the entrepreneur» zen http://chrishaueter.com experiments in creating value Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:09:32 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 An Ideal Day http://chrishaueter.com/an-ideal-day/ http://chrishaueter.com/an-ideal-day/#comments Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:24:51 +0000 chris http://chrishaueter.com/?p=284 Here’s news: after consulting with people whose opinions I respect, I’ve 90% decided to take a year off from Columbia after the fall semester.

Why am I doing this? It’s for my health.

Results of taking a year off:

  • I’ll spend January 2012 – January 2013 outside of NYC (I’m considering Chantilly, VA and Austin, TX)
  • I’ll come back for the spring 2013 semester to complete my degree
  • I’ll have the freedom to structure my life according to my own desires
  • I’ll be a working entrepreneur for the next year
I was so excited at the prospect of loving my life again that I made a mind map (right-click and open the image in a new tab to see the full-size version).
Mind map of an ideal day for Chris Haueter

I’d love to hear feedback on my ideal day. Did you notice any glaring omissions?

]]> http://chrishaueter.com/an-ideal-day/feed/ 2 Simplicity, beauty, and focus http://chrishaueter.com/simplicity-beauty-and-focus/ http://chrishaueter.com/simplicity-beauty-and-focus/#comments Sun, 11 Jan 2009 05:52:09 +0000 chris http://www.chrishaueter.com/?p=3 Have you ever dreamt that you lived in a tiny house?  OK, maybe it’s just me.  I have this recurring image in my mind of a small (like 200 square feet) mud home lit by a small glassless window with a curtain drawn across it.  There are very few items in the home: an oil lamp, wooden bowls, a low wooden table, and a rolled-up mattress.

I could live in a house like that.  It’s not that it is poor or that I dislike wealth or fine things; what appeals to me is the emptiness, the simplicity.  

When my living space has too many things in it, my life feels cluttered.  Each thing requires some portion of my attention and time.  Really, the clutter irritates me, so I either ignore it, organize it, or eliminate it – all of which require time, effort, and concentration.  As a result, my desire to accumulate posessions has been slowly decreasing.

Isn’t it crazy to think that, even with the recession, Americans are among the richest people on this planet?  How does the gluttony of consumption affect our happiness?  

My brother Chandler basically got rid of nearly everything he owned.  Perhaps I will do the same myself.

Please share any thoughts or comments in the comments below.

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