About Me


A spark inside of me recently ignited into a flame!

I was strolling down the ‘typical’ American life – debt, 9-5 job, occasional vacation – but somewhere deep inside I had an itch for more.

Was life bad?  Of course not!  I was successful in the traditional sense.  Great jobs (CPA), great incomes (I can’t complain), great wife, and great families!  There was just this lingering inner feeling of not being fulfilled.  My current life just didn’t fit me.

When asked at their retirement parties, colleagues would respond to the proverbial “what’s next” with, “I can finally take that trip to Paris.”  Walking back to my office, I would think to myself, Wow!  Not me!  I want to see places and experience life now!

I wanted to see the world on my own timeline.  I wanted to answer only to myself on how successful of a career I had.  I wanted to control my finances…control my own life!

Luckily, my wife (my partner, my best friend) had similar feelings.

After stumbling across (fellow Portlander) Chris Guillebeau’s book “The Art of Non-Conformity”, life as I knew it was over!

With the internal struggle decided, we made changes!

·         Paid off $70,000 in debt!  (Two years on and we’re still completely debt free.)

·         Started a business!

·         Traveled internationally (Thailand, France, Morocco, Iceland, Cuba), with more international trips planned within the year!

·         Backpacked the Grand Canyon!

·         Saving for an amazing adventure! (More to come...)

All of this, while still enjoying our weekends in Portland, OR.  (Amazing restaurants, farmer’s markets, hiking and camping, and great friends).  We haven’t sacrificed a thing – okay, maybe an iPad!  (To see how we did it, read the Unexploited Finance series.)

We still have our day jobs.  But they’ve turned from a means of paying our monthly bills, into a means to fund our financial and life priorities (currently travel, the approaching adventures, and a future retirement).  Having no debt, no overhead from past indulgences hanging over our heads, our jobs have become much less ‘required’.  They’re now our tool…we’re in control!

But…some days I still find myself discontented with this process…it’s too slow for me…I want more.

Which is where Unexploited Life comes in.

I hope to document my journey, to pull me through difficult patches and remind me of what life really is.

A balance between all things, not permanent - and something to be exploited!

Here you’ll find my thoughts, musings, writings, advice, stories, and possibly some tips on living life to its fullest!

Please follow along and share your own exploitation of life.

Yours in exploiting life!

Quinn

2 comments:

  1. Hey Quinn,
    Michelle told me about your blog. I wasn't satisfied with the typical 9-5 life either. The job was just too stressful and unfulfilling. Life is too short to be stressed out all the time. Good luck with your journey!

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  2. Thanks, Joe! It's such a small world, I'm a fan of your blog!

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