THE 2-YEAR EXPERIMENT

Just turned 24.

2 years ago, I quit Uni to pursue to walk on the road less travelled.

This is the biggest decision in my life so far

Others including:

▪︎ Going for a 6 month Monk Mode to figure out my purpose in life.

▪︎ Quitting on 3 Internet business models that didn't give me energy

▪︎ Quitting my 9-5 to go all in (failed, and decided to start all over again.)

Now, I have not achieved full autonomy of my life yet, but if I could go back to 2022, I could only change one thing.

The fact that, I thought it was a mistake to go against the norm. It took me a while to realise it was an opportunity in disguise.

Nonetheless, I have learned a tone.

And now more than ever, I can confidently say, I feel more aligned with my goals like never before.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝟮𝟰 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲, 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗜 𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗫.

𝟭. 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁. (𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹.)

I failed in 3 business models which to me doesn't mean I failed in that sense but I quit before I could see real results.

Heck, non of them lasted for than 6 months.

I just got feedback and realised either it's a misstep or something I couldn't sustain for atleast 10 years.

Plus failure doesn't exist. It's just your expectations of the outcomes that doesn't match your reality.

Lower you expectations down to zero (or atleast try...) and all you'll ever get is feedback.

𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲.

This is a quote from Alex Hormozi that plays in my mind every time I start to go off course.

𝟯. 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘄𝗶𝗺.

Back in 2023, I started this community -Digital Freedom Community - comprised of people I urged to learn a skill, so they can monetize later.

But there was a problem.

I had not done that myself.

I had no blueprint or rather the roadmap of where I was leading the pack.

Long story short, I "killed" it and made another one -Monk Mode- that comprises of people pursing autonomy on their own ways.

Much better this way coz everyone is accountable for him/herself.

𝟰. 𝗨𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲.

Don't announce things prematurely.

"I will do this..." instead, just do it already and let people see the final results.

𝟱. 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 + 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 + 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 = 𝗦𝗨𝗖𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗦, 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿.

𝟲. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝟯 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀.

𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 - I quit Uni out of curiosity. I wanted to know how and why some of the richest people I looked up to don't have degrees. To quote Naval, "Curiosity is the best compass to build your career out of not whatever is making money right now."

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 -- takes courage to go against the culture. That's why I was lost for over a year.

𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆 -- in Jordan B Peterson's book, 12 Rules For Life, rule 8, says: Tell the truth, or atleast don't lie. Not just through words but also through actions. There is no better way to create an adventurous life than being YOU from ground up. To quote an old proverb, "And the truth shall set you free."

𝟳. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴/𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝘁.

9-5 was a thing in the industrial age but in the information age, its losing its grip.

People are leaving institutions to work for themselves.

My mantra:

𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 9-5, 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒐𝒑, 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍 $$, 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆.

Or Dan Koe's branding philosophy:

"𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝑳𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝑬𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑬𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆."

Apparently it has never been easier to do this. Thanks to the Internet.

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

𝟴. 𝗡𝗢 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳.

See it like this: When you say NO to other people, you are saying YES to yourself. (Vice versa is also true.)

Normalise it!

𝟵. 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸. 𝗗𝗼 𝗶𝘁.

In other way, don't plan to do it. Just do it already.

The moment you start thinking of the outcomes, you've already created the gateway for doubts and fears to creep in.

Plus, you start planning for something that might not even happen.

Execute first and fast.

Long-term, this mindset has the highest upsides than it has downsides (with exception offcourse...)

Become action-biased!

𝟭𝟬. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺.

The hardest part of doing anything worth doing is starting.

The second hardest is starting over after you've lost the momentum.

Start and don't stop.

𝟭𝟭. 𝗜𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀.

Why do you think I want to go to Cape Town SA?

𝟭𝟮. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱.

If I could go back 2 years ago, I would start building my brand immediately and intentionally.

Your presence online matters especially now that everything is transitioning online.

But like we say about planting a tree...the second best time is now. It's not too late. One year from now, you'll wish you started today.

So start!

𝟭𝟯. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲.

Something I keep forgetting and keep reminding myself time after time.

Especially when someone angers me.

It all comes down to personal responsibility, self love and how we interpret events.

𝟭𝟰. 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗴𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀.

Mental mustarbation.

Most people are victims. Atleast, I know I was at some point in my life.

You know enough. Start implementing.

𝟭𝟱. 𝗡𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂.

