Rat Race

Pre K - 5th Grade

This is when the love for learning begins. Do you remember getting so excited, that you couldn't contain yourself, to go see all of your friends at school? Do you remember arguing over who's toy was who's? Or who could be the first one done with "Minute Math" and take home the good news to Mom and Dad? Those were the best years. Mom and Dad would pick you up after school and bring you home to an after school snack, then off to go play outside with friends. It is pouring rain outside, but you don't care. It's time to play "Cops N Robbers". Then, in what seems like 5 minutes, Mom is already calling you in for dinner. You sadly say "Bye" to your friends, give them hugs and are off on your way. Walking in the front door, soaking wet, Mom nags to go get dry clothes on before you get sick. You run upstairs and change, then sprint downstairs to sit down for a good meal. Mom and Dad made homemade chili with corn bread (the best!). Everyone sits down at the table together to eat and discuss the day. Mom asks you how school was and you burst out in excitement that you are the Champion of Minute Math. Mom and Dad are so proud of you. "You are a genius, kiddo. You are going to be a scientist when you grow up! Or a doctor! Or an astronaut!"

"What about a math professor?"

"Or an architect?"

Not once did they mention being your own boss, or living your life how you dreamed.

Fast Forward to High School

Do you remember being so excited for the weekend? Do you remember being able to go home and take a nap? Or dreading going to sleep because you would have to be up at 5 am to get ready and catch the bus to school? Or faking a stomach ache or head ache so you could go to the nurse and go home? These were supposed to be the best four years of your life. Why are you trying to hard to get away from it? Was it the test after test that only measured how much pointless information you could remember? Was it the required classes that you had to take if you even wanted to consider going to a college? Was it the presentations you had to do for each class? Or was it the people you were surrounded by? Do you remember when you went into your counselor's office to talk about if you were on track for being accepted into your dream university? When you were told that the career of your choice does not make a lot of income, but it is okay if that is what makes you "happy"? No one ever told you to look 20 years into the future and think about how your life would be. No one told you that only 27 percent of college graduates will get a job in their degree. No one told you that you are going to be working for 40 plus years of your life to hopefully pay off your student loans. No one told you that you won't get to live the life you dreamed of as a child.

Why?

Wouldn't it be nice if you could work really hard for five years, build financial independence to be able to live a stress free life? To be able to control your life in every aspect of your life? Rather than letting your boss decide when you can eat, use the restroom, and spend time with family, you should be able to make those decisions based on when you want to do it. But as long as you are happy right? What does happy mean? What brings happiness? Does working 40-60 hours a week for 50 weeks out of the year, to maybe get two weeks vacation after dedicating years into a company bring happiness? Or does waking up at 10 am, rolling over to your significant other, smiling and saying "Good morning, honey. Where would you like to go today?" only to be interrupted by your kiddos running into your room and jumping into bed bring happiness? Or maybe it's being able to help thousands of lives in a third world country. Whatever it may be for you, does that bring you happiness or does your job bring you happiness? Think about the real motive behind a job. You are there to make a living, to make money to do the things that you enjoy. So, why not get the money situation out of the way and do the things that you enjoy? There are millions of people who took care of the money situation as soon as they could. They got it out of the way so that they could enjoy their life while they were young and youthful. If they can do it, so can you. All you need is to find the ones who have fruit on their tree and pick from it.