The definitive Fastlane guide for teenagers...

[Andy Black]

This is so underrated. I would definitely tell younger people to build as much muscle during teens to 30’s.

As a 50+ person, I now struggle to build muscle and maintain bone density. It’s so much harder to gain muscle now. It’s not that you can’t workout hard. But your recovery and actual increase is so much slower.

It’s a balance of working out and resting and trying not to get injured in the process.

So build your muscles naturally when you can. Your back will thank you when you are 50. Oh and build those legs, they are the first to go and hardest to keep. That’s why older people have trouble getting up, but you never see them have trouble moving their arms around!

I heard that whatever muscle we build in our natural growth years are what we keep for life.

I did sprint training aged 16-18 and in my 50s my legs are still strong/muscled.

I started upper body weights at 18 and when I don't go to the gym my upper body shrinks back to skinny. It comes back fast after a couple of months training though, so there's that.

Agreed that the recovery is what makes it harder as you get older. Your muscles ache for days rather than just the next day, and you pick up annoying little niggles and strains that would be gone a day or two later when younger. I've had a calf strain and a strain in my bicep for months. I keep thinking they should be gone by now but I'll have to go to the physio.

As my gran used to say: "Youth is wasted on the young."

 

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[Runum]

This is so underrated. I would definitely tell younger people to build as much muscle during teens to 30’s.

As a 50+ person, I now struggle to build muscle and maintain bone density. It’s so much harder to gain muscle now. It’s not that you can’t workout hard. But your recovery and actual increase is so much slower.

It’s a balance of working out and resting and trying not to get injured in the process.

So build your muscles naturally when you can. Your back will thank you when you are 50. Oh and build those legs, they are the first to go and hardest to keep. That’s why older people have trouble getting up, but you never see them have trouble moving their arms around!

I agree. Do. not. skip. leg. day!

 

[Jrjohnny]

This is so underrated. I would definitely tell younger people to build as much muscle during teens to 30’s.

As a 50+ person, I now struggle to build muscle and maintain bone density. It’s so much harder to gain muscle now. It’s not that you can’t workout hard. But your recovery and actual increase is so much slower.

It’s a balance of working out and resting and trying not to get injured in the process.

So build your muscles naturally when you can. Your back will thank you when you are 50. Oh and build those legs, they are the first to go and hardest to keep. That’s why older people have trouble getting up, but you never see them have trouble moving their arms around!

I heard that whatever muscle we build in our natural growth years are what we keep for life.

I did sprint training aged 16-18 and in my 50s my legs are still strong/muscled.

I started upper body weights at 18 and when I don't go to the gym my upper body shrinks back to skinny. It comes back fast after a couple of months training though, so there's that.

Agreed that the recovery is what makes it harder as you get older. Your muscles ache for days rather than just the next day, and you pick up annoying little niggles and strains that would be gone a day or two later when younger. I've had a calf strain and a strain in my bicep for months. I keep thinking they should be gone by now but I'll have to go to the physio.

As my gran used to say: "Youth is wasted on the young."

Absolutely! I got into weight training when I was 12 ish, but I got consistent just a few weeks ago.

Im a naturally skinnier kid, and my grandma always told my cousins

“AY BE CAREFUL WITH JOHNNY, HES A STICK!”

And she would always tell me to

“EAT MORE SO YOU CAN GET BIGGER ARMS!”

I’ve also noticed a difference in my legs, I kind of trouble with my knees but working out is helping.

My friends were surprised when I told them that I have crazy genes.

(Leg press is 155 for 3 reps, leg extension 1rm is 145.)

But I don’t try to lift heavy, im just trying to get

“BIGGER AND NO SKINNY ARMS!” Quoted by Grandma


CREDITS:

Main writer: John

Commentator: Grandma

 

[Andy Black]

Absolutely! I got into weight training when I was 12 ish, but I got consistent just a few weeks ago.

Im a naturally skinnier kid, and my grandma always told my cousins

“AY BE CAREFUL WITH JOHNNY, HES A STICK!”

And she would always tell me to

“EAT MORE SO YOY CAN GET BIGGER ARMS!”

I’ve also noticed a difference in my legs, I kind of trouble with my knees but working out is helping.

My friends were surprised when I told them that I have crazy genes.

(Leg press is 155 for 3 reps, leg extension 1rm is 145.)

But I don’t try to lift heavy, im just trying to get

“BIGGER AND NO SKINNY ARMS!” Quoted by Grandma


CREDITS:

Main writer: John

Commentator: Grandma

I already love your grandma.

Sprint training can help, especially hill reps (run up, walk down slowly). The only times I had a six pack was from loads of hill reps.

 

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[Jrjohnny]

I already love your grandma.

She would love to meet you lmao.

Just know if you ever do, expect a lot of Portuguese dishes and just a bunch of desserts.

She always makes food for us and we bake together.

She never goes out for food, she also has over 10 thousand recipes.

She’s been cooking and baking for over 60 years.

Sprint training can help, especially hill reps (run up, walk down slowly). The only times I had a six pack was from loads of hill reps.

Thank you, I already do some sprint training because I have a hobby of football and boxing.

I will start doing hill sprints though, thank you for the tip.

 

[Andy Black]

She would love to meet you lmao.

Just know if you ever do, expect a lot of Portuguese dishes and just a bunch of desserts.

She always makes food for us and we bake together.

She never goes out for food, she also has over 10 thousand recipes.

She’s been cooking and baking for over 60 years.

Thank you, I already do some sprint training because I have a hobby of football and boxing.

I will start doing hill sprints though, thank you for the tip.

10 thousand recipes huh? She sounds like quite a character too. I wonder if you could get her and those recipes in front of more people?

 

[Athena_]

Such a lovely read, made my day

 

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[Jrjohnny]

10 thousand recipes huh? She sounds like quite a character too. I wonder if you could get her and those recipes in front of more people?

Maybe..

She’s not into business or just being in the spotlight.

But if I could get my hands on it and I want to start a second business then maybe I can sell them in stores and make courses for money…


FUN FACT: We’re baking right now.

 

[Consolation]

Your teenage years should be spent having fun, whether exploring your passions, playing sports, or learning how to do things that inspire your soul.

The teen years should be exploratory, not one of hustle, grind, and unrelenting expectations.

LOL! As a teenager:

1. I was super hot-tempered-chair-banging, and religious at the same time (did sneaked some beers into the church, btw).
2. A left-wing self-proclaimed socialist with Che Guevara as my idol (even bought and wore a beret like him).
3. Had few crushes towards girls few years older than me.
4. Moved to a college over 500 miles from my hometown (should have called it emigrate).
5. Studied subjects that will never be tested during exams (I was too curious with it or probably some mild ADHD).
6. Did some university assignments for my mother and her sister (I was 16 at that time!)
7. No matter how many alcohol I had the night before, I still can function well for college the next day. There's no way I can do that now.

Where was entrepreneurship at that time? I didn't have my FTE until I was 21 years old. The hair-pulling, heart-throbbing stressful situations, and 30 hours without sleeping didn't happen until I passed 21 years old.

The teenagers here on this forum should pat themselves on the back for 10 seconds (or less).

Smartphones have killed your ability to focus. And the younger you are, the worse it is.

Must have been an enormous challenge for teenagers now. I was a teen during early 2010s. Internet and video games were not widely available in my area at that time.

Even if you have a computer, you have to tinker around to get PC games running smoothly.

For Internet, there were several options. You can become an expert in imitating dial-up connection tone, you can climb to a higher spot in your area (then stand with one leg and bend your elbow towards your nose) while holding a so-called Nokia 'smartphone'. If you have a broadband connection at home, be happy to watch a 5-minute YouTube video after 15 minutes waiting.

So, the teenagers during my time were not as easy as teenagers nowadays to be stuck in front of any type of screens.

 

[benjamin.matulis]

I'm a teen as well, I've asked advice on the forum but no one replied.
@MJ DeMarco could you please forward my thread for advice on this Thread?
It is titled "Advice for 14 year old"
Appreciate you supporte and all your advice!

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

I just don’t see why every new thread has to be moved here..

We're not moving threads, we're closing the ones that are low-value and/or low-effort and redirecting them here.

