I did it!

[rumblestrut]

Note: I consider this post low value, because I am respectfully whining.

I did it! I successfully managed to make it 11 years since joining this forum and not hitting any big hairy audacious goals!

In the past decade, I have managed to:

• Climb the corporate ladder
• Pay off my student loans
• Buy a house
• Pay off all my cars
• Carry a small amount of debt
• Survive a pandemic
• Be told this week that it's time to "return to the office"

Man, I am so pumped to still be in the rat race. Just a decade ago, I was working in technology, making a little bit on the side, and stuck to someone else's marching orders. I'm so happy to announce that I've managed to go a whole decade and barely move the needle. Watch out, world!

In case you can't tell, my enthusiasm is highly sarcastic.

In reality, I feel fairly stuck, and realize I made the wrong choice. The pandemic taught me that there is opportunity everywhere, and if you lean in, you could beat most people around you because they're not even trying. But now that the world (well, maybe just the United States) has moved on from the pandemic, it's "butts in seats" time.

So, today, I'm starting to re-read an MJ book or two, and start over. I can't follow this path anymore. Please don't follow my example. Get out there, and make a dent in your universe.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

• Climb the corporate ladder
• Pay off my student loans
• Buy a house
• Pay off all my cars
• Carry a small amount of debt
• Survive a pandemic
• Be told this week that it's time to "return to the office"

Give yourself some credit, you've done pretty good considering the default system is pretty much rigged against great achievements.

I pulled this out of the "Landfill" because I think you are being too hard on yourself. You made progress, which is why you found it easy to continue the same path.

 

[Mathuin]

Good luck for the future!

 

[jwest95]

Note: I consider this post low value, because I am respectfully whining.

I did it! I successfully managed to make it 11 years since joining this forum and not hitting any big hairy audacious goals!

In the past decade, I have managed to:

• Climb the corporate ladder
• Pay off my student loans
• Buy a house
• Pay off all my cars
• Carry a small amount of debt
• Survive a pandemic
• Be told this week that it's time to "return to the office"

Man, I am so pumped to still be in the rat race. Just a decade ago, I was working in technology, making a little bit on the side, and stuck to someone else's marching orders. I'm so happy to announce that I've managed to go a whole decade and barely move the needle. Watch out, world!

In case you can't tell, my enthusiasm is highly sarcastic.

In reality, I feel fairly stuck, and realize I made the wrong choice. The pandemic taught me that there is opportunity everywhere, and if you lean in, you could beat most people around you because they're not even trying. But now that the world (well, maybe just the United States) has moved on from the pandemic, it's "butts in seats" time.

So, today, I'm starting to re-read an MJ book or two, and start over. I can't follow this path anymore. Please don't follow my example. Get out there, and make a dent in your universe.

The fact that you have some stability (house, no debt - which is huge!) only puts you in a better position. You can now manoeuvre and take risk with a lot more confidence. Be proud of your current achievements. Now it's time for the next step of your journey

 

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[Ing]

Compared to most people you ve made good progress!
Can you use your corporate knowledge and connections to make any kind of business?

 

[rumblestrut]

Compared to most people you ve made good progress!
Can you use your corporate knowledge and connections to make any kind of business?

Quite possibly, yes. I also think a strength of starting from now is what I see on a regular basis from most I work with.

I've tried to round a team of people to build something (I work in technology), and most people don't want to risk their extra time on a maybe when they can bill hourly and get some extra cash. Most people will take the quick win over the maybe that could have a huge payout (I'll admit: guilty).

Many I have worked with built solutions for themselves all the time, and never think, "Maybe someone else has this same problem, and would pay to have it fixed."

So many I've worked just throw things in spreadsheets. Once the spreadsheet becomes the source of record, then it really should be an application that one could charge money for (and have better data).

And an overwhelming amount of businesses don't realize that if your user experience is bad, or your user interface looks like it was designed in the early 2000s, it will cost you money.

I don't need to be a millionaire. But damnit I have no desire to play by arbitrary rules anymore. Playing that game may have served me well for a season, but that season is over.

 

[rumblestrut]

Give yourself some credit, you've done pretty good considering the default system is pretty much rigged against great achievements.

I pulled this out of the "Landfill" because I think you are being too hard on yourself. You made progress, which is why you found it easy to continue the same path.

Well, thank you. I'll take some credit for getting to this point, but I am no longer satisfied with my own personal status quo.

 

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[SSTrey]

Note: I consider this post low value, because I am respectfully whining.

I did it! I successfully managed to make it 11 years since joining this forum and not hitting any big hairy audacious goals!

In the past decade, I have managed to:

• Climb the corporate ladder
• Pay off my student loans
• Buy a house
• Pay off all my cars
• Carry a small amount of debt
• Survive a pandemic
• Be told this week that it's time to "return to the office"

Man, I am so pumped to still be in the rat race. Just a decade ago, I was working in technology, making a little bit on the side, and stuck to someone else's marching orders. I'm so happy to announce that I've managed to go a whole decade and barely move the needle. Watch out, world!

In case you can't tell, my enthusiasm is highly sarcastic.

In reality, I feel fairly stuck, and realize I made the wrong choice. The pandemic taught me that there is opportunity everywhere, and if you lean in, you could beat most people around you because they're not even trying. But now that the world (well, maybe just the United States) has moved on from the pandemic, it's "butts in seats" time.

So, today, I'm starting to re-read an MJ book or two, and start over. I can't follow this path anymore. Please don't follow my example. Get out there, and make a dent in your universe.

Out of curiosity, why didn't you give it a proper shot since joining the forum over 10 yrs ago?
What stagnated or prohibited you?

 

[rumblestrut]

Out of curiosity, why didn't you give it a proper shot since joining the forum over 10 yrs ago?
What stagnated or prohibited you?

Fair question. We had a considerable amount of student loan debt, and that weighed heavily until 2018 when we paid them all off. I usually opted for making some extra side money here and there, rather than pushing ahead to try and make a real business on the size. Also, I have kids, and opted for the safety of jobs with great healthcare.

I was way more focused on paying off debt than I was growing a business, which in retrospect would have likely helped to pay off the debt even faster.

 

[SSTrey]

Fair question. We had a considerable amount of student loan debt, and that weighed heavily until 2018 when we paid them all off. I usually opted for making some extra side money here and there, rather than pushing ahead to try and make a real business on the size. Also, I have kids, and opted for the safety of jobs with great healthcare.

I was way more focused on paying off debt than I was growing a business, which in retrospect would have likely helped to pay off the debt even faster.

Fair enough. You have still come further than most people do. Well done.

 

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[Albert KOUADJA]

Well, thank you. I'll take some credit for getting to this point, but I am no longer satisfied with my own personal status quo.

.The insatiable human being. When he wants one thing, once obtained, another unmet need arises. It is a non-stop path. It is for this reason that the rich always seek to become richer.

but the most important thing is to always progress, always seeking to be more satisfied, while also having gratitude for the things we already have and who we are. Being debt-free is a very satisfying position.