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Marijuana and Success... Possible?

Jeffs07

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I find this an interesting topic as it is one I am currently struggling with. It all started about 8 months ago. I smoked my first joint with a friend. At first I could take it or leave it. I smoked every once in a while, it was fun but it wasn't a major part of my life. For months the habit was once weekly. I went to class during the week and never smoked but always toked up on the weekends with friends. Recently however I find myself with little to do since I've graduated school which I guess led to my chronic use. I found myself smoking several times daily with friends. I few days ago I finally realized how things had spiraled out of hand. It was largely due to the company I kept (who were chronic users) and I'm working to fix that problem by avoiding those people now. I haven't smoked in 3 days and I won't lie... It hasn't been easy... but I plan to maintain my self discipline and not use marijuana... at least not for a few months. However I'm not sure how I should handle use for the rest of my life. I don't feel like the plant is particularly harmful when used responsibility in much the same way I feel alcohol is not dangerous when used in moderation. My question is this: Should I NEVER touch it again? Should I use it on a monthly basis? Even during my most chronic use I never felt like my life was TOO terribly effected and I want my fast lane lifestyle to include occasional use. On the other hand, if it means missing out on the lifestyle I chose for myself Its something that must go. Input please?
 
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ramy98

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Stay away from that stuff and use that money to build a business or purchase financial assets that will make u some passive income for life.
 

djs13

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There are probably a bunch of people on here who can tell you all the harmful effects health wise, but I have my own experiences in terms of business. I used to hang out with chronic users like you did for a while but that stopped last spring. I was never into marijuana, but I would party and drink.

Plain and simple, I didn't get things done. It was almost surreal how Friday afternoon I would be planning my start up, and then Saturday morning after sleeping over at a party my priorities were all out of place. Even though it was only temporary, I didn't care about success and I didn't care about everything I did care about when I wasn't hung over.

There are probably some people who have had success while smoking weed. I believe Richard Branson smoked when he was in his twenties. But as Napoleon Hill explained in "Think and Grow Rich," it's best to stay away from everything - even alcohol. In the long run they're just ways to escape feelings and thoughts, even if you aren't a problem user.

I think the last time I played Beer Pong was in May. I miss all the people I used to hang out with, but in the long term I know that I'll have plenty of time for partying when I've accomplished everything I want to. But until then, I am staying away from all that stuff.
 
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australianinvestor

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Everyone has the power to control their own lives. If you have any left, flush it down the toilet and never, ever, ever buy any more. Don't think "at least for a few months". If you've beaten it for that long, you can probably beat it for good. Don't associate with the same friends. They'll smoke around you, they'll pressure you. Hang out with the people you want to become.

Most of all, find the purpose for your life, and pursue that instead of defaulting to smoking for something to do because you're not busy enough fighting for the life you want.

Good luck!
 

ryanpal

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But as Napoleon Hill explained in "Think and Grow Rich," it's best to stay away from everything - even alcohol.

djs13, are you sure about that? if i recall correctly, he gave examples of some me big discoveries that were made by those mentioned under the influence of alcohol.
 

Yankees338

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Just ask yourself something: Why are you doing it?

Personally, provided it's use is in moderation, I don't believe there is anything wrong with it; however, only you know yourself. If you feel like it's getting out of control, it's time for it to go.

The problem is that it can lead to other things.

Really, though, if you know what you want to do with your life, there is no reason for it. I still don't really know of any harmful effects it can have, but I'm sure there are some. Everyone is different, and there are people who will react differently to it -- which can lead to more serious psychological problems.

As I've said, there's not really any reason to do it. If you feel good when you're high, find other things that make you feel good like playing a sport or makin' some billz.
 
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I85

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I think the last time I played Beer Pong was in May. I miss all the people I used to hang out with, but in the long term I know that I'll have plenty of time for partying when I've accomplished everything I want to. But until then, I am staying away from all that stuff.

Is this your senior year/the summer before your senior year? That only happens once...the life you desire will always be waiting ;). There is no reason why you can't have many good times this year while working towards some of your future goals. I bet many people here won't agree with that, but I thought it should still be said.

I'm not trying to persuade you to go the next keg or to have your own tonight(you are a minor and that would be illegal :nono:). I'm just trying to say that NO amount of money will ever buy your senior year back. Just some food for thought :cheers:.


My question is this: Should I NEVER touch it again? Should I use it on a monthly basis?
Seriously?


Even during my most chronic use I never felt like my life was TOO terribly effected and I want my fast lane lifestyle to include occasional use. O
You tried it for the first time 8 months ago...you don't know how unmotivated a true pothead can be ;).



I haven't smoked in 3 days and I won't lie... It hasn't been easy...
Because.....
I find myself with little to do since I've graduated school which I guess led to my chronic use.

