In the 18 or so months since leaving book publisher Doubleday, Harriet Rubin has noted her achievements and her setbacks in a personal diary published in Inc. magazine. It's a remarkably candid look at her progress in creating a self-directed life. And when you're Harriet Rubin, that means you're going after a big life made of big goals and big risks.
Warning: if living without a net (or even the idea of it) makes you nervous, proceed with caution.