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How to Quit Your Job, Move to Paradise, and Get Paid to Change the World

problogger.net

61–70 of 86 posts

Re: How to Quit Your Job, Move to Paradise, and Get Paid to Change the World

#61
Thanks but no thanks.

I've lived in paradise (Hawaii). I had a view like his. Frankly, it was rather dull.

I quickly missed having meaningful conversations with people. Island time is quite real. It was so easy to slip into doing nothing but go to the beach every day.

Re: How to Quit Your Job, Move to Paradise, and Get Paid to Change the World

#62
post #22

Why is this "get rich quick" crap on the front page of HN?

Because someone posted it, and a bunch of people voted it up, and there's no downvote to express our displeasure with get-rich-quick junk or content-less Techcrunch stories or what-have-you.

There is. Flagging. And before you say it's "not for that", people are clearly using it as such. I've had perfectly legit posts (that I haven't "promoted" at all) slide way lower than their votes would indicate due to flaggers. So it seems a legitimate downvote system now.

Re: How to Quit Your Job, Move to Paradise, and Get Paid to Change the World

#63
post #23
post #17

you cynical people. This guy's faced and overcome more hardships than most people and he tells his story as a motivation for others to have a little hope that they can use the web to improve their lives and you start accusing him of MLM? Sad - take a look at yourselves and take it as the inspirational story that it is.

It's not just him, it's that most of the blogging in this category is MLM, get people excited so they'll buy your junk, style of doing business. I say this as a recovering blogoholic.

Except this guy isn't even selling anything in this post, and most of the stuff sites like ProBlogger or CopyBlogger sell isn't MLM but things like ebooks, videos, etc.

Re: How to Quit Your Job, Move to Paradise, and Get Paid to Change the World

#64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It comes in waves. Few years ago everybody was doing search engine optimization and affiliate marketing. Wave 2 was people publishing e-books on SEO and affiliate marketing. Wave 3 was masses moving in and driving the margins down. Sounds like professional blogging is on wave 2.

I run a small blog network. There's basically no serious money to be made unless you're in the top percentile. From an advertiser's point of view, ad space inventory is growing faster than their products, so why shouldn't they keep on cutting rates?

Agreed. I did a quick back of the envelope financial analysis last month - http://nerdr.com/should-i-quit-my-job-and-start-a-blog/

It's a bad idea for the vast majority of people, unless of course you're selling a method to make money with a blog, in which case it becomes scammy MLM.

Re: How to Quit Your Job, Move to Paradise, and Get Paid to Change the World

#65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't believe in "pretty much without working" part. I'm pretty sure he's still working pretty hard. Anyway, I see your point and agree with it.

As far as I know, he has developed a network of websites (all outsourced) that filter the prospects (they have to go through a series of videos and tests or something along these lines), then those warm leads get in touch with one of his "leaders" which explains the program and so on. If they sign up for it, he has a new person in the downline, recruiting more people for him. Could be untrue, though he's always trave…

Everything in that story could be true ($50k/month, recruiting through web sites, outsourcing, traveling with family all over the world, etc.), but I'm sure he works a lot and thinks about his business most of the time.

Re: How to Quit Your Job, Move to Paradise, and Get Paid to Change the World

#66

Thanks but no thanks. I've lived in paradise (Hawaii). I had a view like his. Frankly, it was rather dull. I quickly missed having meaningful conversations with people. Island time is quite real. It was so easy to slip into doing nothing but go to the beach every day.

Did they turn off the Internet in Hawaii?

You can always get meaningful conversation on the Internet.

Re: How to Quit Your Job, Move to Paradise, and Get Paid to Change the World

#67
post #25

Its a nice story but not everyone is going to be a self-sufficient blogger. He's an outlier.

I don't understand all this skepticism. Every other success story on HN is about "outliers", whether is about webapp or iphone apps. Just because this guy writes blogs instead of coding everyone is calling bullshit on him?!!

I am not a programmer nor a blogger and I don't see much difference between this guy and most of the stories I read on HN.

Re: How to Quit Your Job, Move to Paradise, and Get Paid to Change the World

#68
post #35
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it was gamed.

Although I'm certain HN has been gamed in the past (search through the top results on searchyc for high traffic blogs and you'll notice a trend, and high upvotes with very few and completely worthless comments -- the effect of a content-less post), but in this case I'm not so sure. I keep a hawkeye out whenever I see a post from a top blog on HN's frontpage, shit like this problogger, smashingweb, and mashable which…

There's a specific name for these types of posts but I forget exactly what.

Blogspam.

Re: How to Quit Your Job, Move to Paradise, and Get Paid to Change the World

#69
post #35
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it was gamed.

Although I'm certain HN has been gamed in the past (search through the top results on searchyc for high traffic blogs and you'll notice a trend, and high upvotes with very few and completely worthless comments -- the effect of a content-less post), but in this case I'm not so sure. I keep a hawkeye out whenever I see a post from a top blog on HN's frontpage, shit like this problogger, smashingweb, and mashable which…

[deleted]

Re: How to Quit Your Job, Move to Paradise, and Get Paid to Change the World

#70

Hello cynics. This is one of the most inspiring stories I have read in a long, long time. A guy who is paralyzed from the neck down builds a lifestyle (similar to what I want for myself) for himself, through willpower, dedication and determination. This might not be everyone's cup of tea, but a truly inspiring read for me, that will help motivate me to live life on my terms. No, it's not about "blogging your way to r…

Yes I was surprised that despite his handicap he's still doing all those things and living a nice life. He's not Stephen Hawking material but I do admire him.

And the thing is that each one of us could make the step too. You don't have to be rich or hugely successful at all. As a hacker we could just as well move to a nice sunny country and work from the beach there. The internet makes it all possible.

Still I'm not sure whether I would have the willpower and determination to do it.

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