Archive
Silly Question
Being in transit can be as much of an adventure as living somewhere and experiencing local cultures.
The Power of Free
Some things are so good, they should be shared, even with people who don't want to (or can't) pay for them.
The New Philosopher Kings
Entrepreneurial hackers & code-savvy entrepreneurs can be the Philosopher Kings of the modern world, so long as they hone their wisdom & power in equal measure.
Start a Freedom Business
Start a Freedom Business, a new book by Colin Wright, covers how to start up a money- and time-generating asset (or a few of them) so that you can...
Coping with Unlimited
Now that we have a nearly unlimited capacity to distribute knowledge, we need new methods of managing knowledge so we can make use of that capacity.
Where People Want Me to Go (So Far)
Some excerpts from messages I receive when people vote on where I should move next.
Layouts, Iterations & Fun Facts
An explanation of the new Exile Lifestyle design, a quick overview of the site's past iterations, and a collection of fun facts about the blog and its history.
A Righter Way
There's something to be said for mastery, but the path that leads there can have more twists and turns and offshoots than most people will tell you.
My 6 Life Focuses
The six focuses that keep me moving and motivated (and happy) are deceptively simple.
How to Travel Full Time
The launch of How to Travel Full Time, the second edition of How to Be Remarkable, and a way to answer questions before people ask them.
Competing Contexts
Context can be everything, yet a strong context in a given situation is hard to achieve, and requires more than just research and discussion.
Riding Ducks and Chicken Internet
Reflections on Kolkata, a walk around the neighborhood, enthusiastic construction workers, Easter Island and my first encounter with the Chicken Internet.
My New Indie Publishing Model
The thought-process behind my new indie publishing model, and how it all works for my readers and subscribers.
Lewd Conduct and the Law in Kolkata
A night on the town in Kolkata turns into a lesson about dealing with bureaucracy and bribery in a country of paperwork.
Hang Me Up to Dry
The realities of my laundry situation don't quite meet up with my ambitions while on the road.
Mind Adapters, Not Mind Converters
It may seem like understanding another culture requires a radical change of personality, but all it really requires is the right state of mind.
Passport-Sized Time Machines
Rumination on the stories that passport photos can tell about where you were and what you were doing at a certain point and time in your life.
Cursed and Accomplished in Kolkata
The tale of my trials and tribulations I experienced my first two weeks in Kolkata, India, and what they mean for the rest of the 4 months I'll be...
Revenge Paninis
In which I'm stopped, rerouted, denied sleep, forced to chase my bag around an airport and offered a panini in exchange for my silence.
My Borders Moment
An announcement about the end of the publishing platform Ebookling and what I learned from the year I ran it.
Diversified Conversation for Future Colin
A run-down of the different ways you and I can communicate with each other, with an explanation of what kind of focus I'll be placing on each delivery method.
Time Traveling Catholics and Confederate Ideals
Your actions and ideas will echo through generations of revisions; be sure you give them the care and attention they deserve.
Other People’s Stupid Opinions
Opinions are just that, and arguing them without getting offending is a great way to learn and teach.
Social Games Gamers Play
Video games are suddenly mainstream, and that's giving rise to a generation influenced by games in a big way.
Friends with Fans
An overview of what it's like to have friends with fans and a quick exploration of how I think you avoid watering down your message while continuing to expand...
My Time in New Vegas and a Few Questions
A quick run-through of my media binge experiment thus far, and a few questions for you about a new project I'm considering undertaking.
Homefulness
By aiming for homefulness rather than homelessness - and perhaps even redefining what it means to be home - you're much less likely to be held back by it.
CoMo, Media Binges, Experiments and India
I'm back in Missouri, and I need your input on the best movies, games and TV shows available. Also, my faith in my readers is justified, and I announce...
My Exile Lifestyle: My Book for Your Cup of Coffee
My new book won't teach you to network, but it will regale you with tales of adventure, experimentation, trial-by-fire entrepreneurship, and what it's like living the Exile Lifestyle.
Biological Limitations and Travel Buffers
The biological limitations of negative emotions can be crippling, but they can also be useful if managed correctly.
My Exile Lifestyle: Sale and Experiment Details
An explanation of the different tactics and experiments I'm making use of for the launch of my new book, My Exile Lifestyle.
My Exile Lifestyle: Excerpt from Argentina
My Exile Lifestyle will be released July 1, but today I share an excerpt from my upcoming book and offer a way to snag a copy before everyone else.
