I made the drastic decision this week that I would be dropping out of college at the end of this quarter, to dedicate more time towards achieving my entrepreneurial goals.
Before you laugh or insult me for making a stupid decision, understand that this did not come without a ton of thought, and would not even be a consideration if I was not already heading down a good path.
I am at the ‘crossroads’ in my life at this moment and feel like it’s time to make some important decisions. This was one of them.Â
How This Began, And What It Can Teach You
Most days, I work at least 12 hours on various projects. I am an entrepreneur, which really means I have about 30 different jobs. Other than a blogger I am also an author, marketer, Amazon reseller, stock investor, consultant, and so much more. Everything in my life is balanced in between periods of more work.
One day this all stopped. I first told this story over on Donna Merril’s and Adrienne Smith’s blog – I hadn’t taken a day off for over a year, when my family came up from another state for Thanksgiving. I took the next day off work completely, and spent the day with my two cousins and my nephew, 7, 8, and 5 years old. We spent the day drawing, taking silly pictures, watching movies, and just plain having fun.
November 28th, 2014.
It was the first time in a while where I felt completely free. For just that one day, I didn’t have any worries. No worrying about work. No emails. No social media. No writing. No stress, and no drama.
Looking back, it was probably one of the best days I’ve ever had. I absolutely love the work I do (how else could I stand to do it for 12 hours a day?) but that day really opened my eyes as to what I want in life.
It wasn’t money, like I thought it was. It was what I thought money would achieve – happiness. Freedom.
My goal with my entrepreneurial work was no longer to become rich, it was to become free. And thus, become happy. And that thought alone changed everything.
How To Achieve Freedom
We may think that we live in a free country, but the truth is that most of are not free. In fact, we are far from it.
Most of us have to get up in the morning, to go and work at a job we hate just so we can get a bit of paper that will allow us to enjoy the little extra time we have.
That lifestyle was never appealing to me, and I’d imagine it doesn’t appeal to you either.  Thankfully, living this way isn’t necessary, at least not as necessary as you may think.
There are two ways to live off the money your business provides for you. You can either make more money, or you can reduce your expenses. The latter is easier, but actually results in the former (we’ll touch more on that later.)
Introducing Minimalism
We are psychologically driven to consume as many material goods as possible. Spend, spend, spend. Of course, it doesn’t help that products are constantly pushed at us, trying to convince us all that we “need” them when in reality, many of them are a huge waste of money.
The problem with this is that most people spend above their means and thus, never really improve their life situation. They are stuck running in the same circle until the day they retire, if they are ever even able to do so.
This is exactly why minimalism was so appealing to me. The idea of minimalism is to spend as little money as possible, allowing yourself more freedom from living on a lower budget, and thus, working less often.
This means cutting your expenses whereever possible, and purchasing little more than the bare necessities. Extra money in my case goes straight to investing in the stock market or back into my business, thus increasing my income further. This allows me to improve my lifestyle consistently without giving up my freedom.
What Minimalism Has Done For Me
Some would say that I am lucky, but the truth is I have just made smart decisions.
I do not yet have a family to provide for. I only need to make enough money to provide for myself.
I have no debt, and thus, no obligation to pay someone back each month.
I could live in a luxury apartment, but I don’t. I save myself $1000 a month by living at home with my parents, which allows me to work much less.
Other than necessities, I only buy what will improve my life for the long term. My possessions consist of little more than musical instruments, computers, and sports equipment.
Some may say this lifestyle sucks. I say it’s the best possible way to live.
Today was a great day. I could have slaved my life away for 8 hours working some boring job. Instead, I woke up at noon, played soccer with my girlfriend, played guitar at the park, and then hopped on my computer and ‘went to work.’
Minimalism grants me the most valuable resource of all – time. I have the time to enjoy my life because I am free. I may work a lot, but only because I choose to.
What Minimalism Will Do For You
- Allows you to focus more time on building your business.
- Puts you in control of your own life, instead of being a slave to others.
- Prevents stress that comes from traditional work.
- Prevents financial stress by eliminating financial obligations (paying off debt, downsizing house, purchasing a cheaper car.)
- Allow you to spend more time pursuing entrepreneurial ideas.
How Minimalism Will Actually Make You Rich
The last point mentioned is perhaps the most important.
Sorry to ruin your dreams, but the reality is you’ll never get rich quickly while working your day job. You can be smart with your money and end up well-off, but you will never become incredibly rich.
The reason for this is simple. There are only 24 hours in a day. Your job and commute will consume a large portion of your waking life.
When this time is freed, you will find a desire to fill it with something productive. You will have a ton of time to come up with incredible entrepreneurial ideas. Ideas that you would never have time to pursue if you had never quit your day job to become a minimalist.
Entrepreneurs are some of the only people that ever really have a shot at making the big bucks. It only takes one successful idea to strike it big, and you’ll only have the time to try if you’re self-employed.
