Helena4

Tim Ferris has a podcast where he often interviews people that write the self help books that everyone loves etc. I subscribed to it by email a while back but forgot about it. I'm seeing if it's of worth now.

Hmm... I had an obsessive interest in Japanese that became my degree subject. Is that my passion? No. I'm also interested in History and Physics... and Psychology.... and computers But I do not want to be any sort of academic, I am not good enough at maths or driven enough to overcome that to become some sort of engineer, I have none of the patience to be a psychiatrist, I am becoming less and less fond of the idea of being computer-bound and I do not want to work in some sort of soul draining 12 hour work day Japanese firm. The main thing that I feel is intrinsic to my being is creative expression. I feel like I might die without it. Am I a visual artist? I'm not sure I have the right detailed appreciation for visual art to be a visual artisit. Am I a poet? God no I have never liked poetry. The main things I'm left with is my childhood dream of being a novelist and my teenage fantasy of being a musician. After deciding that nothing disgusts me more than sitting around typing and doing research, I have decided that rules me out of being an novelist as much as it rules out office worker or academic. I have come to the conclusion that I want to be active and express myself directly... hence musician. I am very into the tactile practice on my guitar and singing, the lyric writing that is more alive and straight forward than poetry but less detailed and long-winded than novels, the performance (I have also done acting in my creative exploits) and the multi faceted and instinctual form of expression music embodies. So yes, your passion is not always straightforward to decide upon... and some things can masquerade as it. But that doesn't mean there isn't one hidden in there. I think I have found the most important thing to me. I can't live without art... I think that's the sort of thing you need to look for. I have far too many opportunities to be following them... I really could've decided to be any of the things I listed.

During this summer holiday, I'm planning on downloading anything I wanna listen to onto my mp3 player and leaving my computer and smartphone in the attic.That is 29th June to the 22nd of September or so (it's a long one before I go to university). I'll use my mums computer if I ever need to quickly check on events I'm booking or something. (I'll also be redirecting my old dumb phone to keep in contact with friends). Other than that I'll mostly be playing my guitar, reading or listening to music/downloaded podcasts. I'm not fond of TV. Has anyone tried something like this? What did you get out of it? I just thought it would be sort of refreshing and I would suddenly miraculously have much more time that I never realised I was wasting so much of. And that I would start regularly reading again. I think I have to do it in the holidays because school always requires you to be using computers.

Yep, I would say download a load of self improvement podcasts, and subscribe to a weekly magazine about politics. Then stay away from videos. I think that politics is useful to know about since as much as society is corrupt and politics is dirty, power is knowledge and so it pays to know about whats going on in society since you can never truly escape it. Sure, you can transcend it through enlightenment but if we end up in WW3, you can't escape that - its real. Also, it is something of a higher level to discuss with slightly more forward thinking people than those who discuss TV shows. I would suggest joining/starting a politics club, debating society etc. and trying to make some friends you can talk to about that rather than TV, so you can continue avoiding wasting your time on TV. If politics and debating really excite you then throwing yourself into it could totally help you discover your dream career in politics in the future. That would be great. Finally, if you're really interested in not being a toxic narrow minded politician, I would suggest a subscription to the New Internationalist (monthly) alongside a more standard weekly political publication, as it gives an alternative, morally and environmentally conscious, fully international view of politics.

Somehow the link isn't working for me. I'm on a phone currently, should that affect it?

Wow, as a Japanese student and a budding slef-actualiser interested in meditation, this is sounding really interesting. I remember at one point a long time ago I was considering studying in Japan and I found this temple that will let people (but its specifically aimed at first year students) stay in the temple completely free and receive their training part time. I thought that would be a really interesting living arrangement. Living as a monk outside of study time. But to go full on with it is a whole other thing! I was thinking that it might be something I'd like to try at some point in my life so I would like to read this book.

I think if you really don't have the funds to start your business, then yes it's worthwhile getting a job, as long as you see it as a means to an end and not a step on the traditional path. Stick to specific goals of saving, and set yourself a get out date. Work, save, get out and pursue your business dreams. Think of it like a gap year. And use it as an opportunity to keep reading and learning and and really substantiate your game plan so you can hit the ground running when you leave the job.

I think it's a good price, but most businesses attempt to offer a competitive price and most businesses still offer a 15-20% student discount. It's a reasonable request since students genuinely don't have as much money as fully employed people, even to spend on real quality stuff like this.

Walks outside - gloomy or sunny, preferably gloomy Really long baths. Music - at the moment I am really really inspired by the Smiths - they really strike a chord with me. I also like Envy, Number Girl, Kraftwerk, The Prodigy, Savages (who have an interesting concept, as sound-makers, of silence being the most important thing ), Shiina Ringo, Kendrick Lamar, Chelsea Wolfe, David Bowie. Stuff that's happening around me... contemplating that and my emotional responses. Sometimes reading. I read The Catcher in the Rye recently and I found that provided me with stuff to think about. Even more rarely, because I don't watch many, films. Mostly small French/Japanese films. Some really good ones were In the House (or Dan's la Maison) - which is about writing and blurring lines between fantasy and realit, which is a great concept to explore; Blue is the Warmest Colour - which was very much an emotional rollercoaster more so than any media I've ever consumed before and left me thinking a lot, which is helpful; Harmful Insect - I don't know what to say about this but it left me feeling a certain way... Oh and TV... the only TV programme I think has ever inspired me is Hannibal... it's just so dark that it sticks in your mind. Anime/manga... I'm sure you already know about them but the first half of Death Note and also Bleach manga... The concept in the case of DN and more the art style in Bleach. I'm just morbid I suppose. My general craft is lyricism. I'm working on creating complementary music. Anyway, I find really the most important thing is to give yourself time to think a lot. Thats why walks and baths are top.