By Karen (少女凱倫)

I recently published a new book, Life Is Not a Multiple Choice Question, If you don't know me, you might assume this is a self-help book, but it's not. Actually, it's a book about personal compound returns through slash income—from someone with no resources to someone who controls them—over just a few years. Readers can actually apply these experiences to their own lives.

Let me share my slash income experience. In 2016, I wanted to pursue my dream career but lacked the conditions and experience. At 26, I made a bold decision: I took a salary cut of 10,000-20,000 yuan and switched from a full-time job to part-time work to position myself in the industry I wanted to develop in long-term.

Many people would think, "26 years old? How dare you?" Yes, looking back, it was a crazy decision, but I did it anyway. Now I think it was the right call, though I was just as confused back then. My friends questioned me, and my part-time coworkers were curious. I could only keep a low profile. But to make ends meet, I started taking on gigs frantically. Can you imagine? I even wrote articles for content farms for 200 yuan per piece, and I even forced myself to tackle jobs using statistical software—skills I wasn't confident in. The bottom line was: get the money first.

Even after I landed a full-time job, the salary wasn't high, so I continued working 12 hours at the office and 6 hours on side projects, sleeping less than 5 hours a day. I lived like this for about a year and a half… Three years later, a single article I write can now earn 2 times an office worker's monthly salary because of my accumulated expertise and credibility. How did I do it?

In Life Is Not a Multiple Choice Question, I divided my slash income experience into three major stages: "Gig Economy," "Slash Income," and "Personal Brand." On a personal level, I can break it down into four steps: Startup Phase, Growth Phase, Stability Phase, and Reset Phase.

In the Startup Phase (Gig Economy), the income per article was low, but there were many tasks requiring significant time investment. It took me about a year and a half to transition to the Growth Phase (Slash Income).

Before this phase transition, many people face the challenge of asking themselves, "What's the point of this?" or hearing others say, "Don't waste your time." If you're unclear about what you're really pursuing, you might give up easily and miss the opportunity to transform.

Once you enter the Growth Phase, the next stage is the Stability Phase (Personal Brand).

During this transition, I only spent twelve months—six months shorter than before—and my income grew exponentially. Interestingly, the effort I put into side income also decreased during this period, and my mind, body, and spirit began to balance as I gained control of my life. I stopped being anxious and petty. Isn't this exactly like the compound effect? Except you're investing not in stocks, but in yourself.

Many people want to know, "Is there a shortcut to reach the personal brand stage?" I don't want to sell you false dreams and push you to rush forward with enthusiasm but burn out quickly. Because I want to know even more than you do how to catch the right rocket and soar. Unfortunately, you have to understand: when the world challenges you and you want to stay grounded and earn applause, there really is no shortcut. But the good news is, the path you've walked is never wasted. All you can do is honor your own beliefs, find your passion, and tackle everything with heart and effort. Maybe it sounds overly serious, but the world will give back everything you deserve.

Life has no undo button. You must pay the price for your choices. Even if you have to invest a large sum in learning and can't see the return period, you still have to persevere. Because only when you get through it all will you have something worth talking about—otherwise, you'll be eliminated when the world challenges you. Most people are still trying; those who have been successful are trying even harder. I'm also still pushing forward, so you are not alone.

In the book, there are more detailed sections on the CREATE formula, personal skill inventory, and personal brand positioning (WPV), so you can actually apply them to your life and create your own compound returns.

Stop hesitating and grab Life Is Not a Multiple Choice Question → https://pse.is/usacv