While living in my 20s has been full of joy and happiness, life in my 30s has been about overcoming what seem to be insurmountable challenges. I’m 39 years old this year. Since this is the final year of my 30s, I believe it is an ideal time to reflect and share the challenges of this decade. I hope life in my 30s can serve as a learning experience, guide or even solution to some of you who may face similar challenges during the same phase of life.
Accountant In The Making
In my late 20s, I was working in the banking industry. Having spent about two years in the industry, I concluded that being a banker was not something I would love to do for the rest of my life. Therefore, I decided to leave my banking role and pursue ACCA in the hope of being an accountant.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have the luxury to pursue a full-time study in ACCA. Just like everyone else, I had bills to pay. The best option I had was to work full-time and studied part-time for the ACCA.
I enjoyed spending time studying for ACCA. However, to balance between a full-time job and part-time study was an entirely different thing.
Balancing Work And Study
I spent the first couple of years in my 30s learning how to balance a full-time job and part-time study.
Being a late entrance into the accounting industry, the strategy I adopted was cost-leadership. That means I reduced my salary expectation in exchange for the learning experience. This strategy helped to open up more options for me. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work in various accounting roles in both MNCs and growth companies during the period. As I needed time to attend ACCA classes in the evening, I selectively chose a company that requires little or no OT.
The strategy worked well. It allowed me to gain the maximum level of experience and maximised my results in ACCA.
The Journey To Be Freelance Accountant
I love to learn. My 9-to-5 jobs had given me tremendous opportunities to pick up relevant accounting skills and experience. However, the learning curve appeared to have flattened during the second half of my 30s. The accounting tasks had turned repetitive.
I decided to challenge myself at a higher level. I left my 9-to-5 job and pursued life as a freelance accountant. The first year of becoming a freelance accountant had not been easy. In the corporate world, we used to outsource some parts of accounting and taxation duties. However, I will not have to perform them myself as a freelance accountant. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy executing each of them. Nevertheless, the learning curve could be extremely steep – especially during the first year.
Family Circumstances
I will leave the details out from this article. However, family circumstances that happened in the second half of my 30s have left me with no other option but to put money at the top priority.
I always believe that money is not everything. However, I have to acknowledge that money can get many problems resolved.
Rounding Up Of My 30s
The year 2021 is coming to an end. That means life in my 30s is coming to a close too. It has indeed been a challenging decade. But, it has also set the stage for my life in my 40s. If you are now going through an arduous 30s, I hope this article has shown you that you are not alone and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Yanto Wong
