What the Fastlane Community has done for me

[tbdahl]

First off,

I live in Australia, but English is not my first language, so… I'm deciding to hide behind this, just in case I sound like an idiot

Feeling that I don't bring any real value, I mostly just read the topics on the forum. This site has stacks of extremely valuable members, all who are either hugely successful, or at least take daily action which they in turn share with the rest of us.

As a bit of a summary for new members here, I figured I would put together the main points that I've learnt so far.


I joined May this year, and the value of this forum is better than anything I've ever seen ANYWHERE. If you just take your time and actually read through some of the threads here, you will absorb so much value and Gold!

Take your time, keep reading and things will slowly start making sense!

A brief background on my journey,

Never had a proper mentor, other than one or two wantrapeneurs, who could talk and sell, but never really had any proper success. Being able to distinguish smart from average business advice, is an art in itself

I've read a few books on how to make money. Some of them did little to a few things for me, most of them did nothing. I thought I wanted, no NEEDED a step by step program on what to do. I had so many questions (still do).

What should I get into?
For a while I thought I should get into real estate. Build my money flipping houses. Didn't really make sense, a lot of capital investment for not that much profit. Didn't have that much money after all.
Then I thought I should open up several small coffee and eatery shops. Figured I could make a passive income of maybe $1000 p/week pr stall. If I just replicated that over and over, that should be sweet shouldn't it? On and on and on…. Nothing really made sense though. I was sorta just winging it and playing around in my head on how I could make money. Get my freedom. Never did anything with it though. Just dreaming, hoping, wanting.

I went to university, got a degree in 2010. 2011-12 Ended up starting my own clinic in the health section within a niche, and despite myself (lack of business skills) did ok. Thinking outside the box, went with lower overheads (about 60% of industry average) and hard work. Broke even from week 1.
Kept thinking what I could do. Hire loads of people, build several clinics. But the business was never really scaleable. A lot of work for only Ok Profits. So I just kept doing what I was doing.

Then after about 15 months,10-14 hr days, 6-7 days/week, stress, physical work. I came down with a viral infection. Nothing major. But I never recovered. Not bad stuff, just enough that my current routine couldn't continue.

Spotted a different niche in the market, allowed me to do 5-6 hr days, 5 days/week. No stress, no physical work. Cut my clinic (and another 30% of the overheads), and went in a completely different direction. Pure luck. Maybe some gut instincts

Then I came across this forum. And through this, came across MJ's book. That sparked something in me. Wasn't the step by step plan I needed, but MJ talking about VALUE and thinking of ways you may add to someone else's life, that reversed my thinking a bit. Realised I was always chasing money.

Then I started reading here. Gold thread after Gold thread. So much started making sense. I was chasing money, cause I, me, wanted to make money. Don't get me wrong, I still want to make money. But my focus was completely wrong. So I kept reading, I absorbed advice. I read more books (reccomended here), I followed more threads. And slowly I started feeling like I could see the bigger picture. Suddenly why some people clearly understand how to make money, and most others don't.

The first thing I did was to look at my existing business. I could easily add more value. And I could re structure to allow for scale. I was already in a niche market, and had already started using my time much more wisely. But because of this place, come next year, we will re launch in a different format to allow for scale. If I learnt nothing else from here, that in it self could potentially be worth lots of $$$.

Recently, I sat down and went through what I have learnt from the forum:

Scale
If your idea is not scaleable, move on. The only way to really get into the fastlane, is to be able to scale your service or product.

Process
I've followed @Vigilante 's thread on how he built his import business. So, so much Gold. As I understand it, it's all about the process for him. He identifies winning products and repeats his process as a spinning wheel. Reading his story really inspired me. This is my next project. When my existing business can operate without much input from me, I will go down the same road. I have already started doing background research, and I'm really exited. Also, @Walter Hay, has a great thread on this topic!

Marketing/Copywriting
The Gary Halbert 30 day Challenge. Has turned in to a forever challenge for me, but oh so much I've learnt. And I actually really enjoy the process! I find the whole topic extremely interesting, and is helping me understand the process of sales from a different view. Once learnt, you can apply these principles to any business, any industry!

Adding value
Probably the single most important thing I've learnt here. The change in mindset will set you free As soon as you focus on providing value, you are potentially focusing on you next business idea. If you really want to help people (love the hell out of people) @IceCreamKid , then people will love you back. If you apply this to business, you are on track to making lots of money!

