The following is a quote from the article “Valkyrie, Socrates, and You, Part II” By Robert Ringer:
“Finally, I would remind you to keep things in perspective: Unless it involves the government, sticking to your principles with Socratic stubbornness is unlikely to result in your execution. Of course, in certain instances, it could cost you financially. But, even then, the trade-off is that your self-respect and self-esteem will skyrocket.
And those are things you can’t put a price tag on.”
This is why I like my blog so much. It is kind of like my own personal journal. I can write what I want and not worry about what others think or who sees it.
It has been almost two years now that I left my almost $80k a year job. I traded it for a retirement check of about $1,050/month. I did it for two reasons:
1. I could not stand any longer doing the thankless job I had, working for people who did not respect those they managed.
2. I believed I could make it on my own within 6 months and make more money.
Well, on the 2nd point I have yet to succeed. I put my trust in the promises of others instead of myself and instead of focusing on one thing and becoming an expert on it, I scattered my efforts so thin that I became an expert in nothing. Boy did I learn some very tough lessons.
Knowing back then what I know now would I have done things differently? Well, that’s a very good question and that is what motivated me to write this. I now believe I could have stuck to my principles for two more years and still worked at that slave job. I could have spent more time in the evenings becoming an expert in one area, built up some degree of success in my own business and then retired to go full-time.
Sometimes it is best to reflect a little more on real important matters and if it involves starting your own business, make sure you have a decent income for at least three months before taking that full-time plunge.
Yes, it is hard, perhaps very hard for most, to make the change from employee to self-employed. However, it is one of the most valuable things you can do to regain control of your life.