Don’t Fire Yourself
Responsibility and ambition are important, but having a life worth living (and not getting fired from) is vital.
One Moment in Time and the Tower Bridge
I check the time on my phone: it’s 2am.
The phone is plugged into my computer, which is itself plugged into the wall. There is a big daisy-chain of gadgets...
Most Interesting People in the Room Relaunch
A project pivot leads to a relaunch and new attempt at refining online conversations.
Leaving a Way of Life, Not a Country
Even if you don't go anywhere new, it's still possible to change your lifestyle by adjusting your routines and priorities.
Votes So Far
A rundown of the voting process from behind the scenes, and some great commentary from readers as to why they voted how they did.
I’m Totally Holding Back
Sometimes holding back and not jumping headfirst into difficulty is the hardest thing you can do.
Entrepreneurship as a Lifestyle
What would make you so excited about work that you would want to spend your off-hours working?
Hard Tales to Tell
It can be difficult to churn up old memories that haven't yet been told, but doing so allows us to face past demons and learn new lessons while also...
The Things We Know We Can’t Know
There are things we can know and things we can't know; it's important to understand the difference and which should be focused on.
What You Say and How You Say It
Your message is vital, but how you communicate it is be equally important.
Dropping Prices and Announcing Newness
Dropping the price of Networking Awesomely (significantly) and announcing a new book project.
Reflections on New Zealand
New Zealand is the kind of place that sticks with you, no matter where you go next.
On Not Sucking As Much
It may not be the victory you wanted, but celebrating intermittently along the way can help you reach your goals with your sanity intact.
Why I’m Not Going to SXSW or the World Domination Summit
Conferences can be great, but I don't feel like I would get much value out of them.
7 Days, 7 New Skills
Time for a new experiment, and this time I'll try to learn a new skill every day for a week.
Socialism, Entrepreneurs, Nipples and Birthdays
After a week in Iceland, I've already seen a bit of the entrepreneurial scene, party culture and family life.
A Time for Questioning What We Know
An exercise with no goal, which can help when thinking about things from another perspective.
Extreme Lifestyle Experiments: My TEDx Talk
My TEDx Phnom Penh talk on Extreme Lifestyle Experiments and how they can help you gain the perspective you need to approach problems from a different angle.
Growing Authorpreneurs with Ebookling
Traditional publishing models don't allow for an entrepreneurial author community. New methods are needed, and Ebookling wants to help find the rights ones.
Non-Profits Waste Money & Businesspeople Are Heartless
Businesspeople and non-profits don't speak the same language, but that doesn't mean we can't bridge the communication gap and be more effective by working together.
The Life of a Wandering Fool
Continuously putting yourself in unfamiliar situations and feeling like an idiot is an incredibly effective way to become better informed.
Semantic Rationality for Try-Hards
Words have power, but when we twist their meaning to match our own agendas, we take that power away.
I Am Not the Center of the Universe
Minimalism is not the be-all, end-all, but it is a great way to remove yourself from the philosophical equation to get to the heart of what matters to you.
Flash Your Country Gang Sign
Simple gestures can mean the world to someone in unfamiliar territory while costing you very little or nothing.
Easily the Best Book Ever Written
Life is the most complex and interesting storyline ever, and seeing it as such makes everyday experiences more exciting and achievement more accessible.
Don’t Play Candyland, Shake Your Rubik’s Cube
There's more than one way to tackle an untouchable problem, and making changes in one area of your life can positively impact all the others.
Sex and Becoming Philosophically Aligned
It's easy to get rid of stuff, but harder to apply your philosophies to all aspects of your life, including your relationships. It's worth trying, though.
Moving Between Moments
Life is a series of moments, and you can control how and when you change to a new one (and what that new one looks like).
Righteous Rectitude Requires Retained Rationality
It's a pity when good arguments are weighed down with bad-emotions. Maintain your rational stance to add strength to your position.
Travel-Buddies on the Journey Through Life
Choose your travel buddies wisely, as they can make the different between a good trip and bad. Choose your friends just as carefully.
Just a Big List of Interesting Posts
A collection of favorite posts on the 200th post anniversary of Exile Lifestyle
Secular Blogging Religions and Healthy Skepticism
There are a lot of great ideas to be found in blogs, but there are also a lot of false revolutions and market-driven over-emphasizing of ideas. Keep your wits...
