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My Story / Accountability

charlemagne

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Hey All,

My name is Benji.

Here's my story,

A month or so ago I finished MJ's book The Millionaire Fastlane . It was lovely. Since finishing the book, I have been inundated by senses of both realization/enthusiasm, and confusion/hopelessness. Starting with the former group of adjectives, the book opened my eyes.

I realized many important things; the most lasting have been 1. You can't get rich trading your time for money, and 2. Ideas are nothing without execution. These two ideas have sparked an inextinguishable desire to make money and act on my ideas. I would like to clarify, before going further, my intent behind making money. I do not really want things, I want freedom. Obviously I would be lying if I was to say that a nice house and a boat would be dreadful, but I am motivated more by being able to provided for my family (current and to come). As well as to attain the ability to do what I have passion for and to do things that are beneficial to society as a whole. A third reason that I desire wealth is because I don't find the alternative nearly as alluring. I am a 19 year old in university and I have already had a rude awakening to the reality of the rat race. It seems everyone is surrendering to some form of hedonism, and would rather just get by with a beer or a vape in their hand then to actually enjoy life to it's fullest. They will admit themselves to any form of career torture in order to keep their Netflix subscription running. My maxim that I have pirated is "man fully alive". Steve Jobs encapsulates this idea beautifully in his commencement speech to Stanford. The idea is essentially, time is limited, you are going to die, do something meaningful and don't waste your life doing something you hate.

Now with that said, I will address the second group of adjectives, confusion/hopelessness. I have accepted the fact that I want to live life to its fullest and take full responsibility for my actions. This I play out in the gym, in books, in relationships, but now I would like to add an entrepreneurial piece. The only issue is, I do not know where to start with the fastlane. That is my confusion. My hopelessness I derive in the bullshit fake gurus, and the lazy businesses they propose that will fall apart over time (thank's MJ for talking about how we should study these gurus ability to sell, not their product). I know what it takes to improve at things, so I know I won't get rich in 30 days upselling terrible products from China to unsuspecting people in Ohio.

I played Ice Hockey at a very high level my whole childhood. This has led me to an ineptitude in figuring out the workings of things that aren't tangible. To get better at a sport you practice. It is very clear what you must practice, and for how long. It does not seem that business is this way. I do not entirely know what the very first step is. I suppose this is somewhat a cry for help in figuring out what to do to start my entrepreneurship journey. I know that reading more books will not answer this and I need to act on my intentions. The problem is I am not entirely sure what to do and what to build. I will throw that question into the void. Maybe I will get an answer or maybe I will find it myself.

This leads me to the ultimate purpose of this post, accountability. I am going to be on this forum and this thread often. I will continually document my progress in all realms of life, but specifically business. My goal is to meet like minded people (most people in college tear me down), and to have a reference point so that in the future I can look back and say "wow, I did a thing!" For now I will throw this post out into the world, and get around to figuring out where to start.

Thank you MJ for the book.
 
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Isaac Odongo

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Thank you @charlemagne for coming aboard.
make money and act on my ideas
No. We don't make money. Government and whoever else prints it. It circulates.
intent behind making money.
We provide value to people, their businesses and their lives. Then they smile with approval by giving us money. Chasing money is another form of the rat race. You'll never catch it. You'll always keep running around like a headless chicken, till you drop down dead.
I am motivated more by being able to provided for my family (current and to come).
Strong point here. Freedom. Fitness. Family are 3 Fastlane pillars. Love is a strong drive. It is good to have it as your fuel.
It does not seem that business is this way.
You get in and find out. Don't guess. Start and see.
I know that reading more books will not answer this and I need to act on my intentions.
Reading is consumerism, a rat race, scripted characteristic. We read, not as consumers but as executors, seeking to solve a certain problem only a book can suggest solutions for. I want to have a starting point in closing sale. I go read a book about closing. And go close sales.
Maybe I will get an answer or maybe I will find it myself.
You'll find out yourself. Someone may help you find out. But you definitely must find out yourself. If anyone tells you exactly what to do, be cautious, or take another route.
My goal is to meet like minded people
You have met them. Be quick in appreciating their presence in your life.

