James Altucher, in his book Choose Yourself: Be Happy, Make Millions, Live the Dream, encourages us to recognize that the middle class is dying, job security is non-existent, and that the only way to long-term happiness and financial stability is by choosing ourselves and living life on our own terms.
James acknowledges that this is not easy and will include many ups and downs, may need baby steps, and is scary. He openly shares his own failures and lessons learned, as well as the stories of other successful entrepreneurs.
Part of what James learned is to take care of his body, mind, and spirit, which he does as part of his "daily routine." He is always staying open to connecting people and ideas and practices flexing his idea "muscles" on a daily basis. He suggests making a list of ten things daily to keep those muscles in shape. That list can be of business ideas, books to read, topics to research, or whatever inspires you, and will not only make your brain sweat, but will also help you focus and sleep better.
Two of the entrepreneurs James includes are Bryan Johnson of Braintree and Sara Blakely of Spanx. Neither quit their day jobs until their business concept was proven first, which I find practical and inspiring.
It's so easy to say "follow your dream" or "be your own boss," but the reality is far from that simple. Most of us work because we have bills to pay, and whether we'd prefer to be our own boss or not, those bills will not wait for that dream to be realized. And if you have others dependent on you, you have a responsibility that is greater than your personal dreams.
That's why the most inspiring thing behind this book and others that encourage following your dreams via a side-hustle are that they recognize reality and help you figure out how, even within those constraints, to work towards that better future.
How are you working to stabilize your future? Is it with a side-hustle or some other method?
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