Opting-Out from Time-Toilets
Bureaucracy, misapplied torque and pointless bickering are facts of life, but they don't have to be facts of YOUR life.
Sober Up with Associative Compensation
Build an association between value produced and rewards earned and those in charge or creating value will work harder and more passionately.
Living an Iterative Life
Dividing your time into segments and living an iterative life can greatly increase the rate of your personal evolution and the pleasure you take in living.
Fake Freedom Lovers and Ethical Hypocrisy
If you don't think through the consequences of responding emotionally to something you disagree with, you may find yourself with the right to an opinion.
Be a Brand or Sell Your Love on the Street
If you don't stand out, you can only compete with brazenness and price, leaving you a starving shell of a person.
Minimalism, Priorities and Punching Difficulty in the Throat
Minimalism is about focusing on your priorities, but sometimes priorities change, forcing you to make tough decisions.
We Live in the Frickin’ Future
Anything is possible, so long as we don't tell ourselves that it's not.
I Build
If you are a builder, creating is a compulsion, not a choice. Giving in to that need can greatly increase your life and the lives of others.
More Free Time = More Nudity, Projects
Work is not keeping you from happiness, but having to do work you don't enjoy is. Don't be afraid of work you enjoy.
Painful Installation Moments and Laser Solutions
The only thing worse than pain is routine pain, but thankfully routines are easy to break if you're willing to take responsibility for the outcome.
Screw Top 100 Lists and Citizen Kane
It's tempting to assume that movies on the top 100 lists are the best of the best, but in reality they are just antiques waiting to be cleared out...
The Dramedy Method of Personal Branding
The strategies that TV producers use to flesh out their characters can help you build your personal brand.
The Beauty of Outsourcing
Outsourcing expert Maren Kate Donovan talks about why outsourcing works, some pitfalls to watch out for, and how to use it to free up more time for yourself.
72 Hours of Pain, Elves and Time-Travel
72 hours of intense pain leads to Twitter discussions with dead presidents, ruminations on elves and time-travel-based solution.
Most Interesting People in the Room
A new project aims to reward people for being brilliant while also giving them access to the best conversations online.
No Water Means No Philosophy
We are able to philosophize and focus on the intangible because we've build a system that keeps resources relatively steady. If an important resource like water becomes scarce, however,...
If It’s Rubbish, Trash It
ebookling relaunches, but not without some trouble along the way, plus a reminder that you should always put out work you're happy with, no matter the consequences.
The Bomb in My Apartment
A shift in laws and standards while traveling can force you to deep dive into your personal ethics and reevaluate your priorities.
Don’t Build Walls, Get Naked
It's natural to want to defend yourself against the trials and tribulations of the world, but if you allow yourself to face these issues head-on, you'll be able to...
The Seduction Community is Guitar Hero for Dating
The Seduction Community can provide a framework for the socially uncomfortable, but the overall philosophy of the group falls short when it comes to preparing members for the real...
Happiness and Dragonfruit
Stopping and taking time to be happy may sound like a waste for ambitious types, but by skipping it, you're kind of missing the point.
Ethical Business Practices and Your Stomach
If your business ethics don't follow your personal ethics, your base is suffering and your strategy isn't sustainable.
Minimalism Explained
Minimalism is an oft-misunderstood philosophy, and it shouldn't be confused with 'just getting rid of stuff.' If you do Minimalism right, though, it's likely you'll want to streamline your...
Beards Versus Snake Oil
While traveling, it can sometimes pay to go disguised as someone that you're not for a few days.
Add Seaweed to Your Brand
It's important to have strong core brand values, but it's equally important to be able to bend when trying to share those values with others.
Argue Only If You Can Accept Defeat
Is it ever worthwhile to argue? It can be, so long as you go in with the right intent.
Home is Grad School, Abroad is Kindergarten
What you learn in your own country is much more advanced than what you learn overseas, but both are necessary to get the most out of either experience.
Time Released Personality and Your Brand
The order in which you explain your story is just as important to your brand as what your story is.
Dishonest Branding, Coke and Vitaminwater
In the wake of a lawsuit over Coke's branding of their popular vitaminwater products, dishonest branding is discussed and reasons are given to brand truthfully.
Achieving Minimalism Through Exhaustion
If you allow yourself to become overwhelmed and pay attention, you'll find that what's really important will take center stage.
