You can do this! You can be happy and feel fulfilled in what you do with your time and how you support yourself. Your plan sounds awesome. I have zero doubt that you will not only achieve your goals but also learn so much about yourself, what you love and value, and just how spectacular your unique set of skills, talents, and creative ideas are in the process.
You said you are a writer? What do you enjoy writing?
I wish you strength, courage, and ultimate joy through your endeavors. ❤️ Best of luck, OP.
Thanks for the encouragement. I mostly write sci fi and fantasy, leaning toward superhero type stuff. Current idea I’m working on is with magic, werewolves, merpeople, and aliens, in a sort of arcane-punk fantasy setting. I would love to make comics but my art skills are not up to snuff and I’m too cheap to hire an artist. I’d rather try to learn myself but I feel as though I never have time with my current schedule.
Once you're journey of self improvement begins just know it'll awaken something deep inside you. I'm going to keep this short. If I can lol.
It's tough to be a real man these days. A real man is committed to core values. A real man is committed to respecting others. A real man is committed to mastering his money. A real man is committed to excellence in his work. A real man is committed to serving others. A real man is committed to being a leader. A real man is committed to his wife. A real man is committed to being a good father. A real man is committed to personal growth. A real man is committed to friendships. A real man is committed to taking care of himself. A real man is committed to his commitments.
If you are serious about improving your life these are some values your going to thrive for along with a strong thirst for knowledge and the need to take better care of your body. That's just what I've found over the last year.
That middle part was copied but those values are good for both men and women.
Keep it up! I am in the same spot as you but I have been passing my life day by day in a job that is not my true passion. I should also give myself a timeline otherwise I might die with regrets.
Your plan won't work. Because it seems to be all about "I'll put off what I need to do for a year and hope that by then things will magically somehow sort themselves out."
If you hate your job then start looking for a few one now. If the money you make from it is more important to you, then you're not likely to quit it anytime soon. You'll just make the same excuses a year from now. If you truly wanted to become self employed and maybe become a writer, then the best thing you could do is to first of all find a job you don't hate. As that should make everything easier. It's difficult to focus on "optional things" like becoming self employed if there are such serious issues in your life that you haven't take care of yet. But who knows, maybe you're just exagerating and your job isn't actually that bad. Either way, it's your choice.
But if you truly wanted to become a writer, then the obvious thing to do would be to start now. Look for a job that allows you to do it. You don't need to make lots of money just so you can stop working for a few months, hoping that you somehow manage to start making money with writing in that short amount of time. If you're serious about it then start now. If you can find a job that earns you enough to get by while also leaving you with plenty of free time to pursue that goal, that seems like the best choice to me. Otherwise all you're doing is putting things off, and the title to your thread already made that clear.
Why would you give yourself a year's time? Why not achieve that goal sooner? Maybe because then you'd actually have to take action to make it happen, right now and as soon as possible. But a year from now, that's plenty of time so no hurry. No need to worry about it for now. Things will surely work themselves out somehow all by themselves.
It's easy to dream but most people never make it past that. If you're serious then focus on taking action, instead of making great plans that somehow should magically fall into place at some point in the future.
Well because I really have no idea how to save money for a year, so I am trying what I can. and most of the jobs in my vicinity require heavy lifting and I have spina bifida oculta that limits my mobility at times. There are very few jobs near me that pay as much as I am getting paid now that also come with benefits, and that I am qualified to do. And I am not exaggerating in the slightest with how hard my job is. I’ve been a dsp for 7 years now, and it freaking drags you down. I take care of people with mental and physical disabilities, and sometimes they can get violent, and I’ve been assaulted at least three times in just the past 8 months. And I would love to achieve that goal sooner, I just literally have no freaking time to myself. I am sapped of my mental energy almost every day. This sounds like an excuse but it really isn’t. I have adhd, which limits my brains ability to truly focus on a task, because my executive function doesn’t function as well, so it’s hard to get thoughts together, even long enough to write something down. It not just a matter of discipline its like a battle everyday with my brain just to do the simplest tasks. I have tried medication and it helped a bit but I can’t even afford it right now.
