I definitely have a bullrun on my bucket list.
My current laptop wallpaper for motivation:
http://myredmamba.com/pics/gt-wallpaper.jpg
My Life Defining Moment & Motivation / What's Yours?
- Thread starter Soupyone
- Start date
I definitely have a bullrun on my bucket list.
My current laptop wallpaper for motivation:
http://myredmamba.com/pics/gt-wallpaper.jpg
Good for you!
My current motivation is a car, I drag race on the weekends so I'm not really going for the luxury aspect as I am a 10 second car.
What I have:
I <3 Camaros. My first car was an 89 z28 5.7 Posi Rear end. I miss that thing :/
Thanks for the inspirational post.
Well, I'd love to work by myself, no boss, no quotas, no pressure. however, I still have some obligations that I need to finish for my family.
Well, I'd love to work by myself, no boss, no quotas, no pressure. however, I still have some obligations that I need to finish for my family.
If it helps to motivate anyone in a rough one and needs to know what's possible, I wasn't making ridiculous money--yet I did see a natural progression of my quality of living.
When I first moved to Chicago:
Near Southside of Chicago, Section 8 / Mixed housing (my unit was section 8)
I actually was kicked out of the section 8 when they looked over my application for the 2006 year. I put that I make $250,000 (obviously, I was just dreaming)... But, the building manager didn't like me and said she's taking it as is and gave me until Monday to move, if I didn't I'd find my stuff on the curb... Which is where your stuff gets stolen, I've seen it happen! I found roommates on Craigslist (made my first $600 on my own because of that crises's brevity) and moved into here:
It was a 3 bedroom bungalow that had one bathroom which I shared with two men. The only plus was it was a nice quiet neighborhood on the northside of Chicago, no one to yell at me when I walked to white castle or follow me whispering "5-0". The roommates were both older one around thirty, the other around 45-50 and they were extremely dirty. I used to get in arguments with them because one had a Deep Purple cover band in the basement with FULL EQUIPMENT.
I was born in the 80's and I can't stand Smoke on the Water (I shouldn't even know what that is!), while the other one had so many friends coming over he gave them keys! Keys!!! Well, they got tired of living with a borderline parental figure so they asked the landlord to not let me renew the lease. Now, get this... They tried telling me via email with three days notice until the lease resigning. I got the landlord to give me five (not knowing eviction law) and worked like hell to move.
(I went from making $700-800 a month to making $2,500 that week since I had a girlfriend now and we needed to afford our own place.)
Somehow I was kicked out to a better neighborhood again. This time I ended up moving to a studio condo that was $1,100 a month on the gold cost (it was pretty big by studio standards, 975 sq ft).
Here's the exterior, it's called "The Hanover". My neighbors were attorneys, doctors, actors, yada yada. I was the only one that couldn't afford their spouse the typical mink or fox coat. Yeah, it was like that there.
Only interior photo I could find I had left:
I spent a good year and a half there until my girlfriend, then fiancee begged that we move to Florida. So now with a bank account around 21K I had a Realtor client find places I'd like and I flew down to Florida for the day.
Talk about baller, I used to eat white castle in order to "eat out" and that Weds (you don't forget days like that!) I was picked up by a small limo, taken to Midway Airport, Flew Southwest (not baller enough for first class), and met my chauffeured Navigator in South Florida (daily rental: $800). They drove me and my fiancee around to every place my Realtor picked, then we flew back home. In a span of nearly 16 hours I went house shopping across the country and was back home to catch Late Night with Conan! (keep in mind I was only 19 turning 20)
Anywho, a month later I got my first house:
I lost it when my biz tanked and I haven't lived that well since, but I'm on par to do MUCH better this year. I learned many lessons about what to not do with your money and let's just say I wouldn't spend that loosely this time.
Some people have drugs as their vice, I had gambling and travelling. I'll still do the latter, just not the former anymore.
When I first moved to Chicago:
Near Southside of Chicago, Section 8 / Mixed housing (my unit was section 8)
I actually was kicked out of the section 8 when they looked over my application for the 2006 year. I put that I make $250,000 (obviously, I was just dreaming)... But, the building manager didn't like me and said she's taking it as is and gave me until Monday to move, if I didn't I'd find my stuff on the curb... Which is where your stuff gets stolen, I've seen it happen! I found roommates on Craigslist (made my first $600 on my own because of that crises's brevity) and moved into here:
It was a 3 bedroom bungalow that had one bathroom which I shared with two men. The only plus was it was a nice quiet neighborhood on the northside of Chicago, no one to yell at me when I walked to white castle or follow me whispering "5-0". The roommates were both older one around thirty, the other around 45-50 and they were extremely dirty. I used to get in arguments with them because one had a Deep Purple cover band in the basement with FULL EQUIPMENT.
