Comments on: B-School, Here I Come! http://livingoffdividends.com/2007/12/05/b-school-here-i-come/ Join me on my journey to achieve financial independence through dividends, passive income and investments Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:22:11 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.1 hourly 1 By: someone http://livingoffdividends.com/2007/12/05/b-school-here-i-come/comment-page-1/#comment-9438 someone Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:49:52 +0000 http://www.livingoffdividends.com/2007/12/05/b-school-here-i-come/#comment-9438 Congrats on your GMAT score. I am 34 wanting to start a part time MBA. I know you are 33. Do you think it is too late for us? All the best, Rsc Congrats on your GMAT score. I am 34 wanting to start a part time MBA. I know you are 33. Do you think it is too late for us?

All the best,
Rsc

]]> By: Phil http://livingoffdividends.com/2007/12/05/b-school-here-i-come/comment-page-1/#comment-2667 Phil Thu, 31 Jan 2008 06:18:10 +0000 http://www.livingoffdividends.com/2007/12/05/b-school-here-i-come/#comment-2667 Hi again, sorry for the delay. Being able to chase one's dreams is a big part of fulfillment. If the dream is just of 400K, then the dream is empty. But your dream seems to be more than just that and that is excellent. As you said, you need to get this 'out of your system', which is another way of saying 'I need to see if this is what will make me happy'. Most of us will be lucky to have such a strong message of a possible destiny. So for that, I say good luck and happy hunting. My life is far from ideal. The fact is, that I still do something that I don't enjoy for money. And even though it is a lot of money with tremendous freedom, at the end of the day, it is prostitution, there is no emotional or spiritual connection with the work. Those of different backgrounds and indeed, certain religions, might be quick to say, 'well that's why it's called work'. That my friends, is the biggest cop-out of them all and truly is an injustice against the life we have been given. At 36, I am working hard to get back in to the many things I have enjoyed in the past, things I let go for various reasons, most of which were oriented about goals of 'externally defined successes'. Making the change now is hard...it's easier when your young. So, when you detect some passion for what your doing, be sure to chase it down and 'get it into your system', lest you become another high priced prostitute, trading hours, weeks, days and years of your life for someone elses dream or worse, endless accumulation of things to attempt to fill that gap inside. But we all know, money can't make you happy, but it sure makes life easier! But as concerns for money abate, climbing to the top of that 'actualization pyramid' gets even harder. All the best. Phil Hi again, sorry for the delay. Being able to chase one’s dreams is a big part of fulfillment. If the dream is just of 400K, then the dream is empty. But your dream seems to be more than just that and that is excellent. As you said, you need to get this ‘out of your system’, which is another way of saying ‘I need to see if this is what will make me happy’. Most of us will be lucky to have such a strong message of a possible destiny. So for that, I say good luck and happy hunting.

My life is far from ideal. The fact is, that I still do something that I don’t enjoy for money. And even though it is a lot of money with tremendous freedom, at the end of the day, it is prostitution, there is no emotional or spiritual connection with the work. Those of different backgrounds and indeed, certain religions, might be quick to say, ‘well that’s why it’s called work’. That my friends, is the biggest cop-out of them all and truly is an injustice against the life we have been given. At 36, I am working hard to get back in to the many things I have enjoyed in the past, things I let go for various reasons, most of which were oriented about goals of ‘externally defined successes’. Making the change now is hard…it’s easier when your young. So, when you detect some passion for what your doing, be sure to chase it down and ‘get it into your system’, lest you become another high priced prostitute, trading hours, weeks, days and years of your life for someone elses dream or worse, endless accumulation of things to attempt to fill that gap inside. But we all know, money can’t make you happy, but it sure makes life easier! But as concerns for money abate, climbing to the top of that ‘actualization pyramid’ gets even harder.

All the best.

Phil

]]> By: Living Off Dividends http://livingoffdividends.com/2007/12/05/b-school-here-i-come/comment-page-1/#comment-2090 Living Off Dividends Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:29:37 +0000 http://www.livingoffdividends.com/2007/12/05/b-school-here-i-come/#comment-2090 Hi Phil, thanks for stopping by and offering your "unsolicited" advice. an MBA is something I will regret not getting. while working 80 hrs a week (your 50-60 hrs estimate is probably on the low side) is not something I relish, I hope it will be something that I enjoy. I spend ALL my free time reading investment/economy/finance stuff. I need to get this out of my system or I won't be happy. I have lived in Birmingham, London, Dorchester, Ahmedabad, Pune, Los Angeles and San Diego. You seem to be living the ideal life. Congrats! I'm inspired! Hi Phil,

thanks for stopping by and offering your “unsolicited” advice.

an MBA is something I will regret not getting. while working 80 hrs a week (your 50-60 hrs estimate is probably on the low side) is not something I relish, I hope it will be something that I enjoy.

I spend ALL my free time reading investment/economy/finance stuff. I need to get this out of my system or I won’t be happy.

I have lived in Birmingham, London, Dorchester, Ahmedabad, Pune, Los Angeles and San Diego.

You seem to be living the ideal life. Congrats! I’m inspired!