Welcome.
 

Tomco

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Very interesting to read your story here, as we're both kind of in the same situation! (I'm 20 years old and still struggling on where to start)
The only issue is, I do not know where to start with the fastlane. That is my confusion. My hopelessness I derive in the bullshit fake gurus, and the lazy businesses they propose that will fall apart over time
I would highly recommend the Gold Posts in the forum, especially Andy Black's. Basically, start dropping some replies here and there, sharing how you would apply that advice to your life.

Good luck on your Journey @charlemagne!
 

Jose huzaifah

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Love your spirit man, keep the motivation moving. You'll get there man. I know you can. Just don't forget to share when you win.
 
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jclean

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Hey All,

My name is Benji.

Here's my story,

A month or so ago I finished MJ's book The Millionaire Fastlane . It was lovely. Since finishing the book, I have been inundated by senses of both realization/enthusiasm, and confusion/hopelessness. Starting with the former group of adjectives, the book opened my eyes.

I realized many important things; the most lasting have been 1. You can't get rich trading your time for money, and 2. Ideas are nothing without execution. These two ideas have sparked an inextinguishable desire to make money and act on my ideas. I would like to clarify, before going further, my intent behind making money. I do not really want things, I want freedom. Obviously I would be lying if I was to say that a nice house and a boat would be dreadful, but I am motivated more by being able to provided for my family (current and to come). As well as to attain the ability to do what I have passion for and to do things that are beneficial to society as a whole. A third reason that I desire wealth is because I don't find the alternative nearly as alluring. I am a 19 year old in university and I have already had a rude awakening to the reality of the rat race. It seems everyone is surrendering to some form of hedonism, and would rather just get by with a beer or a vape in their hand then to actually enjoy life to it's fullest. They will admit themselves to any form of career torture in order to keep their Netflix subscription running. My maxim that I have pirated is "man fully alive". Steve Jobs encapsulates this idea beautifully in his commencement speech to Stanford. The idea is essentially, time is limited, you are going to die, do something meaningful and don't waste your life doing something you hate.

Now with that said, I will address the second group of adjectives, confusion/hopelessness. I have accepted the fact that I want to live life to its fullest and take full responsibility for my actions. This I play out in the gym, in books, in relationships, but now I would like to add an entrepreneurial piece. The only issue is, I do not know where to start with the fastlane. That is my confusion. My hopelessness I derive in the bullshit fake gurus, and the lazy businesses they propose that will fall apart over time (thank's MJ for talking about how we should study these gurus ability to sell, not their product). I know what it takes to improve at things, so I know I won't get rich in 30 days upselling terrible products from China to unsuspecting people in Ohio.

I played Ice Hockey at a very high level my whole childhood. This has led me to an ineptitude in figuring out the workings of things that aren't tangible. To get better at a sport you practice. It is very clear what you must practice, and for how long. It does not seem that business is this way. I do not entirely know what the very first step is. I suppose this is somewhat a cry for help in figuring out what to do to start my entrepreneurship journey. I know that reading more books will not answer this and I need to act on my intentions. The problem is I am not entirely sure what to do and what to build. I will throw that question into the void. Maybe I will get an answer or maybe I will find it myself.

This leads me to the ultimate purpose of this post, accountability. I am going to be on this forum and this thread often. I will continually document my progress in all realms of life, but specifically business. My goal is to meet like minded people (most people in college tear me down), and to have a reference point so that in the future I can look back and say "wow, I did a thing!" For now I will throw this post out into the world, and get around to figuring out where to start.

Thank you MJ for the
Maybe some practical insight:

you can start a service company: ex window cleaning lawncare, cleaning, pressure washing.
many people on this forum have chosen this path. in this way you will learn many basics of doing business. I personally have a window cleaning company
(+-1M revenue) and I don't regret it after 10 years. Am i millionaire yet ? No, do i have a lot of freedom ? Yes

another possibility is to buy an existing company from someone who is retiring. you can find a lot of information about this on youtube.
I bought a vending company last year (40 vending machines on location) I paid 0 euros in advance and I pay this to the previous owner in 24 months. I sold the excess material and after the first 2 weeks I had earned 5000 euros. I invested this back by buying other vending machines.

the most important thing here is that you are reliable and that you come across as such. someone must have a lot of faith in you to leave their business to you in this way.

