It's good to read how - brutally abbreviated - what helped you was YOU. Your mindset. It is often overlooked or disgarded how much your own mindset decides where you'll land in the future.

Also, I can totally relate with the free giving part. I'm a happy man with a nice family and a good tech job but my aim is to get my own company to where it provides me with enough income to make me independant. Through content, product development, etc.

Since the last 5 years or so, I've finally gotten to that point that talking about your ideas, sharing them without the fear of them getting stolen is what opens up a world of possibilities. Your own fear of getting ripped of and keeping stuff for yourself is what limits your world.

I'm still figuring out how to "reach the people" that I can help with my skillset (web/mobile app experience, startup ideas, quick IT solutions that provide value through code and non-code, ...) but I'm getting there:

- Just got my first $10 MRR on content via Medium

- My blog makes a mere $80/year on ads

- Affiliate sharing on resources I recommend gives me $5 MRR

All bits and pieces that will enforce each other over time.

Sharing is caring and consistency is key. That is how I hope to grow and become an independant person.

Take care, keep writing. It's inspiring to see you chose your own path. Brutally but fruitfully.