Chris Guillebeau is a writer, podcaster, and constant traveler. Over the years he’s received acclaim for his ground-breaking books, including The $100 Startup, Side Hustle, and The Happiness of Pursuit. Each of these bestselling books has sold more than a million copies around the globe. This exceptional achievement serves to further cement Guillebeau’s status as a leading voice on entrepreneurship and personal development. His newest release, “Time Anxiety,” is his ninth published book. In it, he discusses the struggles we all experience adjusting to the age-old problem of time poverty.
Guillebeau’s leadership, though, reaches beyond writing. He is perhaps just as well known for his pioneering, adventurous spirit. By the time he was 35, he became the first person to visit every country on earth successfully, which is 193 sovereign nations. The result was that he worked for four years as a volunteer executive in West Africa. Throughout that period, he had a lasting influence on countless community improvement projects and initiatives. His life experiences guide his writing, often beautifully tracing paths of exploration and self-discovery.
In a webinar on the new report, Guillebeau was joined by Heron Greenesmith, a policy attorney and advocate for LGBTQ rights. As a result, Greenesmith’s viral thread struck a chord with the internet and many others, as the idea of doing less than one’s best is not exclusive to academia. This outlook offers an unexpected approach to overcoming overwhelm. It reminds us that a lot of us unnecessarily panic ourselves into trying to be perfect all the time.
The discussion on success—or lack thereof—between Guillebeau and Greenesmith underscores the importance of redefining success. By accepting that perfection is usually unrealistic, they encourage a more sensible pursuit of our personal and professional passions. This conversation has proven popular, especially in the Candler community where many are looking to better chart the course through life’s increasingly complicated landscape.
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Guillebeau and Greenesmith’s approach will strike a chord with all of us who’ve been stuck in a productivity/success anxiety cycle. Their philosophies encourage a shift in mindset, promoting the idea that it is acceptable to embrace imperfection while striving for fulfillment in various aspects of life.