Not your peers.

Not your relatives.

Heck, not even your parents.

Absolutely NO ONE.

The earlier you grasp this, the better.

𝟭𝟲. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲.

90% truth. (Because even the work you love has some boring fundamentals.)

Here me out though...

Me failing in 3 internet business models was the 2nd best thing that ever happened to me.

Not just because I feel good flexing my failures (which I do, btw) but because, I discovered digital writing in the process.

Now, writing to me is like a calling.

I just can't stop writing.

And thats why I am building a career out of it.

𝟭𝟳. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲. (𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀)

Show me an accomplished person who has not at some point in life had to let go of his/her friends who aren't aligned with his/her purpose.

It's the price you pay.

Pay it generously and without regret.

𝟭𝟴. 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝘅 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴.

I came across this quote from alux.com which I keep going back to whenever I feel alone.

It's called the road less travelled for a reason.

𝟭𝟵. 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱. (𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸)

At the start, the grid is real.

▪︎ Late nights working on your side hustle

▪︎ Early mornings writing & scheduling content

▪︎ Not finishing your to-do list and going to bed exhausted.

This is how it should be.

Infact, don't trust people who preach this gospel of working smart before working hard.

They got it easy and we all know how that play out.

As times goes by you build leverage and that leverage is how you start working smart or rather working less, earning more and enjoying life.

𝟮𝟬. 𝗙𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻.

Literally, if you can adopt the mindset of solving problems when they arise, you'll have a beautiful life.

Life is full of problems.

What's makes life worth living is solving these problems.

The dopamine hit generated from solving difficult but solvable problems feels like ecstasy or orgarsm if you like it.

𝟮𝟭. 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲, 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹.

Live life by design not default.

I choose entrepreneurship because I hate being told where to be, what to do, when to do the thing and with who to do the thing with

But thats what your parents and government want for you.

A safe job.

A decent salary.

A mortgage to pay.

And you being the obedient Johnny you are, convince yourself that you're happy.

Which we all know, you're lying.

You are just trapped in the matrix. Another cog in the machine so to say.

Wake up Johnny, there's still time to take charge.

𝟮𝟮. 𝟵𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘅𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽, 𝗮 𝗴𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝟯𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.

𝟮𝟯. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆.

Anything, really.

Human being have evolved to create.

The only sane thing to do is to find something you enjoy doing and create more of it daily.

If you are a writer, publish daily.

If you are a painter, paint daily.

If you are a cook, cook daily.

Literally, get better daily. Better is the ultimate professional leverage.

Get into flow state doing that.

You'll never regret spending 2-4 hours daily creating something of your own that you genuinely care about.

𝟮𝟰. 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹.

Fear is a signal that you should actually do the thing.

Ask your boss for a salary raise. (I certaintly did and my salary was raised by 33%)

▪︎ Ask that girl out.

▪︎ Start that blog.

▪︎ Try a new recipe.

▪︎ Do that one thing you've been postponing for a while now.

Fear of failure is what holds most people back.

The thing is, it's HARD and chances are, you might fail on your first attempt.

Which is okey btw.

Do it anyway and get the real world feedback. (not relying on the stories in your head of what could/should/would have been if you did the thing.)

Plus, what's the worst thing that could happen to you after asking your crush out?

A NO, mmh?

And, I know, I know, easier said than done, but you get the gist.

And if not, go back to point one.

....

Right....

That's a wrap.

I could have Continued but this are the most impactful lessons I have learned the hard way at age 24.

Fun fact:

I learned 99% of these lessons, after making the big decision in my life -- quitting Uni.

So if you can take something from this newsletter, is lesson 1 and 24.

▪︎ Fear is not real.

▪︎ Failure is not fatal.

Do the thing, fail... I mean get feedback and do it again.

You've got to invest in your portfolio of failures and this happens when you put yourself out there.

I am curious though...

What's your favourite take away?

Feel free to write back to me and will reply to every email...

𝗣.𝗦

This newsletter was inspired by @theharrybeadle on X .1 out of 3 young creators I look up to.

Who btw, I don't know where he went...

Seriously, since 22nd Dec 2024, he hasn't posted on X or rather written his Mom-Fri emails which I read without a miss.

Anyone who know his whereabouts... let me know on X @itsdennischege or reply this email.

That's all for this Saturday.

Talk soon,

Dennis.