a no-hype marketing policy, and I ask that you don't buy anything from me unless you have a clear need for the product. All regular content is ad-free and freely available.


Overland Journey from Guyana to Suriname

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suriname-house Part I: Georgetown to New Amsterdam, Guyana

My sleep schedule is still off from the 3:30 a.m. arrival a couple of nights earlier, but it's an early morning wake-up to get to the Guyana taxi station. I fall asleep at 2:00 a.m., and the alarm goes off at 4:45. Nice. By 5:15 I'm downstairs paying the bill and waiting for my first ride of the day.


Keeping It Real

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Whenever a community experiences rapid growth, some people feel left out. New people come in and don't know the history. Meanwhile, the people who have been around for a while worry that they have been forgotten in all the excitement.

A good leader needs to be able to reach out to new people, expand the pie, while also "keeping it real" as much as possible.

This is my attempt to do so, live on location from the Dominican Republic.


Creating a Location Independent Business

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cape-of-good-hope-1

It's time for the Sunday Store Update. I use this time every Sunday afternoon to tell you more about the small business I'm building to support the rest of the site.

I have a no-hype marketing policy, and I ask that you don't buy anything from me unless you have a clear need for the product. All regular content is ad-free and freely available.


The Heart of the Matter

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heart-of-the-matter-freetown-sierra-leone Here I am in Haiti, a country I've been reading about for years but have never been to before. My accommodations are as basic as advertised, and that's just fine for a few days. If you ever find yourself in need of humility, come down here and spend the week with nuns and missionaries. That should do the trick.


26 People I Highly Respect

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In 279 Days, I included links to many of the people I respect and have learned from since I started this site. I did this because I wanted to give credit where credit is due – and each of these folks deserve a lot of credit for helping me.

Here they are again, with a quick synopsis on why I think they are awesome. If you’re looking for people to learn from (I always am), I encourage you to check out their work.


Video Update: Motivations and $32,000

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Thanks so much to everyone who is downloading, reading, and sharing feedback about my new manifesto, 279 Days to Overnight Success.

Here's a new video update where I discuss the motivations behind the document. Why did I publish this now? Why do we do anything?

In my case, I want to a) help people create their own overnight success, and b) expand the network of people who are involved with AONC.


279 Days to Overnight Success

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Friends and readers, here is my second manifesto, 279 Days to Overnight Success.

It tells the story of this web site, but more importantly, it offers 11,000 words of free advice on how to create your own success with your own project. I offer this information freely, but please use it wisely.


Happy Easter from 97214

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Rerouted-Stream Hello everyone, and Happy Easter from my corner of the world. To friends who celebrate Passover, my thoughts are with you as well.

There's no Sunday Store Update today, although the store itself is still there. I get notes every week from people who have started working for themselves or traveling the world thanks to my guides. I like that. More products are on the way, and I'll explain all the details when the time comes. Today, however, I'm thinking about other things.


Packing List

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packing-list

A number of people have asked what I take with me for long overseas trips, and how I travel with no backpack or checked baggage. I'm getting ready to head out on the road again in about 10 days, so this is a good opportunity to review how it works for me.

The biggest secret: packing light is actually easier than bringing a ton of stuff.

The overriding philosophy of my packing list is to keep it as simple as possible. That's basic, I know, but very important. At least for me, travel stress is directly proportionate to the amount of stuff I carry around. I don't own a backpack and haven't willingly checked a bag on one of my extended adventures.