Every Day A Saturday (Or, The Life You Want)
The feeling I feel on a Saturday. Just enough work to be creative and motive. But slept in first and didn’t have to do any of it. Solid exercise without a deadline. Next to no email, no phone calls. Relaxed, productive, at peace, happy, quiet, unburdened. This is how I want life to be. Every day a Saturday.
But what’s more: this is possible. At least most of the time in my case it is. I choose for it not to be.
What would one pay for a life like that? Am I willing to put up the money for it? That is, to say “No” to things, to lucrative opportunities or potential business. I hope so.
Because now is the juncture.
Ryan Holiday is the bestselling author of Trust Me, I’m Lying, The Obstacle Is The Way, Ego Is The Enemy, and other books about marketing, culture, and the human condition. His work has been translated into thirty languages and has appeared everywhere from the Columbia Journalism Review to Fast Company. His company, Brass Check, has advised companies such as Google, TASER, and Complex, as well as Grammy Award winning musicians and some of the biggest authors in the world. He lives in Austin, Texas.
Not sure Saturday feels like Saturday without Monday through Friday. Can there be release without tension?
Yeah and retirement only feels like retirement after 50 years of crappy work.
But non-crappy work is still strenuous. It isn’t the same as rest.
Ryan I completely agree. I actually just tweeted it. And your response about retirement is a large part of my next blog post. Life isnt about being miserable 80% of the time and work doesnt have to be miserable. Production should be fun, like a Saturday!
When reading Tim Ferriss’ thoughts on sabbaticals and taking breaks but having to wait until retirement completely blew my mind.
I had never thought it was possible. I thought perhaps that only happened to people when they were rich enough to do it.
I’d say we’re pretty close to not-poor. But even then we make decision after decision so we will be free to go take a trip for months at a time somewhere. We really want to put that principle of not waiting until retirement to enjoy life. Even if we have to work hard for chunks of time and give up a fancy life.
I’m terrified of dying before I enjoy the fruits of my labor. So maybe there’ll be less fruits when I am older but at the same time I will have lived a fun and happy life. Even when it’s not easy. But we have to constantly fight for it by defending our time and always trying to make decisions based on logic and adhering to the long term plan. But it can be done. Even if you’re not wealthy.
Not having to wait until retirement. Typo.
But what about eustress? Challenges which make us grow?
As Epictetus says:
“What would have become of Hercules do you think if there had been no lion, hydra, stag or boar – and no savage criminals to rid the world of? What would he have done in the absence of such challenges?
Obviously he would have just rolled over in bed and gone back to sleep. So by snoring his life away in luxury and comfort he never would have developed into the mighty Hercules.
And even if he had, what good would it have done him? What would have been the use of those arms, that physique, and that noble soul, without crises or conditions to stir him into action?”
(emphasis mine)
html fail there I meant:
“What would have become of Hercules do you think if there had been no lion, hydra, stag or boar – and no savage criminals to rid the world of? What would he have done in the absence of such challenges?
Obviously he would have just rolled over in bed and gone back to sleep. So by snoring his life away in luxury and comfort he never would have developed into the mighty Hercules.
And even if he had, what good would it have done him? What would have been the use of those arms, that physique, and that noble soul, without crises or conditions to stir him into action?”
(emphasis mine)
Nicely put Ryan! To those who think we need the stress of 8 daily hours of “hard work” (cough servitude/fake busy) to create and inspire others, check out the book “Daily Rituals.” The best thinkers and creatives allow space for the mind to roam and relax.
It took me years to cut away the crap that doesn’t matter to figure out and attain the Saturday life. I’ll never go back unless they drag me kicking and screaming. I still work on fun projects, but on my own terms and whenever/wherever I want. Here’s to a week full of Saturdays!
I also like “Rework” and “Remote” by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, and am in the process of recommending them to everyone I know.
Ryan
I read this blog post and it made me think of your Saturday. Great insight on being less “busy.”
http://gregmckeown.com/blog/three-word-problem-can-destroy-life/
There’s a leap there. Living that way means the ability to be taken away with a project freely, making more disparate connections, and, at least for me, periodic bouts of “holy shit this isn’t the way to do it”.
But of course the last is a lie.
I would work every day for the rest of my life, even past that magical “retirement age” of 65, even on a “vacation”, if it meant working as though every day was a Saturday, from whatever location I choose to be that day.
It is possible, yet SO many people do not believe, and are happy to tell you, that it is selfish and/or a pipe dream to think that way. I disagree.
This is where I’m at right now Ryan. I’ve worked hard – too hard – for the last 3 years, chasing ambition, ‘success’, money etc. Then finally realised one day that I was doing all of that so I could live the life I want to live… Figured I can live that life now without all of that. What I want right now is pretty simple. To be free. Free to travel, free to write and free to spend time with the people I want to spend time with. Maybe that will change, maybe it won’t but that’s what I want right now. So I quit the stress, and have been living every day as a Saturday for the last month and loving it!
Getting there.
HI Ryan,
I’ve been reading a bunch of stoic stuffs and understand the difference of a real necessity and the desire for comfort, luxurious, fancy things, but don’t you think that we are getting negative at some point of our live just saying no to things and a little more comfort ?
Don’t you think that we are become a negative person at some point in not pursuing a better house, a better car, better clothes, even a better vacation ?
What is the pont in work(harder or not) if we not have to improve in some material way ?!
Maybe balance is the answser, but anyway is very tough.
I always say this! Everyday is a Saturday in my world!
I work seasonal jobs last two years so in my off time it was every day’s a Saturday. This will be my first year not working in the traditional sense at all. So far it’s pretty spectacular!