There are certain things you can’t control; where you’re born, who your parents are, who’s in your class, other people’s actions, the weather! Life is not fair. Whilst some people are born into wealth and endless opportunity, others are born into poverty and are destined follow the same path as their parents. Some people have good looks and innate talent, the rest of us have to do the best with what we’ve got.
In Poker, you could be dealt pocket aces or a 7 and a 4. The most talented players make the best of the cards they’re dealt whilst amateurs rely on good hands whilst bemoaning poor ones. Life can be the same, people rise from humble beginnings to achieve their goals whilst others, some of whom are born into great privilege, piss away the opportunities life has given them.
It’s easy to look enviously at ‘lucky’ people and wish we had their wealth, beauty or talent. But here’s the thing, we usually only compare ourselves with people we consider to have it better than us, we rarely take time to realise all the good in our lives – family, love, health, opportunity, peace, freedom, anonymity – and appreciate that not all people are as lucky.
I definitely didn’t realise how good my cards were until much later in life. As a child, you just assume everyone’s life is the same because that’s the only reality you’ve ever known. As I got older, I’ve realised how lucky I was to have parents who broadened their horizons and gave me opportunities that other kids missed out on. On the flip side, they’ve always wanted me to be quite traditional – go to uni, get a good job, etc – although they have been supportive when I have tried to run by own businesses. I’m definitely going to teach my kids that there’s more than one way to live life and you don’t have to get a ‘normal’ job.
Had I appreciated this earlier in life, I might not have spent so long trying to fit in and do what’s expected. Not that I’m disappointed with my life, everyone is on their own journey to discover what’s important to them. I’ve actually achieved most of my goals, I have a wife, two children, a dog and a house. My only other goal was to be really rich, that’s now matured into achieving financial independence so I can spend my time doing what I want.
I used to think I’d achieve this by starting a traditional company or climbing the corporate ladder. That really isn’t me. I’m very introverted and would much rather just do things quietly on my own. I can’t deal with the politics, showing off and general bullshitting that seems to be required in that world. For a long time, I looked at ‘successful’ people and wondered how they got to where they are. They didn’t seem to have any technical skills, all they could do was talk (bollocks) confidently to colleagues and clients. For 15 years I’ve tried to fit into their world. I’m not doing it for another 15.
Playing my hand
My objective now is to make enough money that I don’t need to spend the majority of my time working – unless it’s working on projects I actually want to spend my time on. This means I either need to get paid a lot for the amount of work I do or I find a way of making money that doesn’t take up any time. Even the top paying corporate jobs require the majority of your time so if you don’t enjoy it, what’s the point? To be really rich when you’re old? No thanks.
As well as personal development and financial education, my interests include sports and computers. I enjoy tinkering with graphics and I’m often asked to create websites, business cards and wedding invitations. I could set up a design agency but I have a few issues with that. You have to attract clients and keep them happy and you have to work for every penny you earn. There are only so many hours in a day so your earning potential is limited.
Instead, I’m trying to work on projects that I enjoy and will hopefully create passive income streams. Even if I do end up working a 9-5 for another 20 years, at least I will have tried and I will have a lot of content that I have enjoyed creating. Read more about my income streams.
This doesn’t just apply to work, you could apply this to any area of life. Figure out what you want and why you want it. Then look at how you can achieve it by not only doing things you’re good at, but things that you actually enjoy.
As ever, you can reach me on twitter with any comments or questions – @themindofsi