Find something else to do
 

SteveO

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There is not anything useful that will come from this. I sent you a pm stating my stance. Even occasional use will be putting you in the wrong company.

signed - Old Fogie (but, been there, done that)
 
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yveskleinsky

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Oh where to start...for starters, I don't think the issue is whether or not smoking some weed every now and again will prohibit success in general. I've met plenty of functional alcoholics and drug addicts in my day who were "successful"- so yes, it's possible, at least in the simplest definitions of success, meaning they make/have a lot of money. Well, that's a rather short-sided and limited definition of success.

Maybe some better questions are: 1. Are you enjoying the ride and 2. Are you living your life according to your definition of success?

For example, by my criteria of success, anyone who lives life in a state of numbness is missing out on so much and therefore unable to enjoy the ride, and IMHO unsuccessful because they are living a life with a giant void in it.

As for what all this may mean for you, I have to say that it's obvious you feel that your pot use is a problem, or you wouldn't desire to curtail it, let alone post about it in a entrepreneurship forum. So maybe you would find it beneficial to define what success means to you, and reverse engineer your life to fit your own definition.
 

Jonleehacker

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It isn't about the drug, whether pot, alcohol, sex, food, they are all the same, if you want to, you can use them to cover up something that you don't want to look at or feel inside yourself.

If you can bear to be honest with yourself and ask "why am I doing this?" then you'll start to see what it's all about.

The goal is to be free (whether financially or any other way) then begin to look beneath the surface of your situation, which is the only place where you can unlock yourself from destructive patterned behavior.
 

cantwait2

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The people who are chronic smokers will do you more harm than the smoking itself...you're still young and part of growing up is experimenting and learning what you can control in your life and what pushes you to a darker side.

You might want to read my story in the success story category I guess you could say I've got some insight on this subject.

Ultimately you are either running your own show or someone or something else is. You will find that the right decision will come to you.

I recently gave up drinking completly, something I thought I would never do for the social aspect but it became a very easy decision for me when the time was right, there was just a million reasons why I felt I didn't have a place for alcohol in my life anymore.

But it's a personal decision, life is a grey area, moderation and common sense are your friend, a true desire to achieve success will become your guiding light...
 
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werbl

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The fact that you're questioning whether it's a problem leads me to believe that for you, maybe it is. Do I think smoking pot occasionally in moderation is wrong? No, not at all. I used to do it too. I think that around high school graduation age / beginning of college, there are a lot of casual users. But I've noticed that most people kind of grow out of it, and then I have a handful of friends that smoke daily. I can't say that it's ruined their lives, but none of them are terribly successful in any aspect of their lives either.

A lot of people swear that marijuana isn't addictive, but I don't know. I think that if you're loading your body up on any kind of chemical on a daily basis, there has to be at least some level of dependency. For myself, I have alcoholics on both sides of my family. I've seen it ruin the lives of too many that I care about, so I just stay away completely. I've missed out on some fun I'm sure, but there's a good chance that it's in my genes, and I don't even want to take the chance of ending up in the same boat.

The choice is really up to you, but I would do some hard thinking about it. You graduated high school and you've got to have fun, but a lot of things become more important and much more rewarding as time goes on... Jobs or starting businesses, girlfriend (maybe), college, your Fastlane plan, your health, future, etc. You say, "If it means missing out on the lifestyle I chose for myself Its something that must go." Think about what kind of lifestyle you want for your future, then decide if it's worth the risk.
 

cmartin371

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I know some "occasional" users and not one of them is successful! Infact, one of them is my age and still lives in the basement at his friend's grandmother's house. He has been there since his early 20s. It may be a small sample of users, but it is large enough for me to decide that the stuff is crap! There are too many natural highs that life has to offer. Get out and find them!

Chris
 

Jeffs07

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Thank you so much to everyone... these forums have never let me down in terms of getting A+ advise in ANY area. I would epically like to thank SteveO... You really opened my eyes. It has become obvious to me that I should be strong and discontinue use. This is a major issue in the road to success, not just for me but for everyone and it takes many forms. From marijuana to television we all must overcome vices to ensure our lives take the directions we desire. I feel like overcoming this issue will be a milestone on my road to success. I don't believe marijuana is epically evil in its self. I believe the lifestyle it promotes is evil. It changes your friends, ruins your perspective, and worst of all KILLS your focus.
 
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djs13

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Is this your senior year/the summer before your senior year? That only happens once...the life you desire will always be waiting ;). There is no reason why you can't have many good times this year while working towards some of your future goals. I bet many people here won't agree with that, but I thought it should still be said.

I'm not trying to persuade you to go the next keg or to have your own tonight(you are a minor and that would be illegal :nono:). I'm just trying to say that NO amount of money will ever buy your senior year back. Just some food for thought :cheers:.

