How Affiliate Marketing Became My Path to Freedom

Updated on January 7, 2026

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⏱️ 14 min read
Affiliate Marketing

This is not a success story.
It’s the beginning of one.

Ever felt stuck in a routine that slowly eats away at your dreams? That was me just another guy with an ordinary 9-to-5 job in a crowded city, silently wishing for something more. My mission to build passive income and financial Freedom. A journey from the office desk to the affiliate marketing.

Can you believe that every morning I woke up and stayed in bed looking at the ceiling? I didn’t want to get up and repeat the same day!

The same office, the same pressure, and a growing silence inside.
I wasn’t living. I was just getting through the day.

More than anything, I miss being with my son, laughing without stress. Do you ever feel the same?

I missed myself. Deep down, I knew this way of living wasn’t for me. I didn’t want a luxury car or a big house, a simple way of being, with peace, freedom, and time with my loved ones; didn’t you?

I had a strong belief that a 9-to-5 routine wasn’t for me.

Why Affiliate Marketing Felt Like Hope

Like so many others, I’m a husband, a dad, and someone working an ordinary job to take care of my family.

An Ordinary Job, A Heavy Life

I work for a Dhaka-based company as a full-time employee in the Accounts & Finance department. My schedule is intense, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., six days a week.

The job isn’t challenging. However, there’s no time to take a break or dream. Each day feels the same, with the pressure of entering data efficiently. Yet, my salary doesn’t change from month to month.

Life in Dhaka feels lonely, almost like being a bachelor. This isn’t what I want; it’s just how things are right now.

My Family lives in the village. My four-year-old son often asks, “Dad, can I live with you in Dhaka?” Sadly, I just can’t afford to bring my family to this expensive, overcrowded city.

Even if I could afford it, I don’t believe this city is the right place to raise a child.

Most days here feel like survival, not living. I understand that some people might not sympathize with me. That is a fact.

Also, we have exciting news! My wife is pregnant with our second child, a baby girl. The happiness of this news is combined with fear. I feared missing the moments that matter while life passed by outside the office.

Salaries stay the same. Promotions feel distant. Changing jobs often means changing nothing.

This was the moment I realized I needed a different path.

Why Dhaka Was Never My Choice

Let me be frank with you. I stayed in Dhaka not by choice, but because survival demanded it.

I didn’t have a technical background, but I always wanted to do something meaningful online.

Inspired by Others Driven by Hope

I often thought about people on YouTube. They created blogs, ran affiliate businesses, and made money by helping others. I remember I used to think, “If someone like me can do it, why not?”

That question has become a task.

Would it stay unchanged if I experienced enough of this kind of life?

I wanted a life with more peace, time, and control over my days.

The Birth of The Passive Circle

This is the reason I founded the Passive Circle. I believe that if I make money online, I can quit my job and go back to my village, my true home. I want to do these things: be close to my family, grow fresh food, breathe clean air, and watch my children grow. To hold their hands, not just see them on video calls.

The Moment I Decided to Start

Let’s take a step back! 

Everything was set! I chose the domain name as ‘the passive circle’. Searching for a purchasing domain name and hosting but still confused! Do I really go for it?

At first, I hesitated. But then I take a pause to rethink the project! I’m trying to deep dive into myself to know what I want to do to upgrade and resolve my situation. Do I genuinely want to pursue this affiliate marketing path? You know the middle-class mentality! The confusion we’ve got everywhere! each and every time!

What if it doesn’t work? What if I lose money? Let me play it safe…

I found a statement in “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki that really made me rethink my ideas.

“The main distinction between a wealthy person and a poor person is in the way they deal with fear.”

Fear of uncertainty often keeps people stuck in routine jobs. Psychology Today – Fear of Change / Comfort Zone

I realized fear had been holding me still for years. That’s when everything changed, I decided to take the initiative and start my Passive Circle journey.

Finding My Purpose Through Affiliate Marketing

Everything started with a simple question that I asked ChatGPT: What do you know about me? I was trying at figuring out what my true identity would be and how I would like to live my life. Well, basically, how did I want to live my days? Which type of career would allow me to be the best 5-10 years in the future?

Here is the Vision Board:

vision ideas in english
A Simple Goal

Now you are likely to have guessed at the answers to these questions, aren’t you? In the hectic life of a city, we often overlook the thought. It is an expression that will show what will happen! We all know it is only an arrangement so that we can get out of life, don’t we?

