The Capitalism Survival Guide: Your Path to Financial Mastery & Personal Fulfillment [2 ed.] 9798215959411

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  Contents

  The Capitalism Survival Guide

  The Reason and The Hope

  Introduction

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  To my Daughters & Sons

  The Capitalism Survival Guide

  Your Path to Financial Mastery and Personal Fulfillment 2nd Edition -

  Yvon Vitalyevich Serov

 

 

  "To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. "

  -Ralph Waldo Emerson

  The Capitalism Survival Guide: Your Path to Financial Mastery and Personal Fulfillment

  Copyright © 2023 Yvon Vitalyevich Serov

  All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced without the author’s prior consent, except for brief quotes used in reviews.

  The Reason and The Hope

  The Reason:

  This book was, and still is, intended for my future daughters and sons. If you happen to be reading this now, it's because the information inside of this book has been deemed useful for the general public by the powers that be. If that happens, this book will always be available online for free, as will any of my future writings. Access to crucial survival information cannot and should not be restricted solely to those with financial means, as the existence of this barrier goes against the very soul of learning itself. If someone has sent you this, whether it be in a physical or digital form, it means that they cared enough about both you and the material contained within this book to pass it along. Please thank them for caring, and if you found the time spent on this read worthwhile, please continue that pattern.

  The Hope:

  Is that this book is able to aid you. Few of us chose to exist within this capitalist game. Most of us are born into it, yet others come willingly with visions of grandeur. I was thrown in head first when I found myself on the streets before being of voting age, scavenging to provide for two dependents on my shoulders. With a never-ending stream of questions, no answers, and, more importantly, no I experienced the lows of homelessness as well as the high’s of economic prosperity, all in under a decade of time. As such, I felt it imperative to share some financial keys which I found essential for surviving in this system we call home.

  Before we begin our journey together, I briefly want to discuss our societal structure. Throughout my years, I’ve seen many individuals critique the economic system the United States currently has in place. While plenty of these claims are justified and many areas need massive restructuring, there is one upside to this structure which should not be understated. Unlike many other economic systems currently in place around the world, the one currently used in the United States, capitalism, allows most to have the potential to rise from lower, to middle, to upper class, within a single lifetime. There are countless countries where this premise is not even hypothetically possible, with or without the information we will talk about in this book. Countries such as my home of Ukraine, where the average monthly wage will net you less than $200 a month. Such countries have next to zero socioeconomic mobility and nearly no possibility for one to change their personal circumstances through hard work.

  Within this capitalistic game, you have the potential to change yours. Let’s get started.

  Introduction

  Setting The Scene

  Welcome to the Capitalism Survival Guide.

  In this book, I'm going to make a few assumptions that will ease the explanation of certain complex topics. The first assumption is that you have recently graduated from your life within academia and have been dropped into a society that views you as a faceless number. You’ve been through a hard fought life and are currently down on your luck, starting from behind square one. Having to your name: zero connections, family, friends, funds, or knowledge. For the sake of universality, I’m also going to assume that you are completely uneducated in any of the subject matters we will be discussing. Essentially, as kids these days so eloquently put it:

  ’You don't know shit about fuck.'

  If you find yourself having a head start in any of these areas, I applaud you. You're already a few steps ahead of where many individuals, myself included, started their climb from. As the purpose of this book is to teach those at the bottom of the capitalist food chain about surviving in this society, I ask that you place yourself into the shoes of such a person. I request this change of perspective, not only to maximize your openness to learning something new but also to assist you in developing a deeper understanding of the struggles of humankind.

  Time for topic one: Getting A Job.

 

Disclaimer

  If you are starting your financial journey from a state of homelessness, please start this book at the chapter at the end before continuing onward. It will go over concrete steps and tips that are vital for your ability to utilize the rest of the advice in this book. Please feel free to contact my email at the end of said chapter for additional questions, general advice, and resources. As someone who has made it out of such living circumstances twice during my journey within the United States, I’ll do my best to help however I

  Chapter One

  Capital J.O.B.

  Fresh out of school with no support and no place to start. You're in a bit of a rough spot. The hand you were dealt was less than ideal but we're going to make the most of it. Temporarily forget whatever unfortunate series of circumstances have led you to this state of affairs; now is not the time to be bitter. Now is the time for action. You'll be surprised just how much is possible if you play this game well. Let's start with your introduction to survival. The big ol' capital J.O.B.

  The first question you probably have is:

  "Why do I have to get a job?"

  The reason you need to get a job is split into two equally important parts:

  Part 1:

  In your current state of survival, you will have two categories of aspirations. The things you need and the things you want.

  If you want any of the following:

  -         clothes

-         dinners -         cars -         comfortable house -         time to maintain a social circle and pursue personal interests

  Then, welcome player one. You've just entered the capitalism game.

  Category one consists of things you need; this includes water, food, clothes, shelter, transportation, and consumables, in that order. Meanwhile, Category two consists of things you want, including items that not only enhance your overall well-being but also elevate what would typically be referred to as your 'status' in the modern world. Reaching financial stability, an aspect of life that is crucial for functioning long-term as an adult, requires the attainment of these two categories. Let’s make that our first aim in our journey together.

  Your foremost motivation for finding a job should be this: considering where you're starting, it's your sole path to consistently fulfilling both your wants and needs. Experiencing days with an empty stomach due to financial difficulties was a terrible experience for me. Let's work together to prevent that from also happening to you. Is this financial requirement to life unfair? Yes. You probably didn't ask to be born, and it's not your fault that you’re here. Let's ensure you have enough to eat before diving into deep philosophical discussions. I promise we’ll explore such concepts before the end of our time together. It’s easier to ponder the mysteries of the universe with a full belly anyway.

  Part 2:

 

The second reason you need a job is to develop yourself for your own sake. In your current youthful state you're an endless bundle of potential; you can go in any and every direction with equal vigor. That potential is daunting, and, whether you realize it or not, it works against you. When you're presented with a million potential paths, how do you discover the one that leads to your future? While we might hope for endless time to make the perfect choice, time waits for no man. Every moment counts, accumulating like a debt which inevitably needs to be paid. Within capitalism, the most promising path will always be the one you create by taking affirmative action and directing your potential into the future.

  Let me give you an example of how the concept of directionless potential works against you: do you remember when you had that one especially grueling year at school and you promised yourself you'd do something new and exciting every day of that next summer? If you remember that year, you can answer this next question truthfully.

  To what extent did you actually live that summer the

  The majority of people will say that less than half of their time off was spent maximizing that precious season. This is a prime example of the pitfalls that having limitless potential brings. With your youth you have no way of focusing yourself, no way to figure out in which direction to go or where to start. Now, to contrast this, think of the time you had free after school hours. You’d probably spend every hour until sundown doing that thing you loved to do. This is because partial restriction and responsibility are the keys that allow potential to flourish with direction and purpose.

  In order to properly orient the potential you currently have sitting inside of you, you need to make strides in your personal development. Personal

development is what will safeguard you from making near-irreversible mistakes along your journey through this game. Such blunders can be seen daily, primarily made by those who experienced quick success in celebrity culture. The difference between them and us is that they have the luxuries of fame, wealth, and second chances to fall back on. We do not have access to that same bed of roses.

  No matter how your personal dreams may stand out from the crowd, the insights gained from personal development play a crucial role in the achievement of those goals. Society, wise as it is, has discovered that the most effective way to focus the potential of young adults is to engage them in a singular task that benefits others, often referred to as work. In exchange for this work you receive tokens you can spend, exposure to others, responsibility, and the opportunity for personal growth. This combination (when everything goes according to plan) is the feedback loop that provides society with the most consistent method of developing young adults into their potential. Of course, this system is far from perfect, but it tends to do a good job of keeping you from living in that perpetual state of directionless summer. Fortunately for you, your effectiveness in this entire game is largely influenced by the conditioning you've already received, whether you know it or not.

  What you most likely believe is that throughout your schooling you have acquired the basic knowledge that you need to succeed as an adult. While knowing how to name the powerhouse of the cell is obviously incredibly important, what you actually learned over those years was how to learn. You learned to adapt to new stimuli, face complex problems and then come up with solutions. You learned to convince yourself to go somewhere you'd rather not be at, despite the fact, day in and day out. You developed skills such as how to manage your time, how to cope with a

boss who expects your homework to be completed daily and weekly, as well as dealing with that coworker who talks about you at the opposite lunch table during recess. Your educational experience has been meticulously crafted to allow for self-development through the use of restriction.

  In summary, if your goal is to make more use of your life than you did during that summer mentioned earlier, you'll need some restriction and a good dash of responsibility. If you're going to have those, considering you've already gotten the training for it, you may as well work. That's why you need a J.O.B.

  Now that you have a better understanding of why this entire concept exists, as well as what purpose it serves, hopefully, the idea of Jumping Over Bills (J.O.B) won't be the most dreadful experience in your life. If this hope turns out to be true, your next question might be the following:

  "How do I get a job and where do I work?”

  Because this topic involves so many processes, we'll cover main points in the order they typically arise in, followed by some essential tips I've compiled over the last decade of interviewing candidates.

  This excerpt is going to exclusively cover how to get a job. We will discuss finding the job and your search for long-term commitments in the upcoming Career chapter. Our immediate goal is to keep you from starving, so let's get you employed quickly.

  Phase 1: Getting an interview

  Search like your life depends on it, if you have any personal connections this is the time to use them. When you're hunting for your starting vocation, everyone that's anyone needs to know that you're looking for work. A referral from a personal connection exponentially increases your chances of timely placement. Assuming this isn't a possibility as outlined in the 'Setting The Scene' premises, your best options are Craigslist listings, LinkedIn bulletins, Facebook postings, and other forums, in that order. There is also the cliche but dependable method of visiting local businesses and asking if they're looking for ‘dependable people with a strong work ethic’ to add to their team. We’re going to focus on the former approach.

  Due to our rather urgent predicament, our ideal goal is to find you a job where your work ethic directly influences your potential pay. According to Gregory Niemesh, an economist at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers who traditionally work an extended workweek (45+ hours) make approximately 40% more income per hour over These results compound and given your starting circumstances, you need every penny you can get until the basic necessities are covered. In general, places where overtime is accepted or traditionally encouraged such as service, labor, or sales jobs, work best for your urgent situation.

  Remember that our goal is to get you your first job. As a general rule of thumb, it's drastically easier to find a new occupation while working than while unemployed. Given the financial uncertainty of tomorrow, some guaranteed money now is better than the probability of more money later. For now, apply to every listing you see. You’ll get to be selective and know if it’s right for you during the interview process anyways.

 

Square one is stringing together a quick resume that lists any notable accomplishments you have made up to this point in life. Graduated High School? That's an accomplishment. Certified in CPR? Accomplishment. Got decent grades? You guessed it, that’s a listable accomplishment. Ensure that you also cater the skillsets you list on the template I provide below towards the job sector you plan on applying to. The goal of this resume is to make you stand out from the sea of applicants just enough to get you an interview. Here is the resume template I've preferred most among the tens of thousands I've seen over the last When searching for job ads online, filter by the upload date and apply to the newest ones posted, then proceed to work your way backward to the older postings.

  If you don’t have access to the internet, computers and internet access are available for free use at your local public library.

  An important notion to internalize early about your job search is your current position within the hiring marketplace. Yes, there are workers far more skilled than you who will also have more work experience. However this doesn’t mean that you can’t compete with them. We just have to alter our approach to make you the more attractive option, we need to make you stand out. Here are your advantages: no one will want to prove themselves more than you, you don’t have an ego, and you haven’t taught yourself the wrong things yet. That alone is worth gold to the right employer, and that’s the messaging we will be utilizing when applying for jobs.

  Always send emails with your resume attached to the hiring manager for the job listed. Always include a short personalized essay with your resume, as this is essential for our plan of action to succeed. This essay

should aim to explain three things. Who you are, what you want, and what you bring to the table. It can look something akin to this:

  "To whomever it may concern,

  My name is (name), I was born and raised in (town) and I recently graduated from (school). Due to the circumstances that be, I have come into the position of having to fully support myself at the age of (age). I have no familial connections to rely on, and as such, I have to shoulder the responsibility of adulthood on my own. While some individuals my age would find this to be unfortunate, I don't see this as a burden. Instead, I see it as an opportunity to make something of myself in this world. I know there are going to be other more qualified individuals applying to this job, but I can guarantee that not one of them is going to bring the work ethic and openness to this job that I will. I want to work for you and I want to learn to do it well. All I ask is that you give me an opportunity to prove this to you in an interview and I will not let you down.

  Thank you - (name).

  (phone number and contact email)”

  Please, for the love of god, use a professional email address such as:

  [email protected]

  Example of what not to use:

 

[email protected]

  Yes, I have seen emails similar to this. And yes, they were applying for a six figure position at a corporate conglomerate.

  In our letter, we're acknowledging your strengths and weaknesses in this position. We are laying our cards flat out on the table and being truthful while relating to the human nature of the person examining your application. A strategy such as this will help you stand out and bypass the filters which sort thousands of online applications at once. With enough attempts this will make you stand out and will get you an interview.

  Phase 2: Preparation

  Be prepared. Every manager worth their salt remembers what it's like to be hired for your first job, and they’re going to be lenient with you because of this. Our primary initiative is to appeal to that nature and their previous experiences. Nearly all humans strive to be good people and help one another when possible, especially when it's mutually beneficial to both the company and the individual. Recall that if you've been contacted to come in for an interview, they're already interested in having you work for them. All they need from the interview is confirmation that you are who you presented yourself to be online, in person. Understanding this need will give you the confidence you need in the following phases.

  After you've been contacted to interview, the next step is to do your research. Visit the company website, get familiar with the names of the people in charge, and figure out what their product or service is. Do some surface-level research on their customer base and try to infer what their

ideal employee is like. Make yourself presentable: dress professionally, keep your hair neat, and sit up straight. You’re (most likely) not expected to dress in business formal attire for your first job interview, but they will want you to look like you put in some effort to be presentable. First impressions matter, and thrift stores carry dress shirts for pennies on the dollar.

  Plan on arriving at least ten minutes early when you come in for the interview. Ensure you’re hydrated and fed to help lower anxiousness and improve focus. If means allow for it, bring a printed copy of your resume in a plastic protector or binder, a notebook, and something to write with.

  Let the front desk know you're here for a scheduled interview at _:__ time and have arrived early. Sit patiently, study the next segment of interview advice in this book, or read over your notes until you are called in for your meeting. Don’t scroll through your phone while waiting and ensure you silence it before going into their place of business. They will make you wait for what seems like an eternity but don’t let that get to you. Even though this irritating hiring tactic is highly prevalent in today's age, your interview isn't going anywhere. If 15 minutes have passed after your arrival, politely let someone know that you understand that the hiring manager is busy, but that you wanted to make sure they knew you were here on time.

  Phase 3: The Interview

  An employer is looking for a few green flags when hiring someone with no experience. In general, managers want you to need this job, but to not be desperate. This usually makes you dependable for showing up to your shift, easy to teach, and self-aware. Remember during the interview that

they aren't looking at what you bring to the table at that very moment. Instead, they're intently searching for the potential you hold to see what you could be in two to six months time, with their help. Their internal dialogue is: “How much work am I going to have to put in to make this person self-sufficient within the next two to six months?” If the answer to that question is reasonable, you get the job. We will use all of this insider information to influence how you respond to the typical interview questions and raise all of those green flags.

  While we can’t cover every question you’re going to be asked, we can cover the basics. Upon entering the interview, make sure to thank them for giving you the opportunity today. After traditional introductions and pleasantries are exchanged, the interviewer will usually ask you to tell them about yourself. Contrary to popular belief, this is not an opportunity to tell your potential employer about your favorite sports team and how you spend your Sunday evenings. It’s actually a thoughtfully crafted test which the employer uses to match whom they thought you were on your resume to who you are in person. Remember that if they called you in to interview, you’ve already been qualified based on your skill set on your resume.

  In my personal hiring experience, if you answered this initial question well, you already have the job. The rest of the interview structure is typically used to disqualify potential candidates based on temperament, liabilities, and employment history. To answer this pivotal question effectively, we will tell them a story about your childhood. Primarily where you were born and how you were raised. We want them to know what got you to where you are now and what your goals, ambitions, and morals are. Don't be afraid to get personal; doing so will help them see

you for what you are. You’re not a number or a resume, but a person with a history who needs help getting their first job.

  When asked about your weaknesses and strengths, they test your selfawareness. Whether or not you can think about your place in the world and how you affect it. To pass this test, mention that your biggest weakness is that you are not the most qualified candidate for this job because of your lack of experience, but that you have strengths to compensate for that. You're young. You're moldable. You don't have an ego, and you're quick to learn. You understand chain of command and want to prove to yourself and others that you can succeed in this job and life. Mention how, given that you are supporting yourself, you want to be able to afford a place to stay, a car, and some nice clothes, but also that you want stability and to develop yourself as a person through your work ethic. If you mean it, also mention that you're reliable and no one will outwork you.

  Take your time with answering and don't be afraid to ask for a few moments to reflect on a question. Responding to a pressing moment with “I haven’t considered that before, let me think for a moment” will show emotional maturity, clarity of thought, and mental acuity. It's always better to think twice and speak once when you're confident in your answer.

  At some point, the interviewer might ask you for something you didn’t prepare for or some complicated technical information. This is a Do not pretend to be an expert, since that’s not what they’re looking for. They want to see how you handle something you don’t fully understand. They’re assessing, in real-time, how coachable you are. If you encounter such a question or prompt, flip it back on the interviewer. Tell them that the topic or technical term is something you aren’t familiar with yet, and

ask if they would be open to explaining it to you. Upon receiving the explanation, write it down in your notebook. This demonstrates your ability to learn and makes the interviewer feel heard. To take your response a step further, you can ask the interviewer if there’s anything similar that you should read up on. Mention that you want to prepare to ensure your success in the first few months of your job. Answering these questions with determination and perseverance will raise every green flag that they are seeking.

  Phase 4: General Interview Concepts

  Remember to conduct yourself professionally. Sit straight, have a firm handshake, don’t hesitate to make eye contact, and use appropriate language. Write down all of their advice or answers on pen and paper. All of these ‘traditional’ interview concepts showcase one thing: you’re willing to play the game. You’re willing to play their game. Remember that every day we choose to go to work instead of living on the streets. We exchange certain freedoms to attain certain luxuries, no matter how basic they are. By following these procedures, you’re letting the company know, “I will not be a pain to your business but instead, an asset”.

  Every interview ends with you being allocated a given time to ask questions. Always prepare your interview questions ahead of time. My questions tend to be:

  “As someone who’s been successful at (business), you’ve seen many people come and go. What do you think is the biggest differentiator between someone who’s immediately successful at being a (job title) and someone who isn’t cut out for the job?”

  Followed up with:

  “How many years have you been in the (industry) if you don’t mind me asking? As someone who’s looking to be successful in the same fashion in many years time and in my overall career, I always look to those who know more than I do, to learn from. Looking back at your career, if you were to go back in time to when you first started in (industry), what three short pieces of advice would you give to yourself that you think would have benefited you most?”

  Write down the answers.

  Before exiting the interview ensure that the two last questions you ask are:

  “Based on our interview today, do you see any reason why I wouldn’t be a good fit to work at (opportunity)?

