By Karen the Girl

I recently published a new book Life Is Not a Multiple Choice Question. If you don't know me, you might assume this is an inspirational self-help book, but it's not. Actually, it's a book about how someone with no resources built up their compound income through slashing in just a few years. Those who've read it can actually apply these experiences to their own lives.

Let me briefly share my slashing experience. In 2016, I wanted to pursue my dream career but lacked the conditions and experience. At 26, I made the bold decision to take a pay cut of 10,000 to 20,000 yuan and switched from full-time employment to part-time work, positioning myself in the industry where I wanted to develop long-term.

Many people would think, "At 26? How could you dare?" Yes, looking back, it was a crazy decision, but I did it anyway. Now I see it was the right choice, but I was just as confused back then. I faced doubts from close friends and curiosity from part-time coworkers at work. You can only try to keep a low profile, but because I needed to maintain my livelihood, I started frantically taking on "gig work." Can you imagine? I even accepted writing news articles for content farms at 200 yuan per piece, and I even tackled running statistical software—a skill I barely knew—just pushing myself through. The bottom line was to make money first.

Even after getting a full-time job, the salary wasn't high, so I continued working 12 hours a day and freelancing 6 more hours each evening, sleeping less than 5 hours a night. I lived like this for about a year and a half… Three years later, a single article of mine could now earn 2 times a salaried employee's monthly income due to my accumulated experience and expertise. How did I do it?

In Life Is Not a Multiple Choice Question, I divided my slashing journey into three major stages: "Gig Economy," "Slashing," and "Personal Brand." And in terms of personal life progression, I can break it down into four steps: Startup Phase, Growth Phase, Stable Phase, and Reset Phase.

During the Startup Phase (Gig Economy), I took on individual projects with low per-piece income but high volume and time requirements. It took me about a year and a half to transition to the Growth Phase (Slashing).

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

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

During this transition period, I only spent twelve months—six months shorter than before. My income also doubled. Interestingly, during this period, the effort I put into side income decreased, and my body and mind became more balanced because I felt more in control of my life. I was no longer anxious or petty. Isn't this just like the compound effect? Except you're not investing in stocks—you're investing in yourself.

Many people want to know, "Is there a fast track to reaching the personal brand stage?" I don't want to sell you false dreams and encourage you to charge ahead with initial enthusiasm but burn out quickly. Because I want to know even more how to catch the right rocket and soar—to make the effort feel effortless. Unfortunately, you have to understand: if you want to stand firm when challenged by the world and receive applause, there really is no shortcut. But the good news is that no effort is ever wasted. All you can do is honor your own convictions, discover your passion, and face everything with sincerity and effort. Maybe that sounds too serious, but the world will return to you everything you deserve.

Life has no undo button. You must pay the price for your choices. Even if you need to invest a large tuition upfront and can't see when you'll break even, you still have to persist because only when you've endured all of this do you have the strength to speak with authority—rather than being eliminated when challenged by the world. Most people are still working hard; those already defined as successful are working even harder. I'm also still moving forward, so you are not alone.

In the book, there are more detailed CREATE principles, personal skills inventory, and personal brand positioning (WPV) that you can actually apply to your life to create your own compound returns.

Stop hesitating. Life Is Not a Multiple Choice Question—Click to purchase→https://pse.is/usacv