About Karol Gajda and RidiculouslyExtraordinary.com


6 Year Old Bad Ass
6 Year Old Bad Ass

In 17 words: The ultimate goal with RidiculouslyExtraordinary.com and my life is to help 100 people achieve Ridiculously Extraordinary Freedom.

Hey there! I’m Karol.

(That’s pronounced like Karl, not Carol.  And while I’m at it, the last name is Guy-Duh.  Ninja Gajda(n) if you’re nasty.)

I was born in Poland and my family escaped communism shortly before Martial Law was instituted in 1981.  Close call.  Thanks Mama i Tata!

My earliest memory is eating a Starburst (with wrapper intact) my late Grandma Stefania gave me outside of our Mt Pleasant, MI apartment at the age of 2.

I believe in radical honesty even if maybe it’s not in my best interest.

I’m a fan of touring, canoeing/camping trips, sandboarding, downhill Big Wheels races, upside down canyon swinging, paratrooper tossing, karaoke, shuttle launches, and seeing crazy things like flaming big rigs in the middle of Arizona.

I don’t eat animals or animal products of any kind (why I’m vegan) and I’m atheist. Both of those points are up for discussion, but you won’t convince me to eat meat or believe in your god(s). (Except maybe God of Thunder.) If that’s your game, you’re probably just not my Right People, and that’s OK. I still love you. :)

I play guitar (here’s the one I hand built in India & video here) like a madman and am releasing a quadruple live double album of Eastern European polka music next week.

I’ve never had the pleasure of working in cubicle hell, but I hear it’s…hell.

I have Ridiculously Extraordinary Freedom.

Do what we like and we like what we do. – Andrew W.K.

As you can tell by the picture above I’ve been free since childhood. :)

Again, my goal in life and with this project is to:

Help One Hundred (100) People Achieve Ridiculously Extraordinary Freedom

Specifically, I want to help you achieve your idea of freedom, whatever that may be.

Why 100?  It’s not that I think changing the lives of 1,000 or 10,000 (or more) is unattainable. I will do that too.  But first I’d like to get to know and directly help 100 people.

Once the goal is reached this Web site will self destruct and I will vanish into the ether.  More accurately, I’ll just go hang out somewhere cool, but that doesn’t sound as intense, does it?

Blog Update Schedule: Regularly, but not too regularly.

Speaking: Contact me if you’d like me to speak about Ridiculously Extraordinary Living to your crew. Specifically, I’d like to open discussions with High School Seniors before they go off to University.

Interviews: Blogs, podcasts, radio, TV, newspapers, living room sofas.  I’m there.  Just get in touch via twitter (@KarolGajda) or e-mail.

Travel schedule: Updated on the sidebar of every page. —>

Let’s do this!
Karol

At The Crossroads in Clarksdale, MS where Robert Johnson allegedly sold his soul to the devil.
At The Crossroads in Clarksdale, MS where Robert Johnson allegedly sold his soul to the devil.
Big Wheels Racing!
Big Wheels Racing!

142 thoughts on “About Karol Gajda and RidiculouslyExtraordinary.com”

  3. If you’d have asked me if I would watch a video about how to clean a blender I might have smacked ya. But…..I just did! Wonders.

    Just how close are you to a hundred? I’ve been on a list of yours in one form or another for several years. Does that count? :)

    Let’s see….getting to know……my blood type is A+. more :)’s

  4. Dude- Fellow Michigander here from mid-Michigan. Been on one of your lists for who knows how long. Even bought a cd years ago. Envy your freedom. I’d join ya but got a dog and an old lady. I’d dump the old lady but my 90 lb dog hates the heat so we’d have to hang in the cooler mountain regions if I was to tag along. Oh, right…gotta make a buck to stay alive. Can’t play guitar for coins so guess it’ll have to be selling something on eBay. Glad to see your livin’ the dream and no strings attached since I last read about you. Would love to get the hell outa Michigan right now if I had the bucks to do so. :-( Happy trails Karol…peace!