  Followed by:

  “If I were to be hired, what are some things you'd like me to review or learn before I start so that I can become self-sufficient faster?”

  Asking these questions will not only inspire confidence in hiring you but also give you an opportunity to learn from any mistakes you may have made during the interview to correct before your next one.

 

Repeat this process enough times and congratulations; you've completed arguably the most arduous task of this entire book, you got your first job! We’re one step further to getting you on your feet.

  Disclaimer

  Be on the lookout for Pyramid Schemes, sometimes branding themselves as Multi Level Marketing (MLM). You will not make any money at these companies and will waste valuable time. They prey on individuals looking for first employment by luring them in with over the top promises and delivering lackluster pay. There's a few ways to identify these companies. The phrase "you can be your own boss” comes out in any grandiose shape or form. If you're required to pay for any kind of upfront costs during the hiring process, or there’s a group that all gets ‘hired’ together in the same interview, terminate that endeavor and find another place of employment.

  "I got hired! Now what?"

  I’m proud of you. From this point on, the intricacies of your specific job will make themselves known to you over time. So, before I leave you to your work and move on to the next chapter, I'll go over a brief overview of your upcoming learning curve and some advice that can be useful to you, regardless of what first occupation you find yourself in.

  Section 1: Adaptation and Competency Theory.

  Everyone experiences a different timeline to adapt to a new job. Humans are extremely different from one another, we vary in extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness and neuroticism. We differ so

much that in 1949 a team of researchers concluded that these personality markings are the most effective way to categorize people's personality differences, and called these categories the “big Tests showing you your approximate grouping and personality biases regarding the big five can be found online for free, and I highly recommend that you take one. The information gathered from such a test can be life changing for your success at work.

  Understanding your grouping of your traits and how they align or conflict with your job expectations can drastically reduce your learning curve for your job. This insight can be a valuable tool for aligning your strengths with your desired goals or gaining insights into your weaknesses in a career that doesn't match your traits. This understanding of self can also guide you in identifying areas where proactive coaching will be beneficial, speeding up your journey toward self-sufficiency.

  Shortening your learning period is both in your and your employer’s best interests. You and your employer's mutual goal should be to make you a self-sustainable contributor as fast as possible, for the sake of the business. Personally, you should aim to become proficient at your work not only because it means you get to achieve job security quicker, but also because it makes your day-to-day life not nearly as grueling as it could be. It's easier to swim in shoulder-high water than walk through it. Take the time and learn to swim in your environment.

  In general, after understanding the adaptations of your personality groupings, you will follow the pattern known as ‘The Conscious Competency Model’ for learning your position and its These are the rough steps to your learning curve.

 

1. Unconscious Incompetence

  You have absolutely no clue what you're doing or whether it's bad or good. At this stage, you can't tell up from down and as a result, you’re most likely producing more harm than good. Fortunately, this period is usually exclusive to the first one to six weeks.

  This is known as the 90 days of employment evaluation. If you don’t elevate from this stage within that period, the probability of you staying employed after the first 90 days is next to none. Lean on your manager, those around you, and the advice at the end of this chapter to get you to the next stage.

  Incompetence

  You are now performing tasks, some of which are even done the right way. You now also have a basic understanding (though far from complete) of how little you know. Fortunately you see where to go from here, the lighthouse of competence is guiding you through the fog of ignorance. This phase lasts one to three months following unconscious incompetence.

  This is considered the post-trial period for new employees. Make it to the next stage and you will have attained job security, meaning you can be sure that you will have a paycheck next week, month, and, if you want, next year.

  3. Conscious Competence

 

At this stage, if you focus, you know what you're doing is done well and is beneficial. You are drastically increasing  productivity and have a good understanding of what you need to work on next. You’re a positive impact on the company's bottom line.  This period of development lasts from six months - ad infinitum.

  At this stage, you have now attained job security; this is the stage of competency where the vast majority of workers reside within.

  Competence

  You know what you're doing. You're the gal or guy people go to for the solutions no-one else has. You could show up to work exhausted, hungry, or inebriated and still function at the highest level. You know what there is to know and not to know. Two years - ad infinitum.

  At this point you either get promoted internally within a year, or it's time to look for a job with a higher competency ceiling.

  This is the capitalistic competency model for progression within a workplace environment. Know where you are on the totem pole. Figure out what it takes to get to the next step. Rinse and repeat.

  Section 2: General advice

  If all goes well, you are about to start your first job. Before you head into the world of capitalism and attempt to survive, let me leave you with something. If I was tasked with going back in time to give myself a list of workplace rules to follow that would save me money, stress, and dime. I

would give my younger self this list of mistakes I would come to make. Knowing the advice presented can prevent you from doing the same.

  Get used to workplace etiquette.

   Say "Hi" to everyone. Be friendly, memorize people's names but don't try to be best buds with everyone. No one likes a suck-up. Treat coworker friendships like cats. Let them come to you in their own time, then engage. You already know what your shoes look like so keep those eyes up at all times. Be upbeat. Very few people would prefer to be at work as opposed to anywhere else and seeing gloomy faces only makes the day longer. Remember that no matter how friendly, business isn't Know when and where to set boundaries for what you divulge to your coworkers. Be careful of the crowd you claim as you always become the company you keep. That group the boss always complains about? Start to spend much time with them and you’ll be added to the list. Never gossip. Say nothing to a coworker, in or outside the work, that you wouldn't be comfortable saying in front of the entire workforce.

  Be mindful of yourself.

  Understand the chain of command. If you are being disciplined or having something explained to you by a superior, think of triple A. Agree. And. Apologize. If you choose to argue your point or defend yourself you are picking a battle that has no good ending for you. It's not worth your time, effort, and mental space to attempt to ‘win’. Instead, try to get to the bottom of what they actually want you to rework and do your best to make alterations. Remember, you signed up to play their game. A positive bi-

product of this skill is that you will build a reputation as someone that can accept criticism, a rarity in the workplace. is vital. Once is an accident, twice is a pattern, and thrice is a habit. Be careful of the patterns of behavior you fall into at work. If you notice that you've made the same mistake twice, take affirmative action to ensure correction. The third time will be noticed and brought to your attention by Learn to manage yourself and you'll be adored by your supervisors. The perks of being favored by management are endless. You want to be on that list of names when promotions and raises are discussed. Be curious at the correct times. If you need help understanding something, ask about it when appropriate. You don't want to be playing 20 questions during rush house, write it down. Once the right opportunity presents itself, approach a tenured employee or manager and ask if now would be a good time to ask some questions you needed clarity on. Ensure that you write the answers down. Two ears, one mouth. Listen twice as much as you talk. Build a reputation that'll do the talking for you. Always under-exaggerate and you will command respect in any environment. Treat everyone, including your boss, as if they're going to be directly responsible for getting you that comfortable and high paying job you want in the future. There's a good chance that's an actual possibility, so don’t you dare burn those bridges. Having a good reference is worth everything in corporate America.

  With this final bullet point, I'll leave you to your work. Learn and earn as much as you can. In the next chapter, we'll discuss the finance basics: how to make the most of your money so that it lasts until tomorrow.

 

As far as the work you’ve done so far, good job on getting through this; I'm proud of you.

  Chapter Two

  Managing finances

  Now that you're employed, we can begin to uncover the mysticism surrounding finance management. These hidden  fundamental know-how's can be the key difference between poverty and financial prosperity. For reasons beyond my understanding, these critical lessons are consistently neglected within America’s education system. Knowing what to do with your money is equally as, if not more important, than earning it in the first place.

  We will begin by breaking down the essential core aspects of financial management into chronological steps, then have a brief but high-level explanation of why such actions are critical to your survival. Finally, before moving on to our next chapter on the topic of credit, we will explore more advanced strategies to aid you in the coming years of your stay in the capitalism game. As the healthiest habits are sometimes the most difficult to make, we'll introduce them as early as possible. Let's get started by ripping the metaphorical bandaid off of your first question.

  "I got my first paycheck, now what?"

  Face the taxes.

  Welcome to taxes. Looking at your first paycheck, you notice that your net pay was less than your gross pay. Two thoughts immediately come rushing

into your head.

  1) What in the world are those two words: gross and net?

  2) Why the hell did they take so much! It's no wonder they call it gross pay, it makes you sick just by looking at it.

  In short, gross pay is the total amount you earn before any tax or non-tax deductions are made. Net pay is the amount of money you get to actually 'take home' after retirement contributions, insurance coverage, and any federal and state taxes are accounted for. We all remember our first paycheck and the subsequent frustration that comes with it. Take a deep breath and remember to exhale. Process your emotions and  internalize this games truth:

  "…nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

  Not much has changed since Ben Franklin wrote the iconic phrase in 1789. Taxes are still around and the IRS boogie-men always get what they're owed. Even Al "Scarface" Capone, one of the greatest criminal minds of his time, was criminally indicted on tax evasion, of all things. If you're going to play their game, you're going to pay taxes. Don't get discouraged just yet, let's celebrate your first paycheck and look on the bright side. When tax time comes, early in your career you’ll usually get some of that money back, and now you've got more money in your pocket than you did yesterday. Additionally, you’ve now helped fund the very library in which you may have made your resume. Let’s make the most of your newfound cash.

 

Let's start with the fundamentals.

  Lesson 1: Preparation for Stability

  Your first step for developing a foundation is to open BOTH a Checking and a Savings account in a bank. This will be your financial home base and where all your funds will be stored electronically. A healthy practice is to consider your Checking account as a ‘Spending Fund' and your savings account as your 'Emergency Fund.' Ideally, you want to start a relationship with your local trusted credit union by opening these accounts with them. This act will pay dividends later when it comes time for us to build your credit. Look for accounts with a 'minimum monthly deposit' or 'balance threshold' that fits what you make monthly in take-home (net) pay to avoid paying monthly fees on these accounts.

  Once that's done your next step is to set up direct depositing through your employer. Direct deposit is a process that allows your employer to deposit checks into your bank account on payday automatically. This step is critical as we will want your checking account to show consistent bimonthly deposits, leaving a provable paper trail of your income. Enrolling in direct deposit means you won't have to deposit each check you receive manually and, in some cases, will allow you to access your funds a day or two early. Having these employer deposits in your account is essential because it directly affects your future ability to take out loans and improve your credit, something we will be taking advantage of in the following chapter.

  An optional next step is to obtain a library card from the local public library. Public libraries give free access to wi-fi and computers that are available for use to local residents. They also grant free access to a few

books at a time, water fountains, and a quiet place to take your mind off work. Additionally, getting in the habit of reading now will pay great dividends later on in your career. The more you learn, the more you’ll earn.

  Once you complete these processes, what follows is to use your debit card (acquired with your checking account) to take care of your necessary immediate expenses. Your debit card is a physical extension of your checking account which allows you to spend the money in said account without having to write a personal check. Currently water, food, clothes, shelter, and transportation are your essential priorities, in that order.

  If you are unable to fulfill these essential expenses with your monthly take-home pay, please read the homelessness chapter first. It will give you references for additional resources, information on government-assisted programs for such situations, as well as my personal contact information.

  We’ve now laid out the groundwork for your financial stability and are finally ready to learn to spend.

  Lesson 2: The Holy Spreadsheet, Category 1

  Having money is a balance. It's a responsibility. You wish to live life to the fullest and get the things that you want, yet you'd also fancy not having to worry about your ability to fulfill tomorrow’s expenses. This balance will periodically lean from one side to the other throughout your time playing this game. Hidden within that journey is a happy medium, somewhere between where you are now and where you think you ought to be. For now, we'll lean heavily into the conservative side of that spectrum.

You just got your first paycheck, and for a while you're going to live like a monk, living by the mantra of checking your budget first and spending later.

  This sacrifice will be made for one reason and one reason only. Do you know what's harder than climbing out of immense poverty? Having to do it again, only this time knowing you could've avoided it. You've got no safety net yet, but we're going to give you the tools to construct one. It’s time to build a spreadsheet.

  X is the first variable for your spreadsheet we’re going to calculate. Take a look at your net pay when you get your first paycheck and multiply that number by two if you get paid twice a month. Take the result and subtract 10% from it to account for possible variance in next month's working hours and wages. The number you’re left with is X. This holy variable will be the foundation upon which we will build your first construct of financial safety. Getting in the habit of tracking your finances early will save you tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars over your career.

  That kind of money seems astronomical, but allow me to demonstrate how quickly it adds up. A $200 average of unplanned spending a month over a 45-year career is a loss of -$108,000 dollars. That same $200 a month invested over the identical 45 years period into the market with an 8% annual return (the average annual market return has been 9.2% over the last 140 years) leaves you with $927,613.48. You read that number right. Over $900,000.00. That means there's a million dollars difference between how you use an extra $200 a month. We'll delve more into this fascinating concept of compounding interest in the 'Building Wealth' chapter, but, in short, that's why you want to build a spreadsheet.

 

At your local library or at home, go to Google.com and search for "Basic Budgeting Spreadsheet." The first result should be this link:

  https://templates.office.com/en-us/simple-personal-budget-tm04035483

  Click on it, select 'Open In Browser', and create a free profile using your email address. You now have your own customizable spreadsheet. Please make a copy and begin to fill it out. This is your Bible, your Torah, and  your Quran to live by for at least the next six months while we mainline some financial stability into your life.

  To start customizing, simply clear (using the delete key) the individual cells containing any dollar signs. Repeat until all dollar values are zero or null. Then input your X amount (calculated earlier) into the wages field for the next three months. Take the time to input your core expenditures such as rent, utilities, bus fares, groceries, medication, and any other planned expenses. Be liberal with your estimates and always round up. For example, if your transportation costs are $222 a month, round them up to $230 in your initial spreadsheet estimates. If your grocery bill is usually $152, round up to $160. It's always better to have more money left over at the end of the month than less.

  Next, you'll want to schedule all recurring bills to be automatically deducted from your checking account on the day after you receive your first bi-monthly paycheck, for example, on the 1st or 3rd of the month. This step is done to ensure that there is no temptation to spend funds that are preallocated for making tomorrow possible. Complete the final step by thoroughly filling out your spreadsheet, you have attained the Category one requirement we discussed in the previous chapter. As long as you maintain your job and adhere to your budgeted expenses, the concern of

affording your existence should be at least somewhat eased. Instead of letting financial worries dominate your life, you are now taking steps to control them. You have brought predictability to your finances through the magic of spreadsheets. Congratulations.

  As we embark on our journey towards Category two, let's first establish the safety net I mentioned earlier. This safety net will act as a barrier between you and the unavoidable misfortunes that we are fated to encounter in our lives. Look at the figure at the bottom of your spreadsheet in the section labeled "Cash short/extra." Take the 'cash extra' amount and calculate 20% of it. Enter that figure into your 'long-term savings' field in your spreadsheet, then arrange a recurring deposit towards the end of the month into your savings account for the same amount. Saving money is considered an honorary member of Category 1, the Essentials Category.

  Here is why saving is important: your savings account will rescue you not if, life throws you for a loop. You never know if you're going to get scheduled for less hours or if your pay will vary. Don't enter the financial battlefield without a backup plan. Open a savings account and create a plan of how much you’ll save every month, both can be done in your online banking portal. Spend smarter, save more, live better, and you'll thank yourself later.

  A quick cautionary poem.

  Once upon a time a much younger and dumber version of me, once got his first paycheck and was filled with glee.

 

So I went to the store, did what I thought best: "I should buy myself a TV, and spend the money that's left."

  The next morning came around and a few more thoughts came and went. I'd bought myself plenty, so my bank account was a wreck.

  I felt no worries as I knew I'd get paid quick, but when next payday came, I hadn't gotten shit.

  Lesson 3: The Holy Spreadsheet, Category 2

  Now that we've got the essentials budgeted for and a savings account established, we can move forward with confidence into Category 2. The basics for this Category include but are not limited to: basic furniture, acceptable clothes, convenient transportation, expendables and minor quality of life improvements. If you have any money remaining after making your savings contributions, this is the next area we will focus on.

  Before acquiring the basics, I recommend you follow a few ground rules to avoid falling victim to a concept referred to as ‘lifestyle creep’. Lifestyle creep can be boiled down to the idea that when you make more, you also tend to spend more. Things that were once considered a luxury become necessities as your income increases, and the old indulgences are replaced by new, more expensive ones. Follow this never-ending cycle and you will never attain wealth within this game. Just as an overweight person can't exercise away the excess calories they consume, a capitalist can never out-earn the temptations of lifestyle creep. I know seasoned professionals in the highlights of their careers earning over a quarter million dollars annually who are afraid to check their checking accounts

because they continue feeding the upwards creep of their expenses over time. Be better.

  Before you make a purchase or go for a shopping trip, input how much you're going to spend into your spreadsheet and do not go above that dollar value. After inputting that expense, always check how much is left at the bottom of your spreadsheet. Your spreadsheet and your expenses should always be in sync. The less you look at your spreadsheet the scarier your finances become. If you're making a round of non-planned purchases early in the month, try to spread those out over the next week instead. Consumerism is a drug and buying is the associated high; spreading it out will prevent you from binging. Alternatively, group your purchases when you're a day or two from getting your next paycheck. This will minimize the risk of running out of funds prematurely. If you're paying for something in cash, always grab a receipt so that you have a physical backup to log into your spreadsheet. If you're shopping with your debit card, you'll always have a digital receipt in your bank statements to reference.

  Once you've applied these rules to memory, you can cautiously begin picking your target goals for the next few months. For example, you may need a car. You may bulkier clothes for the upcoming winter. Use the remaining funds in the 'Cash Extra' section to begin filling out this category of expenses. Let me reiterate this one more time. Keep your spreadsheet updated. Stay on top of your finances or they will always be on top of you.

  Lesson 4: Buy Used

  Live below your means, buy used. Cars, clothes, furniture, and more can all be purchased at a fraction of their original costs while maintaining nearly all the functionality with none of the depreciation. You are currently starting from nothing; remember that not too long ago tomorrow's meal was uncertain. The easiest way to end up with nothing for the second time is by getting ahead of your current earning potential. You may, at some point, consider purchasing a new expensive automobile without realizing that it would lose 60% of its value in the first two years of you driving it. If you come to this consideration, please consider the following:

  Curb your ego before it bankrupts you. 

  If you're in need of transportation, avoid luxury brands like the plague before you have a solid career. A used Honda or Toyota which you can buy for less than half of the cost will last years and save you a ludicrous amount of money over the years. Know that the true danger of high end assets is never the upfront cost. It’s the maintenance, upkeep, and insurance that drives folks broke.

  According to CarEdge, an online vehicle statistics database, the average new BMW, including all maintenance, fuel costs, insurance, financing charges, and most notably depreciation, will cost $70,537 to own for five years. According to the same database, the average new Honda costs $31,187 to own over the same period of time. If your goal is to thrive in this game you must avoid being trapped in it indefinitely, a slave to the temptation of status. I’ve personally owned a 10 year old Honda over the past six years, and have kept a detailed spreadsheet categorizing every

expense associated with it. Total cost of ownership over the last 6 years including the same variables? $5,862 to date, and it gets me to work just fine. As a general rule of thumb, try not to spend more than a quarter of your yearly take-home pay on any vehicle throughout your career. 

