Did I mess up? The devil's path + a lesson learned

Hello everyone. Lately, I’ve been distilling my various life phases into one singular direction, and I wanted to put it out there to get some perspective from those who might know better. 😉

I’ve walked away from college entirely.
I’ve deleted all my social media accounts for good.
I’ve cut ties with about 99% of people, leaving just my girlfriend and my parents.
I’ve bought over a hundred books on psychology and philosophy with the intention of deepening my self-understanding—fields I’ve always had an affinity for.
I’ve dedicated myself to daily reflection, thinking through how to decouple myself from the machine as much as possible.
I’ve embraced minimalism (getting rid of about 80% of my wardrobe, sticking to a specific diet, and refusing to spend money unless it's absolutely necessary).
I’ve started learning the ropes of investing and building passive income streams that could eventually overtake my primary income once I leave my current job.
The plan is to move out to the countryside with my girlfriend and live a quiet life, far removed from the noise of shallow people and the frantic pace of modern life.
I’ve replaced all my bad habits with ones that actually hold value.

Am I being realistic here, or have I completely sabotaged my future? Does this kind of mindset actually lead anywhere?

To be fair, if someone else had made these moves overnight, it would have been catastrophic. But I didn't just snap; I spent a long time sharpening my blade before I finally cut everything loose. Because of that, none of this feels overwhelming. In fact, after a long period of sleepwalking, indulgence,
and believing in fairy tales, I feel incredibly awake and driven.

A little story to wrap this up:

There was a man living in a coastal town who would spend his mornings fishing and selling his catch, his afternoons working on personal projects, and his evenings sitting by the beach with his wife and kids, drinking wine and playing the guitar.

One day, an American businessman arrived. He noticed the fisherman and approached him, asking if he could offer some advice.

The man agreed, and the American said, "I can help you significantly increase your sales. You could buy more boats and gear, hire a few employees, eventually move to a major city to start a firm, and ultimately end up in New York City running several global companies."

The man simply asked, "And how long would that take?"

"Well, maybe twenty or twenty-five years," the businessman replied.

The man asked, "And then what?"

The businessman answered, "Then you'll be able to fish in the mornings, work on yourself in the afternoons, and spend your evenings by the beach with your family, drinking wine and playing the guitar."

That resonates deeply with me. I’ve taken it to heart. What is the point of grinding every single day for someone else just to satisfy the emotional whims of others, or to remain enslaved to our own habits and useless clutter?
Establishing a meaningful existence is actually quite simple; it just requires the discipline to understand what a human being is truly meant for.

Why wait to actually live your life when you already know what you want and realize most of what the world chases isn't even real?

Thanks for reading. I'm open to any thoughts—whether it's practical advice on setting up a life in rural America or suggestions on what kind of work I should pursue.

I hope no one finds this topic out of place here, but to me, this is fundamentally about spirituality, self-discovery, and shattering the illusions of what we think is real versus what is just a fantasy of the mind.😵

Of course you're wrong. Honestly, just the fact that you feel the need to post about it says everything I need to know.

Drew Moore5 said:Of course you're wrong. Honestly, just the fact that you feel the need to post about it says everything I need to know.

That isn't really about "understanding" anything. I’m not posting this out of some desperate need for validation; I genuinely just want to hear about other people's experiences and the different stages they went through.

Honestly, it would have been pretty logical to ask about that beforehand.
The way you handled it, you just went ahead and finalized everything.
Now, we actually need to sit down and talk through what happened.

Drew Moore5 said:Honestly, it would have been pretty logical to ask about that beforehand.
The way you handled it, you just went ahead and finalized everything.
Now, we actually need to sit down and talk through what happened.

If I had asked beforehand, YOU would have just told me I was looking for permission from everyone. I’ve never really cared for people with that kind of attitude. 👎

Matthew Gomez2 said:If I had asked beforehand, YOU would have just told me I was looking for permission from everyone. I’ve never really cared for people with that kind of attitude. 👎

You're absolutely right about that, and you have my full support.

