You line up for that ride - the roller coaster people have been talking about. The one with the fastest speed, steepest drop and highest point. You will be hung a few feet over the ground - no support for your feet, nothing to “stand” on. Suddenly, while your adrenaline is pumping, you ask yourself, “Is this worth it?” The line becomes shorter and you move closer. You can hear your heart beating over the sound of people screaming and shouting and the laughter of those around you. “Why did you do that? It’s very risky! See? Now look at you!” You heard a soul shout to another in the background. When your turn comes closer, you realize that it’s not because the ride finished its turn, but because those in front of you are backing off. The fear becomes so real that your knee is shaking. You begin imagining yourself being thrown out of the roller coaster. The picture of the ride crashing while you’re on it becomes real. Instead of butterflies, you have a whole insect park in your stomach - you can feel the spiders and scorpions crawling. Before you know it, it’s your turn. What will you do?
Since I read Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad, I have been interested in getting my money work for me. I remember him writing that you have to make your own money. You can no longer rely on a 9-to-5 job. I think it was Cash flow Quadrant where he wrote that over US$3.24 trillion orbit the world everyday - waiting for someone to grab it. I read that while I was in high school. Some four to six years back. Now, I dare say I know what he meant. Now, I’m using my abilities and interests to generate cash flow before I graduate. I finally see the road where I can achieve sustainable and legitimate financial freedom.
Will it be worth it? After all, I will have to take one subject and make up for my co-curricular in the coming semester. That on top of my academic commitments? Let’s go down memory lane, shall we? When I resigned from the Student Representative Council Secretariat some time back, I wrote “how can one who fail to lead one’s self lead others?” Because I failed a subject, in my view, I am in no position to hold any student leadership position until the problem is ratified. Don’t forget that I need a 2.80 CGPA - minimum - to qualify for the LL.B. (Hons.) programmed. How about the hundreds of ringgit which I will spend on my phone to make those essential calls? To begin with, because I failed a subject I will not commit to anything other than my studies in university. Instead of spending time for clubs and associations, I can use the time and turn it into money. After all, time is money.
“But you’re a newbie! You have no experience!” I beg to differ. I have been writing for a while - by accident - via this blog. I also do written assignments in university. And please don’t forget, I have written a paper for the 2005 National Students’ Conference as well as the working papers of various activities while I held office in UiTM Kedah. I’ve past my prime in student politics, but not in real life - outside the gates of UiTM. After all, every expert and highly paid individuals in the world began as a relatively unknown person. The next six to twelve months will be a test of character - how I balance my personal, academic and work lives. As for experience, I’m expanding it every time I write. How about the marketing and advertising skills? I’m writing copy, not plan marketing and advertising strategies! Leave it to the experts, and leave writing to me. After all, a young writer would give new and updated ideas compared to my learned and more experienced colleagues.
I read some time back, a book on personal finance. I can’t remember the author(s) but I believe the title was something lie “Inc. Yourself”. It’s about time I live my life as if I’m working so when I reach the river, I know how to row the boat. Many will be tempted to cross the “safe and secure” bridge built thousands of years ago, maintained by mere ideas and rhetoric. I’m going to build myself a canoe for now. Who knows where the river will bring me. But for sure, it will lead to the great vast ocean seen by many only on TV.
Your idea is risky! Everything we do has a degree of risk. Where many fear and fail, we learn so we don’t follow that path. After all, Rome was not built in one day. Imagine those who join the direct selling business - not that it’s wrong. A popular formula among students is that you “invest” RM2000 of your money and later find five to six other people to join you and invest their own RM2000 and the cycle goes on. What happens is the people above you swindles you money? Or someone below you leaves at the last minute? The same case. As a student, where do you get that RM2000 to begin with? Your loan? (When you loan money, you are expected to pay it back later.) That is risky for me! Or taking you money and dumping it in any stock reported in the papers or the Internet. To minimize those risk which I face, I will learn all that is necessary. Nothing wrong in communicating with my fellow copywriters from overseas. I will continue to develop my skills and expertise as I grow. That way, minimizing any risk that I will have to face.
Let’s face reality: I write copies. I’m not selling some product or merchandise to people. I’m not giving fancy promises backed by absurd consideration (in layman’s term “money”). The prices I set are based on market prices which I adapt to Malaysian Ringgit. In fact, compared to most freelance writers in this line of work, I might be charging nickels and dimes! And I will be paying my taxes, thank you. I’m not taking out a loan but will use all the resources that are available. That means my laptop, books, the monthly allowance and anything I have there and then. And who knows, when the day comes, I might be able to write a book - just like John Lee and Zamri Mohamad. I would like to thank him for commenting on my entry - Reading Materials For Career In Writing.
Now it’s my turn to get on the roller coaster. The attendant smiles cynically at me but I smiled back. I take that step on the platform and strap myself with the safety harness. While I wait for the ride to start, I smile thinking about this past year - how I flunked a law subject and lost an election. With that rare gleam in my eye, I look forward to this roller coaster and all the thrill rides coming my way. And I cannot wait for the day when I am on my yacht sailing into the distant horizon, leaving that ancient bridge for an island of my own. And the ride begins…
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