  This concept of spending smarter also doesn’t apply itself to only vehicles. Instead of buying name-brand clothing, buy used vintage clothes and sift through thrift stores. Purchase used furniture for pennies on the dollar from folks moving across the country. You’ve just barely achieved the first semblance of financial stability in your life, and one surefire way of keeping it is to crush your ego and control your

  Good things come with time; there are people far older and wealthier than you who buy brand-new items only to realize they don't use them. These individuals make so much money that it's not worth their time to go through the process of returning it. That's your gain waiting to happen, that’s the beauty of buying used.

  It's inevitable that, despite my warnings, you will make the mistake of pursuing status to impress others, but I still consider it my duty to caution you. Don't overspend. Maintain a lifestyle well below your income level, and keep your focus. In time, good things will come. The longer the wait, the sweeter the fruits of wealth will be.

  Lesson 5: Save

  Another common error I made when I was young, and still see grown adults make, is neglecting the priority of their savings accounts. There's a good reason individuals open emergency funds, also known as savings accounts, in the first place.

  Things go south for people, sometimes more often than they go north. Now and then, when you get too comfortable sitting on the chair of life, it'll pull itself out from under you, just to see if you were paying attention. You may get ill with no sick days left or get fired and can't qualify for unemployment. Possibly the company you're working for goes under while the country falls into an economic recession. Physical health issues, personal problems, familial deaths, and mental health struggles will all affect you at one point or another in your journey. They are also infinitely worse when you not only have to deal with them, but have to worry about your finances too. Don’t let financial woes act as a rotten cherry on top of your fated shit Sunday.

  If you neglect to build your emergency fund, and these issues inevitably coalesce, it crushes individuals into a realm returning from which is near impossible. You see them on the street corners daily, shellshocked from the brutality of life. If you think it can’t happen to you, know that this was also my belief before I found myself homeless over a decade ago. As someone who is now trying to save you the same experience, you need to save. And trust me, you sleep better knowing that things will be all right when life goes sour. You should only touch your savings account for emergencies and contribute to it as if your life depends on it until you have a comfortable net.

  A good place to target in your first few years of work is to have three months of expenses in your savings. Eventually, try to expand that number to six months worth as you gain comfortability and routine. Your savings account is your introduction into your future. You sacrifice a little now to live a lot better later. This concept is known as delayed gratification, and if

you imprint it into your brain now, the sky's the limit with how far you can go in surviving capitalism.

  If  you’ve made it this far, congratulations. You’ve officially escaped poverty, and I’m incredibly proud of you for doing so. This is a task that more than 10% of Americans never get to accomplish, so celebrate the moment, but do not dwell on your Within this game, you have to keep running to stay in place. Let’s use the rest of this guide to get you ahead, to the land where you can afford to walk.

  We'll expand on advanced methods of utilizing excess income wisely once we get you a job that pays more. But, before that, let's cement your induction into the middle class with something more American than apple pie, debt. Welcome to Credit.

  Chapter Three

  Credit

  Cash is great, but in America, credit is king. Throughout your time in capitalism, you will see that money will come and money will go. That is the nature of our beast. Credit not only gives you a lifeline for when that money goes faster than expected. But it will also allow you to leverage your capital for personal gain. Developing your credit aids in your journey to tame this beast and further your financial stability in the medium to long-term future.

  What is Credit?

  Think of credit like a Mob Boss in those old gangster movies. When you want to make a large purchase, let's use a house for instance, you go to the Don and ask to borrow some money. You already have a job, you know people within the Mob who will vouch for you, and to top it off, you already have some money saved up just in case. Because of these factors, the Don agrees and takes a small percentage of that saved money upfront as collateral. Then, they tack on some interest (the price you pay to borrow money) to the total amount you will owe and give a timeframe for paying it back. Such interest rates can range from nearly 1% to upwards of 30% of the total loan amount.

 

As long as you're in good graces with the Mob and meet such requirements, you can borrow any funds you might need. On the grounds that you pay back the loan on time, you get to benefit from having a house. The mob also profits by putting the extra capital they had lying around to work. It's a win-win situation. The downside of dealing with the Mob is that if you can't pay back the loan, you pay dearly for it.

  In our world, the Mob is any financial institution, and their loans are the backbone of your credit. Anytime you think of credit, immediately think of loans. And maybe the Mob as well, so you don’t start taking the matter too lightly.

  Hypothetically, let's say you paid off three loans for the Don and came back for another. Knowing you are a reliable client, they will likely give you a loan with more lenient terms, i.e., more funds you can borrow, extended time to pay back the borrowed amount, less interest over time, and even less money upfront. Tie a numerical score to this hypothetical reputation, and you’ve got the bedrock of credit scores. In short, your credit score is your reputation that any financial institution giving you a loan will see.

  Credit is a premise that benefits companies and individuals across all industries. It allows banks to leverage funds to individuals or businesses who they assume will pay it back with interest. That assumption, since 1989, is called the FICO Credit Score. This score is a number between 300-850 that, supposedly without bias or prejudice, allows banks to see how trustworthy you are on paper. They look at this number in conjunction with your loan history, income, length of employment, housing history, and other variables such as Debt to Income Ratio (DTI) and Credit Utilization Rate (CUR) to qualify you for loans, housing, utilities, and more.

  We will be dissecting these individual qualifications later. For now, since credit is a long-term meta-game, let’s start with the basics of why you should care.

  Why should I care about Credit?

  Achieving stellar credit not only results in receiving lower interest rates, credit card reward points, and additional capital to use in a pinch. All benefits that are useful in their own right. Excellent credit can also be used for leveraging capital into personal financial wealth, a topic we will be using heavily in the following chapters.

  Let's weave a hypothetical. Many years have passed, and you've met an incredible significant other. You’ve been reading this book, so you have a promising career, friends, savings, 401k, and maybe a dog that will actually play fetch with you. You've realized that everything has improved in your life except for your beat-up old Honda or Toyota that you wisely purchased many years ago. You decide (against my better judgment) to get rid of it for something newer and nicer. "It's about that time; if not now, then when?" Fortunately, you started this credit process early and now have excellent credit. It's time to reward yourself for all the hard work you've put in over the years.

  Hypothetically, you decide on a new Tacoma (truck) because they have excellent resale value, are reliable, and fit the personality you may have developed in your late 20s or early 30s. You even have the money to buy it in cash because you've been planning this for years. This all sounds great, but before you spend $40,000 on a new vehicle, let me show you a

smarter option that displays the power of outstanding credit. We’re going to compare two purchasing strategies. One with excellent credit and one where you are forced to pay cash, due to maintaining poor credit.

  Yes, you can pay for the vehicle outright and not have to deal with monthly payments. Or you can leverage a near 0% interest rate because of your almost perfect credit and invest those funds (40k) into the market. The average car loan length in the U.S. is 72 months or six years. Let’s assume you decide to take the loan and invest the $40,000, seeing the average 9.2% compounded return rate year over year we briefly mentioned in the last chapter. For kicks, you also decide to invest $1.00 into that same investment account every month.

  By the end of the six-year (72-month) span, that $40,000 turns into $67,920.44. A pure interest profit of $27,848.44. Now, wait, the loan you took had interest on it. Assuming a manufacturer’s interest rate of 0.9% (which is not unheard of with perfect credit), you paid a total of $41,104.71 including the vehicle, if you put no money down. The total interest paid or the cost of the loan is $1,104.71.

  Your profit then is $27,848.44 (interest gained in the market) - $1,104.71 (cost of loan) = $26,743.73 total gross profit

  We’re not done yet. After the 72 month period you still have the value of the vehicle you’re left with. The average price of a six-year-old Tacoma is currently between $20,000 - $30,000. Let's split the difference and say $25,000 is your now six-year-old Tacoma's average market value (AMV).

 

$25,000 (Depreciated Vehicle Value) + 26,743.73 (profit from market) = $51,743.73.

  $51,743.73 (net profit including AMV of your now used Tacoma) - 40,000 (original cost of the vehicle) = $11,743.73 pre-tax profit.

  By owning your new splurge vehicle for six years, you profited a little under $12,000.

  Now, let’s compare this to paying cash. You pay the same $40,000 for the truck, and drive it for the same six years. You take the same depreciation hit of $15,000 and gain no interest in your capital investment, since it was all tied up in the upfront cost of your vehicle.

  $40,000 cash paid for the truck = $25,000 (AMV) at the end of 72 months.

  As a result, when you compare the two methods of purchasing a vehicle, you end up with the following results:

  Loan Investing: $51,743.74 in vehicle value and market profit.

  Vs

  Paying Cash: $25,000 in vehicle value.

  By having excellent credit, you come out $26,743.74 ahead for a purchase you were going to make anyways. Not bad, right?

 

You can apply this same principle to houses, cars, boats buy a basically anything you can finance, and you start to see why having good credit matters. Qualifying for low-interest-rate loans allows you to utilize excess funds to profit from purchasing instead of taking a massive loss. Of course, this example isn't going to work for every vehicle and/or investment. It requires being smart and doing your due diligence to raise your credit to use its full benefit, but the gain is worth the pain. Now let’s talk about how to build your credit.

  Disclaimer

  The most frustrating aspect of building credit is that it takes time and consistency. Credit development can be compared to stacking dominoes. Tip one over and you’ll be starting from behind square one, with quite the mess to clean up before you can begin anew. Keep that in mind when you begin developing your credit. In this game, it's much better to play it safe than to make a single wrong step.

  How do I raise this FICO credit

  First, I recommend downloading a credit monitoring app onto any internet-enabled device you own. You can use 'Credit Karma,' which is free, but plenty of other options provide the same service. Then, create an account by inputting your information and take a look at your score. You are most likely one of three things, according to the finance industry:

  A) a 'ghost' (meaning no credit or score) B) a 'flake' (meaning bad credit or under 600 FICO) C) ‘fortunate’ (meaning you have good parents 750+ FICO)

  The first and rather unorthodox step to building your credit is to cheat the entire system if you are ‘fortunate’. If you have a parent or a close relative with excellent credit history and no missed payments on a long-standing credit card, congratulations. Assuming they're willing to help, you've just won the birthing credit score lottery. Have that parent or other relative call the bank to add you to their credit card as an 'authorized user' and wait for the respective card to arrive. As soon as it arrives, swiftly shred it into pieces and bin it.

  This is to prevent you from ruining your relationship with that

  Once this step is completed, celebrate. You’ve just skipped many-many years of hard work and have attained creditworthiness. The entire on-time payment history of that credit card, along with its age since its establishment, has been added retroactively to your credit history. Even if the card has been active longer than you have been alive, an 18-year-old you now, magically, has 20 years of credit history to endorse their future loan applications. If you are a parent reading this, do this for your kids. Just remember to cut up that card to avoid a particularly awkward holiday evening dinner.

  For those of us not so fortunate in the birthing lottery, the actual first step is to apply for a secured credit card. A secured credit card functions as a zero-risk method for your bank to trust you with some money. You pay the bank a few hundred dollars from your checking account; in return, they give you a credit card with a matching spending limit. This way, if you turn out to be untrustworthy with your newfound responsibility, the bank is out zero dollars and cancels your secured card from functioning. This is the ultimate starting point for us Ghosts & Flakes.

  What is a Credit Card and how does it work?

  A credit card is a transaction method that builds your credit, gives an additional layer of security to your finances, and allows for reward points to be gained with each qualified purchase. In some ways, a credit card can be considered to be a tool. It can be a valuable tool if you follow safety protocols and have proper training. But, on the flip side, it can also become perilous if you act irresponsibly and don't treat it with respect.

  Credit Cards are a form of revolving credit, meaning they renew every month. Think of your credit card as if you are applying for a short-term, high-interest loan every month with a complimentary 30-day grace period. Here's an example of how it works. Let's say you just moved into a new apartment and only have the funds to spend on a mattress the following paycheck. You get paid in ten days, and know in your heart that your upcoming net pay will be enough to cover your bills and the additional expense of this mattress. By purchasing the mattress on your credit card, you’ve now avoided the inconvenience of sleeping on the floor for the next ten days. In addition, if you pay off the credit card (in full) as soon as you receive your paycheck ten days later, no harm is done, and no interest is paid. Seems useful right?

  Here's the catch. If you happen to not pay off your credit card in full by your next payday and 30 days from your purchase date go by, you're essentially taking out a loan with near 25% interest on the original price of said expense. You'll be paying nearly a quarter of the principal balance (base amount) on top of the total price of these items until the debt is paid off. If your paycheck is fixed and your interest keeps accruing over time, it can become incredibly easy to get caught behind on delinquent credit

card payments. This repayment spiral sometimes takes years to reach a net zero balance. Due to this, make sure that you treat this tool with respect. As a general rule of thumb, buy with your credit card only that which you can pay off, in total, within 30 days. Ensure that any spending on your credit card is also updated in the expense section on your spreadsheet.

  While these concepts may seem daunting and unnecessary, I encourage you to trust me and read on. Credit takes years to develop, and if you start now, we can begin chipping away at it one year at a time. For now, head to your credit union or bank and use some of those extra funds to acquire one of those secured credit cards. You’ll thank yourself later.

  I got a Secured Credit Card! What now?

  Your next move is to make some purchases using your secured card. Make two to three purchases on this card each month and pay it off (in full) on the 15th and the 1st of each month. You can set up these automatic payments within your online banking portal. Most financial institutions report to the three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) twice a month. By automatically paying off your balance on these dates, you're maximizing the positive impact made on your credit history. The more ontime payment history you have, the more banks will trust you. The more they trust you, the higher your score. Before you proceed to make these first purchases on said card, please be advised:

  Do not, EVER max out your credit card limit.

  Your credit limit is the maximum amount you can spend on your credit card before transactions stop processing ($200 on a $200 secured credit

card).

  With regular credit card use, this limit will naturally increase every six to eight months. If a bank has yet to increase your limit within that time frame, call the number on the back of your card and ask to have your limit raised. Having a higher credit limit will benefit your overall FICO credit score and improve your credit utilization rate (CUR), one of the terms I mentioned earlier that relates to credit approvals.

  Credit Utilization Rate (CUR) is a percentage-based calculation that lets banks know what part of your credit limit is consistently being used. For example, if you have two cards with a $200 limit each, you have a $400 credit limit. If you max both cards out, your credit utilization rate is 100%. Let me repeat this advice: Do not max out your credit only is doing so an incredibly unhealthy financial habit, but it tanks your credit utilization, which directly affects your credit score. Doing so also hinders your ability to increase your credit limit on any of your cards.

  To maximize credit growth, you want to utilize roughly 10-30% of your credit card credit limit. For example, if you have a $1,000 limit on your credit card, consistently spend approximately $200 monthly. The sweet spot credit utilization rate for optimal credit development is 10-30% of your limit. Figure out your credit limit, calculate roughly 20% of your total limit, and spend that much on it monthly. Rehearse this process of making purchases and paying off your card until you see that your credit score gets into the low 700s.

  What’s next after a secured credit card?

 

Things move fast at first. In the first year, it's common to see individuals with no credit history cross the 700 mark. It can then take years of perfection to break the 750 mark. Don't get discouraged. In the endeavor of credit, make a point to think long-term, as the potential rewards could translate to hundreds of thousands of dollars throughout your career.

  Once you get that FICO score past 700, you'll want to apply for your first unsecured credit card. These cards don't require a deposit and are the first fundamental proposition of trust a bank will place in you. Once you’ve crossed the application hurdle, it's a rinse-and-repeat formula through and through. The same rules from the secured cards apply to regular credit cards. Spend roughly 20% of your limit, pay off your card on the 1st and 15th of every month, ask for limit increases roughly every half a year, and stay on top of your payments.

  Good job for getting this far.

  What comes next in your credit journey is to become multithreaded with your creditworthiness. You will want to increase the number of credit cards in your possession and your average age of credit (how long your average loans have been open) over time. The average length of your credit history plays a pivotal role in determining your credit score. Essentially, the older your credit accounts, the more positively it impacts your score.

  Without going into concrete details on the progression of what cards to apply for, as this information will vary significantly from person to person, I will give a few pieces of general advice.

 

My suggestion is to limit yourself to opening a maximum of one new credit card per year during your initial years, while also diversifying your choice among credit cards that align with your spending habits. Certain credit cards offer the opportunity to earn rewards points by purchasing necessities like gas. By making qualifying purchases within specific categories, you’ll get a percentage of what you spend paid back, either as cash or as redeemable points. For example, if a card gives you 5% back at gas stations, that becomes your gas card. If you fill up $1,000 worth of gas over a single year, you will passively receive $50 back on such a card. Following this strategy for acquiring new cards specific to your spending criteria will allow you to make the most of your spending. As these cards age with you, your average credit age will grow over time, increasing your score.

  Some options for unsecured credit cards to look at in the 700 FICO credit range are the Chase Freedom Unlimited or Freedom Flex cards, Citi DoubleCash, CapitalOne SavorOne and the Discover IT. Any of these are excellent general-use to get you started. Acquire a few unsecured cards over the course of a few years, and then wait for your credit to build-up over time.

  How do I apply for a loan using my credit?

  When you apply for a loan, whether a credit card, car, business, or personal loan, the lender has to check your credit history with a "hard pull" to decide if you qualify. Every time they do this, it will briefly lower your credit score to prevent you from opening many new accounts at once. This temporary drop should not be a cause of panic as your score does recover, usually in a six month span. Applying for multiple loans within a short period can be a sign to banks that the applicant is struggling for cash.

We will avoid making that impression to maximize your credit progression.

  Repeating this process of applying for cards, paying them off consistently, keeping well below your maximum CUR limit, while expanding your average age of credit, will eventually get you into excellent credit territory (740+ FICO). Within this range, you will generally qualify for most Tier 1 and some Tier 1+ loans, the best of the best. You are now in good graces with the Mob. This good grace comes with access to extremely low interest rates and the ability to receive easy qualifications for most credit based inquiries. Now that we have an ‘in’ with the Don, let’s see if we can get on their payroll.

  The direct path to taking your credit score from the “good” range into the 'excellent' category (800+ FICO) is to take a page out of the investing rulebook. To build long standing wealth, you'll want to diversify your portfolio.

  How do I diversify my credit?

  The final path to building an excellent credit score is taking on different loan obligations and paying them back on a schedule.

  Over the last year(s), you've demonstrated to a few banks that you can pay off your planned spending every month. Well done, that's gotten your credit score to the mid 700's. The next step is to utilize a personal, auto, home, or business loan to help elevate your score and credibility. We want to demonstrate to banks at large that you are reliable no matter the loan type or amount variations.

  To achieve this result, we will now look to apply for a new loan type with a credit union or the bank you currently have an account with. To apply for these loans, you will need to provide bank statements for the last few months, proof of employment, identification, and a rough idea of the dollar amount you will be requesting. Another reason we kept your credit utilization rate low is because it dramatically improves the look of your 'DTI' ratio. The other fancy credit term I mentioned earlier.

  DTI, or 'Debt to Income Ratio,’ is a tool used to compare your income to your current level of debt. To calculate this ratio, take your housing payment, add your monthly average credit card bill and any other loanrelated expenses, and divide that by your monthly gross income. Finally, convert the answer into a percentage to find your DTI. Overall, the lower the percentage, the better. For general reference, 35% DTI and under is green, 35-50% is yellow, and 50%+ is red in terms of approval rating for a loan. 50% debt to income and over means that over half of your income is going to current loans and housing, and very few banks will approve such a loan. Banks will also typically finance 'like' loans for roughly 150% of what you've been previously approved for, so keep that in mind when applying for higher-value loans in the future.