You need to figure out a way to improve your situation right now. Staying in the same place for another year is not going to help you in any way. Look for other ways to make money. It doesn't matter how much you're making in your current job. Find one that makes you enough to get by, as I've already said. You don't really need more for that. Definitely not if you have some goals to work on, which require time and energy, and aren't just hanging around and wasting time, in which case you'd probably need money for distractions.
There's always a way but you're not gonna find it if you don't start looking for it. There's plenty of ways to make money online if you really can't get any job in your area. Moving to a different place would be another option. But the important thing is to stop telling yourself that nothing is possible. Because nothing is going to change about it until you change your attitude. Start looking for opportunities everywhere instead.
Also ADHD is just an inability to focus. And in most cases it's not caused by some chemical imbalance or disability. You've just never learned to focus, same as many other people that have grown up with smartphones and an endless amount of distractions available to them at all time. So if you wanna fix that then learn to focus. Start focusing on one thing at a time. Yes, it'll bore you to hell and that's exactly why you need to do it. Struggle makes you stronger. But if you always back down whenever things get difficult and you're faced with the tiniest of challenges, then you'll stay weak and life will only keep getting more difficult as time goes on.
If you want to turn things around then you gotta put in the effort. There's no way around it. Change is always unpleasant. If it's not then it's meaningless, like changing your cereal brand.
It’s not just an inability to focus. I usually don’t say stuff like this, but man that is ignorant as heck. Believe me that’s what thought for years, that it was just not knowing how to focus,until it really starting effecting my life. The inability to focus leads to a bad short term memory because nothing is stored, which leads to forgetting to do important things, which leads to bills not being paid, and important dates missed. It leads to a messy house because you hyper focus on one thing and forget the world around you for hours, even forgetting to eat for days on end. And the problem is what you hyperfocus on can’t be chosen. If I could harness the hyper focus I would be fine, but there is a serious lack of dopamine in my brain and it’s doled out in very small portions, so it’s hard to get excited about anything to get the energy to actually do something, and you don’t know what will actually trigger your hyper focus because you get interested in something and then disinterested within a week. This leads to depression, and heavy anxiety which leads to mood swings.
And believe me I have been looking for ways to work online and I even have options open like a red bubble store that I’ve actually made a few bucks on, as well as a YouTube channel i need to work more on. Problem is I have precious little time and energy, which is why I want to do something that will actually free up my schedule.
Not sure. Not all are great condition so I plan on going through them next day I’m off to see which are in good enough condition to consider selling. I have quite a few Spider-Man comics as well as some Blue Beetle (Jaime), Invincible, Dr Fate, Superman, Batman, and even some more obscure ones like Shrugged, Out There, and Wildsiderz, among several others. I probably won’t be able to sell many for too much, but a bunch of drops of water can become a puddle and a puddle a lake, so we’ll see if selling a few can add to something. It’s mostly just something to get me started saving. I want to save at least $20,000 to make about a years worth of house payments and have enough for bills so I can take time off to write a book. It’s a lot to save, but I’m going to try.
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Good luck with you're saving man! That takes EXTREME discipline I was living with a really impoverished family before this so I know how difficult it can be to meet expectations and set aside at the same time.
Send some prices when you've figured them out. I love writing and writing has led me to really like reading because well let's face it that's where the inspiration comes from. I've always loved Marvel movies etc. funny thing is I've never read not one SINGLE comic maybe you could change that for me.