If you need proof of this, just look at J.K. Rowling. She wrote the Harry Potter series while working at home as a single parent collecting welfare. Now look at her success – the Harry Potter brand is worth $15 billion dollars! If she worked a traditional job, she’d be middle-class at best.
Now there is definitely no guarantee that you will become the next J.K. Rowling or the next Steve Jobs but you have a way better chance of becoming rich as a minimalist than the corporate person who works 60 hours a week.
How To Realistically Quit Your Job
Now as appealing as freedom may sound, it isn’t exactly the easiest thing to achieve (hence why most people today are NOT free.)
At best, you’ll only have to pay for the necessities, and can easily get by on $1000 a month.
At worst, you’ll have a spouse, children, debt, and a ton of other obligations that up your monthly expenses.
Therefore, your goal should be to minimize your expenses as much as you can, and focus as much time as possible on building your business. When your business income is greater than your expenses, you are free.
That means you WILL have to work beyond your day job to build your business until you can make this happen. If you can’t afford your lifestyle and you can’t reduce the amount you spend, than yes, you must keep working. And it sucks.
But if your business continues to grow, even at a slow rate, than one day you will be making enough to quit. You will finally free yourself.
If you want to take blogging seriously and build a business that will generate real income, I highly recommend picking up my blogging course. It covers everything from picking a niche, to creating compelling content, to building traffic, to monetizing the site. It’s a great investment for anybody looking to blog for profit.
If Minimalism Appeals To You, You’ll Love My Next Book
Speaking of good books, I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be releasing another book sometime in the near future. It focuses less on blogging and more on entrepreneurship, but also covers a ton of other important topics such as personal finance, product creation, and becoming free (while becoming rich at the same time.)
This book is aimed for people looking to start a business while still in school (as I did) but there will certainly be a lot of great info for any serious entrepreneur, student or not. IÂ already know it will be my greatest work yet.
I’m not sure when I’ll be done with it, but I’m aiming to write a minimum of 2500 words a day on this book so I hope to have it published within two months. It will be available for sale both here on my site, as well as all of the major eBook stores. You will also be able to pick up a paperback copy should you wish to do so. This will be the first time I get a book of mine printed so I’m excited to see how all of that turns out.
Edit: This book is no longer for sale, but has been improved upon, expanded, and replaced by my courses.
I have a lot more planned this year in terms of product creation, and I definitely would not be able to achieve all of my goals if I remained a full-time student. That’s fine though – I’d much rather be doing this than working a 40 hour a week corporate job, wouldn’t you?
Try to focus as much time as possible on building your business. Every hour you put towards it is only taking you one step closer to freedom.
Remember:Â the moment your business covers all of your expenses, you are free.Â
Freedom is there for you if you want it – so go and get it!
Hi James,
Congratulations are in order for you making the decision to quit college. I’m sure you know that most of the people who are the “gurus” and leaders in the internet industry have never attended college. They had that entrepreneur spirit and seen through what society has “programmed” us to do.
As an old timer entrepreneur, even before the computer age, I too have dropped out of college, I went to work on Wall Street for a short while…money was good, but lifestyle sucked. On the weekends, I started re-furbishing antique furniture…I was about your age and made tons of money.
I wont’ write decades of all I have accomplished here, but when you are an entrepreneur, you have clear sight of how you yourself will make it in business. So Kudos to you!
Minimalism: Aha! Because I know many rich and even “famous” people I have counseled in my off line work, it occurred to me that at the end of the day, rich or poor, we all have five bucks in our pocket. When those who accumulate just about everything, living in McMansions and so on, they have to pay a higher price to live that life style. I’ve spoken to many and what they all have in common is the fear of loss. “What if I cannot afford all these things one day?” Not the lifestyle I like.
I myself am a minimalist. I have what I need, not what I want. Less clutter in my head. I even went to great lengths to move and people called me crazy. But I gave away most of my possessions (I did have a lot living in a 4 bedroom home) and moved to where I wanted to be…a smaller home near the beach.
There is no clutter, just simplicity and that my friend eases my mind. I can work like I want to in my home office. Write like crazy as I gaze out of my window surrounded by pine trees and walk to the ocean to just be.
Yes, I got a lot of flack when I did this from others. People like to jump all over you when you step out of the box don’t they? But I ignore it because it is not my job to explain to them.
I wish you all the success you deserve my enlightened friend!
-Donna
donna merrill(Quote)
Hi Donna!
It wasn’t an easy decision but one I felt was completely necessary. It really didn’t make much sense for me to get a degree that I never planned on using, and then be forced to pay off a ridiculous amount of student loan debt.
It was very nice to hear about your story. I agree that living a minimalistic lifestyle keeps everything simple and you lose a lot of stress that other people would have to deal with. Your point on loss is a good one – the less you have, the less you can lose. I’m not a fan of uncertainty myself, which is why I live way below my means.
I suppose this is a long way away for me but I’m even considering never tying myself down to a house (at least not for a LONG while.) The idea of location independence is a nice one, and I am considering traveling a bit while I am young.
