Three Pillars

 

My vision of a relationship I will admit was a bit old-fashioned. I had this picture in my head.  A turn-of-the-century couple. He would be in a white striped suit, she in a beautiful flowing long dress. They would be on a rowboat in Central Park. He would casually row as she holds her umbrella to protect us from the sun and watches the passing scenery. Both stare into each other’s eyes, smiling as they engage in meaningful conversations.  Simply enjoying life.

Well, for the last decade, it wasn’t quite like that. Back to my rowboat dream. I was indeed able to sit in the boat and row. As in my vision, she was at the front of the boat, smiling at me. But in reality, she was wearing much more “comfortable clothes”.  And while she still held her umbrella, she used it to cover herself. The conversation was about how many times she reminded me to bring my own umbrella. She is not looking into my eyes but past me. She ignores how slow we are moving despite the fact I am rowing as hard as possible. She “forgets” to mention she knocked the anchor into the water (intentionally?!?), and we have been dragging it for most of the relationship.

Obviously, I knew neither the vision nor the reality was necessary. I thought it was my determination of a truly unrealistic vision, my stubbornness to be chivalrous kept me going. Deep down I knew the anchor was dragging. I knew the boat had a leak and was taking on water.

One day I happened to glaze into the water and saw my own reflection. I did not like what I saw. Hated it. I was rowing not because of a dream, but because of my own self-worth. I thought this was what I deserved.  

I decided the work of rowing two people in a sinking boat dragging an anchor was not enough and I sta So, I decided to do the real work. The inner work. The work on myself.

Fast forward to today. I'm in another relationship, back in that metaphorical boat. But something is VERY different. I'm cruising through the lake, viewing the scenery, but with the least effort I've ever needed to apply. The front of the boat is empty and for a good reason. My partner is sitting next to me! She is helping to row!

 She's wearing athletic clothes fit for a workout, looking into my eyes and smiling. We're engaged in meaningful conversations and taking in the views. And as the umbrella shields both of us from the sun, we take turns holding it. We are a team.

So why is this an entry on a wealth-building blog?

I believe there are three pillars in life: Wealth/Career (the subject of this blog), Health (mine is improving), and Relationships. I strongly believe that you cannot focus on more than one at a time. You need to devote your energy in one direction. You don’t ignore the others—they all require perpetual work. But you just put them on a type of cruise control. You build each pillar so strong that you can rotate and place an emphasis on the next. You check back often. You may need to jump back for a while. But each time, no matter which pillar you’re on, you maintain some focus.

I'm thrilled to say I believe my relationship pillar is strong. I have a partner who supports me, believes in me. She understands that growth in one of us is learning for both of us. She pushes me, challenges me, and expects the best from me. And she gives me her best. She's supportive and allows me to be supportive in return.

Together… we row! 

The big question!

Is it possible? I think the logical question everyone asks is whether it's even possible to achieve such a lofty goal. Yes, I sincerely believe the answer is yes. However, I don't think it'll come from traditional methods, like putting money in some stocks and waiting. While I have successfully predicted a few big spikes in a few stocks over the years (DAKT 2006, AMC 2021), those are rare, and rely on others for success. The other route, working hard and saving, has merit, and I'm not afraid of hard work, but there's little chance this will yield the type of results I'm looking for.

Another issue… I don't have access to a bunch of cash. I don't have a big bank account, rich relatives, nor do I come from money.  While I do have emotional support, in terms of finances, there's no secret well I can tap. No magic bullet. No started fund. So, this will indeed need to be a rags-to-riches story.

I believe it will require a third path. The path many dream of, but are often too scared to take. But what do I have to lose (see my last post!)? It'll be the path of an entrepreneur. I've had success with building some small businesses in the past, but never to this magnitude. I've always been blocked… or more accurately, blocked myself.

But what will I build? What will I do? The good news is, I have a lot of ideas—perhaps too many. Stay tuned as I explore these ideas and embark on this journey to turn my dreams into reality.

A new Beginning!

Staring at the ceiling. That's how it begins. In fact, that's how my entire day goes. Why, you ask? Because I can't get out of bed. Well, I can… but not without experiencing the most intense pain that starts in my lower back and shoots down my leg. We're talking almost passing out, nearly vomiting, and definitely crying type of pain. I can't go get food from the kitchen, leave my apartment or even make it to the couch. To put things in perspective, a trip to the bathroom and back results in an hour of hysterical crying while contemplating calling an ambulance. So, I lay here.

Fortunately, I have a lot to think about. Yesterday, my corporate job of 11 years called me. Not to check in—corporate America doesn't care that much anymore. No, they called to let me know that my job had been eliminated. They were sure to tell me it wasn't performance-related; I was an excellent employee. They were just closing the department they had transferred me to. There are many openings all over the company I could "apply for," but that's on me. They couldn't be bothered trying to find me something else. I was an excellent employee, but that would require thought and planning by them—which was obviously too much work.

So I lay here… thinking.

In reality, there's a lot I could get depressed over my current health situation, job situation, and losing my house while trying to finalize a messy divorce. Many things that I could choose to let bring me down. But in reality, I know I could be in better physical shape, and I wasn't happy in that job or that relationship. I've long known those things were weighing me down and especially holding me back. 

I realize I am actually very excited—excited about the future and what it can bring. Excited about starting a new career. And excited about life with my new partner (more on that later). 

Today, I start a new journey and set a new goal: 5 years to $5 million. This blog will document that journey. So hang on tight… I'm sure it'll be a wild ride.