If you're currently feeling stuck, uncertain or anything alike, this may be worth a read. In a way, I am writing this to myself - to remind myself of what I'll be talking about if I ever forget.
I'll be sharing the top lessons (hint: they're all simple!) that got me going confidently. I'm still a minor, so in no way am I as experienced as some of the other folks on this forum. But still, these lessons have helped me so I want to give them a shot at helping some of you, too. Most of them were mentioned in the books I believe, but it's easy to overlook the obvious.
1) Just get started
Identify your skill set. If you don't have one, build one. Sell it. Make some money. Just get started with what you know. I'd like to thank @Andy Black for giving me this insight.
2) Carve out your own path
It's not about finding a system that's working for everybody (although you, of course, don't want to be foolish and still listen to and look at things that work and apply them).
But in general, I found that it's much more effective to look at myself. What I can do (in my case, programming / web development), and how to best apply that to make it big. Starting a lawn mowing business wouldn't be wise in my situation, as I have another skill that's working much better in my situation.
With this, questions along the lines of "which skill should I learn?" or "what business should I start?" should start dissolving.
Identifying my strengths, and like @eliquid said in one of his treads, being honest with yourself is huge. Leverage your strengths. Don't take this as not needing to grow outside of your comfort zone (I've had to do that for sure) or expanding your existing skill set. You'll need to do both extensively. A fixed mindset is not what I'm advocating at all. Nobody is born with a skill set, it's always learned through process.
3) Be bolder
Things started to change for me when I wasn't afraid of asking for help anymore, or just reaching out to great people in general to have a chat. You'll be surprised at what opportunities can come from this.
Who have you always wanted to talk to? "Pick their brains"?
Reach out to them and ask. You might get a "no", but you may get a "yes". You'll get the former 100% of the time if you don't ask.
4) Cut out noise
I've been spending less time on forums and more time doing me. As much as I love forums (including this one), they have a tendency to let you focus on other people too much and what's working for others, and ultimately you may forget that you're on your own journey. With that said, if you're conscious of shiny object syndrome, this will be less of a problem or even no problem at all. Just don't get caught up in only observing others do awesome stuff instead of also doing it yourself.
5) Apply advice to yourself
The advice you read about online (including this) can't fit every single situation. Realize this. Then, extract all the parts that make sense applying to yourself and filter out the advice that doesn't make sense in your situation.
I also like to not get caught up in labels and names anymore (like "fastlane"). Instead, I get clear about my goals (being great in my industry, fast wealth, ...) which are more sharply defined.
Anyway, I hope that this didn't come off too much as guru talk. This were just some of the lessons that have helped me getting started, as I'm in a pretty good spot right now as far as the future is concerned.
If you take away only one thing as a beginner: Figure out your own path!
I'll be sharing the top lessons (hint: they're all simple!) that got me going confidently. I'm still a minor, so in no way am I as experienced as some of the other folks on this forum. But still, these lessons have helped me so I want to give them a shot at helping some of you, too. Most of them were mentioned in the books I believe, but it's easy to overlook the obvious.
1) Just get started
Identify your skill set. If you don't have one, build one. Sell it. Make some money. Just get started with what you know. I'd like to thank @Andy Black for giving me this insight.
2) Carve out your own path
It's not about finding a system that's working for everybody (although you, of course, don't want to be foolish and still listen to and look at things that work and apply them).
But in general, I found that it's much more effective to look at myself. What I can do (in my case, programming / web development), and how to best apply that to make it big. Starting a lawn mowing business wouldn't be wise in my situation, as I have another skill that's working much better in my situation.
With this, questions along the lines of "which skill should I learn?" or "what business should I start?" should start dissolving.
Identifying my strengths, and like @eliquid said in one of his treads, being honest with yourself is huge. Leverage your strengths. Don't take this as not needing to grow outside of your comfort zone (I've had to do that for sure) or expanding your existing skill set. You'll need to do both extensively. A fixed mindset is not what I'm advocating at all. Nobody is born with a skill set, it's always learned through process.
3) Be bolder
Things started to change for me when I wasn't afraid of asking for help anymore, or just reaching out to great people in general to have a chat. You'll be surprised at what opportunities can come from this.
Who have you always wanted to talk to? "Pick their brains"?
Reach out to them and ask. You might get a "no", but you may get a "yes". You'll get the former 100% of the time if you don't ask.
4) Cut out noise
I've been spending less time on forums and more time doing me. As much as I love forums (including this one), they have a tendency to let you focus on other people too much and what's working for others, and ultimately you may forget that you're on your own journey. With that said, if you're conscious of shiny object syndrome, this will be less of a problem or even no problem at all. Just don't get caught up in only observing others do awesome stuff instead of also doing it yourself.
5) Apply advice to yourself
The advice you read about online (including this) can't fit every single situation. Realize this. Then, extract all the parts that make sense applying to yourself and filter out the advice that doesn't make sense in your situation.
I also like to not get caught up in labels and names anymore (like "fastlane"). Instead, I get clear about my goals (being great in my industry, fast wealth, ...) which are more sharply defined.
Anyway, I hope that this didn't come off too much as guru talk. This were just some of the lessons that have helped me getting started, as I'm in a pretty good spot right now as far as the future is concerned.
If you take away only one thing as a beginner: Figure out your own path!
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Last edited:
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today
