The last few months has been something of a whirlwind for my general view of the world and I thought I'd share it.
Three months ago I felt successful. At 24 I had nearly achieved every milestone that, when I was young, I envisioned to be the markers of success. Since I was 21, I have had a great relationship with my beautiful wife, a nice house, and a solid career.
Then I started to get restless. I fought hard for all those things, my wife and I moved out at 18 without a dime of support from anyone but ourselves, barely scraping by to get through school and land good careers. Despite not finishing my degree, I landed a well-paying job with a degree requirement that was waived because I had worked my way up through the company and proven myself. So now I find myself at a relatively young age feeling like I've done everything I set out to do. For a while this was OK, and I convinced myself that I was comfortable with the idea of 30 years of a cushy job followed by retirement.
But a few months ago, the shine started to wear off. After years of constantly trying to climb higher and do better, I've learned that I hate sitting still, both physically and figuratively. The idea of coasting through the rest of my life makes me feel like Huck Finn trying to act "sivilized," it goes against my nature.
The biggest change has been in how I perceive success. I'll use a car analogy, since we're all partial to those.
After high school, a lot of my peers were (and still are, almost a decade later) content to cruise along at 35 MPH, working part time at the mall and watching MTV Cribs in their moms' basements. My outlook was, " I'm pretty sure the speed limit is 75." So I pulled into the left lane, mashed on the gas, and passed them up. Now I'm in the same place, except the cars in front of me are going 75. It felt nice, until I started taking a look at the map and realized that I'm on the autobahn and can go as fast as I damn well please!
One of my friends at work is my former manager who I've looked up to as a sort of a mentor and role model in my career. His salary is in the six figures, he gets a large yearly bonus, and he lives comfortably in a nice home with his family and takes several vacations each year. He also routinely works 50-60 hour weeks and barely sees his wife and kids. I used to feel like those were necessary sacrifices for the rewards. But the more I think about it, what good is a beautiful, healthy, well-off family if you never see them? I have probably half his responsibilities, work twenty fewer hours each week, have no children, and I already feel like I barely have any free time. I've gone from viewing my friend as an example of the pinnacle of what I could achieve, to viewing him as a cautionary example of where I'm headed if I don't keep climbing.
This new perspective is so liberating and eye-opening. Everywhere I look, I see possibilities. I talk to my wife about eventually becoming self-employed and then independently wealthy as if they're inevitable things, because I really believe they are. I'm usually such a skeptic that I never believed I'd find an idea that could get me this excited. But that's the great thing about the fastlane and entrepreneurship, these principles are so firmly grounded in concrete, proven concepts that it appeases the Spock in me that wants to see the logic path in everything. It's the focus on process over events that satisfies my skepticism.
What's really great is how, the more ACTION I take, the more excited I become. Every programming concept I learn and every idea I map out brings the execution of my plan into clearer focus, and that's been thrilling. Every now and then I feel the pull of the "desert of desertion" but I'm so emotionally invested and 100% committed to this new path that I know I'll be miserable if I give up. Thirty years of 9-5 seems so torturous now. I'd rather have a lifetime of failed attempts at greatness than a lifetime of successful mediocrity.
Thanks for indulging this little book I've written here, guys. I'm just so ecstatic over this new outlook and direction that I had to put it out there.
Three months ago I felt successful. At 24 I had nearly achieved every milestone that, when I was young, I envisioned to be the markers of success. Since I was 21, I have had a great relationship with my beautiful wife, a nice house, and a solid career.
Then I started to get restless. I fought hard for all those things, my wife and I moved out at 18 without a dime of support from anyone but ourselves, barely scraping by to get through school and land good careers. Despite not finishing my degree, I landed a well-paying job with a degree requirement that was waived because I had worked my way up through the company and proven myself. So now I find myself at a relatively young age feeling like I've done everything I set out to do. For a while this was OK, and I convinced myself that I was comfortable with the idea of 30 years of a cushy job followed by retirement.
But a few months ago, the shine started to wear off. After years of constantly trying to climb higher and do better, I've learned that I hate sitting still, both physically and figuratively. The idea of coasting through the rest of my life makes me feel like Huck Finn trying to act "sivilized," it goes against my nature.
The biggest change has been in how I perceive success. I'll use a car analogy, since we're all partial to those.
After high school, a lot of my peers were (and still are, almost a decade later) content to cruise along at 35 MPH, working part time at the mall and watching MTV Cribs in their moms' basements. My outlook was, " I'm pretty sure the speed limit is 75." So I pulled into the left lane, mashed on the gas, and passed them up. Now I'm in the same place, except the cars in front of me are going 75. It felt nice, until I started taking a look at the map and realized that I'm on the autobahn and can go as fast as I damn well please!One of my friends at work is my former manager who I've looked up to as a sort of a mentor and role model in my career. His salary is in the six figures, he gets a large yearly bonus, and he lives comfortably in a nice home with his family and takes several vacations each year. He also routinely works 50-60 hour weeks and barely sees his wife and kids. I used to feel like those were necessary sacrifices for the rewards. But the more I think about it, what good is a beautiful, healthy, well-off family if you never see them? I have probably half his responsibilities, work twenty fewer hours each week, have no children, and I already feel like I barely have any free time. I've gone from viewing my friend as an example of the pinnacle of what I could achieve, to viewing him as a cautionary example of where I'm headed if I don't keep climbing.
This new perspective is so liberating and eye-opening. Everywhere I look, I see possibilities. I talk to my wife about eventually becoming self-employed and then independently wealthy as if they're inevitable things, because I really believe they are. I'm usually such a skeptic that I never believed I'd find an idea that could get me this excited. But that's the great thing about the fastlane and entrepreneurship, these principles are so firmly grounded in concrete, proven concepts that it appeases the Spock in me that wants to see the logic path in everything. It's the focus on process over events that satisfies my skepticism.
What's really great is how, the more ACTION I take, the more excited I become. Every programming concept I learn and every idea I map out brings the execution of my plan into clearer focus, and that's been thrilling. Every now and then I feel the pull of the "desert of desertion" but I'm so emotionally invested and 100% committed to this new path that I know I'll be miserable if I give up. Thirty years of 9-5 seems so torturous now. I'd rather have a lifetime of failed attempts at greatness than a lifetime of successful mediocrity.
Thanks for indulging this little book I've written here, guys. I'm just so ecstatic over this new outlook and direction that I had to put it out there.
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