Thanks for the advice. I'm actually graduating early and I'll be going to college this January. It's going to be pretty exciting, living in a dorm yet still being 17. Everyone I've talked to have said they liked college more than high school, and I've been living like every year was senior year since I was a freshmen so I'm excited about moving away.

From now until January I'm trying to start an e-business to grow my $4k bank account into something larger. I want to be able to leave college and have a decent sized bank account so I can jump right into real estate investing.

djs13, are you sure about that? if i recall correctly, he gave examples of some me big discoveries that were made by those mentioned under the influence of alcohol.

Hey ryan. I read the book when I was REALLY young (like 14) so I could be wrong. I thought there was page that listed everything to stay away from, like people who are depressing and people who have no goals. I'm pretty sure drugs/alcohol was on that list. Of course I could be wrong though.
 

rxcknrxll

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I believe yveskleinsky has put it best so far. Bottom line, if you have to ask then the answer is "no". You should not smoke weed. No one needs to go 100 miles an hour all the time. It's cool to chill out sometimes and if that means smoking a joint I think that's fine in theory. But for me, getting it means calling people and going to places I don't really care to be around. It's not worth it for me. I would have to question myself if I wanted a bag bad enough to be willing to risk getting arrested. I think it's stupid that it's illegal, but that's beside the point. It IS illegal, and to me if getting high is worth the risk, that speaks pretty heavily to the character of the person doing it. If it's THAT important, there's a problem. Smoking may or may not do you any harm, but staying clean WON'T do you any harm. My vote is for sobriety, because in all honesty I'd rather just work more. I love what I do. If you find something you love to do, then there's really not a strong compulsion to do anything that will impair your focus.
 

John

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rxcknrxll raises a very good point: It's illegal. Whether it should or shouldn't be, whether it is or is not more dangerous than alcohol, the fact is that it is against the law to use or possess it. Every time that you are around it, not matter how careful you are, you're running the risk that you'll be busted with it. If you are, you'll be branded as a "drug user" and lumped into the same category as crackheads and heroin addicts. One little screw up now when you're 19 can have serious repercussions and limit opportunities for the rest of your life.

--It can affect your eligibility for student loans and financial aid

--It will show up for anyone who does a background check on you for the rest of your life: college admissions officers, employers, potential investors in your companies, etc.

--It can bar you from being licensed in many areas such as real estate and securities brokerage.

Is it right that the government has decided to punish someone so severely and so permanently for being caught with a little pot? That's a political discussion best kept out of this forum. The bottom line is that this is what happens, and you should give all of this careful consideration when evaluating the risk vs. reward.

Even if you're not smoking, hanging around with the wrong people can get you into serious trouble. I had a *very* close call in highschool when I was driving somewhere with a car full of friends, one of whom had a pipe in his pocket that I didn't know about. I was pulled over for having a tail light out and the officer did what most police in my small town did when they pulled over a car full of teenagers... he figured out some excuse to allow him to get us all out and search us and the car. My "friend" decided it would be a good idea to take his pipe out of his pocket and throw it down in the floor of my car before getting out.

By some kind of miracle (and because the floor of my car was covered in so much junk) the cop didn't find it and ended up letting us go.

The point is that I didn't smoke pot, I was hanging out with a group that included someone who I knew did, but I didn't know he had anything with him. If the cop had found that pipe in my car I would have been arrested for possession of paraphernalia. My car, my pipe, right? No matter how careful you are things can and will happen, and you should be fully aware of the possible consequences as you make your decisions.
 
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Runum

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Negatives: it's illegal, it destroys your focus(you said it), it's terrible on your lungs, there are differing degrees of quality(you can get some real bad stuff), it affects your short term memory.

Positives: you get a temporary escape from reality.

Work on changing/improving your reality and your escape won't be temporary!:fastlane:
 

CMK

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its a waste of time, think of the opportunity cost everytime you smoke - that $20 you spend everytime you smoke can be saved and could have probably created a sizeable amount of capital for some type of investment in the future.

just think what else could i be using this money i am spending and the time i am wasting by being high.
 

hakrjak

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The biggest side effect of pot use is apathy. It seems like everybody I've ever known who has used the drug, even occassionally has ended up losing their drive to do anything above being average, etc... It makes you sleepy, hungry, and promotes sitting around all day playing video games and doing nothing productive with your time. When you need to find work, etc -- it will interfere with your ability to get hired, and once hired it will stop you from advancing (i.e. security clearances, random tests, etc)... They say it's not addictive, but I knew of several people who became daily users (If that's not addiction, I don't know what is?) -- Smoking from sun up to sun down every couple hours...

