Hello! It took me almost a year to conquer my fear and be able to write in this forum. I kept reading all the posts, and I am admiring all of your successes. I am really thankful for all the insights from this forum and especially for @MJ DeMarco books that made me change my perception about life and act differently.
A little bit about my background: I was born into a poor country and a very poor community. I strived for success from a young age because I wanted more from life, and life came with a lot of challenges, but I never stopped. I thought that education was the key to success and the escape from poverty, so I tried to become highly educated, acquiring a bachelor's degree and a double master's degree, all from prestigious universities, but after I finished the master's program, I was still not feeling prepared; it was still not enough. I decided to leave the country and see the world.
I came to the United States on a student visa and worked for almost eight years as part of an international visa program after finishing my studies. During that time, I obtained five more certifications in different fields, but I still didn't feel prepared or smart enough to start a business (after reading some posts on this forum, I understood why). I probably never worked less than 70 to 80 hours per week, making good money but being so unhappy. From the age of 16 to the present, my life has been one of consistent hard work, and I was able to fulfill a large portion of my dreams, for which I am extremely grateful, and I can say with certainty that hard work is always rewarded if you are not an easy quitter.
Even though I have some limiting beliefs, I know that victim mentality is not helpful in any way, so I am trying to conquer my fears every day. One of my dreams was to start my own business, so last year I decided to end this cycle of acquiring education and working while not feeling prepared or happy. I started my own small business, selling guided journals and digital products, and doing some freelancing on the side.
I would like to open a business in the technological field that brings value to society. I am brainstorming ideas now, applying the CENTS model to each of them, and I hope to come back one day to this forum and present my story on how I successfully exited the Rat Race.
A little bit about my background: I was born into a poor country and a very poor community. I strived for success from a young age because I wanted more from life, and life came with a lot of challenges, but I never stopped. I thought that education was the key to success and the escape from poverty, so I tried to become highly educated, acquiring a bachelor's degree and a double master's degree, all from prestigious universities, but after I finished the master's program, I was still not feeling prepared; it was still not enough. I decided to leave the country and see the world.
I came to the United States on a student visa and worked for almost eight years as part of an international visa program after finishing my studies. During that time, I obtained five more certifications in different fields, but I still didn't feel prepared or smart enough to start a business (after reading some posts on this forum, I understood why). I probably never worked less than 70 to 80 hours per week, making good money but being so unhappy. From the age of 16 to the present, my life has been one of consistent hard work, and I was able to fulfill a large portion of my dreams, for which I am extremely grateful, and I can say with certainty that hard work is always rewarded if you are not an easy quitter.
Even though I have some limiting beliefs, I know that victim mentality is not helpful in any way, so I am trying to conquer my fears every day. One of my dreams was to start my own business, so last year I decided to end this cycle of acquiring education and working while not feeling prepared or happy. I started my own small business, selling guided journals and digital products, and doing some freelancing on the side.
I would like to open a business in the technological field that brings value to society. I am brainstorming ideas now, applying the CENTS model to each of them, and I hope to come back one day to this forum and present my story on how I successfully exited the Rat Race.
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