I was born in the 80's and I can't stand Smoke on the Water (I shouldn't even know what that is!), while the other one had so many friends coming over he gave them keys! Keys!!! Well, they got tired of living with a borderline parental figure so they asked the landlord to not let me renew the lease. Now, get this... They tried telling me via email with three days notice until the lease resigning. I got the landlord to give me five (not knowing eviction law) and worked like hell to move.
(I went from making $700-800 a month to making $2,500 that week since I had a girlfriend now and we needed to afford our own place.)
Somehow I was kicked out to a better neighborhood again. This time I ended up moving to a studio condo that was $1,100 a month on the gold cost (it was pretty big by studio standards, 975 sq ft).
Here's the exterior, it's called "The Hanover". My neighbors were attorneys, doctors, actors, yada yada. I was the only one that couldn't afford their spouse the typical mink or fox coat. Yeah, it was like that there.
Only interior photo I could find I had left:
I spent a good year and a half there until my girlfriend, then fiancee begged that we move to Florida. So now with a bank account around 21K I had a Realtor client find places I'd like and I flew down to Florida for the day.
Talk about baller, I used to eat white castle in order to "eat out" and that Weds (you don't forget days like that!) I was picked up by a small limo, taken to Midway Airport, Flew Southwest (not baller enough for first class), and met my chauffeured Navigator in South Florida (daily rental: $800). They drove me and my fiancee around to every place my Realtor picked, then we flew back home. In a span of nearly 16 hours I went house shopping across the country and was back home to catch Late Night with Conan! (keep in mind I was only 19 turning 20)
Anywho, a month later I got my first house:
I lost it when my biz tanked and I haven't lived that well since, but I'm on par to do MUCH better this year. I learned many lessons about what to not do with your money and let's just say I wouldn't spend that loosely this time.
Some people have drugs as their vice, I had gambling and travelling. I'll still do the latter, just not the former anymore.
Good thread. I need to get back up to Chicago at some point soon for a visit (live in FL too). Been way too long.
PS> The Bears are going to be awesome this year. Fuck what the mainstream sports media says.
PS> The Bears are going to be awesome this year. Fuck what the mainstream sports media says.
I guess? I've only been to one Bulls game and one White Sox game. I don't really have a favorite sports team. I've moved around so much I never grew attached.
But, you can bet I'm rooting for the Heat this year.
My life defining moment was when I was working for a company as their webmaster. It was what I wanted to do, but I had always dreamed of working for myself.
I had always been good at web development, (my teachers in school had me teaching the classes on it) and I wanted to make a living at it, but things didn't seem right when my dream was according to someone else, i.e. my boss.
I had always browsed around the forums learning about SEO, marketing, and all that other Jazz when I was at work and no one was around. I ran the IT department so I could get away with it
It all started a week before. I had a vacation planned and approved by my boss. All week, I had asked everyone in the office if they needed anything before I had left. 10 minutes on that Friday before I was supposed to leave, my boss comes in with 4 days worth of work. They wanted me to get it done before I left.
I didn't.
I walked out that door and went on my vacation.
They called me the entire week of my vacation and had me fix their problems over the phone, essentially ruining my vacation.
I get back and I was called into the office and they fired me within 20 minutes of me arriving. I had spent every last dime on that vacation. They owed me a check and they withheld it from me and said I owed THEM $1500 on top of it. They said they would trade that for help from time to time. I reluctantly agreed, like a chump, and left.
Over the next three weeks, they called me at least twice a day to "Help" them. After that, I told them I was finished and I would not be helping them anymore. They then threatend to call in that $1500. I said I would cut them a check. They realized it wouldn't work anymore, so they then threatened to sue me for $20,000 in turn.
Broke, ignorant of contractor laws, (which was what I was) and not knowing what to do, I told them I would fix the chaos that formed while I was gone in turn for a full release of liability. I did it and was cleared.
That day forward, I have never worked for another person. I know my dreams will never come true relying on someone else.
Even when times got hard, (and I am talking REALLY hard) I still didn't crawl back to the rat race. I will OWN a fucking McDonalds before I work at one.
That event taught me the two things I live by today:
No one is irreplaceable, not even a CEO.
&
There is no such thing as security.
