Help I think I'm making a big mistake

[need2learn14]

Subs at bottom if don't want to read long version

Just finished reading the book. I'll be honest it was like someone dropped a bucket of cold water on me. It kinda shook my world up.
Background

I have an undergraduate degree in technology field. After graduating and being frustrated by my lack of enthusiasm for the work I got big into personal development books. I have read probably around 30 or so while going to graduate school and entering the workforce. Initially, I tried to make my current field work but, I didn't have a passion for it and hadn't since I was young( I just got through it).

After reading many books I came to conclusion that I need to do something I was passionate about. I decided personal development and fitness would be that field. That day I decided I wouldn't take any more graduate classes and find a way to get into the personal development field through fitness. So I stopped two classes short of a masters degree.

I thought I made a good decision and saved myself some money. I then looked to get into fitness career and use it to later for a personal development career, through blogging, books, and maybe video. Get rich and have passive income.

Well after some working on some fitness certs I decided I need to burn my bridges and go for it. I was going to relocate and enroll in the national personal training institute. It would give me skills that average pt didn't have who just got certs and its reviews online showed it was the best option besides getting a degree in college.

I am 26 soon to be 27. I have roughly 10k saved. No debt. I am going to classes at beginning of April. It will cost me 7,000 total. Also I will have to get an apartment for six months (450-600 dollars per month?). Also more than likely find a part time job after classes. I can take out Financial Aid to cover 90% of the cost of tuition.

I just finished the book two days ago and really messed me up. I'm thinking of canceling the whole thing now. The fitness personally development coach things seems like a waste of time now. The school and the process of moving seems like a bad financial decision, which I thought before was risky but fearless type of decision I had to make for my dreams.

All this is after reading the book. I don't know what to do. The fastlane life is what I've always wanted to live but I don't have an idea yet or even a lot well developed skills (being that I really wan't into my college field). I am honestly shook up by this whole thing and am worried I might be making a big mistake, especially being so sure about the decision just weeks ago.

I am also ready to move out of the northeast. I always wanted to move to a warmer climate and this winter has taken me to my breaking point.

Thoughts on what to do?

I have a few weeks to make a decision on all this.

Subs
- Undergrad degree stopped 2 classes short of masters to follow my passion
- Want do fitness personal development blogging, writing, etc
- 26yrs old 10 k saved, no debt, making 30k year, saving 800$ month
- Set to enroll in personal training school (6 months 7k + apt and living expenses) Thought was making a good sacrifice for dreams
- Read Fast lane book, turned financial thoughts upside down, and honestly having trouble sleeping/concentrating now

Thoughts on what to do?

 

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[jon.a]

I'd spend another 6-12 more months letting the new seed germinate. Also, maybe consider are you quitting things too easily? Can you relocate your current skill-set to TX, NM or AZ?

 

[need2learn14]

I'd spend another 6-12 more months letting the new seed germinate. Also, maybe consider are you quitting things to easily? Can you relocate your current skill-set to TX, NM or AZ?

What new seed germinate?

I'm sure I could move to the southwest. I was going to do that in year regardless if I went the fitness route or not. I'm pretty determined that this winter will be the last time I see snow live ever again

I also thought about whether I'm quitting to often. I don't want to be a person that just jumps from one thing to another. I may read to much lol. I'll read and learn something new that changes my perspective and then I try and make better decisions based of that info. That is also why I'm worried about this fitness thing now. I don't want to done in 6 months. Go from having 10 k in the bank to a few hundred dollars and find out that this slowlane process won't get me where I want to be. I actually would love for it to work out. I'm told my family(made my mother cry) prepared to quit my job in two weeks. And looking for apartments. And my lease for my apartment is up in a couple weeks. But I did keep having the feeling even before I read the book that this may not be the most direct route to my dreams. Then I read almost the whole book couple days ago and here I am.

 

[jon.a]

What new seed germinate?

