<story><title>From Here On Out, Do What You Love</title><url>http://justinbriggs.org/from-here-on-out-do-what-you-love</url><text></text></story><parent_chain><item><author>Shenglong</author><text>I&apos;ve seen a few of these types of articles here - I&apos;m just wondering... since this is one of the most intelligent communities I know of, how many people here have given up everything for one reason or another, and pushed back from rock bottom?</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>itcanbedone</author><text>With a young family to support, I gave up a secure career in a stable sector to pursue the startup dream. I taught myself programming and started working on my idea full time.&lt;p&gt;Three years and two failed startups later, I had only $200 left in the bank and decided to throw in the towel.&lt;p&gt;I started interviewing for jobs but wasn&apos;t having much luck. This was a real low point in my life, I had asked my family to live on the poverty line for an extended period of time with the promise of success in the near future. But I had failed. And now I couldn&apos;t even get back into the career I had left behind.&lt;p&gt;I started working on a third idea while looking for a job. But after suffering knock back after knock back from potential employers, things were looking pretty bleak. A family friend wrote out at a check for $4000 to see me through until I got back to work. I accepted the check but it was a humiliating experience to do so.&lt;p&gt;&quot;The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed.&quot;&lt;p&gt;Then out of no where and completely unexpectedly, my latest idea went stratospheric. It was so unexpected that even now I sometimes pinch myself and wonder how it all happened.&lt;p&gt;I never did cash the check my friend gave to me and keep it in my desk drawer. From time to time, I take it out and look at it to remind myself how far I&apos;ve come.</text></comment>
<story><title>From Here On Out, Do What You Love</title><url>http://justinbriggs.org/from-here-on-out-do-what-you-love</url><text></text></story><parent_chain><item><author>Shenglong</author><text>I&apos;ve seen a few of these types of articles here - I&apos;m just wondering... since this is one of the most intelligent communities I know of, how many people here have given up everything for one reason or another, and pushed back from rock bottom?</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>annon989793</author><text>I have hit bottom.  Financial issues caused me to declare bankruptcy and the whole affair had me contemplating ending my life.&lt;p&gt;I&apos;m doing a soft reboot of my life.  I love writing software, so there&apos;s no need for me to leave my field, but I do need to make a dramatic change in the kind of company I work for.  I&apos;ve spent too many years at big, stale companies, thinking I&apos;m doing the right thing and living the right life, only to end up in more debt and misery that I&apos;d ever experienced.  I&apos;d much rather live on less, if necessary, and not end up miserably every day.  I&apos;m also considering moving to a new location, if it means getting a better job and living somewhere I love.&lt;p&gt;This also impacts my family, but so far, the changes have been for the positive.  We&apos;ve spent more time together and both my spouse and I have been happier.  It&apos;s going to take some time, but I realize I&apos;ve been living  society&apos;s dream (big house, big company, etc.) rather than my own to some extent.  Hopefully I can carve out a better future.&lt;p&gt;This site has been a great help.  Many people here go off an do things they love, which has inspired me.  Sometimes the stories here aren&apos;t even about startups, but about a really cool project someone has made, proving it isn&apos;t always about the money, but about being happy, and that&apos;s what I&apos;m after.</text></comment>