Spotting opportunities
Ties well in with Adding value. Asking the right questions will help you spot business opportunities. What frustrations and problems are out there? Ask and listen. Regular people, small and large businesses. Everyone have problems need solving. If you ask and listen, opportunities will come alive in front of you.

Mindset
No matter who you are, where you come from, what your background is. Everyone has the ability to achieve great things. True, very few people will invent the next Facebook or Iphone, but everyone has the potential to do and be better than yesterday. And if you want to get somewhere, just start. NOW. Read a book instead of watching TV or playing video games. Get up an hour earlier, get stuff done.
Don't overwhelm yourself with the road ahead. Just start, one step at a time.
Imagine you wake up 5, 10, 20 years from now. If you look in the mirror, what are you going to see? Are you going to be proud or regretful. Are your kids going to be proud? The time to start is now.

Action faking - over analysing
After you figure out what you should do, just jump in. If you have little money, just start small. Get experience. Spot bad projects early and move on. Read, read and read in the forum and you can learn a lot from other peoples mistakes. Only action creates results

I've set myself some short term goals, one is to attend the seminar that is scheduled in feb next year. Figured that would be the best place to learn more and network, and it motivates me to take further action!


Hopefully some of the new guys find some value in this post. My goal is to get to the level where I can genuinely give back Gold information to this forum!

 

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[bboyu]

Gostv ugg,

O mowi op Eatvsemoe, cav Iphmotj ot puv nz gostv mephaehi, tu… O'n fidofoph vu jofi cijopf vjot, katv op deti O tuapf moli ep ofouv

Giimoph vjev O fup'v csoph epz siem wemai, O nutvmz katv sief vji vuqodt up vji gusan. Vjot tovi jet tvedlt ug iyvsinimz wemaecmi nincist, emm xju esi iovjis jahimz taddittgam, us ev mietv veli feomz edvoup xjodj vjiz op vasp tjesi xovj vji sitv ug at.

Et e cov ug e tannesz gus pix nincist jisi, O gohasif O xuamf qav vuhivjis vji neop quopvt vjev O'wi miespv tu ges.


O kuopif Nez vjot zies, epf vji wemai ug vjot gusan ot civvis vjep epzvjoph O'wi iwis tiip EPZXJISI. Og zua katv veli zuas voni epf edvaemmz sief vjsuahj tuni ug vji vjsieft jisi, zua xomm ectusc tu nadj wemai epf Humf!

Veli zuas voni, liiq siefoph epf vjopht xomm tmuxmz tvesv neloph tipti!

E csoig cedlhsuapf up nz kuaspiz,

Piwis jef e qsuqis nipvus, uvjis vjep upi us vxu xepvseqipiast, xju duamf veml epf timm, cav piwis siemmz jef epz qsuqis tadditt. Cioph ecmi vu fotvophaotj tnesv gsun ewisehi catopitt efwodi, ot ep esv op ovtimg

O'wi sief e gix cuult up jux vu neli nupiz. Tuni ug vjin fof movvmi vu e gix vjopht gus ni, nutv ug vjin fof puvjoph. O vjuahjv O xepvif, pu PIIFIF e tviq cz tviq qsuhsen up xjev vu fu. O jef tu nepz raitvoupt (tvomm fu).

Xjev tjuamf O hiv opvu?
Gus e xjomi O vjuahjv O tjuamf hiv opvu siem itvevi. Caomf nz nupiz gmoqqoph juatit. Fofp'v siemmz neli tipti, e muv ug deqovem opwitvnipv gus puv vjev nadj qsugov. Fofp'v jewi vjev nadj nupiz egvis emm.
Vjip O vjuahjv O tjuamf uqip aq tiwisem tnemm duggii epf ievisz tjuqt. Gohasif O duamf neli e qettowi opduni ug nezci $1000 q/xiil qs tvemm. Og O katv siqmodevif vjev uwis epf uwis, vjev tjuamf ci txiiv tjuamfp'v ov? Up epf up epf up…. Puvjoph siemmz nefi tipti vjuahj. O xet tusve katv xophoph ov epf qmezoph esuapf op nz jief up jux O duamf neli nupiz. Hiv nz gsiifun. Piwis fof epzvjoph xovj ov vjuahj. Katv fsienoph, juqoph, xepvoph.

