The identity trap is an idea from Harry Browne's book How I Found Freedom In An Unfree World . Harry suggested that some widely held assumptions about life are false. By accepting such false assumptions, you lose your freedom. He called these false assumptions "traps". The identity trap is the belief that you should be the person that others want you to be, rather than being yourself. There are two key questions to ask yourself in order to escape the identity trap. Listen to the episode to find ...
May 01, 2017•21 min•Ep. 290
This weeks episode is about how to manage your own productivity system for getting things done. It comes from an interview that I did a while ago on the Valiant Growth podcast. In the interview, I talk about various techniques for managing your own productivity system, including: The different components of a productivity system Undertaking regular reviews Choosing between different productivity tools, such a task-management apps and paper-based systems. Show Notes: Valiant Growth Podcast Episod...
Apr 24, 2017•32 min•Ep. 289
A response to this listener question: "From what I gather, for much of your 20s and 30s you worked very hard on building your business and for long hours each day. It has clearly paid off for you, as you've sold the business and enjoyed many years of financial independence. But is this something you'd recommend for younger people? What's the best way of thinking about the work/life balance at that stage of life? I find myself thinking, what if I worked extremely hard for many years and died in a...
Apr 16, 2017•11 min•Ep. 288
Simon writes for digital nomads, perpetual travellers, and location independent entrepreneurs on his blog Freedom Surfer . In this interview, he talks about his own journey to location independence and his thoughts on the pros and cons of this lifestyle. He explains how he tackles the practical challenges of perpetual travel, such as business formation, banking, and taxation. Show Notes: Freedom Surfer Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!...
Apr 09, 2017•34 min•Ep. 287
In this week's episode, my guest Sebastian Kühn talks about the benefits and challenges of running a location-independent business. He shares his own experiences setting up businesses in Hong Kong and Estonia, as well as his thoughts on the Estonian E-Residency program. Sebastian Kühn is a the author of a website for digital nomads called Wireless Life . Show Notes: Wireless Life Recording of Sebastian's Webinar on Estonian E-Residency and Business Formation Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus e...
Apr 02, 2017•38 min•Ep. 286
This week's episode is a review of David Allen's book, Making It All Work . This book is about applying principles of productivity beyond work, to life as a whole. The review is a discussion between myself and Chris Stefanick taken from Chris' podcast, Choice Conversations . Show Notes: Choice Conversations Making It All Work by David Allen How To Read A Book by Mortimer Adler Other episodes on productivity Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!...
Mar 26, 2017•51 min•Ep. 285
It is not often that Hollywood makes movies which explore real business challenges. The Founder is a movie about how Ray Kroc created a global restaurant franchise from a small business started by the MacDonald brothers. This podcast episode is about what entrepreneurs can learn from the ideas shown in the movie. Show Notes: The Founder (Movie) Fact Checking The Founder Grinding It Out by Ray Kroc Becoming An Entrepreneur by Jake Desyllas Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!...
Mar 19, 2017•17 min•Ep. 284
Does becoming a parent mean giving up a minimalist lifestyle? In this episode Hannah and Jake discuss their experience of minimalism and parenting. Some of the topics covered include: Baby-wearing as an alternative to prams Co-sleeping as an alternative to cots Breastfeeding and baby-led weaning as alternative to bottle feeding and baby foods Buying second-hand stuff for babies How attachment parenting and respectful parenting fit in with minimalism Show Notes: Hannah Braime Examples of Baby Wea...
Mar 09, 2017•28 min•Ep. 283
Jake is interviewed on The Sample Hour podcast with the host, Drew Sample. We had a wide-ranging discussion covering options for living a job-free life, productivity, minimalism as a parent, and motivation— including the fear that motivates me. Show Notes: The Sample Hour Job Free by Jake Desyllas Becoming An Entrepreneur by Jake Desyllas Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!...
Mar 03, 2017•50 min•Ep. 282
In this episode, I respond to listener feedback about peaceful parenting. Some of the topics covered include: Is spanking justified? What about minor kinds of aggression in parenting, such as confiscating possessions? One listener's experience of practicing peaceful parenting for 18 years. How come I argue against the use of psychotropic drugs on children? Show Notes: Previous Parenting Episodes The Myth Of Mental Illness by Thomas Szasz Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!...