Ask Yourself This First

Have those 9-to-5 hours of continuous work made you feel very much elated and happy? No, or do you feel tired of them and overloaded? Or is it possible to enjoy the liberty of your choice? Can you give your family the time they truly deserve? And with your favorite pet? Do you love to travel or crave new adventures? Or perhaps, you dream of reading your favorite novel under a large maple tree, wine in hand, kids laughing in the background? 

Is it possible on your turn? And Congratulations! if you said yes to all these. Are you then living your dream life? Otherwise, what is the reason? 

It does not have monetary independence. I understand! I am no different and I’m part of a generation that feels stuck in routine without direction. But is this the way you would like it to be always? I would not be surprised if I thought the answer is no. 

What should we do to be financially independent?

Why I Started Affiliate Marketing

Let me explain why that matters. Why affiliate marketing? Why not anything else?

In general, we can say there are two types of income we are into. Active Income and Passive Income.

Active Income

Active income is what you are currently doing and get paid for just like a 9-to-5 job or business you’re actively in. Income you earn by directly trading your time and effort for it. And if you are absent for any reason the business can’t be run, for example, a sole proprietorship. That means if you don’t work today, you don’t earn today.

That is active income. Let’s set aside the big companies. They have large teams to run their businesses. They also rely on educated workers like us to act for them! No offense. 

Pros

Get paid on time; no investment required, show up and work.

Cons

  • Stop working and the money stops.
  • Income is limited.
  • You’re working for someone else’s dream.
  • It means long hours, tight deadlines, and burnout.

This simple flow explains why working harder was never the answer for me.

Work Earn Spend Flowchart
Work Earn Spend Flowchart

You’re always in a loop of work → earn → spend → repeat.

Passive Income

Passive income is when you get paid without daily effort. You often get paid for work you did once in the past. You create a system or asset, like content, a funnel, or a product. It continues to generate profits even when you’re not involved. 

Let’s see some examples:

  • Earning from a blog with affiliate links
  • Ad revenue from YouTube video
  • Selling digital products like eBooks, Courses
  • Income from investments like stocks, dividends, real estate

Here is the Quick Comparison of active income vs. passive income.

Passive Income
active income vs passive income

Pros

  • Easy to start: Once set up, money can flow in while you’re offline.
  • You can earn from the same content or product over and over again without extra work.
  • Enjoy time freedom; no more 9-to-5 grind.
  • No boss means less stress.
  • Enjoy location freedom.
  • Grow lasting wealth with digital assets. Use blogs, funnels, and videos that generate ongoing income.

Blogging is widely seen as a long-term digital asset when done with patience.

HubSpotBlogging for Business Guide

Cons

  • Slow start; it needs skill and strategy.
  • You have to learn tools like SEO, email marketing, and copywriting.
  • Consistency is key, so you must have a never-give-up mindset.
  • You’ll also need to invest time or money at the beginning.

Active income pays the bills. Passive income builds the dream. That’s why I created The Passive Circle to escape the rat race, one digital step at a time.

Affiliate marketing is a real business model used by millions worldwide.

InvestopediaAffiliate Marketing Explanation

What is The Passive Circle

Why “Passive” Matters More Than Ever

The term ‘Passive’ used in the passive income phrase is the type of income that does not take my everyday time. Income comes from the value I create. It doesn’t sit still and it keeps growing. This happens through blogging, affiliate marketing, or digital products. I desire to make it without living according to another person.

The Power of the Circle: Not Alone Anymore

People use the word ‘circle’ to mean community. A non-elite company of people like us who have the desire to learn, develop, and create a better future. People who believe in achieving freedom in money, time, lifestyle, and peace of mind. 

The Harsh Truth for Middle-Class Dreamers

Once more, we cannot leave out a quote by Robert Kiyosaki in his book Rich Dad Poor Dad:

The middle class is a slave to money. Money works in favor of the rich.

Well, the rich have money as a bargaining agent; what do we, the middle-class people, have?

Why Community Matters More Than Money

We have people and the strength of togetherness. We can help each other by sharing knowledge, inspiring each other, and exchanging what we have.

Learning From The Experts, But With a Gap

I’ve watched countless YouTube videos and read many websites on starting a business. I also learned how to make a profit online. They are also good and useful. I am learning as I go through some of those experts.

