My family is a huge proponent of the slow lane. My mom is a nurse and works long hours. She is just over sixty and is finally starting to do what she likes. She's spent most of her life in a fixer upper raising myself and my sister.
I worked my a$$ trying to get through school and eventually graduated with an engineering degree. I was promised by my professors that I'd be able to get a good job and be able to support myself. The way they described it is I'd walk across the stage at graduation to get my diploma, a job offer, keys to a new car, the arm of a hot chick, and a puppy (I'm obviously exagerating, but they made it seem like all those things would be just over the horizon). Unfortunately, jobs in my field are rare unless I'm eager to move half way across the country. I was lucky enough to "score" a 16 dollar an hour job at a large international company that has been unfulfilling. I had to work a few months as an assembly line worker before I the position I needed even opened. I still see my classmates on the line and know I'm one of the fortunate ones. I work between 50-60 hours a week with everything after 40 hours being without pay. I know it isn't legal, but I have no leverage to improve my job conditions. I'm good at what I do. I was nominated for a 15,000 Euro prize for innovation. I can't help but think that even if I do get the prize, I'll still be just trying to survive and pay off school debt. This is no way to live.
I listened to The Millionaire Fastlane when I was still in college and loved the idea of starting my own business. I had it in my head that I'd look into my own fast lane once I graduated. I didn't. I went straight to the slow lane. I worked terrible hours from 2AM to 10:30 in the morning resetting grocery store shelves for months before I even got the factory lineworker position. When I got my current job I thought I was going to be free. I wasn't. I've been looking for a way out since 3 months into my engineering position. I started picking up side gigs, and I rent a home that has a built in side "business" to save on rent. All this time I've been thinking about my possible businesses and a certain invention. Last week I reread the book. I'm ready to stop thinking and start doing.
I'm twelve thousand dollars in debt, I barely scrape by every month, and I'm ready to make some changes. I have some experience with web design, an engineering background and I'm a darn hard worker. I feel like this puts me at a good start. Now it's time to start pulling triggers.
I worked my a$$ trying to get through school and eventually graduated with an engineering degree. I was promised by my professors that I'd be able to get a good job and be able to support myself. The way they described it is I'd walk across the stage at graduation to get my diploma, a job offer, keys to a new car, the arm of a hot chick, and a puppy (I'm obviously exagerating, but they made it seem like all those things would be just over the horizon). Unfortunately, jobs in my field are rare unless I'm eager to move half way across the country. I was lucky enough to "score" a 16 dollar an hour job at a large international company that has been unfulfilling. I had to work a few months as an assembly line worker before I the position I needed even opened. I still see my classmates on the line and know I'm one of the fortunate ones. I work between 50-60 hours a week with everything after 40 hours being without pay. I know it isn't legal, but I have no leverage to improve my job conditions. I'm good at what I do. I was nominated for a 15,000 Euro prize for innovation. I can't help but think that even if I do get the prize, I'll still be just trying to survive and pay off school debt. This is no way to live.
I listened to The Millionaire Fastlane when I was still in college and loved the idea of starting my own business. I had it in my head that I'd look into my own fast lane once I graduated. I didn't. I went straight to the slow lane. I worked terrible hours from 2AM to 10:30 in the morning resetting grocery store shelves for months before I even got the factory lineworker position. When I got my current job I thought I was going to be free. I wasn't. I've been looking for a way out since 3 months into my engineering position. I started picking up side gigs, and I rent a home that has a built in side "business" to save on rent. All this time I've been thinking about my possible businesses and a certain invention. Last week I reread the book. I'm ready to stop thinking and start doing.
I'm twelve thousand dollars in debt, I barely scrape by every month, and I'm ready to make some changes. I have some experience with web design, an engineering background and I'm a darn hard worker. I feel like this puts me at a good start. Now it's time to start pulling triggers.
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