I think a lot of people would be happier if they would take this sort of lifestyle to be honest. Money and material goods are great for sure, but I’d rather have time.
Thanks Donna for your wonderful comment!
James McAllister(Quote)
This Post hits home for me James! I did not start working on a business until about 10 years ago and it really was not treated like a business. until this year. ya i did make some money but nothing to call home about. Now this year I am working really hard to build up my PLR store so I can have income coming in each and every day! I will also write ebooks on different topics and of course blog and blog more.
Thank you for this post.
All The Best!
Edward Haberthur
Edward(Quote)
Hey Edward, good to see you!
It sounds like you’ve really got your priorities in focus, and spending extra time on your business is bound to pay off. Every dollar your business makes each month is one dollar closer to freedom, and quitting that boring day job most of us have to deal with.
Looking forward to seeing your growth, keep up the good work!
James McAllister(Quote)
Make fun of you? Seriously? Let me think for a minute, who off the top of my head can I think of that dropped out of college and went onto success as an entrepreneur. Bill Gates? Michael Dell? Mark Zuckerberg? Steve Jobs? I’m pretty sure they all did.
More power to you James. You’ve got the mindset, the determination, and the know how to get it done and succeed.
If I could go back in time, boy would I have done things differently. There’s a local ad that plays on the radio around here that goes something like – wake up, go to work, go to cube, shuffle papers, eat lunch, move more papers, go home, go to sleep. Repeat for the next 40 years.
You definitely have some great goals for yourself this year, and I’m rooting for you.
Craig
Craig(Quote)
Haha thanks Craig!
Exactly, that’s the kind of lifestyle I’m looking to avoid. I love having the freedom to live my life. No point in trading it away for some funny paper when I don’t need it to be happy.
I would never thrive under a corporate enviorment (where in my opinion, the only trait that matters is obedience.) When you’re self-employed you can work as hard as you want to and your pay is a result of your work so I can really push myself.
Speaking of pushing myself, I’ve got a lot of great stuff planned this year. Aiming for 5 books and 3 courses, maybe something more but I don’t want to reveal that yet. 😉
It’s going to be great! Thanks Craig for stopping by, I really appreciate your support and your comment.
James McAllister(Quote)
Hi James,
Man oh man, you are an adventurer! I’m proud of you and really admire your commonsense attitude. May you succeed beyond your wildest dreams.
Edward
Edward Thorpe(Quote)
Hi Edward!
Thank you so much for your support. This lifestyle isn’t for everyone but honestly I couldn’t see myself going any other way. I’m looking forward to it!
By the way, thank you so much for buying my book. I really appreciate it, and if you ever have any questions or want me to expand on an idea in the book further you can email me at any time.
Thanks again Edward and talk to you soon!
James McAllister(Quote)
Hi James
I was a little horrified at first by your decision – but when you mention the thought of having a student debt I totally understand. Whatever else I do, I don’t do debts:-)
If my sons were your age now I would discourage them from uni and student debts. Both of them went that route and neither one of them is actually using their degree. They both have their own businesses, the elder has paid of his student debt, the younger has his own strategy and is very successful in his business.
I don’t have an option other than living in my own house – well I guess I could move back with my 92-year old parents, but much as they’d love me to, I wouldn’t get much work done there! No, I value my own space so I can work when I want and as long as I want.
Perhaps one day I’ll find the time for the much needed de-clutter and down-size, but I’d be really sad to leave this house. It’s more than “just a house” it’s the house that my younger son renovated for me from top-to-bottom so I’m going to enjoy it for a few more years yet 🙂 Keeping it – which I can – is really my WHY for my business.
I don’t want much else materially, but I love this house and the space, privacy and freedom it gives me.
Here’s encouragement for you (not that you need it), perhaps reinforcement is a better word. My Dad quit school at 14 and now aged 92 he’s still one of the most successful businesspeople I know. He always says that apart from the roof over his head (and his business assets of course) his only personal possession is the $30 watch on his wrist!
Go for it, and we’ll all be cheering you on along the way.
Joy
Joy Healey(Quote)
Hi Joy!
Student debts were a huge factor that played into this decision. The cost of school is going up while the value of a degree is going down, so it’s not making sense for a lot of people to take out loans to go to school, especially since many people are going for worthless degrees (that grant them no additional employability over someone without a degree.)
It just doesn’t make sense. I actually wrote like 25 pages just on college in my next book, really excited for it to be released because I know every buyer is another soul saved.
But hey, minimalism doesn’t mean you have to sell your house! If I were in your situation I know I wouldn’t. I know I talked about it over on your blog but investing any extra income on top of buiding your business is another good way to achieve freedom. I know many people making 6 figures in dividends alone just by investing a little bit here and there over the years. It’s probably the closest thing to “passive income” possible!
Anyway Joy I really appreciate your support. Thank you so much!
