tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post6856922736329303283..comments2024-03-18T15:29:55.472-07:00Comments on Done by Forty: When a Sprinter Hits the WallDone By Fortyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06246597867355460723noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-77079223196653823912015-11-12T23:32:13.350-07:002015-11-12T23:32:13.350-07:00I believe the toughest part of entrepreneurship is...I believe the toughest part of entrepreneurship is getting started and surviving the Desert of Desertion. The Desert of Desertion is that period of time where creation happens, but simultaneously suffers from a non-existent feedback loop, namely in the form of sales or customer response. It's that long, lonely timeframe from idea, to concept, to first sale.<br />Common Reporting Standardhttp://www.commonreportingstandard.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-35651651444701577412015-10-18T19:16:07.218-07:002015-10-18T19:16:07.218-07:00And that's exactly why I love about the Yakezi...And that's exactly why I love about the Yakezie challenge. Thank you Sam. I've met so many inspiring and motivating people through starting the Yakezie challenge. Truly a blessing. Keep up the good work!<br /><br />PeterHow To Live In The U.S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02712617788996171300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-55716714377744855122015-09-29T16:17:02.736-07:002015-09-29T16:17:02.736-07:00We know what you mean about these vices. We got s...We know what you mean about these vices. We got started on the FI/RE road with MMM and still voraciously read his posts--all the while hoping that he doesn't know that we own two nice cars, eat out at fine restaurants, and fly to vacation in western Europe (from the US, where we are based)! <br /><br />Interesting what you say about the difficulty of being able to sustain the fervor over a long period of time. We've been kicking ourselves thinking that if we had started on this path in 2009, we might already be retired by now. But perhaps we might have lost our energy by now. Hmmmm.<br /> Julie Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00055098667077507224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-24953363452659077562015-09-29T08:26:16.249-07:002015-09-29T08:26:16.249-07:00Thanks, Tonya! It's definitely not a job for m...Thanks, Tonya! It's definitely not a job for me (lifetime earnings: $0.00), but I do put pressure on myself to try to at least somewhat keep up with other bloggers. No real need, like you said.Done By Fortyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06246597867355460723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-57129526489660970552015-09-29T08:25:15.909-07:002015-09-29T08:25:15.909-07:00Done By FortySeptember 29, 2015 at 8:22 AM
Thanks ...Done By FortySeptember 29, 2015 at 8:22 AM<br />Thanks for those kind words, Julie & Will.<br /><br />Back in 2009, we just started listening to Dave Ramsey. So we focused on paying off our debt (all mine: credit cards and student loans). We bought our first house and, true to the Ramsey method, focused on paying it off.<br /><br />Somewhere around then we found Mr. Money Mustache and kind of switched teams, so to speak, focusing on frugality.<br /><br />We've kind of jumped off that bandwagon, too. There's obviously a pattern here: we use the fervor of the newly initiated to make quick wins, but then get disenchanted and need to find something else. A sprinters approach, for sure.<br /><br />I'm glad you'll have a shorter ramp to FI: that's key, because often the aggressive approach involves some things that are not necessarily great long term for everyone. There are folks like MMM who can live it day in day out forever, but we've found our equilibrium involves eating out, driving a car (gasp), lots of vacations, etc. Done By Fortyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06246597867355460723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-17054640989883533422015-09-29T08:20:05.190-07:002015-09-29T08:20:05.190-07:00Wow, that's an awesome offer, Sam. Seriously, ...Wow, that's an awesome offer, Sam. Seriously, thank you. I'll email you today.Done By Fortyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06246597867355460723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-53739588419619453972015-09-29T08:19:37.074-07:002015-09-29T08:19:37.074-07:00Thanks, Jim! Yes, just showing up at the race is s...Thanks, Jim! Yes, just showing up at the race is something.Done By Fortyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06246597867355460723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-48348267915821464342015-09-28T07:00:31.481-07:002015-09-28T07:00:31.481-07:00Unless your blogging for a living and it's bas...Unless your blogging for a living and it's basically your job, there is no rule to say when you should post. It all depends on what you want out of your blog. But we are always here when you come back. If it's just a hobby, then just do what you need to do. I hate when I put pressure on myself when that pressure does not need to exist. Tonya@Budget and the Beachhttp://www.budgetandthebeach.