Matthew Gomez2 said:Hello everyone. Lately, I’ve been distilling my various life phases into one singular direction, and I wanted to put it out there to get some perspective from those who might know better. 😉

I’ve walked away from college entirely.
I’ve deleted all my social media accounts for good.
I’ve cut ties with about 99% of people, leaving just my girlfriend and my parents.
I’ve bought over a hundred books on psychology and philosophy with the intention of deepening my self-understanding—fields I’ve always had an affinity for.
I’ve dedicated myself to daily reflection, thinking through how to decouple myself from the machine as much as possible.
I’ve embraced minimalism (getting rid of about 80% of my wardrobe, sticking to a specific diet, and refusing to spend money unless it's absolutely necessary).
I’ve started learning the ropes of investing and building passive income streams that could eventually overtake my primary income once I leave my current job.
The plan is to move out to the countryside with my girlfriend and live a quiet life, far removed from the noise of shallow people and the frantic pace of modern life.
I’ve replaced all my bad habits with ones that actually hold value.

Am I being realistic here, or have I completely sabotaged my future? Does this kind of mindset actually lead anywhere?

To be fair, if someone else had made these moves overnight, it would have been catastrophic. But I didn't just snap; I spent a long time sharpening my blade before I finally cut everything loose. Because of that, none of this feels overwhelming. In fact, after a long period of sleepwalking, indulgence,
and believing in fairy tales, I feel incredibly awake and driven.

A little story to wrap this up:

There was a man living in a coastal town who would spend his mornings fishing and selling his catch, his afternoons working on personal projects, and his evenings sitting by the beach with his wife and kids, drinking wine and playing the guitar.

One day, an American businessman arrived. He noticed the fisherman and approached him, asking if he could offer some advice.

The man agreed, and the American said, "I can help you significantly increase your sales. You could buy more boats and gear, hire a few employees, eventually move to a major city to start a firm, and ultimately end up in New York City running several global companies."

The man simply asked, "And how long would that take?"

"Well, maybe twenty or twenty-five years," the businessman replied.

The man asked, "And then what?"

The businessman answered, "Then you'll be able to fish in the mornings, work on yourself in the afternoons, and spend your evenings by the beach with your family, drinking wine and playing the guitar."

That resonates deeply with me. I’ve taken it to heart. What is the point of grinding every single day for someone else just to satisfy the emotional whims of others, or to remain enslaved to our own habits and useless clutter?
Establishing a meaningful existence is actually quite simple; it just requires the discipline to understand what a human being is truly meant for.

Why wait to actually live your life when you already know what you want and realize most of what the world chases isn't even real?

Thanks for reading. I'm open to any thoughts—whether it's practical advice on setting up a life in rural America or suggestions on what kind of work I should pursue.

I hope no one finds this topic out of place here, but to me, this is fundamentally about spirituality, self-discovery, and shattering the illusions of what we think is real versus what is just a fantasy of the mind.😵

The concept itself appeals to me.
However, I suspect that finishing college should probably have come before pulling the trigger on all this.
I I suppose that’s just how we mature... at least that’s my take on it, and honestly, I suspect most people would agree.
The path toward self-actualization isn't some one-size-fits-all roadmap, so why on earth are you so certain that this minimalist approach is actually meant for you?

Quincy:

There was this guy living on the coast—just a simple life. He’d head out to fish in the mornings, sell his catch, spend some time working on himself, and then wrap up the day sitting by the beach with his wife and kids, sipping wine and playing guitar. - One day, an American businessman rolls up. He spots the guy fishing, walks over, and asks if he can offer him some advice. - The guy says sure, so the businessman tells him: "I can help you scale this up fast. You'll boost your sales, buy a few more boats and rods, hire a crew... eventually, you could move to a major city, start a corporation, and end up running a global empire out of New York City." - The guy just looks at him and asks, "How long is that going to take?" - "Oh, maybe 20 or 25 years," the businessman replies. - The guy: "And then what?" The American: "Then you get to fish in the morning, work on yourself in the afternoon, and spend your evenings by the beach with your family, drinking wine and playing guitar."

