burning questions with nonconformist chris guillebeau

Chris Guillebeau is crazy. The man behind The Art of Nonconformity, Chris is well on his way to visit every country in the world by April 7, 2013. He's got 117 down out of a list of 192 United Nations members, plus 5 extra entities that are not sovereign but are effectively self-governing. (In case you were wondering, that'd be Taiwan, Kosovo, Palestine, Northern Cyprus, and Somaliland.) Places with angry soldiers are temporarily on hold, like Somalia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Afghanistan, and possibly Angola. And Cuba's a hassle.

He runs marathons. Before catching red-eye flights to exotic lands, he hosts world domination meet ups for his small growing army of remarkable people. His book come out next year and proceeds of it are going to one of the most effectual charities in action, Charity: Water. When we last met, he was cooking up a project that culminates in Ethiopia and he invited me get over there and leave a village better than we found it.

I told you. He's crazy. My kind of crazy.

1. What are you positively addicted to? (Note: my shrink defines positive addiction as “a healthy high, it makes you stronger. As long as the craving for it doesn’t take you over, then it’s, like totally cool.”)
Coffee, travel, running, adventure, good emails.

2. What do you know to be true, unquestionably beyond doubt, certain with every cell of your being, completely, passionately, righteously certain?
Where much is given, much is required. I've been given a lot.

3. What was the dumbest thing that you used to believe in?
Someone else will be responsible for my success or failure.

4. Who do you admire?
Lots of people. In no particular order: Lance Armstrong, Dean Karnazes, Malcolm X, Danielle LaPorte, Paul Farmer, the aid workers I know in Africa who are working hard in difficult situations while I drink lattes around the world, everyone who cares about what I have to say on my blog.

5. What book(s) are you always telling people to read?
Mountains Beyond Mountains, Tracy Kidder
Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand
Good to Great, Jim Collins
Getting Things Done, David Allen
A Wild Sheep Chase, Haruki Murakami
Wishcraft, Barbara Sher

6. I’m going to give you a word. Tell me what the first thing is that comes to mind when you read it... Ready? The word is: LEGACY.
Don't wait! Life is short!

7. What question are you currently living?
How far can I take this?

Well clearly Chris, you can take it 'round the world and back again, giving butt-kicking motivation and goodness all the way.

. . . . . . .

Chris Guillebeau.com
Chris on twitter: @chrisguillebeau

Chris and Gwen Bell just launched The Unconventional Guide to the Social Web. Way cool.

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