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unWorking: Exit the Rat Race, Live Like a Millionaire, and Be Happy Now!
Wake up. The world has changed. Are you living in the new world, or are you still living in the old one? The old world was about paying your dues and biding your time on the basis of promised golden years. It doesn’t work that way anymore. Don’t complain; just adapt. The old world wasn’t that good anyway. Who wants to give the best years of their life to a job and then wake up at 65 and wonder where all the time went? In the new world you can write your own ticket, be your own boss, and live on a grand scale, now.This guide to lifestyle design will teach How to summon the courage to pursue your dreams agains the odds How to figure out what you want your life to look like How to pursue work that you’re passionate about How to develop good income while avoiding bad income How to actually prioritize your family over your career How to stay in sync with your spouse amidst major life changes How to get your kids out of the miniaturized, pressurized rat race How to live on a grand scale now instead of holding out hope for the “golden years.”unWorking is a guide to lifestyle design in the new world. It’s also a darn good story, one of epic proportions, just like yours can be.
- GenresNonfiction
253 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 31, 2015
68 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 10, 2015
Reading this book may have been one of the biggest paradigm shifts I have yet experienced and for that reason I gave it what is rare for me, a five star rating!! I consider myself a pretty well-read person of books about being independent and wealthy and creating residual income so this book took me out of my comfort zone many times. I felt the very real frustration of 'how could you be so irresponsible?' when they were stranded in a foreign country about to miss their flight home. But I also felt the goose bumps all over my body when he explained what kind of a dad he wanted to be and as he explained the memories he had with his children that a price tag could never be placed on. I love that he is showing the world that you can live like a millionaire without having to be one! I love the shift in perspective of 'I've got to have it' to 'am I willing to trade a part of my life for it?' Wow! If we could all be so fortunate as to be raised in a family where these sort of freedom principles are not just taught but lived and shown by example! I enjoyed every minute of this read and appreciated the paradigm shifts, the conversation and dreams it struck up in my hubby and I, and I especially loved the strong family ideals this family lives! Now My husband and I are really trying to figure out what our ideal lifestyle would look like and seriously set about designing it.
This is Beautiful!!!
This is Beautiful!!!
October 15, 2015
In UnWorking, Clark Vandeventer mentions writer Mark Manson who wrote a piece titled 10 Things Most American’s Don’t Know about America. In it Manson defines being wealthy as “having the freedom to maximize one’s life experiences.” And maximizing your life experiences is exactly what life style design is all about.
I’ve read quite a few books on lifestyle design. Your Money or Your Life, the 4 Hour Workweek, and The Art of Nonconformity. They have all richly added to my life and taught me to look at the world through a lens of creativity and making the most of every opportunity.
And now I’ve read another book that deserves be shelved right along with those I’ve mentioned above.
Now in full disclosure, I have known Clark through his website and other social media for years now. I’ve been able to track his life through words and pictures for quite awhile. In fact, I received a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion and am even mentioned in his book on the chapter about education.
But hopefully that gives my opinions even more credibility because I have seen his family’s ups and downs. I’ve seen the difficult choices and tough work they’ve had to do in order to create their ideal lifestyle. And I’ve seen the incredible, amazing things their family has been able to do because of their deep belief that living a life that you design based on your individual/family purpose and interests in life is worth it all.
But this book is different from the others lifestyle design books. In a way, this unassuming book written by a new and relatively unknown author resonated with me far more than those more popular, well-known lifestyle design books.
Why? Because Clark Vandeenter, author of UnWorking is someone I can relate to. He’s at a point in his life where I’m at now. He has kids, his kids are living and learning in this world outside the school system, he enjoys a life of long-term travels and fills his days with things that are meaningful and important to himself.
What makes this book so special and different is Clark’s story. Yes, this book does give many important and helpful tips towards designing your own life, but he sprinkles those actions steps over the course of telling you his story: where he started out and where he is now. And it’s his story that allows you to see that if he can do it, if he could overcome so many setbacks in his life and now have the freedom and choices to live epicly, it’s possible for you, too.
He doesn’t sugar coat things. In fact, he’s very real about how hard you need to work towards designing a life that is richer and more meaningful than anything else you have ever known. The focus and intensity it takes to create this epic lifestyle drives most people away from even trying. But if you have the courage to pursue this idea of lifestyle design, Clark is a great coach to lead you in the right direction.
I’m going to end this review with a few of my favorite quotes from the book. If you like what you read, just know that this book is crammed full of more excellent bits of wisdom and advice.
“I’m trying to take a more direct path to happiness. Rather than making as much money as possible and then buying all the happiness that money can buy, I’m doing the things that make me most happy and then figuring out a way to make the money I need to sustain a life of my own design.”
“I’ve discovered that for me, it’s all about achieving and maintaining the freedom to have choices.”
“In establishing your own tenants for achieving and sustaining the life of your dreams, the important thing is to give yourself a framework that will allow you to achieve your goals broadly, acknowledging that what you want long-term may subtly change.”