Missing the punchline here:
The guy: "Funny enough, I actually started that exact project 25 years ago!" 😍

Matthew Gomez2 said:Hello everyone. Lately, I’ve been distilling my various life phases into one singular direction, and I wanted to put it out there to get some perspective from those who might know better. 😉

I’ve walked away from college entirely.
I’ve deleted all my social media accounts for good.
I’ve cut ties with about 99% of people, leaving just my girlfriend and my parents.
I’ve bought over a hundred books on psychology and philosophy with the intention of deepening my self-understanding—fields I’ve always had an affinity for.
I’ve dedicated myself to daily reflection, thinking through how to decouple myself from the machine as much as possible.
I’ve embraced minimalism (getting rid of about 80% of my wardrobe, sticking to a specific diet, and refusing to spend money unless it's absolutely necessary).
I’ve started learning the ropes of investing and building passive income streams that could eventually overtake my primary income once I leave my current job.
The plan is to move out to the countryside with my girlfriend and live a quiet life, far removed from the noise of shallow people and the frantic pace of modern life.
I’ve replaced all my bad habits with ones that actually hold value.

Am I being realistic here, or have I completely sabotaged my future? Does this kind of mindset actually lead anywhere?

To be fair, if someone else had made these moves overnight, it would have been catastrophic. But I didn't just snap; I spent a long time sharpening my blade before I finally cut everything loose. Because of that, none of this feels overwhelming. In fact, after a long period of sleepwalking, indulgence,
and believing in fairy tales, I feel incredibly awake and driven.

A little story to wrap this up:

There was a man living in a coastal town who would spend his mornings fishing and selling his catch, his afternoons working on personal projects, and his evenings sitting by the beach with his wife and kids, drinking wine and playing the guitar.

One day, an American businessman arrived. He noticed the fisherman and approached him, asking if he could offer some advice.

The man agreed, and the American said, "I can help you significantly increase your sales. You could buy more boats and gear, hire a few employees, eventually move to a major city to start a firm, and ultimately end up in New York City running several global companies."

The man simply asked, "And how long would that take?"

"Well, maybe twenty or twenty-five years," the businessman replied.

The man asked, "And then what?"

The businessman answered, "Then you'll be able to fish in the mornings, work on yourself in the afternoons, and spend your evenings by the beach with your family, drinking wine and playing the guitar."

That resonates deeply with me. I’ve taken it to heart. What is the point of grinding every single day for someone else just to satisfy the emotional whims of others, or to remain enslaved to our own habits and useless clutter?
Establishing a meaningful existence is actually quite simple; it just requires the discipline to understand what a human being is truly meant for.

Why wait to actually live your life when you already know what you want and realize most of what the world chases isn't even real?

Thanks for reading. I'm open to any thoughts—whether it's practical advice on setting up a life in rural America or suggestions on what kind of work I should pursue.

I hope no one finds this topic out of place here, but to me, this is fundamentally about spirituality, self-discovery, and shattering the illusions of what we think is real versus what is just a fantasy of the mind.😵

Look, nobody on this forum knows you well enough to give you a straight answer to that. What does your girlfriend think about all of this?

Is she on the same page as you about all this?

Pretty much, yeah. I’ve got a similar game plan in mind, but man, there’s still so much legwork to do—sorting out the technical stuff, hunting for the right plot of land or a house, actually pulling the trigger on the purchase...

If you aren't satisfied with the results, then you simply didn't execute the task correctly.

If you choose to view that outcome as some sort of victimhood, then you're missing the point entirely.

🧐

I honestly feel like I’ve just walked straight into a total mess—it’s been one thing after another!

Look, at the end of the day, you should work however you see fit. Generally speaking, the less you have to deal with people, the happier you’ll be—there's just less friction that way. But, if you’re someone who has a history of making impulsive calls and then spending half your life regretting them, well... let's just say the universe is definitely playing a bit of a prank on you.