It can be done
 

charlemagne

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Mar 28, 2023
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Thank you @charlemagne for coming aboard.

No. We don't make money. Government and whoever else prints it. It circulates.

We provide value to people, their businesses and their lives. Then they smile with approval by giving us money. Chasing money is another form of the rat race. You'll never catch it. You'll always keep running around like a headless chicken, till you drop down dead.

Strong point here. Freedom. Fitness. Family are 3 Fastlane pillars. Love is a strong drive. It is good to have it as your fuel.

You get in and find out. Don't guess. Start and see.

Reading is consumerism, a rat race, scripted characteristic. We read, not as consumers but as executors, seeking to solve a certain problem only a book can suggest solutions for. I want to have a starting point in closing sale. I go read a book about closing. And go close sales.

You'll find out yourself. Someone may help you find out. But you definitely must find out yourself. If anyone tells you exactly what to do, be cautious, or take another route.

You have met them. Be quick in appreciating their presence in your life.

Welcome.
Wow. Much wisdom. Nice to make your acquaintance Isaac. Stay posted for updates…
 

charlemagne

Contributor
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Mar 28, 2023
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Love your spirit man, keep the motivation moving. You'll get there man. I know you can. Just don't forget to share when you win.
Nice to meet you Jose. Thank you for the encouragement. I will win, to be able to share.
 
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charlemagne

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
158%
Mar 28, 2023
26
41
Hey All,

My name is Benji.

Here's my story,

A month or so ago I finished MJ's book The Millionaire Fastlane . It was lovely. Since finishing the book, I have been inundated by senses of both realization/enthusiasm, and confusion/hopelessness. Starting with the former group of adjectives, the book opened my eyes.

I realized many important things; the most lasting have been 1. You can't get rich trading your time for money, and 2. Ideas are nothing without execution. These two ideas have sparked an inextinguishable desire to make money and act on my ideas. I would like to clarify, before going further, my intent behind making money. I do not really want things, I want freedom. Obviously I would be lying if I was to say that a nice house and a boat would be dreadful, but I am motivated more by being able to provided for my family (current and to come). As well as to attain the ability to do what I have passion for and to do things that are beneficial to society as a whole. A third reason that I desire wealth is because I don't find the alternative nearly as alluring. I am a 19 year old in university and I have already had a rude awakening to the reality of the rat race. It seems everyone is surrendering to some form of hedonism, and would rather just get by with a beer or a vape in their hand then to actually enjoy life to it's fullest. They will admit themselves to any form of career torture in order to keep their Netflix subscription running. My maxim that I have pirated is "man fully alive". Steve Jobs encapsulates this idea beautifully in his commencement speech to Stanford. The idea is essentially, time is limited, you are going to die, do something meaningful and don't waste your life doing something you hate.

Now with that said, I will address the second group of adjectives, confusion/hopelessness. I have accepted the fact that I want to live life to its fullest and take full responsibility for my actions. This I play out in the gym, in books, in relationships, but now I would like to add an entrepreneurial piece. The only issue is, I do not know where to start with the fastlane. That is my confusion. My hopelessness I derive in the bullshit fake gurus, and the lazy businesses they propose that will fall apart over time (thank's MJ for talking about how we should study these gurus ability to sell, not their product). I know what it takes to improve at things, so I know I won't get rich in 30 days upselling terrible products from China to unsuspecting people in Ohio.

I played Ice Hockey at a very high level my whole childhood. This has led me to an ineptitude in figuring out the workings of things that aren't tangible. To get better at a sport you practice. It is very clear what you must practice, and for how long. It does not seem that business is this way. I do not entirely know what the very first step is. I suppose this is somewhat a cry for help in figuring out what to do to start my entrepreneurship journey. I know that reading more books will not answer this and I need to act on my intentions. The problem is I am not entirely sure what to do and what to build. I will throw that question into the void. Maybe I will get an answer or maybe I will find it myself.

