Out of the Rat Race - 2 Years Later

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Two years ago this month is when I finally severed the rat race chain I'd been tied to for so long. I had made up my mind about 6 months before that to resign. I recall how agonizing getting to that decision was. But once I announced it to everyone, the feelings of relief and excitement were better than great!

I recall being TERRIFIED at the thought of losing my insurance, my other benefits, and most of all, losing that monthly check. I, like most people with jobs, think of those as security. It was ingrained in us that having a "secure" job was very important and something that should be greatly valued

Looking back, I can't imagine that I considered the paycheck I received for my 50 hour, stress filled work weeks was actually "security." Heck, it wasn't even that much money from my perspective now. When I think about it now it is like, "I spent that many hours and worked THAT hard for that check?" ...what was I thinking?

When that final drive home came, I felt waves of relief. I knew I had made the right decision. Looking back, I never dreamed at the time just how right that decision was. When I was able to devote all my "work" time to my own business, amazing things began to happen.

My only regret is that I didn't have a plan and the courage to break out of that Rat Race many years ago. ... better late than never I suppose.
#mind warriors #how to work from home #online home business #quit the rat race #race #rat #years
  • Hey

    Thank you very much for your story, it's really inspirational to me. I started IM 5 months ago to achieve the same dream: Getting out of the rat race. I've started to see results only a month ago, and I hope that two years later I can look back at this thread and thank myself for starting IM.

    Nicholas Chen
    • [1] reply
    • Hi Nicholas,

      Yes, to get to that point of us both quitting our jobs (my wife quit hers the year before me) we worked a LOT of nights and almost all weekends. It's tough to build a business when you have a more than full time "job" already....but it was so worth it.!
  • Steve

    Congrats, I have been making a go at it for a few years now after having no choice to enter the IM business fulltime, all my work ended up overseas.

    But as hard as it is sometimes, I can't see myself ever going back to a job.

    Ed
    • [1] reply
    • Yeah, that would be a bad day (having a "j o b" again).
      One of the side benefits of quitting the rat race was realizing just how mapped out my entire life and schedule was. Now days, if we decide on the spur of the moment to take off and go to a movie in the afternoon, we go!

      ...lovin' life here in Oklahoma!
      • [1] reply
  • Steve, what was the final factor in quitting your job was it affiliate sales,CPA or creating your own product or selling services?
    I wrote a article about my current hell working for about 10 years and I have been studying all aspects of internet marketing for 2 years and started to challenge myself with my vlog Cash Flow Ninja Team but really want to know what was the type of IM you were doing that finally broke you free?
    • [1] reply
    • Hi Shane, at that time our real bread and butter was our retail site at CactusCanyon. That was our main focus and what really started the ball rolling for us.
  • G'day Steve,

    Congratulations on 2 years of being free.

    It's amazing just how hard and how many hours you'll put in when it's YOUR business that directly benefits.

    Well, until you can outsource that is

    congrats again.
    Shane
  • Congrats on your decision and success.

    The great lesson to be learned here is that once you make that decision, and announce it to the world, everything changes in that direction and you never look back.

    Many still can't make that leap from "security" to Freedom.

    "Security" is a prison for the Mind.
    • [1] reply
    • Thank you! Yes, it is so obvious now to me that the monthly security blanket I thought I had was actually a bed of nails...hehe.

      Yes, decide and tell your spouse, your friends, your family and your dogs...just do it then!
  • Thanks! And good move!

    Our 2 main sites are Slash The Hype And Steep Learning Curve! and Synflex Liquid Glucosamine FREE SHIPPING!
  • congratulations Steve its always nice to see stories like these from the veterans. I just recently started IM however I am only 17 so I guess my hope would be to never have to enter the rat race in the first place . For now this is my alternative to the standard teenage job. And the best part is that its alot of work, but its work that I actually believe is worth it.
  • Congrats Steve for taking the Freedom plunge!
    And now you are swimming freely for two years.
    Great!

    Stephen
  • Congrats! that is really a major accomplishment. Even more so that you've been able to maintain that independent status. Its certainly inspiration for those of us who are on that path.
  • Awesome!! Congrats...i will join you soon....i know it -Sheila
  • Now Steve quit being so modest . You are forgetting to mention all the people you are helping get to the point of leaving the rat race also.
    • [1] reply
    • Hehe...thanks Troy. I believe in Zig's saying that in order to get what you want, all you have to do is give people what they want.
  • this is encouraging! we can succeed and this forum helps us discover teh good ops from the scams and that shortens the learning curve.
  • Congratulations, Steven!

    Ironically, true security comes when you no longer have to depend on that secure, steady paycheck.

    I hope other aspiring IMers take note of your story and get inspired to stay the course!

    It really is the best feeling in the world! Again, congrats!
  • Hey Steve thanks for the inspiration. I remember working those 50+ hour weeks all too well. Congrats on your remarkable success.
  • Congrats Steve very inspirational!
    • [1] reply
    • Hi Steve -

      It IS inspirational to hear your story (I can't wait to go check out your sites). I'm just getting started learning about IM - and it can be completely overwhelming for a newbie. But I'm in that place of hating the job (feels like it's killing me) - so I have to try. Hearing that others have been there and really, truly "get it" helps.

      Any thoughts on what helped the most in getting you to the point of making the leap?

      Thanks
      • [1] reply
  • CONGRATULATIONS!!! it is my goal to leave the rat race myself!!! see you on the golf course
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    Out of the Rat Race - 2 Years Later

    Two years ago this month is when I finally severed the rat race chain I'd been tied to for so long. I had made up my mind about 6 months before that to resign. I recall how agonizing getting to that decision was. But once I announced it to everyone, the feelings of relief and excitement were better than great! I recall being TERRIFIED at the thought of losing my insurance, my other benefits, and most of all, losing that monthly check. I, like most people with jobs, think of those as security. It was ingrained in us that having a "secure" job was very important and something that should be greatly valued