• I read The Monk and the Riddle as a Kyobo Bookstore ebook.
  • I often bring up the concept from this book, 'The Deferred Life Plan,' so I thought it would be easier to just write it down.

Key Concepts

The Deferred Life Plan (named like an insurance product)

  • This appears in Chapter 5.
  • To fully receive the benefits of this insurance product: Step 1, do what you have to do. After postponing like this, ultimately Step 2, do what you want to do.
  • This is also popular in Silicon Valley. "They think getting rich quickly is the fastest way to pass Step 1."
  • Am I living according to the 'Deferred Life Plan'?
    • I think so. I'm putting off quite a lot of things I want to do.
    • Making music, traveling, drawing, writing novels, running a bookstore...
      • Come to think of it, can't these become 'work'? Is it just playing around? No, it's not.
      • The excuses I make while thinking about these are as follows:
        • I'll try when I have more time.
        • Someday I'll do it.

Passion and Drive

Passion is something that pulls you toward it irresistibly. Drive, on the other hand, is being pushed by a sense of responsibility or something you think you have to do. If you don't know anything about yourself, you can't tell the difference.

  • My passion
    • Making things I need.
    • Making things that others seem to need.
    • Going to bookstores. Going to spaces with books. Reading books.
  • My drive

Quotes

I could no longer postpone my real life like that.

What qualities would someone need to have to be willing to devote their entire life to the Funerals.com business?

What I wanted to know wasn't whether Lenny had drive and determination, but what Lenny was truly interested in. Lenny didn't properly understand the intent of the question.

When I asked 'what qualities would someone need to have to devote their entire life to...', Lenny took it to mean that he should have a solid life plan. That's a foolish thought. As Lenny said, the world will keep changing. But when you start thinking about what qualities you would need to willingly devote your entire life to something, you begin to realize a lot about your own existence.