“Maybe at the End of your Career”

Once I was taking a walk with a woman (one who went to university for a traditional white-collar career) and I casually showed her an ad for a “997” Porsche 911 Turbo (about $80,000+ market value). She responded: “maybe at the end of your career“. As soon as I heard that, I could not help but see it as the metaphor of the traditional white-collar employee career and social ladder- where a slow, gradual climb over many decades is the commonly socially expected and realistic characteristic. Now that is if you ever even get high enough in a world where some higher-up boss writes your paycheque and hence whole lifestyle. He/she dictates when he/she wants to finally write you a better one- if ever- not when you want a better one.

It reminded me that in order to get where I wanted in life, I had to do things most people would not dare. Less demand keeps entry costs low, and hence yields or entry potential rewards high. Aggressive risk-taking in investing and career growth, hard blue-collar work where the rigour keeps the competition out, and gradual self-employment are to be the weapons of battle.

When I want something in life, I go home the same evening or at the otherwise nearest opportunity.  Then I draft a plan with my laptop, paper, pen, and calculator. I refuse to have a sole reliance on a bow down to an employer(s) to write me some x paycheque and hence lifestyle that is to gradually grow ever slowly over many years at their discretion. If I want x, I will obtain x at the nearest opportunity (without sacrificing my future). I will fight my hardest to get x. Not when an employer(s) or society expects me to have x. No I will not wait until my hairs are about to grow white to get the Porsche or some other level of life I want.

If one does not want to aid in my journey, then I will aggressively search for every other opportunity available that makes financial sense. Whether it involves:

• an employer(s) writing me some x cheque. If not good enough, then keep looking for a better one. Take more education as required. “If you do not want to cooperate, then we will not work together.”
• self-employment. “Don’t want to pay me what I want? Then I shall pay myself.”
• aggressive investing and risk-taking, especially in avenues that those in financial institutions and general public shun. “If you are so right, then let’s see you do it your way and make money. Put your money where your mouth is. You can’t? Good, please stay out, I do not want your competition to increase entry prices and hence reduce yields anyways. Save the reward for the logical and brave.“
• disallowing any doubter or anyone standing in my way to damage my morale, and seeing it as just competition. “I will take what I can from this experience. Don’t think I am good enough for you? Then, I will crush [symbolically] and outcompete you.”
• or all the above, but to avoid the downfall of the narrow-mindedness of the average employee, never limited to just one of the above.

The summer of 2014 was when the quote (the focus of this blog post) was spoken to me. At the time of writing- June 2017- oddly enough I surpassed that certain vehicle benchmark, as I reached a financial position in my life to obtain the vehicle in this picture (slightly higher market value- 2016 BMW M4 Cabriolet).

I’m 24 years old now, so that gives me 6 more years to reach the Ferrari. My agility, appetite for risk, and ambitions are still with me. I still got time.