This is a forum for adults (18+), but teenagers are welcome and they can continue to post, contribute, and comment. However, we can no longer entertain low-effort posts like, "How do I get rich?" and other inane threads that just clutter the forum and frustrate people here who are just looking to scale their business.

Having a separate category for Teens is definitely a great idea and it is under consideration presuming there is a way to minimize liability. But I can't guarantee anything right now.

 

[e_ryan]

If you have been linked to this page, it is because you mentioned you are a teenager (17 or younger) and have posted questions on The Fastlane Forum seeking advice for wealth, business, and life in general.

First, let me say congratulations on being a proactive investor in your future. The fact that you have asked such questions young demonstrates that you are way ahead of the average adult twice your age.

Give yourself some cred!



Second, as a matter of legal liability, it is not wise for internet strangers to actively advise and converse with minors regarding life choices. This activity is generally left to your parents or teachers, individuals who typically have a fiduciary duty to your wellness.

But MJ! My parents want me to go to college and be a worker drone! A slave to the Script!​

I get it. But please understand that your parents only want what is best for you. Second, they know your habits, behaviors, and patterns far better than I do. As I've written before, the forum cannot make your life decisions, especially if you aren't even a legal adult.

As for how you should approach the Fastlane if you endeavor for an Unscripted life, know this: Your teenage years should be spent having fun, whether exploring your passions, playing sports, or learning how to do things that inspire your soul.

The teen years should be exploratory, not one of hustle, grind, and unrelenting expectations.

But MJ, I want to get in the Fastlane! ​

Youth and time is your biggest asset right now.

In fact, you're a time billionaire with billions of unused seconds remaining in your life. That's plenty of time to "go Fastlane," build a business, a family, and a life full of meaning. Don't cheat your youth by inviting adulthood too fast and too full of lofty expectations.

So am I suggesting you leave? Give up on the idea of a Fastlane, Unscripted life?

Not at all.

First and foremost, the Fastlane is mindset. An awareness and a mental state where you don't just want to survive; you want to thrive. The fact that you're here speaks volumes, and you've recognized your most important power in life: THE POWER TO CHOOSE.

Unfortunately, until you are an adult, the "power to choose" is likely limited to your legal guardian, or your parents.

The people here cannot advise you directly other than vague generalities, which I will outline below.

So rest assured, the investments you make as a teenager will pay you big dividends as an adult, and yes, perhaps a Fastlane, Unscripted life where you can be healthy, wealthy, and happy.

Here are 12 concepts that I told my step-son when he was a teenager, things that will improve his probability of living the life of his dreams.

#1) Don't dismiss a college education.​

Yes, a college education isn't what it used to be.

However, college is more than the degree; it is socialization, it is time management, it is discipline, it is learning how to learn, and it is your first dance away from your parents.

Now, is college worth its debt? Depends.

Spending $50K on a philosophy degree isn't smart. Computer science, data analysis, robotics; perhaps it is.

If college is free in your country, study something that interests you and can be leveraged in either a great job or a great business.

Avoid any "greater fool" studies or degrees in liberal arts; these pursuits are only valuable in teaching other fools the same stuff.

#2) Don't dismiss your parent's wisdom, but also, don't take it as the holy gospel. ​

Your parent's primary goal is to protect you. Part of that protection is guarding you from unknown dangers and from taking perceived risks. They want what they think is best for you, even if you don't agree.

Starting a business sounds risky if your parents are part of the rat race, live paycheck-to-paycheck, and have been working a job most of their lives. Even more risky? The idea of starting a business for wealth and as a conduit to escape the rat race. These are massive unknowns. Risks. It is their job to be skeptical.

Hate school? That's OK, so did I.

But I powered through it and graduated.

Your first challenge as an entrepreneur is to finish high school, or if you have one year left in college, for the love of God, finish college. It only makes sense to drop out of you have an established business with sales, revenue, and a pathway to scale.

If you can't survive the grind of high school or college, you'll find the grind of starting and running a business no easier.

Quitters quit. Winners persevere, even when things are boring, hard, or dispassionate.

Second, do you want to get rich? Be successful and happy?

Get used to the idea that learning is LIFE-LONG.

Continuing self-education will make you rich. If your education officially ends at graduation, make no mistake: the rest of your life will suck.

You can hate school, but you can't hate education.

#3) Social media is mentally hazardous: Avoid social media, video games, and other dopamine addictions that destroy your ability to learn, focus, and evolve.​

Decades ago, your most significant obstacle to success was access to knowledge.

Today, knowledge is everywhere—a readily accessible commodity—but most people are incapable of processing it, much less using it.

Why? Distraction.

Smartphones have killed your ability to focus. And the younger you are, the worse it is.

If you want any chance of success, avoid social media and video gaming except as tools for your business. If you can't avoid them, put strict limits on their use, like you would smoking or drinking a sugar-laden soda.

Social media is a perfect example of the consumer/producer dichotomy I expose in The Millionaire Fastlane ; the YouTubers with 3 million subscribers are producing, and hence, making millions—their subscribers are the consumers, spending millions in minutes per day.

#4) The producers of culture get rich; the consumers stay poor.​

Know this: If you want to get rich as an adult, you must learn to produce value in excess of your consumption.

See the social media example above. Do you think Mr. Beast is on YouTube 4 hours a day, watching endless videos on meditation, cold showers, and productivity hacking?

Nope.

He's PRODUCING content for the masses to consume.

And as a result, he has billions of dollars in influence and wealth.

Yes, there's nothing wrong with watching YouTube to learn something new. However, at some point, the knowledge you consume must be put into real-life action. That's how you get a return on the time you invest.

As I like to say, at some point you can read and consume all kinds of material on swimming; at some point you have to jump in the pool.

Second, social media is an excellent tool for entrepreneurs to grow their business and influence. It is a tool, like a hammer.

A hammer can build you something impressive like a house, or you can use a hammer to hit yourself over the head, turning you into a dopamine slave.

Eventually, the choice will be yours.

#5) Business and entrepreneurship is a lifelong sport; it's not something you try for a few months and move on.​

Business, or entrepreneurship, is not something you try. It's something you live. It is an enduring identity that goes beyond just a career. And you can reinforce your entrepreneurial identity during your teen years by doing entrepreneurial things.

In my community, enterprising teenagers are very common.

They mow and aerate lawns, pull weeds, walk dogs, wash/detail cars, power wash driveways/garbage cans, and host lemonade stands on the street corner.

Presuming you have your parent's permission, nothing stops you from posting your services on Facebook or NextDoor. You'd be surprised how many adults love to give 16-year-old teenagers work.

Any success in these local enterprises will spell future success in more significant ventures. Entrepreneurship is about selling value and delivering it. The "making money" aspect is the result.

If you're here asking, "How do I make money?" you're already on the wrong launchpad.

The answer isn't low-brow, fast money-making opportunities pushed by every two-bit guru; affiliate marketing, dropshipping, or crypto— it's in the art of unique value creation followed by marketing that value.

Help people and you will help yourself.

#6) Learn how to sell, communicate, and market. Bonus: Learn how to lead.​

If you own the cure for cancer but can't sell, communicate, or market it, you make nothing. A great product sells zero. Selling is critical in life, from selling yourself to employers, customers, professors, bosses, regulators, lobbyists, and potential spouses—the selling never ends.

Communication is the bridge between your mind and the world. It's the energy that propels your imagination into reality. Like a skilled conductor leading an orchestra, learning to communicate effectively will enable you to create harmony and conciseness in relationships, projects, and pursuits.

Bonus points if you can lead groups of people.

Triple points if you learn how to speak in front of large groups.

Second, the art of marketing and advertising is a potent skill. It's more than just pushing a product; it's about connecting, understanding needs, and solving problems.

Whether a lemonade stand or a school project, learning to sell, persuade, and advance your position is about mastering the human connection.

It's the first dance in the grand ballroom of business.

#7) Leverage compounding; the skill behind life-changing results and ambitious dreams.​

Compound is the key to success.

Compounding money, compounding returns, compounding skills, compounding habits.

When you hear a concert violinist, you're witnessing positive compounding.

When you watch a pro athlete, you're seeing years of positive compounding.

When you see a successful entrepreneur sell his company, again, positive compounding.

