A Most Biased Book Review
Full disclosure: I love Paul Millerd. The guy is an absolute gem. Not only is he smart and insightful, but he’s kind and thoughtful, a natural giver who loves supporting friends as well as strangers in their pursuits. He’s a teacher, a podcaster, a thought leader, and - of course - an author. His book, The Pathless Path is the subject of this ostensible book review - in reality a puff piece, a paean to Paul, a plea to purchase - the most biased one you’ll ever read. Because not only is Paul a great guy, but his book is exceptional. Some might even call it life-changing.
Another reason for my ebullient affection is that Paul and I have eerily similar career backgrounds: We’re almost the same exact age and grew up in the cold northeast. Each of us attended our flagship state universities and later graduated from a more prestigious business school. We both worked for large consulting firms, all the while knowing, deep down, that traditional employment wasn’t for us. And we both quit those supposedly lofty positions at supposedly inopportune times.
Paul’s own leap into the unknown is the theme of The Pathless Path. It’s one man’s story of going from from careerist in New York to unemployed in Taiwan, without skipping over the emotional struggles, physical pain, and social pressure that inevitably comes with any cultural “zag.” There is no fist-pumping hype, no effervescent woo-woo, no unnecessary digressions. It’s a straight-up, no-nonsense narrative of his 30+ year journey along the default path and a slow but steady divergence onto his own, “pathless” path.
I, like most curious people, am bombarded with content on a daily basis; the next blog, video, newsletter, photo, or book is just a click away. Which means that it better be damn good or I’m out. Not only is Paul’s writing immensely readable, but he has signal-to-noise and insight-per-page ratios rivaling Steven Pressfield and (my generation’s sherpa) Tim Ferriss. The funny thing is, it took me so long to finish the book because I kept pausing to make highlights and to take notes, to reflect and to dream.
At the risk of oversimplifying, I think Paul’s message can be summed up in just three words: You Never Know. The world is waiting for you to be creative, to find your mission, to make an impact. The confluence of technological, economic, and societal progress has made right now the best time in history to try something different, something weird. So, if you’re looking for inspiration or tactics on how to get off your own default path, buy the book. Because you never know.
Devin Faddoul, CFP® is the founder of Adda Financial | Outsource your financial life. Focus on your real life.