If you woke up, without responsibilities, anyone/anything else to support (remember this is just hypothetical of course), no heavy mortgages, company to run, job to go to. You had resources and time and the refresh button had just been pressed – you somehow stepped elegantly into another parallel life where you’d made different choices. You are completely free to invest your time & energy where you please:
Would you still choose to do what you’re doing today?
.. just out of curiosity. Hunters of genius are curious by nature..
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36 comments
Justin Hartman says:
Mar 13, 2007
For the first time in a long time my answer to this queston is YES.
Robert says:
Mar 13, 2007
Hell no! I’d be en route to my dream. And if Concorde was still flying,I’d be on it.
Steli Efti says:
Mar 13, 2007
Yes! Thankx for making me realize once again that what I´m doing right now in my life is exactly what I want to do. Much power to all supercool people!Steli
Jasper says:
Mar 13, 2007
Yes & no – same sort of work, but in different setting\environment, applying it in new ways – so, the glass is half full :-)
John Wesley says:
Mar 13, 2007
Definitely no. But I’m not sure exactly what I would do instead, which is probably the reason I ended up somewhere I’m not thrilled about to begin with.
Nic says:
Mar 13, 2007
Unequivocally, unmovably, unwaveringly and without a shadow of a doubt, yes!! I would be doing what I am doing right now, for as long as it will have me… everyday.
Miguel dos Santos says:
Mar 13, 2007
YES! Just without the worry, that what I’m doing is going to pay the bills for what I’m doing, if that makes sense.
Great Questions says:
Mar 13, 2007
[...] Max Kaizen (aka hunter of genius) posted a great question today, “Would you still choose to do what you’re doing today, if you woke up tomorrow morning free?” [...]
Jonathan says:
Mar 13, 2007
That’s got to be the most dangerous question possible to ask somebody who is at all unstable or fragile… good question though :)
Maximillian Kaizen says:
Mar 13, 2007
Mr. Hartman: HOORAY! and boy are you getting respect 4 it – good job m8
Robert: if it’s Concord would that be 2 NYC? 2what dream we wonder?
Steli: OH my goodness I’m so stoked to have taken playtime to go & check your site again: I’ve GOT to chat to you .. you’re too cool 4 school! :)
J: yup, I would agree that you’re too big 4 that tiny town..frustr8d you
Mr Wesley: wow.. okay THAT surprised me! you freedom would be a WILD combo, I’m doing my next in the what makes genius series tomorrow (as a birthday prezzie to myself) because I had the same problem till yesterday
Nic!! you legend check the flaming passion bru! how could I not have joined SA Rocks? you rock.. and it shows :-D PS. how’d you grow SO BIG?!
Mig’s: my fine genius.like friend it’ll come ..unquestionably. Keep walking :)
Aetherfukz says:
Mar 13, 2007
I’d be doing nothing that I am doing today. I would be off to the world, sightseeing all the wonders around the globe, visit japan (what I plan since ages now) and other exotic locations and generally don’t live my (work-)life day-in, day-out. I would love the idea of not knowing what I would (have to) do tomorrow!
Maximillian Kaizen says:
Mar 13, 2007
Jonathan: yup, I know it’s a potent one! But honestly I think the world would be a whole hell of a lot more peaceful if we weren’t feeling agitated at having to do crap work that we can’t stand but do out of duty/fear/by default. That pent-up frustration ALWAYS finds its way out.
Christof: I agree, and particularly because you’re into so many diverse areas of life.. as a fellow hunter I am all for doing that at least once in your life!
BTW. to those angels who were worried that I was saying that I was feeling lost – I wasn’t – just taking on too many peripheral and time-hungry projects that keep me busy but don’t enhance my life..
No more of that nonsense life’s waaaaaay too short for doing what Matthew Fox calls work that’s smaller than your soul.
Stii says:
Mar 13, 2007
Without a doubt, 100% sure, YES!