  Now, since credit is all about taking on debt and paying it off over time, one might think the solution to this complex problem is quite simple. I have to take on the most debt possible and then pay it off in the fastest time, right? No. That would be too easy and the Mob, I mean banks, don’t work like that. Traditionally within capitalism, the more complicated you can make a simple system, the easier it is for you to make profit from it.

 

You see, from the perspective of the banks, someone that pays off their debts too quickly is a liability compared to an individual who makes their scheduled payments on time. Consistency is everything within this game. A soccer player who consistently scores a single goal per game will always be valued higher in the season than a player with one incredible match. Consistency means replicability, which in turn produces predictable and forecastable results. We want to be that player who is consistent over time with our payments instead of a highlight reel star that paid their whole loan off at once. When you pay off a loan too quickly and in a lump sum, the bank misses out on the vast majority of their interest profit. Since this credit game is a two-player agreement, your score will rise as long as you and the banks benefit. As with any game you play with the Mob, you have to pay to play.

  If you combine an inconsistent payment schedule with the stigma that someone with a high Debt-to-Income ratio is often purchasing items they can't afford, red flags are marked on your creditworthiness, and your score drops. This misunderstanding of the credit system at its core often holds individuals back from having excellent credit scores.

  These red flags arise because of statistical analysis studied over decades of time. For example, in rapid debt payoff scenarios, you are considered a liability because, statistically, your likelihood of repaying loans decreases proportionally as the average dollar amount of your future loans increases. To avoid these flags being raised when taking on these loans, use a personally calculated variation of the formula below to keep your credit payback schedule optimized for both you and the bank until your credit nears the 800 FICO mark. 

 

Let’s say you have a five-year, $10,000 loan taken at 10% interest from your local bank. If you were only to pay what you owe over the life of the loan, you would end up paying 60 monthly payments of $212.47, totaling $12,748.23. Out of your $10,000 principal balance, $2,748.23 was paid to the bank exclusively for the interest of the loan. Now let’s say you wanted to have more of your funds go toward your principal instead of interest. If you pay an extra $100 a month on top of your monthly $212 required payment, you will save $1,069 in interest ($2,748 vs. $1,679) and will own your asset 1.9 years sooner than your current schedule (5.0 years vs. 3.1 years).

  Note that every high-interest loan you have is actively taking money away from your potential assets, so in general practice it is recommended to hasten the payoff schedule of higher interest loans at a higher rate.

  Note that this pay-off schedule does not apply to credit cards due to exorbitantly high-interest rates. We must pick and choose our battles mindfully when we take on debt to raise our credit score. Since interest rates on credit cards are close to 25% and personal, home, business, or automotive loans range between 1-15%, do your best to acquire interest rates on the lower end of the loan spectrum. If any of your loans are above 5-8%, paying them off as soon as possible should be one of your primary focuses. This is why we get your score above 750 FICO before delving into such strategies. In November of 2022, the average credit card in the United States had an interest rate of Pay your credit card debt in full.

  Using expedited payment plans will settle loans quickly to avoid paying unnecessary interest, while not paying it down fast enough to raise lump sum payment flags we discussed earlier. Rinse and repeat this loan acquisition and payoff process to completion a few times over your credit

journey, and remember to diversify. If you’ve already obtained a credit card, get an auto loan. If you have a paid-off auto loan, get a personal loan. If you’re nearing the high 700s and are thinking about settling down, consider acquiring a mortgage (home loan).

  Diversify over time, and your score will rise. There are 49 different versions of your FICO score and the goal is to build diversity amongst the majority of them. Display consistency across the board with all types of loans for a few years, and you're bound to make your way into the 800's.

  Each of the aforementioned 49 FICO scores specializes on a different part of your credit history and thus, also differs in final scoring. Every FICO score varies from biasing your rental, automotive, credit card, and mortgage and other credit histories to create your score. Note that the actual score the bank pulls up will vary based on what you’re applying for and which FICO credit score version is associated with it. The FICO score within your mobile app provides a generalization of your various scores, and is usually accurate within roughly 50 points to any individual score you have within the FICO system. The number you are tracking in your mobile app serves as a general summary of your overall credit health and functions as a metric to track your score trajectory over time.

  How do I fix my credit?

  Somewhere along the way, you're going to mess up. I urge you not to, but it's nearly a certainty. I've looked over many thousands of credit reports throughout the last decade and have only seen two instances of what I deem to be 'perfect' credit covering a more than 10-year payment span. Life happens, and we're going to work on fixing it. Follow the steps to right your wrongs.

  Order a free full credit report from the three credit bureaus online: Equifax, Experian, and Transunion. From that report, create a list of every account that has gone delinquent (debt not paid) or into collections (debt sold to a debt collection company). These will be your first priority. Dial every company on that list, and tell them you want to dispute the claims formally. You want to ensure that they can prove the accounts against you are legitimate with all documentation to match. If they can prove that the charges are legitimate, request evidence that they have followed the Fair Credit act law to the letter. As you are in the process of doing this, submit requests on your mobile credit tracking app to dispute them manually. This should take care of a significant portion of your collection accounts, as many debt collection agencies will deem it unworthy of their time to provide proof of your debt, while others may not have it in the first place. As delinquent debt gets sold and split many times to different collection agencies, some will lack proper documentation associated with a particular debt. If your score is above 600 after these changes, apply for a secure credit card. Re-read lesson #1 of this chapter and follow the steps from there to start rebuilding your credit. If your score is still below 600 and you’ve cleared all delinquent accounts your next step is to begin prioritizing the payment of your outstanding credit card debt. This statistic is actively tanking your credit card utilization rate, which happens to be one of the largest factors driving low credit scores amongst the general population. If you have a significant amount of credit card debt spread across multiple cards, consider exploring a 'balance transfer' as a more cost-effective option instead of obtaining a separate loan to pay off your credit card debt.

If any delinquent accounts remain in collection on your report that weren’t removed with bullet point 2, call them back and negotiate the debt down. To these collection companies 50-70% of a debt now is better than sitting on 0% paid for the next few years. Such an offer within the collections world is a valuable proposition the debt holders can't resist. Your word track when speaking with their representative should be something along the lines of:

  "I hardly have enough money to pay my bills at the moment, yet alone pay off this whole debt. I do have a paycheck I just got. I will give you *majority portion of the debt* now to settle the debt in exchange for deletion.”

  This "in exchange for deletion" phrase is key as it will wipe the history of the report from your credit profile. Ensure you get confirmation of payment emailed to you. This tactic will work suffice for the vast majority of collection companies.

  Now your should be above 700, apply for a proper credit card and begin the process over with the past comfortably behind you. Learn from your mistakes and move forward.

  Good job on making it this far. You’ve come a long way, but there’s still much further to go yet. Keep up your pace and great things await you. Trust me.

  We painted an illustrious hypothetical at the outset of this chapter to educate you on the significance of credit. To transform that comfortable

hypothetical into reality, you’ll need capital. To achieve capital, you’d benefit from developing a career. Let’s tackle that next.

  Disclaimer -

  Do NOT tie your boyfriend/girlfriend/partner to your credit history until marriage. Say it with me:

  ”I will not, under any reasonable circumstances, become financially entangled with my significant other in any form of credit based obligation until marriage.”

  Signed: You

  Date: Today

  You might think your relationship is different. It isn't, and if it is, marry them. I've studied countless credit reports and talked to thousands of credit applicants. The single most common financial regret across the board is such a mistake. This is the only advocating for 'waiting until marriage' you will hear from me. Put a ring on it, after that you can cosign for your S.O. on their new car.

  Chapter Four

  Career

  You’ve now survived the most challenging part of capitalism; you dug yourself out of the trenches. You got a job, built spreadsheets, raised your credit, and even elevated yourself from worrying about your next meal to having some semblance of financial stability. Getting to the stage where you can begin to form medium to long-term plans in terms of career deserves recognition. Good job. I’m proud of you and others should be too. From this point on the further you go, the easier it gets. We can almost see the peak of this mountain. Let's set you on a climb towards the summit.

  What is a career anyways? Don't I just want a better job?

  The ideal job is going to offer you work that is challenging yet rewarding. An occupation that provides finances and benefits that don't make you question, “is this really all I'm worth?" This home away from home gives you plenty of opportunity for upward mobility or growth with the business and its relevant industry. The management is supportive, appreciative, understanding, and caring. Your coworkers are great people that you can open up to. You wake up every morning excited to clock in, and your occupation contributes significant purpose to your existence. The best part about this hypothetical ideal job we’re buttering up, is that it doesn't

 

Work is work, no matter how you slice it. Every job that seems too good to be true at first, eventually shows its drawbacks with the passing of years. Ask any individual working what would traditionally be considered a ‘dream job,’ and every one of them can make you a list a mile long about the dislikes they hold about their vocation. Yet, despite those oppositions to their day to day, rarely will those same dream holders choose to trade places with anyone else. Life, just like a career, is about taking the bad with the good, learning from your journey, and having a purposeful destination to march towards.

  Along this capitalistic odyssey, your perspective on what work can offer you and what type of satisfaction you can get through it, will change. This path of progression and discovery within a single industry is a career, and it can span multiple jobs, titles, and responsibilities. If you apply yourself to each experience presented along your path and see them as learning opportunities, you'll eventually find something that's not quite perfect, but close enough to be truly rewarding. That is your career.

  At the end of the ‘Capital J.O.B.’ chapter, the last piece of advice given was:

  "Treat everyone, including your boss, as if they're going to be directly responsible for getting you that comfortable and high-paying job you want in the future….”

  The lesson being don't burn any bridges at your starter job or any subsequent employment. Your reputation is everything and can be immensely advantageous if nurtured. Well, here we are, the future. Time to put the good reputation you've built, as well as the skills you’ve developed to use, time to get out of a dead-end job.

  The method we will be deploying to achieve this result can be referred to as the “two degrees of separation” method. Working folks between the ages of 25-39 switch occupations roughly every two years, and some of those individuals move up the corporate ladder into middle or upper management In other instances, job positions are filled via personal connection. According to a LinkedIn pulse survey in 2016, up to 85% of jobs are filled through networking. Most of the time, a career opportunity might be only two degrees of separation away. There’s a reason why the phrase “it's not about what you know, it's about who you know,” carries merit. Getting into a career is mostly about the latter while advancing within that career requires a good combination of both.

  Now that we have some background information, we’ll draw on your strengths, your connections, and possibly your spite for your current job as the fuel and ammunition of your career search. Once we’ve landed you an entry position, we will discuss how to progress within that career and leave you with some more recommendations to aid you on your climb up the corporate ladder. Finally, it's time to benefit from the fruits of your hard labor and align yourself with the path of success.

  How do I find my path?

  The place I recommend starting your career search is with a physically written out list. First, I’d like you to identify what you’ve learned about yourself in your work experience so far. What are your long-term goals from both an earning and fulfillment perspective? What are you not willing to tolerate in your next work venture? What career paths have you heard of that seem to be a potentially good fit for you? Questions such as

these are essential to reflect on because their answers will help you pursue a career path suitable for your success vectors.

  Once you have cataloged these answers, it’s time to begin interviewing to find our second degree of separation. This time, however, we’re going to start by interviewing individuals, not companies. By now, if you’ve gotten this far, you’ve probably had the fortune of creating some strong acquaintances along with a small number of decent friends. These may be previous coworkers or peers you’ve met in your spare time, which you can now afford. The next step of this venture is to begin talking to this social group about their work experiences. Our plan is to find a path that works for you. We’re going to get you a referral.

  The one caveat about using your immediate social circle is that commonly if you aren’t on a well-structured career path yourself, your friend may  not be either. You are the company that you keep, after all. So to circumvent this, we will rely on the two degrees of separation method to find you some better options with the following prompts.

  Some critical questions to ask when reaching out to your close friends are: What do they do for work? Do they feel fulfilled in that regard? Would they recommend it to others? When asking these questions to your immediate connections, they’re bound to start asking some back. You’ll want to explain that you’re considering making an occupational change to a more long-term path, and want to see what options are out there.

  To jump from the first degree of separation to the second, ask your acquaintances if they can think of any successful family members or

friends in different career paths that would be open about talking about their experiences, see who comes to their mind. Given that flourishing individuals and their friends love discussing their respective accomplishments, you’ll likely get a few names to draw from. From here, you want to contact these individuals and ask for a meeting in order to ask them questions about their careers. Make sure that you let them know that your mutual friend recommended them to you. If your means allow for it, a surefire way to make an excellent first impression is by offering to buy them lunch in exchange for their time.

  Once you’ve scheduled a few of these meetings, come to these miniinterviews prepared. Explain to this friend of a friend that you’re looking to gather some information about various career paths so that you can make a better plan for yourself. A plan that's more focused on long term career progression instead of another single job opportunity. Briefly touch on your current occupational history and ask them high-level questions about their field of practice. Additionally, towards the tail end of your discussion, see if they have any recommendations on which career path they would be pursuing if they were put in your place.

  Their response to this question will instinctually steer you towards or away from their career path, depending on whether you’d be a suitable match for the field. Trust their expertise and abide by the traditional interview best practices we discussed when you got your first job. This is, no matter how casual, still an interview.

  As you learn more about this individual and their career, ensure you find a way to ask some of these important questions:

  -             did they find their way into said industry?

 

-             was starting like, what were the biggest obstacles they faced?

  -             does career progression look like within the field and what stage are they currently

  -             are the best and worst parts of their

  -             you were to begin aligning yourself to a similar path, where should you start, and what advice would they give?

  If the meeting goes well, do not leave without asking the individual if this is something they’d recommend to you based on your conversation. There’s a reasonable probability that if they enjoyed the conversation, they would offer to put in a good word for you within their own company. They may also know who within the industry is currently hiring, giving you vital industry information. This second degree of separation insider referral is exactly the result we are hoping to receive. This referral will allow us to bypass years of required work experience and a plethora of more qualified candidates. In addition, this will put your information directly in front of high-level hiring managers.

  Your goal with the second degree of separation method is to interview individuals until you’ve received at least a few referrals for entry to midlevel positions. Once we’ve accomplished this task, we can begin picking the best path for you.

  Lesson 1: Composition

 

Once you’ve compiled a list of potential career path referrals from these conversations and picked out a few of interest, it’s time to compile everything together in preparation for your career debut.

  First, research online to understand accurate compensation ranges for each path. Glassdoor, an online anonymous company review site, tends to have accurate user-reported data from manager information to salary ranges. Scout companies within your specific referral industries and find their direct competitors. Garner a solid fundamental understanding of what these businesses are accomplishing, their needs, and the direction in which they’re headed. The more background information you have on the industry, the easier it will be to flow through the interview process. Now that you’ve identified these companies' value propositions, let’s begin reshaping your resume to reflect the part of your work experiences relevant to their wants. Before submitting your resume to this industry, have your original referrer look it over for a final critique.

  Here are a couple of key notes about your career resume:

  Always use a single-page resume template. No introduction is necessary. This space can be better used and is usually skipped over. Include your personalized essay as an addition to the resume you send, as described in the “Capital J.O.B.” chapter, if deemed necessary. Leave your career resume to describe your qualifications and experience exclusively. Tie in as much relevant statistical data to your responsibilities as possible. What’s more interesting to read? “Top employee at or “#2 performer at employer, 160% of goal in X award winner, Employee of the month.” Data matters and makes you stand out. If you have it, use it.

Ensure that the resume file is titled Firstname Lastname Resume.pdf upon exporting. Do not save your file as anything except a PDF. You never know how a document will be read on someone else’s system unless it’s in PDF format. Proofread. Your resume needs to be grammatically sound. Resumes with simple spelling errors immediately get binned. Add something unique to your professional interests list that an interviewer might not usually see, such as hobbies, achievements, or interests you are passionate about. This adds some character to your paper persona. These quirks can also help de-formalize an interview conversation by giving the interviewer non-professional topics to discuss.

  Lastly, give your resume to your most ingenious friend or acquaintance and ask them to read it in only 45 seconds. Take note of what they take away from it during that time period. Their answer accurately reflects what a recruiter will take away from your resume before giving it the red or green light and passing it along to the hiring manager. Once you get the resume approval from your second-degree referral and your smartest counterpart, your resume is ready to be sent out.

  Now that you’ve laid out your paths, it’s time to see which direction will pick you. First, submit your application and resume to the companies you received a referral to, then proceed to send resumes to their direct competitors within the industry. After submitting your applications for any career opportunity, you always want to ensure you immediately do two vital things. Firstly, you will want to contact the second-degree connection that put in a good word for you and let them know that you’ve applied, along with proof of submission. Make sure you thank them for the opportunity.

  Secondly, you want to find the hiring manager for that office online and send them a message. 

  “Hello (hiring manager),

  My name is I was referred to this job by degree of who mentioned that they thought I’d be a good fit for the role because of my work ethic. I recently applied for the position that was posted on of application) and wanted to formally introduce myself over LinkedIn. I have multiple years of experience) and am now interviewing with competitor) to find a more long-term career path.

  I have attached my resume below for your review and consideration. Thank you for your time, and have a great week.

  (Name) (Full contact information)

  By deploying the 2nd degree of separation method you may find fruitful paths in front of you, hiding in narrowly obscured sight. By selectively applying to these industries, we’re now finding out which paths will make themselves available to you at this time. Stay patient with replies and continue applying until you get a few interviews lined up. 

  Lesson 2: Nailing The Interview

 

There are a few key differences between an interview at the entry level we’ve discussed, and at the career level. You can no longer rely on the strategy of being the young, egoless, and moldable youngin’ we used in our first chapter to get you an entry-level job. You’re in the running with the rest of the grown children now, and we need to change a few things.

  First, wear formal clothes, or at the very least, business casual office attire if the weather permits. It’s always easier to explain over-dressing to a potential big-ticket employer than to regain face from underdressing. If you’re going to be making good money, it’s well worth your funds to invest in renting a well-fitting suit.

  Scrub your social media profiles to be squeaky clean and create a professional LinkedIn profile. Have a business-professional headshot taken and fill out your profile completely. Yes, employers will look through your social media as a final background check and yes, they will check to see if you have a LinkedIn. On LinkedIn, begin building your web of connections. Every previous coworker, boss, classmate, and janitor you spoke with in the hallway can be a connection. Remember, it’s partially about who you know.

  Over time, connect with people in the industry you’re looking to join on LinkedIn. When recruiters or hiring managers are glancing across your professional profile, they aren’t only looking at you but also your connections. From the company's perspective, the more extensive your connection list on a professional social media site such as LinkedIn, the higher the probability of you being a respectable worker. If you’re connected with hundreds of professionals you get kudos, here's why. Let’s say you get hired and do well; the company has just gained access to your

entire network of potential referrals, should they decide to expand. In turn, this hypothetical value now extends directly to you. Couple this potential benefit with the referral you already have, and you start becoming an incredibly enticing prospect on paper.

  Once you get word of an interview date, I recommend one final step to make you stand out during the interview. Reach out to some individuals who are currently working at your future role within the company and ask them for a quick 5-10 minute meeting, whether in person or online, in exchange for lunch.

