New Here?
Welcome to Untemplater!
If you’re new here then your first impression is probably something like this…
“Well, isn’t this a bizarre looking site. Hmm, ‘Untemplater’, what ever does that mean? And what is it you write about?”
This page will help you get familiar with all that Untemplater is and has to offer so sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!
What Exactly IS Untemplater?
Untemplater has a simple mission – to inspire a special community of free-thinkers to “shatter the template lifestyle” in favor of a truly exciting, unique, and unconventional one. When you break down the name Untemplater you get un-template-r. In other words Untemplaters are people who don’t believe in having to wait until the traditional retirement age of 65 to achieve freedoms and happiness.
Instead, we aim to live life on our own terms by taking action and working hard to pursue our goals and dreams now. Our motto is to:
Work where you want…Live how you want…Be who you want to be.
Read more on our About page and download a copy of our free Untemplater Manifesto.
Popular Posts on Untemplater
- Quit Your Job And Die Alone: This is the most commented post on Untemplater with a record 203 comments! Making good money on your own is way harder than you might think so think twice before you hand in your 2 weeks notice.
- Taxes Suck And Make Me Want To Shut Down My Small Business: It’s hard work being an entrepreneur and taxes take on a whole new meaning you’re self employed.
- How Much Is The Average Severance Package: If you think you could get laid off or are contemplating quitting your job, make sure to do your research first. There are some things that will surprise you.
- You Don’t Have To Be Famous To Be A Rockstar: The hype of celebrities cloud a lot of people into thinking that they have to be famous in order to have “made it.” Find out why I disagree.
- Are Your 30′s Better Than 20′s?: Now that I’ve crossed over into my 30′s find out what my thoughts are and share your experiences in the comments section!
- How To Overcome Obstacles: Forget Wheaties, Gobble Up Problems For Breakfast: We all face many challenges in life and at the end of the day we determine what we can overcome. It’s time to step up your game!
- When Is It Time To Quit? Why I Gave Up My Dream: Sometimes a passion is best kept as a hobby even though the decision isn’t always easy.
- 55 Bucket List Ideas And Tips: Why You Need A Bucket List Now: Don’t wait until your health is failing to put together a bucket list. Do it now when you’re young and time is on your side.
- Untemplate And Go Against The Grain: Following the herd and taking the easy way out is easy to do when we’re young. Embrace your true colors and shine!
- The Risks Of Starting A Business: There are lots of things to consider before becoming an entrepreneur and starting your own business.
- Making The Most Of What You Have In The Moment: It’s easy to forget how precious life is when we’re stressed out and tired. But we should never take the time we have for granted.
- What Do You Do When You Don’t Know What To Do With Your Life: We’ve all found ourselves wondering what the answer to this question is at least once, but more often than not we find ourselves facing this question at many stages in our lives.
Also be sure to check out our Untemplater Recommendations, and browse through our popular categories:
- Entrepreneurship
- Mobile Lifestyle
- Business & Career
- Self Improvement
- Personal Finance
- Interviews
- Health
- Relationships
Who Keeps the Party Going Here?
That’d be me – Sydney. It’s a great pleasure to meet you! In addition to my own posts, Sam from Financial Samurai regularly shares his knowledge and thoughts with us from his experience as a full time entrepreneur who escaped cubicle nation after spending 13 years after college working in finance. We also regularly share many other untemplate stories and helpful tips from people from all over the world.
We each have very unique backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and talents. Despite our diversity of thought and action, we’re united in our shared belief that the conventional life plan doesn’t work anymore. Thus, we’re in the trenches, like you, actively building and growing our remarkable lives of unbridled passion and unconventionality.
So What’s Sydney’s Story?
In a nutshell, I’m a glass half full, busy bee gal currently working two rewarding jobs while running Untemplater. Is it really possible for me to do all of this and not be a walking zombie? Absolutely, and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been! 
Now if I had to pick just one word to describe myself I’d probably pick “nerd” as I love writing, organizing, and making spreadsheets, and love being on the computer. When I’m not plugged in, I’m out taking photos, hiking through the mountains with my fabulous and funny Vibram FiveFingers, and traveling the world.
I wasn’t always so actively geeky though. Believe it or not, I used to be a total sloth! I slept in until 12 on weekends, watched 6+ hours of TV a day, didn’t socialize or keep in touch with family/friends, and just shuffled my way to and from a boring job everyday with no purpose and no sense of direction.
My Quarter Life Crisis
Then I went through a quarter life crisis and tried to break into a career in the fine arts. I grew up performing in the theater, playing several musical instruments, and singing in the choir. So much of my childhood was involved in the arts and music that I thought at age 25 I should break free of the corporate world and take the leap to return to my artsy roots.
I gave it my all. I took group classes and private lessons, posed for headshots, practiced several hours a day, went for auditions, tried to find an agent, etc. etc. To my surprise though, by the end of just eight months I lost interest in it all and really missed office work, and most of all – my computer!
Long story short, I realized my true calling wasn’t working in the arts. Instead I found happiness in my current jobs, savings towards a lifestyle change to full time entrepreneurship, and in sharing with you through Untemplater. I count my blessings every day and am constantly pushing myself to learn new things and improve. Even though I lost a good chunk of money in the eight months of my quarter life crisis, I have no regrets and actually appreciate what I have now so much more. As Steve Jobs said so brilliantly, “you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.”
So what am I up to now? Everything! My life is filled with laughter and a lot of learning. I’ve had a decent amount of successes, but I’ve had plenty of failures too. I firmly believe we can’t truly experience success without facing and overcoming failures along the way. I’m constantly discovering new things about myself and our incredible world through personal finance, blogging, minimalism, helping others, traveling the world, and creating my own adventures!
Thanks!
Untemplater wouldn’t be what is it today without readers like you, so thank you! I hope you stick around and enjoy the site. There’s a wealth of radically awesome articles. And don’t forget to read more on our About page and download our free Untemplater Manifesto.
If you haven’t already, please sign up for our RSS and Email list and show your support for our rebellion against the status quo on Facebook & Twitter! You can also sign up for our free newsletter using the blue form at the top right of this page.
Cheers!
- Sydney
