I’m on the cusp of greatness. Not really, but I’m on the cusp of what many would consider a pretty good life. I have family in my life. I live overseas and soon I’ll be able to guarantee a good, “middle-class American” living for myself with my writing. This isn’t a lot for many 25-year-olds, and I did it with a bit of help, but I did it while living in a poor country. Minimum wage is below $3 per hour where I am. I’m pretty sure I’ve figured out how to make at least $30. The lifestyle I’ll be living isn’t one of massive riches, but it’ll make me upper middle class where I am and should come with similar social privileges. I did this for myself all using mental strength, applied properly over 3 years.
At age 21, I had a hunch that making money online was the future. I started writing and saw some decent success. I learned how books sell, how companies are valued, and how web traffic worked. I hit roadblocks and limits, and experienced failures. But learned a little bit each time, and I’ve gotten better and better at what I do. In the past, I wrote “one hit wonders”, incendiary pieces of writing that got a lot of traffic but provided little value. I’ve figured out that consistency is the name of the game, by this point. My articles already bring in search traffic, and my presence will continue to grow as I work hard.
I’m pretty good at school, or at least I was when I was enrolled. I didn’t always work very hard, but I was almost always able to BS my way through assignments. I wasn’t a standout talent, although I worked hard for a high SAT score. I knew that writing was the best place for me to apply my mental strength, but it still required a ton of patience to execute. I had to accept that I wouldn’t be an overnight success. That things would be relatively difficult. Being in a poor country makes it such that it pays more to look for stability than take massive risks. I’ve had to learn how to create value in a manner that will pay me dividends long term. This has taken immense mental strength, as people have generally looked at me like I’m crazy for embarking in this business venture. I’ve also had to deal with a lot of boredom. Blogs tend to offer great long-term returns, but they take a long time and a lot fo writing to get traction. 200 posts doesn’t do that much nowadays, even when you’re living in a poor country. I’ve had to accept that it would take time for the value of my work to shine through.
It’s wasn’t always clear how well I would be able to succeed at blogging. I didn’t know if you could really write on Google and get attention. I didn’t know if that attention could translate into money. It’s been great learning the power of the internet, and it wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t been strong enough to take that first leap of faith. Now things are looking up for my late 20s and early 30s, provided I’m able to execute. If you’re young, no matter who you are, I encourage you to be mentally strong. Be ruthless about doing your research and learning your skill. Ignore the naysayers, as long as what you’re doing is moral, legal, and proven. Have fun doing what you do, but take it very seriously. Everything hinges on how hard you work now. This is is doubly true if you live in a poor country and are honing an online skillset. You have the time and ability to set yourself up for life. Don’t squander it.
Thanks for paying attention.