  When reaching out to these potential future coworkers, mention that you’re actively interviewing with several companies in the industry and wanted to ask them for the inside scoop on how they like working for said company. The basic details you want to learn from these conversations are as follows.

  What is their biggest frustration with the daily functions of their job, the company, and the industry at large? What was the most difficult thing for them to learn during onboarding/training? Without giving away too much personal information, what is a fair general compensation estimate for your role in their Is the compensation rate fair and on par with industry standards?

  Your intent behind these conversations is to understand your prospective employer better, gaining insight to use in your interviews. By explaining your method for obtaining this insider information, you’ll demonstrate your selectiveness in choosing employers. This, in turn, will provide you with a more balanced position during your interviews, showing that you’re assessing the company just as they’re assessing you to find the right fit.

  During your actual interviews, the salary expectation question is bound to arise. As with most card games, the first to show their hand usually loses. Even in our capitalistic system, this outdated song and dance of compensation transparency has yet to fade out of fashion. When you’re asked what your salary expectations are for the job, the best tactic traditionally is to deflect. You can do so by stating:

  “While compensation is a focus when finding my next career path, finding the right fit for both me and the company from a workplace culture perspective is far more important to me, and I’m sure that you have competitive compensation packages that are on par with the rest of the industry.”

  Interviews at this level tend to become a game of poker, seeing which party will call or play a bluff. To overcome this, you can also leverage your conversation with the employee at the company to your advantage. By taking their compensation estimates and using it as a benchmark compensation range, you can state that said range is what you’ve seen within the industry based on your interviews conducted this far. Thorough preparation pays off, we’ve already seen what this dealer has in store for us and pocketed some aces along the way.

  Another excellent tactic to gain equal business stature is understanding what your manager and the manager above them want, as well as what allows them to get it. Ask the hiring manager if they themselves have metrics that need to be hit. If so, how is that metric tracked? What is your part in that plan? Apart from helping hit that metric, ask what else you can do to make their job easier. When you’ve adopted this mentality of

helping others achieve their goals, you’ll instantly display competency to decision-makers during your assessment phase.

  Apply these lessons, rely on your sound judgment, and given sufficient time, an offer letter will come your way. Keep in mind that your initial objective isn’t to secure your dream job on your first attempt. Rather, aim to locate a solid starting point with promising upward prospects. It will serve as a foundation from which you’ll gather insights, encounter mistakes, and propel yourself forward into the future.

  Lesson 3: Onboarding and The First 90 Days

  Welcome to your first career gig. You’ve come so far; it’s only a little further until you get to trade ‘running to stay in place’ for a brisk walk along comfort lane. Think back to a few years ago when tomorrow's outlook remained uncertain. Now, look at you, a stable job, generous compensation, and plenty of opportunity to make even more over the years. You aren’t just surviving. You’re beginning to climb this capitalistic ladder and fulfill those grandeur visions established many years back. You should be proud. Let’s ensure you set yourself up for success on your first day.

  Onboarding, the fancy word for training, is the time when you’ll be learning the ropes. Unlike a traditional entry-level job where you tend to learn your responsibilities as you perform said duties, you now have the capability of causing significant damage to a meaningful structure. Essentially, your responsibilities now require a minimum level of understanding to not cause catastrophic damage. In business, there are no second attempts at first impressions. Because of this, we’re going to prepare you for your preparation. In the corporate world, who you are

seen as is primarily determined on day one, and that reputation sticks, for better or worse.

  First things first, write a letter to your referral and thank them profusely. Send them a personalized gift; in a pinch, a nice bottle of wine always sends the right message. These referrals will be your first connections within the industry, and if they like you, they’ll help get you on your feet. In all business ventures, you’ve got to give before you take, hence the lunches and the bottle of wine. Now that we’ve given, ask them for any material they can dig up which you should study before your start date, as well as any general training they’d be willing to offer.

  As your two weeks' notice at your previous job (remember, don’t burn bridges) comes to an end, you should be spending a considerable amount of your free time studying all material you can get your hands on from these references, your new manager, and the company website. You want to be as close to an expert on day one as possible. The impression you leave will determine if you stand out as a high performer or blend in with the crowd.

  In your first few weeks, listen and take down information. Remember from our earlier chapter that you have two ears and one mouth, so speak half as much as you listen. When a question gets asked of you to test your knowledge, explain that you’ve done some reading on the topic and want to see if what you learned so far was right in practice. Proceed to showcase what you’ve learned and internalize the nuances given back to you. What you read in pamphlets and online is hardly the reality of what gets used in a day-to-day work setting, but having base knowledge as a reference point is essential to your success. You have to learn to follow the rules before you learn when to break them.

  After the first few weeks, you’ll want to approach your direct manager and ask them for some one-on-one time. Describe what you’ve learned and explain to them what problem areas you’ve been encountering. Ask what other concerns they’ve identified that are potential areas of improvement and create a mutual plan of action to show improvements. Set target deadlines for your mutual plan of development, and ensure you hit your deadline date. This will highlight your agency for your own training and showcase that you can accomplish tasks by stipulated dates— an instrumental skill within the career space.

  Our goal is to accelerate your adaptation period with the intent of hitting the mark of ‘conscious competence’, within your first 90 days after onboarding. Attaining this goal will set your career trajectory on a significantly accelerated pace and can put you in line for promotions sometimes years ahead of schedule. Getting lost in the corporate sea of faces is easy while making yourself stand out in a positive manner is a monumental task. By using our strategy, we provide you with a reputation founded upon competency and hard work while staying in line with workplace culture norms.

  From here on out, just as before, your job's intricacies will make themselves known to you over time. There are a few pieces of high-level career advice I will leave you with before I let you start enjoying your comfortable career. Keep up your trajectory on your jog to the comfort lane you’ve earned for yourself.

  Lesson 4: Wisdom for Long-Term Success

 

You can only see far if you stand on the shoulders of giants. Find people more knowledgeable than you and learn as much as possible about what habits make them successful. You are perfectly designed to get the results you get. If you are not getting a desired result, either your behavior or your expectations need to shift. Be relentless in your pursuit of knowledge. Especially early on, establish a reputation for wanting to understand every aspect of your company. Take the extra time to do your work the right way, don’t cut corners. This investment of time and effort costs very little upfront, yet has reward potential that is enormous in the medium to long term. Be professional in all of your email correspondence. Use your manners, phrases like "Please," "Thank you," and "You're welcome" go a long way in the professional world. Emails, even if deleted, are also permanent. Say the wrong thing and it will come back to haunt you. Be humble and never act like you know it all. You'll get to a point in your career where you "have it all figured out," As a direct result of this mentality, you will begin to fail. If this happens, you've let your ego get the best of you. Compare yourself to yourself of tomorrow and no one else. Be ready to learn at all times. People like to help those who are open about their ignorance; the more you learn, the more you'll earn. Don’t ever say: “That’s not my job.” If someone comes to you with a problem, be the solution or find some way to help or contribute. If you refuse to help, you're only contributing to the systemic lack of resources. Set goals that you know you can achieve and communicate them clearly with middle and upper management. Know what you want for your career. Eyeing that promotion, or maybe you want to transfer departments? Make sure management knows about your eventual goal. Ask what metric needs to be hit, what kind of

mentality change needs to be adopted, and what skill set needs to be learned to get what you want. They have the answers. Don't rush yourself. Burnout syndrome is real; you're in this for the marathon, not the sprint. It's better to consistently perform at 100% than three months at 150% and spend the next six months recovering. Rushing is a temporary prerogative. Don't let it become your state of mind. Find long-term commitments. A history of short-term jobs under two years is considered a risk factor on a resume. After your initial career employment, ensure that any opportunity is a good fit for you and the company. Do your due diligence when finding your next career move and don't be impulsive if you're eager for a change. Only quit a job once a financial plan is in place or a replacement job is ready in writing. Play their game. Only try to change or improve things once you've been successful at the responsibility you were hired to do in the first place. You can only enact meaningful change from a position of power, so be successful, play their game, and do things exactly as you're taught to. Upon mastery, proceed to show further potential once you've become entirely accepted into the workplace and have built a worthy reputation. Don’t wait to be told something to do. Find something worth doing and get it done. Underpromise and overdeliver. When it comes time for your raise negotiations or promotions, your boss will ask you why they should give you a raise. Having concrete examples that you can bring to the table, such as "I was asked to deliver X, Y, and Z by the due date, and I delivered that +15 %." Keep track of all such accomplishments in a book or journal, ideally with supporting evidence. Never badmouth a previous occupation or professional connection. If you have nothing good to say, choose to say nothing. Push yourself to learn something new every day. The more you learn, the more you’ll… Well, I’ve said it enough times by now.

 

You did it. I’m so proud of you for how far you’ve come. There was birth, there was struggle, entropy, but in these fleeting moments between the far past and distant future, you’ve been able to elevate yourself from rags to riches and set your familial trajectory onto a completely different path. It took funds, stress, and tears, but you made it. So now that you’re all grown up making proper money, let’s show you how to make it work for you.

  Let’s talk about building wealth.

  Chapter Five

  Building wealth

  We have now entered the meta-end game of your capitalistic journey. After Category one and two are satisfied, when the wants of yesteryear get replaced with new frontiers, what else remains? After running at full tilt for years to keep up with the Joneses, how do you adjust to walking into 1st place in this idolized marathon we call the ‘rat race’?

  Welcome to category three. The unspoken club of prestige unlocked by the 1% of the population with enough funds to take advantage of the “to those with everything, more will be given” principle. Now that we have pulled you from the depths of despair, established some financial basics, built up your credit, and placed you on an upward career path. Let’s talk about the evolution of your American Capitalistic Vision. The steady creation and accumulation of wealth.

  The Golden Ticket

  In its simplest form, wealth is acquired by leveraging existing funds to your advantage, with the future in mind. Unlike the multitude of financial fundamentals discussed chapters ago, building wealth only requires one primary idea and two techniques to be internalized as gospel. This chapter will guide you along the two standard paths to the accrual of wealth and also provide a comprehensive understanding of the key to achieving your goal: delayed gratification.

  A prerequisite to amassing wealth is to begin seriously envisioning your future. The concept of ‘living in the moment’ with pleasure and gratification in mind is a luxury permitted only to those whose immediate survival isn’t threatened by the realities of life. Fortunately, now that you have escaped such a state of peril and have entered a more stable method of living, you have afforded yourself the indulgence of choice. Allow me to introduce Category three to those who seek financial freedom, mental refuge through financial security, and those who want to help others through altruism. Building wealth.

  The singular idea behind building wealth is that you can choose to have a shiny object now or comfort and ease of living later. You can choose to face the responsibilities of tomorrow on tomorrow’s deadline, or you can voluntarily fight them today. Within capitalism, learning to forego the pleasures of today guarantees the financial prosperity of not only your future, but the future of generations to come. This sacrifice is the key that enables the path to investment, retirement, and by proxy, financial freedom.

  The term retirement carries a great deal of stigma when someone is younger. You may even consider retirement to be reserved for geriatric patients on death’s door. Solely composed of individuals getting access to just enough funds to survive their day-to-day. While that may very well be the case if you start thinking about retirement when it’s too late, retirement is an escape. Escape from the rat race, escape from the game, escape into a new part of your life. The part of your life where finances no longer carry a burden with them but instead harbor opportunity in masses.

 

Retirement is the day you stop having to work. Imagine the countless hours you’ve put in, the years you’ve toiled away at a job that writes the checks, and now imagine that you no longer have to do it one day. Your house is paid off, your bills are limited to your grocery, insurance, gas, and entertainment, and you have a spare million dollars or two to play with. This ideal is the potential for retirement. With retirement, the earlier you start, the earlier you take advantage of it. This reigns true in all of capitalism; the sooner you consider the possibility of tomorrow, the better your tomorrow will be.

  In the United States, there are a few ways to accumulate wealth. The primary method is by utilizing the power of compounding interest. Earlier in this book, I told you that if you “learn to harness the power of delayed gratification and there’s no limit to how high you can climb.” Well, compounding interest is the embodiment of delayed gratification; you take money that you can spend now and trade it for significantly more of it later. The easiest way to demystify concepts such as ‘retirement’ or ‘investing’ is to understand what finance people refer to as ‘the market’ and how you will use it to generate wealth. 

  What is the Stock Market?

  In general terms, the stock market is a marketplace where anyone can buy or sell pieces of businesses, which we call stocks or shares.

  Let's imagine there's a little store with a catchy name, making $1,000 in profit every month. The owner believes the store will generate around $120,000 in profit over the next ten years without any changes. However, she has a dream to make the store even bigger and more profitable.

 

The problem is, she doesn't have enough money to do that. But she has a few options in front of her. She could ask private investors, get a loan from a bank, or she can make her store 'public' through something called an Initial Public Offering (IPO). She chooses the third option and offers a part of her store to the public. She divides her business into 1,000 pieces and sets a price of $100 for each piece (share). She keeps 50% of these shares for herself, which we call equity, and lists the rest on one of the stock markets.

  Investors happily buy the 500 outstanding shares at the $100 price and she raises $50,000, which she uses to expand the store. Now, if the store does really well and makes the forecasted three times more profit after the expansion, the value of each of those 1,000 shares goes up, making the entire company more valuable. But it can also work the other way. If the store doesn't do well, the share value can drop. When you invest in a company, you own a piece of it, whether it becomes more valuable or less valuable over time.

  By using the stock market, anyone can buy shares in big companies like Apple or Amazon, even if you only have a few hundred dollars to invest. Companies use the stock market to raise money for growth, and people can buy stocks hoping to make money if the company does well. The stock market exists because it allows everyone, not just the rich, to be a part of the success or failure of businesses. This way, both individual investors and companies can benefit or suffer from their respective successes or setbacks.

  How does Compound Interest work?

 

Here’s where you come in with delayed gratification. In theory and historical practice, every dollar you put into the market (conservatively invested) will roughly double every ten years. Here’s the fun part, when you invest you don’t just make money on the amount you purchased the stock for ($100 per share for the aforementioned store); you also push a profit on the yearly increased value of the stock you own. To explain this concept, I will visualize below what this looks like from a mathematical perspective.

  Presume a company stock equaled exactly $1,000 a share. You choose to purchase yourself 10 shares because you believe in the company's future success. Let’s also assume that the value of the stock increases by 7% exponentially (7% interest/year). Your investment will look like this over the next three years.

  Year 1: 10,000 x 1.07 = 10,700

  Year 2: 10,700 x 1.07 = 11,449

  Year 3 11,449 x 1.07 = 12,250.32

  Total Gain: $2,250.32

  You’ll notice above that we’re gaining value on top of our previous year's value every year. The annual growth (7%) is calculated not on our initial stock valuation, but on the stock's new value every compounding period.This is how compound interest works, and it’s what will build your wealth. To offer you the difference between compounding and noncompounding interest, I’ll highlight what a non-compounding investment would look like:

  Year 1: 10,000 x 1.07 = 10,700

  Year 2: 10,000 x 1.07 = 10,700

  Year 3 10,000 x 1.07 = 10,700

  Total Gain: $700 x 3 = $ $2,100

  Compared to the non-compounded interest, with $10,000 invested across three years, the compounded interest results in $150.32 of additional gain. This might not seem very reassuring at first. Over three years, what’s the benefit of an additional $150 and some loose change? Well, the amplifier to compounded interest is time. Now things will start to get fun, and you will get to visualize the true power that investing gives you.

  Indulge me with a hypothetical ideal before we bring time into this equation. You’re 18 years old and open a retirement account. You’re able to live with your parents for the time being, so you begin contributing $500 a month (a large chunk of your monthly take-home) towards your future with money from your first job. You work hard and invest conservatively for three years until your 21st birthday.

  ($500 x 12) x 3 years = $18,000 worth of contribution on your behalf to your retirement. Now we add interest. If we plug in that same 7% return compounded yearly, you become the proud owner of $20,639.66. An additional $2,6039.66 for simply leaving the cookie in the jar a little longer.

  Now, let’s plug in our amplifier of time. You, at 21 years old, steadfastly continue this practice for an additional 21 years as the sands of time steadily pass.

  ($500 x 12) x 24 total years = $144,000 is the total cash you’ve contributed to your retirement by the age of 42.

  If we take that same 7% return rate and compound it yearly, you will have $373,494.23 in your retirement account. A gain of over $200,000 worth of pure interest. Over those original three years mentioned earlier, your compounding interest gain comprised only 13% of your $20,639.66 total. Over the total 24-year span of investing, your interest gained accounted for over 61% of your nearly $400,000 total.

  Here’s the real kicker. At some point, you may meet a significant other that can share some of your expenses, you might pay off a car or a house, or maybe your future kids will grow up. Generally as you age your costs will decrease steadily over time, while the amount you earn will rise. With this change you can dramatically increase these gains and create what some call “generational wealth.”

  For example, let’s say things do come to fruition as we say. You are generating plenty of income to cover your immediate expenses at 42 years of age, and you decide to continue adding to this ever-growing nest egg.

  If you keep up your rhythm for another 20 years of $500 a month compounded with a 7% return, that $373,494.23 turns into $1,708,495.87. Another 20 years and at the age of 82 you’re looking at $6,874,530.96.

Within a single lifetime of $500 a month deposits, you’ve (hypothetically) generated almost seven million dollars of wealth. If your kids continue that pattern, you can only imagine how high that number climbs.

  The total amount you paid out of pocket for the privilege of generating 6.8 million dollars? If you started at 18 years old and stopped at 82 you would have 64 years of investment time, or 768 monthly contributions of $500.

  768 x $500 = $384,000.

  $384,000 is only 5.58% of $6,874,530.96.

  94.42% of your profit earned throughout this life-long use of $500 a month came from compounded interest.

  Your chances of earning millions of dollars through hard work in capitalism are minimal, but your chances of doing so with compound interest and a lifetime of patience are nearly certain.

  This is the power of compounding interest and the market; with the use of our key amplifier, time. This is why individuals who steer clear of fleeting desires and short-lived temptations can truly build lasting wealth.

  Think of the market and the funds you invest as the giving tree. When you’re young, you plant the seed and go about your life. You don’t pull the root out after only a week, disappointed with your results. Instead, you need to internalize that important things take time. So instead of following that initial reaction, you choose to care for it and water it year after year.

  At first, the little sprout seems like nothing of note, and people may walk over it without even noticing its existence. It takes tedious work to ensure it’s cared for, but the tree grows larger and larger with time. Eventually, the upkeep diminishes, and it begins to take care of itself. Then one fateful day, you turn around and to your surprise, you catch yourself enjoying the comfortable shade of a full-grown tree. A beautiful and prosperous tree you planted, nurtured, and formed into what it is today. A tree whose shade not only you, but also your generations of kin yet to come will sit under. Plant your seed. Water it, and you’ll thank yourself later.

  The historical average yearly return on the S&P 500, a grouping of the 500 biggest companies on the market has been 10.356 over the last 100 years. 3.356% more than in our calculations above. Underpromise -

  How do I start delaying gratification?

  Before we dive in, remember this important rule:

  The path to building real wealth may not seem exciting, but it's remarkably dependable. If you were to tell someone that you've consistently achieved 8% year-over-year gains for the past 40 years of investing, it might not turn heads, but it will make you rich. However, as soon as the financial world sees returns of 15% or more over just 5 years, they start proclaiming the emergence of the next Warren Buffett. What many people overlook about Warren Buffett is that over 99% of his wealth was amassed after his 50th birthday. His key to success has been his unwavering consistency through decades of time.

