“You know you’ll NEVER find a job like that again, right?”
“If I were you, I’d update my resumé and start job searching now.”
“You had a good run - do you think you’ll look for the same role somewhere else?”
“How much savings do you have? Will you be able to survive for a few months?”
“I’ve been job searching for two years now… good luck…”
I was devastated when I lost my job. It was fully remote. Paid well. Very chill. It was so easy, it sometimes felt like passive income. But it was safe… too safe, too familiar. I loved my golden handcuffs. I polished them daily, reveled in my tiny but well appointed cage. And everyone close to me knew it.
When I let my broader network know what happened, they were sympathetic. From the supportive to vaguely ominous, I was flooded with the canned advice one can predictably expect to receive after such an announcement.
I thanked everyone, took their advice in stride. And I got to work.
But not on my resumé. Because that was my last corporate job.
I have a delusional belief in my own abilities. I have been blessed with the cocky, grating confidence of a white frat boy. Maybe it was my upbringing, but as insecure as I can sometimes be in my looks and interpersonal relationships, I’ve never had much doubt in my ability to roll up my sleeves and get things done.
And I am certain I am going to make it work, just like I am certain this Substack will be paying for my rent by EOY.
“You’ll never make that much money living in France.”
“You’ll need to adjust your lifestyle to your new reality.”
“This is how things are. You need to be realistic.”
Here’s the thing: I don’t want to live in their reality. I want to live in my reality, where I managed to make 240k last year while going to school, traveling, exploring, and establishing a new community in a new country - all without work consuming me.
I want to live in my world, where I can drop 2k in a weekend without batting an eye. In my world, where the word no doesn’t exist, where my children will have all the options and opportunities that money brings.
While it’s good to manifest, honest conversations are not without their merits. I need to be realistic, so that I can build a foundation upon reality, not fantasy.
I have never worked as an independent creative FULL TIME.
Maybe you can relate: my creative work filled the margins of my days. I squeezed it in when I had time, mental energy. It was the first thing to go when my plate was too full. My corporate job paid the bills (and my healthcare) so it of course always took priority.
But now, my back is against the wall. I need to make this work - not only will I have to go back to corporate America if I don’t, but I will need to leave the country I’m living in (my visa is dependent on a certain income threshold as a freelancer).
SALARY
My 110k salary equals roughly $9,200 per month before tax & deductions.
I currently live in Paris, where cost of living is considerably lower. This salary put me in the top 10% of earners in the city, and it has allowed me to live a very high quality life here - restaurants, frequent travel.
With freelancing, you need to look at it like a puzzle. Instead of one paycheck, you will need to layer multiple sources of income until you have your desired monthly amount.
I’m envisioning it like this:
Stage 1: Survival - $2,550
basic expenses
Stage 2: Stability - $3,000
comfort level
Stage 3: Expansion - $6,200
bougie lifestyle (yay!)
QUALITY OF LIFE
“I traded my 9 to 5 to work for myself, and now I work 24/7”
I DO NOT DREAM OF LABOR. I DO NOT WANT TO BE WORKING 70 HOURS A WEEK AND PRETENDING IT’S NORMAL. FUCKKKKKKK THATTTTTT.
It’s not enough to replace my salary. I want to maintain the work / life balance I enjoyed as well. A lot of guides talk about the numbers, but very few dive into the TIME needed.
I don’t want to make good money if it means I’m working 12 hours a day. I’m not immune to work, but I’m not immune to burnout either - I want a sustainable, healthy life.
I have crunched the numbers and created a realistic plan that will allow me to make $11,050 within 6 months, while working 20 hours a week. That’s 120% of my salary, while maintaining the quality of life I’m used to.
here’s how I’m personally going to make this happen as a creator with 5+ years creative experience and a Big 4 consulting background, with my actual numbers, projections, and earnings estimates.
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