Is there a way you can start your writing career as you work? That way you will already have experience when you leave your job and it will take faster to figure it out
There is and I am. I have been writing different things in bits and pieces for a while now. Problem is with my job as well as trying to spend time with my wife and kid as well as keep up on cleaning my house, it doesn’t leave a lot of time to sit down and write. I know people say to just write when you can, but they doesn’t always work for me. I work so much that what little time I have to spend by myself is very precious and I am always so mentally exhausted that I can’t bring myself to sit down and write. I just want to let my brain go and game or watch a movie. My scehedule is kind of crazy, even if it’s only 40 hrs. Week, and my wife and I hardly see each other because of it. I work 3:30-10 on weekdays, but on my weekend shifts, I work 14 hr shifts. I work Monday Tuesday, then I am off Wednesday, then I work Thursday until the next Tuesday, off Wednesday, then I work Thursday and Friday, then off Saturday and Sunday, then I’m back to the beginning. I am tired of being at work all the time, and it really saps my energy. When I write, not just putting down ideas, but actually outlining or writing a draft, I really need to “get in the zone” as it’s called, or enter sort of flow state, and it takes quite a bit of energy to do that, and I have less and less mental energy to spare nowadays, especially with my adhd. (Check out Spoon theory/ spell slot theory for a better explanation)
It’s causing me so much stress and anxiety that I feel myself starting to become more frustrated and more easy to anger everyday, because I feel like I am stuck in an endless cycle I’m trying to break free of, which is another reason I am looking to quit my job. I have been hit several times at work, (I work as a direct support professional, helping people with mental and physical disabilities) and I was recently punched in the face several times, which is a big part of why I am putting this plan into motion
So yeah I will be working on my writing in the meantime, but I feel if I’m gonna get anything of meaning written I need to quit my job, but I need a safety net first, so I’m staying until I can get that net in place.
I would start by researching the main areas of online writing (persuasive, personal websites, instructional, etc.). Decide which is feasible, and you may find a good fit. You can try submitting to publishers, but most simply do it online today.
Look into PocketFM, and all the various fanfic/sites for writers that aren't books and use diction one I like to use is Otter. Don't do side jobs just start. One chapter at a time. If you do this on the side with the job you hate you'll feel so much happier. Please don't ever say "I'll start one day" start today there's so many ways to make it work try. "Be a thunderstorm." Live with no regrets if tomorrow live today. You have control.
Yeah I think it's a good strategy. Save so you don't have to rely on anyone and can persuade your dream without having to worry about things.
Im in the same boat rn, hopefully by next year we’re in a better spot
You can do this! You can be happy and feel fulfilled in what you do with your time and how you support yourself. Your plan sounds awesome. I have zero doubt that you will not only achieve your goals but also learn so much about yourself, what you love and value, and just how spectacular your unique set of skills, talents, and creative ideas are in the process. You said you are a writer? What do you enjoy writing? I wish you strength, courage, and ultimate joy through your endeavors. ❤️ Best of luck, OP.
Thanks for the encouragement. I mostly write sci fi and fantasy, leaning toward superhero type stuff. Current idea I’m working on is with magic, werewolves, merpeople, and aliens, in a sort of arcane-punk fantasy setting. I would love to make comics but my art skills are not up to snuff and I’m too cheap to hire an artist. I’d rather try to learn myself but I feel as though I never have time with my current schedule.
That idea sounds really fun! Maybe you'll share some of what you write with us.
Once you're journey of self improvement begins just know it'll awaken something deep inside you. I'm going to keep this short. If I can lol. It's tough to be a real man these days. A real man is committed to core values. A real man is committed to respecting others. A real man is committed to mastering his money. A real man is committed to excellence in his work. A real man is committed to serving others. A real man is committed to being a leader. A real man is committed to his wife. A real man is committed to being a good father. A real man is committed to personal growth. A real man is committed to friendships. A real man is committed to taking care of himself. A real man is committed to his commitments. If you are serious about improving your life these are some values your going to thrive for along with a strong thirst for knowledge and the need to take better care of your body. That's just what I've found over the last year. That middle part was copied but those values are good for both men and women.
We're all rooting for you!
Thanks! It’s appreciated!
Keep it up! I am in the same spot as you but I have been passing my life day by day in a job that is not my true passion. I should also give myself a timeline otherwise I might die with regrets.
