Comments on: How to Take a Sabbatical: An Author Interview with Dan Clements http://www.projectmojave.com/blog/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/ Create a Freedom Business in 3 Months Sun, 25 Jul 2010 23:27:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: 47 Decent Lifestyle Design Resources | Project Mojave Blog http://www.projectmojave.com/blog/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/comment-page-1/#comment-11091 47 Decent Lifestyle Design Resources | Project Mojave Blog Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:31:01 +0000 http://TheGrowingLife.com/2008/03/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/#comment-11091 [...] Escape 101: The Four Secrets to Taking a Sabbatical or Career Break Without Losing Your Money or Your Mind (note: see my interview with Dan Clements here). [...] [...] Escape 101: The Four Secrets to Taking a Sabbatical or Career Break Without Losing Your Money or Your Mind (note: see my interview with Dan Clements here). [...]

]]> By: @Stephen | Productivity in Context http://www.projectmojave.com/blog/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/comment-page-1/#comment-7244 @Stephen | Productivity in Context Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:10:01 +0000 http://TheGrowingLife.com/2008/03/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/#comment-7244 Hey Lex, I still remember sitting in my Physics class where we were learning about the mathematical equations that describe the magnetic field around a straight wire carrying an electric current. The same equations describe the motion of an incompressible flow of a fluid(like water) around a curved object (like a wing). Sounds kinda nerdy now, but I have been looking for these kinds of congruencies for the past 20 years... Life is interesting that way. Hey Lex,
I still remember sitting in my Physics class where we were learning about the mathematical equations that describe the magnetic field around a straight wire carrying an electric current. The same equations describe the motion of an incompressible flow of a fluid(like water) around a curved object (like a wing).

Sounds kinda nerdy now, but I have been looking for these kinds of congruencies for the past 20 years…

Life is interesting that way.

]]> By: Lex G http://www.projectmojave.com/blog/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/comment-page-1/#comment-7243 Lex G Wed, 19 Mar 2008 23:02:31 +0000 http://TheGrowingLife.com/2008/03/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/#comment-7243 Good interview ... Well formulated questions and fun to read ... Reading the answers only already gives me the good feeling motivation ;) Maybe that's because I've been trying to 'shift' my 'career' as such that I am as free as possible ... Honestly, I don't ever read books anymore, but this one I might actually go get ... B.t.w. The myths reminded me of my management course in college which dealt partly with 'how to accept help employees adapt to a change of situation ...'. They usually go through a number of standard phases before actually making / accepting changes, whether self initiated or started by someone else. It's also amazing how standard models which we are educated about actually shine trough in multiple other areas of life ... Good interview … Well formulated questions and fun to read …

Reading the answers only already gives me the good feeling motivation ;) Maybe that’s because I’ve been trying to ’shift’ my ‘career’ as such that I am as free as possible …

Honestly, I don’t ever read books anymore, but this one I might actually go get …

B.t.w.
The myths reminded me of my management course in college which dealt partly with ‘how to accept help employees adapt to a change of situation …’. They usually go through a number of standard phases before actually making / accepting changes, whether self initiated or started by someone else.

It’s also amazing how standard models which we are educated about actually shine trough in multiple other areas of life …

]]> By: @Stephen | Productivity in Context http://www.projectmojave.com/blog/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/comment-page-1/#comment-7242 @Stephen | Productivity in Context Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:28:41 +0000 http://TheGrowingLife.com/2008/03/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/#comment-7242 <b>Precisely.</b> Just as being "capital-p" Productive is about <i>being done</i>, not just getting things done. Your productivity practice needs to include time for you to get away, to recharge your batteries and re-connect with your inner self as well as your loved ones. I am so going to start reading this book! Precisely. Just as being “capital-p” Productive is about being done, not just getting things done.
Your productivity practice needs to include time for you to get away, to recharge your batteries and re-connect with your inner self as well as your loved ones.

I am so going to start reading this book!

]]> By: Dan Clements http://www.projectmojave.com/blog/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/comment-page-1/#comment-7241 Dan Clements Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:21:09 +0000 http://TheGrowingLife.com/2008/03/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/#comment-7241 @Andrea: Thanks for the question - it's a good one. Ironically, this is yet another example of a time when leaving home to do something that you could do without leaving home puts you further ahead. We wrote most of the draft manuscript for Escape 101 in Paraguay, SA. Our daughter was five on that sabbatical. If we hadn't left, the book would still be unfinished. What made it work? We had this very broad set of requirements for our escape, and as few deal-breakers as possible. We weren't fixated on a particular country, but we did want to dust off some Spanish, and expose Eve to a new language. One of the few non-negotiables, though, was that there had to be other children around. That focus made all the difference. It meant that there were always playmates, and other parents nearby. Essentially, it helped to replicate a lot of the support network most families have in place in their day-to-day lives to manage the logistics of raising happy kids and staying sane. At the same time, though, by leaving home, you remove your job, your commute, your distractions of everyday life, and you create this this unprogrammed, uncommitted time to do what's important. For us that was helping others, reconnecting as a family, and writing. By leaving home, we ended up with time to do it all, and then some. Here's the thing: Sometimes accomplishing what you want isn't about becoming hyper-productive or super-effective, or about GTD, or any of those things. It's just about having less other stuff to do. It's about wading out into a new, clear, unobstructed place where life isn't yelling at you all the time. Sometimes it's just about leaving. @Andrea: Thanks for the question – it’s a good one.

