Stuck at a Pivotal Moment: 5-Year Osteopathy Commitment vs. Global Remote Work Dream. What Would You Do?

[Solipsismo]

I'm about 27 years old, originally from Italy, and currently living in France.I am living in France because my profession is paid nuts in my homecountry.

At the moment, I'm a physiotherapist, and I'm about to start a 5-year osteopathy school, which costs 30,000 euros and will occupy 4-5 days of every month. I decided on this path because I signed a contract that will grant me about 30,000 euros (essentially covering the osteopathy course cost) if I stay working as a physiotherapist here for 5 years.

My net worth right now is around 20,000 euros.

I'd appreciate some guidance as I'm quite confused about my next steps.

My ultimate goal is financial freedom with passive or semi-passive income streams.I know it's challenging, but it's what I aspire to.From my research and learning, I concluded that building an online business might be the answer. However, I currently lack any IT skills.Moreover, I believe that establishing an online business is intricate and might demand a lot of time. Reflecting on my major goal of financial freedom, I realized that dealing with many people physically every day is draining me physically, psychologically, and emotionally. Additionally, I feel trapped in this city and country when I'd love to experience life in different parts of the world, something my current job doesn't allow.

I considered an intermediate step to study and acquire a skill that would allow me to have a 100% remote job that I can perform anywhere.

My questions are:

1. In your opinion, is it easier to find a 100% remote job starting from a position where I have no qualifications, or is it simpler to establish an online business?
2. Is it feasible to find a well-paid or even moderately paid remote job without any qualifications but by committing to serious study for some time? If yes:

. Which skill should I focus on? Perhaps web developer?

. Where should I study?

. Realistically, how long might it take?

3) I should start osteopathy in September. However, as I've mentioned, I dream of financial freedom and a remote job that allows me to travel and live in different parts of the world. Is it truly worth undertaking this course? The only potential advantage I see is leveraging this additional qualification to create an online business later. Moreover, if I want that 30,000 euro bonus, I must stay in France for five years; otherwise, I'd be obliged to repay the initial money given to me.

Thank you so much for your answers

 

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[Mikkel]

Fellow physiotherapist here. No one can give you all the answers you are looking for, as these are decisions only you can make. Maybe I can help you reframe your position and give you an example of what I am doing, as I was in your position when I had the chance to go for residency or get my OCS.

My ultimate goal is financial freedom with passive or semi-passive income streams.

You should better define "financial freedom" so you better understand how much money you will need coming in monthly or what your net worth would need to be, to be "financially free."

Does becoming an osteopath bring you closer to your goal of financial freedom? Can you use your physiotherapy knowledge or being an osteopath to create a business?

Does a single payment of 30,000 euros get you to your financial freedom goal? If it does not, then this should not be a factor in your decision, as it is a one-time payment. Don't trap yourself because of one single payment.

I considered an intermediate step to study and acquire a skill that would allow me to have a 100% remote job that I can perform anywhere.

What is your reason that it must be remote work? Is the economy of France or Italy not big enough to create a business? If you only look for remote work, you severely limit your options for finding a successful business to start. I would wager that the majority of millennials and Gen Z want a remote job. Everyone is fighting for the same jobs and the same businesses. Barriers to entry should be a serious consideration when looking to start a business. The barrier to entry to become a web developer is decreasing and the pool of people who are web developers is ever growing. Do you think you can outcompete all of these professional web developers? Maybe you can, but the ease you get from being remote and a low barrier to entry is counteracted by the number of people that you will be competing against.

At the moment, I'm a physiotherapist, and I'm about to start a 5-year osteopathy school, which costs 30,000 euros and will occupy 4-5 days of every month.

4-5 days every month is not terrible, as you could still start a business while balancing all of this, but 5 years is a long time to be doing this.


Could you use your physiotherapy degree to start a business? The knowledge you need to be a physiotherapist is a pretty decent barrier to entry. There are plenty of businesses out there where physiotherapists are uniquely positioned.

