The Pathless Path Premium Hardcover
A premium art edition of the best-selling book The Pathless Path by Paul Millerd
Each hand-signed 1st edition has a cloth cover, matching slipcase, hand-drawn illustrations, author's note, and a new foreword by Ali Abdaal.
Books Should Be Delightful
As my book started to take off in the first year, people told me I should look for ways to monetize: Speaking gigs, courses, and selling my rights to a traditional publisher.
"Why not just make money from the book?" I thought.
This project is a culmination of asking myself how I could double down on books, approach being an author like an entrepreneur and artist, and do something that delights my readers.
For the last 18 months, I've poured my time, money, and soul into this project, dancing with fear and uncertainty along the way.
I'm excited to finally be sharing it with you now.
Hand-Signed By Paul
No "Dust Jackets"
In the 1800s, dust jackets were intended to protect books during transit and were typically discarded after purchase. By the 1900s, publishers began designing them, and some, like The Great Gatsby, became valuable collectibles.
Now they’re filled with marketing copy. We can do better. This slip case is more than a home that will protect your book for decades. It's an invitation to imagining a different story for work & life.
Pathless Quotes
Hand-selected full-page quotes include author and reader favorites, and most-highlighted passages
Hand-Drawn Illustrations
Full page illustrations drawing on Japanese lino-cut traditions and sprinkled with details to make you laugh and think. Here are two of my favorites (I'll leave the rest to surprise you when you open the book).
Reflections On My Journey
An author's note reflecting on the 3+ years since publishing the book. I reflect on the book's success, becoming a father, how I've changed, and what's next
A Foreword by Ali Abdaal
Ali has been one of the most generous supporters of my work, from being a reader of the newsletter to one of the 100 people who purchased a pre-sale copy of this book, and since then, he has made several videos about the book and his own journey. I knew he would be perfect to write a foreword for this edition, and his reflections did not disappoint.
All Pre-Orders Come With A Companion Notebook, Quote Cards, and Digital Copies Of The Book.
All pre-orders include a companion notebook and quote cards as well as eBook versions of The Pathless Path and a PDF version of the premium hardcover.
Companion Notebook + Cards
Tier Information & FAQ
Buy One, Gift One
One of my favorite ways to spread this book has been gifting it to people around the world. I've gifted more than 1,500 physical copies and over 3,500 digital copies.
This tier is for the people who want to buy an extra copy to gift to a friend on a similar journey.
In addition to two copies of the basic bundle, you'll get lifetime access to The Pathless Path Community, a 500+ person collection of unconventional, curious humans from around the world, which includes Paul's freelance course, work reinvention course, Circle community and lively WhatsApp Community.
Medici Patron Tier
If you are sitting there and thinking, Wow, I love this. I need to support this and make Paul feel vulnerable while also helping him practice receiving support, then this is for you!
This includes two copies of everything in the launch bundle, access to the community, and a 60-minute call with Paul in which you can ask for advice or talk about basketball for an hour.
This tier exists to give people a way to vote "hell yes!" for this project. It's a vote for books, a vote for indie creators, and a way to nudge me to continue to dream bigger and experiment on this path.
Most asked questions
What's this book about?