 

Only two percent of large cap-core funds (which have highly specialized portfolio managers and immense backing) have exceeded the returns of simply investing your money into the S&P 500 over the last 30 years. If your goal is to increase your chances of building substantial wealth, stick to your principles, adopt a long-term perspective, and avoid ‘sexy’ investing headlines. The following information serves as a demonstration of what has proven effective for me:

  Your first actionable step is opening up a Roth IRA with one of the big three brokerages (Vanguard, Fidelity, or Charles Schwab) and contributing to it as much as you can. A Roth IRA is a retirement account which allows you to contribute post-tax dollars to it. Roth contribution accounts allow all of the interest growth within the account to be tax-free, since you pay the tax obligation up-front. One of the benefits of investing in a Roth account is that, as your income grows and tax policies change over time, the probability of your tax bracket increasing is very high. Contributing funds while paying your lower income tax at the start of your career allows your money to grow with the least amount of tax liability over time.

  At the beginning of your journey, planting your seed for your future, no matter how small, is essential. Ideally, your initial goal should be to max out your Roth IRA annually. As of 2022, the current contributions limit to do so is $500 a month, or $6,000 a year.

  The next course of action depends on whether your employer provides a 401k matching program. A 401k is a retirement plan sponsored by your employer, offering various tax advantages. The funds designated for this account are considered 'pre-tax,' meaning they are deducted from your paycheck before taxes are applied. Additionally, having a 401k can lower

your total reported taxable income and allows higher-income individuals to delay paying taxes until they retire. This results in higher earners paying taxes on their 'realized' (take-home) earnings at a considerably lower rate once they approach retirement age.

  If your employer offers a 401k matching program, your subsequent step should be to make the most of it. Typically, when an employer offers a 401k match program, they will match every dollar you contribute up to a certain percentage of your salary. For instance, if your company provides a 5% match, you should contribute exactly 5% of your salary to the 401k.

  Once you’ve begun contributing to these brokerage accounts regularly with automatic deposits, you’ll have a follow-up step to take. At this moment, you’ve only deposited your cash into an exchange platform; you’ve yet to invest that capital into an asset. So your next actionable step is deciding how you want to invest your money. On the stock market, you have a few different options. You can invest in stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, ETFs, & index funds. Let’s talk about what those are.

  As mentioned earlier, stocks represent a portion of a company, and their value fluctuates in tandem with the company's overall worth. Additionally, stocks can undergo a process called splitting or reverse splitting, which essentially adjusts the number of shares available and consequently modifies the stock's price. For instance, if a company decides to split its 100 shares, originally valued at $10 each, into 200 shares, each share would then be valued at $5 to maintain the company's overall valuation.

  Buying bonds essentially means investing in debt. When a company or municipality needs a substantial amount of cash without the constraints imposed by banks, they can issue bonds that are available for public

purchase. As a bondholder, you acquire a bond, which represents a portion of the debt that the issuing company/municipality pledged to repay with interest. Periodically, the bond also provides you with a 'coupon,' which is a share of the interest, typically paid semi-annually. When the bond reaches its expiration date, known as 'maturity,' the investor receives the initial face value of the bond.

  Think of ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds) as a buffet of investment choices. Instead of ordering a single dish (single stock), you have a wide variety of dishes to choose from such as stocks, bonds, or commodity groupings. Each dish on the buffet represents an ETF, and has multiple ingredients. You can load up your plate with a mix of options, and you can even go back for seconds and purchase more whenever you want. ETFs offer you more individual freedom to craft a diversified investment portfolio just the way you want to, in the same way you would sample various foods at a buffet.

  Mutual funds are similar to joining a team of investors with a seasoned coach. You and other investors pool your money together to hire a professional coach, also known as a fund manager. The fund manager designs an investment strategy for the team, and using the team's money, the fund manager adjusts tactics to help the team reach financial goals. Mutual funds allow for easy access to high caliber portfolio managers without access to immense capital up-front.

  Owning an Index Fund is like collecting vintage video games. You decide to collect every classic game from a particular gaming console. An index fund is like subscribing to a gaming club that guarantees you receive every retro game from that console. You don't need to choose which games to buy; you automatically get all of them as they're found. Index

funds allow you to invest in the entire group of companies listed in a specific index (like the S&P 500) without having to pick individual stocks.

  Now that you know the lay of the land, the next move is to access your brokerage account. From there, you can choose your investment strategy for financial independence, establish regular purchases in your chosen assets, and allow time to take its course in growing your wealth. If you don’t know where to start, few entry level investment strategies have beaten the track record of the S&P 500 over the last 25 years. As such an S&P 500 specific index fund provided by your brokerage would be a good place to start, both from a diversification and stability standpoint.

 

In my own journey, I started by putting a significant part of my portfolio into the S&P 500 and grasping the concept of diversification. As I progressed in my career, I shifted towards a reliable index fund, selected a handful of stocks I truly believed in, and concentrated on boosting my income while maintaining my spending habits. This strategy enabled me to save and invest to the fullest, leveraging the power of time to amplify my returns.

  I advise everyone to do their own financial research as for where to invest your funds. Your retirement account is not your risk taking account, it is an account where time and consistency do the heavy lifting for you. If your goal is to retire comfortably, remember to invest conservatively. Remember, your goal is to make the work automatic to where you don’t have to think about it. Automate, don’t complicate. Slow and steady, let time and consistency do the work.

  Home Ownership

  Now that we’ve covered the basic key of building wealth, let’s discuss another wealth pillar you are sure to encounter on your quest for financial prosperity: property ownership.

  There might not be a more significant visual correlation between wealth and real estate. Here-in lies a dichotomy, not everyone who owns a house is rich, but everyone rich seems to own at least a single home. Land acquisition is yet another avenue on the path we take to fulfilling Category three. To understand how much value there is to owning property, let’s first calculate how much money you’ve spent on rent throughout the years.

 

Assuming that you entered this capitalistic game at roughly 18 years old and given that the average first-time home buyer is 33 years of age, that leaves us with a delta of 15 years. As of 2022, the average rent for a single-bedroom apartment in the U.S. is $1876 per month, but we’ll round down to $1,800 a month for the sake of simplicity. Let’s also assume you split your rent with someone for the first five years, as that is the primary method of living for singles under 25 in the United States.

  ($900 x 12) x 5 + ($1,800 x 12) x 10 = $270,000.

  Roughly estimating, 18-year-olds supporting themselves will spend a quarter of a million dollars on rent before they purchase their first home. $270,000 that the individuals renting will never see again. No interest gained, no return on investment.

  This book will be released in 2023. Fifteen years ago (2007), the average median house price was roughly $260,000; however today it is hovering around $450,000. The average homeowner gained an additional $190,000 through increased equity in the housing market. To increase accuracy, we need to subtract approximately $45,000 from this total because the average homeowner spends between two to three thousand dollars a year on home repair.

  $190,000 (equity gained) + $270,000 (rent spent) - $45,000 (repairs) = an average difference of $415,000 between owning a home and renting from ages 18 to 33.

  This explains why owning a home directly boosts your potential to build wealth as an individual. It's also why many wealthy individuals own

homes, as every dollar invested in your home is a dollar invested in your future wealth and reduced future expenses. While buying a home at 18 is not even remotely possible given our circumstances, let's take steps to be financially ready to do so as early as possible to maximize our potential for self-investment.

  How do I purchase a home?

  Once you’ve begun harnessing the power of compound interest, your successful financial future grows safer. Now, we will begin discussing steps to purchasing your first property.

  The basic principles of first-time homeownership economics state that your first property shouldn’t exceed 2.5x yearly gross salary and that you should put 20% down on your loan. That means if you made $100,000 a year, your first house shouldn’t exceed $250,000, and your down payment on that house should be at least $50,000. Unfortunately, due to wage stagnation, inflation, and rising property values, these rules have become harder to follow with every passing year.

  The shifts in the housing market over the past decade have made the 3.5x income multiplier a more attainable goal for first-time homebuyers, and 95% LTV (loan to value) mortgages have gained popularity over the previous 80/20 option we discussed earlier. In light of these recent changes, it's important to follow a few guidelines to position ourselves for success.

  First, it's crucial to recognize that your first home doesn't have to be your forever home. Instead, view the process of acquiring a home as an

investment in your future, a step towards building equity every month, as demonstrated in the calculations above. Purchasing a house shouldn't be rushed; it's a long-term plan that can contribute significantly to your wealth-building journey.

  If the homes in your area exceed 3.5 times your gross income, consider setting a medium-term goal (2-5 years) to either increase your income through career advancement, changing occupations, or contemplate relocating to a less expensive area. Government-backed loans like USDA, FHA Multi-Family, and VA loans may also be options, accessible through income limits, support for rural area development, or military service. Additionally, some individuals wait until they have a partner who is ready to share in the financial responsibilities before making the decision to buy a home.

  One prevalent trap associated with owning a home is the allure of acquiring the largest loan amount that your bank grants pre-approval for. It is crucial to exercise self-discipline by following the principles of delayed gratification in order to meet the criteria for Category three. If your income aligns with a property that, even with some enhancements, can remain suitable for the majority of a real estate cycle, your course of action should include the following steps:

  Start allocating a specific portion of your monthly pay towards your eventual down payment (plan on a 20% down payment) and closing costs (3-5% of the total loan amount). Create a timeline of when you’d like to purchase and keep your credit as high as possible leading up to your year of purchase. Speak to your bank or credit union about receiving pre-approval. This will dictate the maximum house value the bank will be willing to finance after

the approval of verified documents. Find an independent home inspector that has no connection to your agent or the bank. The ones recommended by either party will have a financial incentive to overlook issues. Only buy a home with an independent inspection; you will lose money otherwise. Interview a few real estate agents and find one that you trust. Begin the process of finding a good first home. This collaborative process takes time, effort, and diligence from both parties. Pick your agent with care. Once you’ve found an acceptable house, you will sit down with your agent and make a formal legal offer. You will want to ensure your agent sets certain conditions for the request. Such conditions can include but are not limited to, financing conditions, inspection conditions, and bank approval conditions. Ensure that you and your agent discuss your deposit and what circumstances would cause you to forfeit said deposit. You don’t want to be left without your down payment and no house if the house fails an appraisal or inspection. Get final approval from the bank and involve a closing attorney to draft the required paperwork. Lastly, submit documentation to transfer the title to your name. Be ready to spend at least 5% of the property’s value in the first two years of ownership on necessary repairs and renovations.

  The process of acquiring a home often seems mysterious until individuals experience it themselves, realizing that it's only mildly more complex than buying a car. Similar to the journey of wealth-building, the actions that pave the way to success in real estate may not be particularly glamorous but remain steadfast. Homeownership is a goal that shouldn't be rushed into, but rather, it should be a long-term aspiration for everyone. Understanding the necessary steps and establishing a rough timeline for

saving the required down payment can be advantageous for all, regardless of where they are in their journey.

  Mortgage Options

  When embarking on the journey to purchase a home, you'll encounter the pivotal choice of selecting the type of home loan to secure from the bank. In the realm of traditional mortgages in the United States, the primary loan options typically include the 30-year fixed conventional, 15-year fixed conventional, adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM), FHA loan, and USDA loan.

  A 30-year fixed conventional mortgage offers lower monthly payments, providing you with the option to make additional payments toward the principal, allowing you to plan for early payoff in 15 or 20 years while maintaining the flexibility and safety net of lower minimum payments in case of job loss or unexpected circumstances. However, it does come with the drawback of a longer repayment period, resulting in higher overall interest payments and a marginally higher interest rate compared to the 15-year option.

  Opting for a 15-year fixed conventional mortgage offers the advantage of a quicker loan payoff, reduced overall interest costs, and a lower interest rate compared to the 30-year alternative. However, it does entail a downside of higher minimum monthly payments and potentially less financial diversification compared to choosing a 30-year mortgage and, for instance, investing the difference.

 

An ARM (Adjustable-Rate Mortgage) loan initially offers the advantage of lower interest rates and more affordable monthly payments when compared to fixed-interest loans. However, the significant drawback lies in the elevated risk of balloon payments and higher interest rates once the introductory period concludes, which is especially pronounced in the current environment of historic low-interest rates.

  FHA loans come with the advantage of a lower down payment requirement (minimum 3.5%) and less stringent credit score requirements. However, they also entail certain disadvantages, including higher closing costs, a more rigorous appraisal process, less equity built up in the home, higher monthly payments, and the requirement to pay Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) for the entire duration of the loan.

  USDA loans offer the significant advantage of requiring a 0% minimum down payment. However, there are downsides, including lower equity accumulation in the home, higher monthly payments, and the limitation of being applicable only in specific areas of the country.

  The 30 - 15 Fixed Mortgage Strategy

  Let's explore some strategies commonly applied to the two main types of loans in the US: traditional 15 or 30-year mortgages. For instance, if you purchase a $350,000 home with a 20% down payment, you'd have a $280,000 loan. Let's assume a 4% interest rate for the 15-year loan and 5% for the 30-year loan for simplicity.

  Opting for a 30-year loan would reduce your monthly mortgage expenses by over $500 ($2,071 compared to $1,503). However, it would result in an

additional interest cost of $168,313.49 over the life of the loan ($261,116.20 versus $92,802.71). You might wonder why someone would choose to pay an extra $168,000 over 15 more years for the same house.

  Here's my recommendation for those exceeding the 3.5x income multiplier for home ownership we discussed earlier: consider making payments on your 30-year fixed mortgage as if it were a 15-year loan. You can achieve this by contributing the $500 difference in monthly mortgage payments. By doing so, your interest on the 30-year loan would decrease to $140,709. This would result in the total payments (including interest) for the 15-year option being $372,802, compared to $420,709 for the 30year option. The difference of $47,902 in interest over the 15-year period provides you and your family with a $500-a-month safety reserve for the next 15 years as you pay off the loan at your own pace. This safety net is a significant reason why most families opt for a 30-year fixed mortgage over a 15-year one.

  Another advantage of opting for a longer financing term is that it allows inflation to work in your favor. Over the course of 30 years, the inflation rate typically increases at around 3% annually, compounding year after year. This means that each year, the purchasing power of your dollar diminishes, resulting in more money circulating in the economy. As the value of the dollar decreases, it takes more dollars to buy the same property. Meanwhile, your mortgage interest rate remains fixed, unaffected by inflation. When adjusted for inflation, a 30-year loan with a $280,000 principal balance can equate to roughly $165,000 in today's dollars. These factors are why I often recommend longer-term loans for individuals purchasing their initial properties.

 

As mentioned earlier, a common guideline when buying a home is to provide a 20% down payment, primarily to avoid Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). PMI is an additional cost on top of your mortgage payment that banks require if you don't meet the 20% down payment threshold. It serves as a safeguard for banks dealing with riskier loans. PMI payments typically range from 0.2% to 2% of the total loan amount annually. For a $280,000 loan, this can translate to monthly payments ranging from $46 to $466. If you can secure a low PMI rate that meets your bank's criteria, it might be worthwhile to keep your down payment as an emergency fund instead of committing it as a 20% down payment. It's essential to note that once you reach 20% equity in your property's value, you can often eliminate the need for PMI if you decide to refinance your mortgage.

  Purchasing a house is likely one of the most substantial financial decisions you'll make on your journey. It's a decision that should not be taken lightly. Conduct thorough research and carefully assess what aligns best with your specific financial circumstances. The information provided here serves as educational examples to help you understand mortgage loan options. Use this knowledge as a foundation to structure a loan that suits your needs best.

  The concept of being "house broke" is increasingly common as housing costs continue to escalate. Just as you wouldn't purchase a BMW before securing a stable, high-income job, it's important not to strain yourself to cover your mortgage for an expensive house. Your initial home purchase is your entry into property ownership, enabling you to potentially turn it into a rental property in the future. As such, treat the process, and your limits, with respect.

 

As we wrap up our discussion on property acquisition, let's delve into the significance of creating what is often referred to as 'generational wealth' and explore how you can initiate the positive change you aspire to bring about.

  Imagine a hypothetical scenario: suppose someone didn't have to pay rent until they reached the age of 33. Instead, they wisely invested the equivalent monthly rent amount, as we previously calculated, into either the S&P 500 or a secure index fund.

  Over the course of 15 years (from ages 18 to 33), taking into account an annual compounding return of 7%, this alternative investment would grow to an impressive $420,611.07 by the time they reach 33. In contrast, those who rented during the same 15-year period would have spent the same $270,000 on rent payments.

  Consequently, the disparity between young working adults who have access to wealth-building opportunities and those who do not over this 15year span amounts to a substantial $690,611.07. This sum is more than sufficient to purchase a decent home in virtually any part of the country.

  Remember, the power to initiate this change lies within you, and as outlined in this chapter, it can be achieved within a single lifetime. By doing so, you're setting the stage for future generations to prosper.

  F.I.R.E.

  I would be remiss if I neglected discussing the concept of Financial Independence, Retire Early, or simply F.I.R.E., in a chapter surrounding the building of wealth.

  FIRE ignites the ambition of those who yearn to break free from the rat race ahead of schedule and those who don’t care about building generational wealth. For those who have already woven the tapestry of tomorrow into the fabric of today, if the pursuit of financial freedom from work calls to you, then the concept of FIRE may hold the key.

  FIRE is the acronym that encapsulates the idea that a 20-year-old in the United States, earning the average annual wage of $54,132, can attain financial independence (retirement) by the age of 40, provided they can sustain their lifestyle on $30,000 per year.

  At its core, F.I.R.E. is a framework rooted in the principles of financial independence (F-I), which empowers individuals to generate enough passive income from long-term investments to cover their future living expenses. Early Retirement (R-E) is an organic extension of this notion, where this income sustains a predetermined number of years of leisure. Let's dissect this acronym further, exploring the Financial Independence calculation and the 30-year Early Retirement planning model.

  Financial Independence hinges on three fundamental principles. First, a frugal lifestyle is essential. Second, seek opportunities to increase your income whenever possible. Third, invest the surplus in secure, long-term and safe investments.

  To grasp the essence of FIRE, we turn to the pivotal Trinity Study of 1998, which traced the performance of stock and bond markets from 1925 to 1995. This study has been enriched by Professor Pfau at The American

College, who expanded the dataset up to 2014. Both studies aimed to determine a Safe Withdrawal Rate (SWR) that would guarantee financial sustainability over a 30-year retirement. Remarkably, both arrived at the same conclusion, with 95% and 100% certainty, respectively: a 4% withdrawal rate accounting for inflation was deemed safe.

  Let's illustrate what this means for you. If your annual earnings are $54,132 and your yearly expenses amount to $30,000, your savings amount to $24,132, which represents 45% of your total income. Assuming conservative investment allocation – 80% in secure stocks, 15% in dependable bonds, and 5% in cash – you can anticipate a genuine return on investment of 4.2% after factoring in inflation.

