Eliminate and Replace

I've been reading the book, Do Cool Shit, based on a blog recommendation.  The author, Miki, left her stable banking job and became a serial entrepreneur.  

It reads like a female version of 4 Hour Work Week, telling us to "follow our passion"

I think our generation expects a fulfilling career (including me) without wanting to go through the pain and monotony of adult life.

"Cal Newport points out that "follow your passion" is a catchphrase that has only gotten going in the last 20 years, according to Google's Ngram viewer, a tool that shows how prominently a given phrase appears in English print over any period of time. The same Ngram viewer shows that the phrase "a secure career" has gone out of style, just as the phrase "a fulfilling career" has gotten hot." - Wait, but Why 

Therefore, I'm reading the book with caution -- taking in the advice, but not getting too carried away with Gen Y cliches (i.e., "i'm so special -- i can do anything!" ideals)

Here's two good (very simple) pieces of advice from Miki:

1. Eliminate the "negative"
We've all heard of "spring cleaning," but we only apply it to physical objects.  
Instead, why not apply spring cleaning to the rest of our lives?  

Make a list of what de-energizes you (i.e., a boss, a task, a friend, a chore, etc) and get rid of it.  You'll be happier and have more time for positive people and activities.

For example:
I hated doing my laundry and outsourced it in 2011.  Now, I don't spend my weekends in a laundromat
I hated working in private equity.  I quit and moved to Google (and never looked back)
I wasted time on Facebook.  I quit in 2011 and now spend my leisure hours on better things.

2. Replace by pursuing 3 things you really care about
In the book, Miki woke up hungover and missed her alarm.  She desperately called a taxi to take her to the World Trade Center -- it was 9/11 and all the lines were busy.  Thankfully, her office was across the street from the attack, so most of her co-workers survived.

The experience led her to create a list of 3 things she really cared about -- they were: A) soccer, B) making movies and C) starting her own business.  From that point, she started pursuing those goals, rather than the ones prescribed to her at work.  She accomplished A first by making the New York Magic women's soccer team.

I've thought a bit about this, and I think my goals are: A) travel the world (100 countries by 35), B) pursue a creative outlet and C) start my own business.  

I'd say I'm the furthest on A -- I've been to 50 countries / 7 continents.  
I've started working on B with art and photography classes
I need to get started on C.