James McAllister(Quote)
James,
To be quite frank with you, I read this post the day it went live but didn’t leave a comment. The first thing that came to my mind was the name of Bill Gate 😉 and I said to myself you are young and talented. With all you’ve have done, if you press on, you’ll surely make it.
Courage brother!
Enstine Muki(Quote)
Haha thanks Enstine I appreciate that!
I’ve worked hard this past year to really diversify my income sources so even if something happens to one of them, the others will cover and I’ll get by just fine. Just have to keep doing more of the same stuff and continue working hard. I will have a lot more time to do just that after this final college quarter ends so I’m excited to up my workload even further.
Thank you Enstine for your words of encouragement!
James McAllister(Quote)
Hi James,
This is my first time here. I found your blog from your comment on the Adrienne’s blog. 🙂
I was moved to read your article. Why is it?
I’m not going to laugh at your decision to quit college, because I just like you. I also do not continue my studies because I think it is useless for me.
I do not get anything from my college. Then, I tried blogging, and I get the knowledge and the money from there. Yes, I also want freedom. I do not like to work under someone else. I will raise my own business, not someone else’s business. That’s what I think. 🙂
I know, I still have many flaws in blogging, but I will continue to learn. By doing so, I hope I can achieve it as soon as possible. 🙂
Thanks for sharing this great and inspire post, James.
I am glad to meet you and have a nice day for you!
Regards,
Nanda
Nanda Rahmanius(Quote)
Hi Nanda! It’s great to meet you.
You and I have a very similar mindset! Why work hard to build up someone else’s business, right? I haven’t learned much from college either. Half of the classes they want students to take have nothing at all to do with the degree itself. So essentially they want us to pay 10’s of thousands of dollars for “knowledge” that we’ll never actually use. Doesn’t make much sense, does it?
Keep growing every day and you’ll be free before you know it. Thanks for stopping by Nanda, hope to see you again soon!
James McAllister(Quote)
Yes, I agree with you. Indeed, what is learned in the college mostly will not be useful. It is only to a degree. It makes me upset, because I think it is a waste.
Hahaha…
I like your words. Yes, we only pay a few thousand dollars for a degree. I think, college is a place to find skills. In college, you find your passion and persevere until it could be money. That is done by Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, I guess 🙂
I hope so, I will continue learning till I become free for everything.
Thanks for your nice words, James!
Regards,
Nanda
Nanda Rahmanius(Quote)
James McAllister this is the first time I’m visiting your blog and I came to know that you’re getting more addicted to blogging. Not only you, but there are many bloggers who give up their job so that they can work as a full time blogger. I’m also looking forward to work as a full time blogger, but I also have studies. For me the learning process never ends.
James you started your first blog at the age of 11 which is definitely an inspiring thing. At that age I didn’t have a PC to know about online stuff, but I used to go to cyber cafe to know about what is internet browsing and other things.
James for quitting job and working as a full time blogger lot of passion is required. One needs to give more time than what he may have to give while doing a job. Many times people fail to understand that the life of an entrepreneur is a busy one. I hope that you’ll keep motivating other bloggers also to start blogging full time. I hope to see you at my blog too. I run 2 blogs now, but from now I’m going to focus on the blogging niche blog. Stay in touch.
Mohit(Quote)
Hey Mohit, it’s great to meet you!
I agree, you definitely have got to enjoy this type of work if you want to succeed with it. Entrepreneurs work a lot harder and a lot longer than most people with traditional jobs, and I feel if I didn’t love the work I was doing there was no way I’d ever be able to do so much of it.
See you over on your blog soon! Thanks Mohit for stopping by and leaving an awesome comment!
James McAllister(Quote)
What a major decision to take! The world is changing, the 9-5 is becoming less of the norm. Traditional jobs and training for them are becoming redundant.
Your future is now in your hands and I wish you all the best – I know you’ll have success!
I’m slightly jealous because I was over 40 when I realised the same truth 😀
Jan Kearney(Quote)
Hey Jan, great to see you again!
It was a tough decision but one I felt was very necessary. I agree with you, with the internet playing such a huge role in our lives it’s no surprise that online work is replacing a lot of traditional jobs. It’s pretty incredible that anybody can start an online business and connect with people all around the world, that’s something that was just not possible even 20 years ago.
Interesting to see how things will evolve in the future as well.
Thanks Jan!
James McAllister(Quote)
I’m not going to pick on you at all, but after I say the first piece (this isn’t it lol) I’m going to mention a few more things.
One, it’s a big step you’ve taken, and I congratulate you for thinking about it & going this route. Not that I’m against college in any way but I’ve always believed it’s not for everyone. The spirit of entrepreneurship needs to be strong to be embraced but I know a heck of a lot of people who, if they’d trusted their own judgment, would be doing pretty well today. And, as someone who’s worked for himself for 13 1/2 years it’s nice to be untethered.
Two, here’s some things you’re allowed to get away with now that you won’t be able to do when you get older.
