the bill you're not seeing

Hey {{first name | there}}, I want to tell you about an idea I have been betting on. But first, how much is your hour worth? 

Worth burning it on things that don't move the needle?

In today’s notes:

You pay the cost either way.

The only choice you get is which currency.

I see this every week. An engineer asks me: should I get a KodeKloud* subscription, or just learn Kubernetes off YouTube for free? (No, they don't sponsor this newsletter. I just use it.)

Wrong question.

The real question is what you're actually buying.

YouTube is "free," but you're paying with hours. Hunting for the right video. 

Rebuilding a curriculum in your head because nobody structured one for you. That's not free. That's just a bill you're not looking at.

KodeKloud costs money, a valuable mentorship program costs money. 

But it buys back the hours. Hours you can’t recreate.

Structured path, labs that work, no digging. You're not paying for content. You're paying to skip the tax on your own time.

Neither choice is wrong. Calling one of them "free" is a lie.

I say “I am Nigerian” because I understand what it means not to afford something.

I started my career with free resources and cracks. 

The purpose of writing this is to tell you that if you are at the point where you can afford to pay for the best, do it.

Do it. Your future self will thank you. 

Let me tell you a story:

In 2023, I volunteered at Southern California Linux Expo

I spent almost $3000 to get to California from Nigeria.

It was a last-minute opportunity, so flights were expensive, and hotels were worse!

Thanks to the support from my brother Henry Odazie. I was able to get there the morning of the 1st day.

I remember walking in the rain in Pasadena just to clear my head, thinking:

“I hope all this is worth it”

I remember eating only KFC for 3 days straight because I couldn’t find any food I could eat.

I am very, very picky with food and can’t survive without Nigerian food 😭😂

Long story short… It was all worth it.

In 2025, I returned to SCaLE as a Speaker!! All expenses paid by my then employer.

Why am I telling you this?

Well, time and time again I have had to take risks not knowing what the future holds.

Even now I am taking a risk not knowing what the future holds.

But in hindsight, everything has aligned.

My unsolicited advice to you is to bet/invest in yourself.

Against all odds….

So long as you are still alive, you are your most valuable asset.

Your homework:

👉🏾 Stop overthinking the $200 course. If it won't put you in debt, buy it. Thank me later.

If you noticed, I had no links in today’s email. Well, that was intentional. 

I urge you to think long and hard about this idea. If not to take action today, for tomorrow.

Stay sharp. Stay visible.

Divine Odazie