Idea Turbulence and Getting Through It
Every time you want to create something new, you first have to fight the idea turbulence that derails most moves toward innovation.
4 Heartless, Logical Reasons to Be Happy
You needn't be irrational to be happy. Here are 4 cold, heartless and logical reasons I find to be happy about life.
The Best You Can Do vs the Best You Can Do With What’s Available
With the right mentality, a limitation can become a push forward.
If You Want to Survive Out Here, You’ve Got to Know Where Your Towel Is
Removing preconceptions about how things are done can seriously help you on the road (and in life).
Reader Appreciation Day!
In which Andi, Ash and I heavily discount our prices for the ONE SPARE DAY we found in our road trip schedule!
Roadwiches and Enthusiastic Fans
Is there some small thing you could do for a portion of your audience to build a stronger connection with them?
Tell Me What You Are, Not What You’re Not
Use labels that tell people what you are, not limiting labels that only tell what you're not.
Expectations and Experiences
Our cultural expectations color our experiences, which can impact our futures in ways that are hard to imagine.
Debate, Don’t Hate
An argument between two bloggers in the comment section of a post last week turns into a co-written treatise on having a sound (and productive) debate.
Flocks of Bloggers
Bloggers tend to have very different relationships with each other than non-bloggers.
Fence Tape and Cow Brains
Are there fences in your life that are self-imposed, rather than being true barriers?
Take Pride in Your Beliefs (and Why I Love the Gays)
If you look down upon another group of people because someone else tells you to, what does that say about the validity of EVERYTHING you believe?
My Sordid Love Affair with New York
I love New York so much, I have to be wary, lest I move there and never leave.
My Epic Road Trip and Me (and You)
The Way Below Status Quo Smackdown Roadtrip 2010 is on it's way across the USA!
Andrew’s Couch
A friend when you're in need (who makes you brownies for breakfast) is a friend indeed.
Logos Outshine Personal Brands
Wearing logos is a shortcut to self-expression, but could be hurting your personal brand.
Girls Stealing Cameras
Girls like to delete photos off your camera, but what they're really trying to do is manage their personal brand
What Would You Do If the Internet Died Today?
The Internet is not invincible, but it is omnipresent. What would you do if it vanished today?
Hookahs, Babies and One Crazy Author
Realizing that you have changed your priorities can be scary and exciting at the same time, especially when you figure out that they've shifted after the fact.
Buses, Dating and Coming Full Circle in Christchurch
Leaving is always hard, but it's what you got out of the experience that counts, not whether or not it's forever.
22 Things to Do More Often While Traveling
A list of 22 things that all travelers should do while on the road whenever the opportunity arises.
So Long, Sassy Shoes
Don't let your mind shortcut its way through life. You might miss out on something important.
Innovate Fast, Build Faster
It's good to prepare, but if you don't start acting on your ideas fast enough, they may never come to fruition.
What Richard Saul Wurman and René Magritte Don’t Know
Sometimes the best way to approach a problem is blindly.
What You Can Do To Improve Your Life RIGHT NOW
Is there a mystery in your life that needs solving? Can you do it RIGHT NOW?
Don’t Build Your Own Boxes
Why I didn't go bungee jumping and sat at a coffeehouse ruminating instead, and why you might consider doing the same.
Playing Rugby with Heart Children
My relationship with philanthropy is a somewhat non-traditional one.
Minimalism, Doritos and Heidi Klum
One of the most overlooked and understated benefits of minimalism is the sense of clarity and ability to focus that is granted to its practitioners.
Politicians, Here’s How To Win
A modest proposal for a new way to run political campaigns against the backdrop of a backwoods New Zealand farmer's market.
Want to Earn Some Moola and a Loving Caress?
Today I want to invite my entire audience to become my business partners and join the Exile Lifestyle affiliate program!
The Upcoming Threesome Roadtrip
It's no secret that I'm a project enthusiast.
If I want to do something, I turn it into a measurable goal; something with rules and milestones so that I can...
Tall Poppy Syndrome and the Jealousies
There is one big hurdle other than Internet infrastructure that could hamstring New Zealand's effort to become a dominant player in international business, and this hurdle has a cute...
Penguins, Parties and Personal Branding
I'm staring at the ceiling in the middle of a club in a small port town outside of Christchurch. And I'm a penguin.
