Reading these posts motivated me. I recently left a well paid management position with the world’s largest retailer to follow a passion of mine in education and to give me more time with my family. Although I don’t think public education is the right fit for me, it allowed me to realize I can control my own life. I don’t know what the right career is for me, and to be quite honest it is uncomfortable making less money and being so uncertain about my future, but I love the idea that I may find or create something I am truly passionate about.

Shane you speak of the need for basic financial education in schools and it is finally taking place. The state, in which I live, Missouri, now requires that all high school students complete a course in personal finance prior to graduation. They are taught basic money management i.e. budgeting, basic mortgage principles, etc. So some steps are being made, slowly.

In my own little myopic worldview, I can believe that the future for your ideal is very near. But living in Brevard County, known for NASA (Space Shuttle program) and a bucketload of defense contractors and all those who feed off that system, it’s hard to maintain hope.

I loved your apprenticeship analogy. How true that is for the time being. And how right you are that if it doesn’t blossom out of that system, we’ll all be forever cast as pajama-wearing telecommuters.

You are all awesome and I love the attitude.

@Rose – I think it is really cool making the concious decision to support local businesses. That said (ditto to Shirley) I have always believed that just because you are small and local does not mean you can get away without being competitive. If you can’t beat the big stores with lower prices then you need to sell something else of value, either high quality service, personal relationships….

@Stephanie – that is an awesome proclimation. You have been such a sweet and kind vocal supporter of our 2008 goals and I can wait to see you gather up you courage and make the leap. We are here for you.

@Naomi – It is definitely specific to our generation. I wonder though if the following generation will come to the same conclusion we did or if this is a byproduct of having experiences the bubble crash so intimately during our formative career years? Will they be more open to business (we are kind of a jaded group us Xers)?

Harrison – can’t wait to see the post & Joshua – they are good dreams aren’t they? No what are your goals and what vehicle will take you in that direction?

There’s really no reason why you can’t do work that you love, have time for your family and to do things that interest you, and have a comfortable living all at once. Why can’t we have our cake and eat it too, right?

This is an excellent time for everyone who shares these ideas to get together and re-shape the world how we want it to be. And I hope everyone here has their dreams fulfilled for the next year and many to come!

And I want to be able to help others do the same.

I love the Internet and think that this free exchange of ideas is really helping people find others of similar interests and the courage through stories like this to take a risk. Once people take control of their own salaries, the traditional business models will eventually change to the new ideal.

It’s a very optimistic time. Good luck to everyone!

This post is great and extremely empowering. I’ve made the decision that at the end of February, I’m an official contractor.

I have some pretty lofty goals over the next 6 months to a year and the only way I’ll be able to achieve these goals is to work for myself.

I want to thank each of you for inspiring me to take this leap. I met Shane and Peter in August and at that time I wasn’t ready to be independent, but since then something has been brewing inside of me.

I like sitting in my living room working. I like being independent – in control of where I’m going.

I’m tired of driving over a big mountain – for over an hour – to get to a j-o-b.

I’m tired of working for someone that isn’t passionate about what I’m passionate about.

I’m ready to make a difference and change the world.

I’m with you. This is an exciting time. I love this industry. I get passionate just thinking about it. We are in a very new, almost pioneer-like, time period.

We will see many, many changes over the next year and beyond. Changes in education, social networking, communities – online and offline, and the way people communicate.

I don’t want to be sitting at some desk while everything is booming all around me. No way. I’m going to be right there in the middle helping mold and shape this new world.

Together we can all make a difference.