I see a lot of pot heads out there saying things like "It's better for you than alcohol!" - blah blah blah, but the fact of the matter is that alcohol IS socially acceptable, and pot is not. Anything you can not do in public at a black tie event is not something you should be engaging in privately, period.

Cheers,

- Hakrjak
 
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Luke12321

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Hey, I can give you first hand experience on this one. I have friends who have still smoke up to this day......I am still friends with them though.

Is it going to help you reach your long-term goals? I doubt it!

I agree with you, it is not that big of a deal but try telling that to a cop when you get busted. Yeah, try finding a good job after that one. Try finding a good job that don't require drug testing.

Let me give you an example of two of my friends and I hope you listen to it. I had two friends in high school who were top of the class smart. Any college they wanted to attend, they could have. One got caught soon after HS growing it and possession of cocaine. The other, recently admitted himself into a rehab center. The problem isn't so much weed, it is what it leads to. Because they always said they would never do coke but peer pressure is very real! Two of the smartest guys in my class are now either busting a$$ in a factory (dead end job) or in a rehab center. It isn't so much what smoking pot does, it is what it leads your life to.

Anytime my friends are going to go "smoke up", I say alright, call me later on if you guys are going to go do anything else. Like play ball, go looking for chicks, just hang out (without drugs).

Bottom line, it is expensive, illegal, and will not lead you success.
 

hakrjak

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like sex?

Well I was keeping my comments limited to substance use, but I could get really creative with my response to this one ;) haha...

I mean, can you imagine if you sat down next to me at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation ball, and I had my Jack & Coke in hand, and you pulled out your bong and started smoking it up on the table? bahaha... That would not only be hillarious, but you and the bong would be out on the curb about as fast as security could get there.

Cheers,

- Hakrjak
 
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Rawr

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Without drugs, you wouldn't have some of the best music/art ever made. A lot of people working very important jobs would be bitter alcoholics or suicidal without weed. (Very popular in white collar high paying jobs actually)

I say everything that you can't control, controls you. If you feel you can't control your weed smoking, then you are being controlled by it - hence you aren't free, hence kick the habit. Same can be applied to everything, really - if a thing/person is in control of you, think about that a bit and decide what you must do.


Only drugs and death allow us to see new things. And the latter has unwanted side effects
 

hakrjak

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Without drugs, you wouldn't have some of the best music/art ever made. A lot of people working very important jobs would be bitter alcoholics or suicidal without weed. (Very popular in white collar high paying jobs actually)

You're correct, in a way -- It's actually quite well documented that people who regularly self medicate with pot or booze, usually suffer from some underlying mental illness. These illnesses could include anxiety disorders, social phobias, etc... Of course the best solution would be for them to see a psychologist and get a perscription for something that won't cause paranoia and short term memory loss, and maybe engage in some therapy ;)

I have to take the opposite point of view from yours though regarding white collar jobs and pot use being something that adds value there. I'm aware of 2 individuals who are regular smokers within my department, and both of these individuals are regularly late to work, fall asleep at their desks, dissapear for hours on end, have terrible short term memories, are unable to complete simple tasks on time, call in sick more than any other individuals etc etc etc.... They are also both known as huge liars, who you can't trust as far as you can throw -- I'd guess from years of trying to cover up their addiction.

Cheers,

- Hakrjak
 

lightning

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like sex?

That made me laugh. :rofl:


My personal .02 on the subject; I have learned in the past few years just how important it is to surround yourself with the people you aspire to be like. Aim to better your lifestyle. Aim to associate yourself with the people you look up to.

Now, I am sure there are exceptions to this, and that there are MANY very succesful people who occasionally indulge in illegal substances. However, I for one..dont know of any, and the people I DO know that do it...are NOT people Im aspiring to be like. ;)
 
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rxcknrxll

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Without drugs, you wouldn't have some of the best music/art ever made. A lot of people working very important jobs would be bitter alcoholics or suicidal without weed. (Very popular in white collar high paying jobs actually)

I say everything that you can't control, controls you. If you feel you can't control your weed smoking, then you are being controlled by it - hence you aren't free, hence kick the habit. Same can be applied to everything, really - if a thing/person is in control of you, think about that a bit and decide what you must do.

I disagree with the popular assumption that art is enhanced by drug use. There is no proof of this at all. There's barely even any evidence of it. Affected by drugs, yes. But improved? Prove it. There's a strong argument that if Hendrix hadn't drowned in his own vomit at the age of 27 that he would have lived for many more years and would have had the opportunity to grow and produce even better music...musicians who have escaped the drug culture and go on to play stone cold sober regularly agree that they're better off without drugs...personally and artistically.
This doesn't make headlines though. I argue that artists create great art in spite of drugs, not because of them.
 

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