Conversely, when you see someone 300 lbs and obese, you're witnessing the incarnation of negative compounding.

Social media, video games, and poor dietary habits institute negative compounding and make your mind a mushy marshmallow.

Results—both positive and negative—only happen one day, one habit at a time.

As I like to say, hard choices create an easy life.

Easy choices? Be prepared for hard.

As such, if you can exercise this compounding muscle, you can win at life.

• Learn how to play a musical instrument until you get to an intermediate level.
• Visit the gym 4-5 times a week until fitness becomes a routine.
• Eat right every day and avoid processed, sugary foods.
• Brush your teeth daily; a root canal is the worst thing a human can endure.
• Take up a sport and aim to be the best at it, not the best in your school, just the best YOU can be.
• Learn how to save a portion of your earnings—no matter how small. It's not the amount; it's the process.

Success is found in the ordinary.

That's right, the mundane is where life reveals its most profound secrets. The daily grind, the routine, the everyday hustle is where you'll find the hidden threads of future greatness. Expect them, endure them, and come out better than before.

Are you better today than yesterday?

Ask, If I continue this behavior for the next 100 days, what will my results be?

Your answer will determine if you live a life of pride or shame.

#8) Stop caring what other people think or struggle mightily.​

You can't do anything significant if you constantly avoid criticism or care what others think.

Success is a full-criticism sport.

Look at the most successful entrepreneurs, authors, and athletes in the world, from Elon Musk to JK Rowling to Ronaldo; they all get criticism and have their share of haters.

You can be pure of heart and soul and guess what? It still won't matter! People will hate you, especially if you succeed publicly. And it is hard not to take it personally.

However, this expected hatred is a fact of life, and if you want to resist the realities of life, you will struggle to succeed at anything.

Expect friction and know such negative commentary has nothing to do with you but with the person dispensing it. Friend, brother, schoolmate; it doesn't matter.

Hurt people hurt people.

#9) Surround yourself with accelerators, not drags.​

As a teen, I once had a friend, Dave, who was crazy. At the time, I thought he was funny in a bold, inappropriate way. But I knew something was "off" about him and stopped being his friend. Here's later, I discovered he murdered a cop and was sentenced to life in prison.

There's an old and true saying: You are who you surround yourself with.

If your friends are lazy losers who eat and play video games all day, guess what? You likely will become a lazy loser who does the same.

People who don't support your goals and big dreams are drags. They are like anchors on your boat. Conversely, surrounding yourself with people who support your goal or, minimally aspire for better life outcomes becomes an accelerant.

Think of each person invited into the intimacy of life as a door. What door are they taking you through? What would have happened if I had been in the car when Dave decided to run over a cop?

People act like doors on your life's journey; they open new opportunities or new tragedies.

Choose wisely who you choose to associate with. Learn how to lock doors and walk away from them.

#10) Understand that culture, media, entertainment, and society generally want you mediocre and obedient, a good citizen who questions nothing and does their job for 50 years.​

The Script is real. Culture is not your friend. Neither is the media.

If you want to live a 1% existence, you can't participate in 99% resources.

Beware of any mainstream media sources, opinions, or illusions of authority. They are all designed to get you into the Monday-thru-Friday slave/investment scheme. They are all designed to make you angry and to believe you're a victim. Yes, the world is screwed up—but your neighbor generally isn't the problem, it's what's your neighbor continues to consume, and continues to believe.

Learn to think critically and ask, "Why do they want me to think, behave, and act this way?"

More than likely, you'll find a conflict of interest or an agenda actually adverse to living your best life.

#11) Choose to be happy. You can be 50 years old and still live life like a kid.​

I'm over 50 now. More than 2/3rds of my life is over. And yet, I still feel like a kid. Life is fantastic, and it feels like my playground.

Over the years, I learned that happiness is a state of mind, an existence of being, not a destination. If you make happiness a destination conditional on specific results (sales, cars, etc.), your happiness won't last and will be fleeting.

Think of it as a scale of 1 through 10.

Most people have a default happiness level that fluctuates around 3-6 and work to earn periodic bursts to 8s or 9s—a promotion, a new car, a concert or a vacation—whereas you should opt to live your life at a constant 8.

How?

Pursue your dreams.

No matter how hard.

Here's a secret for living happily: When you have a dream—a Meaning and a Purpose—and you're actively pursuing those purposes, you're already living the dream.

As you pursue your dreams, small wins spike happiness from a default baseline of 7 or 8, to 9 or 10.

Don't confuse Purpose with "Following your passion" or "doing what you love." These are selfish inclinations.

A Purpose is usually external and larger than ourselves. A Purpose forces you to do the dirty work, the work that forces others to quit. When turmoil arrives, and it will, Purpose is the propellant to get you over the mountain.

View attachment 50976

#12) One day, you'll be dead; make life your video game to be won.​

Life is short. Yes, it goes fast. It feels like just yesterday I was 21.

However, one perspective that helped me endure life's challenges was looking at life as a role-playing fantasy video game. As such, I worked to acquire knowledge, experience points, proficiency, and skills; I performed market experiments, acted, assessed, and adjusted continually, and leveled up in the game while acquiring gold and treasure.

Video games always have big bosses to kill. Life does, too, from our impulsive decisions that result in poor consequences to a media that hates entrepreneurs and "rich people" to the lures of social media and endless Netflix binging. Kill the bosses, and you win.

Failures? No problem, they're just game resets. They're experience points—part of the game.

Looking at life this way while deploying the power of compounding, you might wake up owning a real Lamborghini in life, not a fake Lamborghini in a video game.

Ultimately, your main goal is happiness and self-fulfillment, a life you can be proud of when your last day on earth arrives.

With that said, remember, you are in the dawn of your existence.

Your teen years should be optimized to play, to dream, to laugh, and to explore. Don't rush to grow up; don't forget to live and savor youth's sweetness. Like a rare vintage wine, these years have a flavor that you'll never taste again. Don't hate your youth; embrace it, for it shall never come again.

As you age into adulthood, your career as an entrepreneur will unfurl like a journey through an uncharted wilderness. There will be mountains to climb and rivers to cross, but the beauty is in the journey, not just the destination. There's beauty in pursuing a dream and a Purpose. Embrace the video game that is life, sharpen your skills, nurture your mind, and prepare to set the world ablaze with your ideas.

This life is yours and no one else.

The greatest tragedy of humanity is to aspire for mediocrity. To just survive and get by.

Aim higher, produce, learn as you age, and master the video game that is life.



I will add more over time, until then, get off Instagram, go outside and enjoy your youth.
Best wishes,
MJ DeMarco

Fellow Fastlaners? What advice are you giving your children?

Hey MJ, I really appreciate this wisdom you are giving to us younger folks!

By chance, would this also apply to those of us in the 18-22 range? Especially for me because I have missed out on a lot of experiences up until this point.

 

[SnowLava]

Who knows, I might even do a TMF for Teens book.

That would be the most helpful book in the world(for us teens). Thanks a lot for taking the time to write these long posts. Hope you live a really good life. You have kinda become my 'guru' for taking advice - but you don't have the ill intentions of all of these 'gurus'.

Thanks for existing and doing the work that you are doing man.

 

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[skyflare]

That would be the most helpful book in the world(for us teens).

To be honest I don't see the point of a separate book for this reason. This post gives plenty of starting points to use. I mostly see the need of mindset change, but @MJ DeMarco's books get the job done.

 

[piano]

Heya @MJ DeMarco !

I just have a little question.

In your post you talk a lot about enjoying the teen years and not just relentlessy hustling.
I think that's good advice. I'm not here to question that.

However I wonder what to do for people who can't apply your advice, like me?
I do a bunch of stuff to meet other people (school clubs, choir, music courses, going to museums etc) however I just can't find people with whom I can enjoy "teenagehood" or other things.

And it's not about that they don't like me. They do like me. The thing is that I simply just don't like them back.

For me, I have just accepted that my teens look different and that it'll be a lot more work-heavy.

However I just wonder what you'd say about this?

 

[MRiabov]

I'm writing one main thread to start, and others can contribute under the premise of, "If you had a 15 year old child who was interested in entrepreneurship, what would you tell them?"

Who knows, I might even do a TMF for Teens book.

