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Trying to learn everything instead of mastering one skill

Anything considered a "hustle" and not necessarily a CENTS-based Fastlane

RealDreams

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I realized I'm that kind of guy who instead of mastering one skill, tries to learn a bit of everything.
While this might help in business, this is not helping at all finding some hustles to make enough money for me to start a business.

The funny thing is that at 14 years old I used to make money with freelance jobs doing graphic design and passive income selling PSD's of my projects.
And guess what. Now at 20 I can't even earn $5. This is making me angry as hell.

I guess the problem is in my mindset and behavior. I've been learning 5-6 different topics (copywriting, marketing, web design, psychology, ...) in the last years and never tried mastering and scaling my graphic design skills.

Right now I'm studying in University at a Bachelor in Economics & Data Science, and I also started a project for a potential business but I realized I need capital to get started (legal fees and fixed costs).

So yeah, I can't even tell what I'm doing. It seems like I'm trying to learn everything about anything, which I realize is stupid since we don't live for 300 years and it requires 3-5 years just to master one single skill on average.

The famous quote "Focus on your strengths"? I'm not following that philosophy at all, lol. And beware, I'm not doing this consciously.

What's your advice and experience? What should I do? I'm lost as f*ck!
Thanks in advance!
 
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Tossek

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I do not understand this. You are specialising yourself in data science and you do graphic design and that other stuff which basically everybody can do with a bit of training.

I would suggest you to stick with a better synergy. Take advantages out of your study. Programming, data correlations, modelling. Do this, and you compete with at least 90% less people AND you will get your credibility through your studies and a higher payment.

I think you are looking at the wrong spot of advancement.
 

MB2

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I realized I'm that kind of guy who instead of mastering one skill, tries to learn a bit of everything.
While this might help in business, this is not helping at all finding some hustles to make enough money for me to start a business.

The funny thing is that at 14 years old I used to make money with freelance jobs doing graphic design and passive income selling PSD's of my projects.
And guess what. Now at 20 I can't even earn $5. This is making me angry as hell.

I guess the problem is in my mindset and behavior. I've been learning 5-6 different topics (copywriting, marketing, web design, psychology, ...) in the last years and never tried mastering and scaling my graphic design skills.

Right now I'm studying in University at a Bachelor in Economics & Data Science, and I also started a project for a potential business but I realized I need capital to get started (legal fees and fixed costs).

So yeah, I can't even tell what I'm doing. It seems like I'm trying to learn everything about anything, which I realize is stupid since we don't live for 300 years and it requires 3-5 years just to master one single skill on average.

The famous quote "Focus on your strengths"? I'm not following that philosophy at all, lol. And beware, I'm not doing this consciously.

What's your advice and experience? What should I do? I'm lost as f*ck!
Thanks in advance!

Why are you lost in the first place?

What had made you lost?

Are you consuming too much information? Are you actively producing/ taking action with the knowledge that you gain?

Over the past year, what knowledge have you applied to making something happen?

Are you idea-hopping? Are you doing things without a long-term focus? Are you stuck in the loop of instant gratification?



If you are lost, then there's a good chance that you aren't committed to something. Commit to building a business. Then take action every damn day. If you are looking to master a skill, that skill would be making decision, taking action and making sh*t happen.


Well, this is my two cents.
 
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ARMAT

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Who said it takes 3-5 years for learning any skill? It is bullshit. You can learn very fast those days. Just do it. Make many mistakes and learn from them. Never bring any excuses. Learning can be done with working. Just be sure that you are already ready. Believe in yourself. Good luck ;)
 

RealDreams

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Why are you lost in the first place?

What had made you lost?
I got lost since I realized I was starting a business with no capital and needed money for fixed costs, an accountant and a lawyer. I came to this realization 1 month after I began the project with a friend of mine who's a web developer.

So I thought..."Guess my focus should be to get some money first".
And that's where I ended up: confused, and lost.

Over the past year, what knowledge have you applied to making something happen?
Well, I started a blog which I can't even consider a business since it was based on a saturated market (self-improvement and dating advice) so I decided to quit.

I made $120 selling e-books I've written, but basically negative profits since costs were around $150. Well. At least I have learned SEO and the importance of value-creation.

If you are lost, then there's a good chance that you aren't committed to something. Commit to building a business. Then take action every damn day. If you are looking to master a skill, that skill would be making decision, taking action and making sh*t happen.
This is true! I lack decision making skills. That's probably where I should focus on right now.

Thank you for your help!
 

RealDreams

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Who said it takes 3-5 years for learning any skill? It is bullshit. You can learn very fast those days. Just do it. Make many mistakes and learn from them. Never bring any excuses. Learning can be done with working. Just be sure that you are already ready. Believe in yourself. Good luck ;)
Yeah I believe this is true. The problem lies in the fact that I hop from one skill to another and never ever master any of them.
 
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Andy Black

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“You can’t invoice for input.” (Blaise Brosnan)
 

MB2

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A Tiny island down the ocean (Ceylon)
I got lost since I realized I was starting a business with no capital and needed money for fixed costs, an accountant and a lawyer. I came to this realization 1 month after I began the project with a friend of mine who's a web developer.