Dear Bangalore Polo Club: You Screwed Up
There's a place that I really liked here in Christchurch called the Bangalore Polo Club. Too bad they screwed up.
Number 8 Wire & Why Kiwis Will Conquer the Internet
New Zealand natives ('Kiwis') are pioneers. This makes them the perfect online entrepreneurs, so long as they can get the right infrastructure in place.
OMFG Networking Awesomely Ebook
It's been a big week here on Exile Lifestyle.
The 16th was my 25th birthday, followed by the blog's first birthday on the 19th.
And today is the launch of a...
My Quarter-Century Crisis (of Awesomeness)
I've come to understand that for my 25th birthday I'm supposed to go a little crazy, completely rearrange my life, change careers, take up new hobbies, end relationships, dramatically...
Do Anybody Make Real Shit Anymore?
The title is taken from the legendary Kanye West, when he asks (because he's not sure) if anybody makes real shit anymore. While the grammar is lacking, it's a...
31 Posts in 31 Days
So when I found out I was moving to New Zealand, I wanted to give myself a challenge for the first month, since I wouldn't have a new language...
Tetris, Hula Hooping and Coping With Your Awesomeness
I'm going to tell you something really important, and I think you might want to sit down.
The Business of Throwing People from Planes
I was coerced into going skydiving while I was spending a weekend in Queenstown quite recently, and though the jumping out of a plane thing was a pleasure, the...
Drink to Life
Good writers know that to give the reader a full sensory experience, you must stimulate each of their senses.
Your Computers Will Have Computers
One of my fondest childhood memories were the days when my dad would sit me down and teach me about Visual Basic.
New Zealand is So Beautiful it Makes Me Sick
I've lived in New Zealand for almost a month now, and there are a few things that I can tell you about the place that stand out.
Tell Me All About Your Sexy Self
I'm at a club in Buenos Aires, out with a few friends I met through other friends, all of us now first-tier friends because of the great night we've...
Every Day in Lima is the Best Day Ever
I'm walking down yet another wrought-iron gate-lined block. It looks exactly the same as the one before it. No wait, the spikes at the top of the gate are...
Missing Pages in the Story of the World
It's a strange feeling - if you stop to think about it - knowing that you're going to wake up in the future.
Building a Vader-less Empire
I find that in most situation I would much rather be the upstart underdog than the well-entrenched incumbent.
I’m a Man of Many Experiments
Part of why I started traveling was so that I would be able to go through personal evolutions more quickly.
Cultivating a Studied Ignorance
I'm one of those people who has to know everything about everything.
Brothers and Sisters, Design Your Frickin’ Life
I can't tell you how many designers I know who are existing from paycheck to paycheck and doing work they are ashamed of.
Taking It In (and Not Tweeting About It)
One of the most difficult parts of my exile was leaving my beloved iPhone behind.
Hostels are for Tourists with Backpacks
I just got off a 16 hour flight, hopped a bus to a bus station, and then barely managed to snag another bus before it left.
All 51 Things I Own
One of the most popular posts ever here on Exile Lifestyle was All 72 Things I Own, wherein I took a photo of each and every object I owned...
Doritos Make Me Look Lazy
I think this is probably the millionth time someone has commended me on my work ethic only to glance at my screen and see that I'm playing Tetris.
Home Is Where the Porn Is
I'm sitting here in Melbourne - on the floor - in the corner of my hostel room.
Cast Your Vote on Where I Will Live Next!
Friends! Countrymen! People I haven't met yet from other countries! Dogs/cats/rocks/plants! Lend me your ears!
My New Home and Choose My Next One
I've been in New Zealand less than a week, but already I'm getting a lot of strong first impressions.
Exercises in Social Incorrectness
There are many invisible but very important social rules that keep the streets clean, the lights on and you and your neighbors alive day-to-day.
The Insufferably Viral Arrogance of the Middle Class
I - like a solid portion of my audience in all likelihood - come from a middle class family.
Seldom have I felt like anything in the world was out...
The Spiky, Geographic Nature of Success
When I was a wee lad, I was certain I would be the next Todd McFarlane.
The Tests Who Think They Know Me
I've always thought that horoscopes were kind of ridiculous.
Here you have a series of predictions, ostensibly that will apply to everyone, but there are only a dozen of them...
I Got Punched in the Face at a Gay Dance Club in Lima
I'm dancing with the girl in yellow, pivoting and swirling, a little surprised that she had returned but resolute that this dance will be better than the last.