    1. Hey Glenn!

      Thanks for posting! And thanks for sticking around over the years. Yeah, I know what it’s like with a pet. Taking my cat Jessie to live with a friend in Austin, TX a couple weeks ago was one of the toughest decisions of my life. But a pet sitter who comes once/day wouldn’t be fair to her. She needed a good home. I’ll be back in MI for a couple weeks in December/early January. Not looking forward to the cold but it’s always awesome hanging with friends/family. :)

  5. Hello, Karol,
    In a moment of complete and utter desperation in my windowless airless office where my job has just been outsourced, wondering if there is any hope, I typed the words “freedom writing travel life” into the search engine and came across your intriguing site.
    First question: Is is possible for me to have any freedom and still have a house to live in? Having lived the first 18 years of my life without indoor plumbing, I am reluctant to give it up.
    Thank you for your help,
    Deb

    1. Hi Deb,

      Thanks for commenting. The beauty of Ridiculously Extraordinary Freedom is that it can be whatever you want it to be. :) I don’t want to force my version of Freedom upon you, but help you realize your own Freedom.

      There is always hope. Keep reading, but more importantly, take action on this next fascinating and scary part of your life!

      Karol

  6. Hey Ninja Gaiden!

    Found your blog from Zen Habit’s blog. Awesome site! And I like that idea of helping 100 people to achieve ridiculously extraordinary freedom. That’s a fresh one.

    Please do not self destruct this blog – going to show to my future grandson haha. I love your writing style. RSS’ed and Twittered!

    Daniel
    Brisbane

  7. Hey Karol,

    I just stumbled onto your site and just had to leave a comment. Your writing (unlike some other blogs) is not clandestine and you don’t circumvent any information. Personally, I have been looking at people who are up and traveling as I am getting ready to move to Australia from California for veterinary school. Keep the updates coming, I’m subscribing now!

    Rebecca

  8. Olah :)
    I am reading some articles of yours and it seems that you don’t have no big expectations in general. It’s a point on the journey of being free, isn’t it?

    Really intresting, awesome and amazing (!) what you express! I notice you experiment new fresh ways of doing and seeing things to discover with all assurance that it’ll be a great result, and then you sharing your success and we all release that’s because of the freedoom of being who you are or the freedom of choosing the best. You are helping me even when I am writing this right now,
    I also have to say you have a pretty cool eyes. It’s said that eyes are the mirror of soul.

  9. i just found your site from zen habits and i was shocked to read “our Mt Pleasant, MI apartment” because i’m living in mt pleasant right now. (going to CMU)

    i appreciate what you’re doing here. best of luck achieving yr goals w/ this. you’ll probably be hearing/seeing more from me!

    warmly,
    steve

  10. Just found this through Zen Habits. Enjoyed your travel post on ZH!
    Who are these 100 people you are helping, and how are you helping them? I want to know more about this project.

  11. Hi Karol, intrigued to read your post (via zenhabits) and find you are visiting NZ soon. I live in Auckland and would love to hear more ridiculourly extraordinary stuff in person… are you doing any “public appearances” in Auckland. Or I would be delighted to show you some Kiwi hospitality.

    Regards, Carol-Ann

  12. Czesc Karol,

    Great blog, great vision, and a great plan to share it. My goal is to get to the Ridiculously Extraordinary Freedom point and see what happens.

    Vegan… Love it. I’m working towards it with an eventual goal of raw vegan. No point in getting Ridiculously Extraordinary Freedom if you don’t have the health and energy to enjoy it, is there?

    It would be great to catch up with you some day. Enjoy your travels, and may this blog inspire a lot more than 100 people do something extra-ordinary.

    Best regards,
    Tom

    1. Czesc Tom,

      Dziekuje! ;)

      I’ve been to some great raw vegan restaurants, but it’s an incredibly difficult step to take while traveling. I don’t expect I’ll ever do it. The added stress would outweigh any possible benefits.