  For instance, with an expected 8.2% average return on investment and a 4% inflation rate, your investment with the previously mentioned investment portfolio over 20 years would amass a worth of $784,300.00. Applying the 4% safe withdrawal rate, you'd have an annual return of $31,372.00. As per the extensively tested Trinity Study, you'd have a 95% to 100% assurance of enjoying a passive income of $31,372.00 (adjusted annually for inflation) for the next 30 years. This is the essence of how Financial Independence (FI) empowers you to Retire Early (RE).

  Though the exact numbers and situations may not perfectly align with your individual circumstances, understanding the fundamental tenets of FIRE and tailoring your financial calculations to match your envisioned future is of immense worth. If your objective is not to amass generational wealth but rather to liberate yourself from the grind and gain complete control over your time beyond your forties, then FIRE could be your path. If this resonates with you, picture your future, and if you wish, commence the journey to shape it today.

 

Advice

  Before you build your FIRE or a generational nest egg, let me pass along some wisdom given to me over the years along my journey toward success.

  -         started and keeping pace are the two most significant components of building passive wealth.

  Try to avoid keeping up with the Joneses. Trying to match the acquisition of debt that your peers amass is a battle to the bottom. In America, status is pursued above all. Avoid the pursuit of status and you will be above the game; you can either look rich or be rich. Choose wisely.

  Keep increasing your income. If you are not receiving at least a 3-4% increase in your wages yearly, you are actively losing money to inflation. Be conscious of your worth; if you are not fairly compensated, take affirmative action.

  Never avoid taking a raise because you think you will pay more in taxes. Tax rates in the United States are marginal, meaning different tax brackets kick in at different incomes. If you make $30,000 a year in wages, the first $10,275 get taxed at 10%, and only the next $19,725 are taxed at the 12% rate.

  If you have a partner, try maintaining two income sources for a period of time before having kids. This will double the effectiveness of your financial endeavors and expedite your journey to creating wealth.

 

Depersonalize the concept of money. Once you’ve escaped the clutches of poverty, you may have difficulty separating the money you earned from your accounts. Treat your finances as a tool, just like you would a hammer; if a hammer can hammer nails, that makes it a good hammer. If money can turn $2 into $3, that’s called building wealth. Treat this tool with respect.

  -         your portfolios, ambitions, and emotions alike.

  Good things come to those who wait. Reduce the timelines of your expectations and you will see the fruits of your labor increase exponentially. Time is an asset in all regards. Use it to your advantage while you have it.

  I present two diverging paths to those of you who have read until this point. First, for those who possess all they wish to have gathered from this book regarding Capitalistic Survival, chapter seven awaits you, where we will discuss what comes after wealth.

  For those of you who remember the following words of intent from the introduction to this book:

  “...I ask that you place yourself in such a person's shoes. Not only to maximize your openness to learning something worthwhile but also to aid in embracing a potentially new perspective.”

  For those who seek to embrace a new perspective. I urge you to read on. The next chapter will talk about how homelessness occurs, what it means, what it was like for me, and what it takes to get out of it.

  Chapter Six

  Homelessness

  Prologue

  Thank you for giving this a shot. You’ve probably asked yourself how you ended up here countless times. Maybe you’ve already lost the connection to your inner voice. The voice inside of your mind that’s reading this to you now, the voice that was supposed to guide you to a better tomorrow. Your moral compass, your conscience, what Freud would have called your ego, and what devout Christians call “the Christ within.” That voice of reason or regret sitting inside of your head, once your closest companion, may have long ago departed. Maybe it still sits inside of you, quietly mumbling but falling on deaf ears.

  The days dwindle by and with every passing hour, recovery seems more and more hopeless. You may curse the gods, you may blame your kin, you may hate yourself, but what’s important now is that you use those feelings to drive you. You need to begin to move. The cards dealt to you have placed you on a conveyor belt destined for despair, yet due to the circumstances that be, you’ve become frozen and accepting of this inevitability. You’ve got to escape; you’ve got to reclaim yourself. It is not too late to make something of yourself yet.

  Regardless of what stage of loss you are, the first step to returning to living is admitting to yourself what you currently are. Similar to how a

compass cannot guide you without a needle, we need to reorient your internal guide. We will remind your inner voice why it’s there in the first place, the one that’s speaking to you now.

  Know that these words come from the depths of my own experience. I too, have walked in your shoes – first experiencing homelessness in 2014 after relocating to the United States and then again in 2018, when a family crisis befell my two dependents and me. I still remember the agonizing reality of scavenging for food while watching your health slip away from your grasp. I know the feeling of reaching out for help during life's fall, only to find no one there to lend a helping hand. Hear my words my brother or sister, this climb won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. Not all is yet lost.

  Within yourself, you possess the ability to align yourself with direction, to focus yourself on climbing out of this hell. You have the ability to change. The only reason you’re alive is because of all of humanity's ability to adapt to extraneous circumstances. One foot in front of the other, first once, then once more, and maybe a few million times after that. Forward into the breach, my friend.

  Why did this happen to me?

  Let’s address the first question your inner voice is going to ask when you start thinking about the trek up this mountain.

  While I believe that the circumstances of why someone falls are far from an ultimatum, gathering an understanding of how your brain works as a

result of your fall, is. Every person walks around with a tragedy counter, an invisible number that floats above one's head which counts down the number of unfortunate events it would take to drive a person to the edge of humanity. With every significant accomplishment or tragedy, this number either rises or falls, in accordance to the scale of the event. Some people walk around with a three, others get up to five, and the most centered of individuals, Shaolin monks that live in monasteries, may get up to ten. Ten withstandable events of utter tragedy.

  It’s a sunny Sunday afternoon, the clouds are opening up, and the pleasant breeze sweeps over you while you fix up your best friend's car. You talk about that Saturday that came and went, then what you plan to do with the following weekend, blissfully planning the next adventure that awaits you with open arms. Your phone rings and the number is one you don’t recognize. A foreign area code. An area code local to where you spent your childhood days. You pick up expecting a relative calling from a new number, yet instead, you hear a voice you haven’t heard in many years; the tone is off. They ask if you’re standing, then tell you to sit down.

  You hear that your father is dead. Your heart plunges deep into the pits of your stomach as you fall into the back of your mind. Every voice becomes equally distant and tremendously loud at the same time, you begin to gasp for air. Your mind goes completely blank and the voice of the telephone echoes drawing further and further away with every passing millisecond. Your knees give out and you collapse on the floor, unable to breath. The feelings of dread, horror, and emptiness, that horrid emptiness, fills every cell within your body as you let a terrifying scream packet to the brim with rage, confusion, sorrow, fear, sadness, and emptiness.

  Your tragedy counter just dropped by one.

 

Even the most centered of us, if tasked so by fate, can end up in a similar position that you are in today. Your brother dies, your dog gets mauled, your job fires you, and then you find out the kid you’ve loved, nurtured, and cared for isn’t yours within the same week. And just like that, your counter drops to zero.

  You’ve been placed on the conveyor belt of despair, immobilized, shocked, and unable to make a change. Who would, given the circumstances? You haven’t even begun to process what life just dragged you through. In direct response, your brain shuts down. Every stressor, every blip on your threat radar, immediately becomes a life-or-death situation. Your brain is cornered, your emotions are burned, and your concept of reality is twisted.

  This is why your voice retreated; you needed to survive. You’ve been burned too many times, and now even the sense of touch, one of the most incredible sensations when coming from those you love, causes you to pull yourself away in pain. As with burned skin, time heals all when in a safe enough environment.

  We’re going to put you on the path to healing, but first, we have to get you safe so that life can be worth living again. Let’s get you safe.  If your inner voice continues to question you on this climb, remind it that what matters most is your reality, you are here. So whether you got caught up in the wrong crowd, fled from the demons you knew only to find ones even worse, or life decided that it’s going to test you more than most, know that you’re not too far gone. I believe in you.

  Is it going to be hard?

 

Might be the next question your brain will ask. The only acceptable answer to such a question is the following: Yes, and it is going to take everything within you to escape. But it will be better than living in this constant agony you call home. You’ve accepted this reality to such an extent that you’ve become numb to all, the pain and the good. It will be hard, but you’re going to make it.

  I want you to do so to spite fate, to spite the cards you’ve been dealt, and to spite the world if need be. I want you to do so for yourself because regardless of what you believe about yourself, you deserve it.

  People say that the American dream is dead. That the concept of rags to riches, the idea that in America, anything is possible, is dead. What’s truly dead is this dream's interpretation. In America, you can go from lower, to middle, to upper class, legally, in one lifetime. But most forget what it will take to do so. It will take everything. Everything you have and everything you don’t. I want you to conjure up everything you have and everything you don’t to follow these steps and bring yourself back from death's brink.

  Your Path

  We will break this process into several steps in your journey to ground zero. These steps will be listed in chronological order based directly on their immediate efficacy. This is done to gain maximum utility from the minimal resources and energy we currently have access to. These parts, in order, are as follows: Shelter & Food - Identification - Resources - Goals and finally, Escape.

 

The hardest part about homelessness isn’t the dread of tomorrow, the lack of food, or even the daily pain of existence and attempts at its escape. It’s the fact that the cycle of progression is so stacked against you that to make the most minuscule of life improvements requires an astronomical amount of effort & energy. Movement is easy when you’ve overcome inertia. Breaking stagnation, that is truly difficult.

  Because of this, I want to make this abundantly clear; you will not make it out of this alone. In your predicament, it is life-threatening to not ask others for help. Help from individuals, help from groups, help from programs, and help from yourself. Do not let your pride assist life with writing your closing scene. Let’s get you on your path.

  Shelter and Food

  You’ve found yourself on the street. Action one is just that, action. This immediate time following your homelessness is critical. You may be homeless, but you have not yet become a “homeless person” in the eyes of the public.

  Step one is to get in contact with anyone and everyone you have known that has a positive impression of you. Use a payphone, mail them, or look up their address in the yellow pages. The goal is to keep you off the streets. Ideally, we want to find more than one person who will volunteer to help you in your time of need. This will not only lighten the load on any one individual, but it will also increase the likelihood of you not overstaying your welcome over the course of the coming months. Try to find three or four houses that would be comfortable letting you stay on their couch that you can alternate in. When propositioning these individuals for help, you want to be as little of a burden as humanly

possible. After explaining your situation to them, what led you here, and how you plan on fixing it if you’ve thought that far ahead, ask if they’d be okay with you using their shower occasionally and maybe resting your head on their couch every few nights until you’re back on your feet.

  The goal of such propositioning is to make this task seem effortless, with minimal requirements. Let them offer any additional help later once they’re willing and able. If they seem hesitant to help, do not press on them. Instead, shift the conversation in the opposite direction. Tell them that it will probably burden them too much. Instead, ask if they know of anyone that would be willing to help for X days while you get your life back in control. Setting a defined time frame makes any such proposition far more appealing to someone who might be on the fence about helping, as it’s easier to make do with an unfortunate circumstance for a brief period of time.

  If you are unable to find such a saving grace, your immediate next stop should be the local public library. Use the available computers to find the nearest public food drives, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters, as well as to research homeless help initiatives around the city that you can email or call.

  If you still have identification, get a library card. Having things to read will keep time from crawling to a standstill. While you’re there, see if you can find a map of the city that you can reference. Given that navigation has become dramatically more difficult, knowing where you are will give you physical and mental direction within your newfound environment. Your local church & police station can also be noted as places of importance that can provide access to city-specific information for getting back on track.

  If you are fortunate enough to have a car in your possession, find a nice neighborhood that doesn’t seem to be patrolled too much for you to park at. Pack light, but do not forget to bring along one or two comfort items. Having an MP3 player and a set of headphones or your favorite blanket can mean the world in the times to come. Sleep in your car between staying with the families offering you their couches. If you have a car, this is your lifeline. DO NOT SELL YOUR CAR. Use it, live in it. Your transportation is your direct ticket out of this, as it allows you to make deliveries assuming you have a clean record. From this point forward, I am going to be assuming that you do not have access to a vehicle for the sake of inclusivity.

  Your next step is hydration, food, then shelter, in that order. Your local homeless shelter should be able to provide all three; however, be weary of spending nights at the shelter. This varies from locale to locale, just know that long term residents of shelters tend to be the most lost and dangerous of souls. There will also be those who seek refuge within shelters that keep an eye out for those they can take advantage of, those who are new to this style of living. Keep your wits about you, and remember that people can only help others from a position of power. In such situations, those with less than you traditionally look to prey upon you if they offer to help.

  When it comes to finding shelter, seclusion is more valuable than proximity. Finding a place where you know you won’t get bothered is better than avoiding a 20-minute walk back to civilization. Find a place you can call a temporary “home” for the next few days, but do not leave a trace of where you stay. Follow the campfire rule to avoid detection.

Leave each place you stay better than when you found it and arrive/depart during off hours.

  Once you’ve found a secluded area, do your best to make yourself comfortable but do not rest until you’ve come up with a plan. A plan for tomorrow, the goals for that day, and what you will accomplish by the end of the next week. The greatest adversary you will face is the danger of complacency. We’ve achieved inertia now. Tomorrow we will gain momentum.

  Identification

  For everything in the modern world, we require identification. Bank accounts, credit cards, memberships, and purchases, the thing they all share in common is the prerequisite of identification. This poses a particular problem. How does one acquire identification if they don't have it in the first place? You need a driver's license to rent a roof over your head. To get a driver's license, you need a passport or identification card. To receive those, you need a birth certificate, and to receive a birth certificate, you need an ID or social security card. We’re going to assume the worst, that all of these are lost or misplaced, as can sometimes occur when life throws you for such a loop.

  No one tells you that one of the most complex journeys while homeless will be acquiring identification. To add to this conundrum, if you want to get a job, you’ll need your social security number; if you don’t have that, you’ll need a state-issued ID to recover it. This prevents you from being able to work to get out of this rut in the first place.

 

We are going to be quickly laying out the steps to follow in order to get you qualified to exist within our society again. The first step is to head back to the homeless shelter and communicate with the social workers there, as they will be up to date on your state's guidelines and often have programs that will help cover fees for retrieving these essential documents.

  The next step is to find a mailing address, as the homeless shelter can only work as a mailing address within certain states. Ideally, we want to find someone who will allow you to show up on one of their billing statements. Any utility bill will work for our purposes. Some states do not allow public spaces to be used as billing addresses and will require a bill to prove residency. We will return to anyone with a remotely positive impression of you and ask for such a favor but remember to offer something in return, clean up around the house, pull weeds, and wash the car. We are going to be needing a private address as the following documents we’re going to be obtaining are sensitive in nature.

  If you explain your predicament to the right person and offer the proposal in such a way, most connections will be willing to help. Be aware that most utility companies will push to have a social security number on record for every individual on the bill; however, this is not a requirement. US House bill 1130, passed in 2005, prohibits all city utility companies from requiring a social security number for any reason. If you receive pushback, escalate until it gets approved by a supervisor, and reference the bill if needed.

  Now that you’ve gotten on a billing address, the next step is to dig far into your memory banks. Think of any previous programs you were enrolled in or activities you may have participated in that required any prior

identification to be scanned. Many of these programs keep identification on record for a few years following your records creation. You will want to call/email these programs and see who still has a copy of your identification on record, then visit in person with your utility bill to receive a copy. Alternatively, head to the DMV to see what documents are needed in your state to obtain your identification card or driver's license.

  If you have forgotten your social security number, your next step is to head to your city’s tax office if you’ve submitted taxes. After displaying your utility bill and showing them a copy of your previous identification, you will receive documents and receipts showing proof of your submission of taxes. These receipts and copies are crucial as they will have your social security number. Once you’ve got your social security number and have a copy of your previous identification, find the following website to get a replacement physical SSN card mailed to you.

  www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber

  Our final step is to take our collection of documents and order a copy of your birth certificate. Consult your county’s Vitals Statistics Department or visit your city website to understand exactly what documents are needed based on your state and county, but we should have everything required to replace your final essential document. Either order one online or in person, then find a safe space to store these records. If you have someone you trust, leave it with them and promise to pay them back. If you do not, save up some cash over the next week and open a checking account and a safety deposit box. Most checking accounts can be opened with $0 if you maintain a minimum balance at all times. This balance ranges from as low as $5 up to $50. A safety deposit box can range from

$4-30 a month. Find both on the low end of the spectrum and store your vital documents there. We do not want to go through this process again.

  Good job on getting here. We’ve reset your tragedy counter to two. You’ve survived thus far and achieved another accomplishment. We’ve got your identity back. So let’s keep pushing that counter further. Let’s show you what tools you have at your disposal and use all of them for one big pushback into society.

  If you were unable to find a permanent mailing address and you are still in need of a place to store your belongings, know that for a handful dollars more than a safety deposit box you can rent storage lockers. Self storage facilities that rent these traditionally also allow for organized and private reception of mail. Meaning you get a permanent mailing address and a locker you can trust will be yours in a single affordable monthly payment.

  Resources

  The first crucial resource I implore you to take advantage of is 211. For those uninitiated, similarly to how 911 is an emergency number, and 411 is the general information directory number, 211 connects you to your local community services department. This public department specializes in local information regarding mental & physical health, housing, employment, food, shelter, utility, and suicide prevention. By calling this lifeline you will get to speak to specialists who will provide step-by-step information on local programs in the area and give resources specific to your locale and your state of homelessness.

 

Speaking of lifelines, a program worth looking into is called just that. Lifeline is a federally funded program that helps introduce you to low-cost internet and phone companies that work with Lifeline to discount costs significantly. Some of these companies will also provide individuals with free affordable phones to use with their subsidized service, reducing your total cost to gain access to cellular service. This program requires application, but given that you have your identification documents, you’ll have everything needed to apply.

  Know that you don’t always need to have a phone to ‘have a phone’. Voice.google.com will allow you to have a free web-based phone number at your public library computer for call, text, and voicemail purposes. If you’re located in the United States, you can even choose your own phone number. If you are not yet at the stage where you can prioritize an expense such as a mobile phone, this will allow you to have a text-capable landline for

  In regards to programs such as Medicaid, Lifeline, and the like, some background information is needed. Generally, the most challenging aspect of getting accepted to such programs is having a program to use as a reference. For example, if you’re able to access Medicaid, other programs of the like become significantly easier to become a part of. Since food, shelter, and clothing are often the most difficult to secure initially, focus on applying for programs like Medicaid which have a higher acceptance rate. From there, shift your priorities to the big three as you pursue other programs. This will help you have a higher rate of application success and quicker turnaround times.

  If you need a bit of cash to open up your bank account and to pay any fees associated with attaining your documentation, quick cash can be found in

paid blood plasma donation businesses within your city. For a few hours of sitting in a chair and getting plasma taken, you’ll get paid $30-$50. Ensure that you are properly hydrated and have your next meal planned if you choose to take advantage of this.

  Many federal programs will require you to fax forms and personal documents. This can be accomplished at your public library and online if needed. Faxzero.com, Hellofax.com, and websites of the like allow for a limited number of daily faxes. Do not utilize your scarce funds on the ridiculous costs that Kinko’s charges for a service that should be free.

  Find the lowest-cost gym in town, usually your local Planet Fitness, and sign up for a membership. For $10 a month, you’ll have a place to shower, hydrate and store your non-vital personal belongings if you bring a padlock. Be aware that signing up for any gym membership will require a mailing address, identification, and a routing & checking number for your bank account, but it is well worth the cost to feel clean every day.