First, you’re never free as long as you’re living with someone else who’s footing the majority of the bills. You didn’t mention if you’re giving any money to your parents or how much. For instance, if you’re giving them $500 a month that wouldn’t cover the cost of rent, food, utilities… all that stuff that, when you’re really free, adds up to way more than $1,000 a month.
Second, I’d hope that a big part of your working for yourself is to really grow your money to the point that it can handle any emergencies that “will” come. For instance, my wife and I pay $1,000 a month for insurance since we’re both independent. I’m older than you so it makes a lot of sense but the truth is that a medical disaster can come at any moment and, well, that stuff’s expensive. Right now you’re probably covered under your parents but that won’t last forever. This past summer my wife & I outlayed around $20,000 cash for a new washer & dryer, stove, microwave and we had to have the front porch area and garage jacked up and repaved because of weather damage and were put on notice by our housing insurance company that any injuries to visitors would be on us. Luckily we had it but at times over the last few years that would have smacked us around something fierce.
As I said, I’m certainly not condemning you on your decision but lauding it. Still, I figured it wouldn’t hurt telling an 18-year old from a 55-year old that you should go for what you know, go for more than you’re even thinking about now and keep going for more because we never know what life has in store for us around the corner.
And you might like to take a vacation some day, something I haven’t had in 16 years. 🙂
Mitch Mitchell(Quote)
Hi Mitch!
I definitely agree that college is not for everyone. In fact, I’d say that most people that go through it today really don’t need to. Part of this I believe is due to the fact that degrees only really help in a few fields, and the other part is that most people aren’t actually going into those fields that require a degree. I predict that degrees will become even less valuable in the future due to abudancy and employers will start looking towards other factors to determine the quality of a potential employee.
The result for many people in college today is a ton of student debt and a degree that grants them no more employability than someone with just a high school diploma. It’s kind of sad.
I am fortunate to live in a very cheap area so perhaps my perspective is skewed but I believe in most areas of the United States (excluding big cities) one person living alone with no liabilities could get by well on $1000 a month. Studio apartments can be rented cheap and if you’re living a minimalistic lifestyle thats’ all you really need. You do have to make sacrifices for sure and pay attention to small things like not wasting water/electricity but you can always upgrade later when you’re making more money.
You make a very good point when it comes to emergencies. This is not a point I mentioned here in this article but am mentioning in the personal finance chapter of my next book. I keep 6 months worth of income in a cash-only emergency fund which I can instantly tap into if need be. Most of my money though is invested into index funds so in the event of a major major emergency I can always liquify that as well, although I definitely want to avoid that.
I really, really appreciate you taking the time to stop by and leave a comment with your valuable advice. Hope to see you again soon Mitch!
James McAllister(Quote)
Hi James,
Nice topic indeed and a worth reading post. Quitting your job for blogging is really a hard to decide. I had quit my job during my motherhood. I have to take care of my small baby. So, I decided to quit the job and start full-time blogging.
I am also very happy for you that you are able to choose the correct path and encouraging doing others too. The people will find your post helpful who are not able to decide easily.
I would love to visit your next book soon.
Thanks for the great article. Have an amazing day! Enjoy!!
Nisha Pandey(Quote)
Hi Nisha!
I really appreciate you taking the time to stop by and leave a comment. I am not a parent myself but I can definitely see the advantage of working online as one. Spending time with your children is important and blogging allows you the freedom to do just that.
I’ll announce my next book here on the blog when it comes out so I’m sure you’ll hear about it when it’s out. I’m glad you’re looking forward to it!
Thanks again Nisha!
James McAllister(Quote)
HI James,
Firstly thank you so much for your amazing content. Be a full time blogger this is very much inspirational article you wrote for young generation. You totally encourage me on this article how to be not only a full time blogger but also a businessman or entrepreneur.
I would love to advice few of my friend to visit your this article to get inspiration them for their upcoming future.
Amazing inspirational article. Great effort Man. Thank you
Yasin Rishad(Quote)
Hi Yasin, good to meet you!
I appreciate yoru kind comment and I’m glad this article helped you. Entrepreneurship is the most fulfilling occupation in life and I’m glad you’re considering it. If you ever have any questions or there is anything I can do for you, let me know, OK?
Hope to see you again soon!
James McAllister(Quote)
Hey James,
Sorry I’m just now making it by here but had heard that you were quitting college. I barely made it through a semester, I hated it and quit shortly after that. I only went because my parents guilted it into me but the funny thing is that my sister and brother did go to college yet they never used their degrees. Neither did two of my cousins so it might help in some instances but not all. I did just fine without one thank you very much.
I’m definitely a minimalist. I’ve never been about things. I actually don’t want the big house, the fancy clothes or the luxury car (okay that one would be nice)… I have a small one bedroom condo and I’ve owned it for years. I have little debt and I own my car as well. I work most of the day too but I enjoy what I do and I’m extremely proud of the money I do make.
I have no doubt that whatever decision you make will be a good one for you. We all know so many of the very rich people in this world never attended college so I think it’s up to the individual.
