Introduction

I dropped out of high school at the beginning of 2020.

It was the beginning of the pandemic. Many told me I'd go broke. People would even make jokes telling me Mc Donalds doesn't need another worker.

Not a single soul believed in me. That I would drop out and become a software developer. Not just didn't they believe in me, but everyone discouraged me from doing it.

The struggles

Of course, it was a mental battle. I struggled every day during this time.

I'd often question my dreams. Maybe everyone is right, and I'm living in a dumb delusion?

I'd ask myself if stopping and pursuing the traditional route makes sense. Not just finishing high school, but on top of that, getting a degree.

People were panicking at the beginning of the pandemic. They were all worried. Not just about Covid itself but about how the economy was gonna crash.

I wouldn't let this stop me. I hated high school and understood that the education it'd give me wouldn't benefit me. What's gonna help me is making money. I was driven and confident I could get a job as a self-taught software developer.

It didn't make sense to me why you'd need a high school diploma to prove you're a capable software developer.

I would rather die than not have the courage to create my desired destiny.

Naruto Uzumaki

Naruto played a significant role in my journey. I've watched all movies and the series multiple times. I love Naruto. I love the story. He took all the negativity towards him and turned it into fuel. An outcast and an orphan who became the greatest ninja who ever existed.

He kept me driven. I understood that to be brave isn't to be fearless. To be brave is to do something despite fear.

I chased what I desired relentlessly. I wasn't gonna let anyone stop me. Not even my parents.

My parents were worried, sad, disappointed, angry, shocked...

I had to let their dream die for mine to live.

And you're fucking damn right. I'm gonna let my dream live and make sure I forge the destiny I'm drooling for.

I used to look at myself in the mirror and tell myself I'm Naruto in my story. I'm the protagonist and will prove how wrong everyone was.

Naruto is the only fictional character I get emotional about. It isn't about Naruto himself, but my entire story and overcoming the toughest battle of my life.

A changed mindset

My mindset changed.

I can firmly say that if you haven't gone through a tough journey where you took risks and looked like a dumb fool, you won't know what I'm talking about.

My spirit changed. I became more ambitious than ever before. When I got that job, I first asked myself: What more can I achieve that I previously thought was impossible or too hard?

I don't see things as hard or easy. If another human being has done it, so can I.

Was it once possible? That's what matters to me.

Birds can fly. That doesn't mean I can fly.

A human being can make a billion dollars. That means I can make a billion dollars.

It's a unique perspective.

A changed destiny

When I got that first job as a developer, my entire fate changed.

That's the deeper reward!

Yes, getting that job was nice, but how I changed mentally is beyond priceless.

Many people find me inspiring. Many people find me strangely ambitious and driven.

However, many don't know the journey that changed me in so many ways.

Growing up as a kid, I always had two things in mind:

• I don't want to die having lived an average life

• I want to become filthy rich

I'm grateful to my younger self. Looking back, I still get goosebumps thinking about my entire journey.

How did you pull that off all alone?

• All the rejections

• All the negativity towards you

• Chasing your dream relentlessly

• Being alone every day

• Not giving up when you want to give up

• Continuing because you're scared that you're actually the dumb one who lived in a silly delusion

• The pandemic that's freaking everyone out

A harder grind

I grinded harder than I'd ever done after getting my first job.

The year 2021 was outstanding:

• All six weeks of paid vacation (from work) were used for the grind

• Read 40 books

• Build multiple side projects

• I sharpened my craft in every way possible

In 1.5 years:

• From underpaid to well-paid, making 6-figures

• From Junior to Senior developer

It was a hell of a journey.

The more I live, the more I accomplish.

The more I live, the more I see how much more I'm destined for.

Today

I'm more ambitious than I ever have been in my life.

With every drop of blood, I refuse to live and not see my ambitions become a reality.

It doesn't matter what happens in my life.

As long as I'm alive, it's a day to grow and become better than I've ever been.

Conclusion

Have the courage to create the destiny you desire.