I had always been good at web development, (my teachers in school had me teaching the classes on it) and I wanted to make a living at it, but things didn't seem right when my dream was according to someone else, i.e. my boss.
I had always browsed around the forums learning about SEO, marketing, and all that other Jazz when I was at work and no one was around. I ran the IT department so I could get away with it
It all started a week before. I had a vacation planned and approved by my boss. All week, I had asked everyone in the office if they needed anything before I had left. 10 minutes on that Friday before I was supposed to leave, my boss comes in with 4 days worth of work. They wanted me to get it done before I left.
I didn't.
I walked out that door and went on my vacation.
They called me the entire week of my vacation and had me fix their problems over the phone, essentially ruining my vacation.
I get back and I was called into the office and they fired me within 20 minutes of me arriving. I had spent every last dime on that vacation. They owed me a check and they withheld it from me and said I owed THEM $1500 on top of it. They said they would trade that for help from time to time. I reluctantly agreed, like a chump, and left.
Over the next three weeks, they called me at least twice a day to "Help" them. After that, I told them I was finished and I would not be helping them anymore. They then threatend to call in that $1500. I said I would cut them a check. They realized it wouldn't work anymore, so they then threatened to sue me for $20,000 in turn.
Broke, ignorant of contractor laws, (which was what I was) and not knowing what to do, I told them I would fix the chaos that formed while I was gone in turn for a full release of liability. I did it and was cleared.
That day forward, I have never worked for another person. I know my dreams will never come true relying on someone else.
Even when times got hard, (and I am talking REALLY hard) I still didn't crawl back to the rat race. I will OWN a fucking McDonalds before I work at one.
That event taught me the two things I live by today:
No one is irreplaceable, not even a CEO.
&
There is no such thing as security.
^ Wow, you got fucked good. Amazing the shit people will pull when they know they can get away with it.
Hey dude, nice post, I really enjoyed your story. I'll try to follow suit --
Exactly two years ago, I was a sophomore in college, and working over the summer at my second internship at Microsoft. I was in Seattle for the summer, which was a blast, a beautiful city lush with plants and fair weather (in the summer, mind you) and a nice getaway from my life and youth in Michigan. I was 20 and making $6700/mo and I was on track to graduate college, doing one more internship the next summer, and start a steady job at $86,000 at Microsoft all in the next two years.
Michigan, for those unacquainted, sucks. It's grey, wet and cold all the time. We used to joke that the only two seasons were "Winter and the fourth of July". When it's wet and cold all the time, and you're a introspective quiet geek like I was, life gets depressing and even simple tasks like walking up the street to McDonalds seem too tough and time consuming to do (putting on snow gear, and all), so half the time I just wouldn't eat. This isn't just my experience, but what every Michigan emigrant I know says as well. I had to get out of Michigan, and I was sick of paying for college loans when I didn't even go to class. I didn't go to class because I thought I knew everything -- which is silly -- but instead of using the time I saved for anything constructive, I partied lots, like you're supposed to in college. I don't regret this one bit, but I knew that my options were to either a) stay in Michigan for 2 years and get the Microsoft job, or b) leave immediately.
I asked my recruiter if I could quit school and still get the job. She said, approx, "We will not hire you if you don't finish college. We have this policy so that interns won't drop out to get a fulltime job and miss out on a college education." Transferring wasn't an option, because I didn't go to class and my grades were shit.
I'd wanted to go to Burning Man since I was 11. Something about it screamed "This is where you will find meaning and reason" to my impressionable middle school brain. For 7 years, I'd "planned" and hoped and asked my mom to take me, but obviously that was unrealistic because my mom is disabled and a ordained minister, and I hadn't really "planned" anything, I'd just fantasized. I thought that was planning, then. When I was 18 and could go on my own, I put it off because it was the first week of my first year of college, and I didn't want to miss classes. The next year, I used the same excuse. And finally, there I was, sitting at the table with my Microsoft recruiter telling me that the only way I'd ever get that job would be to spend 2 more years in Michigan.
"Ok." I said, and thought for just a minute. "At the end of this internship, instead of going home, I'm going to San Francisco for 2 weeks to buy supplies. I'm going to Burning Man, and when I get home, I'm going to drop out of school and move to California."
And that's exactly what I did.