      Karol

  13. Love your site! Just stumbled here from Zenhabits. This was exactly what my Monday needed – you are wonderfully inspiring, thank you! Looking forward to checking back here often. And cheers to you!

  14. Hi Karol!

    I found your website/blog via your guest post at zenhabits.

    How cool! Your website is awesome. I’m really enjoying catching up on what I’ve missed since July.

    Thanks so much!

    –Ilene

  15. Wow…Hi Karol!!

    I remember you from back in the old IM days – has to be back in 2002-2003. If I remember right, you did a one dollar experiment – among a bunch of other really cool stuff.

    Then you disappeared into thin air, and I always wondered what happened to you.

    Glad to have found you out there again, and what a great platform to run from!

    I’ve found life as an online entrepreneur to be full of ups and downs, and would love to chat with you about it sometime if you’re interested.

    In either event, I look forward to reading what you have here. :)

    Take care!
    ~Mike

    1. Mike! What’s up?! It wasn’t that long ago…2004 when we lived in the same apartment complex. Only 5 years. :)

      Would love to catch up.

      Talk to you soon,
      Karol

  16. I want to be number 100….
    Thank you for this site… it motivates us people stuck in cubicle hell to figure our stuff out and get moving.

  17. Karol, you rock!

    As I said in my other posts I found your site quite by accident. But it has been an inspiration. A whole bunch of similar messages and encounters have been coming at me recently and given me pause for thought.

    Your blog, and others that it has led me to helped me get the most out of my annual stocktake-of-my-life that I tend to so at this time of year.

    As a result I have stopped planning and started doing. Stopped making excuses and procrastinating and started doing. I have ordered the Yurt i have been promising myself for the last 2 years. I have switched from a junk-food-take-out-lovin-omnivore to being an organic-veggie-lovin-tree-huggin-vegan-in-the-raw. And for the first time in a long time have some clarity.

    My creativity and desire has returned and my whole life has become a “watch-this-space” environment that is evolving and changing all the time.

    Namaste

    1. Whoa…yurt! One of my “goals” is to spend a night in a Yurt. There are some on the northern California coast (I believe) that I was looking at a while ago.

      Awesome that my blog and others have inspired you to action. Really good to know that Andy. Thank you. :)

  18. Hey again Karol

    Been checking out the rest of your site. Really enjoying it! How do I sign on to be one of the 100 people? And what exactly do you plan on doing to help people begin living extraordinary lives? I’m keen to know more!!!

    Cheers

    Angela :-)

    1. Hi Angela,

      Thank you. Right now there is no sign up and what I plan on doing is under wraps. Meaning, I haven’t worked it out yet. :)

      Thanks again!
      Karol

  19. Karol…

    I totally remember the Girls, Girls, Girls tape. In fact, I was 10th row at the Girls, Girls, Girls concert when I came through K.C. Oh the party after…

    Anyway, I really dig your mission and I look forward to following you.

    1. hehe…you’re lucky. I saw Motley Crue last year. I didn’t really want to because I knew it would ruin my image of them, but I won free tix (as well as their whole catalog on vinyl, an autographed guitar pickguard, and 2 books). So I went. And they were pretty bad. :( Still good memories from my childhood though. :)

  20. Great blog! I’ve been slowly trying to shift my blog over to a combination of lifestyle design and travel advice, and I’m really glad I found your blog because you touch on a ton of points that I very much agree with. I’ll be adding you to the “Lifestyle Design” section of my blogroll soon.

  21. Hi Karol! My good friend, the amazingly wonderful and creative Mark Powers just introduced me to you and your site through his blog post about couchsurfing. Come to think of it, he introduced me to couchsurfing as well. But the point is, ridiculously extraordinary is just that. Thanks so much, look forward to reading your book and following your site. Maybe being ONE of the ONE HUNDRED! I guess Mark and I are going to just miss you during our trip to Thailand in March? So I’ll say thanks here, for passing on some inspiration.

