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1-Page Summary of The Art of Non-Conformity

Overview

It would be great to have an autonomous and fulfilling life. We often get in our own way, though, by not knowing what we want from life or being afraid of making necessary changes. So how can you live a more fulfilling and autonomous life?

The Art of Non-Conformity is a book that will help you break free from the conformist life and lead an extraordinary, fulfilling one. The book achieves this by showing how to overcome obstacles—for example, gatekeepers or people in authority—that prevent you from living such a life.

It offers a variety of ways to live your life in a way that you want it. You can set rules and make sure you’re living the right way, so you can accomplish your goals and be happy with yourself.

Big Idea #1: You break free from an unfulfilled existence when you find out exactly what you want to get out of life.

Most people don’t know what they want from life. They wander through their lives without a larger goal or purpose, which holds them back from greatness and often leads to an unremarkable existence where you do the same as everyone else because that’s what everyone else is doing.

There are many ways to be average, but a typical example is working at the same place for 40 hours a week and getting the largest mortgage you qualify for.

This kind of life is boring and uneventful. It’s common to travel only to English-speaking countries, or think vaguely about starting a business but never actually doing it. These kinds of things hold us back from achieving greatness in our lives.

On the other hand, you can decide what you want from life and commit to that decision. This makes it easier for you to live a fulfilled life by taking action on your dreams. Bernard Lopez, who quit his job to ride across America on his bike, took this step and had an unforgettable adventure as a result. He also began pursuing a rewarding career in travel. In short: he experienced fulfillment through commitment of purposeful action toward his dream.

If you often wonder if there’s more to life than what is happening now, then you should start thinking about what it is that you want out of life.

Big Idea #2: Don’t let fear keep you in an unfulfilling life; conquer that fear instead of avoiding or ignoring it.

It’s normal to be afraid of change. Most people are scared of taking a leap that will alter their lives. They have doubts about whether they’re good enough or whether they’ll succeed at anything significant. If you’ve ever had those thoughts, then you know how it feels when fear tries to prevent you from breaking free from an unfulfilled life.

Many people are afraid of commitment, but it is important to acknowledge that fear. Sloane Berrent was a charity worker who feared commitment, but she left her job and volunteered for Kiva. This led her to work in the Philippines where she helped out however she could and did something meaningful.

In order to overcome fear, you must first acknowledge it. It heightens your senses and can be used to focus on intuition. Once you realize that you’re afraid of something, the next step is to mentally prepare yourself for it so that you’ll have a better chance of overcoming it.

For example, asking yourself what the worst that can happen in a situation can help you to put it into perspective. The worst case scenario is usually not that bad, so this will empower you.

To overcome a fear, try rewarding yourself. Promise yourself that you will achieve something if you conquer your fear. By doing this, the process of overcoming your fear will be more appealing and less scary. Once you’ve conquered your fears, you’ll feel rewarded, competent and ready to take on any challenge in the future.