When I've first arrived to the forum, I had an idea - to make a "bootcamp" for all to-be entrepreneurs.

For all those who are new to the forum, and just read the books - to give a collection of forum wisdom - of which there is many - to read.

Right now the advice is to go onto GOLD! threads which is good. But then, most of the true good advice is in-between lines of commenters like @Andy Black or @BizyDad. What great people. But what if there was a collection of good thoughts that would take days - not months to go over?

Moreover, it will unload the forum dwellers from giving repeat advice, like helping people first, like "stop action-faking" principles. And it will make sure that everyone is equipped with the same basic wisdom!

 

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[AnoxRiggz]

If you have been linked to this page, it is because you mentioned you are a teenager (17 or younger) and have posted questions on The Fastlane Forum seeking advice for wealth, business, and life in general.

First, let me say congratulations on being a proactive investor in your future. The fact that you have asked such questions young demonstrates that you are way ahead of the average adult twice your age.

Give yourself some cred!



Second, as a matter of legal liability, it is not wise for internet strangers to actively advise and converse with minors regarding life choices. This activity is generally left to your parents or teachers, individuals who typically have a fiduciary duty to your wellness.

But MJ! My parents want me to go to college and be a worker drone! A slave to the Script!​

I get it. But please understand that your parents only want what is best for you. Second, they know your habits, behaviors, and patterns far better than I do. As I've written before, the forum cannot make your life decisions, especially if you aren't even a legal adult.

As for how you should approach the Fastlane if you endeavor for an Unscripted life, know this: Your teenage years should be spent having fun, whether exploring your passions, playing sports, or learning how to do things that inspire your soul.

The teen years should be exploratory, not one of hustle, grind, and unrelenting expectations.

But MJ, I want to get in the Fastlane! ​

Youth and time is your biggest asset right now.

In fact, you're a time billionaire with billions of unused seconds remaining in your life. That's plenty of time to "go Fastlane," build a business, a family, and a life full of meaning. Don't cheat your youth by inviting adulthood too fast and too full of lofty expectations.

So am I suggesting you leave? Give up on the idea of a Fastlane, Unscripted life?

Not at all.

First and foremost, the Fastlane is mindset. An awareness and a mental state where you don't just want to survive; you want to thrive. The fact that you're here speaks volumes, and you've recognized your most important power in life: THE POWER TO CHOOSE.

Unfortunately, until you are an adult, the "power to choose" is likely limited to your legal guardian, or your parents.

The people here cannot advise you directly other than vague generalities, which I will outline below.

So rest assured, the investments you make as a teenager will pay you big dividends as an adult, and yes, perhaps a Fastlane, Unscripted life where you can be healthy, wealthy, and happy.

Here are 12 concepts that I told my step-son when he was a teenager, things that will improve his probability of living the life of his dreams.

#1) Don't dismiss a college education.​

Yes, a college education isn't what it used to be.

However, college is more than the degree; it is socialization, it is time management, it is discipline, it is learning how to learn, and it is your first dance away from your parents.

Now, is college worth its debt? Depends.

Spending $50K on a philosophy degree isn't smart. Computer science, data analysis, robotics; perhaps it is.

If college is free in your country, study something that interests you and can be leveraged in either a great job or a great business.

Avoid any "greater fool" studies or degrees in liberal arts; these pursuits are only valuable in teaching other fools the same stuff.

#2) Don't dismiss your parent's wisdom, but also, don't take it as the holy gospel. ​

Your parent's primary goal is to protect you. Part of that protection is guarding you from unknown dangers and from taking perceived risks. They want what they think is best for you, even if you don't agree.

Starting a business sounds risky if your parents are part of the rat race, live paycheck-to-paycheck, and have been working a job most of their lives. Even more risky? The idea of starting a business for wealth and as a conduit to escape the rat race. These are massive unknowns. Risks. It is their job to be skeptical.

Hate school? That's OK, so did I.

But I powered through it and graduated.

Your first challenge as an entrepreneur is to finish high school, or if you have one year left in college, for the love of God, finish college. It only makes sense to drop out of you have an established business with sales, revenue, and a pathway to scale.

If you can't survive the grind of high school or college, you'll find the grind of starting and running a business no easier.

Quitters quit. Winners persevere, even when things are boring, hard, or dispassionate.

Second, do you want to get rich? Be successful and happy?

Get used to the idea that learning is LIFE-LONG.

Continuing self-education will make you rich. If your education officially ends at graduation, make no mistake: the rest of your life will suck.

You can hate school, but you can't hate education.

#3) Social media is mentally hazardous: Avoid social media, video games, and other dopamine addictions that destroy your ability to learn, focus, and evolve.​

Decades ago, your most significant obstacle to success was access to knowledge.

Today, knowledge is everywhere—a readily accessible commodity—but most people are incapable of processing it, much less using it.

Why? Distraction.

Smartphones have killed your ability to focus. And the younger you are, the worse it is.

If you want any chance of success, avoid social media and video gaming except as tools for your business. If you can't avoid them, put strict limits on their use, like you would smoking or drinking a sugar-laden soda.

Social media is a perfect example of the consumer/producer dichotomy I expose in The Millionaire Fastlane ; the YouTubers with 3 million subscribers are producing, and hence, making millions—their subscribers are the consumers, spending millions in minutes per day.

#4) The producers of culture get rich; the consumers stay poor.​

Know this: If you want to get rich as an adult, you must learn to produce value in excess of your consumption.

See the social media example above. Do you think Mr. Beast is on YouTube 4 hours a day, watching endless videos on meditation, cold showers, and productivity hacking?

Nope.

He's PRODUCING content for the masses to consume.

And as a result, he has billions of dollars in influence and wealth.

Yes, there's nothing wrong with watching YouTube to learn something new. However, at some point, the knowledge you consume must be put into real-life action. That's how you get a return on the time you invest.

As I like to say, at some point you can read and consume all kinds of material on swimming; at some point you have to jump in the pool.

Second, social media is an excellent tool for entrepreneurs to grow their business and influence. It is a tool, like a hammer.

A hammer can build you something impressive like a house, or you can use a hammer to hit yourself over the head, turning you into a dopamine slave.

Eventually, the choice will be yours.

#5) Business and entrepreneurship is a lifelong sport; it's not something you try for a few months and move on.​

Business, or entrepreneurship, is not something you try. It's something you live. It is an enduring identity that goes beyond just a career. And you can reinforce your entrepreneurial identity during your teen years by doing entrepreneurial things.

In my community, enterprising teenagers are very common.

They mow and aerate lawns, pull weeds, walk dogs, wash/detail cars, power wash driveways/garbage cans, and host lemonade stands on the street corner.

Presuming you have your parent's permission, nothing stops you from posting your services on Facebook or NextDoor. You'd be surprised how many adults love to give 16-year-old teenagers work.

Any success in these local enterprises will spell future success in more significant ventures. Entrepreneurship is about selling value and delivering it. The "making money" aspect is the result.

If you're here asking, "How do I make money?" you're already on the wrong launchpad.

The answer isn't low-brow, fast money-making opportunities pushed by every two-bit guru; affiliate marketing, dropshipping, or crypto— it's in the art of unique value creation followed by marketing that value.

Help people and you will help yourself.

#6) Learn how to sell, communicate, and market. Bonus: Learn how to lead.​

If you own the cure for cancer but can't sell, communicate, or market it, you make nothing. A great product sells zero. Selling is critical in life, from selling yourself to employers, customers, professors, bosses, regulators, lobbyists, and potential spouses—the selling never ends.

Communication is the bridge between your mind and the world. It's the energy that propels your imagination into reality. Like a skilled conductor leading an orchestra, learning to communicate effectively will enable you to create harmony and conciseness in relationships, projects, and pursuits.

Bonus points if you can lead groups of people.

Triple points if you learn how to speak in front of large groups.

Second, the art of marketing and advertising is a potent skill. It's more than just pushing a product; it's about connecting, understanding needs, and solving problems.

Whether a lemonade stand or a school project, learning to sell, persuade, and advance your position is about mastering the human connection.

It's the first dance in the grand ballroom of business.

#7) Leverage compounding; the skill behind life-changing results and ambitious dreams.​

Compound is the key to success.

