I just popped in for a sec and got a notification that yesterday was my 1 year anniversary with the Fastlane Forum. I felt the need to take some time and journal my experience.
Last October I was halfway through my last semester in college studying Economics full-time and working full-time at a clothing store in the mall. Being self-supporting, I took my sales performance seriously and was able to fund my education without taking any student loans.
After reading TMF , I joined the forum reinvigorated to start a business. I had started (kind of) and failed (quickly) with 3 ventures before.
Long story short, TMF got me researching how to start a business - then I decided I'd work on that after I graduated college. I read Unscripted and then became so resentful at my job I could barely do it, even though it was my choice to be there.
Time passed, my sales productivity suffered, broke up with my girlfriend, moved into a dinky little apartment, got very sick in December (might've been COVID now that I think about it), and took my finals with strep throat. As soon as I got my grades and it was official that I had graduated college, I got severely depressed. This life long goal of getting a degree had been reached. It made no immediate difference in my life, and I felt like... "now what?" I popped in and out of the forum, contributing nothing and taking zero action, hoping someone would just give me the "right idea."
January came, I gave up on business. Defeated, I started looking for a job that I can apply my degree towards. 2 months passed with no new job. Here I was, a 27 year old college grad still working at the mall.
Then one day the mall SHUTS DOWN. Coronavirus. The rest is pretty much all documented in my thread: EXECUTION - To Those Panicked/Discouraged by the PANDEMIC (or New to FLF)
I woke up today cursing myself a failure again (I'm starting to get numb to it) because I learned how to make Wordpress websites and run Google Ads 7 months ago! I've only gotten 6 clients in that time! And I just lost 3! I'm not even making enough money to support myself! In fact, when I take all the money I've made (not much) and subtract it from the money I've spent on my business (new desk, printer, web hosting, etc.), it's barely anything!'
However, now that I think about it, the money I've made has completely supported my ability to continue doing business - that's cool. And I've never stuck with a venture this long before - also cool. I've learned more practical knowledge and have discovered more about myself in the last year than I have in the 10 years I spent in college - I'd have to be stupid to not attribute value to that. That's probably the most valuable thing about this last year. I've expanded my network 10 fold. My time has been used EXACTLY the way I've wanted it to be. I haven't spent an hour driving to and from a job I hate to stand there for a 1/3 of my day only to have 25% of my paycheck taxed - that's huge. In fact, I can honestly say that the last year has been the best year of my life. My business (if you can call it that) isn't where I want it to be. My money isn't where I want it to be. The level of value I contribute to society through my business isn't where I want it to be - but I'm in the game.
I have something to build on. A friend of mine came over yesterday - he's old now but his career was in business consulting. I told him about what I've been doing and as a qualified sounding-board, he told me some things that were hard to hear. He said that I have a business. That meant something to me. He said he was excited to see what happens and that he would like to be a part of it if I cared to have his help.
I spoke to another friend of mine and acquainted him with my business problems. He replied with "your just planting your foot, once your foot is planted, its off to the races." That lifted my spirits a bit.
So here we are. A year in the forum. I got a long way to go and still a ton to learn - but I'm in the game. I'm not working at a clothing store telling my coworkers my "plans to start a business." In fact, I'm gonna walk my dog and jump in a zoom meeting with some potential clients.
I'm reminded of what MJ says about process over events. Be process-minded. Well I'm in the process. I'm engaging the market with kinetic execution. I'm working on shifting my business model to provide value first and more of it. The words "the only way to fail is to give up" come to mind. Not sure where I heard that, but I'm grateful I did.
Special thank you to @Andy Black and all the other contributors here. Thank you Fastlane Forum and thank you MJ DeMarco.
Last October I was halfway through my last semester in college studying Economics full-time and working full-time at a clothing store in the mall. Being self-supporting, I took my sales performance seriously and was able to fund my education without taking any student loans.
After reading TMF , I joined the forum reinvigorated to start a business. I had started (kind of) and failed (quickly) with 3 ventures before.
Long story short, TMF got me researching how to start a business - then I decided I'd work on that after I graduated college. I read Unscripted and then became so resentful at my job I could barely do it, even though it was my choice to be there.
Time passed, my sales productivity suffered, broke up with my girlfriend, moved into a dinky little apartment, got very sick in December (might've been COVID now that I think about it), and took my finals with strep throat. As soon as I got my grades and it was official that I had graduated college, I got severely depressed. This life long goal of getting a degree had been reached. It made no immediate difference in my life, and I felt like... "now what?" I popped in and out of the forum, contributing nothing and taking zero action, hoping someone would just give me the "right idea."
January came, I gave up on business. Defeated, I started looking for a job that I can apply my degree towards. 2 months passed with no new job. Here I was, a 27 year old college grad still working at the mall.
Then one day the mall SHUTS DOWN. Coronavirus. The rest is pretty much all documented in my thread: EXECUTION - To Those Panicked/Discouraged by the PANDEMIC (or New to FLF)
I woke up today cursing myself a failure again (I'm starting to get numb to it) because I learned how to make Wordpress websites and run Google Ads 7 months ago! I've only gotten 6 clients in that time! And I just lost 3! I'm not even making enough money to support myself! In fact, when I take all the money I've made (not much) and subtract it from the money I've spent on my business (new desk, printer, web hosting, etc.), it's barely anything!'
However, now that I think about it, the money I've made has completely supported my ability to continue doing business - that's cool. And I've never stuck with a venture this long before - also cool. I've learned more practical knowledge and have discovered more about myself in the last year than I have in the 10 years I spent in college - I'd have to be stupid to not attribute value to that. That's probably the most valuable thing about this last year. I've expanded my network 10 fold. My time has been used EXACTLY the way I've wanted it to be. I haven't spent an hour driving to and from a job I hate to stand there for a 1/3 of my day only to have 25% of my paycheck taxed - that's huge. In fact, I can honestly say that the last year has been the best year of my life. My business (if you can call it that) isn't where I want it to be. My money isn't where I want it to be. The level of value I contribute to society through my business isn't where I want it to be - but I'm in the game.
I have something to build on. A friend of mine came over yesterday - he's old now but his career was in business consulting. I told him about what I've been doing and as a qualified sounding-board, he told me some things that were hard to hear. He said that I have a business. That meant something to me. He said he was excited to see what happens and that he would like to be a part of it if I cared to have his help.
I spoke to another friend of mine and acquainted him with my business problems. He replied with "your just planting your foot, once your foot is planted, its off to the races." That lifted my spirits a bit.
So here we are. A year in the forum. I got a long way to go and still a ton to learn - but I'm in the game. I'm not working at a clothing store telling my coworkers my "plans to start a business." In fact, I'm gonna walk my dog and jump in a zoom meeting with some potential clients.
I'm reminded of what MJ says about process over events. Be process-minded. Well I'm in the process. I'm engaging the market with kinetic execution. I'm working on shifting my business model to provide value first and more of it. The words "the only way to fail is to give up" come to mind. Not sure where I heard that, but I'm grateful I did.
Special thank you to @Andy Black and all the other contributors here. Thank you Fastlane Forum and thank you MJ DeMarco.
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