She smiles...
For Real, I’m Going to Die on This Bus
It's the final day of my 72-hour bus ride from Buenos Aires to Lima, and the seats around me have turned into a strip mall, my fellow passengers into...
But Seriously Guys, This Bus Is Really Bad
Day two on the three day bus ride from Buenos Aires to Lima.
I've discovered a number of things today about travel and about myself.
Guys, This Bus Sucks
The bus is late. This shouldn't be a surprise, but it is.
As a clunky green giant pulls up, looking a bit like a dilapidated, heavily curtained refrigerator from the...
Landmarks Are Just Brands with Souvenirs
The Idea of Things
One of the last things my ex-girlfriend and I did before we had our Breakup Party and left LA was take a sporadic trip to the...
Demons and Water Fountains
I don't know about you, but I'm really looking forward to drinking from a water fountain.
Making a Modern Medici
The Renaissance was a time of great intellectual and artistic prosperity; many people were pulled out of the mud and darkness of the Middle Ages and shown a bright,...
My Magnetic Bromance
This is a guest post by my good porteño friend, Carlos Miceli from OwlSparks. Carlos writes about philosophy, marketing, ambition and anything else that comes within range of his...
How to Have a Personal Renaissance
Today I woke up at 11am, checked my email, dilly-dallied around the Internet for about an hour and then took a shower.
The Bar at the End of the World
I'm on my third beer, this one is green.
It's the local specialty; so local in fact that it's named after the bar I'm sitting in. 'Dublin,' the label proudly...
How To Be Confident Even When You Suck
I'm sitting outside a small restaurant in Baroliche, an outdoorsy city in Patagonia that has recently become a tourist destination of sorts due to the diverse varieties of adventure...
Meat, She-Pimps and Ethical Quandaries
I pull up the Facebook message from Joey (name changed to protect the innocent) - a small-and-spunky English gal I met shortly after moving to Buenos Aires – and...
How To Be As Awesome And Buff As Colin
It can be very hard to get into a fitness or workout groove. The initial soreness, the shortness of breath, and the unfamiliar shock to the nervous system are...
I’m a Sissy for My Friends
It's 3:30am Friday morning and I'm still procrastinating.
But this is Buenos Aires, and 3:30am is nothing. 3:30am is for sissies and I'm no sissy.
Seeing as how I'm leaving Buenos...
All 72 Things I Own
As a minimalist, it's important that my possessions do not own me and that what I do own serves multiple purposes, is high-quality and as sustainable as possible.
It Was Drink or Swim
Cold. I'm really. Frickin'. Cold.
These are the only words that weave their way through my brain, shaken by the chattering of my teeth and the muted cacophony of small...
How to Be Remarkable
Don't you love meeting remarkable people?
You know, the kind of person that you exchange a few sentences with and immediately know you'll be inspired by. You tell your friends...
I’m a Bit Slow
I turn the handle 90 degrees to the right, relishing the slight resistance offered by the oiled metallic housing.
Good Things Come To Those That Don’t Wait
Procrastination, they say, is the killer of progress, creativity and small puppies.
I Feel So Used (and You Should Too)
One of the first things I think when I meet someone is 'How will this person be useful to me?'
Be My Guru
I've never had a mentor. Not in the usual sense of the word, anyway. I didn't have that one person who excelled at everything I cared about, blazing trails...
Between You and the Very Hard Ground
It's a lot like the first day of school, actually.
Someone helps you put on a heavy backpack, gives you a bit of grave advice, cheerfully wishes you luck, and...
The Future Will Suck
I distinctly remember walking home from the grocery store with my girlfriend one day when I lived in LA and seeing a tall, lanky, tattooed gentlemen ahead of us...
Walk of Shame
The clomping of my shoes is the only sound as I walk my way through Palermo. I pull back the sleeve of my jacket to check the time: 6:27am....
I Punched a Local in the Face
Last night, I was returning home from a wonderful night of social intrigue and gastro-intestinal charm. I had enjoyed the best salmon dinner of my life in a small...
I’m Writing This to Get Laid
I get a lot done most days. I wake up and check my email, make plans and schedule appointments as necessary, check out the blogosphere to see what's happened...
You’ll Never Be Philosophically Fulfilled (and That’s Okay)
In life you'll come across many people who are adept at talking the talk, but don't even own the right shoes to walking the walk. These people set their...
