Good thing, bad thing: Who knows?

[Reynante Alvarez]

An academic, hard-working, bright-futured child, at least that's how most people describe me. My childhood was focused on studying. During my childhood, free, government education tend my need for knowledge while my parents cared for my very, very, basic needs. We have no luxury for extravagance.

Then I took Accountancy, Business, and Management in my Senior High. I learned mostly by myself (because of my curiosity), and only relied for mentors for feedbacks and grades. I felt isolated being a hardcore nerd, almost all of them are hooked to a distraction: games, social media, shows, etc. I didn't.

Then college came. I was doing fine when I stumbled along "personal development" stuff. It was amazing: someone giving you hope and practical advice and makes you inspired, among others. There were also bad apples in the mix: Robert Kiyosaki, The Secret, 5-second Rule, The Power of Now, etc. Then I read MJ's TMF.

The best book I've held so far. It gave me warnings about fake gurus, showed me an alternative, least travelled route, and realistic advice, among other things. Looking back, academic grades don't make any sense now (except for the things I learned and still use today like math). I didn't want to become another cog in a wheel, I want to own the whole machine.

Then the pandemic hit us.

We are all locked in our houses, except mine was a cake factory. In my third year in studying the ever so overrated accountancy, things started to lose sense. Since I (along with my brother) became a de facto employee of my sister, studying became frustratingly difficult.

I also faced internal challenges: I became addicted to memes and other meaningless distraction, trying to give meaning to my meaningless existence. I went on to gaslighting, because if I weren't distracted, I could've been independent by then.

Then I realized that if I want to achieve something gargantuan, pressuring myself is not a great strategy. I need to start small and strong. I started to fight what is immediate, my addictions: deleted my Instagram account, unfollowed and muted people on Facebook and Messenger, and deleted my data on Google.

I did not stop there as new addiction starts to jump (9gag, Reddit, Twitter, TikTok, etc.). Despite I gaslighted a bit, I realized that removing a bad plant will leave a void in my proverbial garden. Leaving it empty will just make room for bad seeds to spore. That's why I need a new strategy: Planting good seeds.

I made quality, personal-development books accessible in my phone, installed site blockers on my browser, reading in this forum, among other things. These activities pleases my cravings for novelty.

Now, I'm using my graphic design skill, that I developed in my stay in the factory, in looking for certifications and, hopefully, jobs online, that will help me be independent. After all, I couldn't pursue my Fastlane business if I'm still depending and constantly directed by somebody else. So what's my business?

I'm currently (struggling) making fun, quality, understandable accounting tutorials that levels with Vox, Ted-Ed, Polymatter, and Wendover (faceless and informative). I'm expecting and ready to pivot should my plans reveal impotency.

Now, I'm gaining momentum. I'm rereading all of the best books I've read and constantly improving, 1% at a time. Hope you can give this 22 year-old tyrant wisdom you possess. I'm a dreamer willing to take advice from those who've been there, or maybe from someone with situation as mine. Advance thanks for y'all!

PS. My sister is also an entrepreneur. She already achieved productocracy with her moist, chocolate cakes, despite being a college dropout, pregnant by 16, and physically and psychologically abused by our relatives. She supports both my studies and entrepreneurial journey. If she can, I can, too!

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Hsiev tvusz, ximduni ecuesf. Hmef zua guapf vji cuult optqosoph.