Hello Everyone,
I would like to thank everyone that contributes to this forum. I’ve been browsing a reading the forum for about a week now. Some of the contributors here are top notch.
My story:
I’m a 28 year old currently living on $700 a month disability. I suffer from chronic pain and nerve damage in my legs. I have recently realized I can’t even dodge slowlaners when they occasionally drive up on the sidewalk I occupy.
I’ve pretty much been a side walking drifter my whole life. From the time I was born I have lived in extreme poverty. I’ve lived in houses that would make a third world shack look like 5 star resort. I was raised by a mostly unemployed drug intoxicated single mother along with 6 other siblings. I dropped out of school at the ripe age of 12. At the age of 17 I had to have an extremely risky back surgery that didn’t end well. I spent almost 2 years in a wheel chair trying to find out how to cope with the fact I might never walk again. Luckily today I can walk.
I realize none of the things I have experienced in life are an excuse from some of the bad stuff I’ve been into.
When I was about 24 I stumbled across $10,000 on a stroke of luck. Being a street savvy person I put the money to work. I essentially financed some activities that law enforcement would look down upon. Within a period of 6 months my net worth exploded to almost $100k. I then used the money to invest in legitimate enterprises my assets doubled to 200k in another 6 months. Going from extreme poverty to 200k so fast really did a number on me. I lost it all in less than a year in a half.
Naturally like most people who experience such a wild roller coaster ride, I had a nervous breakdown. I ended up losing my girlfriend of 7 years, had to move in with my older sister. I sat idle in my sister’s apartment for 9 months. She eventually hated having a couch potato at her house while she worked the 40 hour week. We got into a huge fight. And I literally left with $400 dollars and the clothes on my back to the greyhound station.
I wanted to go somewhere rich. I walked up to the ticket counter at the greyhound station. when the lady asked me where I wanted to go, ft Lauderdale popped in my head. I ended up spending a year in south Florida. My first night in FL I slept under a bridge on los olas blvd. within two weeks I was down in Miami sleeping on the beach. Within two weeks I had a job, in a 2 months I had an apartment. In a year I managed to save up a whopping $2500!!! I was so tired and in pain from working a shit job that my f*cked up back couldn’t handle, that I decided to come back to Cleveland.
Now I am in Cleveland on disability. I can’t even afford a bed right now. I’m sleeping on an air mattress.
I have no idea what I’m going to do to get off the sidewalk and directly into the fast lane. I’ve always considered myself some kind of survivor. I can survive anything! That’s just it though, I’m just surviving. I want to live! The only thing I can think of doing is read, read & read. I’ve probably read over 10 books in the past 2 weeks.
I’d like to make this some kind of mind post. Maybe one day I can look back at this and reflect ( where was I then, where am I now, where am I going?).
I would like to thank everyone that contributes to this forum. I’ve been browsing a reading the forum for about a week now. Some of the contributors here are top notch.
My story:
I’m a 28 year old currently living on $700 a month disability. I suffer from chronic pain and nerve damage in my legs. I have recently realized I can’t even dodge slowlaners when they occasionally drive up on the sidewalk I occupy.
I’ve pretty much been a side walking drifter my whole life. From the time I was born I have lived in extreme poverty. I’ve lived in houses that would make a third world shack look like 5 star resort. I was raised by a mostly unemployed drug intoxicated single mother along with 6 other siblings. I dropped out of school at the ripe age of 12. At the age of 17 I had to have an extremely risky back surgery that didn’t end well. I spent almost 2 years in a wheel chair trying to find out how to cope with the fact I might never walk again. Luckily today I can walk.
I realize none of the things I have experienced in life are an excuse from some of the bad stuff I’ve been into.
When I was about 24 I stumbled across $10,000 on a stroke of luck. Being a street savvy person I put the money to work. I essentially financed some activities that law enforcement would look down upon. Within a period of 6 months my net worth exploded to almost $100k. I then used the money to invest in legitimate enterprises my assets doubled to 200k in another 6 months. Going from extreme poverty to 200k so fast really did a number on me. I lost it all in less than a year in a half.
Naturally like most people who experience such a wild roller coaster ride, I had a nervous breakdown. I ended up losing my girlfriend of 7 years, had to move in with my older sister. I sat idle in my sister’s apartment for 9 months. She eventually hated having a couch potato at her house while she worked the 40 hour week. We got into a huge fight. And I literally left with $400 dollars and the clothes on my back to the greyhound station.
I wanted to go somewhere rich. I walked up to the ticket counter at the greyhound station. when the lady asked me where I wanted to go, ft Lauderdale popped in my head. I ended up spending a year in south Florida. My first night in FL I slept under a bridge on los olas blvd. within two weeks I was down in Miami sleeping on the beach. Within two weeks I had a job, in a 2 months I had an apartment. In a year I managed to save up a whopping $2500!!! I was so tired and in pain from working a shit job that my f*cked up back couldn’t handle, that I decided to come back to Cleveland.
Now I am in Cleveland on disability. I can’t even afford a bed right now. I’m sleeping on an air mattress.
I have no idea what I’m going to do to get off the sidewalk and directly into the fast lane. I’ve always considered myself some kind of survivor. I can survive anything! That’s just it though, I’m just surviving. I want to live! The only thing I can think of doing is read, read & read. I’ve probably read over 10 books in the past 2 weeks.
I’d like to make this some kind of mind post. Maybe one day I can look back at this and reflect ( where was I then, where am I now, where am I going?).
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. :-)
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