Feb 24, 2017•16 min•Ep. 281
Although it might not seem like it, disagreeing is a skill. To disagree well is not only an important skill, but also a learnable one. Most people disagree so poorly that they fail to even make an argument. This podcast episode presents Paul Graham's excellent article " How To Disagree " and discusses the concept of a hierarchy of disagreement. Show Notes : How To Disagree by Paul Graham Graham's Hierarchy Of Disagreement Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!...
Feb 16, 2017•18 min•Ep. 280
Hannah and I discuss ways to design a life without regrets. Hannah talks about how to use journaling to stay conscious of what really matters to you. I explain my own journaling exercise inspired by her approach- Each week I complete the following sentence stems: The most courageous expression of my feelings at the moment would be… The best opportunity for quality time this week is … If I were to let myself be happier, I would … The most extraordinary thing that I can work on these days is … The...
Feb 07, 2017•26 min•Ep. 279
This episode is about three principles of philosophy applied to parenting: Children own themselves (all people are self-owners). Parents have positive obligations towards their children (all individuals are responsible for their own actions). It is wrong to initiate aggression against children (initiating aggression against anyone is unjustifiable). Philosophical principles don't provide detailed prescriptions for parenting, but they do give a framework for understanding which parenting practice...
Jan 31, 2017•17 min•Ep. 278
What will you do when you reach financial independence and job freedom? In this episode, I suggest some of the major opportunities that make this lifestyle worth striving to achieve, based on my own experience. Good luck on your journey, and let me know what you think! Show Notes: Job Free by Jake Desyllas Becoming An Entrepreneur by Jake Desyllas Episode 254 Perpetual Travel With Kids Part 1: Interview With Go Curry Cracker Become A Patron of TVL to get bonus episodes and rewards!...
Jan 22, 2017•16 min•Ep. 277
Paul Johnson's book, Intellectuals , provides many examples of the disastrous personal lives of intellectuals like Jean Jaques Rousseau, Karl Marx, Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. Why do so many intellectuals—who famously argue for a better society— behave so badly in their personal relationships? Johnson suggests a few explanations, such as their need for attention and desire to post-rationalise bad decisions. There is also something about the way that these intellectuals think that le...
Jan 09, 2017•21 min•Ep. 276
Jake's guide to the most helpful books on productivity, including why each one is recommend and what to expect from it. Show Notes: Getting Things Done by David Allen Making It All Work by David Allen Ready For Anything By David Allen The Power Of Less by Leo Babauta ( Review in TVL Episode 253 ) Manage Your Day-to-Day edited by Jocelyn Glei The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg ( Discussion in TVL Episode 178 ) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey The Checklist Manifesto by A...
Dec 27, 2016•13 min•Ep. 275
Personal freedom comes from individual choice and individual responsibility, as opposed to collective identity and collective responsibility. If you want to achieve personal freedom, don’t join imaginary teams. Listen to the episode to find out more! Show Notes: TVL 244 Thinking Rationally Part 2: Imaginary Creatures and Machines TVL 245 Thinking Rationally Part 3: Anti-Rational Ideas...
Dec 19, 2016•13 min•Ep. 274
Jake's guide to the most helpful books on entrepreneurship, including why each book is recommend and what you can expect from it. As mentioned in the episode, if you want to get a free copy of Jake's book "Negotiate For Mutual Profit", sign up to the TVL mailing list here . Show Notes: Becoming an Entrepreneur: How to Find Freedom and Fulfillment as a Business Owner by Jake Desyllas The Lean Startup by Eric Ries The Founder's Dilemmas by Noam Wasserman The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki Rework...
Dec 13, 2016•17 min•Ep. 273
I choose to parent without violence or aggression. This means I eschew various actions that a lot of parents still consider acceptable- actions such as spanking, hitting, yelling, psychotropic drugs, circumcision, and so on. In this episode, I explain my own reasons for choosing to practice peaceful parenting. Show Notes: What Is Peaceful Parenting? Parent Effectiveness Training by Thomas Gordon The Milgram Experiment TVL Series Your Own Moral Compass Part 1 (E151) , Part 2 (E152) , and Part 3 (...
Dec 04, 2016•19 min•Ep. 272
Jake's guide to the best books on pursuing financial independence. Some of the books are must-reads, whereas others are suggested for specific purposes or additional information only. No country-specific books are included, so the list is relevant regardless of where you live. Listen to the episode to find out why I recommend each book and what you can expect from them. Show Notes: Job Free by Jake Desyllas Financial Independence Series: Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 and Part 4 The Millionaire Next D...