I wish you the best of luck and perhaps you can have more enjoyable days like you did with your cousins just having fun.
~Adrienne
Adrienne(Quote)
Hi Adrienne! Good to see you again.
I agree that college is up to the individual and definitely is not the best course for everyone. I think with the evolution of the internet and change in the way people are thinking, college and traditional work is going to become less of a necessity in people’s minds than it is now.
I didn’t talk about it here but I do think we are in a student loan / secondary education bubble that isn’t going to pop until this reform starts to happen. I believe the problem is people are pressured from the age of 5 until graduation that in order to be a success, you’ve got to go to college. People end up going to college when they don’t want to (often at the threat of parents disowning them because they fail to realize it’s no longer the 1960’s and college doesn’t mean anything these days) so these students that didn’t even want to go to college in the first place are going through the easiest programs, building up a ton of debt, only to have a degree with no value at the end of it. These people can not push our economy forward because they are spending all their time and money paying off debt instead of on consumer goods, not to mention the fact that the government has to bail many of these people out (which is taking its toll on everybody through taxes.)
I could talk about the economics behind this all for hours and I do talk about it a bit in my book, but I’d be here all day and night. This is a subject I feel very passionate about because I honestly believe if a cap was placed on student loans and my next book was a required reading in schools the economy would fix itself (as young adults would actually be able to contribute to society instead of receiving welfare and government bailouts) and the amount of student loan debt would be only a fraction of it is today because people would actually think things through before going to college.
Didn’t mean to go into a huge political and economical backstory but when you mentioned your parents pressured you into going, it got me thinking.
Thanks Adrienne!
James McAllister(Quote)
What a story James, and this is what I love about blogs; this ability to really connect with someone. I’m sure plenty of people thought you were mad to be quitting college, but they are the kind of negative people we need to avoid as we build for our futures.
I work (just for the moment) at Bradford college in the UK and I wish more of our 16-20 year old’s had just a small percentage of your entrepreneurial spirit. You made a brave decision, but backed up by your progress, effort and dream of freedom, I’m sure you will enjoy the future that have now mapped out for yourself – well done and congratulations.
I myself have only just started to build my business after many years of frustration, but I too dream of the freedom that my own business and minimalist approach will bring me.
Many years ago I heard someone refer to a job as “Just Over Broke!) and if more people thought about the reality of working for someone else, they might do something about it.
Thanks for your quality content, very enjoyable read,
Brian B
Brian Butler(Quote)
Thank you so much Brian!
You’ve taken the first step towards freedom – a step that most people will never end up taking. People will think and dream about freedom, but dreaming about something doesn’t make it happen. You’ve actually started heading towards it. If you make continual progress every day – even if its only a small amount at a time, than one day you’ll achieve your goal. That is a fact.
Sorry if I’m overloading your inbox by the way, I’m a guy that likes to really interact with my audience and help out when I can. You and I have a similar feeling about blogs – they are incredible ways to connect with people and part of the reason why I love this business so much.
Thanks again Brian!
James McAllister(Quote)
James –
Congratulations on all these wonderful accomplishments. I too have a goal of writing a book this year. It’s been a couple years for me since I have published a book. You are truly so wise beyond your years. You could and can help so many people of all ages but I think of the impact you can have on others in your age group. You truly can help them with a great mindset so much.
I wish you the best of luck and if you ever want to become one of our leaders who helps others in the “Business Leaders Online ” Tribe on triberr, please let me know. I will move you to the top of the wait list as one of our leaders there. You definately earned a place there. The tribe’s purpose is not just to promote each other but mostly it’s a Tribe centered toward top online business leaders taking the world by storm while helping others in Triberr become successful in their online business. We answer questions for those just learning. We essentially demonstrate our leadership skills and what puts us at the top. ; )
Take care and have a great upcoming weekend. Stay free of those “golden handcuffs”. They sooooo aren’t worth it.
Irish
Irish Carter(Quote)
Hi Irish! I’m so glad to see you here after meeting you over on Donna’s blog this week.
You definitely should write a book! Not only is creating a book an incredibly rewarding experience, but books are forever. They will always sell. Today, tomorrow, next year, 10 years from now, and when we’re retired, our books will still be making us money. That is the beauty of intellectual property.
I’ve actually focused quite a bit of attention on eBook publishing these past few months because book royalties are the closest thing to passive income that I actually make (other than stock dividends.) I love it. Of course, you make way more when you actively market your books but even if you don’t, they still sell.
I would love to be part of your tribe! I do not have the greatest Twitter following but I am very active and would definitely be willing to help out whenever possible.
You have a great weekend too Irish, and if there’s anything I can do for you, let me know!
James McAllister(Quote)
Wow. It’s a good post. And yes, blogging is better than 4 or 5 jobs but it needs some time to get the success. It needs also hard work and passion. Do a some hours for months before quit the jobs you have. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.