I have a lot more info about the book on my main website, pathlesspath.com, where you can read the intro and download the introduction. Here's a summary of what's inside
Part 1: The Default Path
Exploring the history of work through my own aggressive pursuit of a prestigious and impressive career
1. Introduction: An exploration of the default path of success, what the pathless path really is about, and why it matters
2. Getting Ahead: My journey of learning how to become a “hoop-jumper,” breaking into strategy consulting, going to business school, and then how dealing with the loss of my health and someone important changes what I value
3. Work, Work, Work: An exploration into the history of work and trying to make sense of our current relationship to work around the world and some of the fundamental flaws
4. Awakening: The start of a slow but steady drift towards a breaking point while I discover an inner creative and experimental energy that needs to be expressed
5. Breaking Free: Quitting my job and taking the dealing with the loss of an important identity
6. The First Steps: Learning how to prototype a life shift, opening up to possibility and wonder, finding the others, taming my fears and deepest insecurities
Part 2: The Pathless Path
Embracing a different kind of journey, one focused on coming alive, embracing uncertainty, experimenting, and being open to possibility
7. Wisdom of The Pathless Path: Embracing non-doing, falling in love, taking extended breaks, leaning into leisure, re-thinking retirement and money, and learning to trust the world
8. Redefine Success: How to shift away from the default modes of success and towards your own definition, designed around building your own tribe, defining enough and shifting beyond scarcity mindset
9. The Real Work of Your Life: Engaging in the real work of your life: finding the things you want to keep doing. In addition, unleashing your inner creative spirit, figuring out how to be useful and injecting hope into the journey
10. Playing The Long Game: How to sustain the journey by working backward from who you don’t want to be, learning to reinvent yourself, embracing abundance, creating your own culture, and developing your own principles
This is impressive, how are you feeling about all of this?
I'm both nervous and excited, the best combination of feelings.
This feels like high stakes because it's the most I've invested upfront in anything I've done on this journey in over 8 years. But it also doesn't feel that risky, because I'm betting on things I care about. I have faith it will lead somewhere interesting.
I've had so much fun creating this, and am even more excited to give it away as a gift to friends and supporters in the years to come
I'm a book nerd. Can you give me all the fancy details about the book's materials?
- Hardback Square Spine: thread-sewn binding and completely lay flat with deep blue stitching for durability and beauty.
- Custom Illustrations: a series of artworks drawn by a human throughout the text, drawing on Japanese lino-cut traditions and adapted into our own bold, modern style.
- Full-Page Pull Quotes: striking design pages set throughout the book, highlighting key insights and inviting deeper reflection.
- Premium Interior: printed on premium Swedish Munken Pure Rough paper for a warm, textured reading experience.
- Refined Details: blue headbands and a 6mm silk ribbon marker to complete the elevated design.
- Cloth-Cover Finish: Toile du Marais Nude French fabric , screen printed and foil blocked on spine and back
- Stamped Back Cover: finished with a foil-stamped quote from the book, giving the edition a subtle, meaningful touch.
- Protective Slipcase – dark blue Wibalin Natural wrap over 2mm board, with white foil stamping, blind debossing, and a die-cut window revealing the cover beneath.
- Individually Wrapped – each book is inserted into its slipcase and shrink-wrapped for safe transit.
Did you write a really long essay about why you are doing this?
Of course, I do like writing.
You can read my essay: Reclaim The Book
And also a post on the process: How to Make a Book
This is pretty expensive for a book, why?
The goal was to create something better than what most people expect from a book.
I think we've succeeded, and when you receive it, I'm confident you'll be delighted and surprised.
This required investing in exceptional talent, including illustrators, designers, and the production team at Otterpine, not to mention printing it at a historical family-run Italian printer.
This book is designed to last.
To read more, read my essay, "Reclaim The Book"
Can I put in a bulk order?
Yes, happy to work out a deal for you as well. Just email me at paul @ pathlesspath.com
So you're a publisher?
It turns out anyone can be a publisher. There are no special certifications required. But I did pay the state of Texas $25 for the right to use "Pathless Publishing" under my LLC for the next ten years.
I have always had bold aspirations to help others create and share their work, especially in book form.
Supporting this project is a way to help me continue serving people in that way.
But in terms of what comes next and any sort of detailed plan?
As always, it's a pathless path.
Let's find out together.
How can I help you share this?
- Buy the book and show it to people. It is genuinely delightful
- If you've read the book and want to share your story, I'm doing collaboration videos with my readers. Just fill this out.
- Send one to Oprah or Tim Ferriss if you are friends with them.
The Team
- Creative Director & Production Manager: Saeah Wood
- Editorial Manager: Amy Reed
- Design: Ivica Jandrijevic
- Illustration: Elizabeth Evey
- Original Editorial: Paula Trucks-Pape
- Author Photo: Alicia Tsai
- Printed in Vicenza, Italy