Hey there. I’m Tyler Tervooren. I’m 26 and live in Portland, Oregon. Let me tell you a little about myself.
I grew up in a small town where I learned everything there is to know about what it means to live a conservative life. I learned how to play it safe and always go for the sure thing.
I thought that was how life was supposed to be – you grow up, go to school, get a job, find a wife, have some kids, then sit back and wait for retirement to come.
That might be fine for some people, but I learned pretty quickly that it just wasn’t right for me.
As I went further and further down the path of “the way things are supposed to be,” I started to get more and more agitated. I didn’t quite know what was going on, but something just didn’t feel right. Finally, I couldn’t take anymore. I had to try something else.
I started doing little things here and there to add some excitement to my life. Nothing serious, really, just small things to get my heart beating a bit – haggling with salesmen, playing music at bars, and even a little gambling here and there.
I hadn’t changed much really, I just started taking little chances that I never would have before, and I learned something really significant:
The best memories I had – the times when I learned and grew the most in life – were the same times I’d stuck my neck out and taken a risk, let chance creep into my otherwise safe and secure lifestyle.
That was a real eye opener.
Since then, I’ve gained a lot of momentum. Here are a few risks I’ve taken since I had that epiphany:
- Played music for hundreds of people. I’m not that great a musician. I was afraid I’d get laughed off the stage. Of course, that never happened.
- Ran a ticket scalping business from my dorm room when I couldn’t afford groceries. I was scared I’d lose all my money, maybe even get in trouble. I actually made a lot of money and had a lot of repeat business.
- Adventured across Europe with nothing more than a small daypack. I was sure it was impossible to survive with that little, but I came back happier than ever.
- Slept on strangers’ floors for 2 months while traveling. I was nervous because I’m not too outgoing or social, but somehow I ended up with a lot of new friends.
- Bought $15,000 in US coins to get the credit card rewards. I was sweating bullets because I didn’t have $15,000, but the deal went down without a hitch.
I learned a lot. And I had a great time doing it. For some reason, though, I still wasn’t prepared to fully embrace the life I knew I wanted.
I’d gone to college, and gotten a useful degree. I thought, “I can’t just give this up,” so I went out and got one of those good jobs with a great paycheck (you know, the kind that your parents nod approvingly at). I gave it my best and worked hard because that’s what I was raised to do, but I could feel myself sinking into unhappiness again.
Then something happened. In Februray, 2010, I was laid off and lost that good job. Facing incredible unemployment and the fact that I never really liked my career in the first place, I realized I’d already taken the biggest risk I ever could by not allowing myself to pursue the life I really wanted.
That realization changed everything.
- I quit looking for a new job and started designing my own business.
- I made music an integral part of my life again.
- I learned how to invest.
- I made a life list and started pursuing all kinds of challenging goals.
Now I live life on my own terms and don’t regret a single second of it. It’s not always easy. In fact, most of the time, it’s really hard. Sometimes it’s downright mind boggling. But now I really feel alive.
It took me a long time to learn that lesson. Now that I have, though, there’s no sense in making you wait just as long as I did.
That’s why I created Advanced Riskolgy – to help a community of people committed to avoiding “the way it’s supposed to be” at all costs and willing to take a few risks to find their own path (and own it!), whatever that path may be.
Now that we’re all acquainted, why don’t you take a second to sign up for free updates so you don’t miss out on anything. When you sign up, you’ll automatically receive my free email series, 5 Risks That Made History.
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