User Power
Value/Post Ratio
456%
- May 1, 2011
- 7,689
- 35,035
12 years ago, I was a young dude full of dreams, hoping to make at least a few thousand dollars a month from my business so I could be financially free.
At that point in my life, I had already tried several businesses but nothing worked. Each failure sent me into a deep pit of self-pity, followed by another bout of excitement and inevitably another failure.
Fast forward a few years (documented in my progress thread on the inside), I finally figured out how to stick to one business and eventually achieved my dreams (and then some).
I was driving this morning to one of my favorite forest areas to do a kettlebell workout there. As I passed countless cars of people driving into the city to get to work, I felt immense gratitude that my life is so completely different.
I mean, I was alone in the forest, listening to the birds, throwing around some weight, enjoying the sun and the warm weather. It was an epic morning. What more do you need?
I get to choose what I want to do and where and when I do it.
I have the luxury of traveling whenever and wherever I want.
I live by my own schedule (or rather, lack thereof). My calendar is empty, with nowhere particular to be at any specific time.
I only work because I want to make more money but not because I need to make more money. And I have the luxury of choosing a business model that fits my values and my lifestyle, without forcing myself to do things I don’t want to do.
To the young(er) version of me, that would be the definition of heaven on Earth.
The only reason why my life is like that is because I refused to quit, no matter how many times I failed. This forum and @MJ DeMarco's work have been instrumental to my success. To a great extent, I owe my lifestyle to the resources and accountability I was able to get here.
This may sound like a trite reminder, perhaps a cheap self-help platitude but… never give up. Readjust if necessary but stick to your path if you deeply desire a different life, even if it's VASTLY different from the one you live today.
Gary Halbert's favorite saying was "Nothing is impossible for a man who refuses to listen to reason."
You don’t need that much intellect or “natural” abilities to succeed. Determination is REALLY that magic pill (though it doesn’t work overnight).
Even when I had to borrow money just to be able to pay social security taxes to keep my business (legally) running, I never considered quitting. A day job wasn’t my plan B. There was only one future I envisioned for myself.
Not quitting no matter what is the only way to get where you want to go. And more importantly, it’s REALLY, REALLY worth it.
Each day, I’m still deeply appreciative of the life I’m blessed to live. I'm on vacation every day of my life.
Don’t get me wrong. Financial freedom won’t solve all your problems. My life isn’t perfect. I still deal with other stuff. I still sometimes feel like shit. But overall, I live the way I want to, not the way I had to settle to live. And that’s priceless.
If you’re doubting whether you can make it, I’m here to tell you that yes, you can make it. Perhaps you won’t get there in a year or two. It may take longer than you think. But I have no doubt that if you stick to the path, you’ll eventually get to your destination. And then you’ll look back and thank your younger self for staying determined.
I get the frustration.
I get the endless failures.
I get the embarrassment.
I get the discouragement.
I get the lack of support.
Despite it all, you can still make it. Determination trumps it all.
With this forum, MJ’s books, and Internet access, you have all the resources you need to sculpt your life in any way you desire. Just never stop hammering away until you're happy with your sculpture (and then figure out how to make it even better).
At that point in my life, I had already tried several businesses but nothing worked. Each failure sent me into a deep pit of self-pity, followed by another bout of excitement and inevitably another failure.
Fast forward a few years (documented in my progress thread on the inside), I finally figured out how to stick to one business and eventually achieved my dreams (and then some).
I was driving this morning to one of my favorite forest areas to do a kettlebell workout there. As I passed countless cars of people driving into the city to get to work, I felt immense gratitude that my life is so completely different.
I mean, I was alone in the forest, listening to the birds, throwing around some weight, enjoying the sun and the warm weather. It was an epic morning. What more do you need?
I get to choose what I want to do and where and when I do it.
I have the luxury of traveling whenever and wherever I want.
I live by my own schedule (or rather, lack thereof). My calendar is empty, with nowhere particular to be at any specific time.
I only work because I want to make more money but not because I need to make more money. And I have the luxury of choosing a business model that fits my values and my lifestyle, without forcing myself to do things I don’t want to do.
To the young(er) version of me, that would be the definition of heaven on Earth.
The only reason why my life is like that is because I refused to quit, no matter how many times I failed. This forum and @MJ DeMarco's work have been instrumental to my success. To a great extent, I owe my lifestyle to the resources and accountability I was able to get here.
This may sound like a trite reminder, perhaps a cheap self-help platitude but… never give up. Readjust if necessary but stick to your path if you deeply desire a different life, even if it's VASTLY different from the one you live today.
Gary Halbert's favorite saying was "Nothing is impossible for a man who refuses to listen to reason."
You don’t need that much intellect or “natural” abilities to succeed. Determination is REALLY that magic pill (though it doesn’t work overnight).
Even when I had to borrow money just to be able to pay social security taxes to keep my business (legally) running, I never considered quitting. A day job wasn’t my plan B. There was only one future I envisioned for myself.
Not quitting no matter what is the only way to get where you want to go. And more importantly, it’s REALLY, REALLY worth it.
Each day, I’m still deeply appreciative of the life I’m blessed to live. I'm on vacation every day of my life.
Don’t get me wrong. Financial freedom won’t solve all your problems. My life isn’t perfect. I still deal with other stuff. I still sometimes feel like shit. But overall, I live the way I want to, not the way I had to settle to live. And that’s priceless.
If you’re doubting whether you can make it, I’m here to tell you that yes, you can make it. Perhaps you won’t get there in a year or two. It may take longer than you think. But I have no doubt that if you stick to the path, you’ll eventually get to your destination. And then you’ll look back and thank your younger self for staying determined.
I get the frustration.
I get the endless failures.
I get the embarrassment.
I get the discouragement.
I get the lack of support.
Despite it all, you can still make it. Determination trumps it all.
With this forum, MJ’s books, and Internet access, you have all the resources you need to sculpt your life in any way you desire. Just never stop hammering away until you're happy with your sculpture (and then figure out how to make it even better).
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum:
Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.