Compounding money, compounding returns, compounding skills, compounding habits.

When you hear a concert violinist, you're witnessing positive compounding.

When you watch a pro athlete, you're seeing years of positive compounding.

When you see a successful entrepreneur sell his company, again, positive compounding.

Conversely, when you see someone 300 lbs and obese, you're witnessing the incarnation of negative compounding.

Social media, video games, and poor dietary habits institute negative compounding and make your mind a mushy marshmallow.

Results—both positive and negative—only happen one day, one habit at a time.

As I like to say, hard choices create an easy life.

Easy choices? Be prepared for hard.

As such, if you can exercise this compounding muscle, you can win at life.

• Learn how to play a musical instrument until you get to an intermediate level.
• Visit the gym 4-5 times a week until fitness becomes a routine.
• Eat right every day and avoid processed, sugary foods.
• Brush your teeth daily; a root canal is the worst thing a human can endure.
• Take up a sport and aim to be the best at it, not the best in your school, just the best YOU can be.
• Learn how to save a portion of your earnings—no matter how small. It's not the amount; it's the process.

Success is found in the ordinary.

That's right, the mundane is where life reveals its most profound secrets. The daily grind, the routine, the everyday hustle is where you'll find the hidden threads of future greatness. Expect them, endure them, and come out better than before.

Are you better today than yesterday?

Ask, If I continue this behavior for the next 100 days, what will my results be?

Your answer will determine if you live a life of pride or shame.

#8) Stop caring what other people think or struggle mightily.​

You can't do anything significant if you constantly avoid criticism or care what others think.

Success is a full-criticism sport.

Look at the most successful entrepreneurs, authors, and athletes in the world, from Elon Musk to JK Rowling to Ronaldo; they all get criticism and have their share of haters.

You can be pure of heart and soul and guess what? It still won't matter! People will hate you, especially if you succeed publicly. And it is hard not to take it personally.

However, this expected hatred is a fact of life, and if you want to resist the realities of life, you will struggle to succeed at anything.

Expect friction and know such negative commentary has nothing to do with you but with the person dispensing it. Friend, brother, schoolmate; it doesn't matter.

Hurt people hurt people.

#9) Surround yourself with accelerators, not drags.​

As a teen, I once had a friend, Dave, who was crazy. At the time, I thought he was funny in a bold, inappropriate way. But I knew something was "off" about him and stopped being his friend. Here's later, I discovered he murdered a cop and was sentenced to life in prison.

There's an old and true saying: You are who you surround yourself with.

If your friends are lazy losers who eat and play video games all day, guess what? You likely will become a lazy loser who does the same.

People who don't support your goals and big dreams are drags. They are like anchors on your boat. Conversely, surrounding yourself with people who support your goal or, minimally aspire for better life outcomes becomes an accelerant.

Think of each person invited into the intimacy of life as a door. What door are they taking you through? What would have happened if I had been in the car when Dave decided to run over a cop?

People act like doors on your life's journey; they open new opportunities or new tragedies.

Choose wisely who you choose to associate with. Learn how to lock doors and walk away from them.

#10) Understand that culture, media, entertainment, and society generally want you mediocre and obedient, a good citizen who questions nothing and does their job for 50 years.​

The Script is real. Culture is not your friend. Neither is the media.

If you want to live a 1% existence, you can't participate in 99% resources.

Beware of any mainstream media sources, opinions, or illusions of authority. They are all designed to get you into the Monday-thru-Friday slave/investment scheme. They are all designed to make you angry and to believe you're a victim. Yes, the world is screwed up—but your neighbor generally isn't the problem, it's what's your neighbor continues to consume, and continues to believe.

Learn to think critically and ask, "Why do they want me to think, behave, and act this way?"

More than likely, you'll find a conflict of interest or an agenda actually adverse to living your best life.

#11) Choose to be happy. You can be 50 years old and still live life like a kid.​

I'm over 50 now. More than 2/3rds of my life is over. And yet, I still feel like a kid. Life is fantastic, and it feels like my playground.

Over the years, I learned that happiness is a state of mind, an existence of being, not a destination. If you make happiness a destination conditional on specific results (sales, cars, etc.), your happiness won't last and will be fleeting.

Think of it as a scale of 1 through 10.

Most people have a default happiness level that fluctuates around 3-6 and work to earn periodic bursts to 8s or 9s—a promotion, a new car, a concert or a vacation—whereas you should opt to live your life at a constant 8.

How?

Pursue your dreams.

No matter how hard.

Here's a secret for living happily: When you have a dream—a Meaning and a Purpose—and you're actively pursuing those purposes, you're already living the dream.

As you pursue your dreams, small wins spike happiness from a default baseline of 7 or 8, to 9 or 10.

Don't confuse Purpose with "Following your passion" or "doing what you love." These are selfish inclinations.

A Purpose is usually external and larger than ourselves. A Purpose forces you to do the dirty work, the work that forces others to quit. When turmoil arrives, and it will, Purpose is the propellant to get you over the mountain.

View attachment 50976

#12) One day, you'll be dead; make life your video game to be won.​

Life is short. Yes, it goes fast. It feels like just yesterday I was 21.

However, one perspective that helped me endure life's challenges was looking at life as a role-playing fantasy video game. As such, I worked to acquire knowledge, experience points, proficiency, and skills; I performed market experiments, acted, assessed, and adjusted continually, and leveled up in the game while acquiring gold and treasure.

Video games always have big bosses to kill. Life does, too, from our impulsive decisions that result in poor consequences to a media that hates entrepreneurs and "rich people" to the lures of social media and endless Netflix binging. Kill the bosses, and you win.

Failures? No problem, they're just game resets. They're experience points—part of the game.

Looking at life this way while deploying the power of compounding, you might wake up owning a real Lamborghini in life, not a fake Lamborghini in a video game.

Ultimately, your main goal is happiness and self-fulfillment, a life you can be proud of when your last day on earth arrives.

With that said, remember, you are in the dawn of your existence.

Your teen years should be optimized to play, to dream, to laugh, and to explore. Don't rush to grow up; don't forget to live and savor youth's sweetness. Like a rare vintage wine, these years have a flavor that you'll never taste again. Don't hate your youth; embrace it, for it shall never come again.

As you age into adulthood, your career as an entrepreneur will unfurl like a journey through an uncharted wilderness. There will be mountains to climb and rivers to cross, but the beauty is in the journey, not just the destination. There's beauty in pursuing a dream and a Purpose. Embrace the video game that is life, sharpen your skills, nurture your mind, and prepare to set the world ablaze with your ideas.

This life is yours and no one else.

The greatest tragedy of humanity is to aspire for mediocrity. To just survive and get by.

Aim higher, produce, learn as you age, and master the video game that is life.



I will add more over time, until then, get off Instagram, go outside and enjoy your youth.
Best wishes,
MJ DeMarco

Fellow Fastlaners? What advice are you giving your children?

That is some great and needed advice.
I aggre that it's important that as a teenager you don't put to much pressure on yourself, I feel like I personally do this and that at times I need to be less serious about myself, so that I can be more in the moment instead of thinking about what will be, or has been, and to allow yourself to be your age.

Although it's extremely important to prepare/set yourself up for success as early as you can, the advice mentioned here as well as the lessons or the information in MJ's books are very valuable, especially in the times we are in, sometimes it feels like you are in a race against the year 2030, I try not to waste my energy worrying but sometimes the amout of total bull**** happening in the world it makes you think...

I've felt that MJ's books have been very helpfull in showing ways of navigating around the mess and even seeing the opportunity in it.

Big ups to MJ and others, who time and time again provide this type of valuable information.

 

[ElenaPatrice]

I'm soooo sharing this with my 17 year old! I told my daughter as she began her school year that MANDATORY reading before she graduates (this May) is "The Millionaire Fastlane "! Period.

 

[marble]

And it's not about that they don't like me. They do like me. The thing is that I simply just don't like them back.

This is so real.

It's hard to find people who actually like to use their own brain.

I feel as if I haven't actually met anyone new in years. It's all the same few people with different bodies.

It's entertaining to see people in the wild talking about something like they are some intellectual, when it's just last weeks Twitter feed.

