Sooner or later, every motorcycle rider feels like an outlaw.
Motorcycles are a gateway drug to this way of life. Even new riders get a taste of the drug the first time they roll on the throttle and break speed limits with ease.
Cars moving too slow? Pass ‘em on the double yellow; you don’t have time to waste. You’re moving too quick anyway for them to catch your tag numbers.
When the roads are clogged and full of traffic, red lights become mere suggestions.
From minor traffic infractions all the way to joining a 1%er club (and everything in between) most riders have a tendency to rebel against standards.
But living truly like an outlaw means doing your own thing outside of societal norms.
In today’s language, it means being “uncancellable.”
This kind of life is true freedom — regardless of what labels our society has given it.
The image we often think of is one of leather vests adorned with worn-out patches stained with blood and oil and grizzled men guzzling beer with a handful of women draped over their shoulders.
It’s not a bad look.
But it’s the iconic one from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, when the outlaw image was being spread across newspapers and magazines, distilling fear into the homes of everyday citizens by capturing what they were doing best — having a damn good time.
These days, there are many that pretend to play the outlaw life with vests, faux patches, and 9-5 day jobs. One time at a Harley dealership in Florida, I even saw a rider with a brand new “BADASS” patch freshly sewed onto his jacket.
Some magazines have even glamorized this vintage nostalgic look to sell merchandise and subscriptions. It’s a lifestyle that’s at the heart of Americana and everyone wants a piece, even if it means overpaying for an old shovelhead for bragging rights.
But in today’s world, there’s more required to actually being an outlaw than just clothing and cubic inches.
For this article, I’m going to touch on one aspect of the modern outlaw — one thing that I believe truly defines living to the beat of one’s own heart.
Money.
It’s a touchy subject but I think it’s worth talking about. Some folks swing heavily on barely having any, while others pursue as much as possible. No matter what side of the fence you’re on, it’s a good idea to be in control of how it dictates your life.
Today’s outlaw needs a bullet-proof income. One that isn’t reliant on others. Fortunately now, it’s never been easier to do this with how advanced the internet has become and how instantaneously connected we can be.
With some work and diligence, you can leverage a soft skill, like design or writing, and multiply your income by offering it to numerous companies or clients. You can do this starting today and gradually increase your pricing over time.
You can take a hard skill, like welding or automotive repair (use your imagination) and teach others how to do it for themselves. Review the best tools for the job at hand and earn a commission when people purchase them online.
Enjoy hunting? Film your hunts or write about them, show others how to spot game trails, process large animals, and do it all in the field. Show how people how to be one step closer to self-sufficiency.
Better yet, the platforms to do this are readily available and just waiting on you. Fiverr and Upwork are great places to sell soft skills. Youtube, Skillshare, and Udemy are all good starting points to teach and get paid doing so.
But these are just some ideas.
In controlling your own income, you’ll have the freedom to really do whatever you want on your own time. This “security” is important now more than ever in an age where a single screenshot can cost you your job. If you get caught saying something that goes against the grain, you can quickly get the ax — instantly losing your salary, your health insurance, all your benefits, and that comfy 401K matching plan.
To a higher degree, it’s possible to lose your bank account and be banned from payment processors completely. I’ve seen it happen.
However, for the modern outlaw, there’s a way around this as well — crypto.
I won’t get into this topic much since it probably deserves its own article. But with cryptocurrencies and the technology it has introduced, you can be your own bank with decentralized finance (DeFi) and take out self-paying loans to buy a boat or motorcycle essentially for free.
I’m serious.
You can even farm your digital money and earn a passive annual yield % while you take that motorcycle trip around the world.
The possibilities are nearly endless. Embrace them.
Generating your own money and making it work for you has never been more accessible than it is right now. We’re even getting close to the point that traditional banks aren’t even necessary anymore.
For anyone that lives the modern outlaw life and wants even more freedom and time, I believe it’s essential to take advantage of the opportunities on the table.
Right now, it’s still the Wild West for cash, currency, and self-employment. It could change in the future.
But as an outlaw, you’ll be prepared for whatever happens next.
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I also highly recommend getting started with crypto if you’re not already. If you’d like to support Chain Driven, head over to Coinbase, buy $100 of crypto, and we both get $10.
To go deeper down the cryptohole and learn about DeFi, check out Bankless — another great Substack.