And my absolute favorite quote…. “While society tells us to buy more stuff to be more comfortable, I’m hoarding experiences instead.”
I’ve read quite a few books on lifestyle design. Your Money or Your Life, the 4 Hour Workweek, and The Art of Nonconformity. They have all richly added to my life and taught me to look at the world through a lens of creativity and making the most of every opportunity.
And now I’ve read another book that deserves be shelved right along with those I’ve mentioned above.
Now in full disclosure, I have known Clark through his website and other social media for years now. I’ve been able to track his life through words and pictures for quite awhile. In fact, I received a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion and am even mentioned in his book on the chapter about education.
But hopefully that gives my opinions even more credibility because I have seen his family’s ups and downs. I’ve seen the difficult choices and tough work they’ve had to do in order to create their ideal lifestyle. And I’ve seen the incredible, amazing things their family has been able to do because of their deep belief that living a life that you design based on your individual/family purpose and interests in life is worth it all.
But this book is different from the others lifestyle design books. In a way, this unassuming book written by a new and relatively unknown author resonated with me far more than those more popular, well-known lifestyle design books.
Why? Because Clark Vandeenter, author of UnWorking is someone I can relate to. He’s at a point in his life where I’m at now. He has kids, his kids are living and learning in this world outside the school system, he enjoys a life of long-term travels and fills his days with things that are meaningful and important to himself.
What makes this book so special and different is Clark’s story. Yes, this book does give many important and helpful tips towards designing your own life, but he sprinkles those actions steps over the course of telling you his story: where he started out and where he is now. And it’s his story that allows you to see that if he can do it, if he could overcome so many setbacks in his life and now have the freedom and choices to live epicly, it’s possible for you, too.
He doesn’t sugar coat things. In fact, he’s very real about how hard you need to work towards designing a life that is richer and more meaningful than anything else you have ever known. The focus and intensity it takes to create this epic lifestyle drives most people away from even trying. But if you have the courage to pursue this idea of lifestyle design, Clark is a great coach to lead you in the right direction.
I’m going to end this review with a few of my favorite quotes from the book. If you like what you read, just know that this book is crammed full of more excellent bits of wisdom and advice.
“I’m trying to take a more direct path to happiness. Rather than making as much money as possible and then buying all the happiness that money can buy, I’m doing the things that make me most happy and then figuring out a way to make the money I need to sustain a life of my own design.”
“I’ve discovered that for me, it’s all about achieving and maintaining the freedom to have choices.”
“In establishing your own tenants for achieving and sustaining the life of your dreams, the important thing is to give yourself a framework that will allow you to achieve your goals broadly, acknowledging that what you want long-term may subtly change.”
And my absolute favorite quote…. “While society tells us to buy more stuff to be more comfortable, I’m hoarding experiences instead.”
November 28, 2015
LOVED it! I will be honest, I was not expecting to love it as much as I did. I may be Clark's biggest fan now. He verbalized so well the feelings and experiences I have had. It is definitely the prequel to Tim Ferriss' 4 Hour Workweek. I like the format, the take-aways, the action steps. Great quotes and references, without being too much. I love how he let it hang out there, honesty and vulnerability. Love how he broke things down into bite sized pieces, but also let it be real. It was highly inspirational without blowing smoke and over-promising.
I have carefully read this book from cover to cover and highly recommend it. This would be a great gift for a student or recent graduate thinking about which direction to go in life. Or for someone looking for a career change, a life change, interested in simplifying, downsizing, doing something new. Or for someone wanting more happiness and more fulfillment in life. I highly recommend it.
I have carefully read this book from cover to cover and highly recommend it. This would be a great gift for a student or recent graduate thinking about which direction to go in life. Or for someone looking for a career change, a life change, interested in simplifying, downsizing, doing something new. Or for someone wanting more happiness and more fulfillment in life. I highly recommend it.
November 23, 2017
First, a confession: I did not read the entire book. I read the preview from Amazon and simply could not imagine how someone with my skill set could "unwork" their life. The book reads like a fairy tale. Cinderella, to be exact. There was the evil stepmother (a job) who enslaved the talented guy. But one day, he walked away from it all. Including an income stream, savings, and stability to spend time unemployed and living in a garage. That's fine for a single person, but when you have a family to support, I think it is irresponsible. If you have the ability to provide for your family, a responsible person will do that. What if one of your children gets an illness or is injured that requires extensive medical treatment? What if you are a mechanic, truck driver, or (like me) a power grid operator? How do you consult or work from home with those kinds of skills. Thanks, but no thanks. I'll read my fantasy from books that are actually categorized as fantasy.
December 30, 2015
Reading unWorking is just like speaking to Clark Vandeventer in person or watching one of his videos. Check him out on his blog if you don't know what I mean. The ideas and information in this book are not something Clark decided to spew out one day because he wanted to write a book. They are the things he has talked about for years and years. The actions he has taken with his wife and put in place for his own life are contained in this book. This book is full of useful information that you can apply in your own endeavours to exit the rat race. Do the exercises at the end of the chapters. If you even implement 10% of what this book is about your life will fulfil you more than you ever thought it could.
