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has this forum helped you out, or just mental masterbation?

theag

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Fotis

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I learned copywriting after being introduced to it by the legendary post of zen's secrets. I am no practicing it frequently but I learned how to sell. I also got introduced to Harry's Browne "The secret to selling anything", the best book on selling I have ever read. It has made closing personal training sessions much easier, giving me a great template.

I quit my previous job and I took a risk of moving alone, away from my mother, to a different city, just cause I had one friend who believed in me (If I had not read TMF I would still be waking up at 6 in the morning, going to work, getting home at 6 and have zero energy).

I tried publishing, both on Kindle with a fellow TMF -er and alone through my blog. It was not successful but I was reminded the concept of value.

I am experimenting with Teespring, and I forgot again the commandment of value. Hopefully the third time I will remember it.

I will also try the tactic laid out by IceCreamKid (again) on contacting top performers in a niche I am interested in.

So the forum helped me. Definitely. I took action, some things failed and I lost money, some went meh and I got some money but I am still getting inspired to try new things and learn. I feel sad for not starting earlier (I am 26 and I somehow feel like I have only until 30 to become financially independent) but I am willing to keep going by reminding myself my "why's" ^_^
 
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csalvato

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You don't need to be a guppy to learn from zen's posts.

Better?

The stuff he wrote is still very valuable and true.
As general advice on how to best use this forum (for OP), I urge you to consider these things when taking advice from people on this forum and in general:
  • Their ethics
  • What they have ACTUALLY done and not done
  • If they are liars (in their posts or in life in general)
If all you care about is:
  • That someone's posts seem useful
  • That other people like them/their posts
Then you will get MUCH less value from this forum (and interactions from people and potential mentors, in general).
 
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Vigilante

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Forodstar

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The company you keep determines a lot about how your life is going to play out. You could hang out with some deadbeats at the pub. Your TV obsessed family. Or what or not. Or you could hang out with some crazed money tree architects/wannabe money tree architects and maybe even become a money tree architect yourself.

No forum, no one bit of advice, no magic system can change your life. No one is coming to save you, it has to be you.
 

Jamesdoesmith

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This forum has helped me a tonn

Before this forum I had read Rich Dad Poor dad, I was looking for some way of getting a passive income. I was reading Patts passive income blog like all the other newbies.

I was lost and I didnt even know it

I stumbled across this forum because I was looking for property/real estate articles and threads. Some of them older real estate threads are frickin gold!

I thought the forum was a bit cheesy to begin with, because I read some silly progress threads that said they were going to make a million in 6 months

Luckily I hung around and joined the INSIDERS, much less crap in there and some great people doing great things.


I had also been reading the rich dad poor dad when I dug around and found most of his stuff is scams, shadow money, "Ideas" , there arent really 2 dads, or there are but the story is skewed, and everytime I called they wanted 5k just to get in the door.


TMF has one huge selling point is that MJ actually lived it. There are no lies or girls in small outfits selling the product while also warping your mindset. Its tough. Its harsh. That alone weeds out the weak.
 

Unknown

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I had also been reading the rich dad poor dad when I dug around and found most of his stuff is scams, shadow money, "Ideas" , there arent really 2 dads, or there are but the story is skewed, and everytime I called they wanted 5k just to get in the door.


TMF has one huge selling point is that MJ actually lived it. There are no lies or girls in small outfits selling the product while also warping your mindset. Its tough. Its harsh. That alone weeds out the weak.

I read the same stuff about it, but that book is still eye opening. Before reading it I didn't see any of the possibilities that he discusses in his book. Maybe he didn't actually live the story, but the story still opened up a whole new world for many people. Without it I never would have come across TMF .
 
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tafy

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I dont care if the story was real or not tbh. The story was amazing. Without that book I would never have started this journey
 

beatgoezon

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Hey guys, I haven't posted much recently at all, but I think this could answer the question.

Actually, this forum has helped me to STOP mental masturbation for a very simple reason:
It's result oriented, and eventually I felt ashamed of the amount of time I was spending "making myself feel busy" without getting anything done.

Like I've said before, you'll usually you'll talk about what you've read, or what you WANT to do instead of DOING it, and you'll feel good about the "progress" you're making, but on the Fastlane Forum, all that matters is results.