This is how I discovered the script before I ever even knew about MJ's books. Really shows you how real it is, 99% consumer, 1% producer. Though, these days it seems closer to 0.1%.

 

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[taimurshaz]

I'm writing one main thread to start, and others can contribute under the premise of, "If you had a 15 year old child who was interested in entrepreneurship, what would you tell them?"

Who knows, I might even do a TMF for Teens book.

Would really love to see that,I turn 15 on the 23rd of this month.

After reading this guide for teenagers,I've somewhat felt less lost and more connected with life.

Thoughts have started to take shape and a whole new purpose has been built.

It feels like now I'm looking at life through a whole new set of lens.

I need to go through all this-be it exciting,boring or exhausting,

only then will I succeed.

Now I'm a bullet train,along the journey maybe I'll pick up some cash,maybe I'll pick up some friends
but in the end I keep going and striving,because it's not over...UNTIL I WIN!!!!!

P.s Apologies for this message if in any way it's quite random but I just felt like writing out my thoughts and I wasn't too sure if i was going to hit reply or not,I just wanted to write out my thoughts.But,I may as well share this for any other teenager reading this.

STAY STRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

p.s add me on discord if ur a teenager (ideally around my age,my username is 'taimurshaz' and I don't use any other social media app to communicate with people across the internet I don't rlly know) and at the time of writing I'm heavily motivated to become a Youtuber NO MATTER WHAT because I want to be a producer and this goal has been growing in my mind ever since I remember watching Youtube.Not sure if anyone will add me and also not sure what I'll do with you on discord but hey,maybe we can just have that atmoshpere of competition as well as sharing bits of info as we learn in our journeys and share it with each other?I have parents and I'm grateful for that and respect they care about what's right for me but at the moment they don't really want me using my phone AT ALL or any device apart from if it's watching TV or school work related(I'm writing this at the time of completing my homework and after eating food on my school Chromebook). but in order to achieve my goals-I have to.So,for the time being I just know that God-the One who knows what's best for me-knows why this is happening and why it is happening and surely there is wisdom behind my current situation.Maybe I'll get a valuable lesson out of this which will really help me out or maybe I just have to learn to be patient.Either way,I'm not stopping.I'll learn about Youtube, I'll read books on marketing or anything that can help me for the future or once I'm out of this problem...BUT I WONT STOP.

STAY STRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jclean]

Heya @MJ DeMarco !

I just have a little question.

In your post you talk a lot about enjoying the teen years and not just relentlessy hustling.
I think that's good advice. I'm not here to question that.

However I wonder what to do for people who can't apply your advice, like me?
I do a bunch of stuff to meet other people (school clubs, choir, music courses, going to museums etc) however I just can't find people with whom I can enjoy "teenagehood" or other things.

And it's not about that they don't like me. They do like me. The thing is that I simply just don't like them back.

For me, I have just accepted that my teens look different and that it'll be a lot more work-heavy.

However I just wonder what you'd say about this?

You are doing the things like school clubs, choir, music courses, going to museums etc

So you are clearly enjoying your teenage years....

Everyone views a good time differently, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Your interests are just slightly different from the average teenager.

I just wanted to party preferably 3 times a week.

(If you are a teenager on the fastlane forum then you are already different/farther than the average teenager) i was 26 when i became a member...

Dont overthink everything and just be yourself

 

[piano]

You are doing the things like school clubs, choir, music courses, going to museums etc

So you are clearly enjoying your teenage years....

Everyone views a good time differently, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Your interests are just slightly different from the average teenager.

I just wanted to party preferably 3 times a week.

(If you are a teenager on the fastlane forum then you are already different/farther than the average teenager) i was 26 when i became a member...

Dont overthink everything and just be yourself

Thank you for your time, but I respectfully disagree.

Just because you visit events/clubs, doesn't mean you always enjoy them.

Don't get me wrong, there are fun times, but these are rather rare.

 

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[Vinters!]

Since this thread seems fitting -

I'm 16 and pretty ambitious about having freedom of time and money.
After reading this thread, most of my questions were answered. But, there's still one I can't figure out.
(Because it's kinda hard for me to decide)

Should I start a business now, or continue learning and studying hard, so i can set up stronger foundations when I turn 18? The thing is, I'm having money problems, and to achieve my childhood dream, (becoming an mx racer) I need funding, and well, I am not getting a lot of money from my parents, I can tell you that much.
The longer I wait, the smaller the chance of me getting to that place is.

I believe I have enough knowledge to start an entrepreneurship career, but giving my current habits which is 50% school 10% commute 30% self improvement and 10% eating and rest(i don't use social media) , I don't even have time for that.

PS: I know that i am the one that controls my life, i just want to know what would you do in my situation. In the end i will decide myself what to do, but I'm always thankful for any help given.

 

[Chet Shen]

Since this thread seems fitting -

I'm 16 and pretty ambitious about having freedom of time and money.
After reading this thread, most of my questions were answered. But, there's still one I can't figure out.
(Because it's kinda hard for me to decide)

Should I start a business now, or continue learning and studying hard, so i can set up stronger foundations when I turn 18? The thing is, I'm having money problems, and to achieve my childhood dream, (becoming an mx racer) I need funding, and well, I am not getting a lot of money from my parents, I can tell you that much.
The longer I wait, the smaller the chance of me getting to that place is.

I believe I have enough knowledge to start an entrepreneurship career, but giving my current habits which is 50% school 10% commute 30% self improvement and 10% eating and rest(i don't use social media) , I don't even have time for that.

PS: I know that i am the one that controls my life, i just want to know what would you do in my situation. In the end i will decide myself what to do, but I'm always thankful for any help given.

Advice from another 15yr old teen hehe:
Question to ponder:
Why do you want to be a MX racer fast? Why would you want to be rich FAST?

I feel that kids are trying to reach a destination and make that as "happiness" as in I want to reach that goal SO that I can be happy and they want it FAST. Enjoy the process of being rich man. Don't stop learning at this age and enjoy making friends, having fun and contributing to your goals

My advice would be to study hard and continue in school. Plus you starting a business doesn't even require you to drop out of school. Why don't you work on your business and on school at the same time? Business after school hours and on weekends.

Obviously this is an advice from the same age group and anyone can just say:
"Yea right, coming from a 15yr old kid who hasn't even started a job yet or made more than $10,000"
But basically just repeating what others said to me. All of these are just thoughts to ponder about, and it's up to you to think about it

 

[Vinters!]

Why do you want to be a MX racer fast? Why would you want to be rich FAST?

Fun fact: My relative was a legend in the dakar community (Jānis Vinters) , although i haven't met him irl (or i have, just that i was very young), from time to time I still get stories from my mom about him.

I want to reach to mx racing asap because it's better to start at 18 and get some trophies at 20s rather than starting at 20s and getting trophies at 30s.
I kinda f*cked up my younger ages not willing to join sports teams and now i regret it, i had some good potential to ball. So, while i still hold passion for motorsports, i want to get in there. Who knows what will happen when i turn 20ish

I want to be reach financial freedom fast, because who knows for how long we will live anyways

I already enjoy my life, I'm a workaholic but i still enjoy time with friends from time to time.
Of course, life aint easy, i feel demotivated every 3rd day. As well as i'm constantly fighting urges to quit, since the start of school, going home with energy and motivation to work more and harder is very rare, but guess what, 9 out of 10 times i will do what i need to do.

 

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[Andy Black]

Bump.

 

[El1mination]

If you have been linked to this page, it is because you mentioned you are a teenager (17 or younger) and have posted questions on The Fastlane Forum seeking advice for wealth, business, and life in general.

First, let me say congratulations on being a proactive investor in your future. The fact that you have asked such questions young demonstrates that you are way ahead of the average adult twice your age.

Give yourself some cred!



Second, as a matter of legal liability, it is not wise for internet strangers to actively advise and converse with minors regarding life choices. This activity is generally left to your parents or teachers, individuals who typically have a fiduciary duty to your wellness.

But MJ! My parents want me to go to college and be a worker drone! A slave to the Script!​

I get it. But please understand that your parents only want what is best for you. Second, they know your habits, behaviors, and patterns far better than I do. As I've written before, the forum cannot make your life decisions, especially if you aren't even a legal adult.