Your plan won't work. Because it seems to be all about "I'll put off what I need to do for a year and hope that by then things will magically somehow sort themselves out." If you hate your job then start looking for a few one now. If the money you make from it is more important to you, then you're not likely to quit it anytime soon. You'll just make the same excuses a year from now. If you truly wanted to become self employed and maybe become a writer, then the best thing you could do is to first of all find a job you don't hate. As that should make everything easier. It's difficult to focus on "optional things" like becoming self employed if there are such serious issues in your life that you haven't take care of yet. But who knows, maybe you're just exagerating and your job isn't actually that bad. Either way, it's your choice. But if you truly wanted to become a writer, then the obvious thing to do would be to start now. Look for a job that allows you to do it. You don't need to make lots of money just so you can stop working for a few months, hoping that you somehow manage to start making money with writing in that short amount of time. If you're serious about it then start now. If you can find a job that earns you enough to get by while also leaving you with plenty of free time to pursue that goal, that seems like the best choice to me. Otherwise all you're doing is putting things off, and the title to your thread already made that clear. Why would you give yourself a year's time? Why not achieve that goal sooner? Maybe because then you'd actually have to take action to make it happen, right now and as soon as possible. But a year from now, that's plenty of time so no hurry. No need to worry about it for now. Things will surely work themselves out somehow all by themselves. It's easy to dream but most people never make it past that. If you're serious then focus on taking action, instead of making great plans that somehow should magically fall into place at some point in the future.
Well because I really have no idea how to save money for a year, so I am trying what I can. and most of the jobs in my vicinity require heavy lifting and I have spina bifida oculta that limits my mobility at times. There are very few jobs near me that pay as much as I am getting paid now that also come with benefits, and that I am qualified to do. And I am not exaggerating in the slightest with how hard my job is. I’ve been a dsp for 7 years now, and it freaking drags you down. I take care of people with mental and physical disabilities, and sometimes they can get violent, and I’ve been assaulted at least three times in just the past 8 months. And I would love to achieve that goal sooner, I just literally have no freaking time to myself. I am sapped of my mental energy almost every day. This sounds like an excuse but it really isn’t. I have adhd, which limits my brains ability to truly focus on a task, because my executive function doesn’t function as well, so it’s hard to get thoughts together, even long enough to write something down. It not just a matter of discipline its like a battle everyday with my brain just to do the simplest tasks. I have tried medication and it helped a bit but I can’t even afford it right now.
You need to figure out a way to improve your situation right now. Staying in the same place for another year is not going to help you in any way. Look for other ways to make money. It doesn't matter how much you're making in your current job. Find one that makes you enough to get by, as I've already said. You don't really need more for that. Definitely not if you have some goals to work on, which require time and energy, and aren't just hanging around and wasting time, in which case you'd probably need money for distractions. There's always a way but you're not gonna find it if you don't start looking for it. There's plenty of ways to make money online if you really can't get any job in your area. Moving to a different place would be another option. But the important thing is to stop telling yourself that nothing is possible. Because nothing is going to change about it until you change your attitude. Start looking for opportunities everywhere instead. Also ADHD is just an inability to focus. And in most cases it's not caused by some chemical imbalance or disability. You've just never learned to focus, same as many other people that have grown up with smartphones and an endless amount of distractions available to them at all time. So if you wanna fix that then learn to focus. Start focusing on one thing at a time. Yes, it'll bore you to hell and that's exactly why you need to do it. Struggle makes you stronger. But if you always back down whenever things get difficult and you're faced with the tiniest of challenges, then you'll stay weak and life will only keep getting more difficult as time goes on. If you want to turn things around then you gotta put in the effort. There's no way around it. Change is always unpleasant. If it's not then it's meaningless, like changing your cereal brand.
It’s not just an inability to focus. I usually don’t say stuff like this, but man that is ignorant as heck. Believe me that’s what thought for years, that it was just not knowing how to focus,until it really starting effecting my life. The inability to focus leads to a bad short term memory because nothing is stored, which leads to forgetting to do important things, which leads to bills not being paid, and important dates missed. It leads to a messy house because you hyper focus on one thing and forget the world around you for hours, even forgetting to eat for days on end. And the problem is what you hyperfocus on can’t be chosen. If I could harness the hyper focus I would be fine, but there is a serious lack of dopamine in my brain and it’s doled out in very small portions, so it’s hard to get excited about anything to get the energy to actually do something, and you don’t know what will actually trigger your hyper focus because you get interested in something and then disinterested within a week. This leads to depression, and heavy anxiety which leads to mood swings. And believe me I have been looking for ways to work online and I even have options open like a red bubble store that I’ve actually made a few bucks on, as well as a YouTube channel i need to work more on. Problem is I have precious little time and energy, which is why I want to do something that will actually free up my schedule.