It's embarrassing to say but I suppose that when I joined about a year ago, I was just a mental masturbator. Reading thread after thread, I noticed a pattern: The people here prevent you from having a false sense of progress because the common pattern which helped me break out of mental masturbation was that results are the only thing which matter.

Because of the result oriented individuals of this forum, I was forced in early 2014 to stop MMing and begin.
I learned more from 3 months of work than I learn from 2 years of mentally masturbating to "success porn"!

Currently I'm learning Objective-C and Cocoa touch and will be filling in the progress of what I'm doing (iOS applications), and the only reason I started was because after a month or two of mental masturbation here, you're either going to :
1) Quit and blame MJ DeMarco for showing you the reality of entrepreneurship by writing such a mean book...
or
2) Realize that as good as Mental Masturbation feels, you have to leave the wantrepreneur mindset and transcend into the entrepreneurial mindset to reach your destination, no matter how hard it may be...

This year was the best and worst year for me, but I wouldn't trade it in for anything because it gave me something greater: experience of what it feels like to be a dedicated and committed entrepreneur on the Fastlane.

The year's coming to an end (again lol) and if you still haven't quite left the habit of mental masturbation, make this the year you no longer need to "keep learning" and begin applying all that you know for your Fastlane freedom.

Thank you for all the slaps in the face that helped me get on the right track. I wish you all the best on your quests for freedom...
 
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Gale4rc

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I have a hate/love relationship with the forum.

I love that people are doing things
I hate that almost everyone just talks about mindset and actual tactics on growth or whatever. (some threads have bits of information but, coming here for the small bits here and there is a waste)

And before someone says something about my mind set - I'm doing just fine with my own startup and my mindset is 100% that's why I wish there was more tactics/strategy discussed.
 

NoRetreat

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hm

-]If you spend 51% of your total day for 12 months working for your one main goal, then you are making progress.
Do not bother other people. Resist the temptation to pick fights with others offline or online. It's tempting doh

-]In the end you lose your focus, racing thoughts etc. I don't see MJ DeMarco replying to negative Youtube comments.

-]Trust your gut and combine it with mathematical logic.

-] If you are unsure, pick something and fight as hard as hell, you will get out of your rut. I hope you find the right people, somewhere between accomplished and good hearted brother.

-]Act, Assess, Adjust. Kick a$$, take names and remember fight like hell.
 

Vigilante

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I have a hate/love relationship with the forum.

I love that people are doing things
I hate that almost everyone just talks about mindset and actual tactics on growth or whatever. (some threads have bits of information but, coming here for the small bits here and there is a waste)

And before someone says something about my mind set - I'm doing just fine with my own startup and my mindset is 100% that's why I wish there was more tactics/strategy discussed.

Reoccurring theme for you. Still waiting for soneone to hand it to you in a package with a bow on top. You are old enough to know the world doesn't owe you shit.
 
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Darius

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For me, this forum and the friends I've developed from it, have destroyed my previous way of thinking and mindset. I'm still surprised at how much your mindset contributes to the success of anything.

When I first got on this forum, I read every thread, every reply, and those from the beginning of forum time. I learned a lot but only what my mindset could process and understand.

Once my mindset got destroyed and rebuilt, it was really like I swallowed the matrix pill. I go back and look at the SAME POST that I read before the mindset change & POOF, it's new information everywhere. Everything I didn't understand or couldn't see before, is now available. My brain can now decode and utilize it.

I believe as I go further down this journey and my way of thinking constantly improves, I'll be able to go back and look at the same post once again and there will be new knowledge there for me to absorb that my brain couldn't process before.

In my case, the more knowledge I absorb, the easier starting a business gets (Makes me more comfortable to risk more time, money, etc..)
and more experience = more likely to succeed
 

Mattie

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I hit the Fastlane forum at the point where I was ready to enter the business mindset. I suppose I was lucky it was the first place I looked. While I've only been at this since April I learn through trial and error and the process. I do tend to read more books sometimes, because it's easier than looking for bits and pieces through people in conversation, but sometimes I do scan through the forum for valuable information.

I would have to say it opened my eyes to a lot of things good and bad. It gave me a different perception and angle on people in general. I can't say that I agree with it all, but an eye opener. I suppose it was the right place to be in my growth and development and process to take me higher. I don't like wasting my time in the wrong places with the wrong people or the wrong forums.

