Show overview
The Voluntary Life has been publishing since 2011, and across the 13 years since has built a catalogue of 393 episodes, alongside 10 trailers or bonus episodes. That works out to roughly 170 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a fortnightly cadence.
Episodes typically run twenty to thirty-five minutes — most land between 16 min and 31 min — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. It is catalogued as a EN-language Business show.
The catalogue appears to be on hiatus or wound down — the most recent episode landed 1.4 years ago, with no new episodes in over a year. The busiest year was 2012, with 50 episodes published. Published by Jake Desyllas.
From the publisher
A podcast about living a life of your choosing. Topics covered include financial independence, productivity, entrepreneurship, peaceful parenting, minimalism, and rational thinking.
Latest Episodes
View all 393 episodes
Job Free by Jake Desyllas (Full Audiobook Unabridged)
Job Free: Four Ways to Quit the Rat Race and Achieve Financial Freedom on Your Terms Full Audiobook (Unabbridged) by Jake Desyllas Forget searching for the right job—start building a life in which you don't need a job. A job-free life is possible, and you have options about how to achieve it. This book provides real-world examples of people who have successfully quit the rat race using four different strategies: extreme saving, unjobbing, lifestyle businesses, and startups. Whether you want to achieve financial independence and retire early, or simply never work for anyone else again, this book provides an essential guide to the different lifestyle-design strategies open to you. An inspiring and concise introduction to job freedom and financial independence, by someone who has achieved both.
Becoming An Entrepreneur by Jake Desyllas (Full Audiobook Unabridged)
Becoming an Entrepreneur: How to Find Freedom and Fulfillment as a Business Owner Full Audiobook (Unabridged) by Jake Desyllas Successful entrepreneur Jake Desyllas demystifies entrepreneurship, providing a cheerful and inspiring call to action for those who yearn to break free. Becoming an Entrepreneur is unique in its focus on the psychological dimensions of starting a business. Using personal examples, Desyllas approaches this topic with insight and sensitivity, showing you how to overcome the mindset of "employee conditioning" and find fulfillment by creating an enterprise in line with your values. Readers will learn how to reach profitability, remove themselves from the daily grind, and achieve personal and professional freedom as a business owner. Becoming an Entrepreneur is a short, jargon-free guide, packed with solid advice that you can start using today to build and manage your own business. By the time you've finished reading this book, you'll understand the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and have a set of timeless principles that can you use in any business situation. If you're ready to jailbreak your career and lifestyle, Becoming an Entrepreneur will set you on the right path.
Bonus Episode 17: Communication And Mindfulness
bonusA listener conversation about communication and mindfulness. Originally released in 2018 as a bonus episode for supporting listeners.
Bonus Episode 16: Tax Strategies And My Experience As An Entrepreneur
bonusA discussion with a listener about tax strategies and financial freedom. The previous episodes of TVL referenced are episodes 209 and 210 with Joshua Sheats from the Radical Personal Finance Podcast. Originally released in 2017 as a bonus episode for supporting listeners.
Bonus Episode 13: Making A Big Change In Life
bonusA discussion with listeners about making a big change in life. Originally released in 2017 as a bonus episode for supporting listeners.
Bonus Episode 11: Being An Individual Vs Finding Community
bonusA conversation with listeners about the challenge of being an individual versus finding community. Originally released in 2017 as a bonus episode for supporting listeners.
Bonus Episode 9: What I Learned Growing Up In A Communist Squat
bonusJake Desyllas interviewed on the Freecast podcast about his childhood and intellectual development. Originally released in 2017 as a bonus episode for supporting listeners.
Bonus Episode 5: Ending Friendships
bonusA listener conversation originally released in 2017 as a bonus episode for supporting listeners.
Bonus Episode 4: Should I Go Into Business With This Person?
bonusA listener conversation. Originally released in 2017 as a bonus episode for supporting listeners.
Bonus Episode 3: More On Cash In Investing
bonusA continuation of the discussion about cash in investing that I started on TVL Episode 297. Here are a couple of books for further reading: Fail Safe Investing by Harry Browne is a simple introduction to the permanent portfolio The Permanent Portfolio by Craig Rowland has a detailed discussion about cash. Originally released in 2017 as a bonus episode for supporting listeners.
Bonus Episode 2: How To Do A Daily Review
bonusA bonus episode about how to do a daily task review. If you implement this practice, you can start the day like a rocket launching. Originally released in June 2017 as a bonus episode for supporting listeners.
Bonus Episode 1: How To Sort Your Life Out Part 2
bonusThis episode is part 2 of How To Sort Your Life Out. You can find Part 1 in episode 295 of The Voluntary Life. Originally released in June 2017 as a bonus episode for supporting listeners.
Ep 404404 Endings And Beginnings
A special episode about the end of The Voluntary Life podcast.
Ep 403403 Travel, Minimalism, And Parenting: World Wanderers Interview
An update about how my approach to travel and minimalism has changed since becoming a parent. From an interview on the World Wanderers Podcast. Show Notes: The World Wanderers Podcast Xolo.io for managing your Estonian E Residency company (use my referral code "Jake") Job Free by Jake Desyllas Audiobook, eBook, Paperback
Ep 402402 Finding Your Own Path To A Job-Free Life
A chapter from the audiobook of Job Free by Jake Desyllas. Show Notes: Support TVL on Patreon and get bonus episodes and other rewards Job Free by Jake Desyllas Audiobook, eBook, Paperback
Ep 401401 Negotiate For Mutual Profit Audiobook Part 2
Part 2 of the audiobook of Negotiate For Mutual Profit by Jake Desyllas. Part 1, which covered constructive communication, can be found in TVL Episode 371. Part 2, in this episode, covers the win-win negotiation method, principles, and good habits. Show Notes: TVL Episode 371: Negotiate For Mutual Profit Audiobook Part 1 Support TVL on Patreon and get bonus episodes and other rewards Support TVL on BitBacker with cryptocurrency Becoming an Entrepreneur by Jake Desyllas Audiobook, eBook, Paperback Job Free by Jake Desyllas Audiobook, eBook, Paperback
Ep 400400 What The Voluntary Life Is About
An overview of the topics covered in The Voluntary Life, why I focus on these topics, and what you can get from them. Show Notes: Support TVL on Patreon and get bonus episodes and other rewards Support TVL on BitBacker with cryptocurrency Becoming an Entrepreneur by Jake Desyllas Audiobook, eBook, Paperback Job Free by Jake Desyllas Audiobook, eBook, Paperback
Ep 399399 What I Learned Losing a Million Dollars
A discussion of the lessons that can be taken from Jim Paul's book, What I Learned Losing a Million Dollars. Show Notes: What I Learned Losing a Million Dollars by Jim Paul Support TVL on Patreon and get bonus episodes and other rewards Support TVL on BitBacker with cryptocurrency Job Free by Jake Desyllas Audiobook, eBook, Paperback
Ep 398398 A Review of The Battle Hymn of The Tiger Mother
What are the assumptions used in "tiger" parenting, and what is the goal? This episode is a review of The Battle Hymn of The Tiger Mother by Amy Chua.
Ep 397397 How Do You Know If You Can Live From Your Investments?
How do you know whether you have enough money to live from your investments? What if you stop working and then find out that you don't have enough? This episode is a discussion with a listener about these questions. Show Notes: Support TVL on Patreon and get bonus episodes and other rewards Support TVL on BitBacker with cryptocurrency Becoming an Entrepreneur by Jake Desyllas Audiobook, eBook, Paperback Job Free by Jake Desyllas Audiobook, eBook, Paperback