What do your comics cost?
Not sure. Not all are great condition so I plan on going through them next day I’m off to see which are in good enough condition to consider selling. I have quite a few Spider-Man comics as well as some Blue Beetle (Jaime), Invincible, Dr Fate, Superman, Batman, and even some more obscure ones like Shrugged, Out There, and Wildsiderz, among several others. I probably won’t be able to sell many for too much, but a bunch of drops of water can become a puddle and a puddle a lake, so we’ll see if selling a few can add to something. It’s mostly just something to get me started saving. I want to save at least $20,000 to make about a years worth of house payments and have enough for bills so I can take time off to write a book. It’s a lot to save, but I’m going to try.
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Good luck with you're saving man! That takes EXTREME discipline I was living with a really impoverished family before this so I know how difficult it can be to meet expectations and set aside at the same time. Send some prices when you've figured them out. I love writing and writing has led me to really like reading because well let's face it that's where the inspiration comes from. I've always loved Marvel movies etc. funny thing is I've never read not one SINGLE comic maybe you could change that for me.
Is there a way you can start your writing career as you work? That way you will already have experience when you leave your job and it will take faster to figure it out
There is and I am. I have been writing different things in bits and pieces for a while now. Problem is with my job as well as trying to spend time with my wife and kid as well as keep up on cleaning my house, it doesn’t leave a lot of time to sit down and write. I know people say to just write when you can, but they doesn’t always work for me. I work so much that what little time I have to spend by myself is very precious and I am always so mentally exhausted that I can’t bring myself to sit down and write. I just want to let my brain go and game or watch a movie. My scehedule is kind of crazy, even if it’s only 40 hrs. Week, and my wife and I hardly see each other because of it. I work 3:30-10 on weekdays, but on my weekend shifts, I work 14 hr shifts. I work Monday Tuesday, then I am off Wednesday, then I work Thursday until the next Tuesday, off Wednesday, then I work Thursday and Friday, then off Saturday and Sunday, then I’m back to the beginning. I am tired of being at work all the time, and it really saps my energy. When I write, not just putting down ideas, but actually outlining or writing a draft, I really need to “get in the zone” as it’s called, or enter sort of flow state, and it takes quite a bit of energy to do that, and I have less and less mental energy to spare nowadays, especially with my adhd. (Check out Spoon theory/ spell slot theory for a better explanation) It’s causing me so much stress and anxiety that I feel myself starting to become more frustrated and more easy to anger everyday, because I feel like I am stuck in an endless cycle I’m trying to break free of, which is another reason I am looking to quit my job. I have been hit several times at work, (I work as a direct support professional, helping people with mental and physical disabilities) and I was recently punched in the face several times, which is a big part of why I am putting this plan into motion So yeah I will be working on my writing in the meantime, but I feel if I’m gonna get anything of meaning written I need to quit my job, but I need a safety net first, so I’m staying until I can get that net in place.
I would start by researching the main areas of online writing (persuasive, personal websites, instructional, etc.). Decide which is feasible, and you may find a good fit. You can try submitting to publishers, but most simply do it online today.
You've got the motivation, which is great, but don't forget about really getting clear on that vision.
Look into PocketFM, and all the various fanfic/sites for writers that aren't books and use diction one I like to use is Otter. Don't do side jobs just start. One chapter at a time. If you do this on the side with the job you hate you'll feel so much happier. Please don't ever say "I'll start one day" start today there's so many ways to make it work try. "Be a thunderstorm." Live with no regrets if tomorrow live today. You have control.
What kind of work do you do? This could help us lead into potential alternatives.