This leads me to the ultimate purpose of this post, accountability. I am going to be on this forum and this thread often. I will continually document my progress in all realms of life, but specifically business. My goal is to meet like minded people (most people in college tear me down), and to have a reference point so that in the future I can look back and say "wow, I did a thing!" For now I will throw this post out into the world, and get around to figuring out where to start.

Thank you MJ for the book.
11 days after my initial posting I am taking initiative. I have started doing 3 things that have given me clarity and a sense of direction. Those are beginning my journey into Web-design, reading unscripted , and sitting down with local business owners and picking their brains.

I started my journey into Web-design for a multitude of reasons. It is a good way to enter the entrepreneurial scene and gain a solid view of the workings and goals of business. Will it be easy? No. It already hasn't been. I always thought I had a strong mindset until I started learning web-flow. At times I want to smash my computer and go apply at Apple Bees. The road is rough and the path divergant. I will keep pushing however. My goal is 5 paying customers on a SEO / google ads / facebook ads retainer. I realized that I do not have the skills to jump right into some semi-contrarian CENTS following business model so I have chosen this direction instead. I will grow in skill and experience in many powerful realms through this journey. I must continually remind myself however that Web-design is just a Job in disguise. Do you pick up transferable skills? Yes. Can you provide value and returned $$, Yeah. (shootout to Isacc Odongo for enlightening me to the fact that we don't make money much less chase it.) But in the end, Web-Design is typically not scaleable as you cannot scale YOU.

Reading unscripted everyday keeps me in a good head space. I am at least aware of my observation biases now, and can try to shape them when they are apparent. It is funny because I have now integrated "scripted" into my working vocabulary. I told one of my friends that being a pharmacist is scripted last night. I also now, when asked why I am in University, don't reply with anything that has to do with a monetary return. It is very bizarre to me, now that I notice (shootout to my Reticular Activating System), how so many people plug college as a prerequisite to making money. The 3 highest earners I know make cosmetics, manage 401(k) plans, and own a modeling agency. No one is getting rich as a pharmacist except Walgreens, bottom line. All of this information is great to awaken the beast inside, but I am more excited to get to the practical application and entrepreneurial section. I have been spinning my wheels for years trying to expose to myself the reality of the world instead of realizing I live in it and must do what I can to posture myself to most righteously actualize the 3 pillars (friends, family, and finance). My grandpa coded programs for logging companies. He has now become a self-taught astrophysicist of sorts. The guy will talk to me about cosmology and quantum mechanics for hours before ingloriously stating "non of that buys you a cheeseburger." I think it is great to talk about metaphysical, existential, open-ended, non-practical things, but you must also be able to buy the damn hamburger. I was raised to be hyper-academic over achieving in school ad nauseam. The biggest take-away I can muster after doing actually perfect in high-school is that the grandeur of your ideas and theories need to find a grounding in reality (preferable reality in the sense of daily action to achieve a desirable result). I spent most of my freshmen year of college talking to different self acclaimed smart-men only to realize at the end of the year that all their theories and gripping takes on reality crumbled in the face of making their bed. To aim that logical weapon back at myself, I need to continue taking action, not thinking. I have found in the last ten days, while taking action, that I can center my mind on the task at hand, grapple with a better sense of clarity, and cut through the chop of my mind.

To return to the original theme I will summarize my disarray and set some goals to achieve for my next posting.

Summary: College is shit, read a book if you want to know about the stars. Learn not how to pass a class but how to learn. More importantly, learn how to make that learning applicable and actionable, or it is of little worth.

Goals :
  • Finish both of my Web-design courses
  • Finish a portfolio site/case study
  • Journal daily
  • Start a doc for biz so I have a book worth of information upon achievement
  • Finish unscripted
  • Finish 12 rules for life
  • Finish dot-com secrets
  • Have a dedicated workout plan 1-month out
  • Get Fastlane INSIDERS
  • Hug Mom more
  • Hangout with my cat before he dies
Thanks to any who read this. I will update the thread when all of these have been achieved.

