One year after the comeback
A year ago was my first day being “on my own” again after my time at PokerStrategy.com. Looking back it has been like life always seems to be, a big roller-coaster. I had an amazing start being back as a consultant and made more money during my first 6 months than I did at my rather well paid position at PokerStrategy.com. The second half has been a lot slower and I have invested heavily the last months in new businesses. Hopefully that will bear fruit in the coming year.
Most importantly however I feel great. I try to explain to people that the main reason for me to run my own is not to become “rich”. No, the main reason is to be able to do what I want, when I want it. To wake up in the morning and look forward to complete the tasks I have set for the day, and to reward myself if I do it fast to spend more time with my kids and family.
When I left I always got the same question from people:
– What will you do now?
The question in itself is very logic, the reaction to the answer I gave is maybe what I reacted a bit too and the reason for bringing it up in a post. Probably it was my own fault being a bit too honest. When I resigned from PokerStrategy.com I had no clear plan on exactly what I wanted to do, something that I bluntly told people.
I had several of vague ideas, and plans, but nothing concrete that would pay my bills. Of course I had built up a buffert and knew I would survive financially for 3-6 months, especially as we lowered our living costs. I just believed enough in myself that I would find a way to make money to feed my family before that time ran out. It may sound very unwise of me to do this considering my family situation, but to my defence that was exactly what I had done the past 5 years before moving to Gibraltar.
To people this seemed to come as a surprise. To quit a job without a backup in the middle of a financial crisis seemed completely crazy to most people I spoke to. It probably is as well, but for me it was important. It was necessary for me to get back the control of my life that I needed to be happy and to be able to focus on what is important in life.
Today the situation is very similar to last year in some ways, and not in others. Right now I do not have any project that give me a big and regular enough paycheck to make a living just like a year ago. On the other hand, compared to a year ago I have more of a plan. I have a number of projects I am working on, with several different partners and companies. Today I would be able to answer more clearly what I am doing now (I will do that in a later blog post). But the base situation is the same. I am free to do what I want, when I want it, and I will survive a few more months without more money coming in. Just the way it is most of the time I guess for lifestyle entrepreneurs.