It's heading me in the right direction. It also points out all the stupid things people say, and the wrong mindsets of parents and friends. I use it for accountability purposes to get things done. Whether it pays off or not, we'll see. :)
 

Esquire

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Every now and then ... I have a question about something ... and seek out some feedback on the forum.

I've gotten some very good responses.

For example ... a couple months ago I asked for some good resources on blogging ... and someone recommended I check out David Risley's Blog Marketing Academy.

So I did ... and learned all sorts of great stuff about blogging that has been very helpful.

I can probably rattle off a dozen instances like that.

Small things ... that make a big difference.

The forums are not going to make anyone rich -- only you can do that.

But it is a great resource ... there's a lot of value here.
 
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MJ DeMarco

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I hate that almost everyone just talks about mindset and actual tactics on growth or whatever.

This is true, particularly on the outside. However IMO, this is what's necessary. If I was forced to estimate the # of folks who don't have the mental Fastlane fortitude, at least hanging out on the outside, I'd say it was about 3 out of 5. So the mind needs to be right before moving forward for the strong majority. @Darius 's post is a prime example of what changing mindset can do, as well as @IceCreamKid 's body of postings.

The inside is more results oriented, and nuts-and-bolts. When you see someone start something from absolutely FREAKING NOTHING, and 6-months later, they report their first sales, their first customers, and their first profits, it's absolutely "jump-up-and-down-on-the-bed" exciting.

It's also difficult to discuss nuts-and-bolts when everyone is protecting their business IP from theft from money chasers, which you mentioned yourself in your own progress posts. Someone lurking and looking for the step-by-step, paint-by-number process that can be easily executed compliments of a kind Fastlaner, does NOT have the right mindset. And I'm not sure it could be changed, but its worthwhile to try.

Congrats on your first sale.
 

Gale4rc

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This is true, particularly on the outside. However IMO, this is what's necessary. If I was forced to estimate the # of folks who don't have the mental Fastlane fortitude, at least hanging out on the outside, I'd say it was about 3 out of 5. So the mind needs to be right before moving forward for the strong majority. @Darius 's post is a prime example of what changing mindset can do, as well as @IceCreamKid 's body of postings.

The inside is more results oriented, and nuts-and-bolts. When you see someone start something from absolutely FREAKING NOTHING, and 6-months later, they report their first sales, their first customers, and their first profits, it's absolutely "jump-up-and-down-on-the-bed" exciting.

It's also difficult to discuss nuts-and-bolts when everyone is protecting their business IP from theft from money chasers, which you mentioned yourself in your own progress posts. Someone lurking and looking for the step-by-step, paint-by-number process that can be easily executed compliments of a kind Fastlaner, does NOT have the right mindset. And I'm not sure it could be changed, but its worthwhile to try.

Congrats on your first sale.

Agreed- and I actually refer all of my friends who are at that stage of possibly starting a business to your book and this forum all the time.

Glad you didn't take what I said the wrong way - I'm still here for a reason :)
 

DennisD

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Honestly, I get the most done when I have this forum as my base of operations to check-in to between bouts of work.
I tried "quitting" for some time and my productivity's gone DOWN.

Everybody is different and everybody has different motivations.
The immediate fellowship offered here is what does it for me.
 
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IceCreamKid

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I have a hate/love relationship with the forum.

I love that people are doing things
I hate that almost everyone just talks about mindset and actual tactics on growth or whatever. (some threads have bits of information but, coming here for the small bits here and there is a waste)

And before someone says something about my mind set - I'm doing just fine with my own startup and my mindset is 100% that's why I wish there was more tactics/strategy discussed.

Thank you for posting your thoughts out in the open like this. I'm willing to bet there are many others just like you who would like to see more tactics on growth, but are too scared to request it out in the open.

Some may view it as an attack on the forum, but really it's an opportunity to learn and make this place better.

I will keep this in mind and post some tactical goods going forward, my brother.

edit: This is by far one of the best underground books on scaling.
http://www.amazon.com/Scaling-Up-Companies-Rockefeller-Habits/dp/0986019526/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418598987&sr=8-1&keywords=scaling up

Also check Mixergy for their Master Class courses. They offer an incredible value for the amount they charge if you wish to learn tactical info about almost anything(negotiating, driving traffic, online marketing, copywriting, scaling, dealing with employees, venture capital, finding a niche, etc).

Best of luck on your journey.
 
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