P.S I have systems for small wins and such so don't ridicule me and say I need to eat an elephant one bite at a time.
 
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Jose huzaifah

New Contributor
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
113%
Apr 1, 2023
16
18
11 days after my initial posting I am taking initiative. I have started doing 3 things that have given me clarity and a sense of direction. Those are beginning my journey into Web-design, reading unscripted , and sitting down with local business owners and picking their brains.

I started my journey into Web-design for a multitude of reasons. It is a good way to enter the entrepreneurial scene and gain a solid view of the workings and goals of business. Will it be easy? No. It already hasn't been. I always thought I had a strong mindset until I started learning web-flow. At times I want to smash my computer and go apply at Apple Bees. The road is rough and the path divergant. I will keep pushing however. My goal is 5 paying customers on a SEO / google ads / facebook ads retainer. I realized that I do not have the skills to jump right into some semi-contrarian CENTS following business model so I have chosen this direction instead. I will grow in skill and experience in many powerful realms through this journey. I must continually remind myself however that Web-design is just a Job in disguise. Do you pick up transferable skills? Yes. Can you provide value and returned $$, Yeah. (shootout to Isacc Odongo for enlightening me to the fact that we don't make money much less chase it.) But in the end, Web-Design is typically not scaleable as you cannot scale YOU.

Reading unscripted everyday keeps me in a good head space. I am at least aware of my observation biases now, and can try to shape them when they are apparent. It is funny because I have now integrated "scripted" into my working vocabulary. I told one of my friends that being a pharmacist is scripted last night. I also now, when asked why I am in University, don't reply with anything that has to do with a monetary return. It is very bizarre to me, now that I notice (shootout to my Reticular Activating System), how so many people plug college as a prerequisite to making money. The 3 highest earners I know make cosmetics, manage 401(k) plans, and own a modeling agency. No one is getting rich as a pharmacist except Walgreens, bottom line. All of this information is great to awaken the beast inside, but I am more excited to get to the practical application and entrepreneurial section. I have been spinning my wheels for years trying to expose to myself the reality of the world instead of realizing I live in it and must do what I can to posture myself to most righteously actualize the 3 pillars (friends, family, and finance). My grandpa coded programs for logging companies. He has now become a self-taught astrophysicist of sorts. The guy will talk to me about cosmology and quantum mechanics for hours before ingloriously stating "non of that buys you a cheeseburger." I think it is great to talk about metaphysical, existential, open-ended, non-practical things, but you must also be able to buy the damn hamburger. I was raised to be hyper-academic over achieving in school ad nauseam. The biggest take-away I can muster after doing actually perfect in high-school is that the grandeur of your ideas and theories need to find a grounding in reality (preferable reality in the sense of daily action to achieve a desirable result). I spent most of my freshmen year of college talking to different self acclaimed smart-men only to realize at the end of the year that all their theories and gripping takes on reality crumbled in the face of making their bed. To aim that logical weapon back at myself, I need to continue taking action, not thinking. I have found in the last ten days, while taking action, that I can center my mind on the task at hand, grapple with a better sense of clarity, and cut through the chop of my mind.

To return to the original theme I will summarize my disarray and set some goals to achieve for my next posting.

Summary: College is shit, read a book if you want to know about the stars. Learn not how to pass a class but how to learn. More importantly, learn how to make that learning applicable and actionable, or it is of little worth.

Goals :
  • Finish both of my Web-design courses
  • Finish a portfolio site/case study
  • Journal daily
  • Start a doc for biz so I have a book worth of information upon achievement
  • Finish unscripted
  • Finish 12 rules for life
  • Finish dot-com secrets
  • Have a dedicated workout plan 1-month out
  • Get Fastlane INSIDERS
  • Hug Mom more
  • Hangout with my cat before he dies
Thanks to any who read this. I will update the thread when all of these have been achieved.

P.S I have systems for small wins and such so don't ridicule me and say I need to eat an elephant one bite at a time.
Way to go man! You half the battle already..
 

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