So I thought..."Guess my focus should be to get some money first".
And that's where I ended up: confused, and lost.


Well, I started a blog which I can't even consider a business since it was based on a saturated market (self-improvement and dating advice) so I decided to quit.

I made $120 selling e-books I've written, but basically negative profits since costs were around $150. Well. At least I have learned SEO and the importance of value-creation.


This is true! I lack decision making skills. That's probably where I should focus on right now.

Thank you for your help!


Don't focus too much on learning something.

Focus on building a business.
Focus on helping people with something you can create.And use knowledge to create whatever that you're going to create.

Start taking action immediately.

Use the knowledge as the fuel. Don't use it as a drug!

Apply the knowledge to get to the next step.

Action comes first. Knowledge comes second.

Remember the strategy of FASTLANE is building a business that helps people(easier said than done, I know!)

Entrepreneurship is a career of will more than skill. Will precedes skill in entrepreneurship.
 
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Andy Black

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Tourmaline

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Andy Black

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Is there a book of his that you like?
I’ve got all three of his books but I’ve not read them. I’ve not been in book reading mode for a few years.

I found Blaise amazing at dropping one liners wherever people were debating something or asking for advice.
 
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sparechange

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You sound like a run of the mill typical money chasing wanterepeneur focused on making money

Make some value, not some ''money''
 

RealDreams

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You sound like a run of the mill typical money chasing wanterepeneur focused on making money

Make some value, not some ''money''
I don't deny it. I guess you are right.

How do I change this attitude? Apart from @Andy Black's advice of just helping people? I guess I still have not internalized that mindset.
 

Tourmaline

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@VicFountain To me the key starting point is to focus on others and not yourself.

Through helping others, you will help yourself.

Become other centered, not self centered.
 
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Tourmaline

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I’ve got all three of his books but I’ve not read them. I’ve not been in book reading mode for a few years.

I found Blaise amazing at dropping one liners wherever people were debating something or asking for advice.

You see it as a mode?

Where do you find his one liners?
 

Andy Black

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You see it as a mode?

Where do you find his one liners?
I consume podcasts / audio books every now and then, and then leave them for months again.

I went on courses of his here in Ireland where he drops biggest every 10 minutes. He has a book called “I Dare You” that is full of quotes and easy to dip in and out of.
 

sparechange

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I don't deny it. I guess you are right.

How do I change this attitude? Apart from @Andy Black's advice of just helping people? I guess I still have not internalized that mindset.

Take a walk around the neighborhood and think about what people want. Fill that want or need, it can be anything. The start is just about getting started! It can be as simple as creating joy in someones life, smile at a stranger, think about what problems they have on a day to day basis and try to solve them.

Here's a video from the man holier than Christ himself

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p58cbhTWz6s
 
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MB2

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How do I change this attitude?


By taking a true decision from which consistent action flows.

What you do is what matters. What you think matters but only if you turn them into action. Action is key and it's what counts.

Now you have the knowledge of FASTLANE. So, go ahead and take action on it. Start from where you are. Get the momentum. Be disciplined to keep up the momentum. And then never stops.

As others have already pointed out here, you need to focus on VALUE. Remember Value-Voucher principle? You can only attract it. You have the knowledge. So DO something with it!





I got lost since I realized I was starting a business with no capital and needed money for fixed costs, an accountant and a lawyer


Do you have prospects or profits? Have you validated the need? Do you really need an accountant and a lawyer at the beginning?

If you want capital, what must you do? What's your next step? You already know it. Don't you? Figure out your next step and take action on it. Simple, but not easy. Don't overcomplicate things. Keep it simple. Cluttered mind hold you from taking action. Keep it simple and take action.
 

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MB2

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A Tiny island down the ocean (Ceylon)

100ToOne

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@VicFountain, I think I'm in your same boat.
However I still haven't cracked the puzzle till now, but here's what I think.

There are some types of personalities where it's hard to sit there and learn one skill and become super proficient in it, at the same time ignoring everything else that happens around you. It's like you can become competent in a skill as much as needed from you, nothing more nothing less.

It's like @ARMAT said, it's a kind of leadership quality, where you are more comfortable using resources around you than being the person with that one skill where you are so knowledgeable about that everyone is willing to pay you to use that skill.

Basically read "ESTP(Entrepreneur)" personality on 16personalities.
However like Jordan Peterson said, these types of "creative" personalities HAVE to find a job and stick with it whilst attempting to do their creative ideas. Or else they will die from hunger.

So focusing on learning just one skill and making money out of it, and then maybe think about other interests where you're not broke thinking about money as your first priority is part of it. Unless you can become resourceful and can build something out of other people's skills and money.
 
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RealDreams

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This is incredible. I've never thought of it that way.

@VicFountain, I think I'm in your same boat.
However I still haven't cracked the puzzle till now, but here's what I think.

There are some types of personalities where it's hard to sit there and learn one skill and become super proficient in it, at the same time ignoring everything else that happens around you. It's like you can become competent in a skill as much as needed from you, nothing more nothing less.