    1. Hi Lucinda,

      Thank you! Awesome to hear you’re a CSer. And yes, it’s unfortunate that I’ll miss you and Mark in Thailand, but I’m hanging here in India until at least April, maybe May.

      Let me know how you like the book. :)

      Thanks again!
      Karol

  22. Hello Karol,
    I think we have pretty similair story. Funny that. I came over to the states just after martial law broke out tho, twas a great escape. Anyway looks like you are doing something really interesting. I’m a bit mistified, so I will be following your travels.
    I gave up my fancy job in the states, most of my stuff and moved to the UK a few years ago. I’m living in a community where I live with people with learning difficulties. I have started to making short films here, engaging people as directors, screenplay writers and actors. It’s such cool work. Yeah so long story short, I want this to become my work. I want to travel around to other communities such as this one (there are 23 in the U.K) and make short films. But, how I do it is the question. I need a business plan….and maybe a big dose of this ridiculously extraordinary freedom you speak of!

    1. Hi Gosia!

      That’s so cool!

      If you have any of your short films online please send me a link (or post it here).

      Thank you for posting. Always nice to hear about others with similar stories. :)

      Karol

  23. That Big Wheels racing looks like a lot of fun. I wouldn’t mind giving it a go sometime.

    Keep on, keepi’n on! You rock, Karol.

  24. Just saying “thanks”. I originally subscribed via hotmail; where all the “junk” comes in, in case you were just another would be “pocket-picker” like so many “gurus” out there. Now that I know that you are “the real deal” and a thinking man, I’m inviting you into my “inner circle”.

    Ya dig?

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  27. Man, I didn’t know you’re a vegan! According to my Chinese dictionary (also my understanding), vegan means a strict vegetarian.

    Which means you don’t even take dairy products, no onion, no garlic, no egg?

    I was just starting my vegetarian (not vegan) life like 6 months ago. It’s SUPER HEALTHY :)

    I was always sick, like once a month or once in two months, be it a major or minor case, SINCE I was young. But after I took the path to totally cut of meat from my meals, there you go, I haven’t been sick for almost 5 months STRAIGHT.

    One thing Karol, is there a lot of vegetarian restaurant in any country that you’ve been touring around?

    Man I love your sharings! I would definitely buy your “How To Live Anywhere” course few months from now :)

    Keep it up man.

    Aiden Chong

    1. Hey Aiden!

      Your Chinese dictionary is partially wrong. Vegan means no animals products. I love onions and garlic! :)

      I used to get sick all the time as well. I’ll write an article about it some time in the future. Haven’t been sick in a very long time.

      Most places have vegetarian restaurants, although I mostly make my own food so it’s not a huge issue.

      Thanks again!

      Karol

  28. Hey Karol, you were replying pretty fast! :) Appreciate that…

    I think there are so much to be learned from your blog! and sorry for the lousy dictionary..haha..

    Thanks!

    Aiden

  29. I like this (you said that would be enough!). I like the sentiments and the simplicity and I like freedom. Good luck with your mission.Happy breathing and remember “The point at which the inward breath turns outward; that is where you are.”

  30. Wonderful to find you here, thanks to my friend Raam Dev’s RT, although I have a feeling I have been to your wonderful site before. A great motto, mission and a unique writing voice, all of which are sure to make you successful at helping not just 100 but many more people. Keep it up, I shall be reading and subscribing, thanks Karol!

  32. Some blogs , though there are millions similar out there , expose a special sause u like a lot but not sure why.
    Yours is one such karol.
    Keep the good work going.

  33. Hi Karol, I found your site by accident or Karma. I have to believe it was the latter. I have read just about all of your posts here and I signed up for your emails. I think you Rock! I am on a mission. My mission is to help the thousands of people here in the USA that are unemployed. There is a disconnect between corporations, the government and the people. I participate in other groups and I am heartsick as I read the stories of folks sending resumes and being unable to get work. People are losing there homes and families. So I am going to order your ebook. I have an idea to help these folks get back some form of lively hood. For me it’s just the right thing to do. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks

    1. Hey Diane,

      Thanks for your awesome comments. Keep rockin the world and good luck with your goal! :)

      Karol

  34. Hi Karol,

    I love your blog. I came there via the major deity Leo Babauta’s Zen Habits blog.

