just enter your email address below to get this blog's updates, news, and more!F*ck the (Social) Revolution (My "Bullet to the Head" Birthday Gift)
[Note: It's been over 5 months since I've written a blog post and my blogging chops are rustier than an old junkyard Studebaker. still, I'm putting this out because it's time.]
All right, I’m going to just cut to the chase and tell you . . .
Where the Hell I’ve Been for the Last 5 Months
I spent 3 months travelling around the world in a balloon while running an online business for 6 hours per week from a laptop (with a satellite internet connection).
I then spent the next two months travelling around China meeting with world leaders, running a consulting company from my iPhone, and writing a book (also on my iPhone) in Norwegian.
I am SO kidding. I’m not that guy.
The last 5 months have involved very little in the way of lifestyle design stunts.
Although I did go on a solo backpacking trip to the North Shore of lake superior . . .
This is where I camped . . .
But the real story about where I’ve been is that — for the last 5 months — I’ve been busting my ass working on something I care very deeply about.
My Approach to Product Creation
There are a lot of approaches to product creation. Many of them work well.
Some people throw together a 47-page ebook every month on one topic or another . . .
. . . my approach is to work on ONE main product for years (and hopefully decades) refining it with each evolution and incarnation.
And of course, responding to feedback, obsessing about user experience, and providing as much value as humanly possible.
That’s because . . .
Project Mojave is My Purpose
This is my purpose.
Fuck the Social Revolution
But true freedom exists inside you right now (with or without a revolution). It’s always been there. And you don’t need a social movement, or a revolution, or twitter, or the blogosphere or ANYTHING except courage to claim the freedom that’s always existed inside you.
If you’re living your life to escape your work place, rebel, be unconventional, etc. then you’re living your life as a reaction (to your pain?) and totally missing the point.
Fuck the revolution. You don’t need one.
You Are Your Only Captor
Escape implies a captor. Militaristic revolution implies an enemy. But on this front there is usually nothing to escape. No battle to be fought. No world takeover necessary. No common enemy.
On this front, the best results usually come from looking deep within yourself, coming alive, and fearlessly doing what you’re compelled to do after you’ve seen the deeper reality of who you are.
Real freedom sprouts from an internal “victory” (over your fear). A quiet victory.
A victory that — in all probability — no one will notice. Except you.
You’ll notice it.
I’ve Recruited a Baby to Help Lighten Things Up
Below is Maverick, my new nephew. He’s a precious kid who was born earlier this month, and I got to see him when I flew to California last weekend for my grandparents’ anniversary.
Man I love that guy.
Now that we’ve lightened things up, it’s time to get heavy again . . .
Your Freedom Comes from One Place
I can show you how to create and run an automated business that makes you $6K+, $10k or even $20K each month . . .
. . . but if you lack heart and purpose, the low-grade pangs of dissatisfaction and purposelessness won’t go away.
Not even with a 4-hour work week, or 5 minute work week, or a non-existent work week.
I know plenty of millionaires: most of them are just as dissatisfied as the “average” Joe.
I know plenty of entrepreneurs doing one lifestyle design stunt or another (running their business from an iPhone on their yacht or whatever) . . . and while “living the life,” most of them still yearn for more.
Because they lack purpose.
And freedom without purpose is empty. Vacant.
Your freedom . . . it’s inside you now, waiting to come out. I (or any other internet marketer) can’t sell it to you.
Um . . . Ok Clay, So Does this Mean You’re Shutting Down Project Mojave?
Nope.
I believe in what we’re doing here too strongly.
This time, we’re going to change the game.
Stay tuned.
P.S. This blog IS the “bullet to the head birthday gift” I was talking about. More on that next week.
View Comments
I completely share the sentiment. The most important asset you need to create for yourself is space. If you don’t have that, your true being will never come to light. Space may be emptiness, but it’s also potential.
Its refreshing to see you writing again. Can’t wait to see what you have in store this time around with Project Mojave, I regret missing the opportunity last time around.
As usual, your writing struck a cord. I am sick of being reactionary…
–Fuck the Revolution.
Thanks, Dcpatton.
@Cameron, thanks for the kind words. It feels so good to be writing again.
@Victor: I totally get what you’re saying about creating space. Completely agree.
I agree, wholeheartedly.
So colour me interested.
Now if only I knew what it was exactly I was hoping to achieve.
Fucking awesome, Clay! Infinity. Clarity. Magic. That video is GOLD! That’s the clearest thing on purpose I’ve seen anywhere ever (except in live face-to-face conversations with you, of course)
Once again, Clay, you nailed it… freedom as an internally-generated, self-constructed experience. “I know plenty of millionaires most of them dissatisfied”… same here. I keep on thinking that this is a no-brainer (we will either make money or we won’t , but we’ll be happy regardless), but hey, I would like this to translate into some cash at some point.. one step at a time, uh?
Welcome back to blogging! It’s a great kick off article.
And many, many thanks for keeping purpose in the entrepreneurial conversation. I’m always amazed by all the gurus telling you how to be rolling in the bills by creating the next weight loss or acne relief site (because the numbers are huge! don’t ya know!). Talk about a soul-killing snooze-fest.
Glad to be connected to someone else who’s led by purpose. Looking forward to more blog posts.
@Jade, I’m so glad you like it. Seriously. I took that video spontaneously while I was walking . . . had no idea it was going to come out of me.
Thanks for posting this Clay. I was so excited when I looked in my in box and saw something from project mojave. I am sorry I didnt sign up the first time around and I have been waiting patiently for it to begin enrolling again. Any Idea when that might happen? Or when we can hear feedback from the current participants?
Clay,
Nice post and welcome back 
I’m very much at a stage now where I’m getting my life ‘to purpose’ – its a big. challenging but definitely very powerful shift to be making.
“You are Your Only Captor” – I love this point. It’s so easy to continually chase our tails saying ‘when I have this the I’ll be happy / free / at peace / or whatever’. The truth is that anything we ever want is really a state, or essentially a feeling(s) which comes from inside of us. We arn’t made happy by our circumstances or situations, nor are we stressed out or made unhappy by them. This comes from inside us and how we process our lives and choose to be. We are our own captor – and liberator.
I was absolutely GUTTED to miss out on Project Mojave last time. It won’t happen again this time. I’ve been waiting for it to re-open as soon as the doors slammed shut in the summer – I am so ready for it. You’re not taking any advanced sign ups are you?? Lol :pp
All the best,
Rich
Right ON, man.
There is NO CAPTOR.
I keep thinking about something you said on that Project Mojave mentorship call last week: If it’s not on the bucket list, it’s on the fuck it list. Profane words of wisdom.
Fuck the revolution!
Check out this clip from U2′s “Sunday Bloody Sunday” (from their documentary “Rattle And Hum”) where Bono curses out a terrorist attack that happened during an Irish Remembrance Day parade that day:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9c4lLnY0rA#t=3m41s
@Clay That’s where ALL the magic comes from…. in the moment, from the heart, no script, with a camera rolling! xo
Great points,I think the so-called information age and the glut of info it brings is a double edged sword because it can keep you running after the next new thing,idea,guru and allow you to avoid facing facts like you are your own captor.
on an unrelated note Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.
Congrats on the new nephew Clay and welcome back!