As for how you should approach the Fastlane if you endeavor for an Unscripted life, know this: Your teenage years should be spent having fun, whether exploring your passions, playing sports, or learning how to do things that inspire your soul.

The teen years should be exploratory, not one of hustle, grind, and unrelenting expectations.

But MJ, I want to get in the Fastlane! ​

Youth and time is your biggest asset right now.

In fact, you're a time billionaire with billions of unused seconds remaining in your life. That's plenty of time to "go Fastlane," build a business, a family, and a life full of meaning. Don't cheat your youth by inviting adulthood too fast and too full of lofty expectations.

So am I suggesting you leave? Give up on the idea of a Fastlane, Unscripted life?

Not at all.

First and foremost, the Fastlane is mindset. An awareness and a mental state where you don't just want to survive; you want to thrive. The fact that you're here speaks volumes, and you've recognized your most important power in life: THE POWER TO CHOOSE.

Unfortunately, until you are an adult, the "power to choose" is likely limited to your legal guardian, or your parents.

The people here cannot advise you directly other than vague generalities, which I will outline below.

So rest assured, the investments you make as a teenager will pay you big dividends as an adult, and yes, perhaps a Fastlane, Unscripted life where you can be healthy, wealthy, and happy.

Here are 12 concepts that I told my step-son when he was a teenager, things that will improve his probability of living the life of his dreams.

#1) Don't dismiss a college education.​

Yes, a college education isn't what it used to be.

However, college is more than the degree; it is socialization, it is time management, it is discipline, it is learning how to learn, and it is your first dance away from your parents.

Now, is college worth its debt? Depends.

Spending $50K on a philosophy degree isn't smart. Computer science, data analysis, robotics; perhaps it is.

If college is free in your country, study something that interests you and can be leveraged in either a great job or a great business.

Avoid any "greater fool" studies or degrees in liberal arts; these pursuits are only valuable in teaching other fools the same stuff.

#2) Don't dismiss your parent's wisdom, but also, don't take it as the holy gospel. ​

Your parent's primary goal is to protect you. Part of that protection is guarding you from unknown dangers and from taking perceived risks. They want what they think is best for you, even if you don't agree.

Starting a business sounds risky if your parents are part of the rat race, live paycheck-to-paycheck, and have been working a job most of their lives. Even more risky? The idea of starting a business for wealth and as a conduit to escape the rat race. These are massive unknowns. Risks. It is their job to be skeptical.

Hate school? That's OK, so did I.

But I powered through it and graduated.

Your first challenge as an entrepreneur is to finish high school, or if you have one year left in college, for the love of God, finish college. It only makes sense to drop out of you have an established business with sales, revenue, and a pathway to scale.

If you can't survive the grind of high school or college, you'll find the grind of starting and running a business no easier.

Quitters quit. Winners persevere, even when things are boring, hard, or dispassionate.

Second, do you want to get rich? Be successful and happy?

Get used to the idea that learning is LIFE-LONG.

Continuing self-education will make you rich. If your education officially ends at graduation, make no mistake: the rest of your life will suck.

You can hate school, but you can't hate education.

#3) Social media is mentally hazardous: Avoid social media, video games, and other dopamine addictions that destroy your ability to learn, focus, and evolve.​

Decades ago, your most significant obstacle to success was access to knowledge.

Today, knowledge is everywhere—a readily accessible commodity—but most people are incapable of processing it, much less using it.

Why? Distraction.

Smartphones have killed your ability to focus. And the younger you are, the worse it is.

If you want any chance of success, avoid social media and video gaming except as tools for your business. If you can't avoid them, put strict limits on their use, like you would smoking or drinking a sugar-laden soda.

Social media is a perfect example of the consumer/producer dichotomy I expose in The Millionaire Fastlane ; the YouTubers with 3 million subscribers are producing, and hence, making millions—their subscribers are the consumers, spending millions in minutes per day.

#4) The producers of culture get rich; the consumers stay poor.​

Know this: If you want to get rich as an adult, you must learn to produce value in excess of your consumption.

See the social media example above. Do you think Mr. Beast is on YouTube 4 hours a day, watching endless videos on meditation, cold showers, and productivity hacking?

Nope.

He's PRODUCING content for the masses to consume.

And as a result, he has billions of dollars in influence and wealth.

Yes, there's nothing wrong with watching YouTube to learn something new. However, at some point, the knowledge you consume must be put into real-life action. That's how you get a return on the time you invest.

As I like to say, at some point you can read and consume all kinds of material on swimming; at some point you have to jump in the pool.

Second, social media is an excellent tool for entrepreneurs to grow their business and influence. It is a tool, like a hammer.

A hammer can build you something impressive like a house, or you can use a hammer to hit yourself over the head, turning you into a dopamine slave.

Eventually, the choice will be yours.

#5) Business and entrepreneurship is a lifelong sport; it's not something you try for a few months and move on.​

Business, or entrepreneurship, is not something you try. It's something you live. It is an enduring identity that goes beyond just a career. And you can reinforce your entrepreneurial identity during your teen years by doing entrepreneurial things.

In my community, enterprising teenagers are very common.

They mow and aerate lawns, pull weeds, walk dogs, wash/detail cars, power wash driveways/garbage cans, and host lemonade stands on the street corner.

Presuming you have your parent's permission, nothing stops you from posting your services on Facebook or NextDoor. You'd be surprised how many adults love to give 16-year-old teenagers work.

Any success in these local enterprises will spell future success in more significant ventures. Entrepreneurship is about selling value and delivering it. The "making money" aspect is the result.

If you're here asking, "How do I make money?" you're already on the wrong launchpad.

The answer isn't low-brow, fast money-making opportunities pushed by every two-bit guru; affiliate marketing, dropshipping, or crypto— it's in the art of unique value creation followed by marketing that value.

Help people and you will help yourself.

#6) Learn how to sell, communicate, and market. Bonus: Learn how to lead.​

If you own the cure for cancer but can't sell, communicate, or market it, you make nothing. A great product sells zero. Selling is critical in life, from selling yourself to employers, customers, professors, bosses, regulators, lobbyists, and potential spouses—the selling never ends.

Communication is the bridge between your mind and the world. It's the energy that propels your imagination into reality. Like a skilled conductor leading an orchestra, learning to communicate effectively will enable you to create harmony and conciseness in relationships, projects, and pursuits.

Bonus points if you can lead groups of people.

Triple points if you learn how to speak in front of large groups.

Second, the art of marketing and advertising is a potent skill. It's more than just pushing a product; it's about connecting, understanding needs, and solving problems.

Whether a lemonade stand or a school project, learning to sell, persuade, and advance your position is about mastering the human connection.

It's the first dance in the grand ballroom of business.

#7) Leverage compounding; the skill behind life-changing results and ambitious dreams.​

Compound is the key to success.

Compounding money, compounding returns, compounding skills, compounding habits.

When you hear a concert violinist, you're witnessing positive compounding.

When you watch a pro athlete, you're seeing years of positive compounding.

When you see a successful entrepreneur sell his company, again, positive compounding.

Conversely, when you see someone 300 lbs and obese, you're witnessing the incarnation of negative compounding.

Social media, video games, and poor dietary habits institute negative compounding and make your mind a mushy marshmallow.

Results—both positive and negative—only happen one day, one habit at a time.

As I like to say, hard choices create an easy life.

Easy choices? Be prepared for hard.

As such, if you can exercise this compounding muscle, you can win at life.

• Learn how to play a musical instrument until you get to an intermediate level.
• Visit the gym 4-5 times a week until fitness becomes a routine.
• Eat right every day and avoid processed, sugary foods.
• Brush your teeth daily; a root canal is the worst thing a human can endure.
• Take up a sport and aim to be the best at it, not the best in your school, just the best YOU can be.
• Learn how to save a portion of your earnings—no matter how small. It's not the amount; it's the process.

Success is found in the ordinary.

That's right, the mundane is where life reveals its most profound secrets. The daily grind, the routine, the everyday hustle is where you'll find the hidden threads of future greatness. Expect them, endure them, and come out better than before.

Are you better today than yesterday?

Ask, If I continue this behavior for the next 100 days, what will my results be?

Your answer will determine if you live a life of pride or shame.

#8) Stop caring what other people think or struggle mightily.​

You can't do anything significant if you constantly avoid criticism or care what others think.