It's like @ARMAT said, it's a kind of leadership quality, where you are more comfortable using resources around you than being the person with that one skill where you are so knowledgeable about that everyone is willing to pay you to use that skill.

Basically read "ESTP(Entrepreneur)" personality on 16personalities.
However like Jordan Peterson said, these types of "creative" personalities HAVE to find a job and stick with it whilst attempting to do their creative ideas. Or else they will die from hunger.

So focusing on learning just one skill and making money out of it, and then maybe think about other interests where you're not broke thinking about money as your first priority is part of it. Unless you can become resourceful and can build something out of other people's skills and money.
I just realized that's true! When you have resources you are self-reliant in a certain way. You still need to outsource some stuff but you can get above average results by doing stuff on your own.

I tried the personality test like 2 years ago and I figured out I was an "INTJ-Architect". I honestly don't know whether my personality changed (very likely) during the last 2 years, though.

So focusing on learning just one skill and making money out of it, and then maybe think about other interests where you're not broke thinking about money as your first priority is part of it. Unless you can become resourceful and can build something out of other people's skills and money.
I guess this is the course of action I should take, indeed! When you have enough money to survive you can let yourself go and start developing new skills in a vertical manner.
 

Andy Black

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There’s various threads in here asking “What’s the most important skill needed to build a profitable business?”

I always answer with: “The most important skill needed to build a profitable business is the skill of building profitable businesses.”

Does that help?
 
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Shazelle

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I realized I'm that kind of guy who instead of mastering one skill, tries to learn a bit of everything.
While this might help in business, this is not helping at all finding some hustles to make enough money for me to start a business.

The funny thing is that at 14 years old I used to make money with freelance jobs doing graphic design and passive income selling PSD's of my projects.
And guess what. Now at 20 I can't even earn $5. This is making me angry as hell.

I guess the problem is in my mindset and behavior. I've been learning 5-6 different topics (copywriting, marketing, web design, psychology, ...) in the last years and never tried mastering and scaling my graphic design skills.

Right now I'm studying in University at a Bachelor in Economics & Data Science, and I also started a project for a potential business but I realized I need capital to get started (legal fees and fixed costs).

So yeah, I can't even tell what I'm doing. It seems like I'm trying to learn everything about anything, which I realize is stupid since we don't live for 300 years and it requires 3-5 years just to master one single skill on average.

The famous quote "Focus on your strengths"? I'm not following that philosophy at all, lol. And beware, I'm not doing this consciously.

What's your advice and experience? What should I do? I'm lost as f*ck!
Thanks in advance!

I'm a serial learner and yet it's only 6 weeks ago that I discovered. To paraphrase Napoleon Hill, knowledge isn't power, it's knowing out of store it and turn it into value that is. There's been big changes for me since I now now grasp this!
 

Dignium

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I realized I'm that kind of guy who instead of mastering one skill, tries to learn a bit of everything.
While this might help in business, this is not helping at all finding some hustles to make enough money for me to start a business.

The funny thing is that at 14 years old I used to make money with freelance jobs doing graphic design and passive income selling PSD's of my projects.
And guess what. Now at 20 I can't even earn $5. This is making me angry as hell.

I guess the problem is in my mindset and behavior. I've been learning 5-6 different topics (copywriting, marketing, web design, psychology, ...) in the last years and never tried mastering and scaling my graphic design skills.

Right now I'm studying in University at a Bachelor in Economics & Data Science, and I also started a project for a potential business but I realized I need capital to get started (legal fees and fixed costs).

So yeah, I can't even tell what I'm doing. It seems like I'm trying to learn everything about anything, which I realize is stupid since we don't live for 300 years and it requires 3-5 years just to master one single skill on average.

The famous quote "Focus on your strengths"? I'm not following that philosophy at all, lol. And beware, I'm not doing this consciously.

What's your advice and experience? What should I do? I'm lost as f*ck!
Thanks in advance!
Identify your “dirty” words.
What words cause aversion or defensiveness from your mind.

If a lot of words not associated with swear words are treated like swear words, break into those word piñatas one by one and discover why they became dirty words.

I’ve discovered lots of nouns associated with business have become ‘dirty’ words in my mind. Words like “invoice”, “profit” and “cost”.
*Suggesting a road I haven’t completed alert* I am smoking indica to blast an after burning turbojet engine at this shit, so I can fastlane grow into the person I really want to become. Think of smoking clean indica like driving to a radiator shop, removing your shit-filled engine out from under the hood, and immersing it in a boiling vat of petroleum based solvents and detergents. You leave the shop with an engine full of empty voids, that you can then choose to leave empty to be gradually refill with new sludge or you can choose to fill them one by one with positive intentions and positive thoughts. If you don’t put your engine back in your car and reconnects what’s essential to daily executive function you’ll never leave the shop and grow dependent on drugs just to attempt to function. *its my first time, this feeling may just be an illusion or placebo. If it is, I’ll need to stop as I’m the captain of my own life*


around 90% of the philosophy I’ve absorbed is grounded in a selfish scarcity root mentality. Why people believe they shouldn’t be rewarded something for helping other people is the way they want to be helped is the reason we don’t have more people helping people in this world.
 
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