📍Raja Ampat, West Papua

30 Wonders of The Modern World

The best of what I found in 200,000+ miles of travel.

Happy new year everyone! Has 2017 kinda sucked for you? Was it also somewhat amazing? Let’s make 2018 count, here are some tricks I’ll be trying, this year and for the rest of my life.

Silicon Valley pyramid of needs 1.0. Someone sent this to me a long time ago.

As I’m about to finish my 2 years of constant travel and move to New York, I am getting to the last, final step of the pyramid above. Somehow I followed all steps but the last one to date — completely unknowingly and without any intention to do so.

So here comes time for the pinnacle: the life advice post! Of sorts. The 30 wonders are guiding notes for myself — and you can hold me accountable. You can also find something here for yourself, contribute or remix to form your list. In no way I claim to be able to teach anyone, set an example or show a right way to go forward, but I have a feeling following these will be a good idea. So we can try.

Do or do not. There is no try.

— Yoda

This is a list I wish I was given by my parents when I was 10. How many mistakes would I have not made! How many more things I might have created?

Here are 30 wonders of the modern world — or rules for life — that I found during my travels in wisdom of people I met, in some cultures I had peek into and in books I read on planes or by candle light in the woods.

THE 30 WONDERS

1. The world is not scary.
   You can explore the favela, eat at the night market, take that bus through a jungle, drink with locals, swim with stingrays, go hitchhike alone. Expect disaster and be ready for trouble. But don’t be afraid as they almost never come.
2. The faster you move, the slower time passes.
   And the longer you live — relatively to others over the same period of time.
3. Say only “fuck yeah!” or “hell no”.
   Do only things that excite you, skip others. Don’t get distracted.
4. Time is not money. You can’t regenerate time.
   Stop trading time for money as soon as you can. Use time well. If you need to say “..but it makes me money” you’re likely on a wrong path.
5. Never “be busy”.
   Being “busy” is lazy thinking, escapism, procrastination and lack of control.
6. Be expensive.
   You can often ask for more for what you’re doing and you’ll end up doing it better and creating even more value — and living a better life.
7. Expect disaster.
   Things do go wrong, be ready.
8. Own as little as possible.
   Objects occupy mind. We evolved to roam around freely with as little as needed, not to hoard cutlery, figurines and pants. Less objects are less attachment and more happiness.
9. Learn to let go.
   Don’t cling onto people, feelings and things that cause you suffering.
10. First idea or answer is automatic.
    Practice slow thinking. Ask 3x why.
11. Alike like alike.
    Be the energy you want to be surrounded by. Be the people you want to attract.
12. When you complain, nobody wants to help you.
    Be positive and constructive. Remember, this attracts the same.
13. If you want to lead, you must first learn to follow.
    It’s better to take things slower and follow others before you start striving to lead others. This was one of my big mistakes, I never spent much time working for others and paid for it by years of my own trial and error.
14. Always give appreciation.
    Give others appreciation for what they did, even for the small thing. But never fake flattery.
15. Everyone is interesting. Everyone has a story.
    If you’re bored with conversation the problem is you not the other person.
16. Keep in touch, be a friend.
    Reach out to others, bring them together, help them out. Make them look well.
17. Wish for others to do well — genuinely.
    Loving kindness meditation (wishing well) is the fastest hack for happiness!
18. Never criticise another person.
    Directly or to others. Give constructive feedback if anything. People remember criticism for years even if they don’t mention it.
19. The only way to get the best out of argument is to avoid it.
    It’s so easy to get lost trying to make a point. But people have their own realities and will never really accept your point. You can’t “win” an argument.
20. Understand onenness (non-duality).
    All things are one. We are all one. Everything is everything.
21. Learn to be in the present.
    Being present is like slowing down time. You get more time — among others.
22. Make a move. Go first. Smile first.
    Take initiative, others might be waiting for it.
23. Follow a morning ritual. A day well started is a day won.
    Make your bed, meditate, write, work out, drink tea… make your own ritual.
24. Hang with those who are working on themselves.
    Everyone needs to keep growing. Most people simply react, some act. Stick to those who also want to become better and those who act on it.
25. No bad outcomes.
    Best things can come from the worst things.
26. Experiments can lead to great things.
    …beyond anything expectable.
27. Exploration without integration is worthless.
    Pause to ponder that trip you had, the year that passed or the relationship that ended. Take time to integrate experiences.
28. Always say “yes, and…”
    Don’t say “yes, but…”, say “yes and…” and build on a situation, conversation, story, idea etc. to create new great things with others.
29. Be grateful.
    …for what you have, who you are, what happened. Even the smallest thing. The long term key to happiness is to want what you already have.
30. Never lie to yourself.
    Your brain tells you stories. Gather data and feedback to make right decisions based on facts. Measure outcomes, progress, time & money.
31. The world needs you.
    The planet is really messed up. Full of trash, pollution, creepy social models, unhappiness and more and more disasters. I came to think that as an animal our meaning of life isn’t to procreate and spread anymore, as it would be with all other species. We’re too powerful. The new meaning of life is to educate others and together help save the environment so that we can survive on this planet. Right now the future is not looking bright, but it can be.
32. If you can’t win, change the rules.
    If you can’t change the rules, ignore them. Fit 32 in 30.

That’s my pick of wonders. There are more that I didn’t list to try fit in this one and only “listicle”. The above 32 are the most important guiding points I found for myself in the past several years. The list is work in progress, when I learn better, I’ll update it. If I missed something you think needs to be there, drop me a message or a comment!

Happy new year! ❤️

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Check out my story in previous posts & Instagram for some travel pics. If you want to.