I Followed a Path That was Well Worn But It Only Lead Me to Struggle.

Like many of you I listened to my elders, parents, friends and counselors while I was in high school. I was an above average student that did quite well on my University entrance exams. School for me was never a challenge. I was the student many of you hated. I would go home and play basketball for hours and then play video games after dark. Homework was not something I did. I literally did not care how it hurt my grades as long as I graduated with a B average.

Then after a missionary trip, brainwashed as a child, I decided I wanted to be a Doctor but my Father told me straight up that he would not pay for my University. So I looked around and decided I would not qualify for any scholarships or financial aid because we were a middle class family. So I graduated from East High School in Rochester, NY and decided to join the US Navy as a Hospital Corpsman (Nurse on Steroids). I hoped that this path could lead me to medical school.

Within a year of being in the Navy, I figured out that I did not want to be a Doctor. Medicine really did not interest me. The best medicine could do for me was pay the bills. So I stayed in the Navy for seven years, traveling and collecting my paycheck. I pursued a bachelors degree in Aviation Safety at night because I loved planes. I ended up 3 classes short of my bachelors but finished my major. Why would I want to take statistics?

Me in 1993

What Do I With My Life?

In 1999 I left the Navy I did not know what the hell to do. To make this as uncomplicated as possible I will share with you how crazy my life was for the next 10 years.

99-01

I moved to Columbus Ohio and worked as a pizza delivery guy while I attended one semester of Bible College. In 2000 I took a job as a sales person at Sprint PCS where I made great money. I also worked with the Youth Group at our church. We had about 400 kids in our youth group. It was a fun time of my life but also a confusing time. This is when I lost my religion.

The Confusion was Real.

Part of 01

I moved home to Rochester NY and once again worked with Sprint PCS. Life Sucked! I was so lonely, the weather was bad and I was not making the money that I made in Columbus.

02

My Moroccan friends from Columbus convinced me to move back in order to help them with their business. Why not, so I packed my bags and moved back. We had fun but I was not accomplishing anything. So I decided it was time to give up my dreams and go get my RN (Registered Nurse) degree.

03-06

Once again I moved back to Rochester NY where I attended Monroe Community College. I used my GI Bill and lived with my best friend for the first year. I hated school but I made so many great friends at this time. I also was able to land a great job at a local hospital working as a mental health tech (counselor). I quit school before the next semester because I was making decent money.

The Shit I Have Seen Can't be Unseen.

Then I tried my hand at a government job. I joined the Veterans Administration. I quit after 3 months because it was unbearable. Thank goodness I never quit my position at the hospital.

So I continued on at the hospital working 70 hours weeks. I would work 6 months and then take long vacations. I would often travel to Ethiopia.

06-08

I moved to Tampa, Florida with my Brother who was a Navy Chief working at the Air Force base. He invited me down to help him build a side business he joined. We worked with Doctors setting up vitamin stores in Doctors offices. We had fun and partied like rock stars. We were hanging out with professional athletes and very wealthy people. This was my first chance to see the possibilities of life.

Then my Brother was shipped off to Iraq for a year, the economy collapsed and I had no place to live. So I took a job at a local hospital working once again as a mental health counselor. I also was forced to move 30 minutes away from downtown because I could not afford to live in South Tampa any longer.

After working my butt off for six months I decided it was time to take a vacation. So I went to Ethiopia once again and upon my return I found out my boss was letting me go. WTF!

Randy, You're Fired.

I spent the next few months confused. Thankfully my Brother returned from Iraq before I ended up homeless. I moved back in with him but I was literally destitute. My car loan was 3 months behind so they repossessed it. I called one of my best friends and she let me borrow $600 to buy a Trek bicycle to get around with.

I knew one of the nurse managers at another local hospital so I would call her every week asking if there were any positions available. After the 8th or 9th week she said, "come in for an interview". So I rode my bike to the interview in sweltering heat with my suit packed in my bike bags. I changed in the Emergency room bathroom. I was hired on the spot and started the following week.

Financially the beginning of 2008 was great for me. I was able to build up savings and buy a nice stack of silver and gold. Then my Brother got married, left the Navy and we all decided to move back to Rochester, NY. Here we go again. This time I made the decision following someone else's lead. What the hell was I thinking? I had a great job in Tampa and a simple life!

08-10

After a few months home I took a job at a VW and Mazda dealership in sales. I also asked my parents to help me buy a house. We bought a foreclosure and fixed it up. Here is the article I wrote about the house, "Sometimes Doing What Everyone Else Says is Crazy is the Best Option in Real Estate."

My House in Rochester.

Life was relatively easy in Rochester. I had a house, a good job and my family was nearby. The problem was that I was unfulfilled. I did not feel like I was doing anything with my life.

11-Now

So in mid 2010 I visited Panama for a week. I returned again in January and decided that living in the US was not for me. So I reluctantly let someone rent out my house and I made the jump. In the beginning it was rough. I had less than $5k to my name when I made the move.

Panama 2010.

I had a job lined up before leaving but it was commission only. That did not scare me because I have been in sales on and off for years. I excelled beyond what I could ever imagine. The owners of the company asked me how I was doing it. I told them I was using social media to find leads. They then asked me if I wanted to be a partner in a new marketing company.

I Found My Path.

After a decade of having zero direction I found my way. That partnership only lasted one year but it led me to start my own company with @AnaHilarski and the rest is history. We went on to building a niche company in the world of Crypto Currency. Our rise was not without its own difficulties but I did not care because I knew I found what direction I should go in.

Crypto Christmas 2017 with Us.

If You Have Not Found Your Path Yet Don't Worry.

You don't have to be as unhitched as I was. The key is always to be searching and trying new things. My uncertainty made relationships, work and everything in my life more difficult. I recommend having something solid as a base while you are searching for your true inner desires.