Sentimentality is the Enemy of Evolution
I was having a conversation over orange juice with one of the handful of English expats I've met since I moved to Buenos Aires, and the topic of sentimentality...
Today I Exhaled
One week ago today I arrived in Buenos Aires, road-worn, bleary-eyed and unable to understand a single word being uttered by the dozens of people I came into contact...
The Fine Art of Diving Into Traffic
I arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina 2 days ago and after a solid 18 hours on various flights between Miami, Mexico City and Santiago, I was ready to crash...
Missouri: So Long, Thanks for All the Hicks
As I write this I'm on a shuttle between Columbia, Missouri and St. Louis, looking out the window, listening to Yelle and typing away on my tiny little netbook.
How to Throw a Shred Party
Most parties are about getting together with friends, eating and drinking until you're waddling around the room, and creating new memories. But what if you're trying to bring about...
How To See Like A Traveler All The Time
As you huff and puff your way to the peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro, step up to the edge and swivel 360 degrees in delight you think, "this is living!"...
How to Be a Consultant
When little kids are asked what they want to be when they grow up, they usually pick something that seems exciting or heroic. If they had their way, janitors,...
Tip Well or Eat Spit
Tipping, like pulling out chairs and tastefully wearing pantaloons, is a bit of a lost art for most people in the world.
Goodbye LA: You Suck and I’ll Miss You
As I write this I'm sitting along the periphery of the waiting area for Gate 35 at LAX airport, my worldly belongings nearly identifiable as they bulge and poke...
How to Throw a Breakup Party
The first question that I would usually get from people when I initially started telling them about Exile Lifestyle was "When will you be coming back?" The second question...
The Beauty of Spring Cleaning
Over the years I have come to the realization that I am a veritable pack rat. I take a look around my house and I find years of stuff...
Reclaiming a Scarcity Mentality
As I write this, I'm waiting for a half-dozen people to show up at my apartment so they can cart off my furniture. One lady wants my bedroom set,...
How Titles Affect First Impressions
I'm left-handed, an Angelino, a former Midwesterner, a designer, a sustainability and social media consultant, an ENTJ, an Aries, a humanist, a quinoa fan, a guitar player, a straight-laced...
Your Money or Your Life
Quick question: how many people do you know whose life ambition is to make a whole lot of money?
Take an Unplanned Vacation
Today I woke up in Mesa, Arizona, went for a quick swim, ate remarkably-accurate New York-style pizza in a Southwestern town with a population of around 200, drove to...
The Law of Attraction is Bullshit
The Law of Attraction is definitely, well, an attractive thought. It essentially says you can get anything you want if you just WANT it enough! And who can't do...
Today’s Tragedies = Tomorrow’s Comedies
No matter how prepared you are or how well you know that there's no need to worry, there are still situations in which you won't be able to stop...
Is Your Life Story Boring?
Ask 100 different people what goes into a happy and successful life and you will get 100 different (and correct) answers. This variety helps keep life interesting, of course,...
Cut Celebrities from Your Mental Diet
The English have their royalty, the Japanese have their gadgets, and here in the United States, we have celebrities. Lots and lots of celebrities.
Limit Yourself to Expand Your Mind
Weve all been in situations that have been less than ideal. Your job might suck or your roommates might be a burden on your mind and your wallet. You...
How to Cope with Being Managed
As someone who has worked as a designer for many different companies under many different bosses, I know firsthand that there are pros and cons to every manager, and...
You Are Not Your Job: Act Like It
Anyone who knows me in real life is thinking 'Colin is the biggest hypocrite in the world' after reading the title of this article. Why? Because I'm the first...
Park Further Away to Achieve Enlightenment
As someone who reads a whole lot, I'm constantly discovering that there are very few new ideas, and most of the ones that claim to be are really just...
How to Sell Your Stuff (Better)
Think of how much stuff you've accumulated over the past 2 years. Now think of what it would take to sell it all while getting a reasonable return on...
Exile Lifestyle 1.0 Updates
It's been almost 3 months since I published the first article here on Exile Lifestyle, and a lot has changed in that time.
How to Be a Gentleman and a Scholar
Balance is something I am constantly striving for, and sometimes it can feel like a losing battle. Finding a middle ground between work and play, being social and being...
Learn 1 Thing from Everyone You Meet
File this under 'weird things that Colin does for fun at parties.'
