When I asked my friends about their future plans, the most common response was to keep saving money by working for someone else, so they could eventually chase their passion or start their own business. But, is this the best use of our limited time? Spending a decade of your life laboring for someone else to potentially pursue your passion later?
Peter Thiel, the co-founder of PayPal, love him or hate him, had an enlightening conversation with The New York Times' editors, where he mentioned:
It almost never plays out that way in practice. What seems to happen is that after some period of time, people are making good money and they're typically spending all of it, and it becomes really hard to dial that back. If you bought a house or have all sorts of obligations of one sort or another, it may be very difficult.
This sentiment resonates deeply with me. Before starting my first business, I had a similar plan: save up and launch my own venture later. This mindset is prevalent in Asia, where societal expectations often favor job security in large organizations. Influenced by my family and peers, I followed this approach for three years.
However, after three years, most of my salary had been spent on rent and other expenses, leaving me far from my entrepreneurial dream.
This made me realize that this plan was not feasible, especially considering the current unpredictable economic climate. It was high time for me to take control of my life. Motivated by this realization, I worked day and night for four months to launch my first business, MyColorScreen, a decision I have never regretted.
The world has evolved, and our once-perfect plan of saving money to follow our passions no longer fits the bill. The job security we once sought is fading away. Your employer may go bankrupt anytime, and if you've vested a decade of your life in a company that doesn't prioritize your future, you'll be left stranded.
Rather than depending on this unstable system, it's better to rely on yourself. Instead of waiting for an elusive "right time" when you have "enough money", start now. Begin taking small steps towards your goals daily. No matter how small the progress, it still counts. You'd be surprised at what you can accomplish without a significant financial investment.
I spent four months teaching myself design and coding for free, and I built and ran a business with a monthly expenditure of only $10. All it takes is the determination to stop worrying about money and plunge headfirst into your passion. If your passion is genuine, money won't be an obstacle; it's merely a byproduct of your passion and will come to you eventually.
Clarification: This article was written in 2012 on my old Tumblr blog. I have since sold MyColorScreen.com to a US company in 2013, used that savings to travel the world, and officially began my journey as a travel blogger. I moved this article to this blog before I shut down my Tumblr. If you want to see what MyColorScreen was like, you can see some of my old images here: MyColorScreen Screenshot from 2012.
Further Reading for Inspiration
Looking for more articles to inspire you to chase your dreams? Here are a collection of articles you might find useful:
- Hiking to the Everest Base Camp is one of the most memorable epic moments of my life. Here's a long-read piece about my experiences hiking the Everest Base Camp: On My Way To Everest Base Camp.
- Ever wondered what it is like to travel the world on a third-world passport? Check out: Traveling The World On A Third World Passport.
- Here's why I always celebrate turning a year older with a hike: Climbing Kilimanjaro on My 33rd Birthday.
- Are you currently planning a trip around the world and looking for cheap countries to visit? Here are the 13 Cheapest Countries To Visit in the World.
- Traveling in Europe can be cheap, really cheap. These are the 12 Cheap European Countries to Visit.
- Looking for the most beautiful travel blogs to follow? Here are the 24 Most Beautiful Travel Blogs to Follow.
- For adventurers and backpackers out there, here are the 10 Best Adventure and Backpacking Blogs You Should Follow.
- I truly believe that we need more Asian representatives in the English-speaking travel blogging industry, especially for blogs about Asia. Here are the Top 10 Kick-Ass Asian Travel Bloggers To Follow.
- Did you know that you can travel without leaving your couch? Here are the 8 Great Travel Books You Should Read.
- For the best travel videos to inspire you to travel even further, here are the 20 Most Creative Travel Videos of All Time.
- If you are looking for travel vloggers to follow on YouTube who aren't cringeworthy, check out: 10 Best Travel Vloggers to Follow On YouTube.
- The best way to improve your photography skills is to learn from the best. Here are the 10 Best Photography YouTube Channels to Follow.
- A photo is worth a thousand words. Here are the 25 Most Beautiful Travel Photos I Ever Took From Around The World.
- Ever wondered what it is like to be a travel blogger during COVID-19? Check out: Being A Travel Blogger During COVID-19 - What Is It Like?
- Looking for off-the-beaten-path destinations to visit this year? Check out: 8 Best Off-The-Beaten-Path Destination to Visit.
- Can't travel internationally for the time being? How about traveling in your own country? Here are the 7 Reasons Why You Should Travel in Your Own Country.
- To find the most inspirational travel quotes and captions to go with your photos on your Instagram, check out 34 Short and Unique Traveller Quotes for Instagram.
- We often hear bad stories about locals from travelers, but what about the other way around? Here are some of the Notorious Stories Of Terrible Backpackers.
- If you lost your bag while you were traveling, here is how to deal with the situation: My Bag Was Stolen In Germany.
- Have you ever felt that you do not belong in a place you were born in? Read this: Where Is Home? - My Quest In Search Of Where I Belong.
- People often preach about how important it is to live in the moment, but sometimes, that may not be such a good idea. Here is The Problem With Living In The Moment.
- Want to embark on your first solo trip but not sure where to go? As a long-time solo traveler, here are my favorite places based on real experiences: 10 Incredible Travel Destinations for Solo Travelers.
- Solo traveling is not for everyone, and even though I love it to death, it is not always flowers and sunshine for solo travelers. Here are the 10 Things I Hate Most When Traveling Solo.
- Travel friends come and go, but that may not be such a bad thing. Here is why you should embrace your travel friends: A Life Of Brief Encounters.
- Hiking is life. Here's why: One Year Of Incredible Discomfort - 10 Things I've Learned From Climbing Mountains.
- Here's why having no plan is the best plan: Magical Things Happen When You Have Nothing To Do - The Art Of Doing Nothing.
- Is life getting you down? Here's why you can't always blame life for everything: Life Doesn't Suck. We Are Just Suck At Living It.
- Want to know why I chose to travel alone? Read this: We Travel Alone, NOT To Be Alone.
- For a meaningful solo trip, you need to share it with someone. Here is why Happiness Is Only Real When Shared.
- Traveling is no longer for the rich. Here is why: "People Think I'm Rich".
- The Himalayan Mountain is one hell of a teacher. Here are the 7 Life Lessons The Himalayas Taught Me.
- Want to travel alone but scared that you might get bored out of your mind? Here is How To Enjoy Yourself And Have Fun While Traveling Alone.
- Want to start traveling solo as well? Here is What It's Like to Travel Alone.
- Here is a simple story on how I started traveling: F*ck It, I'll Do This Alone.
- For more inspiring articles like this, visit my Inspiration page.
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1 Comments
Absolutely true.....