Book of the Month – December 2023 : The Pathless Path by Paul Millerd

The Pathless Path is not a how-to book filled with “hacks”; instead, it is a vulnerable account of Paul’s journey from leaving a path centered around getting ahead and towards another, one focused on doing work that matters. This book is an ideal companion for people considering leaving their jobs, embarking on a new path, dealing with the uncertainty of an unconventional path, or searching for better models for thinking about work in a fast-changing world.

” On the pathless path, retirement is neither a destination nor a financial calculation, but a continuation of a life well-lived. This shifts attention from focusing on saving for the future to understanding how you want to live in the present.”

“The pathless path has been my way to release myself from the achievement narrative that I had been unconsciously following. I was able to shift away from a life built on getting ahead and towards one focused on coming alive. I was able to grapple with the hard questions of life, the ones we try so hard to ignore. And I was able to keep moving when I realized that the hardest questions often don’t have answers.”

Reader feedback:

“It’s a rare book in that it is tangentially about careers and being more focused and productive, but unlike almost every other book I have read about these topics, I finished this one and felt better about myself and my career.”

“The themes are timeless. The content is expertly written. The advice is refreshingly non-prescriptive.”

“If you have questioned your own path, or a nagging lack of intention in your choices you need this book. If you have felt a gradual loss of agency in your direction you need this book. You are in the grip of an invisible script that was not written for you.” – Kris Abdelmessih

“The writing is fantastic – Paul’s writing is approachably poetic; a quick read that weaves together his own experience moving from a ‘default path’ overachiever to a ‘pathless path’ seeker of passion and curiosity, deep research into the history of work and collections of perspectives from years of podcasting, friendship, conferences, and meetings with other ‘alternative path’ life-livers.”

Thought of the Week – 27th November 2023 (2)

An obstacle to effective communication is the expectation of changing the other’s viewpoint to be in accord with one’s own by war, intimidation, ‘re-education’, legalisation, idealistic proselytisation, indoctrination, propaganda, or ‘tolerance’ via ‘reprogramming’…..

…..Only through wisdom, acceptance, and compassion can understanding come about that brings forbearance and makes realistic allowances for widely disparate worldviews and values.

-David R Hawkins
from Reality , Spirituality and Modern Man

Find Your Enough

Enough is knowing that no amount in my bank account will ever satisfy my deepest fears. It’s knowing that I have enough friends that would gladly open their door and share a meal if I was ever in need. It’s the feeling that I’ve been able to spend my time over an extended stretch of time working on projects that are meaningful to me, helping people with a spirit of generosity, and having enough space and time in my life to stay energized to keep doing this over the long‑term. Enough is seeing a clear opportunity that will increase my earnings in the short‑term, but knowing that saying “no” will open me up to things that might be even more valuable in ways that are hard to understand. Enough is knowing that the clothes, fancy meal, or latest gadget will not make me happier, but also that buying such things won’t mean I’m going to end up broke. Enough is having meaningful conversations with people that inspire me, people that I love, or people that support me.

-Paul Millerd

Thought of the week – 20th November 2023(3)

“`Life bursts forth with miracles all around us – a glass of water, a ray of sunshine, a leaf, a caterpillar, a flower, laughter, raindrops.

Each human being is a multiplicity of miracles. Eyes that see thousands of colors, shapes, and forms; ears that hear a bee flying or a thunderclap; a brain that ponders a speck of dust as easily as the entire cosmos; a heart that beats in rhythm with the heartbeat of all beings.

When we are tired and feel discouraged by life’s daily struggles, we may not notice these miracles, but they are always there.”

~Thich Nhat Hanh“`

( contributed by Mr Balasunder)

Thought of the Week – 20th November 2023 (2)

“What makes life worth living? No child asks itself that question. To children life is self-evident. Life goes without saying: whether it is good or bad makes no difference. This is because children don’t see the world, don’t observe the world, don’t contemplate the world, but are so deeply immersed in the world that they don’t distinguish between it and their own selves.”

– Karl Ove Knausgard