A life built with intention

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the life I want to build. More freedom with my time. Less worry about money. Work that gives me room to create, learn, and be present with the people I love.

But thinking about a different life and building one are two different things. This journal is where I’m bringing those two things closer together.

Starting with what I have

Right now, I’m working, studying finance, and helping run a small business with my wife. I’m also starting an eBay reselling business with sports and Pokémon cards, beginning with cards I already own.

My first financial goals are straightforward: pay off consumer debt and build a three-month emergency fund. After that, I want to begin investing for the long term, including learning more about dividend stocks. I’m still at the beginning of that process.

I want to document what it actually takes—the costs, the time, the mistakes, and the small decisions that add up. A sale is encouraging, but understanding the profit after fees and shipping is what helps me make a better next decision.

Earn. Learn. Live.

Those three words give this website its direction.

Earn means building skills and trying small business ideas that can create more breathing room. For me, that starts with reselling and learning how to use limited resources carefully.

Learn means staying curious. I enjoy business and personal development books, but I want to move beyond collecting ideas. What happens when I put one lesson into practice? What is useful, and what needs questioning? That is the part I want to share.

Live means remembering why any of this matters. I don’t want to become so focused on a future goal that I miss the life happening now. My wife, my interests, and the ordinary moments deserve space too.

Making room for creativity

Photography has always been part of how I see the world. Lately, film has given me a reason to slow down. With my Rolleicord and Canon Sure Shot, there are fewer frames and fewer chances to rush past a moment without really noticing it.

That slower approach is something I want to bring into the rest of my life. Be more thoughtful about what I buy, what I pursue, and how I spend the hours I have.

What you’ll find here

This will be a personal journal about financial independence, small business experiments, books, learning, and photography. Some posts will be practical. Others will be reflections on something I’m trying to understand.

I’m sharing the process as someone doing the work, rather than someone who has already reached the destination. There will be progress, mistakes, and changes of mind. I hope there will also be useful lessons for anyone starting from a similar place.

I’m starting with what I have, taking one step, and paying attention to what it teaches me.

Earn. Learn. Live.

— Brent