I guess the biggest issue with this whole "isolated paradise" fantasy is the kids. And from what I can tell, you’re actually planning on having them—which, man, good luck with that. Once they hit public school and face the real world, they’re gonna see what everyone else has. If you aren't providing everything their classmates have, they’ll probably just shut down at first—then eventually, they might even turn on you. To avoid that total meltdown, reality's gonna hit you hard, and you'll end up grinding through every job you can find just to keep them from feeling left out. There's that old saying about how you only truly grow up once you stop putting yourself first—usually happens the second you have kids. Though, I suppose there are those rare types who prioritize others regardless of blood—like doctors or whatever.
And maybe you’re sitting there thinking—how am I even supposed to explain to my kids that life isn't all about rocking Nike sneakers or designer sweats? Like, they can look totally fine in some cheap stuff from Target, but they’re still gonna feel left out—I guess. It'll be because they missed that one big trip, or you didn't shell out for those fancy private language tutors, or they aren't playing any sports, or they missed out on summer vacation... or hell, even just not having enough for an ice cream. There's always gonna be something—it's just how it is—and you'll end up feeling like you failed them, or at least like you aren't doing as much as everyone else.

It’s easy for those high-and-mighty types—popes, bishops, even the Dalai Lama—to spout all that deep philosophy, I guess... but once you've actually got kids to look after? Reality hits you like a freight train—and then you finally get what life is actually about, you know? What it means to live—and how fast it all slips away.

Terry Martinez10 said:The concept itself appeals to me.
However, I suspect that finishing college should probably have come before pulling the trigger on all this.
I I suppose that’s just how we mature... at least that’s my take on it, and honestly, I suspect most people would agree.
The path toward self-actualization isn't some one-size-fits-all roadmap, so why on earth are you so certain that this minimalist approach is actually meant for you?

To be honest, I never really wanted to finish a traditional degree, nor was I really able to; I've been an adjunct student at a state university, which basically means my only interaction with campus life is showing up to take an exam at the end of the semester. I just didn't see the point in shelling out thousands of dollars for a liberal arts degree just to walk away with a piece of paper from Quincy when everything I would have learned could have been picked up on my own. It felt more productive to spend my time reading what I actually cared about rather than following a syllabus someone else designed for me.

That said, the idea of a minimalist lifestyle really resonates with me. I don't necessarily mean a strict, ascetic version of minimalism, but I've come to realize just how much excess and unnecessary luxury we surround ourselves with. We'll see how it plays out.

Joseph Bailey41 said:Look, nobody on this forum knows you well enough to give you a straight answer to that. What does your girlfriend think about all of this?

She’s basically just a female version of me—which, let's be honest, is a rare find, maybe even one of a kind.

Morgan Hall4 said:Is she on the same page as you about all this?

Pretty much, yeah. I’ve got a similar game plan in mind, but man, there’s still so much legwork to do—sorting out the technical stuff, hunting for the right plot of land or a house, actually pulling the trigger on the purchase...

We’re on the exact same page. I actually already own my property and have everything set up; it might need some minor upgrades, but I wouldn't say I'm just halfway there. The real second half of the puzzle is figuring out how to sustain myself once I actually make the move. I don't think I'd lean solely on traditional farming just to sell crops, though; I'd much rather focus on mastering newer technologies that allow me to work remotely from home.

Dennis Bennett28 said:I honestly feel like I’ve just walked straight into a total mess—it’s been one thing after another!

Look, at the end of the day, you should work however you see fit. Generally speaking, the less you have to deal with people, the happier you’ll be—there's just less friction that way. But, if you’re someone who has a history of making impulsive calls and then spending half your life regretting them, well... let's just say the universe is definitely playing a bit of a prank on you.

Everything we choose might end up being wrong, but in the heat of the moment, it usually doesn't feel that way. I might have walked straight into a trap myself, but at the end of the day, I'm ready to own my mistakes. What matters is that I refuse to walk down paths where I already know how the story ends; this is supposed to be an unpredictable journey, full of unexpected turns.

