Tag: Freedom

All things went through.

My changes went by without a hitch, I didn’t have to roll anything back, and I went to my meeting, all while getting enough sleep to justify being up by 12.

All in all, a good day for my first day of coverage. Everyone seems pleased, and I can start getting my road map done for the rest of the month of June when I return to work properly next week.

This allows me to not lose sight of what I really want. The ability to work independently and get things done. When I find myself alone in a few years, doing comedy, writing, or whatever it may be, I need to be able to plan, execute, and finish things on my own, without any help from someone to keep me on track.

That’s why I like this blog. Every day, I get these words out, and I build the muscle that is going to push me to the next level with anything I write. I am building the habit of output, the habit of finishing, so when I work on my next few projects, they will be here to stay.

I enjoy that piece of it, and I also enjoy that this is becoming easier to do. When I started back in early April, I just could manage 2 or 3 sentences, now I am plugging away at almost 750 words. Worth the hustle, especially if I can get it to 1000 and start on a new habit of creating some creative output.

With that said, I have been thinking of my day job situation. What do I want to do with it, and where do I go from here.

There are some things that need to be done, before I can hang it up, so to speak. Things that are imperative. One thing that constantly stays on my mind, is getting my college degree. I need to finish it, and I know what i have to do to get it done. One is to take that make up exam over at the college down the street.

The other thing I need to do is get that Linear algebra credit done. Those two things means I can get that monkey off my back, and start fresh. With my loans of course.

There are many things that are on my list of things to do before I go freelance. School is one, loans are another, and getting a stable nest egg is the other thing. I calculated I need at least 30 grand socked away, plus another 50 or so in my 401k before quitting and just being free makes any sense. That would be rent for a year plus an emergency fund in case it all goes bad.

Getting those funds together is a growing challenge. I have to manage my spending , which I have been doing a better job with, and increase my income. One thing I am doing is taking on 2 roommates to get my expenses down as much as possible. Getting that will clear out my credit, and help me pay off my student loans faster.

Also cutting down the amount of drinking has gone a long way, keeping me a bit more mentally sound in the process. If I can get to my goals, I can start to figure out my next move. Apparently, if I keep on the course I am keeping on, I will find myself near my goal around 2015.

It isn’t just money that I need, it is more skills. I do not want to end up with just the money, or just the habits, I need to be ale to market myself and close on projects. That is the reason for me taking on any project management course that comes my way, and I will be taking a class o two on creative writing and script writing.

My job after that will be to market myself with the materials I have created to make something of myself. I have to gain the skill of network building, and being open. These will be critical. Seth Godin pointed out you need 10,000 fans to be an artist for life. I have to start getting there.

In 2 years, I would like to be well on my way of getting that done. Travelling, putting in the leg work, building a fanbase, and creating something for myself. I know I want to be independent, but after 26 years, I think I am finally learning what it takes to be there.

Lets hope by 28 I am a lot closer than where I am now.

---

Rough one on the habits.

Done: 16/8
Not: Pushups Meditation Thank You Wrapup todo 3 Things CPAP Vegetable Juice Water

I have a friend in town.

He has created a bit of a life for himself.

At 26, doing the work that pleases him. Everyday seems to be exciting for him. It is a journey that I envy.

My life seems regimented, I think that is the reason for my perpetual lateness. I tend to not want to go to work. It feels like a place where people are not in it to build together. There are factions, and infighting, and people just trying to hold on to things that aren’t theirs. They don’t own it or have no stake, yet they feel an allegiance to it. I don’t want to turn into that guy. I want to build on something I own, and not fear that I am going to be fired for coming in late.

We work at factories still, which is weird  considering we call ourselves evolved. The modern workplace is still based on what time you clock in and what time you clock out, building widgets to accomplish a goal. If you are there 12 hours, surely you are building more widgets than someone who is there 8. I mean, its the hours.

It isn’t lifting boxes, although it is treated as such. Time given to walking around, chatting, “checking email”, and doing meetings are chalked as work, when a majority of the time, it is just the avoidance of it.

My friend seems to have avoided it. He is doing it his way, and again, it is something I want to do. I want to be able to take the scars that come along with it too. Part of me says I need to just leap. Part of me says I should just stay put until I have a nestegg. But how far will that nestegg go? Will I stay in perpetual need mode – always saying I need more and more and more, until I am 40? Stick around to keep that solid paycheck coming in? If I do, what am I doing when I live in a city that gives out opportunity to those who want to achieve more.

I want to give myself a strict deadline. I think that will help me avoid the fate of sticking in a cubicle, living with the fact that I could have given my all at anything, but I chose to go with a safe paycheck, and the stress of people who seem to have a need to get over to get ahead.

With that said, I am happy for my friend, and even my roommate  who are bold enough to experience the freedom to do what they want, consequences be damned.

It feels good to see people doing real good things, building their own brands, and making a way for themselves.

I want to do that.

I have a want to be a creative that plows his own destiny, for better or for worst.

It has revealed a need for me to go do something. But when, I am not sure. What, I do not know. But it has inspired me. This was supposed to be less than 100 words, and now it exploded into this.

With that said…

He and my roommate really talked a lot, and I hope that they connect as well. Building connections between worlds seems to be the way to go.

James Altucher talked about doing that for the rest of his life. I am starting to understand it. Allow these partnerships to flourish and let them grow where they may.

With that done, who knows where the world will take them. Hopefully one day I will have the balls to join them.

---

16/8 Done Water Done 3 Things Done Morning Todo Not done Evening Wrapup done.