  Begin the application process for both Medicaid and your state's SNAP program online, and be diligent about completing all paperwork as fast as possible. Both programs are essential to your health and survival. Your body is not adjusted to this environment, and it’s a matter of time until your immune system starts to suppress in response to the extreme circumstances and stress you’ve been facing. Staying on top of nutrition with the help of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, drinking a gallon of water a day, and remaining isolated from the elements whenever possible will help you avoid this fight.

  Once you’ve applied to SNAP, you will want to take note of all local food bank networks, food pantries, and other local food programs. Call them

and ask for the limitations on visits and what requirements each network has. Once you’ve done so, ask for their schedule and begin planning your visits to each. Some will allow multiple visits every few days, others once a week.

  Keep track of what you can get where and build a schedule. Churches also hold food drives and keep food on reserve for feeding the homeless, so noting when these occur will also help you from staying hungry. If worst comes to worst, grocery stores and restaurants nationwide toss tons of freshly expired food into their dumpsters just before closing every day.

  To keep yourself looking presentable, note that you can call your local smaller barber shops close to closing time and ask if they give haircuts to homeless individuals to prepare for job interviews. Even if they do not, they may know of other barber shops that provide such a service. Try to keep your fingernails trimmed and clean, your hair short, and your facial hair to a minimum. Doing so will minimize the chances of anyone considering you homeless and not admitting you into their place of business.

  Goals

  Now that we’ve taken advantage of the resources available, let’s talk about how to rewire your brain to think more long-term. We are not yet in a safe enough environment for you to begin healing your deep-cut wounds. However, we have gotten far enough to patch up some minor scrapes.

 

Depending on how long you’ve been stuck in this environment, your brain has probably begun prioritizing short-term gratification and immediate pleasure response above all else. This is a natural trauma response. Remember, the first advice given at the beginning of this chapter was just that, action. Action was an immediate necessity, given the severity of your state. Now that we’ve gotten a better understanding of where we are, how we got here and what tools are around us, let’s discuss how you plan to get out of here. This is the hard part. Not only do you have to keep putting one foot in front of the other, but now you also have to look up to see where you’re headed.

  To make it out of this, you not only have to focus on the now and what, but you also have to cast your vision into the where and why. Your immediate goal is to obtain permanent shelter with an occupation to match that allows you to receive the bare essentials reliably. As a general principle, having a vision is great, but breaking your vision down into concrete, actionable items or tasks allows for a much easier path to that goal. Saying you’re going to climb Everest is one thing. However, knowing that you’ve scheduled climbing courses tomorrow, will get lunch with a previous climber on Friday, and will book your tickets this weekend to visit the base camp immediately brings that conversation to reality.

  To escape the pattern of immediate thinking and keep you motivated, I want you to ask yourself what it is you want in the modern world. Peace, family, quiet, home, friends. What is it that you lost that you took for granted? What is it that you wish to acquire that you never had? What is it that is worth everything to you?

 

Since we now have at least some time at the end of the day to reflect, the more precise the picture of the forever-distant future you create, the easier it will be to march towards it and not waver from this path. Once you’ve found that, do not let go of it. Remind yourself in times of doubt, in times of hardship, that your purpose is just and that to achieve it will require everything. The road to it is far, and the path is hard, but if you keep that vision inside of you, the path will seem that much clearer.

  Escape

  To execute your immediate goal, to find consistency within the life of chaos that has beset you. Our final step will be finding you a place of employment you can rely on and shelter to match. To execute that, we will take two simultaneous approaches to maximize timely placement, we’re going to be using and masking your homelessness at the same time.

  Know that the chances of timely placement in such circumstances decrease based on your increase in age, previous criminal history, lack of access to a vehicle or personal documents, and lack of hygienic appearance. While we cannot cover each extraneous circumstance, we can cover the general basic options you can take, applying online and in person.

  Please read the ‘Capital J.O.B’ chapter before returning to this point for useful information in regards to the creation of your resume, how to land your first interview and the following interview

  To target your approach, apply online with the persona of someone that is home-full and hopeful. Craft a resume online and apply with the mailing

address and identification we gathered previously. When applying, your presence and cadence should reflect that you already have a permanent residence. Your online applications, in contrast to your in-person ones, should target your high-priority targets.

  With these target jobs, there is no physical evidence to detract from your potential employment, so your lack of permanent shelter has no reason to be revealed to them. Emailing or applying to these jobs in the fashion described in the ‘Capital J.O.B’ chapter is most beneficial in the early mornings, so whenever your local library opens, that should be your first daily priority. To get some ideas about positions where minimal industry experience is required and which openings to target, restaurant bussers or servers, security guards, janitors in hotels, car salesmen/women, grocery store check-out clerks or shelf stockers, and coffee shop gigs all consistently have high churn. Jobs at national parks can also provide housing as a benefit, solving two problems with a single stone.

  Applying in person is where we will play our cards upfront. We will explain our circumstances to the person in charge and ask if they know of any positions available in the area. The best time to make such a proposition will be before 11 AM or after the lunch rush ends closer to 3 PM. We want to catch whomever the manager is after their morning meetings rather than while the day is at its busiest. When entering these places of business, do so without your bag, but carry your identification. If you can print out a copy of your resume, do so. Dress as well as you can and head into these places with confidence.

  You will want to immediately state your first and last name to the person at the front and ask if the manager is currently in. If they are not, ask what time they’ll return and take note of the first and last name of the individual

who’s running the place. If asked for your personal information, do not leave it with the person at the front desk. Instead, state that you’ll return at that time and want to speak with the manager directly.

  When you get a hold of a manager, you’re going first to ask them how their day is going so far and how they’ve been. After exchanging pleasantries, promptly introduce yourself and explain that you’re looking for employment and want to meet them in person before applying online. Next, ask them if they have any entry-level positions that are currently vacant, that you’ve seen that this place is busy around lunchtime and wanted to see if they need extra help. It’s going to be difficult, but try to seem confident. Even if you have to craft a temporary persona of yourself that you pretend to be for that interaction alone, that confidence that you carry can be the difference between making a positive or negative impression.

  If questioned about your past employment or what caused you to reach out to them, specifically mention that you were in between jobs after some familial health problems but that everyone is healthy and you’re ready to work. You wanted to stop by this location in particular because you live nearby (mentioned the mailing address street we found earlier) and saw that this place got busy around lunchtime. So you figured they could use some help or someone to pick up some hard work that needs to be done. When questioned about your skills, mention that you talk half as much as you listen and pride yourself on your work ethic. Besides that, you want to learn to do something well, and it seems like you could do that here.

  There are upsides to each approach, which is why we’re tackling both simultaneously. Online high-priority placements have a higher chance of returning a better-paying job with more hours but a lower chance of

success and a longer waiting period. On the other hand, in-person applications will typically allow you to find work more quickly. Some places might hire you on the spot, while others might only need verification of documents and a quick 15-minute interview. Since you can always take the better offer when it comes your way later, take the first chance at earning an hourly wage you can find. Guaranteed hourly work is better than praying for a miracle job that never comes.

  When it comes to the day of your interviews, duck shower at a gas station, find clean clothes with the money you’ve saved, or find organizations that loan free interview-appropriate clothing to homeless looking for a path back. Some programs will even provide transport to and from the interview if you have proof of it being scheduled. Always bring a copy of your resume to an interview. Follow the principles outlined in the 2nd chapter of this book, and with enough repetition and diligence, you’ll find a place willing to take a chance at you.

  Once you find employment, create a schedule after your hours. For example, after work, you head to the shelter to get some food, clean off your clothes to the best of your ability, check out a book with the library card you now have, and return to your temporary home to rest your head.

  Now that you’re about to get your first paycheck, you’ll want to find a room to rent in a clean environment. An environment safe for healing, an environment safe for you. It’s been a rough journey, but the light at the end of the tunnel is just around the corner.

  Chances are if you’re at this point, your credit isn’t in the best of places. There’s also the fact that your first two weeks' pay may not yet be able to afford you a palace. As a result, we’re going to look at reasonable

accommodations for the time being—anything where we can begin to rebuild.

  Head back to that library and look through the Facebook and Craigslist private housing sections online. We’re looking for single-bedroom accommodations in close proximity to your work. Message any offering that fits within your budget of 2-3 weeks' pay and has a door that locks. If possible, we want a place free of recreational temptations that can give you a quiet place to rest your head. Furnished accommodations are worth the premium if you can find such a gem.

  After visiting these places in person, always ask questions about the offering. For example, who lived here previously, and how long were they a tenant? Why did they move out? How loud does this building get at night? How is the wall insulation? Mention that you get up early in the morning for work, and that’s a critical decision criteria for you. Asking these questions is not only to make you seem more qualified but also to build a conversation with the person considering renting the room.

  Typically, the more friendly conversation you have with them and the more they like you, the better chance we have at getting the up-front deposit waived or reduced. This concept is known as rapport building in sales, when you highlight commonalities between you and the other party, breaking their expectation of who they think you are in the hopes of achieving an end goal.

  When it inevitably comes time to discuss financial barriers to entry, mention that you’ve been going through familial health hardship and the place you’ve been staying at has recently become unsafe. As a result, you’re looking to move whenever the unit becomes available, however,

since you’ve only just started working again X weeks ago. Ask them if they’d be willing to wait for the deposit split in your following two checks. Show them your proof of employment and your most recent pay stub. Mention that you’d be happy to provide them with said pay stubs as soon as you get them on the dates you get paid. If you’ve done a good enough job at building rapport, this compromise will seem reasonable and may be accepted.

  Once you’ve attained your move-in date, gather your belongings and begin your life anew. You’ve climbed out of the roughest of hells and bested the toughest of odds. Keep that vision that drove you here at the top of your mind, there’s an Everest yet to be climbed, but we’ve now made it to base camp.

  You currently have a place to call your own; you now have a place to call home. Thank every single soul that has helped you along this path, the ones who offered to store your things, the ones who’s couch you rested on, the ones who drove you, fed you, and helped you. Climb this mountain for you. Climb this mountain for them. That way, one day, you can return the favor. Not because you owe them, or anyone for that matter, but because it’s the right thing to do. Now you can begin your capitalist journey on Chapter 1. Let’s see how far you can climb with what you’ve learned.

  If you're navigating this journey and need extra resources or simply someone who understands your path, I'm here to offer my support in any way I can.

  [email protected]

  Chapter Seven

  Breaking Free

  You’ve done it. If you’ve gotten this far, bravo. You’ve climbed the mountain. Consider yourself a Capitalist Survivalist. Take a moment to reflect and appreciate how far you’ve climbed. The view from up here is nearly unbelievable. To think that you could’ve given up in those times of uncertainty in the beginning. Imagine going back to yourself in that vulnerable state so many years back and trying to convince yourself that in just under a decade of time, you’d be where you are now. All you had to do was put one foot in front of the other a few times. If you continue righteously down this path, you’ve set yourself up to better the world. Before you graze these greener pastures, let me leave you with a few words to ponder.

  Perhaps you've found yourself in a complex situation on your journey to this state of existence. The one where participating solely in the game of capitalism no longer feels fulfilling. Maybe you've been compartmentalizing emotions, emphasizing future planning, and honing personal growth for years on end. Carrying the weight of financial expectations that society placed upon you since your entry into adult life.

  It's possible that you've come to a realization: this game, the one you once called your refuge, the one you've intertwined with your identity, the one that's left you battered and bruised from the outset, no longer embodies life for you. You might have made the decision that it's time to transition and embrace a new way of living.

  All don’t inevitably adopt this mentality; it’s a luxury and a privilege to maintain. Global warming is of no concern to someone whose tomorrow is uncertain due to a lack of food. Likewise, the idea of being completely present in the current moment is a concept exclusively available to those who aren’t walking around with a dependant on their shoulders and a single decision on their mind: shelter or food.

  Unfortunately, this is a reality for an unfathomable amount of humans in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. According to the NCHE under the U.S. Department of Education, in 2020-2021,  2.2% (1,099,221) of all K-12 students will experience homelessness. In 2017, the Wisconsin HOPE Lab surveyed 33,000 college students across 24 states and concluded that an average of 13% of college students experience homelessness during their studies.

  You’ve now reached the pinnacle of this capitalistic game. You’ve done more than survive by using these tools and the environment you were molded by. You’ve conquered and created a path for yourself. Always keep in mind that your current accomplishments have been shaped by the tools provided by others, be they in the form of lessons or acts of kindness.

  You’ve escaped from the nature of the capitalistic beast we live within, but many others aren’t so favored. The fortune you’ve experienced is manyfold. You got that first job. Someone took a chance on you. You got help. Someone spent their time on you. No matter how small your requests, someone went out of their way to none of their benefits.

 

If you’ve made it this far and your ego has fallen in love with your accomplishments, I want you to consider the following three questions.

  If someone possesses different qualities or characteristics than you, it is unrealistic to expect them to achieve the same accomplishments and meet your personal standards. Shouldn’t each person have their own unique abilities and strengths?

  On the other hand, if someone shares similar qualities or traits with you, it would be unkind to desire them to endure the same suffering that you have experienced. Why should they be compelled to strive for the same achievements and impose your standards onto themselves?

  Lastly, if you genuinely believe that you are stronger and superior to others, there should be nothing hindering you from utilizing that power to assist those who are less fortunate in attaining greatness. Why not use your potential to make a positive impact and uplift others who may be in need, as others have for you?

  Do not expect those with less ability to follow in someone’s footsteps without the help of those who carry the torch. If you expect all to do as you’ve done, suffer as you’ve suffered, and live as you’ve lived, then understand this.

  By this reasoning, you cannot be any stronger or better, and every person on earth is your equal, both in spirit and nature. Help in any way you can, as someone helped you many years ago. Society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.

 

Now that you can stand confidently at the top of this mountain, do not let the beautiful scenery cloud your vision of what things look like at the bottom. Remember, all it takes is a simple slip to send you tumbling down. Most of us will encounter health challenges, personal tragedies, financial struggles, and similar hardships before the final chapter of our lives draws to a close. Take a moment to reflect, as you now possess the only two necessary ingredients one needs to help the world: time and money.

  Help wherever you can, and remember that no matter the cost of the clothes or watch you wear, there was a time when the idea of such an expense seemed impossible. Help everyone you can reach, whether it be your family, work, friends, or anyone at all. Help however you can, and you will find an enriching life beyond belief, and maybe if you slip, there will be someone that catches you on the way down.

  Make sure to express gratitude to every individual who has played a role in your journey to where you are today. Thank those who extended the first opportunity to you, and acknowledge the saints who stood by you when the world seemed to be in chaos, when life pulled out the chair from under you, just to see if you were paying attention. Those that taught you lessons, whether painful or pleasant in their nature.

  Always carry the memory of who you were when you started. The pain you felt, the hunger you knew, and the struggles you’ve endured. They are what made you who you are today. Remember that your emotions and history bear the weight of untold stories. It is essential to allow yourself the requisite time for healing, reflection, and the harmonious integration of your past self into the identity you now embrace, and truly begin to live.

  The world is your game now. Capitalism works for you. Decided that you want to work? Work. Want to go back to school and learn? Learn. You’ve fulfilled all three Categories of capitalistic survival, time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Just try not to let yourself live in that forever summer too long; there’s some potential left within you yet.

  This part of life, the one you’re embarking on now, contains the questions I seek answers to. How do I become a better father? What can I do to heal from the traumas incurred throughout my path here, both early and late in my journey? Can the generational hurt stop with me? When I find such answers, I will write another book. As always, with under-promising and over-delivering, don’t expect it anytime soon. This one took many years of life to live and then write.

  From here, I want you to make your own path. Figure out what you truly want and use what you’ve learned along your journey to get there. To my kids and everyone else, please remember to help a few people along the way, for your old man's sake.

  Go forth into the world. One foot in front of the other, one lesson at a time. Grow and evolve, and learn as much as possible about yourself, the world, and those around you. Love intently and freely, and focus on the moments you’ve been blind-fully blazing past. The beauty of life experience is just that, the experience. So live your life, help others, and try to bring some good into the world. I’m proud of you.

 

As I age, I now carry an entirely different set of questions to which I seek resolutions. Thanks to the years that have passed, I’ve acquired a few answers along my way that I have shared with you today. If this book has truly helped you on your journey within the game of capitalism, I would be immensely grateful if you could share your thoughts and insights through a review. Your honest feedback can guide and inspire others on a similar path. Your review is not just a gesture of support; it's a beacon of guidance for all individuals that are on the same journey.

  Thank you for being part of our shared adventure, reading to the end, and for considering this request.

  -

  Y.V.S

  To my Daughters & Sons

  If you ever find yourself asking: why would you be forced to endure this pain in this life? Why should you shoulder this responsibility? Why did all of this happen to you? Listen to these words of wisdom from someone far wiser and older than me.

  If you look at the suffering brought forth by the world as a burden, you will see the masquerade of an easy life shown by all those around you. If you see this life's responsibility as a necessary step in the development of your soul, you will begin to relate to the pain of the world all around you. You will start to see how you can help, and eventually, you will find that someone will do the same for you.

  I would often ask myself those tortured questions when I saw what awaited me, should I have continued on the path of the ones who came before me. Torment, escape found in drugs, and a cycle of abuse that repeated itself generation after generation. Why me?

  What brought me out of my hell was acting on the good I saw in the world. I saw the future good in those that depended on me and those yet to come. I made many mistakes along my journey and sacrificed parts of who I was, all to fulfill a childhood dream of mine:

  Peace and stability—a house filled with loved ones and enough food on the table for all of us, plus more. Time and space to have healthy relationships and the ability to provide opportunity to those whom I love. I

could break the cycle of abuse. It had to stop with me. I had found my “why”.

  Life, the twisted and beautiful journey, is a shared experience amongst us all. We enter this world, face the inevitability of chaos, and eventually succumb to the inevitable power of entropy. However, in the fleeting moments bridging the past and the future, when we unite through our shared struggles, affections, and mutual support, we forge the ties of a family. Each of us is engaged in personal battles; that is the nature of life. By empathizing with the pain of others, shouldering our responsibilities, and developing our souls, we gain the power to alleviate the burdens of those around us and bring forth good into the universe.

  Throughout the years since the beginning of my journey I’ve done many things wrong. I’ve lived to see plenty of regrets, and there have been more times than I can count when the task of life seemed improbable at best. I used those mistakes and difficulties to further the importance of my goal, to further my education of life so that I may help this world we live in.

  I am writing this to you now, my sons and daughters of the future. Know that I am far from perfect, and before I am a father, I am a human first. Infinitely flawed and imperfect as ever, but I will do my best to do right by you. You are humanity's next frontier, and you will teach me more about myself than I could ever teach you.

  Know that my goal is singular, to do everything within my power to do right by you. To be present for you, unlike my father, to be emotionally vulnerable with you, unlike my mother, to be kind to you, unlike the ones that came before that. You are the next generation. You are the amalgamation of 400 consecutive series of your ancestors since the

beginning of civilization. The chances of you appearing in this world in the way you are were infinitesimally small, yet here you are.

  Within you, whether you realize it or not, you carry greatness, love, peace, and tranquility. Above all else within this world, I want you to remember to be a good person. Strive to do good by both your soul and everyone around you, as change within the world starts with you and ends with those you’ve helped.

  I love you.

  Sincerely Yours

  -

  Y. V. S.

 

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