April 26, 2016
Loved it
September 22, 2017
Amazing read
This book reinforced what I had felt for awhile.It gave me hope and excitement! Everyone should read it! The world is your oyster!
This book reinforced what I had felt for awhile.It gave me hope and excitement! Everyone should read it! The world is your oyster!
October 20, 2024
Lots of fluff surrounding some important questions
This book was written for people like me and the concept is intriguing. What I found useful were the takeaways and action steps in between chapters. Each was thought provoking and would lead to someone knowing more about how to achieve an epic life of their own design. But surrounding each useful set of questions was so many unnecessary and repetitive words. I’d say that if the author condensed his own story into about a quarter of the words and left out all the repetition, and expanded on the self-help, insightful questions aspect it would really help people.
This book was written for people like me and the concept is intriguing. What I found useful were the takeaways and action steps in between chapters. Each was thought provoking and would lead to someone knowing more about how to achieve an epic life of their own design. But surrounding each useful set of questions was so many unnecessary and repetitive words. I’d say that if the author condensed his own story into about a quarter of the words and left out all the repetition, and expanded on the self-help, insightful questions aspect it would really help people.
February 16, 2022
This book is a really easy to read memoir that gets you thinking about living your life NOW. This is super refreshing amongst the rage of the FIRE community as people risk their lives in early retirement on the stocks etc. I will say he goes on these circular rants in places that are so noticeable it makes you chuckle but the book is supposed to be thought provoking not a textbook on life. Otherwise, if you're looking for a refreshing read amidst a career crisis/quarter life crisis/I want more time with my family crisis/or even a turning 30 crisis, I recommend this book.
August 7, 2018
Reaffirmed ideas
I highlighted some. It was brave to just quit a job once you realized that it was not where you were meant to be. They didn’t put off living until some future date.
I highlighted some. It was brave to just quit a job once you realized that it was not where you were meant to be. They didn’t put off living until some future date.
April 8, 2016
The message in this book is great and if you're looking to move away from "normal" employment then you definitely need to read this. Each chapter finished with a series of exercises that are great, the book is worth it for these alone.
Unfortunately the book is not well written, leading to my 3 star review. The whole story is pretty much given in chapter 1 and the sense of repetition was off putting. To my mind, it was a serious padding out of what could have been distilled into a much shorter book.
But hey, the writing style is not the focus here. If you've gotten as far as reading a review for this book then you are in a position where you should read it. Simple as that. It may just change your life.
Unfortunately the book is not well written, leading to my 3 star review. The whole story is pretty much given in chapter 1 and the sense of repetition was off putting. To my mind, it was a serious padding out of what could have been distilled into a much shorter book.
But hey, the writing style is not the focus here. If you've gotten as far as reading a review for this book then you are in a position where you should read it. Simple as that. It may just change your life.
September 8, 2016
If You Want to Live Epicly - You will want you read "Unworking"
An epic story and wonderful example of living on your own terms without regret. With thought provoking questions at the end of each chapter that forces you to think deeply about what you really want in life. I love the concept of "patchwork." I've been doing it since 2005 when I negotiated a 4-day work week with my employer, that overtime became a one day a month in the office in Seattle and 3 days or 24 hours a week from home. I referred to it as designing my life or a life design and still apply it to my life and work today. Thank you Clark for the reminder of why I do what I do and the inspiration to continue living this way!
An epic story and wonderful example of living on your own terms without regret. With thought provoking questions at the end of each chapter that forces you to think deeply about what you really want in life. I love the concept of "patchwork." I've been doing it since 2005 when I negotiated a 4-day work week with my employer, that overtime became a one day a month in the office in Seattle and 3 days or 24 hours a week from home. I referred to it as designing my life or a life design and still apply it to my life and work today. Thank you Clark for the reminder of why I do what I do and the inspiration to continue living this way!
April 3, 2016
A radical book on living with courage, and questioning everything about your lifestyle design. I recommend it for all interested in really finding their own purpose and way in life.
The writing, on the other hand, is very repetitive, especially in the first half. I really would have enjoyed the book a lot more were it half the length - or replacing the repetition of the same ideas (and sometimes even full on sentences) several times with new content.
The writing, on the other hand, is very repetitive, especially in the first half. I really would have enjoyed the book a lot more were it half the length - or replacing the repetition of the same ideas (and sometimes even full on sentences) several times with new content.
December 23, 2015
Thought provoking indeed
I've usually seen things as black or white, as in your life had to be this way or that. This book has made me see that there really are so many other options available to us. I don't want to see the gray: I want to see and experience the many coloured rainbow of life. I recommend this book.
I've usually seen things as black or white, as in your life had to be this way or that. This book has made me see that there really are so many other options available to us. I don't want to see the gray: I want to see and experience the many coloured rainbow of life. I recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews