Screw the 9-to-5

Ditch the Herd Mentality: Your Weirdness is Worth Millions

I've always been kind of an outcast. I'm the type who finds comfort in alone time, not in big social scenes. I've always been someone who minds their own business and stays to themselves, you know? It's tough when you're a kid, even growing up in the '80s, trying to figure out all that social stuff. Making friends, dealing with big groups - it's not easy.

As you get older, things change. Your friends change, you switch schools, all that jazz. Once you hit adulthood, a lot of that outsider feeling still sticks with you. It's about trying to adjust to all these changes and figuring out your life, what you want to do.

And man, does that outsider perspective really hit you when you start thinking about work. People have this idea of the 9-to-5 grind, right? You go to work, come home, do that for 40 or 50 years. Then you collect your pension and retire. But let's be real, that's not a thing anymore. Who the hell has a pension these days? It's all about 401ks and IRAs now.

The thing about jobs nowadays - they're fickle as hell. Nobody works 40 years at a job anymore. You're lucky if you stick around for five. The best way to make more money is to keep changing jobs. There's no loyalty on either side because, honestly, there's no reason for it. We can be laid off at any time. When you don't have a pension or anything tying you down to a place, you start to wonder - is this really the kind of life I want? Maybe it’s time to Ditch that boss?

The problem with all this is you're wasting your best years just working for someone else. You can't enjoy the fruits of all that labor until you're older. Who wants to do that? I want to enjoy life now, not when I'm too old to really appreciate it.

Growing up, my parents did the whole factory thing. They did the 9-to-5 grind, collected their pensions and Social Security. We never went on vacation or did any of that fun stuff. There was always just enough money to pay the bills, but never enough to do anything else. It's like the system is set up to pay you just enough to cover your bills, but not enough to actually enjoy life. Keeps you in the grind, keeps you in the matrix, as they say.

Most people just accept this as normal. They do their job then go home. Rinse and repeat. They get their weekends off, do whatever until Sunday night. Then it's back to dreading Monday morning.

Who the hell wants to live like that?

That's where being an outcast actually comes in handy. I've always been looking for ways to escape this madness. What else can I do to break out of this matrix, this mindset?

Well, I think that's where side hustles and writing opportunities come into play. They give me a path forward. The internet and social media have made it crazy easy to create and publish content now. There's way less friction than there used to be. You can write books, self-publish, create videos - hell, there are so many creative outlets out there. Being an outcast gives you a superpower. You can see beyond the 9-to-5 trap and explore other options.

A 9-to-5 job stifles all that creativity. You're just working to make someone else's dreams come true, while your own dreams get pushed aside. But how does this tie into being awkward or an outcast? It's about breaking out, about not feeling like you fit into this mold society has created.

People stuck in the 9-to-5 mindset will never get it. My parents have no clue about any of this stuff—and that's fine. That's why you've got to do your own thing, quietly and on your own. Keep your goals to yourself.

You can't let doubt creep in. We only get one shot at life, so we've got to go after what's best for us, what we really want to do. There's nothing wrong with having a 9-to-5 or a salary job if thats what you want. It's all about how you approach it - your mindset.

For me, my job pays the bills. It's just something I've worked into my lifestyle. But a lot of my focus outside of that is on writing and creating content. I make whatever interests me. I'm always coming up with ideas and putting my work out there.

Look, we've got to embrace being outcasts. No point wasting time worrying about fitting in. We've got to do what's best for us, period. If people accept us, cool. If not, who gives a damn? That's not why we're doing this anyway. We're here to share our ideas and connect with folks who get where we're coming from.

In the end, being an outcast is about thinking differently. (Sorry Apple)

It's about carving your own path, not following the herd. In today's world, that's becoming more of an asset than ever before. So go ahead, embrace your inner weirdo. Question everything. Don't be afraid to break away from the norm. That's how you really start living, how you make your mark. Being an outcast? It's not just okay – it's your superpower. Use it.