TED Community » Ernie Zelinski

Sign in to send Ernie an email »

About Me

Ernie J. Zelinski is an innovator, content creator, and international best-selling author.

Ernie is the author of the international bestsellers "The Joy of Not Working" (over 250,000 copies sold and published in 17 languages) and "How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free" (over 125,000 copies sold and published in 9 languages), two life-changing books that have helped hundreds of thousands of individuals around the world achieve a more wholesome life.

Ernie's life-changing books have now sold over 650,000 copies worldwide.

Ernie's core message — that we all can be more creative and really live life the way it was meant to be lived — is at the heart of all his work.

Ernie is presently working on a book called "How NOT to Retire BROKE: 101 Principles for Creating a Prosperous Retirement."

He is also completing, "The Easy Rule of Life: How Ordinary People Achieve Extraordinary Results", an inspirational novel reminiscent of the soul-stirring "Illusions" by Richard Bach and the heart-warming "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari" by Robert Sharma.

Ernie's latest completed creative work "The Joy of Being Retired: 365 Reasons Why You Will Love Retirement" is designed to help retirees celebrate retirement instead of looking at it as something to be avoided.

Ernie recently made the opening keynote speech "How to Turn On Your Genius Machine" at the Edmonton Toastmaster's 3-day District Convention.

Not so long ago Ernie was flown first-class to Istanbul by KalDer (The Turkish National Society for Quality) to speak about "The Joy of Not Working" to 2,000 executives and scholars attending its 17th annual convention in Istanbul.

Feature articles about Ernie Zelinski and his books have appeared in major newspapers including USA TODAY, Oakland Tribune, Boston Herald, The Washington Post, National Post, Globe and Mail, Vancouver Sun, and Toronto Star.

Meet Ernie at:

www.erniezelinski.com
www.retirement-cafe.com
www.retirement-quotes.com
www.thejoyofnotworking.com
http://wwwunrealjob.com/
http://www.real-success.ca
http://www.redroom.com/author/ernie-j-zelinski

Location:
Canada, Edmonton AB
Current organization:
VIP BOOKS
Current role:
Owner
Gender:
Male
Areas of expertise:
Innovator, Author - Speaker, Publisher
My website links:
Ernie Zelinski, Retirement Quotes Cafe, How to Retire Happy
Universities:
University of Alberta - Edmonton Alberta
Member Picture

TEDCRED 10+

More About Me

I'm passionate about

* Entering Partnerships with Organizations to Help Them Create COOLNESS, GOODNESS, and AWARENESS with Customers * Creating Content for Life-Changing Books, E-books, and Websites

An idea worth spreading

Any great accomplishment in the history of humanity has started with one small thought.
We all have these thoughts.
Few people do anything with theirs, however.
What do you intend to do with yours?

What we think we become.
Therefore, always think and act as if your life and you really matter.
It won't be long before they do matter and you are making a big difference in this world.

If you are working more than 8 hours a day, you are in the wrong job.
Either that — or you are doing it wrong.

The unthinkable becomes thinkable only when you give up those beliefs and thoughts that are most precious to you.

Talk to me about

* Creating Content for Life-Changing Books, E-books, and Websites
* Utilizing Creative Marketing to Transform Great Books into Blockbuster Bestsellers

People don't know that I'm good at

* Publishing Books So That They Generate Much More Profit than with Major Publishers
* Entering Partnerships with Organizations to Help Them Create COOLNESS, GOODNESS, and AWARENESS with Customers

Comments

  • TEDCred score: +10 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

  • +2

    A comment on Talk: Chip Conley: Measuring what makes life worthwhile

    Oct 17 2010: A great speech with a valuable message.

    One problem:

    Economist John Kenneth Galbrait said, "Faced with having to change our views or prove that there is no need to do so, most of us immediately get busy on the proof."

    In my book "The Joy of Not Working", written in 1991, I stated:

    "Contrary to popular belief, growth in a country's GNP doesn't necessarily benefit its citizens or make them happier. Yet bubbleheaded politicians, economists, and businesspeople advocate growth just for the sake of growth. This is the philosophy of cancer cells. In my view, GNP should actually stand for the Grossness of the National Product because of the many questionable activities in the economy that increase GNP."

    Of course, I didn't get a Nobel Prize for Economics for this insight.

    But at least the book has sold 250,000 copies and I get a lot of letters and e-mails from readers who quit their jobs and are much happier for it.

    Ernie J. Zelinski
    http://www.erniezelinski.com
  • +5

    A comment on Talk: Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity

    Aug 9 2010: Here are my favorite quotes about creativity:

    Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that.
    — Norman Vincent Peale

    All acts performed in the world begin in the imagination.
    — Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

    If you aren’t living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.
    — Unknown wise person

    Nothing is ever accomplished by a reasonable man.
    — American proverb

    The radical invents the views. When he has worn them out, the conservative adopts them.
    — Mark Twain

    If an idea does not appear bizarre, there is no hope for it.
    — Niels Bohr

    Because a thing seems difficult for you, do not think it impossible for anyone to accomplish.
    — Marcus Aurelius

    One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius.
    — Simone de Beauvoir

    The more you reason the less you create.
    — Raymond Chandler

    Ernie Zelinski
    Author of "How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free"
    and "The Joy of Not Working"
    www.retirement-cafe.com
  • +3

    A comment on Talk: Gary Vaynerchuk: Do what you love (no excuses!)

    Aug 9 2010: Here are my Irrefutable Signs That You Love Your Unreal Job:
    1. You no longer know how to prepare for job interviews and don’t care that you don’t know.
    2. You wonder why people get up before 9 A.M.
    3. Most people with real jobs criticize or envy you.
    4. You rely on job ads rather than the Dilbert cartoon for your laugh of the day.
    5. You don’t ever need any job references.
    6. You no longer have a Daytimer because you forget to look in it after making an entry.
    7. You know what resume means but have completely forgotten what résumé means.
    8. Your favorite T-shirt says "Deadlines Amuse Me."
    9. You know you are no longer employable in a real job and don’t care.
    10. You wouldn’t trade your present livelihood for anything else — bar none!

    Ernie Zelinski
    Author of "How to Retire Happy, Wild & Free"
    (125,000 copies sold & published in 9 languages)
    and "The Joy of Not Working"
    (250,000 copies sold & published in 17 languages)
    http://www.retirement-quotes.com

Favorite talksSee all »