I'm sure I could move to the southwest. I was going to do that in year regardless if I went the fitness route or not. I'm pretty determined that this winter will be the last time I see snow live ever again

I also thought about whether I'm quitting to often. I don't want to be a person that just jumps from one thing to another. That is also why I'm worried about this fitness thing now. I don't want to done in 6 months. Go from having 10 k in the bank to a few hundred dollars and find out that this slowlane process won't get me where I want to be. I actually would love for it to work out. I'm told my family(made my mother cry) prepared to quit my job in two weeks. And looking for apartments. And my lease for my apartment is up in a couple weeks. But I did keep having the feeling even before I read the book that this may not be the most direct route to my dreams. Then I read almost the whole book couple days ago and here I am.

The fast lane seed that you just planted in your head.
Think on this some more. Without a plan, you're just training for another job. Dad liked to tell me, "you don't HAVE to do anything TODAY."
Well, unless Zenedoliphin is offering mentor-ships

 

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[need2learn14]

The fast lane seed that you just planted in your head.
Think on this some more. Without a plan, you're just training for another job. Dad liked to tell me, "you don't HAVE to do anything TODAY."
Well, unless Zenedoliphin is offering mentor-ships

When you say let your fast lane seed germinate do you mean enroll in the school and see if the fitness personal development can work?

Or Give it more time and think of something else?

 

[jon.a]

When you say let your fast lane seed germinate do you mean enroll in the school and see if the fitness personal development can work?

Or Give it more time and think of something else?

You just read the book. You just found this forum. Spend some more time here and see if you've really found something of value for yourself. 27 isn't really that old. Slow down and look around.

I would not enroll in more semi-formal education at this point.

 

[100k]

Want do fitness personal development blogging, writing, etc

Is there a NEED for another fitness blog? Are you going to offer something unique and new that none of the millions of fitness gurus have yet to cover and will you be providing VALUE or will you just be doing something you enjoy and hoping that the $$$ will come?

You have another 2 months to think things over. Re-read the millionaire fastlane 2 more times then look at your options and decide if you want to invest $7k to create (or get) a job or invest $7k and build a business that can run on auto pilot while it fulfills a NEED & offers Value and complies with the other fast-lane principles that will take you to financial independence (THEN if you want to travel the worlds and blog about different ways people stay fit from around the world you can do that - out of passion).

 

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[need2learn14]

Is there a NEED for another fitness blog? Are you going to offer something unique and new that none of the millions of fitness gurus have yet to cover and will you be providing VALUE or will you just be doing something you enjoy and hoping that the $$$ will come?

You have another 2 months to think things over. Re-read the millionaire fastlane 2 more times then look at your options and decide if you want to invest $7k to create (or get) a job or invest $7k and build a business that can run on auto pilot while it fulfills a NEED & offers Value and the other fast-lane principles that will take you to financial independence (THEN if you want to travel the worlds and blog about different ways people stay fit from around the world you can do that - out of passion).

That's what I'm thinking. I guess my issue up until 2 days ago when I finished that book, I thought this was the ideal path. Now here I am 2 weeks before my apartment lease is up, I looking into apartments in another state the enrollment forms have all been filled out and I had few jobs I was going to take.

Now I guess the smart thing would be to cancel it all and my fitness personal training job plan all together.

Its a lot right now but, I guess there is no point wasting anymore time on something that won't get me where I want to be.

 

[Mr Cracker]

You just read the book. You just found this forum. Spend some more time here and see if you've really found something of value for yourself.

I agree with @jon.a .

I wouldn't go ahead with the whole thing.

You need to focus first in order to offer real value.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

I don't know if I should be flattered, or saddened that my book has done this to you.

Sometimes life's great lessons need to be learned through experience versus someone just saying "don't do it!"

I'm not sure if this path is a lesson waiting to be learned, or something you should do anyway.

Unfortunately, the thing about passion is it is a great motivator, but it doesn't pay the bills unless it translates into needs/value/wants.

As you know, the fitness space is saturated and for you to succeed in it, you will need passion. You will need something extra. You will need something different. You will need to be better than the rest because the space is so freaking noisy. Anyone that drops 50lbs and goes from fat to fitness can claim expert status. The one thing that works for you (or against it) is that the entry commandment is essentially nullified through excellence ... it is that excellence that becomes the big challenge.

That said, there are tons of "Fastlane" opportunities in the health and fitness space. Equipment, accessories, food stuffs, supplements. @zen******* runs a supplement business but I doubt he has a degree in fitness or nutrition. Heck, I don't even know if he goes to the gym or is even "passionate" about the field. But he is solving needs, and convincing the market of those needs.

