Expanded Plan X (With Extra FIP)
I promised that I’d expand on Plan X. Originally, my Plan X simply encompassed going overseas, paying off debt, and basically pushing the “backup wealth” button on the good old game of life. As I thought about it, though, and as the possibility went from an idea to a possibility to a probability, the plan evolved from a simple “get capital quick” scheme to a “break free of societal norms” scheme. And like all schemes, it was a silly dream that had no chance of succeeding, that was wasting time I could spend conforming to everyone else’s “work till you fucking drop dead” idea….
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…no, wait. I forgot. My plan is viable. My plan is WORKING. And being honest with you? It wasn’t horribly impossible. Anyone could… can… do what I am doing. No, I don’t mean going to Iraq, though that is part of my plan. I mean, anyone can break free of the mundane, and it ain’t even that hard to do. You simply have to understand that YOU WILL NEVER GET RICH / FREE / SUCCESSFUL IF YOU DO THE SAME OLD SAFE SHIT EVERYONE ELSE DOES. I’m sorry for the caps, but that shit NEEDS to be in caps. Again. YOU WILL NEVER GET RICH / FREE / SUCCESSFUL IF YOU DO THE SAME OLD SAFE SHIT EVERYONE ELSE DOES. Are you hearing me? Dropping 5% (matched by your employer) into your mutual funds isn’t going to make you rich. It might let you retire reasonable well when you’re old, but you’ll be working your ass off until then. Moving up the ladder at Mediocri-Co is not going to make you your fortune or grant you your freedom.
You. Need. To. Take. Risks.
You. Will. Have. To. Endure. Hardship.
Those risks can be physical, financial, mental, whatever. What is important… and what is going to buy you your freedom… is the fact that your average human is not going to ever, ever take those risks. It isn’t that they don’t want to be free, understand… it is that the safety net they’ve become accustomed to is too comfortable to surrender. They’ll not (for lack of a better analogy play on the trapeze of life without the net because it is SCARY.
And yeah. It is. But that’s why i call myself a Feral Human. I reject domestication. I thrive in risk and adventure.
I’m gonna be free. 
I hope you’re there too. If not, though, I understand. If everyone were Feral, we’d have to take it to a whole new level. 
So here’s my plan, subject to change, all rights reserved, free to use and abuse:
1. Gain a sizable base capital.
2. Grow said capital until the residual money is capable of supporting my lifestyle.
3. Attain financial and thus social freedom.
4. Continue to grow capital and help others break free.
Feel free to adapt to you own ends… and heck, if I can help you break free… let me know!
May 27th, 2010 at 8:08 pm
A lot of how motivated people are/become can also be a function of where they locate themselves. Seems like the self-starter types tend to gravitate away from po-dunk to places like LA, Seattle, SF, NYC, etc. It's a symbiotic combination since it puts them in close contact with other like-minded folks and also within a more progressive environment. Of course, anyone can self-start from anywhere, but the surrounds don't hurt either (unless the person loses control and focus of their original goals). – Great post by the way! I hope you are wildly successful.
May 27th, 2010 at 9:25 pm
Thanks!
And yeah, you can't stay put with limited resources and hope to succeed, if the resources required are not readily available. VB is not too shabby for that, but on the other hand… you're not likely to get rich staying here.
May 28th, 2010 at 1:48 am
Same here. I admire your ability to make a plan and see it become reality. Years ago, before I met my husband, my best friend asked me what I wanted out of life. I said I wanted to get married, have children before my eggs got dusty, and be able to stay home and take care of them and be a painter. Well golly. I did what I said I was going to do! Now for part two of my plan: When said children are old enough to be I school all day, I would have more time to write and get published. Plan 2…on deck.
May 28th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
And there you go! Make it happen; nothing feels better than executing a successful plan… well… almost nothing. But then, I am a villain.