Romjan Dhayan(Quote)
Wow James! Just reading this article and I must say that you are truly a brave soul. I am definitely one of those people that you described in this article… You know go to college, get good grades and go to work to build someone else’s empire.
These days however I am totally seeing things in a different light and am now more than ever hell bent on breaking away from the golden handcuffs.
I will say that I think that education is important… But a college degree doesnt guarantee that you will secure a high paying job these days.
Plus student loan debt…ugh is such a PITA. Anywho, I just wanted to stop by to comment and say congrats on your decision to focus on entrepreneurship. I admire you for having the courage to do so.
Kim George(Quote)
Hey Kim! Thank you so much for your kind words.
I can understand the traditional appeal for many people but I knew it wasn’t for me. If we are entrepreneurs at heart, we are never going to be happy building someone else’s empire. It just won’t happen.
You are very right that education is very important, but I think what results from it is even more important. Generalized knowledge doesn’t help us much, especially when it’s easily accessible through something like Google. It’s that specialized knowledge that makes us valuable. Our education needs to yield something of value.
A lot of my peers like to say I’m anti-education but it couldn’t be further from the truth. I read new books monthly, but they are on specialized topics in which their concepts can be immediately applied to areas of my life that are important. Many college graduates can’t say the same.
Ah, student loan debt. One of the easiest ways to get behind before you get started on the path towards financial independence. For the right degree it’s a good investment, unfortunately for many people the debt doesn’t make sense. People say we have a student loan debt problem in this country, but the real problem is that people are majoring in worthless degrees where it makes no economical sense. No wonder colleges are raising tuition prices when the loans are guaranteed and people will pay for it regardless of its true value… but that’s a whole other discussion.
Good to talk to you here Kim, appreciate the comment and hope to talk to you again soon!
James McAllister(Quote)
Smart move giving up college, you spared yourself the dreaded loan repayment lol
Laria Rionel(Quote)
Absolutely, it just didn’t make sense to go into debt for something I was never really going to use. I do think entrepreneurs can benefit from going to college in some cases, but considering I would have had to take out a loan and I never had any plans to work for someone else, it just wasn’t right for me.
When it comes to business I don’t think there’s a whole lot that you can’t learn through reading and through experience, and so far looking back it seems like I’ve made the right choice. 🙂
James McAllister(Quote)
Hi James,
Thank You so Much for sharing a Nice topic indeed and a worth reading post. My True Story I quite job without knowing What I am going to do right now! It’s very hard to decide!!! Only He knows who is deciding this hardly for his life! Quitting your job for blogging is really a hard to decide You should believe it with me. I decided to quit the job and start full-time blogging.
I am also very happy for you that you are able to choose the correct path and encouraging doing others too. The people will get your great post helpful who are not able to decide perfectly.
Thank You very much for your incredible article, this article will help newbies who are recently unable to decide what they will do in their life.
Thanks again and Have a Great Day!
Avenue Sangma(Quote)
Hi Avenue!
It really is a huge decision, and I’m glad you were able to make the leap. We don’t always know how things are going to turn out, but the good thing is with our own business we put our destiny in our own hands and our financial future is in our control. There is an illusion of financial security with a traditional job, but the truth is that it’s not actually there. Owning a business is actually safer in this way because we are the ones in control, not our boss or the company we work for.
I’m glad you find this article to be a helpful resource, it is my hope that it will make the transition for other bloggers easier, because like we both know, going at this full-time is a big leap.
Thanks for stopping by Avenue, you have a great day too and I look forward to talking with you more!
James McAllister(Quote)
It’s obvious being an actual entrepreneur, ha taught you way more than a formal college education James!
And you definitely have (both) the financial and emotional temperament, for a being a successful
minimalist!
And you’re far too creative and entrepreneurial, for a corporate 9-5 anyway!LOL!
But without the proper discipline and initiative, being a successful minimalist is
a major task for most people.
/Besides, for the amount of debt you’d need to accumulate, jut to create a lifestyle
where you’re totally dependent on someone else for a paycheck!
You’ve managed to create a truly reliable income and income producing assets, for a whole lot
less!And you’re in control and don’t have to answer to any managers, supervisors and or owners!
That’s being free!LOL!
Mark(Quote)
Hey Mark! Sorry, not sure how I missed your original comment.
Honestly college just isn’t the right choice for most entrepreneurs. I think some people are inherently meant to work for themselves, or for their own companies, and other people are better suited for traditional employment. You can’t force one to work in the other enviornment because it will never work out.
You are right, and in my eyes freedom is the most important thing. Self-employment, entrepreneurship, minimalism, they are all ways to get there quicker. And I’ve got to tell you, I would be miserable any other way and I know many others would too.
Thanks for taking time to read and share Mark, always nice to talk with you!
James McAllister(Quote)
Hello James,
Congratulations with your success now, As I’m reading this article I felt that as if your talking to me directly. You got me with that being Minimalism thing – I totally agree with that, you can focus on a certain thing if you’re a minimalist.
Again great article and still reading some of your posts.