Linda Wood96 said:I guess the biggest issue with this whole "isolated paradise" fantasy is the kids. And from what I can tell, you’re actually planning on having them—which, man, good luck with that. Once they hit public school and face the real world, they’re gonna see what everyone else has. If you aren't providing everything their classmates have, they’ll probably just shut down at first—then eventually, they might even turn on you. To avoid that total meltdown, reality's gonna hit you hard, and you'll end up grinding through every job you can find just to keep them from feeling left out. There's that old saying about how you only truly grow up once you stop putting yourself first—usually happens the second you have kids. Though, I suppose there are those rare types who prioritize others regardless of blood—like doctors or whatever.
And maybe you’re sitting there thinking—how am I even supposed to explain to my kids that life isn't all about rocking Nike sneakers or designer sweats? Like, they can look totally fine in some cheap stuff from Target, but they’re still gonna feel left out—I guess. It'll be because they missed that one big trip, or you didn't shell out for those fancy private language tutors, or they aren't playing any sports, or they missed out on summer vacation... or hell, even just not having enough for an ice cream. There's always gonna be something—it's just how it is—and you'll end up feeling like you failed them, or at least like you aren't doing as much as everyone else.

It’s easy for those high-and-mighty types—popes, bishops, even the Dalai Lama—to spout all that deep philosophy, I guess... but once you've actually got kids to look after? Reality hits you like a freight train—and then you finally get what life is actually about, you know? What it means to live—and how fast it all slips away.

I hadn't really looked at things from that angle before, so I truly appreciate the sentiment behind that message—thank you. I’m still figuring out the exact roadmap, but my plan is to dive into software engineering and eventually build a business alongside my girlfriend; we both intend to live as minimally as possible. For us, money won't ever be an issue, but we don't want to treat it like some sacred object; to us, it’s more of a tool or even a bit of an illusion. My thought is to provide my kids with everything they might need, and then later on, have those deeper conversations with them about what it all actually means. Growing up, things were pretty tough for me—we struggled financially, and there was a real lack of communication with my parents. For a long time, that felt incredibly unfair and painful, and while I've reached a point where I can look back and accept it as part of my journey, the sting of it hasn't entirely disappeared. I don't want my children to go through that same kind of hardship, but more importantly, I want to make sure they have the open dialogue that I missed out on. To me, that connection is just as vital as anything else.

Matthew Gomez2 said:To be honest, I never really wanted to finish a traditional degree, nor was I really able to; I've been an adjunct student at a state university, which basically means my only interaction with campus life is showing up to take an exam at the end of the semester. I just didn't see the point in shelling out thousands of dollars for a liberal arts degree just to walk away with a piece of paper from Quincy when everything I would have learned could have been picked up on my own. It felt more productive to spend my time reading what I actually cared about rather than following a syllabus someone else designed for me.

That said, the idea of a minimalist lifestyle really resonates with me. I don't necessarily mean a strict, ascetic version of minimalism, but I've come to realize just how much excess and unnecessary luxury we surround ourselves with. We'll see how it plays out.

I get it,
Take me, for instance; I work remotely and people love to label me a "digital nomad," but I can tell you firsthand that it isn't quite the absolute freedom people imagine it to be. Whatever line of work you choose, there is always going to be a partner, a customer, or a client on the other side, and if you want to keep that relationship alive, you inevitably have to compromise and give up a certain amount of your own autonomy.

Terry Martinez10 said:I get it,
Take me, for instance; I work remotely and people love to label me a "digital nomad," but I can tell you firsthand that it isn't quite the absolute freedom people imagine it to be. Whatever line of work you choose, there is always going to be a partner, a customer, or a client on the other side, and if you want to keep that relationship alive, you inevitably have to compromise and give up a certain amount of your own autonomy.

I actually had that realization just yesterday, though if I'm weighing remote work against the traditional office grind, working from home still takes the win:

- There's no soul-crushing commute, I don't have to deal with annoying coworkers every single day, I have my own comfortable space to focus, I don't stress about what to wear, and in my specific situation, being at home is much better than living in a cramped rental.

Anyway, what do you guys do? If you can't say here, feel free to shoot me a DM. I'm currently hunting for more remote work ideas while teaching myself how to code, but man, it feels like a very long road ahead.