Moreover, what I have seen, they are all already successful. In fact, they are on the mountaintop talking. They are professionals and masters.

I haven’t met anyone new to this yet. No one has said, “Hey, I’m new too, and here’s what I’m learning.”

That’s why I’m documenting this journey from the very beginning. You can see how people like us get stuck. We also face obstacles, but we can conquer them together.

Why I Chose to Document My Journey From Day One

I want to record my journey as an employee. My goal is to be creatively and financially free. I also want to share easy and real ways to do affiliate marketing, blogging, funnels, and tools. 

And to teach first-timers how to create their first source of income online in steps.

Well, the Passive Circle is not a promise to get rich in one night, as well. It’s about breaking chains and creating your own digital freedom. Only then can you live the way you want. 

Whenever you feel like being in a rut, worn out, or losing hope in your work, you’re not alone. 

Hello at The Passive Circle. Let us construct, wail, and stay free – as a unit.

What I Plan to Share Here

The post I want to make here is.

  • Firstly I will share beginner tutorials on affiliate marketing and blogging in my website as well as my YouTube Channel.
  • I will start with one beginner-friendly tool. Systeme.io.
  • You can learn practical ways to use tools here. You’ll also see real-life examples and my step-by-step guides.
  • Here I will write the main advantages and disadvantages of the popular blogging and affiliate marketing tools.
  • You can find detailed reviews of digital tools and affiliate marketing software.
  • In addition I will share the comparisons of tools so that you can make the best choice of your needs.
  • I will show you how to learn basic SEO for affiliate blogs for both on-page and off-page.
  • You can learn about keyword research tools of both free and paid categories.
  • I’ll share tips for building your email funnel, and show you how to use Systeme.io to grow your email list.
  • And share my mistakes and failures so that you can learn from them and grow faster.

What I Actually Use Right Now

I want to keep this honest. I’m not ahead of you. I’m walking with you.

Here’s what my setup looks like today.

Setup 1: I Fixed My Mind First

Before tools, I worked on clarity.

I asked myself hard questions.
Why freedom matters to me.
Why I can’t do this half-hearted.

affiliate marketing vision board
A Simple Vision Board

I used ChatGPT to reflect.
I talked with my wife.
I talked with a few people I trust.

One lesson I learned early:

Not everyone wants you to grow.
Protect your energy.

Setup 2: I Created a Simple Vision Board

I made a vision board using ChatGPT.
Nothing fancy.

I keep it as my phone wallpaper.
Every unlock reminds me why I started.

Clear goals make hard days easier.

When your goals are clear, your path gets brighter. Start with a vision board.

Setup 3: I Built a Basic WordPress Site

I bought domain and hosting.
Installed WordPress.
Used the Blocksy theme.

No coding.
No advanced setup.

Just enough to start sharing.

If I can do this as a beginner, you can too.

Setup 4: Google Search Console and Google Analytics

Google Analytics
Google Analytics

This part surprised me.

Even before publishing content,
I saw visitors coming in.

USA.
EU.
DE.
France.
Poland.

That moment hit hard.

This thing is real.

If I can build my website and start affiliate marketing from scratch, so can you.

Setup 5: I Use Systeme.io to Hold Everything Together

This is the tool I actually rely on.

I use Systeme.io to:

  • Collect emails
  • Build simple pages
  • Plan future funnels
  • Connect everything without stress

It’s beginner-friendly.
No tech headache.
No extra tools to manage.

I didn’t choose this because it’s perfect.
I chose it because it’s simple enough to start.

Setup 6: I’m Starting Slow With YouTube

I created a YouTube channel.
No videos yet.

I don’t want to rush.
I want to stay consistent.

When I start, it will be simple tutorials.
No hype.
No fake income stories.

If you’re starting today, don’t copy everything.
Just take the first step.
That’s how I started too.

If you feel stuck like I did,
start with one thing.

You don’t need everything figured out.
Neither did I.

You don’t need confidence.
You just need to begin.

Selim Reza
Selim Reza

Hey, I’m Selim Reza. Founder of The Passive Circle. I help beginners learn affiliate marketing, blogging, and simple ways to build passive income. I'm documenting the journey, not selling shortcuts. Join me on this journey and learn step by step with The Passive Circle.

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