When I got to the event, that summer, I spent all week wondering at the amazing world around me, and how I'd gotten myself there by my own free will, and a damned lot of hard work. I dosed on the last night, when the man burned, and had some incredible revelations about the kinds of people I want to surround myself with, and human nature in general. I largely attribute this to be the day I lost the "geeky awkward nerd" weight I used to carry on my shoulders. Then I laid and stared at stars, and I won't ever forget what I saw -- I saw the culmination of everything I'd been feeling all week, that I have a tremendous blessing to have so many resources and talent available to me, that I can build things most other people can't, and out of nothing but electrons, and that if I want something bad enough, and act on it, I will achieve whatever I want to in life. And then, I decided that what I really want from life is to go back to that festival for one week every year, and spend the other 51 weeks busting my ass so I can take as much of my creation and art out to the desert as I can, to share with others and to set it all on fire at the end of the week.
Dropped out of school, moved to San Diego, worked at a4d and then bevo, and here I am now, heading out to the desert for my third year in a short six weeks.
I really appreciated your story bro.
Thanks to OP to write this post, I have never shared this with anyone.
My life defining moment was when I got a great day before black days that carried me to a last resolution.
I really needed a job, a fucking 9-5 job. I don't remember the number of applications i have sent, I was using internet only to find a job.
I came to a good programmer position for a great telecom company (one of the top 10 in the world). I have passed all the recruitment steps in a very brilliant way and at the end the phone call from the recruiter: the job was mine, only wait some day to sign the paper.
The best day in years of grey days, I was thinking.
But that day was the beginning of a even worse time. Never had a new call to sign, no explanation, I have called every day in the next weeks to know about the issue.
I don't want to get long, but I was not hired, period.
After weeks of waiting I came to a oath to myself: "never in my life I will beg a job to anyone, never in my life I will wait for a phone call or a mail, I am the only master of my destiny in the good things and in the bad ones".
That moment I started my online career and never stopped to work, not a single day.
But after years I want to thank that recruiter who has never called me, because I have started my greatest life and I earn in a single day what he earns in months, and my "1 day" satisfaction is worth his whole career.
My life defining moment was when I got a great day before black days that carried me to a last resolution.
I really needed a job, a fucking 9-5 job. I don't remember the number of applications i have sent, I was using internet only to find a job.
I came to a good programmer position for a great telecom company (one of the top 10 in the world). I have passed all the recruitment steps in a very brilliant way and at the end the phone call from the recruiter: the job was mine, only wait some day to sign the paper.
The best day in years of grey days, I was thinking.
But that day was the beginning of a even worse time. Never had a new call to sign, no explanation, I have called every day in the next weeks to know about the issue.
I don't want to get long, but I was not hired, period.
After weeks of waiting I came to a oath to myself: "never in my life I will beg a job to anyone, never in my life I will wait for a phone call or a mail, I am the only master of my destiny in the good things and in the bad ones".
That moment I started my online career and never stopped to work, not a single day.
But after years I want to thank that recruiter who has never called me, because I have started my greatest life and I earn in a single day what he earns in months, and my "1 day" satisfaction is worth his whole career.
Yes, all our skills in life must make us learn we can find a way where is no way.
Guess I have several moments. Most recent is the most depressing and brought me to tears a few times.
I work for the government. It sucks in ways words can't decribe. Imagine staring at a wall for 8 hours a day, knowing your job is just a joke to make people feel good. I was tested at a young age because my parents wanted to know why I acted out in school and got poor grades. Not to toot my own horn, but when I was tested at 13 years old, I was told to have an IQ of 138 and that school just wasn't challenging enough so I didn't take interest in it and thus the reason for my poor grades. I tell you this because I am literally losing my mind doing a job that requires zero thought process. I've been doing it for 6 years now. I have no problems to solve. No critical thinking. Nothing that requires the use of my mind.
Now I worked with this guy who used to tell me that I was way too smart to be doing this shit. That I'm meant for better things. Him and I would talk all the time about politics, religion, economics, etc. He was much older than me, about 55ish. He hated his job with just as much passion as I did. His wife recently divorced him, took a goo majority of his life savings. He worked all his life to give his kids and wife everything they needed to have a good life, sacrificing time for himself. But, finally, he had things lined up to retire. Between his years in federal service, military pension, and social security, he was going to be able to retire with decent amount of money which would allow him to finally start living his life.
As his retirement day approached, I saw a new man start to form. He was excited, he had a new outlook on life. He would talk about all the things he was going to do, all the things he wanted to do but never could because he was too busy slaving away for his cheating wife and kids who took him for granted. He talked about the travel plans he had, the boat he was about to buy, all sorts of great stuff. The day he retired seemed like the happiest day of his life, at his party he pulled me aside and talked to me for a good 20 minutes. He made me promise him that I wasn't going to live the life he did, that I was going to make something of myself and do it early enough in life that I would enjoy my life now, instead of following the slave, save, retire path he did. I made him that promise.