If you could start fresh…? -- Chip’s Quips says:
Mar 13, 2007
[...] Probably not. Not because I don’t like what I’m doing — I do. But choices are conditioned as much or more on opportunity as on desire, and the opportunities would be different from that point forward than the ones that led me here. [...]
Sterling "Chip" Camden says:
Mar 14, 2007
Don’t know why WordPress’ pingback sometimes takes so long, but I expect you’ll find my answer anyway.
Brutally brave of you to ask such a piercing question.
You’ve hinted at your response, but you have a more complete answer yourself?
Maximillian Kaizen says:
Mar 14, 2007
Stii: Stiaan Pretorious you couldn’t hide the fact that you love doing what you’re doing from ANYONE! you’re in the local talent elite for me
Chip: Love the fact that you’re LIVING well – it IS the ultimate prize – regardless of what we do for a living
Maximillian Kaizen says:
Mar 14, 2007
Brutally brave? – hmm, think brutally brave to answer it – thank you brave ones who have!
Had a bundle of really interesting emails from people who gave me their answers 1-on-1 … wow
it’s touched a nerve for many. Too many bright & talented people NOT living the lives they would choose if they felt they had freedom of choice – ouch :’-(
LOL Chip – hilarious hadn’t paid attention to the fact that I hadn’t answered my own question! So herewith:
Maximillian Kaizen says:
Mar 14, 2007
oops, herewith:
No doubt I am.. always done what I wanted to.. and it has landed me in trouble more times than I care to mention :-P
But choosing the path of making a LIFE rather than a living is a priority value. It’s not exactly the safest path, but there I remember hearing a quote a while back that summed it up
I want to wring out every drop of life that has been alotted to me.
The thing with wanting to live like that, means that there’s no well-trodden path to follow or signposted highway so sometimes, I end up in the weeds as part of the journey. Getting lost & frustrated at myself for making crap decisions. But they’ve ALWAYS been my own decision. Any worthwhile place getting to requires MUCH preparation, foundation building isn’t sexy or fun, it’s laborious & always take longer than you expect, and the PAY is SHOCKING.. but that’s where I’ve been for the last year. mucky.
So YES.. even times when I think I must be insane :-P
even if my head can’t discern it sometimes, my heart knows EXACTLY where it’s going.
Cru Master says:
Mar 14, 2007
my blog – yes. work- no.
Tresblue says:
Mar 14, 2007
Well the answer my friend was blowing in ….. ha no seriously
Yes and no
I would not be doing what I am doing now, HELL NO, I would STACK up on staff members to do what I am doing now leaving me and stii free to dream and create even more amazing stuff
Tresblue says:
Mar 14, 2007
Hey, since when does my comment have to “await moderation” has there been a policy shift in terms of publishing all comments Hmmmmmmm ?
100 Words says:
Mar 14, 2007
Absolutely not. I’d like to be an artist, living off peanuts and vodka limons in a fishing village in northeast spain. Instead, I’m not an artist, and I live in London
Sterling "Chip" Camden says:
Mar 14, 2007
Good answer, Max. It’s important to know that “doing what you love” and “doing what’s fun at the moment” aren’t always the same thing.
A variation on your maxim that I’ve always liked:
pete says:
Mar 15, 2007
Indeed I would. Actually I’ve been living like that over 6 months now. Warmly recommended!
Henk Kleynhans says:
Mar 17, 2007
What a good question! And the answer is absolutely! There’s nothing more fulfilling than coming up with an original idea and then working your butt off to change the world!
David Temple says:
Mar 21, 2007
Always go with the heart. Some things yes, some no, but I’m working on it. Traveling and meeting people is really what I’m striving for and hopefully soon that’s exactly what I’ll do. In the meantime, back to my tasks I go.
Daedalus says:
Mar 22, 2007
WHoooow!, very nice blog Max ;)
I’ll make a point of popping in here more often.