    I’m about to take the plunge to buy the poor person’s version of your course, but I’m a little wary… :)

    My problem is I don’t know how to put all the puzzle pieces to get where I want to be. Here they are:

    1. I’m a vegan, Buddhist medical typist. I already figured out the authenticity thing. I agree with most of what you write.
    2. I have a vague nodding knowledge of French, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese, but not currently fluent. Most of it I learned on the Internet.
    3. I have even less knowledge of German and Swedish.
    4. My husband has invented the world’s greatest faux burger and bacon.
    5. He would like to have a vegan deli/restaurant/store.
    6. I would like to travel the world and write.
    7. We have four dogs who are our children and can’t be left behind.
    8. We have no money. We have five survival digits, but none of this can be gambled with. Two or three digits (the cost of your course) is the most I could “invest”.

    My question is, how best to combine all these to have freedom? Will your course answer my questions? :)

    I am currently the breadwinner in the midst of a Depression so everything I buy has to be worth it…. :)

    1. Hi fkwan,

      I guess since you bought the course immediately after posting this comment you will be able to answer the question better yourself now. :)

      Thanks for finding me through ZenHabits! The world’s greatest faux burger/deli sounds awesome. Something that costs a lot of money and I have no experience in, but awesome none-the-less! :)

      Cheers,
      Karol

    2. Hi fkwan,

      If you wanna “test drive” Karol’s course, you can go through the “trial-version” of the paid version of the course first.

      Go to the upper right hand side of this page, you will see an option to subscribe.

      Go through the 30 emails e-course first, you will see and you will know if the paid version of the course a correct choice for you :)

      I am not a newbie for this kind of course, but I still find some gems every single time Karol sent out his FREE version of the e-course!

      By the way fkwan, I like these 2 points listed in your comments :

      4. My husband has invented the world’s greatest faux burger and bacon.
      5. He would like to have a vegan deli/restaurant/store.

      Cheers!

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  36. Hi Karol !
    I came across you website while searching Google for information about affiliate programs. I read your site and am soooo excited about the information contained within. This is exactly what I have been searching for. I have subscribed to your RSS feed and joined the Freedom Fighters ! I can not wait to read more. I have been on the hunt for an internet business that frees me to travel anywhere in the world and take my business with me. I am so pumped about this and look forward to your e-course. I do believe once I read all the info available through the e-course that the paid version of the course will be the right choice for me. What I have read so far is so exciting, it is like you wrote this with me in mind !! :-)) LOL… But seriously.. I have been reading and researching the many aspects of affiliate programs, info on websites, domains, SEO and all the other tools needed to make a success of an affiliate program. If you have any suggested reading material I would appreciate your words of wisdom.
    Thank you so much for creating this site and reaching out to the masses with your knowledge.
    Warmest Regards
    Debra D.

    1. Thanks Debra!

      I appreciate you taking the time to find me. :)

      There’s a lot of info on this site, the FF ecourse, and How To Live Anywhere … read, then take action!

      Cheers,
      Karol

  37. Hola Karol…
    Most of my life I’ve been self-employed, so have seldom known cubical life. Raised in the Chicago area, but migrated to Central Calif.and have enjoyed it. My 3 sons and mi esposa love it too, BUT… It is time to move on while we can. So bought a house in the Panama mountains. Am here now with mi esposa and youngest son (29 yrs old). Great friends here. But have to go back to Calif. as #2 son’s wife is having a baby and my wife wouldn’t miss the great event. And #1 son has a 3 yr old daughter which is also a Calif. tie. And we have 2 Calif houses that are not selling…a chain around the neck for us.