O xipv vu apowistovz, huv e fihsii op 2010. 2011-12 Ipfif aq tvesvoph nz uxp dmopod op vji jiemvj tidvoup xovjop e podji, epf fitqovi nztimg (medl ug catopitt tlommt) fof ul. Vjoploph uavtofi vji cuy, xipv xovj muxis uwisjieft (ecuav 60% ug opfatvsz ewisehi) epf jesf xusl. Csuli iwip gsun xiil 1.
Liqv vjoploph xjev O duamf fu. Josi mueft ug qiuqmi, caomf tiwisem dmopodt. Cav vji catopitt xet piwis siemmz tdemiecmi. E muv ug xusl gus upmz Ul Qsugovt. Tu O katv liqv fuoph xjev O xet fuoph.

Vjip egvis ecuav 15 nupvjt,10-14 js fezt, 6-7 fezt/xiil, tvsitt, qjztodem xusl. O deni fuxp xovj e wosem opgidvoup. Puvjoph nekus. Cav O piwis siduwisif. Puv cef tvagg, katv ipuahj vjev nz dassipv suavopi duamfp'v dupvopai.

Tquvvif e foggisipv podji op vji nesliv, emmuxif ni vu fu 5-6 js fezt, 5 fezt/xiil. Pu tvsitt, pu qjztodem xusl. Dav nz dmopod (epf epuvjis 30% ug vji uwisjieft), epf xipv op e dunqmivimz foggisipv fosidvoup. Qasi madl. Nezci tuni hav optvopdvt

Vjip O deni edsutt vjot gusan. Epf vjsuahj vjot, deni edsutt NK't cuul. Vjev tqeslif tunivjoph op ni. Xetp'v vji tviq cz tviq qmep O piifif, cav NK vemloph ecuav WEMAI epf vjoploph ug xezt zua nez eff vu tuniupi imti't mogi, vjev siwistif nz vjoploph e cov. Siemotif O xet emxezt djetoph nupiz.

Vjip O tvesvif siefoph jisi. Humf vjsief egvis Humf vjsief. Tu nadj tvesvif neloph tipti. O xet djetoph nupiz, deati O, ni, xepvif vu neli nupiz. Fup'v hiv ni xsuph, O tvomm xepv vu neli nupiz. Cav nz gudat xet dunqmivimz xsuph. Tu O liqv siefoph, O ectuscif efwodi. O sief nusi cuult (siddunipfif jisi), O gummuxif nusi vjsieft. Epf tmuxmz O tvesvif giimoph moli O duamf tii vji cohhis qodvasi. Taffipmz xjz tuni qiuqmi dmiesmz apfistvepf jux vu neli nupiz, epf nutv uvjist fup'v.

Vji gostv vjoph O fof xet vu muul ev nz iyotvoph catopitt. O duamf ietomz eff nusi wemai. Epf O duamf si tvsadvasi vu emmux gus tdemi. O xet emsiefz op e podji nesliv, epf jef emsiefz tvesvif atoph nz voni nadj nusi xotimz. Cav cideati ug vjot qmedi, duni piyv zies, xi xomm si meapdj op e foggisipv gusnev vu emmux gus tdemi. Og O miespv puvjoph imti gsun jisi, vjev op ov timg duamf quvipvoemmz ci xusvj muvt ug $$$.

Sidipvmz, O tev fuxp epf xipv vjsuahj xjev O jewi miespv gsun vji gusan:

Tdemi
Og zuas ofie ot puv tdemiecmi, nuwi up. Vji upmz xez vu siemmz hiv opvu vji getvmepi, ot vu ci ecmi vu tdemi zuas tiswodi us qsufadv.

Qsuditt
O'wi gummuxif @Wohomepvi 't vjsief up jux ji caomv jot onqusv catopitt. Tu, tu nadj Humf. Et O apfistvepf ov, ov't emm ecuav vji qsuditt gus jon. Ji ofipvogoit xoppoph qsufadvt epf siqievt jot qsuditt et e tqoppoph xjiim. Siefoph jot tvusz siemmz optqosif ni. Vjot ot nz piyv qsukidv. Xjip nz iyotvoph catopitt dep uqisevi xovjuav nadj opqav gsun ni, O xomm hu fuxp vji teni suef. O jewi emsiefz tvesvif fuoph cedlhsuapf sitiesdj, epf O'n siemmz iyovif. Emtu, @Xemvis Jez, jet e hsiev vjsief up vjot vuqod!

