Day 0 | The Big Challenge
Just how productive can you be when you cut off internet access? I'm about to find out because I have a severe need for being severely productive. Sorry, doomscrolling, we'll have to part ways.
No Fate But What We Make
My country has a debt problem. What else is new, don't they all? Yes, indeed. And what are their proposed solutions? Cutting spending? Nope. Raising taxes? Heck yeah!
"Take it from the rich, they've got too much anyway" - oh, how I hate that thinking!
Even with a flat tax - which we don't have - someone making $300,000 already gives the government vastly more than someone making $60,000. It's never enough. In their war for total equality, they'd love for everyone to be left with the exact same amount.
No matter how hard you work, no matter what risks you take.
Except it does matter. We're not all the same. We don't all hustle the same way. We're different, walking different paths, and that's a good thing. Because it means freedom of choice.
Rags To Riches
It's why I love capitalism. You can choose a 9-to-5 like the majority of people. You get a steady income, safety, comfort. Zero risk - and zero risk of getting rich.
Or you can take chances, come up with an idea, bootstrap a business. Whatever it is, there are countless ways to just go for it, even when you have no capital. Now that's what gets me excited!
Offer something of value to the people, and the people will give you money. It's fair, it's logical, it's awesome!
This talk of higher taxes on the wealthy annoys me for two reasons: principle, and because I've always believed that one day I would be one of them. While I'm very envious of wealthy people, it's not at all in a bitter or resentful way. No, I look at them and get inspired. They made it, and so will I!
My Current Reality
Right now, this couldn't be further from the truth. I'm running out of money as I write this.
My financial snapshot:
- Only asset: A car
- Bank account: Maybe six months left
- After that: I'll need a job
Finding one wouldn't be hard - I could land something well-paying pretty quickly. But I don't want to. The thought of working for a boss again? Please, no! Have mercy!
The Past Year
"But wait," you might ask, "how are you earning a living right now?" The answer is: not at all. This past year I've been living off savings while working on my own terms.
What I've worked on:
- Launched three websites
- Currently building more
- None monetized yet (but gaining traffic)
I'll expand on the websites later. For now suffice it to say that all three sites are informational in nature: one is about movies, one is about language, and one is about interesting locations across the US.
The Challenge
Since none of these sites will be making any kind of serious dough anytime soon, I need to ramp it all up. Publish more projects, try to monetize faster.
And that's where my challenge comes in: 100 days without internet. Maximum productivity, minimum distraction.
The Rules
Obviously I need the internet for work - research, code documentation, that kind of thing. But entertainment and anything that isn't directly related to my work? Youtube, Instagram, Twitch, news, even weather? Completely off limits.
The one exception: I get five minutes a day for whatever I want online. Timer starts, timer ends, back offline.
The Plan
I'm planning to launch between five and seven new websites during these 100 days. Some could theoretically make money from day one.
However, here's my real problem: audience. A website with zero visitors makes zero dollars, and audiences take time to build. Time I don't have.
"Six months and counting down," I hear my bank account whisper in the voice of an evil tax attorney.
Better get started. The 100 days begin tomorrow. I'll check in weekly.
Money made so far: $0
-Hank