Success is a full-criticism sport.

Look at the most successful entrepreneurs, authors, and athletes in the world, from Elon Musk to JK Rowling to Ronaldo; they all get criticism and have their share of haters.

You can be pure of heart and soul and guess what? It still won't matter! People will hate you, especially if you succeed publicly. And it is hard not to take it personally.

However, this expected hatred is a fact of life, and if you want to resist the realities of life, you will struggle to succeed at anything.

Expect friction and know such negative commentary has nothing to do with you but with the person dispensing it. Friend, brother, schoolmate; it doesn't matter.

Hurt people hurt people.

#9) Surround yourself with accelerators, not drags.​

As a teen, I once had a friend, Dave, who was crazy. At the time, I thought he was funny in a bold, inappropriate way. But I knew something was "off" about him and stopped being his friend. Here's later, I discovered he murdered a cop and was sentenced to life in prison.

There's an old and true saying: You are who you surround yourself with.

If your friends are lazy losers who eat and play video games all day, guess what? You likely will become a lazy loser who does the same.

People who don't support your goals and big dreams are drags. They are like anchors on your boat. Conversely, surrounding yourself with people who support your goal or, minimally aspire for better life outcomes becomes an accelerant.

Think of each person invited into the intimacy of life as a door. What door are they taking you through? What would have happened if I had been in the car when Dave decided to run over a cop?

People act like doors on your life's journey; they open new opportunities or new tragedies.

Choose wisely who you choose to associate with. Learn how to lock doors and walk away from them.

#10) Understand that culture, media, entertainment, and society generally want you mediocre and obedient, a good citizen who questions nothing and does their job for 50 years.​

The Script is real. Culture is not your friend. Neither is the media.

If you want to live a 1% existence, you can't participate in 99% resources.

Beware of any mainstream media sources, opinions, or illusions of authority. They are all designed to get you into the Monday-thru-Friday slave/investment scheme. They are all designed to make you angry and to believe you're a victim. Yes, the world is screwed up—but your neighbor generally isn't the problem, it's what's your neighbor continues to consume, and continues to believe.

Learn to think critically and ask, "Why do they want me to think, behave, and act this way?"

More than likely, you'll find a conflict of interest or an agenda actually adverse to living your best life.

#11) Choose to be happy. You can be 50 years old and still live life like a kid.​

I'm over 50 now. More than 2/3rds of my life is over. And yet, I still feel like a kid. Life is fantastic, and it feels like my playground.

Over the years, I learned that happiness is a state of mind, an existence of being, not a destination. If you make happiness a destination conditional on specific results (sales, cars, etc.), your happiness won't last and will be fleeting.

Think of it as a scale of 1 through 10.

Most people have a default happiness level that fluctuates around 3-6 and work to earn periodic bursts to 8s or 9s—a promotion, a new car, a concert or a vacation—whereas you should opt to live your life at a constant 8.

How?

Pursue your dreams.

No matter how hard.

Here's a secret for living happily: When you have a dream—a Meaning and a Purpose—and you're actively pursuing those purposes, you're already living the dream.

As you pursue your dreams, small wins spike happiness from a default baseline of 7 or 8, to 9 or 10.

Don't confuse Purpose with "Following your passion" or "doing what you love." These are selfish inclinations.

A Purpose is usually external and larger than ourselves. A Purpose forces you to do the dirty work, the work that forces others to quit. When turmoil arrives, and it will, Purpose is the propellant to get you over the mountain.

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#12) One day, you'll be dead; make life your video game to be won.​

Life is short. Yes, it goes fast. It feels like just yesterday I was 21.

However, one perspective that helped me endure life's challenges was looking at life as a role-playing fantasy video game. As such, I worked to acquire knowledge, experience points, proficiency, and skills; I performed market experiments, acted, assessed, and adjusted continually, and leveled up in the game while acquiring gold and treasure.

Video games always have big bosses to kill. Life does, too, from our impulsive decisions that result in poor consequences to a media that hates entrepreneurs and "rich people" to the lures of social media and endless Netflix binging. Kill the bosses, and you win.

Failures? No problem, they're just game resets. They're experience points—part of the game.

Looking at life this way while deploying the power of compounding, you might wake up owning a real Lamborghini in life, not a fake Lamborghini in a video game.

Ultimately, your main goal is happiness and self-fulfillment, a life you can be proud of when your last day on earth arrives.

With that said, remember, you are in the dawn of your existence.

Your teen years should be optimized to play, to dream, to laugh, and to explore. Don't rush to grow up; don't forget to live and savor youth's sweetness. Like a rare vintage wine, these years have a flavor that you'll never taste again. Don't hate your youth; embrace it, for it shall never come again.

As you age into adulthood, your career as an entrepreneur will unfurl like a journey through an uncharted wilderness. There will be mountains to climb and rivers to cross, but the beauty is in the journey, not just the destination. There's beauty in pursuing a dream and a Purpose. Embrace the video game that is life, sharpen your skills, nurture your mind, and prepare to set the world ablaze with your ideas.

This life is yours and no one else.

The greatest tragedy of humanity is to aspire for mediocrity. To just survive and get by.

Aim higher, produce, learn as you age, and master the video game that is life.



I will add more over time, until then, get off Instagram, go outside and enjoy your youth.
Best wishes,
MJ DeMarco

Fellow Fastlaners? What advice are you giving your children?

Wow thank you for this it helped me a lot, I'm 14 and sometimes I feel lost when trying to find the value I can provide to others and I keep trying to rush myself to find it when I need to realize that I have a little more time than others do and I don't have to rush. I completely agree with #3, social media is so damaging and toxic, I wish I never got it in the first place but over the past few months I've gotten rid of all of them. #9 also helped me a lot but made me sad, my current friends just play video games all day and made fun of me for trying to create a product that I could make money off of. They said that deleting video games would make me isolate myself and that it was unhealthy to stop indulging in the instant gratification acts that they participate in on the daily. I don't participate in all this cringe sigma self improvement bs, although I've been going to the gym for a year and am technically improving myself, I don't associate with the self improvement movement. I can't act like I'm doing any better then my old friends though because although I read TMF and am reading Unscripted right now, I technically haven't done anything so all of what I did up to this point would be considered action faking I guess. Sorry for the rant, I just wanted to say thanks for making this thread for teenagers.

 

[ElenaPatrice]

Wow thank you for this it helped me a lot, I'm 14 and sometimes I feel lost when trying to find the value I can provide to others and I keep trying to rush myself to find it when I need to realize that I have a little more time than others do and I don't have to rush. I completely agree with #3, social media is so damaging and toxic, I wish I never got it in the first place but over the past few months I've gotten rid of all of them. #9 also helped me a lot but made me sad, my current friends just play video games all day and made fun of me for trying to create a product that I could make money off of. They said that deleting video games would make me isolate myself and that it was unhealthy to stop indulging in the instant gratification acts that they participate in on the daily. I don't participate in all this cringe sigma self improvement bs, although I've been going to the gym for a year and am technically improving myself, I don't associate with the self improvement movement. I can't act like I'm doing any better then my old friends though because although I read TMF and am reading Unscripted right now, I technically haven't done anything so all of what I did up to this point would be considered action faking I guess. Sorry for the rant, I just wanted to say thanks for making this thread for teenagers.

This is so awesome! Best read of your life El1mination! I gifted this book to a 16-year-old for Christmas who exhibited only half the insight you do here! (All teens should read these books!) Cheers to the fantabulous journey you are on!! Don't stop, stay focused and strong - you are eons ahead of countless others, you have no idea! I'm beyond impressed and completely rooting for you!

 

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[El1mination]

This is so awesome! Best read of your life El1mination! I gifted this book to a 16-year-old for Christmas who exhibited only half the insight you do here! (All teens should read these books!) Cheers to the fantabulous journey you are on!! Don't stop, stay focused and strong - you are eons ahead of countless others, you have no idea! I'm beyond impressed and completely rooting for you!

Thank you so much, you don't know how much that means to me!

 

[Chet Shen]

Thank you so much, you don't know how much that means to me!

Hey man, by all means keep that effort up!! I'm 16yrs old and I'm definitely gonna root for U man!!