For example, I had been an outpatient PT for 3.5 years and then did a Skilled Nursing Facility placement for a few months. I started seeing a LOT of products that could benefit patients that currently don't exist. Currently, I am prototyping and soon to be reaching out to companies to see if any of them would like to license out my medical device. My only degree is related to physiotherapy, I have no engineering degree or business degree. However, I am uniquely positioned to identify missing products in the market since I am in this market every day.

Before you make any big decisions, I think it is best to think about what you actually want to do. You don't know what you want to do, because you haven't thought much on the subject yet. You haven't looked at where each path will take you.

 

[Solipsismo]

Fellow physiotherapist here. No one can give you all the answers you are looking for, as these are decisions only you can make. Maybe I can help you reframe your position and give you an example of what I am doing, as I was in your position when I had the chance to go for residency or get my OCS.

You should better define "financial freedom" so you better understand how much money you will need coming in monthly or what your net worth would need to be, to be "financially free."

Does becoming an osteopath bring you closer to your goal of financial freedom? Can you use your physiotherapy knowledge or being an osteopath to create a business?

Does a single payment of 30,000 euros get you to your financial freedom goal? If it does not, then this should not be a factor in your decision, as it is a one-time payment. Don't trap yourself because of one single payment.

What is your reason that it must be remote work? Is the economy of France or Italy not big enough to create a business? If you only look for remote work, you severely limit your options for finding a successful business to start. I would wager that the majority of millennials and Gen Z want a remote job. Everyone is fighting for the same jobs and the same businesses. Barriers to entry should be a serious consideration when looking to start a business. The barrier to entry to become a web developer is decreasing and the pool of people who are web developers is ever growing. Do you think you can outcompete all of these professional web developers? Maybe you can, but the ease you get from being remote and a low barrier to entry is counteracted by the number of people that you will be competing against.

4-5 days every month is not terrible, as you could still start a business while balancing all of this, but 5 years is a long time to be doing this.


Could you use your physiotherapy degree to start a business? The knowledge you need to be a physiotherapist is a pretty decent barrier to entry. There are plenty of businesses out there where physiotherapists are uniquely positioned.

For example, I had been an outpatient PT for 3.5 years and then did a Skilled Nursing Facility placement for a few months. I started seeing a LOT of products that could benefit patients that currently don't exist. Currently, I am prototyping and soon to be reaching out to companies to see if any of them would like to license out my medical device. My only degree is related to physiotherapy, I have no engineering degree or business degree. However, I am uniquely positioned to identify missing products in the market since I am in this market every day.

Before you make any big decisions, I think it is best to think about what you actually want to do. You don't know what you want to do, because you haven't thought much on the subject yet. You haven't looked at where each path will take you.

Thank you for your insights.
My definition of freedom is being able to experience life in different parts of the world, being able to be one year there and the next year somewhere else. This is why I was considering the remote job path. It could be a faster way to reach this kind of freedom.
Osteopathy and 30k aren't my goal, to be honest. Osteopathy could be beneficial only if I wanted to build an online business using my credentials as a leverage, or it could be beneficial as an anchor to work in my home country if something goes wrong. But not more than that.

 

[Roli]

Thank you for your insights.
My definition of freedom is being able to experience life in different parts of the world, being able to be one year there and the next year somewhere else. This is why I was considering the remote job path. It could be a faster way to reach this kind of freedom.
Osteopathy and 30k aren't my goal, to be honest. Osteopathy could be beneficial only if I wanted to build an online business using my credentials as a leverage, or it could be beneficial as an anchor to work in my home country if something goes wrong. But not more than that.

I think Mikkel has given you some excellent advice and I think you need to ponder on it a bit longer. You say financial freedom to you is being able to experience life in different parts of the world. Well, you can do that with physiotherapy and osteopathy qualifications.

It sounds like you're at a crossroads, so I think you need also to think about do you like what you're doing. So often we talk about profit and returns, but we don't stop to wonder if we are mentally fit to take on a particular challenge.

My advice would be to carry on with what you're doing if you like it, as this path will give you the freedom you seek. However, if you find that the real reason you're thinking of not doing the osteopathy course is that deep down, you know it's not you and you can feel your interest in the area waning, then maybe you need to go in another direction.

 

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