How an Ordinary Office Worker Gradually Took Back the Right to Choose in Life

Hi James,

Thank you for your long-term selfless teaching, companionship, and care. It has been almost a year since I last wrote to you.

Since I first encountered CLEC in 2024 and have kept learning until now, I have truly come to understand the weight of the phrase: "Being rich is a talent; happiness is a human right."

For an ordinary office worker like me, someone with no background, who in the past could only live by saving hard and putting money aside every month, and who had no real financial intelligence, CLEC's philosophy has truly been a great blessing.

I deeply agree with your long-term investing philosophy, and I have gradually realized that simply leaving money idle, letting inflation slowly erode it, is actually a great pity.

Therefore, after being encouraged by you at the end of 2024, I began my first "Han Xin mustering troops" credit loan, and built my own asset allocation strategy centered on the Nasdaq 100 index.

By this year, the speed of asset growth has already exceeded what an ordinary person like me could have imagined.

Currently, I have stable monthly employment income in Taiwan, and I continue to invest regularly every month. Therefore, at this stage, I do not need to withdraw living expenses from my assets.

Based on this condition, my current strategy remains relatively aggressive. I know I am a more optimistic investor who can "handle spicy food."

Now I often remind myself: I am one of the shareholders of the world's 100 strongest and most profitable companies.

To maintain competitiveness, these companies work very hard every year to create revenue and improve technology and services. The Nasdaq 100 itself also automatically removes the weak and keeps the strong.

I also look forward to the future. If outstanding companies such as SPCX, OpenAI, Anthropic, and others have the chance to enter the Nasdaq 100, it will make me feel even more hopeful about the future.

However, I also remind myself not to be overconfident. Therefore, at the end of every year, I still maintain discipline and make smart rebalancing decisions for leveraged funds, such as moving part of the profits back into core assets or defensive positions.

At the same time, I also keep about one year of emergency reserves, allowing myself to continue holding with peace of mind during major market volatility.

Beyond investing, your philosophy has also had a major influence on my attitude toward work.

Now, even when work pressure is heavy, I remind myself: "Just do your best. It does not matter. Either way is fine. It is okay."

Perhaps because of the subtle influence of you and the CLEC environment, I have become more grounded at the company and more willing to speak the truth.

My supervisors and colleagues all feel that I have developed a kind of inexplicable confidence and stability. Even in front of the company vice president, when discussing my views on the company's direction, strategy, organization, and work, I can remain sincere and frank.

Unexpectedly, this attitude became one of the reasons the vice president appreciated me.

This whole process feels truly unbelievable to me.

My current goal is to accumulate assets equal to roughly 15 to 20 times annual expenses between ages 40 and 45, and gradually take back the right to choose in life.

At that stage, I hope I can slowly move from the past mindset of "delayed gratification" toward better understanding how to "experience life," and put my time and resources into the people, things, and matters that are truly important.

Once again, thank you, James, for your selfless teaching all along the way. Your philosophy has not only helped me invest. It has also helped me understand anew the relationship among work, money, freedom, and life.

I have attached my current financial situation for your reference, and I also hope to let you know: your teaching is truly creating a deep impact in the life of an ordinary office worker.

I wish you peace, health, joy, and ease.