The Uncertain Road And Why It’s Worth Walking

byshawn8183

858 followers

1 month ago

I was chatting with a guy the other day, and he asked me,
“Shawn, how do you make money doing this stuff?”

I told him straight there are so many ways you can earn online. Just name it.

But for me, it all comes down to two things: brand building and storytelling.

That’s where my income comes from.
That’s what gives me purpose.

I don’t chase shiny things anymore.
I don’t jump from one “next big thing” to another.
I build something that lasts and when I do it right, it lives online and earns while I sleep.

That’s the part most people don’t believe until they see it.
But here’s the truth it didn’t start with luck.
It started with a lot of wrong turns, long nights, and lessons that hit hard.

Because like most of you reading this, I had to walk an uncertain road before I ever found the right one.

Where It All Started

Before I found Wealthy Affiliate, I was doing what most of us do trying to figure out how to make life work while chasing my next load down the highway.

I’ve been a truck driver for years. Oilfield roads, icy passes, back-and-forth across provinces I’ve seen it all.

And I love the job. It’s honest work.
But somewhere along the line, I started wanting something more.

Not more chaos. Not more hours.
Just more time and more freedom.

The kind that lets you slow down for once and build something that matters.

So I started searching for answers online.

And what I found… well, it was a minefield.

“Coaches” charging thousands.
Programs that promised you success, then hit you with the real cost after you signed up.
Every time I thought I’d finally found the truth another paywall appeared.

I learned fast that most of the online world is built to take, not to teach.

But I’m not the kind of guy who gives up easy.

So I kept searching and eventually, that search led me somewhere that changed everything.

Finding Wealthy Affiliate

I stumbled onto Wealthy Affiliate by accident.
I figured it’d be another program full of hype, but I gave it a shot.

They offered a free 7-day trial, so I thought what’s the worst that could happen?

Turns out, it wasn’t hype at all.

It was real.

Step-by-step training that actually made sense.
Lessons that broke down how to build your own website, your brand, your content everything from the ground up.
And a community that didn’t just talk about helping… they actually did.

That’s what caught my attention.

No fake promises.
No “buy this next module.”
Just truth.

Building a Test That Proves It Works

Now, I’ll be honest I didn’t jump all in at first.
I wanted to see if what they offered could really hold up.

Wealthy Affiliate gives you two main options:

1. Yearly membership — $697 USD (about $978.35 CAD for me).
2. Monthly plan — $99 USD (around $137.21 CAD).

Most people go yearly to save money. But me? I went monthly and here’s why.

I wanted to test the system.
I wanted to see how long it would take before my online work started paying for the platform itself.

Now, doing it monthly means I’m paying more about $1,646.52 CAD per year.
That’s almost double the annual rate, but that’s fine by me.

Why? Because I’m proving something to everyone watching.

If I can make this system pay for itself while paying the higher monthly rate, then anyone can do it if they stay consistent.

Right now for this year from Jan 2025, I’ve got over 27 people on the free account level.
And 1 paid referral that started this month, so you can see it's working .

The Books That Started It All

Writing is where I found my peace.

I started with one idea, one late night, and a story that just wouldn’t leave me alone.
People told me it wouldn’t go anywhere.
That books like mine about Sasquatch, mystery, and personal journeys wouldn’t sell.

But I wrote them anyway.

And now?
I’ve sold 120 copies so far. I stacked small and slow but it's real , it's mine, and well as long as I stay online they will too and they will sell I don't care what the book is promote it right and they will move,

They may not be millions, but they’re mine.
They’re real.
And they earn while I sleep because once something’s online, it can live there forever.

That’s what I mean when I say “brand building.”

You create something once, you build it right, and it works for you over and over again.

And here’s the part I want everyone to know:

I learned how to do it for free.

No paywall.
No hidden “coaching” fee.
Just hard work, research, and real tools that Wealthy Affiliate pointed me toward.

How You Can Do It Too

If you’ve ever wanted to write a book or just share your story you can.

You don’t need to spend $2,500 on some fancy “publishing course.”
You don’t even need to know where to start.

I’ve written two free guides that walk you through every step: you can find them both right here on WA

👉 How I Publish a Book for Free Using Reedsy — Step-by-Step Guide
👉 How I Upload My Books to Amazon KDP — Step-by-Step Guide

These are the exact steps I used to get my books online without paying a cent.

That’s the kind of truth I wish I’d known when I started.

And here’s the best part: once you’ve built your book, Wealthy Affiliate shows you how to market it.
They teach you SEO, content writing, email building, and how to get your story in front of the right eyes.

So yes your book can earn while you sleep too.

It’s Not About Luck. It’s About Legacy.

When I say I’m here for the long haul, I mean it.

This isn’t about quick money.
It’s about building something that outlives the day-to-day grind.

Something your kids and grandkids might one day look at and say,
“That’s what he built.”

That’s what this uncertain road really is the journey of creating something that matters.

Every blog you write.
Every post you share.
Every little thing you learn.

It all adds up.

You’re not just building income.
You’re building a legacy.

And the best part? You’re surrounded by people doing the same thing a community that cheers when you win, helps when you stumble, and never lets you forget why you started.

Your Story Deserves the Same Chance

Maybe you’re sitting there right now wondering if it’s too late to start.

It’s not.

You’ve got something to say.
Something worth building.
Something that could help someone else, just like this platform helped me.

Don’t overthink it.
Don’t wait for perfect.

Start messy. Start small.
But start.

Because one day, you’ll look back and realize that this moment this first step was where everything began to change.

Final Thoughts Keep Walking

The uncertain road isn’t easy.
It’s not quick.
But it’s worth every step.

You’ll doubt yourself.
You’ll fall behind.
But you’ll keep getting up.

And one day, you’ll look back and see what you built something that was always meant to be yours.

So let’s keep walking.
Let’s keep building.
And let’s make something that lasts.

Because one day, the people who come after us will see what we created and know we made it count.

“There’s always a way out but it starts with you.”

You’ve got my story, my blogs, and the same tools that changed my life.
So what’s stopping you?

Let’s make your story shine like mine did.

Shawn