I'd always known I wanted to own a business, but during school - perhaps to rationalize the drudgery, I'd make the comment, "at least I'll have this degree to fall back on if I fail at my dreams" - This was the wrong attitude... for a few reasons.
One:
I shouldn't have shortchanged my dreams like that. I didn't realize what was happening at the time, but I was suffering from positive thinking absent action. From an early age I seemed to carry a belief that things would just work out, because why not. "I really want it, so I'm sure it'll happen".... well, I seem to have really internalized that believe and years later I'm just seeing it.
Two:
a degree is not a fall back plan, a SKILL is a fallback plan.
a Skill is something you can churn to generate cash - your wife wants a new porch? churn your hours working on websites and get the cash to treat her (@Andy Black ). What fortune 500 corp will pad your paycheck because you put in superior effort one week with extra hours? - Let me tell you - NONE. I'm a salaried employee at a fortune 500, and I can tell you my paycheck is the same on weeks I give 110% as the weeks I'm so tired I barely make make 90%
More on Skills: which skill to choose. I'm seeing several successful entrepreneurs who generally specialize in one of a few skills needed for a Fastlane business. Web design(@Fox ), copy(@SinisterLex ), sourcing(@Walter Hay ), publishing, real estate deal-making(@SteveO ). Even non-fastlane skills like auto-painting(@RHL ), or installing networking are more profitable fall back plans than a Degree. think about it. PAINTING: investment: $2,000 equipment 1mo training. regular income, 2-5k/month. Degree: investment: $60K, 4 years training. regular income: 3-6K/mo rising 5% annually if nothing bad happens. oh yeah, and you won't have energy to pursue real wealth, almost zero flexibility to set hours, or take time away from work
I'm lucky to have a fastlane-minded wife who supports me (support is a soft word for it, she just came back from Iran telling me all the ideas she had for selling highly profitable products there and for me to buck up and figure out how to sell them - sorry guys, Persian Uber has already been taken). We've agreed I'll keep working until I can develop a SKILL that generates the same income as my job before I dip out so she doesn't risk stressing out about supporting a bum wantrepreneur.
WANTREPRENEUR - more on that word. Yea, that’s me. Until I make my first sale, I’m a WANTREPRENEUR, that’s where I’ve set the bar for myself. my goal is to shed this title before the end of the year.
While I’m still working my J.O.B., I’m spending hours of my free time every single day on my new blueprint:
Step 1: develop a skill to shed the J.O.B.
Step 2: use new skill, spend the increased amount of free time towards developing a fastlane business
Step 3: EXPLOSIVE NET INCOME + ASSET VALUE (just re-listened to that chapter today, 11/10 would recommend)
I have not come close to mentioning all the influences that have given me knowledge here. I give a final shout out to @MJ DeMarco
Man, MJ - you swung the boot what, 6 years ago? but it hit me in the seat of my pants a few weeks ago. I'm back in - my dreams aren't wishes anymore. They're not blurry images off in the future just out of grasp, just there enough to make me believe I'm closing in. I know what I need to do, and holy shit, could it be that it's a matter of months before I see progress? that's not blurry or off in the distance!
Your book caught me right as I was falling into the beliefs of: "save xx% of your income, live like you're lower middle class, grow a mustache, and you'll be independent."
Thanks for putting your value out there in the world.
additional mentions: I couldn't fit you into the story, but some of your nuggets are in my mind
@jon.a - go get your weight
@IceCreamKid - Ice Cream = Business success *mind blown*
@Joe Cassandra - quit your job, learn to write
One:
I shouldn't have shortchanged my dreams like that. I didn't realize what was happening at the time, but I was suffering from positive thinking absent action. From an early age I seemed to carry a belief that things would just work out, because why not. "I really want it, so I'm sure it'll happen".... well, I seem to have really internalized that believe and years later I'm just seeing it.
Two:
a degree is not a fall back plan, a SKILL is a fallback plan.
a Skill is something you can churn to generate cash - your wife wants a new porch? churn your hours working on websites and get the cash to treat her (@Andy Black ). What fortune 500 corp will pad your paycheck because you put in superior effort one week with extra hours? - Let me tell you - NONE. I'm a salaried employee at a fortune 500, and I can tell you my paycheck is the same on weeks I give 110% as the weeks I'm so tired I barely make make 90%
More on Skills: which skill to choose. I'm seeing several successful entrepreneurs who generally specialize in one of a few skills needed for a Fastlane business. Web design(@Fox ), copy(@SinisterLex ), sourcing(@Walter Hay ), publishing, real estate deal-making(@SteveO ). Even non-fastlane skills like auto-painting(@RHL ), or installing networking are more profitable fall back plans than a Degree. think about it. PAINTING: investment: $2,000 equipment 1mo training. regular income, 2-5k/month. Degree: investment: $60K, 4 years training. regular income: 3-6K/mo rising 5% annually if nothing bad happens. oh yeah, and you won't have energy to pursue real wealth, almost zero flexibility to set hours, or take time away from work
I'm lucky to have a fastlane-minded wife who supports me (support is a soft word for it, she just came back from Iran telling me all the ideas she had for selling highly profitable products there and for me to buck up and figure out how to sell them - sorry guys, Persian Uber has already been taken). We've agreed I'll keep working until I can develop a SKILL that generates the same income as my job before I dip out so she doesn't risk stressing out about supporting a bum wantrepreneur.
WANTREPRENEUR - more on that word. Yea, that’s me. Until I make my first sale, I’m a WANTREPRENEUR, that’s where I’ve set the bar for myself. my goal is to shed this title before the end of the year.
While I’m still working my J.O.B., I’m spending hours of my free time every single day on my new blueprint:
Step 1: develop a skill to shed the J.O.B.
Step 2: use new skill, spend the increased amount of free time towards developing a fastlane business
Step 3: EXPLOSIVE NET INCOME + ASSET VALUE (just re-listened to that chapter today, 11/10 would recommend)
I have not come close to mentioning all the influences that have given me knowledge here. I give a final shout out to @MJ DeMarco
Man, MJ - you swung the boot what, 6 years ago? but it hit me in the seat of my pants a few weeks ago. I'm back in - my dreams aren't wishes anymore. They're not blurry images off in the future just out of grasp, just there enough to make me believe I'm closing in. I know what I need to do, and holy shit, could it be that it's a matter of months before I see progress? that's not blurry or off in the distance!
Your book caught me right as I was falling into the beliefs of: "save xx% of your income, live like you're lower middle class, grow a mustache, and you'll be independent."
Thanks for putting your value out there in the world.
additional mentions: I couldn't fit you into the story, but some of your nuggets are in my mind
@jon.a - go get your weight
@IceCreamKid - Ice Cream = Business success *mind blown*
@Joe Cassandra - quit your job, learn to write
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