Hello all, Back in 2015, I was in my first year of business school, I struggled. Not so much with the work load, rather with the ability to maintain my focus. Give me a challenge and I will execute with precision and work until it's done, yet I didn't have an ounce of passion or drive to complete my studies. It just wasn't for me. A year into my studies, I first heard about bitcoin. After extensive research on the underlying technology I was thoroughly intrigued both as a future technology and investment platform. I dropped out of school to pursue a business venture - to create an app that functions as a diversified crypto portfolio, automatically managed by trading algorithms (think Acorns for cryptocurrency). My idea was to fuel the fire of the explosive nature or crypto and bring it to the masses through an easily attainable and accessible app that does the guess work for you. I spent the remainder of my student loan money and the next year of my life developing this, just to find that large institutional investors wouldn't touch crypto with a 10 foot pole, and the amount of capital required to do this right was beyond my reach. Wrong timing perhaps? This venture failed, so with no money left for college I had to figure something out quickly. I got my real estate license and started to sell real estate. I was successful at this. I was making a good living but wasnt fulfilled, I needed more. I made a list of every client I've sold a house for, or to, and ordered them by most expensive property to least. I started at the top of the list calling each one to ask what they do for a living and if there is an opportunity for me at their company. A short ways down the list, a very sweet older woman who I sold a beautiful home to a year prior told me of an opening at her company which she thought I would thrive in. It's a company in the finance sector relating to loans, debt, and investing. I was highly underqualified with no degree, yet she took a chance on me. Within a few months I was a leading salesman bringing in 6 figures. I've been at this job now for just over a year. I am currently 22, sitting at my desk today still feeling unfulfilled. It's never been about the money for me, it's more about making an impact in the world and doing something meaningful with my time. I am unsure where to go from here. I have this inner flame that is pushing me towards leaving, because I thrive under pressure. If faced with true pressure I will figure out my next step and do so well. I am becoming comfortable at this job and that scares me tremendously. I don't want to let the next few years pass by in a blur with nothing to show for it but numbers in a bank account. I need more. Any advice from those who are older, wiser, and have learned from their mistakes, I am grateful for any advice you have to offer. Sincerely, Gatsby
You already know it inside.
I believe you should try meditation, exercise, eat extremely well. This sets the foundation of health and clear thinking but it is not enough to arrive at an answer. Write pro and con lists. Talk to the other people in your family. Ask questions like “what would you do in my situation” not “what do you think I should do”. Really prod them to make sure they are actually speaking their truth and not just telling you the first thing that comes to mind. But no one cares about your success as much as you do and no one has as much context as you do, so don’t trust anyone’s advice too much!! Who do you feel envious of? this is a great compass towards what you want most. Journal everyday about something that inspired you, something you are drawn towards, something you are grateful for. Slowly your most energizing values will come to light. Lastly, read the book The Dip. You have already had a few experiences where you faced a major set back and you pivoted directions. Quitting is a very productive thing to do. But you will also find that quitting is also a dumb mistake sometimes. This book will give you some help when trying to decide whether to quit or not. Whatever you choose is going to be difficult.. pick your poison, know what you want to optimize for. & Start investing early! I don’t care if it’s $20 a month - just get in the habit and get good at investing before $ is pouring in. The book “I will teach you to be rich“ may help. Take advantage of compound interest NOW so that you’ll have more options during your next career crisis.
Thank you for this. I completely agree that a healthy body + mind is necessary for success. Talking with my family is tough because of the extreme bias they hold. After seeing my failure with the previous company, and now holding a stable job, they have been adamant that I shouldn't leave this job. Understandable. Some may question why I am asking for personal advice from random strangers on the internet, yet the only place you can go for brutally honest, and truly unbiased advice is just that - the internet. In regards to investing, that's been my saving grace. The challenge of creating wealth is a fun one. I've been taking a portion of each paycheck and investing primarily in the Vanguard S&P 500, with smaller bits in various other stocks. It's been a good learning experience.
Best of luck! You’re already a hero in my opinion. Just learn to do market validation next time before investing in an idea.
Appreciate it! Yes, so many lessons came from the failure, but overall I'm happy I made the attempt.
Decision matrix https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_matrix Do this
You went to business school at age 18? Do you mean you were majoring in business as an undergrad?
Yes, undergrad business program.
Something to consider: maybe your career isn’t what will make you happy. When it’s all said and done, whatever you end up doing will still be a job. You’ll still need money. You should look elsewhere for fulfillment, and be happy you can earn a living making decent cash. Family and children create lasting meaning for many.
Open a brothel. Start a drug smuggling cartel. Get a penile enhancement and bone all the chicks you can. Start a life threatening a addiction, go to rehab and write an awe inspiring book about it all. Your post comes off like some search for validation. You seemed to have already found your way in the world. Why are you asking a bunch of anons for advice? Answer: you aren’t asking for advice. You just need to record somewhere how awesome you are.
The best place you can go for a multitude of brutally honest and unbiased perspectives is anons on the internet -- why I am here. It's interesting you say this post was written out of need for validation, perhaps in a sense you are correct. However, the validation I am seeking is not from you all, it's from myself. I have never truly been satisfied with what I've accomplished.
“The only real competition I have is myself.” I’ve used that one. I was prick for using it.
Just hit the 'Restart' button, everything will be alright. In worst case u gain experience, which makes u choose the right choice next time.
Tldr
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Yes here is some (snarky) life advice: 1. Never write emails or posts that long. Always write the topic at the top of the email or post. 2. No one wants to read what you write. People have made millions not writing words, eg advertising 3. Don’t use fancy words. Don’t write long sentences. 4. Correct your grammar mistakes.
Wow! That's super harsh! Some advice for you, focus on the big picture and not the insignificant details!
They are not insignificant. If you want people to read you, you need to learn to write.