From straight-B/C student to go-getter

Hopefully from my personal journey will save you some headache and heartache. As well as our most valuable resource, which is time.

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Caught up with a new friend at The Well for lunch recently and our conversation really got me thinking.

My friend asked….”do you ever relax?”

Many people who know me know think I’m “Type A” and a “go-getter” and an “overachiever” and and and…

These would absolutely not be the words you’d use on me if you met me a few years ago.

For the longest time, I had very low agency.

I let life happen to me, instead of me happening to life.

I didn’t even apply for universities after high school.

Although I wanted to apply to Emily Carr, one of the best art school in Canada, but I couldn’t even get my shit together, build a portfolio, and apply.

So I ended up in community college. Taking random courses.

I was also not self-aware.

I partied a lot.

I partied a lot for many, many, many years. Often till sunrise. For years.

In fact, I went to 3 music festivals in 3 countries in 3 weekends, back to back, in 2018. (Oh…and somehow…I am a morning person now….I have no idea how that happened…)

It took me 7 years to finish my bachelor’s degree (BBA). 7 years was the maximum they’d allow. Otherwise, I would have taken longer.

I failed calculus 4 times.

I failed accounting 101 2 times. I failed multiple other courses.

I simply cruised through life.

So this is all new…and I am still adapting to the new identity.

There were a few major catalyst in my life and I have changed fundamentally as person…

If you are fed up with your life, like I was, perhaps now is the time to take action.

If so, let’s chat.

1. 2018 - Starting Muay Thai - For 2 years, I couldn’t even jump rope properly, boxer style. It was the first time in my life that I learned if I stuck to something, worked at it, I could improve.

Prior to that, I had a fixed mindset.

What stuck with me was reading the slogan from Ambush Muay Thai:

2. 2019 - Reading Rich Dad Poor Dad, 4 Hour Workweek & BRRRR - I was under the spell and had a strong employee mindset prior to reading these 3 life-changing books. I was actually briefly in Austin at the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020.

Also, despite working for the world’s most established developers, I learned nothing about how to be a developer myself.

Right around now, I started listening to BiggerPockets podcasts as well.

3. 2020 - Severe covid lockdowns - the extreme lockdowns in Canada made me turn inwards. I thrived with my alone time. I avoided all calls from friends. I loved my alone time so much, I had to forced myself to move into a 3 bedroom with another couple.

I was getting too set in my ways. And I started building homes remotely with Naz, whom I met on the BiggerPockets forum just once in person prior to having to relocate back to Canada from Austin.

I thrived. I taught myself how to ice skate. Then I even started ice skating backwards.

I started consulting more for crypto companies. I loved my alone time to focus on my own projects.

More importantly: I started to listening more and more podcasts. From My First Million, All-In, Tim Ferriss, Tom Bilyeu, How I Built This to a LOT more. WHY is this important? As I was now surrounding myself with a new 5 people I spend the most time with….These podcasts were talking about big ideas and how to implement these idea….the struggles people have been through and how they overcome these struggles.

I was a fly on the wall in these rooms where thoughts come to live.

Podcasts transformed my life!

I even started biohacking. Fasting. Drinking AG1. Sleeping a lot. Shadowboxing outside. When it’s -40C/F out, I’d shadowbox in the (shitty ground floor) apartment.

4. 2021 - Coming across (and initially hating) Jordan Peterson - I hated Jordan Peterson so much. What did he know about my childhood? my struggles? my life? How dare that made me question my life choices? I sat with my feelings (mostly hatred) for many many many months, then I realized that I hated him as he was right…

…Prior to the these major life events, I was a quitter. I quit everything I tried and didn’t ace right away. I was aimless, insecure, hopeless and materialistic.

I had a strong victim mindset. I blamed my lack of ambition and drive on my abusive and turbulent childhood filled with physical and emotional abuse and extreme poverty.

I was deeply materialist as I was highly insecure. I had 55 pairs of shoes when I lived in Melbourne.

I sabotaged all the good things in my life.

I recently realized, not being capable of love isn’t as scary as being incapable of being loved.

I was so broken and I thrived in that victim mindset.

Years and years later, I am so glad I grew out of it. However…

5. 2024 - Moving back to Austin and finding out about Jesse’s death - I’m not a tree. If I cannot thrive in a place as it’s not aligned with my values, move. So I did. For the first months, I thrived. Then I found out my dear boyfriend from Australia, and someone I saw myself eventually building a life with, passed away at age 29 in his sleep for “no-reason”, I completely withdrew from people again.

Austin really fuels me. But it’s not always easy. I am not sure if I’ll ever be the same again, but I am trying.

Anyway, all of this is to say….honestly, if I can change my identity, you can too.

If you find any of my words useful, please share it with a friend.

Lots of love,

— Alice Huang

….And to go back to the previous question….”do you ever relax”? Most people don’t know that I usually start my workout around 4PM daily. I am home before 8PM 95% of the time. I go through stints where I am at Casa de Luz 3x, or more, a week….

So yeah, I’m pretty chill and take things pretty easy these days.

PS. Below are some of my fav life hacks and I’m sharing with the community. Check them out!!!~

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