FEEDThe farther the calendar moves away from 3/31/2006, the day I walked away from a 20 year career in Sales, Marketing and Engineering, the less I have to explain why I said good-bye to a 6-figure job to trade full-time on my own account. That’s good, because it was pretty hard to explain anyway. The job was rewarding. I worked with great people. So, what was the problem?
I was never cut out to work a job. I am an entrepreneur by nature. I love trying to make something happen. Risk and uncertainty are not scary to me. Now every day that I wake up - I am faced with these challenges.
Interestingly, when you migrate towards your true passion - the money follows. My lifestyle hasn’t changed one bit since I quit the 9 to 5. I haven’t missed a meal. We still have our house in the suburbs and drive nice cars. Our vacations have actually upgraded a little.
Interestingly there are now some people who have only known me as a financial guy. Most think that I am some kind of financial advisor. I still haven’t come up with a good quick way to explain what I do. A stock trading financial freedom advocate will have to do for now.
What do you miss the most about your old job?
The interaction with co-workers?
The variety of tasks?
The meetings
The only thing that I miss are the people. I had some good friends there - some I have known for over 20 years. Fortunately I stay in contact with many of them, but obviously it’s not the same as seeing them every day.
I am able to replicate everything else: variety of tasks and even meetings (if I don’t have anything else to do). Moneywise it hasn’t been much different. I made as much money the last year two years as I made while I was working. The challenge is doing it each year.
I have come to the conclusion that there is only a certain type of person that will venture out on their own. There are always more reason not to do it than to do it.