    Considering what is happening in the US, I can’t wait to get back here to Panama again in January. And at least we have internet now. I’d love to be more of a “Citizen of the World” with Panama as a base and I keep working in that direction. I envy your freedom. Keep fighting for it!

  38. Have added a link from your site to my blog. Love your layout and wealth of info. I know my readers will enjoy learning about you. While I don’t plan on “stealing” any of your material, there are several great ideas I want to adopt for my blog’s needs. Your offer is most generous. You will get credit !

  39. Hi Karol,

    I think that it is an amazing testament to your work that people are still commenting on this post over a year after it was written!

    I have been reading your blog for a few months now (I have read every post) but never comment because it’s just not my thing.

    That being said, I just want to say THANK YOU! You’re blog has truly changed my life.

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  41. World traveler, free thinker, vegan?? I think I have a crush on you.

    Your blog is inspiring me beyond description. Thanks so much!

  43. Hallo Karol :) I stumbled upon your site due to the proclamation of International Minimalist Day and, in coherence with Randy Reddig’s Less 365, I believe it’s no coincidence that I find myself here. I’d like to be one of the 100 to find a freedom that encourages my gifts to be given back to others. Birds of a feather flock together, but I’d like to also think they fly too :)

    Can’t wait to dive into a much more enriching life! Thanks for all you give~

  45. Hi Karol

    A friend passed along a link from your site and I am so glad to find it and “meet” you :)

    Share your story to some degree, hence legal name is Ewa ;)
    And always a smile goes on my face to hear about more compassionate beings out there not eating animals, or believing in anything blindly.

    I look forward to exploring your site and writing more – all the best in health and happiness always!

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  48. YAYYY at being a vegan !!!! I’m always so happy to discover people who are doing extraordinary things and living their own life like you — and when I then read that they’re vegan on top of it all it can’t get better !!! oh yeah, atheism is cool too, hehe… I will have to read what you have to say. enchanted greetings from just around the corner/Berlin. thanks for your great work ! stay that way ;-)

  49. It’s funny how long ago these posts started yet I just found this today and I’m enjoying catching up. Similar to someones post I saw earlier I too would like to “steal” some of your wisdom. More people need to see this!

  50. Karol,
    I am a single mom and have been looking for a way out of the ‘rat-race’. I think I haven’t acted on anything before because I’ve been worried about having a stable income for my son. My mom sent me the link to your site and I am more confident than ever that I can achieve my own personal freedom. I also play guitar, volleyball, love to travel, etc…. and I find myself wanting to ditch work all the time to pursue my hobbies. I would love to just have the kind of life that I DON’T need to escape from and to be able to just do what I want, when I want. I just subscribed to your emails today and I’m stoked to learn from your experience!
    -Alicia

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  53. Hi Karol,
    Hope you are well. We share a similar story, as I was also born in Poland and my parents escaped to Canada. Really enjoy what you are writing.
    I’m a world traveller myself and you are an inspiration.
    All the best, Mat

  54. Hi Karol! I have been reading your newsletter for awhile now. Excellent stuff! I have really enjoyed it. I like your philosophy. I am attempting to do something similar, currently I am living in an RV and hope to travel much more through salsa dancing in the near future. Thanks again for your excellent blog and all that you do! I am looking forward to following you and your adventures!

  55. Hi Karol,

    I love your website – and love even more that you’re vegan! :) I’m looking forward to following your posts as I’m just now beginning a huge lifestyle ‘redesign’ in order to live and work wherever I want. I hope that we can connect along the way, in our travels. It’d be great to share some travel time with another vegan.

    Happy Travels,
    Kristin

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  57. Hey Karol,

    What a brilliant blog, I subscribed to the rss feed almost immediately after reading just your about page it’s so good!

    My husband and I started redesigning our lives at the beginning of 2010 we’ve had a few bumps along the way but hey – no one said everyday would be sunshine! We’re moving to The Isle of Wight in the summer of 2011 and our very first mission will be to learn how to kite surf I’m so stoked!

    I look forward to getting your latest posts in my reader, keep up the extraordinary work!

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