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-37844807820682656162015-09-27T10:09:25.449-07:002015-09-27T10:09:25.449-07:00Thanks for sharing that you are feeling fatigue as...Thanks for sharing that you are feeling fatigue as you try to reach your dream of FI by forty. If you started in 2009 and you have 5 more years to go, it sounds like you started on this journey earlier than most. You should be proud of your forethought, and, at the least, take some comfort in that. <br /><br />We only started thinking about FI aggressively last year, and we're still in the giddy and excited stage. Luckily, our time-horizon for FI when we started was a lot shorter than yours, so perhaps a sprinter's approach will sustain us? On the other hand, we'll still be a lot older than you when we all reach FI...<br /><br />Thanks again for your honesty, and good luck to you!<br />Julie and Willhttp://www.thousanddaystoretirement.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-52818678469945200332015-09-27T08:42:33.293-07:002015-09-27T08:42:33.293-07:00If you need some publishing motivation, we can tea...If you need some publishing motivation, we can team up! I started in 2009 too, and try to publish 3X a week, 1,000 - 2,000 word long posts. We can push each other to keep on going!<br /><br />SamFinancial Samuraihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09446558551423423214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-81209375952613159162015-09-25T07:21:59.314-07:002015-09-25T07:21:59.314-07:00I'm totally a sprinter/scanner, too. I get bo...I'm totally a sprinter/scanner, too. I get bored pretty easily, though I wouldn't say I'm hyper intelligent. Just crave change. And probably a little bit of laziness mixed in there. <br /><br />Would waiting a year or two more really be so bad? If it takes a little stress off, retiring at 41 or 42 is still pretty darn early.Femme Frugalityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07258982361804942329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-49829563012443145902015-09-25T06:11:40.525-07:002015-09-25T06:11:40.525-07:00Yup, anything worth doing requires effort. We can ...Yup, anything worth doing requires effort. We can accept that. But for how long is that effort to last? I mean, can't we get a break? I liked your sign off, "Maybe fourth isn't so bad". And maybe it isn't. At least you turned up and were in the race!Jim McGhttp://www.sexhealthmoneydeath.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-1689257942782946652015-09-22T10:32:53.606-07:002015-09-22T10:32:53.606-07:00Love the elevator metaphor. It's a good remind...Love the elevator metaphor. It's a good reminder straight up effort is not always the most efficient approach. Systems, systems, systems.<br /><br />Agree that consistency is a fantastic goal...but that ain't me, babe. No, no, no it ain't me, babe...Done By Fortyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06246597867355460723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-48584996509370330362015-09-22T09:31:32.077-07:002015-09-22T09:31:32.077-07:00Love the track analogy! Its a wall we all hit at s...Love the track analogy! Its a wall we all hit at some point doing anything that require effort. I'm of the belief that consistency is better than perfection. There are going to be a lot of times where we screw up. So it's not "how do we not screw up" but rather "how do we respond to these screw ups". <br /><br />In my experience, I've found that if we search for pefect, we just might be perfect for a day, week, month or year. But when we're not perfect, we fall and we fall hard! <br /><br />Maybe sometimes its better to take the elevator than to sprint up the steps. We might have to stop at a few extra floors but at least we know it's going up :)Luke Fitzgerald @ FinanciallFitzhttp://financiallyfitz.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-90548165783131927702015-09-21T08:30:01.564-07:002015-09-21T08:30:01.564-07:00Great insights, Hannah. I'm someone who really...Great insights, Hannah. I'm someone who really only is happy in times of leisure, which probably accounts for the happy posts on vacation, and maybe even the whole FI journey in general. I just don't enjoy real "work" the way that others do. I enjoy play.<br /><br />The tennis metaphor is a neat one. I used to play, and agree that the pace of the game is a good one for me...at least better than that of jogging. I need breaks.Done By Fortyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06246597867355460723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-25478929315003434732015-09-21T08:28:02.903-07:002015-09-21T08:28:02.903-07:00Thanks for the kind words, FIREStarter, and no wor...Thanks for the kind words, FIREStarter, and no worries at all about writing about similar things. I doubt there's anything that hasn't been written about a thousand times before. <br /><br />I think I heard once that writing about not writing is boring, but it's still better than not writing at all, or something like that.<br /><br />Done By Fortyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06246597867355460723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-56139523224240369482015-09-21T08:26:26.880-07:002015-09-21T08:26:26.880-07:00I hear you, DC. I'm usually good for 3-4 years...I hear you, DC. I'm usually good for 3-4 years of solid effort, then need a change of some sort. A promotion's goal #1, but I'll often just take a lateral move if it means a small bump and, more importantly, a change of scenery.Done By Fortyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06246597867355460723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-6754098978125375182015-09-21T08:25:25.418-07:002015-09-21T08:25:25.418-07:00Right on -- the reading does kind of contribute to...Right on -- the reading does kind of contribute to the mental fatigue, too.