Hello everyone and welcome to Intentional Fortune!
I am a civil engineer by training and currently work at my dream company which just so happens to be a local public power utility. I have worked hard to get here.
From a young age I was always told that I could do anything I wanted to when I grew up, but was never encouraged to identify my passion or set goals, or given any guidance on how to achieve those goals.
Throughout high school and college I skated by on studying as little as possible. My philosophy was that there is a point of diminishing returns with studying. I would study just as long as I thought necessary to achieve a “B” average and would spend the rest of that time hanging out with friends.
When I graduated in December 2008, I quickly realized my mistake. Although I was able to find a job fairly quickly, it wasn’t my dream job (it wasn’t even close). Because of this, I made a vow to myself that I would quit wasting time and spend that time learning, planning, setting goals, and taking action.
Over the next 6 years, I worked hard, kept moving ahead in that first company, but always kept an eye on the dream job. Once I felt like I had achieved the goals I wanted to at the first company, I polished up my resume and interviewing skills and started applying for select jobs at the dream company. It took about 2 years of stubborn persistence, but I was finally offered a position that was perfect for me and was also a level higher than I had anticipated. I’ve been with that “dream” company ever since (past 6 years).
What I learned over the past 15 years is that, from a high level, life is simple.
When it comes to your finances there are really only two variables: your spending and your income. Your spending should never exceed your income if you want to get ahead. Any excess income should be used to create more income (i.e. income producing assets like stocks, real estate, etc.).
When it comes to achieving your goals, you must plan (set smaller goals) and take action. Then rinse and repeat, refining your technique and aspirations with each iteration.
Good fortune is made by those who take action. You can learn and plan forever and never act. Without action there is no result: good or bad. I think this is the biggest reason analytical types (myself included) take forever to act on their goals and dreams.
My next major goal is to get to the point where my wife and I are financially independent. I plan to continue doing the things that have brought me success in the past: research, plan, set goals, and take action.
I started this blog in 2019 and through this blog, I hope to share what I’ve learned along the way, including my thoughts, opinions, and advice on how to improve your professional and financial situation. I hope the experiences and lessons I share will help you achieve your financial goals.
Be intentional in how you approach life and create your own fortune!