Gottagofast
New Contributor
Hello, Fastlaners
I am a 23 yr old software developer from Los Angeles. Just finished reading The Millionare fastlane and I know it is a cliche thing to say, but it legitimately changed my perspective on life and how it should be lived.
After reading the book I'm pretty convinced that I want to take the Fastlane. The biggest mistake I made was enrolling in grad school. I got a full ride for college and only took out 20k in student loans over 4 yrs. Got a 6 figure job after graduating. I was in a pretty good position but my dumbass thought it would be a good idea to enroll in grad school to make myself more employable. I didn't receive any money for this and have been paying for the half while the company (have a stay with them for 2 yrs after graduating or have to pay them back the amount.) The total cost of the program is 40k. I have paid 20k while my company paid the other half. I will be graduating from the program in May. I have no savings because I have been paying for my program and also paid off around 6k in student loans. I don't think I would be in a position to quit my job to work on my ideas without having any other income stream. I can't ask my mom for money because she doesn't have it.
I am sick and tired of my life and my mental health has taken a huge beating over the last 1.5 yrs I work 8 hrs a job that I have to come back home and study for classes that I am not passionate about. I am doing a decent job at both. I'm maintaining a decent GPA but I don't think I am learning much. I live 30-35 miles away from college friends. my high school friends and family are halfway around the world. My company has not increased my pay because " they don't have the budget for it". meanwhile, I learned that developers with 2-3 yrs more experience than me are getting paid significantly lesser than me in spite of being promoted. Apparently the longer you stay at my company the more work you get without actually getting a pay increase. my solution to this was trying to get a higher paying job. But as you guys know preparing for software engineering interviews is dreadful.
I started reading self-help books and all of the sound so similar and said nothing at all. I started hating work and modern society. TMF was recommended to me when I posted on a forum when I asked for books that every man should read in his 20's. I cringed at the name but checked it out on amazon anyway. I bought the book after reading a couple of reviews. And it was the best decision I have made in a long time. I felt like MJ was slapping me with the truth in every chapter. After reading a dozen pretentious self-help and personal finance books his writing was a huge treat.
My main takeaways were:
1) your time on this earth is limited(even if you are 23). I should make the most of my life. In order to do that I need to buy my freedom.
2) Time is more important than money.
3) Having a job is not as safe as most people think. Your retirement savings could get wiped out because wall street decided to F*ck with the economy. You could get sick and your employer can fire you and terminate your health insurance.
4) You don't need to have a special talent or the next big idea that no one else has thought of to be a successful entrepreneur.
5) Even If I don't succeed in my pursuit of true financial freedom, I can rest in peace knowing that I tried my best to fight for my freedom.
My plan right now is to just finish up my maters program, live below my means for two years, save as much as I can. I wouldn't have to pay my company anything back. I can pay off my undergrad loans to have some savings too. I will start working on some ideas that I have in the meantime and try to get venture capital funding.
Another plan is to start a full-stack development or machine learning solutions firm and move to either phoenix or Austin once I am debt-free. This I could work 20 hrs a week to support myself and spend the rest of my time
My plan before reading this book was to study hard for software engineering interviews and get into companies like google, amazon or facebook. I interviewed with those companies in college but didn't make it. I received interviews again one year into my job but I declined because I didn't have time to prepare for them. My reasoning was that I would be surrounded by like-minded and have access to venture capitalists if I get into a top tier company like that and am in Silicon Valley. But the advantage with staying with my current company is that the work hours flexible. My teammates are relatively nice and I can work out a deal to work from home 2-3 times a weak.
My main goal right now is to figure to where concentrate my efforts on. What would you do if you were in my situation? Any input would be appreciated.
I am a 23 yr old software developer from Los Angeles. Just finished reading The Millionare fastlane and I know it is a cliche thing to say, but it legitimately changed my perspective on life and how it should be lived.
After reading the book I'm pretty convinced that I want to take the Fastlane. The biggest mistake I made was enrolling in grad school. I got a full ride for college and only took out 20k in student loans over 4 yrs. Got a 6 figure job after graduating. I was in a pretty good position but my dumbass thought it would be a good idea to enroll in grad school to make myself more employable. I didn't receive any money for this and have been paying for the half while the company (have a stay with them for 2 yrs after graduating or have to pay them back the amount.) The total cost of the program is 40k. I have paid 20k while my company paid the other half. I will be graduating from the program in May. I have no savings because I have been paying for my program and also paid off around 6k in student loans. I don't think I would be in a position to quit my job to work on my ideas without having any other income stream. I can't ask my mom for money because she doesn't have it.
I am sick and tired of my life and my mental health has taken a huge beating over the last 1.5 yrs I work 8 hrs a job that I have to come back home and study for classes that I am not passionate about. I am doing a decent job at both. I'm maintaining a decent GPA but I don't think I am learning much. I live 30-35 miles away from college friends. my high school friends and family are halfway around the world. My company has not increased my pay because " they don't have the budget for it". meanwhile, I learned that developers with 2-3 yrs more experience than me are getting paid significantly lesser than me in spite of being promoted. Apparently the longer you stay at my company the more work you get without actually getting a pay increase. my solution to this was trying to get a higher paying job. But as you guys know preparing for software engineering interviews is dreadful.
I started reading self-help books and all of the sound so similar and said nothing at all. I started hating work and modern society. TMF was recommended to me when I posted on a forum when I asked for books that every man should read in his 20's. I cringed at the name but checked it out on amazon anyway. I bought the book after reading a couple of reviews. And it was the best decision I have made in a long time. I felt like MJ was slapping me with the truth in every chapter. After reading a dozen pretentious self-help and personal finance books his writing was a huge treat.
My main takeaways were:
1) your time on this earth is limited(even if you are 23). I should make the most of my life. In order to do that I need to buy my freedom.
2) Time is more important than money.
3) Having a job is not as safe as most people think. Your retirement savings could get wiped out because wall street decided to F*ck with the economy. You could get sick and your employer can fire you and terminate your health insurance.
4) You don't need to have a special talent or the next big idea that no one else has thought of to be a successful entrepreneur.
5) Even If I don't succeed in my pursuit of true financial freedom, I can rest in peace knowing that I tried my best to fight for my freedom.
My plan right now is to just finish up my maters program, live below my means for two years, save as much as I can. I wouldn't have to pay my company anything back. I can pay off my undergrad loans to have some savings too. I will start working on some ideas that I have in the meantime and try to get venture capital funding.
Another plan is to start a full-stack development or machine learning solutions firm and move to either phoenix or Austin once I am debt-free. This I could work 20 hrs a week to support myself and spend the rest of my time
My plan before reading this book was to study hard for software engineering interviews and get into companies like google, amazon or facebook. I interviewed with those companies in college but didn't make it. I received interviews again one year into my job but I declined because I didn't have time to prepare for them. My reasoning was that I would be surrounded by like-minded and have access to venture capitalists if I get into a top tier company like that and am in Silicon Valley. But the advantage with staying with my current company is that the work hours flexible. My teammates are relatively nice and I can work out a deal to work from home 2-3 times a weak.
My main goal right now is to figure to where concentrate my efforts on. What would you do if you were in my situation? Any input would be appreciated.
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