I want to be free!! Wooohhh…
Rogy(Quote)
Hi Rogy! Sorry I missed your comment.
Freedom is there for the taking! 🙂 It’s not an easy path, but if you’re able to perservere, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Minimalism is one way to get there quicker, which is one reason why I love it so much.
If there’s ever anything I can do to help you in your pursuit of freedom, feel free to send me an email! I’m always here for you.
Thanks Rogy, hope to talk with you again soon!
James McAllister(Quote)
Hi James,
Whenever I read a blogging success story, I get motivated.
I totally agree with you. It is not that hard to make money online that most of us think.
I started my blogging journey in 2010. I was a person who was totally new to this blogging world. I even not knew how to write a good article but hard work always pays off 🙂
Now I am making handsome money that is not possible to make doing a 9 to 5 job.
Great to know about you and your blogging journey so far.
Regards
Tauseef Alam
Tauseef Alam(Quote)
Hi Tauseef!
See? You are living proof that it is possible. Regardless of our background of where we come from, what our life situation is life, if we are willing to work hard enough we can make it happen.
You’ve done very good with your work and I look forward to continue watching you grow as as a blogger and entrepreneur. 🙂
James McAllister(Quote)
I started blogging before 6 months, and this was the question which was running in my mind that what I have to do? full time or part time? But this post really help me to understand what I have to actually do. Thank you sir.
Hanuman(Quote)
Hi James,
Awesome story and very inspiring. Dropping out of college can be a tough decision, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it if that’s what you want to do. Congrats on taking the leap.
I agree with you, so many people go to a JOB they hate only because of the money. They never have the courage or will to start their own business on the side. I guess it may have to do with fear of failure.
I used to be one of those people. I hated my job and while it paid good, I took the leap and became an entrepreneur. I failed at many different ventures and here I am starting my own blog again. This time I know what path I want to take. That makes a huge difference. 🙂
Like you, I’m NOT looking to make millions. I am looking for the freedom that money can buy. I think that’s what most people want. If you ask most people, they would probably tell you that they would like to spend more time with their loved ones.
Money is just the thing that provides the freedom. It won’t take you long to reach your goals, especially, since you don’t currently have a lot of debt.
Thanks for sharing your story James. It’s very inspiring and motivational. I wish you tons of success with your Minimalism book. 🙂
Have a great day!
– Susan
Susan Velez(Quote)
Hello,
In my early days of offices, I was thinking of leaving my office and start a blogging career, and till date the same thing is going on my mind and the moment I read this I started remembering my old days.
Thank you for sharing this amazing Article.
TractorGuru(Quote)
It’s never too late! Here’s hoping everything works out for you, just the way you want it!
James McAllister(Quote)
Haha.
Sadly most people still do 9-5 jobs.Even my parents tell me to do job which I hate most 😂
Just here share this article to my dad
Ashish Chaudhary(Quote)
Hey Ashish, I think that’s pretty common. My parents initially wanted me to work a 9-5 job too, and follow a similar path as them.
Fortunately, I turned out to be too stubborn for that hahaha.
Wishing the best for you on your entrepreneurial journey!
James McAllister(Quote)
Hello James,
Firstly thanks a lot in your wonderful content material. Be a full time blogger that is very a lot inspirational article you wrote for younger era. You completely encourage me on this text be not solely a full time blogger but in addition a businessman or entrepreneur.
I’d like to recommendation few of my buddy to go to your this text to get inspiration them for his or her upcoming future.
Superb inspirational article.
Thanks
Pankaj(Quote)
That’s awesome Pankaj! Wishing you the best of luck on your entrepreneurial journey, and for your friend as well!
James McAllister(Quote)
This article of yours sure is 5 years old or so but I guess what lies in there will still urge and motivate new bloggers such as myself and entrepreneurs to follow the inspiration, courage and dedication you made at that crucial time.
Slowly but surely, 9-5 jobs are being outdated and more people start to realize the online business as the new source of income with a much less stressful and frustring conditions of life. Oh yeah ! I can’t stress enough you saying : “…to go and work at a job we hate just so we can get a bit of paper that will allow us to enjoy the little extra time we have.”
I honestly comply with the minimalism idea, surely , it’ wouldn’t get you toe to toe with Steve Jobs and company but at least give back what is far more precious and dear than palaces and cars, that is TIME and FREEDOM.
Thanks James for this inspirational journey.
Said_Hustlr(Quote)
Thanks so much, you’re absolutely right!
I still believe this article is as relevant as ever. While I don’t think online businesses are for anyone, there’s no doubt that we live in a world today where there is so much opportunity. If somebody wants to replace their 9-5 with some sort of online business, they have the freedom to do so – and it’s never been easier to get started!
James McAllister(Quote)
Yes, I agree with you. Your story was very nice to hear. I decided to quit the job and start business. Thanks for sharing this post.
Padma Pawar(Quote)
Congratulations on making the leap, Padma!
James McAllister(Quote)