Ok folks, we’re back with Part 2 of the interview with Dave MacLeod. If you haven’t already checked out Part 1, please do so here.
Continue reading “Dave MacLeod: Life Outside the Box, Part 2”Dave MacLeod: Life Outside the Box, Part 2
Job Security: Our Catalyst to Financial Independence
There are many reasons why people choose to pursue financial independence. And then of course, financial independence isn’t for everyone. Some folks experience discontent in their jobs, some want to spend more time with their children, and some want a life of international slow-travel across the globe. The list goes on. For us, this journey started as one of financial security during times of limited job security. In this post, we’ll examine the catalyst that made us re-tool our financial situation, and we’ll also explore why job security is virtually non-existent in the modern world.
Continue reading “Job Security: Our Catalyst to Financial Independence”The Entrepreneur: The Head of the Chicken
A well-known phrase in East Asia goes something like this: “it’s better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of an ox.” In my brief and cursory research for this post, I noticed several variations, including my personal favorite: “it’s better to be the head of an ass than the tail of a horse.” Either way, the phrase celebrates the entrepreneur, recognizing those who go out on their own.
The idea is profound, especially in modern times, where greater power in the employment market is being centralized with fewer and fewer individuals. Sure, a corporate job might feel safe, but in this post, we examine the human toll on being “the tail.”
Continue reading “The Entrepreneur: The Head of the Chicken”Reader Case Study: Maximize Adventure or Career?
Full disclosure, I’m posting this week’s case study as an interview, but no one is being interviewed here. This post is the amalgamation of several email discussions I’ve had with readers in the last two to three months. The premise is this: folks out there know some form of career is necessary, but they’re overwhelmed by the idea of 40+ years of something that isn’t the dream job. Oh yeah, and they’re obsessed with rock climbing.
I’m going to outline below the basic way we’ve structured our lives to be career-focused for only a small portion of our adult lives. From there, we’re free to pursue whatever it is that gets us giddy (which can still be a career).
Continue reading “Reader Case Study: Maximize Adventure or Career?”Jonathan Siegrist: Life After Professional Climbing
If you’ve been in this climbing world for more than a few days, you know that my guest interview today, Jonathan Siegrist, needs no introduction. He’s simply one of the world’s top climbers, and he’s crushed it in all major facets of this game we play — sport, bouldering, and trad.
We’re going to mix things up this week and feature Jonathan not because he’s pursuing a life of financial independence or running a business, but because he works damn hard and is a man with a plan. He is laser focused on his goals, but he knows there will be more to life than professional climbing. There’s not much luck in this story.
Continue reading “Jonathan Siegrist: Life After Professional Climbing”Getting Down with Charlie “Brown”
Charlie is indeed his first name, but I playfully made up the “Brown” part. Isn’t that fun?! Charlie has asked to remain partially anonymous (as we do here), because he’s discussing some stuff that his bosses might not like. We get it — nothing says I want a big bonus this year like “save money, retire early, blah, blah” on the internet.
The real Charlie Brown is kind of a downer, but not this Charlie. He and his wife are gaming out their life, and that’s pretty cool.
Continue reading “Getting Down with Charlie “Brown””Having Your Cake and Eating it Too: The Millionaire Dirtbag, Part 1.
A Look at Work/Life Balance
The binary solutions for work/life balance in climbing tend to be one of the following:
The Lifer
The lifer pursues climbing at all expense and makes ends meet as best as they can. The lifer participates in seasonal work or other flexible jobs that provide an income capable of sustaining life, but allowing for little to no saving for the long term. Individuals on this path are reluctant to place any roots: careers, property, family, long-term relationships. These individuals experience unparalleled freedom, but may harbor deep-seated concerns about their financial future after the youthful years.
The Optimizer
The optimizer pursues a career and climbs as much as they can in the margins. This is where most of us fall in modern climbing. We have careers, we may have children, perhaps even own a home. As life demands increase; careers develop, children enter the equation, climbing progressively gets shoved further towards the back burner.
These are the weekend warriors and the people who fill up the campgrounds on the holiday weekends. There is comfort in that this life is a shared experience with most others; almost anyone can relate. These individuals tend to have much healthier and stable incomes, but also tend to fall victim to lifestyle inflation: As income increases, so does unnecessary spending.
Despite vastly higher incomes, the optimizer’s financial future may be no less secure than the lifer, but they may have lots of nice stuff.
Continue reading “Having Your Cake and Eating it Too: The Millionaire Dirtbag, Part 1.”