Nov 27, 2016•14 min•Ep. 271
A discussion of a very thought-provoking article by the late Harry Browne, called “ A Gift for My Daughter ”. The episode includes a recording of Harry reading his own words. Harry’s ideas had a huge influence on me, but I don’t agree with him about everything. This article is particularly interesting because it explains an important truth, and yet I think it also demonstrates one of Harry’s most significant blindspots. Show Notes: A Gift for My Daughter by Harry Browne TVL Episode On How I Foun...
Nov 21, 2016•25 min•Ep. 270
In this episode I am joined by my wife Hannah Braime to discuss William B. Irvine's book, A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy . This book argues that the philosophy of stoicism is relevant to modern life and can be used to help you live well, according to your own values. We recorded the episode for the Psychology Book Club . I am sharing it here because the themes are highly relevant to The Voluntary Life. Show Notes: A Guide To The Good Life by William B. Irvine Psychology B...
Nov 13, 2016•32 min•Ep. 269
A listener asks: "How do you cope with family and friend pressure to buy bigger and better and to have an expensive wedding and kids, which leaves you with no ability to save and get ahead in life?" What do you think? Listen to the episode to hear my response.
Nov 08, 2016•15 min•Ep. 268
Why do people spend so much of their disposable income on consumption and save so little towards their own financial independence? This episode presents four competing theories that try to answer this question: Theory 1: People are brainwashed into consumerism by advertising. Theory 2: Spending escalates as people try to keep up with their peer groups. Theory 3: Central bank policies have undermined saving. Theory 4: Spending is the path of least resistance, so you won't save unless you have suf...
Oct 31, 2016•14 min•Ep. 267
Many people who write about financial independence emphasise the benefits of self-sufficiency and DIY as part of their lifestyle. Will it help your journey to financial independence to try to be self-sufficient? Does it make financial sense to do your own repairs and renovations? This episode provides a different perspective. Show Notes: Job Free by Jake Desyllas TVL Episode 225: Comparative Advantage Is Mind-blowing I, Pencil by Leonard Read How to Make a $1500 Sandwich in Only 6 Months...
Oct 23, 2016•16 min•Ep. 266
John Holt was a leading figure in the school reform movement, who became increasingly interested in how children learn outside of school—what he called “unschooling.” He wrote many influential books about alternatives to schooling and he helped start the modern homeschooling movement. His book Escape From Childhood provides a thought-provoking critique of how most adults treat children, and a vision of how we could treat children with dignity, giving them greater freedom. Show Notes: Escape From...
Oct 15, 2016•18 min•Ep. 265
In his book Stop Acting Rich , author Thomas Stanley explained a way to calculate your relative net worth, taking into account both your age and your income. He used this calculation to create a wealth index, which you can use to judge whether you are on the path to FI, or whether you are burning more of your income than you should. In the episode I explain how the wealth index is calculated and provide commentary on how to use it. There is also a free website that does the calculation for you. ...
Oct 03, 2016•15 min•Ep. 264
An historical overview of rational ethics, focussing on the revolution in moral philosophy that happened during the Enlightenment. Although there was amazing progress during the Enlightenment, the contradictions of enlightenment thinkers eventually led them to lose their way on ethics and abandon a rational approach to morality. Understanding this background is helpful if you want to use rational thinking to make sense of ethics for yourself. Show Notes: TVL Episode 151 Your Own Moral Compass Pa...
Sep 27, 2016•18 min•Ep. 263
Many ideas that have been debunked long ago nonetheless remain very popular. This episode highlights three popular irrational biases about economics, taken from Brian Caplan's book The Myth Of The Rational Voter . The biases covered are the pessimism bias, the anti-market bias, and the anti-foreign bias. Show Notes: All Previous Episodes in the Thinking Rationally Series The Myth Of The Rational Voter by Bryan Caplan Episode 90 Rational Optimism Versus Doom Porn The Rational Optimist by Matt Rid...
Sep 19, 2016•17 min•Ep. 262
Politics brings out the worst in people. As the economist Joseph Schumpeter put it, "The typical citizen drops down to a lower level of mental performance as soon as he enters the political field. He argues and analyzes in a way which he would readily recognize as infantile within the sphere of his real interests. He becomes a primitive again." This episode is about the problem of political irrationality. Why are political beliefs so irrational? How does this affect your life? Listen to the epis...
Sep 11, 2016•24 min•Ep. 261
