Lots of people have asked why I quit the agency and took 2 years offline…

So here’s the breakdown (of my breakdown/s 🤷‍♀️).

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18 - Joined the Army.

20 - Medically discharged (a.k.a. ‘retired’).

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24 - Finished a Criminology degree. Great job in Juvenile Justice.

25 - Relationship breakdown. Moved back to my parents place. Took a job I didn’t really like… stayed 4 years.

26 - Offered a great job in criminology, accepted. 8 weeks later they pulled the pin.

27 - Spent 12 months applying to be a Federal Agent; got rejected from my dream career at the last hurdle.

—

28 - Said f*ck it. Went on a round-the-world trip.

29 - Met my future wife. Finally quit the ‘secure job’. Started a gym-based PT business.

30 - Quit the gym. Moved my business online.

31 - Moved to the other side of the world (the UK).

32 - Realised PT wasn’t for me.

—

32 - Started copywriting. Had a breakdown. Moved back to Australia.

33 - Started a Master of Communication. COVID. Started a LinkedIn DM agency.

34 - Hired 1, then 3, then 5 staff. Mega growth, fast.

35 - Graduated. Went all-in on the agency.

36 - $500k a year, tracking for 7-figures.

Until I found out my best friend and employee had been stabbing me in the back and undermining all of the agency growth.

Agency in liquidation.

200k of my $$ gone.

Horrendous burnout.

Took a month off…

Then two…

Three...

Four.

—

37 - Started feeling human again.

Bought a motorbike.

Crashed said motorbike.

Two weeks in hospital.

Three months in a moon boot.

Still unpacking that one.

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38 - Tried to start writing again. Couldn’t. Anxiety won. Tried again at least 4 times. Still couldn’t.

39 years, 2 months, 2 days - Posted a Substack Note.

39 years, 2 months, 3 days - Posted another.

39 years, 2 months, 4 days - And another.

…

39 years, 5 months, 6 days - I’m still posting notes daily.

Not really sure what for, just enjoying writing and sharing my knowledge again.

—

So yeah, that’s my story. I wish I could wrap it up with some profound metaphor. But truth is…

• What looks like success can be abject failure.

• Sometimes people you love kick you in the teeth.

• And most of the time, life is just f*cking hard work.

But the fact that we can write words on the internet, and turn that into a living?

That’s incredible… and that’s my win for the day.