]]> By: Phil http://livingoffdividends.com/2007/12/05/b-school-here-i-come/comment-page-1/#comment-2086 Phil Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:08:01 +0000 http://www.livingoffdividends.com/2007/12/05/b-school-here-i-come/#comment-2086 First, a congratulations on the score and your accomplishment. It clearly is something that you are excited about. I would however, like to second Pavel's comments. While no one will doubt the value of an investment into a top-tier MBA, Word Up seems to be missing the (original) point of this blog, namely a qualitative improvement in lifestyle. 50-60 hr work weeks and 2-3 weeks of vacation for 250K may be acceptable to most Americans (of which I am one), but that still classifies as the rat race, just as it does at 700K or higher, unless of course you love your job more than what you do with the other hours of your day. My (unsolicited) advice here to you would be to do not give up the ideals that caused you to start this blog in the first place. Get your MBA and make a boat load of money for a few years and take no prisoners, do what you have to accumulate capital. But make a plan to get out of the race, using the strategies you've developed here. Even with 500-1000K of liquid assets, a passive income of 150-200K is relatively easy with a good head on your shoulders. As it seems you haven't quite been part of that race yet, the experience is certainly worth it, as will be the network of contacts you'll make and the opportunities it will open. But make no mistake about it, people and institutions will quickly offer up gobs of money in exchange for major portions of your life. The Wall St folks have implicitly bought into this, it isn't bad or good, it's just a lifestyle choice. And once you're in the paid more/buy more/paid more/buy more cycle, it's very difficult to escape. And contrary to what you might hear, getting paid 500K for a job you loath can only last so long. I wish you the best of luck, and regardless of the input, do not stop questioning your lifestyle: - Is this how I want to spend my 30's and 40's - Is my current lifestyle leaving me fulfilled, energized and empowered? - Am I a better boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse/family member? - Am I proud of what I am doing? (not what I am making) Again, best of luck. Phil - About me: I'm a 36 yo supercomputing engineer/consultant. Since finishing my MS/CS in 98, I have run a small consulting business anchored by some minor positions at universities locally and abroad. I work about 30% of the year, spend 3-6 months traveling (I'm an avid explorer), educating myself further and working for non-profits. I always have time and money for things that are important to me. My annual after-tax income averages around 90K and I have an investment portfolio and properties (passive income!!) worth about 500K. I have lived in SFO, Stockholm, Delhi, Seattle, LA, Boston, Tennessee, Baltimore and Sri Lanka. (SFO is still my fave.) First, a congratulations on the score and your accomplishment. It clearly is something that you are excited about. I would however, like to second Pavel’s comments. While no one will doubt the value of an investment into a top-tier MBA, Word Up seems to be missing the (original) point of this blog, namely a qualitative improvement in lifestyle. 50-60 hr work weeks and 2-3 weeks of vacation for 250K may be acceptable to most Americans (of which I am one), but that still classifies as the rat race, just as it does at 700K or higher, unless of course you love your job more than what you do with the other hours of your day.

My (unsolicited) advice here to you would be to do not give up the ideals that caused you to start this blog in the first place. Get your MBA and make a boat load of money for a few years and take no prisoners, do what you have to accumulate capital. But make a plan to get out of the race, using the strategies you’ve developed here. Even with 500-1000K of liquid assets, a passive income of 150-200K is relatively easy with a good head on your shoulders.

As it seems you haven’t quite been part of that race yet, the experience is certainly worth it, as will be the network of contacts you’ll make and the opportunities it will open. But make no mistake about it, people and institutions will quickly offer up gobs of money in exchange for major portions of your life. The Wall St folks have implicitly bought into this, it isn’t bad or good, it’s just a lifestyle choice. And once you’re in the paid more/buy more/paid more/buy more cycle, it’s very difficult to escape. And contrary to what you might hear, getting paid 500K for a job you loath can only last so long.

I wish you the best of luck, and regardless of the input, do not stop questioning your lifestyle:

- Is this how I want to spend my 30’s and 40’s
- Is my current lifestyle leaving me fulfilled, energized and empowered?
- Am I a better boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse/family member?
- Am I proud of what I am doing? (not what I am making)

Again, best of luck.

Phil

- About me: I’m a 36 yo supercomputing engineer/consultant. Since finishing my MS/CS in 98, I have run a small consulting business anchored by some minor positions at universities locally and abroad. I work about 30% of the year, spend 3-6 months traveling (I’m an avid explorer), educating myself further and working for non-profits. I always have time and money for things that are important to me. My annual after-tax income averages around 90K and I have an investment portfolio and properties (passive income!!) worth about 500K. I have lived in SFO, Stockholm, Delhi, Seattle, LA, Boston, Tennessee, Baltimore and Sri Lanka. (SFO is still my fave.)

]]> By: moom http://livingoffdividends.com/2007/12/05/b-school-here-i-come/comment-page-1/#comment-1231 moom Tue, 11 Dec 2007 03:36:57 +0000 http://www.livingoffdividends.com/2007/12/05/b-school-here-i-come/#comment-1231 Probably both ends of the quality/prestige spectrum provide value for money with the least value in the middle. But that's probably true of most education in the US. In other words the top schools provide prestige/networking opportunities as well as access to experts and the bottom schools cover the topics, while it's not clear what the value added of the middle ranked schools is or certainly whether it is worth the extra expense of the cheapest schools. Probably both ends of the quality/prestige spectrum provide value for money with the least value in the middle. But that’s probably true of most education in the US. In other words the top schools provide prestige/networking opportunities as well as access to experts and the bottom schools cover the topics, while it’s not clear what the value added of the middle ranked schools is or certainly whether it is worth the extra expense of the cheapest schools.

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