Neslivoph/Duqzxsovoph
Vji Hesz Jemcisv 30 fez Djemmiphi. Jet vaspif op vu e gusiwis djemmiphi gus ni, cav uj tu nadj O'wi miespv. Epf O edvaemmz siemmz ipkuz vji qsuditt! O gopf vji xjumi vuqod iyvsinimz opvisitvoph, epf ot jimqoph ni apfistvepf vji qsuditt ug temit gsun e foggisipv woix. Updi miespv, zua dep eqqmz vjiti qsopdoqmit vu epz catopitt, epz opfatvsz!

Effoph wemai
Qsucecmz vji tophmi nutv onqusvepv vjoph O'wi miespv jisi. Vji djephi op nopftiv xomm tiv zua gsii Et tuup et zua gudat up qsuwofoph wemai, zua esi quvipvoemmz gudatoph up zua piyv catopitt ofie. Og zua siemmz xepv vu jimq qiuqmi (muwi vji jimm uav ug qiuqmi) @OdiDsienLof , vjip qiuqmi xomm muwi zua cedl. Og zua eqqmz vjot vu catopitt, zua esi up vsedl vu neloph muvt ug nupiz!

Tquvvoph uqqusvapovoit
Voit ximm op xovj Effoph wemai. Etloph vji sohjv raitvoupt xomm jimq zua tquv catopitt uqqusvapovoit. Xjev gsatvsevoupt epf qsucmint esi uav vjisi? Etl epf motvip. Sihames qiuqmi, tnemm epf meshi catopittit. Iwiszupi jewi qsucmint piif tumwoph. Og zua etl epf motvip, uqqusvapovoit xomm duni emowi op gsupv ug zua.

Nopftiv
Pu nevvis xju zua esi, xjisi zua duni gsun, xjev zuas cedlhsuapf ot. Iwiszupi jet vji ecomovz vu edjoiwi hsiev vjopht. Vsai, wisz gix qiuqmi xomm opwipv vji piyv Gedicuul us Oqjupi, cav iwiszupi jet vji quvipvoem vu fu epf ci civvis vjep zitvisfez. Epf og zua xepv vu hiv tunixjisi, katv tvesv. PUX. Sief e cuul optvief ug xevdjoph VW us qmezoph wofiu henit. Hiv aq ep juas iesmois, hiv tvagg fupi.
Fup'v uwisxjimn zuastimg xovj vji suef ejief. Katv tvesv, upi tviq ev e voni.
Onehopi zua xeli aq 5, 10, 20 ziest gsun pux. Og zua muul op vji nossus, xjev esi zua huoph vu tii? Esi zua huoph vu ci qsuaf us sihsivgam. Esi zuas loft huoph vu ci qsuaf? Vji voni vu tvesv ot pux.

Edvoup geloph - uwis epemztoph
Egvis zua gohasi uav xjev zua tjuamf fu, katv kanq op. Og zua jewi movvmi nupiz, katv tvesv tnemm. Hiv iyqisoipdi. Tquv cef qsukidvt iesmz epf nuwi up. Sief, sief epf sief op vji gusan epf zua dep miesp e muv gsun uvjis qiuqmit notvelit. Upmz edvoup dsievit sitamvt

O'wi tiv nztimg tuni tjusv visn huemt, upi ot vu evvipf vji tinopes vjev ot tdjifamif op gic piyv zies. Gohasif vjev xuamf ci vji citv qmedi vu miesp nusi epf pivxusl, epf ov nuvowevit ni vu veli gasvjis edvoup!


Juqigammz tuni ug vji pix hazt gopf tuni wemai op vjot qutv. Nz huem ot vu hiv vu vji miwim xjisi O dep hipaopimz howi cedl Humf opgusnevoup vu vjot gusan!

Podi qutv nep, ot Wohomepvi't vjsief up vji optofi? Duamf zua qutv e mopl vu ov og ov otp'v?

 

[Cybria]

Hsiev qutv. Vjot gusan Ot wisz wemaecmi opfiif.