What I'm saying here is this: Don't be to quick to discount that path you were heading. It could be a means and a method to expose your opportunity. Needs/wants/problems are best exposed by engagement. Without engagement, you don't see the opportunities.

Your first order of business is to try to understand what's going to make you happy NOW. Not later, not a month from now, not a year from now. NOW.

Is that moving?
Going through with this training class?

IMO, you're experiencing in-congruence probably because you know that your path, while passionate, might not get you to your real dream.... and by knowing this, it will subconsciously sap your passion. Peddling a bike hard-and-fast doesn't matter if you're trying to peddle that bike from America to China -- you're simply on the wrong vehicle.

Get congruent. Identify what you want. Identify what it will take you to get there. If you truly want something grandiose (millions, early retirement, etc.) training the New Years Resolutioners down at the Lifetime Fitness for $50/hour probably won't do the trick.

Good luck and welcome to the board.

 

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[T14]

@need2learn14 , it's great that you're so passionate about fitness. I am as well. Not only is it rewarding physically, but exercise has helped launch many great business models along with given entrepreneur's the energy and discipline needed to see things through.

I'm 27 now and have been a certified personal trainer/ strength and conditioning coach since I was 18 years old. There have been PLENTY of times where I've thought about starting a fitness/lifestyle/psychology blog but realize that the market is INCREDIBLY saturated like MJ mentioned. You need to ask yourself a few things...

1. How will I be different from the rest of the noise?
2. Do I know enough/am I experienced enough to share my knowledge with others and consider myself an "expert"?
3. Are people interested in what I have to say/will it benefit them?
4. How long can I go (mentally,emotionally,physically) with working on a blog before I even see a penny of profit from my efforts?

and of course the not so obvious...

-What do I know about marketing a blog? What will it take/ how long will it take to learn/get better?

Personally, I would only start a blog with the intention of helping anyone who was eager to read an learn from my experience. Money would be the last thing on my mind. It just takes too long to see any sort of significant profit from to justify dropping EVERYTHING else in your life to focus 100% on your efforts.

My advice, as much as you may not want to hear it, is to keep the day job and work on the blog during your free time. You'll have money coming in to pay your bills, and you'll be able to find out if writing a fitness blog is actually something you enjoy doing.

The seed has been planted. Take some time for introspection. Create a plan and then act on it. Give yourself goals and deadlines just as you would in the gym.

Best of luck

 

[need2learn14]

I don't know if I should be flattered, or saddened that my book has done this to you.

Sometimes life's great lessons need to be learned through experience versus someone just saying "don't do it!"

I'm not sure if this path is a lesson waiting to be learned, or something you should do anyway.

Unfortunately, the thing about passion is it is a great motivator, but it doesn't pay the bills unless it translates into needs/value/wants.

As you know, the fitness space is saturated and for you to succeed in it, you will need passion. You will need something extra. You will need something different. You will need to be better than the rest because the space is so freaking noisy. Anyone that drops 50lbs and goes from fat to fitness can claim expert status. The one thing that works for you (or against it) is that the entry commandment is essentially nullified through excellence ... it is that excellence that becomes the big challenge.

That said, there are tons of "Fastlane" opportunities in the health and fitness space. Equipment, accessories, food stuffs, supplements. @zen******* runs a supplement business but I doubt he has a degree in fitness or nutrition. Heck, I don't even know if he goes to the gym or is even "passionate" about the field. But he is solving needs, and convincing the market of those needs.

What I'm saying here is this: Don't be to quick to discount that path you were heading. It could be a means and a method to expose your opportunity. Needs/wants/problems are best exposed by engagement. Without engagement, you don't see the opportunities.

Your first order of business is to try to understand what's going to make you happy NOW. Not later, not a month from now, not a year from now. NOW.

Is that moving?
Going through with this training class?

IMO, you're experiencing in-congruence probably because you know that your path, while passionate, might not get you to your real dream.... and by knowing this, it will subconsciously sap your passion. Peddling a bike hard-and-fast doesn't matter if you're trying to peddle that bike from America to China -- you're simply on the wrong vehicle.