Then the tragic part. 5 weeks into his retirement he was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. It came out of nowhere and fast. Doctors gave him no more than 6 months, he became weak rapidly, bound to a hospital bed 2 weeks after the diagnosis. He was dead 3 weeks later. The last time I was I saw him was in the hospital, his mind was going but he remembered that promise I made him. He took my hand, looked me dead in the eyes, and said "You do whatever you have to do to keep that promise, but you fucking keep it!" He died a week after that.
That was my defining moment. Looking into a dying mans eyes, a man who lived the kind of life I fear the most, and promising him that I will make something of myself and enjoy life while I can. I miss you Anthony Logan, you were one of the greatest men I had the pleasure of knowing. R.I.P. good sir. I will keep that promise, somehow.
I work for the government. It sucks in ways words can't decribe. Imagine staring at a wall for 8 hours a day, knowing your job is just a joke to make people feel good. I was tested at a young age because my parents wanted to know why I acted out in school and got poor grades. Not to toot my own horn, but when I was tested at 13 years old, I was told to have an IQ of 138 and that school just wasn't challenging enough so I didn't take interest in it and thus the reason for my poor grades. I tell you this because I am literally losing my mind doing a job that requires zero thought process. I've been doing it for 6 years now. I have no problems to solve. No critical thinking. Nothing that requires the use of my mind.
Now I worked with this guy who used to tell me that I was way too smart to be doing this shit. That I'm meant for better things. Him and I would talk all the time about politics, religion, economics, etc. He was much older than me, about 55ish. He hated his job with just as much passion as I did. His wife recently divorced him, took a goo majority of his life savings. He worked all his life to give his kids and wife everything they needed to have a good life, sacrificing time for himself. But, finally, he had things lined up to retire. Between his years in federal service, military pension, and social security, he was going to be able to retire with decent amount of money which would allow him to finally start living his life.
As his retirement day approached, I saw a new man start to form. He was excited, he had a new outlook on life. He would talk about all the things he was going to do, all the things he wanted to do but never could because he was too busy slaving away for his cheating wife and kids who took him for granted. He talked about the travel plans he had, the boat he was about to buy, all sorts of great stuff. The day he retired seemed like the happiest day of his life, at his party he pulled me aside and talked to me for a good 20 minutes. He made me promise him that I wasn't going to live the life he did, that I was going to make something of myself and do it early enough in life that I would enjoy my life now, instead of following the slave, save, retire path he did. I made him that promise.
Then the tragic part. 5 weeks into his retirement he was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. It came out of nowhere and fast. Doctors gave him no more than 6 months, he became weak rapidly, bound to a hospital bed 2 weeks after the diagnosis. He was dead 3 weeks later. The last time I was I saw him was in the hospital, his mind was going but he remembered that promise I made him. He took my hand, looked me dead in the eyes, and said "You do whatever you have to do to keep that promise, but you fucking keep it!" He died a week after that.
That was my defining moment. Looking into a dying mans eyes, a man who lived the kind of life I fear the most, and promising him that I will make something of myself and enjoy life while I can. I miss you Anthony Logan, you were one of the greatest men I had the pleasure of knowing. R.I.P. good sir. I will keep that promise, somehow.
My IQ is in the upper echelon (140-150 Binet-Stanford range) and when I don't hustle I'm broke... That's when I think back to an Oscar Wilde quote, "Genius is born, not paid".
So never forget that
"Genius is born, not paid"
I know many rich idiots who've illustrated that you don't have to be a genius to get paid.
+REP
Your friends story made me remember the novel by Yates, Revolutionary Road. That life is the scariest thing in the world to me.
Kick ass post OP, one of the best I've seen in awhile.
My defining moment...putting my all into a job at a young age(19), for 6 years and then being walked out after that company went bankrupt, no severance, no notice, no nothing. I decided right then and there that I would never work for another motherfucker again in my life. Immersed myself in this whole AM/IM/Biz opp world, learned shit and never looked back. It's been 10 years, and the commission checks are still rolling in...fuck da man!
My defining moment...putting my all into a job at a young age(19), for 6 years and then being walked out after that company went bankrupt, no severance, no notice, no nothing. I decided right then and there that I would never work for another motherfucker again in my life. Immersed myself in this whole AM/IM/Biz opp world, learned shit and never looked back. It's been 10 years, and the commission checks are still rolling in...fuck da man!