Regards
- D ( xy )
Antman says:
Mar 22, 2007
Maxi baby,
You bet, I would be doing exactly what I am doing now AND I wouldn’t be doing some things I am doing know, AND there are things I would do that I am not doing now. Girl, you get it. Freedom as defined in that tight ass question you asked is ALL liberating, unfortunately for me and most others life ain’t all liberating.
Our hearts, our desires, our wishes can be straight-up contradictory. If ya want to travel, if ya want a family, if ya wanna live on the beach, if ya wanna help an orphanage, if ya wanna run your own gig, ya got some decisions to make. Freedom is a multi-tiered, relative term.
I do love the question, girl. However, the question is just the beginning. No matter how “FREE” you are there are always constraints, time is one that comes to mind. The question is not zero sum. Too bad though it would be a shit load easier.
Keep it comin girl, I love the way your synapses fire, bam, bam, snap, snap!!!!
Maximillian Kaizen says:
Mar 22, 2007
yikes I’ve been a busy somebody: out of some kind of bizarre self-fulfilling prophecy doing stuff I absolutely love (and PLEASE don’t tell me about the Law of Attraction or the Secret, it’s enough of that already!)
So >>
Cru: at least you’re rocking it hard on the blog – fellow SA Rockster
Blue: LOL you serial entrepreneur.. feeling the rumblings from George
Pete: gr8 to meet you Zaadster ;-)
Henk: you dear friend are the epicentre of some very interesting social ventures to come .. good luck clearing up the obstacles in the path & rock it hard (you have our support)
Chip: LOL damn right friend
David :-D looking forward to meeting you on my travels – p’raps on the next of your tours of China or somewhere in between!
Daedalus: yiiiihaaa! thx D, congrats on yr bloggie nomination BTW
ANTMAN!: oh you wild & wonderful antling, I have missed you & your riotous energy coupled with a good measure of thoughtful insight.. it’s always paradox that must be delicately balanced for bliss. Simple NOT easy ;-)
The write thing to do -- Chip’s Quips says:
Mar 23, 2007
[...] Then another friend (who shall remain nameless for the time being, in case he changes his mind) asked if I would fill in on his blog in the near future. I turned him down, too — citing the same reasons and the precedent of my earlier refusal of apotheon. But I felt bad about that response, also. I knew I was turning away from a path that I wanted to explore. When he asked me a second time, I remembered Max’s piercing question. [...]
Daedalus says:
Mar 23, 2007
Max,
I popped in :P
Thanks for the “congrats” :)
Beachbum says:
Mar 23, 2007
Hi Max
Ws goin to the Stormybraai, but forgot about a stupid other function I have to go to with some chick who I don’t even know (and don’t really want to). God knows why I said yes in the first place. Anyway, really bummed, but will have to join you guys another time. Play nice.
BB
Rob says:
Mar 23, 2007
Yes, I suspect I would be doing the same thing(s). I’ve been able to achieve nearly everything that I’ve set my mind to during my life – so really in that sense, I am living in that parallel universe. My life right now is the sum of my desires of the past. I regret very few of the major decision points that I’ve made.
However, for me, this does not equal some blissful state of Nirvana – never satisfied with what I’ve been able to accomplish or where I’m at…so really I’m in a constant state of “evolving” into the next “thing”.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I can see too many paths that would have led to a similar emotional/economic outcome – so my dissatisfaction (if I look hard enough for some) is not with the choices that I’ve made, but the fact that there’s too many other things I could see myself doing that would make me happy.
Jerome says:
Mar 24, 2007
If you keep doing what you’ve always done, then you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got.
Deon says:
Apr 29, 2007
NO
Live life to be free. To enjoy the company of others where presences and image are irrelevant. In fact a total alternate reality or dimension would suit me just fine. Just think of all the WONDERFUL new experiences and places to be discovered.
Summer has come and past…
The innocent can never last..
Wake me up when September ends..
INet or something a whole lot better would be GREAT though!
Me, thinking? -- Chip’s Quips says:
Jun 28, 2007
[...] Kaizen, author of Hunter of Genius. In search of creativity and innovation, and asking great questions – you gotta think for [...]