In addition to playing the Meet New People game (which I'll cover in the near future), I make...
Nostalgia for Fun and Profit
One of my favorite assignments in design school involved going through my old class work and re-appropriating something I had done before into something new. I took old photographs...
Play Tetris to Achieve Your Dreams
A little known fact about me: I hold the high score on 5 Tetris arcade machines.
"Why would Colin waste his time with games, when the game of life is...
Earning Compound Interest On Your Knowledge
I'm a big fan of Ramit Sethi's blog (and book), I Will Teach You To Be Rich. One of the key concepts that he focuses on in teaching people...
Move Forward by Working Backward
It's probably safe to say that, at one point or another, all of us have run into a wall with our work. We've all had that terrifying moment of...
Your 20 Minutes of Awesome
If you're anything at all like me, your time is very valuable to you. You only have 24 hours in a day and ostensibly only a portion of those...
How To Not Waste Your Time In College
Achieving higher education means more to some than others. Many take the opportunity to learn all they can, involve themselves with clubs and extracurricular activities, and to meet people...
Asymmetrical Business Warfare and You
Running a small business (or a freelance career) is a lot like launching a long-term sortie into enemy territory; an enemy that is much larger, better equipped and with...
The Location Independent and Digital Nomad Survey
I am VERY new to the world traveling, live where you want, work where (and if) you want, nomadic kind of culture. So new, in fact, that I haven't...
Field Guide to World Travelers
After slowly investigating and integrating myself into the world-traveling community for a few months, I finally have a fairly good sense of the people involved, the methods available and...
Burn Your Résumé
I was recently asked by a friend from college for a copy of my résumé so that he could get some inspiration before updating his own. I paused for...
5 Ways to Sustain Your Lifestyle
A lot of people are going to read the title to this blog and think "Uh-oh, here comes farmer Colin to tell me about planting a vegetable garden on...
Free Personal Branding Ebook!
Here is the first ebook released through Exile Lifestyle in a series of books I like to call the 'Least You Need to Know' series. It covers a wide...
10 Tips for Successful Online Dating
When many people think of online dating, they think of all the World of Warcraft addicts and goth kids from high school getting together online trying to get dates....
7 Ways That Self-Confidence Will Make You Better, Stronger, Faster
It seems like confidence is in short supply these days. Below are 7 reasons why you should increase your self-confidence level, just in case being in the minority isn't...
5 Confidence Boosters for the Confidence Incompetent
Most of us are not blessed with an uncommonly high level of self-esteem. In fact, most of us have trouble finding positives in even our greatest successes because of...
5 Ways to Be Thrifty Without Being Lame
It's a common misconception that if you are thrifty, you are cheap. You're a penny-pinching ninny who doesn't care for material pleasures, owns a piggy bank (or some other...
Argentina!
The results from the 'Where Should Colin Go?' poll are in, and the winning country is Argentina.
What do I know off the top of my head about this country?...
Everything I Own
Here is a list of the necessities that I will need for my travels. Let me know what you would recommend for some or all of the items, as...
Why You Should Stop Not Traveling
This article may seem superfluous at first. You're mentally admonishing me as such: "Seriously, Colin, I know I should be traveling more and I enjoy traveling and I will...
About the Project
I started the Exile Lifestyle project to bring some semblance of order to a series of changes that I am instituting in my life....
On Failing Gracefully
I remember my first day of Ultimate Frisbee practice. There was a lot a catch to be played, running to be done, stretches to be learned, and ideals to...
The Burden of Ownership
Take a look at your hobbies. Are they corporate tools (as in a useful device or implement, not a person who is a douchebag)?
They almost certainly are. I, for...
19 Things You Can Replace with an iPhone
The iPhone is the Swiss Army Knife of smart phones, able to tackle a wide variety of tasks that are generally divvied out to many separate devices. Consider investing...
How to Effectively Collect Your Thoughts
Like a well-woven tapestry or epic oil painting, it has the power to inspire and amaze. Like a broken window, it can drag a bad neighborhood deeper into disrepair...
10 Ways to Become Inspired
Inspiration is a finicky creature; always there when you don't need it, but as soon as you do it cannot be found.
As someone who's livelihood depends on being creative...
Going Green Means Embracing Technology, Tough Decisions
A good friend of mine and I have frequent debates about the future of 'green.' We both believe that humanity's survival depends a great deal on how we cope...
