Chris Guillebeau spent years racing against time, visiting all 193 countries before he turned 35, hosting annual gatherings of thousands, and writing bestsellers like The $100 Startup. But his latest book, Time Anxiety, tackles something different: our collective panic about never having enough hours in the day.

The book challenges productivity culture’s relentless optimization, offering counterintuitive solutions like embracing “granny hobbies” and creating “reverse bucket lists.” For Guillebeau, who admits he’s “very forward-minded” and constantly asking “What’s next?” these insights emerged from his own struggles with time pressure.

Fast Company spoke with Guillebeau about why excellence isn’t always the goal, what he learned from visiting every country, and how to find meaning when you can’t control your legacy.

The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

You introduce this concept of the “reverse bucket list.” Why is looking backward as important as looking forward?

I am a very forward-minded person. I’m always like, What’s next? It’s like, Oh, the book is out. What’s the next book? And it’s like, well, I just spent two years writing this book. Maybe I should live in that zone for a little bit.

The reverse bucket list is just like it........

© Fast Company