| I've been there, Zach and I feel your pain. The furiously maddening aspect of the entire ordeal is just how little money you actually need to be free, and how the lack of that little bit of money can wreak havoc on your entire life and nervous system. Oh what wonders could be conjured with a soothing $2500 per month trust fund deposit! How quickly things could move forward, with doubt and existential dread erased! Sadly, we are just well educated serfs holding the arrogant pretense that we can become lords. We can, but its not going to be easy. So I feel you, and I read what you wrote carefully and I sympathize so here is my advice. I would suggest recalibrating your concept of what is old. 23 is incredibly young. Forget about what your friends are doing. Half those guys getting married and having kids young are wishing they were free like you are right now. This experience will teach you some things, but what doesn't kill you doesn't necessarily make you stronger. More likely it causes burnout and the dwindling of your dendrites. I wouldn't prolong it for romantic notions. Consider pivoting towards becoming cowboy auxiliary engineering help for companies that already have revenue. You can retain your freedom and get much needed cash. This is what I have done, and put my own product visions on hold. It is quite good. I retain my freedom and people send me large sums via paypal. It is a strategic retreat. Sometimes you advance ahead of your supply lines and strategy dictates a pause. Also, ignore your guilt about not taking your girlfriend out more. Don't move. I was living in a penthouse studio apartment in Boulder and I thought a move to Austin would be worth it to lower expenses. The time and stress of the move was is no way worth it. Depending on where you live, sell your car. The faster you do this the better. It is the most expensive non critical thing that you own. Think of the one thing you can do today to bring in $5000 and do that. Godspeed, you crazy bastard. You're probably just insane enough to pull this heist off and cheat your capitalist oppressors out of the smug satisfaction they have when you stay in your place. |