47 Decent Lifestyle Design Resources

TravelTrailerSNZ

[Note: I intentionally decided not to use a beach photo. Lifestyle design means different things to different people; it isn't just for middle-aged businessmen living as expats in coastal regions, although that is the stereotype.]

Lifestyle design (LD) has a lengthy past but a short history. The art of (sometimes radical) lifestyle configuration, however, has been practiced for quite sometime by liberated people from all walks of life.

The growth of the Internet has enabled those loaded with cash to disconnect from the 9-5 without disconnecting from their Porches, Louis Vuitton gear, mobile cash cow businesses, and brokerage accounts. The Internet’s rise has also allowed persons from less auspicious backgrounds (like myself) to live creatively without making seemingly prohibitive income sacrifices. Indeed, if one plays their cards right, a mainstream Internet presence can eliminate the monetary drawbacks that used to come with a a non-mainstream lifestyle. Technology has come a long way, and I’m glad that lifestyles are starting to catch up.

Here’s a list of lifestyle design resources that might be of help to the interested.

Here goes:

BOOKS

Lifestyle Design Websites

Articles, Blogs, and Blog Posts

TOOLS

PODCASTS

Lifestyle design is by no means a solidified concept. It goes by many names, and fragments of information are distributed across the Internet and buried in sundry places. As such, this list is by no means exhaustive. Anyway, since I’ll be maintaining this list over time, please do send me a relevant link if you have one.

[tags]lifestyle design, four hour work week, 4hww, lifestyle entrepreneurs, work life balance, Timothy Ferriss[/tags]

Posted on 28 Mar, 2008

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15 Comments so far »

Charlie Gilkey said,

Wrote on March 28, 2008 @ 2:47 pm

Wow, Clay, this is quite the list. I’m currently going through some lifestyle redesigning myself, and I appreciate you taking the time to compile this post. I also appreciate that you avoided the beach template - it helps affirm my choice to go all Walden Pond. Great work!
mark @ mytropicalescape said,

Wrote on March 28, 2008 @ 4:00 pm

Hey Clay - even though I live by the beach in the Caribbean, I am not quite at middle age…to me lifestyle design is all about pursuing personal freedom.

My next goal will be to attempt to create some passive income streams so that when I am ready for a break from the Caribbean (and choose to travel) I will be able to do so without financial burden. In fact, I have just created the Anywired-Middlebrook Make Money Online Challenge for myself so I can get my arse in gear.

Thanks for linking to me and for putting this resource together!
Mark
sterling | bizlift said,

Wrote on March 28, 2008 @ 5:00 pm

Clay, I love that image. Much more adventurous than a beach photo.

Thanks for the link-love. It’s an honor to have an article included in such a value-packed list.
Hunter Nuttall said,

Wrote on March 28, 2008 @ 8:21 pm

Clay, I really like how you’re being a little different here with the non-traditional photo, as well as the downplayed headline.

The Newly Rich (fourth link under “Lifestyle Design Websites”) seems to have gone away though. I visited that site after Tim Ferriss mentioned it as “a 4HWW-themed site focused specifically on families.” However, it’s now just an empty search page. I hope they’re planning to come back!

Great list, by the way. I recognize some of these links, and you have some good choices here. There are also plenty of new ones to check out.
@Stephen | Productivity in Context said,

Wrote on March 28, 2008 @ 8:39 pm

Great links! Now I just need to find them on MP3 so I can listen to them in the car.
Clay Collins said,

Wrote on March 28, 2008 @ 8:40 pm

@ Hunter: Oh, yeah I totally listed the wrong site for The Newly Rich. I’ve gone back and fixed the link, but I’ll also give it to you here: it’s http://TheNewlyRich.com ; the link does work.

–Clay
Hunter Nuttall said,

Wrote on March 28, 2008 @ 10:05 pm

Yeah Clay, TheNewRichly.com looks familiar. But I found it listed as NewlyRich.com at both 4HWW and Zen Habits, so maybe they changed the domain at some point. Thanks for the update. It’s always nice to see the 4HWW in action.
Barbara Swafford said,

Wrote on March 29, 2008 @ 2:43 am

You know Clay, that’s what I like about you. You don’t do the “expected”.

I love the photo and the links are superb. It’s another post of yours that deserves getting bookmarked.
Jared Goralnick said,

Wrote on March 30, 2008 @ 7:51 pm

Hi Clay,

Thanks for the TWO links–much appreciated. This is a great list, as well!

Now the real question becomes whether and how all this attention to “lifestyle design” has improved your own schedule, activities, and general quality of vida…

Cheers.
Kelly@ SHE-POWER said,

Wrote on March 30, 2008 @ 11:54 pm

Lots of reading material here, Clay. Thanks a bunch.

And even though my ideal lifestyle involves a tropical beach, a margarita and a sarong, I think your picture is sweet and memorable.

Now if I can just get my internet connection to stay up so I can read all those resources, I’ll be right!

Kelly
Michael Moniz said,

Wrote on March 31, 2008 @ 12:36 pm

The 4 hour work week is great! I really enjoy that book. He is a dynamic speaker.
Guy at mildife said,

Wrote on April 18, 2008 @ 6:48 am

Clay, I like the caravan / shack, it means a lot more than a sandy beach for sure. In fact… is it for sale?
Ron Merrill said,

Wrote on May 15, 2008 @ 10:15 pm

As a newly practicing LD’er I really appreciate the site and all of the refrences. Can’t wait to digg in!
Kiri said,

Wrote on October 12, 2008 @ 5:47 pm

Great list here I am very happy I found it. Although now I’ve got so much reading to do I don’t know that I’ll start making any money.
Funded said,

Wrote on November 12, 2008 @ 7:02 pm

Thanx for the list. Very Helpful!