Officially Going Broke (On Purpose)

Hey Friend,

Well, I’ve decided. I’m doing it. I accidentally came across this quote in Kevin’s “68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice" (which I highly recommend) that pushed me over the edge:

Here’s my game plan.

Ryan’s Wicked Smaht Post-Grad Plan

1. Graduate university May 12, 2023

2. Spend all my money traveling with my girlfriend for 3 months

3. Live like a peasant in Mexico and bust my ass making content for 6-12 months

4. ….Profit??

Sounds pretty grand, no?

The more I consider this plan, the more excited and intimidated I become.

The thought of renting a place in Mexico for $17 per MONTH, living off rice and beans for another ~$30-50/month, and focus on building a digital empire for 8-12 hours per day gets me fired up.

What excuses are there at that point?

The more you strip from your life, the less you have to hide behind and avoid doing the things that matter.

This is why minimalism is so powerful, and I’m experiencing the benefits of it now. As I strip more and more away from my life, the more I narrow down into what I care about.

Cut material possessions, delete apps, unsubscribe from newsletters (except mine!), etc.

Every discarded item creates space for something new, and potentially more meaningful.

The pursuit of making money is another such distraction. If I live in such a way where money is almost irrelevant, I will further force myself to focus on what matters.

For me, this is content on holistic men’s development.

Building the #1 Resource Hub for Holistic Men’s Development

I recently realized my entire journey of self-development so far has been an attempt to answer the question: “How do I live?”

And, more specifically: “What does it mean to be a good man?”

In service of this pursuit, I will create the ultimate hub of resources for young men to learn what it means and how to become a “good man.”

First, that means getting clear on what a good man even is (no easy task). This means asking a lot of questions.

After that, finding the exact steps young men can take to build a life they are proud of and that serves others.

I want to curate the best content in the space and present it in an easy-to-digest yet actionable format. If useful, I'll add in my own experience/take as well.

In the process, I will learn the answers to these questions myself (incentive). After "finding the answers", I will test them, and report back.

And, like any good entrepreneur, I want it to be profitable.

I want to make a living for becoming the best man I can be and helping others do the same.

In the process, I will create something I wish that I had when I was 18 and beginning self-development. Something that adds structure to the mass of online advice for young men.

Something that helps them skip years of mistakes and sooner become a more grounded, purposeful, and integrated man.

I don't know about you, but I'm convinced this is something the world needs. I know I do.

More details on exactly what this “product” looks like coming soon.

If I piqued your curiosity with the idea of intentionally living in poverty: I invite you to consider ways in which you can run the experiment. Even if it’s just for 2-3 days, I’m confident the effects can still be profound.

As Seneca said:

“Certain number of days” is up to interpretation. 😉 

Here’s to poverty, adventure, and doing what matters.

Lastly, feel free to reply to this email. I’d love to chat about anything you found interesting.

Until next time!

Much love,

Ryan

P.S. I’ve crept back into posting content, mostly in the form of tweets. Here are a few. Follow me here.