Get congruent. Identify what you want. Identify what it will take you to get there. If you truly want something grandiose (millions, early retirement, etc.) training the New Years Resolutioners down at the Lifetime Fitness for $50/hour probably won't do the trick.

Good luck and welcome to the board.

This^^^^

And the fact that every other thing in personal development field has said go with your passion and I all of a sudden everything kind of flipped. I know some here may say I'm relatively young still but I feel like I've already wasted a lot time(and money). Maybe the best course of action is postpone my decision a few months where I can think things out. Mentally I am kind of spinning right now.

MJ thanks for taking the time to reply to my post.

 

[need2learn14]

@need2learn14 , it's great that you're so passionate about fitness. I am as well. Not only is it rewarding physically, but exercise has helped launch many great business models along with given entrepreneur's the energy and discipline needed to see things through.

I'm 27 now and have been a certified personal trainer/ strength and conditioning coach since I was 18 years old. There have been PLENTY of times where I've thought about starting a fitness/lifestyle/psychology blog but realize that the market is INCREDIBLY saturated like MJ mentioned. You need to ask yourself a few things...

1. How will I be different from the rest of the noise?
2. Do I know enough/am I experienced enough to share my knowledge with others and consider myself an "expert"?
3. Are people interested in what I have to say/will it benefit them?
4. How long can I go (mentally,emotionally,physically) with working on a blog before I even see a penny of profit from my efforts?

and of course the not so obvious...

-What do I know about marketing a blog? What will it take/ how long will it take to learn/get better?

Personally, I would only start a blog with the intention of helping anyone who was eager to read an learn from my experience. Money would be the last thing on my mind. It just takes too long to see any sort of significant profit from to justify dropping EVERYTHING else in your life to focus 100% on your efforts.

My advice, as much as you may not want to hear it, is to keep the day job and work on the blog during your free time. You'll have money coming in to pay your bills, and you'll be able to find out if writing a fitness blog is actually something you enjoy doing.

The seed has been planted. Take some time for introspection. Create a plan and then act on it. Give yourself goals and deadlines just as you would in the gym.

Best of luck

Thanks for the reply

These are all issue I had even before I read the book but, I thought through passion and hard work I would "figure it out" or just find way.

The knowledge part was the reason I was going to sign up. Then I would work out the blog part through reading and experimenting. Kind of like what is explained in the book on how to start whatever fast lane idea.

 

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[Viral]

I to consider to be an fitness entrepreneur for a while now.it is constantly colliding with my job and always stuck in my mind.I try to handle both the best i can, even if it is doing 1 video per month, working out 5x a week, learning some new information and testing the body and diet with new challenges.

Sometimes, especially in the summer time the training tends to just over prioritize everything else.At this point i have noticed that it is not a clear decision, rather something that must be done every now and than.I cannot and possibly never will drop training for anything no matter how limited the options are and how much time i can spend on it.Sometimes it is priority and sometimes it is plan B.

 

[throttleforward]

My only piece of advice is: ask the market what it needs. Get out of your comfort zone, actually talk to real people you don't know, and figure out what it is that they need. Google "Idea Extraction" for how-to's on the step by step methods for doing this.

I can't tell you how much time I've wasted on wantrapreneur "action taking" because I was too afraid to challenge the basic hypothesis of my business ideas and talk to customers before dropping money on websites, logos, etc. You don't need any of that stuff to validate the basics of your idea. Doing this one thing will literally save you thousands of dollars and years of your life.

As others have said, have you talked to someone and identified a real unserved need in the market that would be met by a blog? If yes, did you verify by speaking to other people? Did they identify the same need without your prompting?

 

[need2learn14]

S

I to consider to be an fitness entrepreneur for a while now.it is constantly colliding with my job and always stuck in my mind.I try to handle both the best i can, even if it is doing 1 video per month, working out 5x a week, learning some new information and testing the body and diet with new challenges.

Sometimes, especially in the summer time the training tends to just over prioritize everything else.At this point i have noticed that it is not a clear decision, rather something that must be done every now and than.I cannot and possibly never will drop training for anything no matter how limited the options are and how much time i can spend on it.Sometimes it is priority and sometimes it is plan B.

so how is it going? Did you find a niche?