Ironically, this is yet another example of a time when leaving home to do something that you could do without leaving home puts you further ahead.

We wrote most of the draft manuscript for Escape 101 in Paraguay, SA. Our daughter was five on that sabbatical. If we hadn’t left, the book would still be unfinished.

What made it work? We had this very broad set of requirements for our escape, and as few deal-breakers as possible. We weren’t fixated on a particular country, but we did want to dust off some Spanish, and expose Eve to a new language. One of the few non-negotiables, though, was that there had to be other children around.

That focus made all the difference. It meant that there were always playmates, and other parents nearby. Essentially, it helped to replicate a lot of the support network most families have in place in their day-to-day lives to manage the logistics of raising happy kids and staying sane.

At the same time, though, by leaving home, you remove your job, your commute, your distractions of everyday life, and you create this this unprogrammed, uncommitted time to do what’s important. For us that was helping others, reconnecting as a family, and writing. By leaving home, we ended up with time to do it all, and then some.

Here’s the thing: Sometimes accomplishing what you want isn’t about becoming hyper-productive or super-effective, or about GTD, or any of those things. It’s just about having less other stuff to do. It’s about wading out into a new, clear, unobstructed place where life isn’t yelling at you all the time.

Sometimes it’s just about leaving.

]]> By: Andrea Hess http://www.projectmojave.com/blog/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/comment-page-1/#comment-7240 Andrea Hess Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:06:28 +0000 http://TheGrowingLife.com/2008/03/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/#comment-7240 Great interview and very interesting book! I'd love to hear what the author has to say about sabbaticals with toddlers in tow! That's where I get hung up. I would love to take a month off to "just" write, for example ... but I don't think my toddler would put up with that unless she's in daycare. And so the only sabbatical I could imagine would be one at home, where there's still laundry, and dinner to cook, and cleaning, etc. Not much of a sabbatical away from "it all!" Any ideas? Blessings, Andrea Great interview and very interesting book! I’d love to hear what the author has to say about sabbaticals with toddlers in tow! That’s where I get hung up. I would love to take a month off to “just” write, for example … but I don’t think my toddler would put up with that unless she’s in daycare. And so the only sabbatical I could imagine would be one at home, where there’s still laundry, and dinner to cook, and cleaning, etc. Not much of a sabbatical away from “it all!”

Any ideas?

Blessings,
Andrea

]]> By: Erek Ostrowski http://www.projectmojave.com/blog/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/comment-page-1/#comment-7239 Erek Ostrowski Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:35:50 +0000 http://TheGrowingLife.com/2008/03/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/#comment-7239 Excellent interview, Clay! I'm struck by how the mental barriers to escape are more challenging to manage than the actual logistics of escape. I notice that my own mind is constantly generating reasons why I can't do something like that. Doing it might not actually be all that difficult, but managing my perspective and my thinking would be critically important to pulling it off! Excellent interview, Clay! I’m struck by how the mental barriers to escape are more challenging to manage than the actual logistics of escape.

I notice that my own mind is constantly generating reasons why I can’t do something like that. Doing it might not actually be all that difficult, but managing my perspective and my thinking would be critically important to pulling it off!

]]> By: Maria - Never the Same River Twice http://www.projectmojave.com/blog/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/comment-page-1/#comment-7238 Maria - Never the Same River Twice Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:34:31 +0000 http://TheGrowingLife.com/2008/03/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/#comment-7238 Wow. This is a great interview about a great book, Clay. I love the emphasis on creating a catalyst for personal change that doesn't involve a tragedy of some kind! If we all wait until we have a medical crisis to follow our dreams, we might never get the chance. This is real food for thought. Wow. This is a great interview about a great book, Clay.

I love the emphasis on creating a catalyst for personal change that doesn’t involve a tragedy of some kind! If we all wait until we have a medical crisis to follow our dreams, we might never get the chance.

This is real food for thought.

]]> By: ZHereford http://www.projectmojave.com/blog/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/comment-page-1/#comment-7237 ZHereford Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:56:35 +0000 http://TheGrowingLife.com/2008/03/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/#comment-7237 Great interview Clay! The concept of taking a sabbatical is a wonderful way to test the waters before you make the plunge! This book couldn't come at a better time when so many are questioning their direction and career choices. Great interview Clay!

The concept of taking a sabbatical is a wonderful way to test the waters before you make the plunge! This book couldn’t come at a better time when so many are questioning their direction and career choices.

]]> By: J.D. http://www.projectmojave.com/blog/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/comment-page-1/#comment-7236 J.D. Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:26:25 +0000 http://TheGrowingLife.com/2008/03/how-to-take-a-sabbatical-an-author-interview-with-dan-clements/#comment-7236 > the happiest people in life are those who feel they have choices That's so key, and it's more perspective than circumstance. > the happiest people in life are those who feel they have choices
That’s so key, and it’s more perspective than circumstance.

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