A Mustachian should be able to...

[Worsted Skeins]

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”

With a nod to Heinlein, perhaps we can come up with the Mustachian manifesto?  Analyze phone plans and bike to work seem to be two additional skills for the list. 

[arebelspy]

We don't all agree on what Mustachianism is, so it's hard to make a manifesto.

Above all, it's a mindset.

See previous discussions on this exact same topic:
www.mrmoneymustache.com/forum/ask-a-mustachian/authoritative-philosophy-of-mustachianism/
www.mrmoneymustache.com/forum/ask-a-mustachian/so-what's-the-point/
www.mrmoneymustache.com/forum/welcome-to-the-forum/'advanced'-mustachianism/

I think then you'll understand why this thread is futile.  ;)

[Worsted Skeins]

We don't all agree on what Mustachianism is, so it's hard to make a manifesto.

Above all, it's a mindset.

See previous discussions on this exact same topic:
www.mrmoneymustache.com/forum/ask-a-mustachian/authoritative-philosophy-of-mustachianism/
www.mrmoneymustache.com/forum/ask-a-mustachian/so-what's-the-point/
www.mrmoneymustache.com/forum/welcome-to-the-forum/'advanced'-mustachianism/

I think then you'll understand why this thread is futile.  ;)

Well I intended it to be fun...

[arebelspy]

Sure, of course.  :)

I'm just saying that since many of us disagree on the definition of a Mustachian, we'll also likely disagree on what one ought to be able to do.

See: tongue-in-cheek thread about sacred cows/dogma statements among Mustachians:
www.mrmoneymustache.com/forum/welcome-to-the-forum/our-mustachian-sacred-cows/

If one built "to do's" from that list, many would agree.  Many would disagree.  Tough to gain a consensus, I'd think.

I do like that quote from the OP though.

[igthebold]

I went through an "outsource everything" phase after reading the 4 Hour Work Week as a kind of experiment. I quickly realized just how dependent I would be if I kept that up, so I've swung to the opposite end. Both the Heinlein quotation and ERE Jacob's renaissance ideal resonate *very* strongly with me.

[igthebold]

I should say, though, that I've seen two routes toward FI that resonate with me: one is ultra minimalism, and one is more like MMM. The ultra minimalism is pretty straightforward.. don't do much, don't need much, don't spend much. It doesn't really fit my personality, as I love to learn and get my hands dirty actually doing things, so I land more in the MMM end of things.

Of course, at my current rate I'm 17 years from FI, but that's another story.