 

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[thaboybam]

Terms like "passion" and "love" are misnomers. I suggest you do what could make you some profits.

 

[Viral]

S

so how is it going? Did you find a niche?

About the niche

This could be a wide range, anything from motivational speeches to nutrition to different workout styles, and my favorite which is music videos with training content.

The most important part is the way it is presented, any business(Yes, full scale INSANE HARDCORE marketing).My skills are still in development as a person, by no means could i be boring in any way.No matter how much of a genius or pure raw accurate information one has acquired over the time with experience.

To name a few successful examples.
They have all one person after another marketed themselves to create a cult and following.
Many, many more...

Scooby
Elliot Hulse
Greg Plitt
Jeff Seid
Matt hogus
Zyzz

On and on and on.

Entertainment is the key and for me it is developing more acting skills and video editing skills.As a person i try push my limits and establish a reputation, in no way can someone successful be average or boring.The crazier, unique and interesting content you can produce the better your business is going to be.

 

[need2learn14]

My only piece of advice is: ask the market what it needs. Get out of your comfort zone, actually talk to real people you don't know, and figure out what it is that they need. Google "Idea Extraction" for how-to's on the step by step methods for doing this.

I can't tell you how much time I've wasted on wantrapreneur "action taking" because I was too afraid to challenge the basic hypothesis of my business ideas and talk to customers before dropping money on websites, logos, etc. You don't need any of that stuff to validate the basics of your idea. Doing this one thing will literally save you thousands of dollars and years of your life.

As others have said, have you talked to someone and identified a real unserved need in the market that would be met by a blog? If yes, did you verify by speaking to other people? Did they identify the same need without your prompting?

Honestly I haven't researched it?. I thought it was kind of like if it'ß a good site they will come.

My only piece of advice is: ask the market what it needs. Get out of your comfort zone, actually talk to real people you don't know, and figure out what it is that they need. Google "Idea Extraction" for how-to's on the step by step methods for doing this.

I can't tell you how much time I've wasted on wantrapreneur "action taking" because I was too afraid to challenge the basic hypothesis of my business ideas and talk to customers before dropping money on websites, logos, etc. You don't need any of that stuff to validate the basics of your idea. Doing this one thing will literally save you thousands of dollars and years of your life.

As others have said, have you talked to someone and identified a real unserved need in the market that would be met by a blog? If yes, did you verify by speaking to other people? Did they identify the same need without your prompting?

People talk about finding a need. How do you know when found need. How many people do you talk tountil you know something is a worthwhile niche?

 

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[MCLARENF1]

Thanks for the reply

These are all issue I had even before I read the book but, I thought through passion and hard work I would "figure it out" or just find way.

The knowledge part was the reason I was going to sign up. Then I would work out the blog part through reading and experimenting. Kind of like what is explained in the book on how to start whatever fast lane idea.

I went to NPTI when they just started about 8 years ago in their Manhattan location, I was 23 at the time and loved fitness and went with my passion. This led to me running a booming private training company in Manhattan with a couple of other trainers that I employed but I still trained lots of clients as well.
Was charging well over 150 per hr but in the end I burned out and shut down 2 yrs ago because the passion died and I read TMF which woke me up. Its a tough decision but looking back I would have taken the 7k and put it towards products that I could sell online etc and scale.
Best of luck with your decision.

 

[merc]

So its been over 6 months. Any update? @need2learn14

 

[need2learn14]

So its been over 6 months. Any update? @need2learn14

Thanks for the interest. I went ahead and went through with it. I enjoyed to program and the people I met.

However, I am now in an internship program and I am starting to really get that this won't be a long term situation for me. I was advised by some not go but, I am still glad I did. I think if I hadn't I one would still be in my home state that I've been wanting to move out of for a while. I think if I hadn't tried it I would've always kind of what if'd myself.

I took some time also trying to figure out if the fastlane lifestyle and dedication it will take is something I'm ready and willing to do. I feel like now having gone through the program I a better focus on trying to start and build a fastlane business. It kind of got it out of my system if that makes any since.

I'm still really unsure of the business idea process but I'm going to rededicate myself to figuring this out.

 

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