<br /><br />Maybe that's the solution: write more, read less.Done By Fortyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06246597867355460723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-13334761311061959032015-09-21T08:24:42.485-07:002015-09-21T08:24:42.485-07:00We have rock in the front but, as we have dogs, do...We have rock in the front but, as we have dogs, don't want that for the back yard. It definitely helps in the front, but as we have so many trees we can't always spray the really strong ground clear stuff...Done By Fortyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06246597867355460723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-66459293353202230122015-09-21T07:51:12.574-07:002015-09-21T07:51:12.574-07:00I prefer to think of finances as a tennis match as...I prefer to think of finances as a tennis match as opposed to a running race. In tennis, you can lose a lot of points and still win the match, but there is no such thing as building a lead that you can't lose- you have to win the last two points of the match.<br /><br />In tennis, if you are fatigued, you can take a small break from the action (just a few seconds between points) to check your mental state and push through until you can get slightly longer break when you switch sides. You can change your strategy if you find its not working out.<br /><br />Maybe your sprint to FI is made more difficult by the fact that you only have one strategy, go fast. It seems like some of your happiest posts have come during vacations (or after) when you've had a bit of time to slow down and re-evaluate your priorities.Hannahhttp://unplannedfinance.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-63459564933703427892015-09-20T12:39:41.853-07:002015-09-20T12:39:41.853-07:00Wow... genuinely posted something quite similar ju...Wow... genuinely posted something quite similar just a day after you (promise I didn't read this first either)!<br /><br />http://thefirestarter.co.uk/dealing-with-demotivation/<br /><br />I took it from a different angle and tried to use the opportunity to work out what to do to keep the motivation levels up.<br /><br />I'm nowhere demotivated on the path to FIRE but we've only been going for 3 years. And my situation is entirely different to yours as well.<br />Maybe come back in a few more and the answer may be different though! I can't see myself ever turn back towards the spendthrift end of spectrum but there are clearly many different shades of grey that we can go up and down on the frugality scale depending on how we are feeling that day/month/year.<br /><br />I'm pretty sure if we amass any kind of wealth near to your level we'll be taking the foot off the gas, if I'm perfectly honest.<br /><br />Keep fighting the fight and hope to see you writing more again soon. Even if it is just to tell us about why you've not been writing, I for one still find your thoughts interesting, so thanks!theFIREstarter.co.ukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161550795321520113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-15080862848284091272015-09-18T20:12:31.376-07:002015-09-18T20:12:31.376-07:00I think the march towards financial independence i...I think the march towards financial independence is by far the easiest to get fatigued at, mainly because it takes so many years to get there. I sometimes get distracted by things and/or bored, so I get where you are coming from. It happens to me in my job and I'm always curious how some people can do the same thing day in and day out for years and years (or even decades!). DC @ Young Adult Moneyhttp://www.youngadultmoney.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-66127914986905722812015-09-18T14:08:08.793-07:002015-09-18T14:08:08.793-07:00I totally understand the fatigue. In fact, I stopp...I totally understand the fatigue. In fact, I stopped reading all personal finance blogs a few years ago. One of the major reasons was that writing/reading about money made me think about money way too much, all the time! I just got back into the world of pf blogging this year.middle_classhttp://middleclassrevolution.me/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-91174750419890393972015-09-18T14:02:36.105-07:002015-09-18T14:02:36.105-07:00Why haven't you switched to a rock yard yet? ...Why haven't you switched to a rock yard yet? They are much more time and money efficient than trying to keep grass alive year-round in the desert. <br /><br />3 of 4 houses I had in Phoenix area had rock yards. Less water waste and only upkeep is spraying for weed control twice a year.Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15020128585557375787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980246226076317453.post-39512322398122349042015-09-18T13:37:37.194-07:002015-09-18T13:37:37.194-07:00I have a theory about vices that seems to hold tru...I have a theory about vices that seems to hold true for me. I used to eat a lot of sweets and candy, and I replaced that with snus (nicotine you put under your lip). Real easy too let go off the comfort food. Lost a lot of weight (adding exercise sure helped, no doubt). I feel much healthier. What I'm trying to say is, if you need a vice, try and maximize it to your happiness :-) I'd rather be fit and slim with slightly exaggerated risk of throat and thyroid cancer than the reverse. That's just me, for you some other tradeoff might make more sense.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com