Backstory Part 1 - 18 / 08 / 2025

Sunday, August 18th, 2025: Reflecting on the Journey That Led Me Here

Today marks 2,934 days since I quit smoking. That was the day a gradual change began to envelope my life.

I didn’t just quit cigarettes; I quit alcohol and walked away from every intoxicating substance in my life at the time; including people! That single decision forced me to face reality head-on — no more excuses, no more fog, no more hiding from myself. It was a monumental turning point that helped me begin forging a new path with real purpose. It felt like a rebirth.

By August 2017, sobriety was the centrepiece of my life. In April 2018, I returned to education to pursue my passion for horticulture. By June 2019, I was eager to advance toward degree-level courses, ready to go all the way.

Then the path collapsed beneath me.

After I aced my second-year of studies, the college suddenly dropped the next level I needed, citing funding issues due to low enrolment. The only other college offering the course was 31 miles away—an impractical distance for someone reliant on public transport. My previous college had been just 3.4 miles from home. When my car broke down early on, I switched to buses and walking. Despite the challenge, I became one of the few students who were always early, never took a day off with an eagerness for success; a stark contrast to my past trait of chronic lateness. Losing that convenient option stung. It was a fork in the road I could’ve don’t without.

With my horticulture plans blocked, I had to pivot. The haulage industry was short of drivers, so it seemed like a logical move. I began training for my Class 2 HGV licence in September 2019, but before I could take the actual driving test, the pandemic hit and derailed everything. It felt like the universe was determined to stall me.

Finally, in September 2021, I landed my first trucking job. Passing the test felt like new found freedom. I was on the road, earning, and rebuilding. My plan was to drive for a short while, save some cash, buy a reliable car, and then return to studying by pursuing horticulture at Pershore College.

But here I am, entering my fourth year behind the wheel. Life had other plans.

The car I wanted to buy required me to get a loan. I’d asked my dad for help, but he refused. Honestly, I can’t blame him. My track record with money and bad habits gave him little reason to trust I’d repay him. His lack of faith stung, but it also lit a fire in me.

I took out a bank loan instead with a three-year repayment plan. This month, August 2025, I made the final payment. No missed deadlines, no delays—just consistency. The weight that lifted felt incredible, even if only for a few days. The accomplishment was huge for me. Back in 2003, I’d bought a car on finance without a job or savings, a reckless and naïve decision that hurt my credit indefinitely. But today, I’ve proven to myself that I can plan, commit, and deliver. I even built my credit score up from mid-350 to over 950 since I started trucking.

Handling my finances like an adult is new territory. I wish I’d understood money years ago, but maybe my setbacks were necessary to shape my discipline. I’m now ambitious. I want financial freedom, but not necessarily from a sudden windfall. I’ve learned that wealth earned through effort teaches a respect for money that accidental wealth never can. People who build their fortune tend to know how to grow it, preserve it, and still enjoy life, whereas accidental wealth often leads to reckless splurging and regret.

My life experiences have shaped a deep respect for money and for life itself. Now, I’m heading on a journey towards learning how to build generational wealth. My own story is still being written; this is just Chapter One. The investor’s playbook I’m helping to create may be one of my golden tickets—not just to wealth, but to proving that I really did get my life back on track, just in the nick of time.