The Yes Project: can living to your full potential improve the world?

[Yes Project]

I'm sure more people have seen the movie Yes Man than have read the book. The book, however, has inspired me personally to take up the challenge of Danny Wallace (the author and main character).

For the next two weeks I will say yes to everything. Almost.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h97dDnFxW_I

I explain the rules in this extremely hastily put together vlog.

I would also like to encourage others to create their own yes projects. Are you living your life to the fullest? How much better could you make the world if you were?

[Wonderflonium]

I literally have the book in front of me, starting it tonight. Maybe i'll feel the urge to try it out also. Good luck!

[Yes Project]

Thanks! :) And even if you don't try out the project, I'm glad you picked up the book; it's a great read, very funny and inspiring.Today was day one, and I've already caught up with some friends I haven't seen in a while, and I may be about to sneak into a construction site and climb on a roof. Or watch a meteor shower; not sure which. Maybe both.

[Wonderflonium]

Wow, that's a good start. I always thought if I did it, i would just end up with lots more cashback.
Have you read any of his other books?

[Yes Project]

Not yet. I'd never heard of him before this, but since I'm always a "book before/instead of the movie" type person, I thought I'd pick it up. Now that I've read it, I'm going to try and hunt down some of his others. Join Me might be good; it's supposed to be about him starting a "cult of positivity" or something. If it's as funny as this one, it's worth the read, anyways.

[Wonderflonium]

'It's not a cult, it's a collective' as you will find out as soon as you read the book haha. I've read that and Friends Like These which was very good as well. I just wished I had heard of him when Join Me was about, I would have joined. I am a member of his country though.

[Sam Fisher]

I've acutally just finished Yes Man, I've seen the movie too. I love the book, Danny Wallace is genius, he really is. The first book I read was Join Me, which is a crazy, funny book. I bought it mainly because I'd seen the Yes Man movie, and it was a toss up between the Yes Man book and Join Me, I chose Join Me basically on a whim, to see what else he'd got up to...

Anyway, on topic, Yes Man is brilliant, ever since finishing it, I've been on the verge of essentially ripping off his idea, but lately it's struck me that the main suggestion or question I get is never really more serious than "Hey would you do the vacuuming today?" or something... which is kind of a bummer, but good luck to you!

[Yes Project]

Thank you Sam :) It's going well so far. I've just said yes to participating in NaNoWriMo...although it's already halfway through the month. I'm going to have to work my tail off, but I'm definitely going to try to get that 50,000 words. I'm also going to a Spanish conversation hour tomorrow...even though I don't know Spanish >_> hm...I'm going to try to get some vlogs up on youtube, when I can find the time and privacy to make one that doesn't look like a mess.

[Sam Fisher]

Wow, that Spanish hour's going to be...interesting haha. VLogs sound like a good idea, or even simply just a text blog would definately be interesing to read! Good luck with your "yessing"!

I just need something to push me to get me to do this. I have thought about it a lot, I might try and make up for the lack of suggestions and oppurtunities by seeking them out better.. or something. Its a working progress.

[Yes Project]

Well, the link to the introductory vlog is in the original discussion post. I'm afraid it's not very well put together, since I was on a short time constraint. And yeah, I have to go out of my way a bit sometimes to find yesses. I've decided that something doesn't have to be a direct question to be an opportunity. I also try to encourage people to email me random opportunities (so far no email yeses, which is lame).

I find that it helps to look around community boards and stuff. I got the spanish conversation hour opportunity from an email my college sends out; being in college does tend to help present opportunities, since there are all sorts of fliers and stuff around.

[Sam Fisher]

yeah I imagine college would help with that stuff lol. Well, at any rate, being at home unemployed certainly doesn't. I can tell you that much for free. :P

[Yes Project]

Yeah, that does suck :/ I can imagine that would put a damper on things. But I would like to thank you for your text blog idea...the vlog started out as a way to keep the only two people who actually know who I am up to date. (I'm wearing what I hope is an adequate identity disguise in the video, because if my friends got word of this, I would never get any peace :D) However, I really like this idea of reaching out to a worldwide community for opportunities, so I thought I'd give it a shot, which is why I opened the vlog and email up to everyone. I posted a blog on xanga: http://theyesproject.xanga.com/weblog

I hope you find a job soon, Sam. Good luck!

[Sam Fisher]

Haha thanks. Yeah I figured the disguise was to stop friends/douches-from-college from taking advantage lol. I really like the idea of just opening yourself up to life and stuff, I realise it sounds a bit corny but still... it'll make lots of interesting stories, Heck, look what Danny Wallace did! I may actually do this soon enough haha.... I've been thinking about it ever since reading the book... until then I shall follow the blog! :)