30 Days In New York: Day 17 - The Best Investment I've Made In New York (And The Last 12 Months)

In my best Tom Cruise, “Jerry Maguire” voice:

“SHOW ME THE “MONNEEEYYYYYY!”

This was my thinking in my 20’s about investments. I made some money. I also invested wrongly in real estate and lost thousands of dollars. I invested in start up that went public, and then failed, losing even more thousands. Lots of thousands.

I read my journal last week. I noticed an entry from 2 years ago. The topic was “things that make me feel good.”

My answer: Writing, sharing what I learn with others, reading, exercising, keeping in touch with close friends and family. This is what’s important to me. Dedicating my time to these things makes me feel good.

2 years ago I was working full time as a salesman in the real estate. I had a great job. I made great money. I worked with great people. I set my own schedule. I worked from my 34th floor apartment building, in Miami, overlooking Biscayne Bay.

I cannot express my gratitude enough for this company. I’ve maintained a very close relationship with this company, and its owner, and I always will.

But something was missing. Something had to change…

I was burning out. The continuous push to make sales calls and to chase and earn higher sales numbers, eventually took its toll.

I remember the feeling I would get in the coffee shop each morning. I would be reading, or writing, and all I wanted to do was to continue to be creative. To finish a blog post, or continue reading a book I couldn’t put down.

Then, the clock would strike. I would have to get up, walk to my apartment, and jump on the phone and sell. Again, this was not a job I hated. It helped me grow as a person, and provided the income I was able to save.

That said, writing became state of bliss for me. I wanted to read and learn new things, and share those things with others through my blog.

As this love grew, I started looking at life, and “investment” differently.

I recall a Facebook post, I wrote one summer Sunday in 2015:

“14 mile bike ride in Coconut Grove, writing for 2 hours, reading for 3 hours, and then had a good conversation with Momma. I will put today in the bank and reinvest in more days just like this.”

I wanted to start investing in days. Days that made me feel good. Not money, and not hours of work I was trading for money.

I wanted to put days in the bank, more than money in the bank. Money is certainly important and necessary, but not when it consumed me and I sacrificed my joy and bliss.

So as of October 2015, I made the tough, life changing decision.

With the help and motivation of my friend Chris, I left my job. Chris decided to leave his job and travel the world for a year. I decided to give my notice, and join Chris for the journey. This would be the year that I would focus my energies on what makes me feel good.

Travel aside, I knew my bliss (or at least getting closer to it) while I was working full time. I knew while I’ve been jobless and backpacking through South America and in New York City.

So I encourage you, no matter what your stage in life, follow your bliss. Keep looking for your bliss. Travel is not a requirement for this.

You might be stuck in a job you don’t like. You might not be making enough money to travel. You might not be making enough money to start your dream business. You might not think you have enough time. You might say it’s impossible because you have 3 kids to raise and provide for. You might say you don’t have the skills or abilities.

Here’s my advice from what I did:

Start saving 1% of your income, then 2% then 3% then 5%, then 10%. Get a journal, write down what your grateful for. Be grateful for your dead end job right now. Be grateful for the credit card debt you have right now (it can always be higher debt, right?). Be grateful for the money you have now and earn at your current job. Be grateful for the 1% you CAN save.

Next, write down what your bliss is (or what you think it might be). Write it down everyday. Then start writing down ideas on how you can express that bliss. Then write down more ideas how that bliss can help other people. Then seek out other people in that field. Then write down ideas on how you can help these people.

Then start to read about your bliss and your interests, even if it’s only a few minutes per week. Start creating that project, art piece, book, or business you’ve been dreaming of. Do it for JUST 5 MINUTES PER DAY.

Have patience.

Think day-by-day. Think spare 5 minutes by the next spare 5 minutes. Think $1 by $1 as you start the new savings account called “travel around the world,” or called “6 months living expenses to write a book.”

Throughout my early and mid 20’s, I made poor financial investment decisions. I was an irresponsible spender. I had no money saved, and a lot of credit card debt.

I went to a financial seminar when I was 27 on “money mindset.” It woke me up.

I started saving 5% of my income, then 10% every week. I started becoming smarter with the way I spent money. My income increased, and I paid off my debts. I eventually was able to save 30% of the income I earned.

Around the same time, I started a blog and it became my creative outlet to share things I’ve learned. I only wrote on the weekends for 2 years, “Sunday afternoon blog time.” I then started journaling and writing in the mornings for 30-60 minutes my sales calls.

This was my process for 2-3 years before I actually left my job. You can do the same. You just might have to put in the time like I did.

It might take you sooner. I transitioned slowly. I could have hustled more on the side, but I get lazy sometimes.

On the flip side it might take you longer than 2-3 years. Again, be patient.

But here’s the catch…

It’s not just about traveling the world immediately, or quitting your job if you are not prepared. The overnight miracle is bullshit.

It’s about investing in your bliss right now. Investing in what makes you feel good. It’s about doing that every day, even if it’s ONLY FOR 5 MINUTES PER DAY.

Make that investment of 5 minutes, and then you can reinvest in more of those 5-minute-moments in your life.

It will start to add up. Keep reinvesting.

You will soon have a big bank account not only of minutes; but days, weeks, months, and years of doing things that make you feel good. This is a bank account of bliss.

So I say again in the revised version, with my best Tom Cruise, “Jerry Maguire” voice:

“SHOW ME THE “DAYS THAT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD!”