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YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

Mutant

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YOU HAVE NO CHOICE
What am I talking about? We like freedom round these parts. We choose what we want to do & when. No boss breathing down our necks. We always have options. We're not beholden to anyone.


Ah.

There it is though.

The first of the unfinished sentences we pretend is complete.


We're not beholden to anyone... else.


Once busyness & distractions & all the nonsense has stopped - even if it takes being laid up ill in bed to do it - we all eventually have to face that still quiet voice inside of us that asks:


Why are you doing what you shouldn't?
And why aren't you doing what you should?


And if you dare stare hard enough into the abyss of truth you know that any feeble answer you could mutter is not a reason, it's just an excuse.



So, what choice do we have?

If I offer you the choice between a million dollars for you to keep OR I shoot you point-blank in the face, then I think I know what you'd choose. We could argue all day long about how you do, technically, have a choice, & whilst that's true - it's so heavily weighted, it's not much of a one. But as long as the positive choice is that great, who cares, right? It's easy to do that right thing when that's the case.



I've always done supposedly "risky" things. Things with a low chance of success. Things which others may wish they could do, but think that they can't. They look at the equation & perceive it to be:

Should I choose the security of normality OR take the strange risk with low odds?
For many that doesn't even seem like a valid choice. It's like asking "would you like to live a pleasant life, or to be destitute in the streets?" The possibility of the strange risk actually paying off - whilst an engaging day dream - just doesn't seem real. That still quiet voice, if it even exists for them, is so subtle it's easily ignored or drowned out in any mild act of hedonism, or perhaps by an appeal to duty. This can go on for years.

"You're so crazy" they say. Or perhaps even "You're so brave"

But I am neither. I just heard the voice inside me speak & so I know my true equation:

Should I take the strange risk with the low odds OR have a mental breakdown?​

You have to agree that's not much of a choice.

It's not crazy to try & avoid rock bottom.
It's not brave to pick a fist fight over being shot in the face.

I have no choice.



Some hear the quiet voice much less. Perhaps they are lucky.
Or perhaps they'll only manage to suppress it until they reach mid-life & have a crises, but be so unused to tuning into the voice that they won't know what to do, & instead just reach for a cliche - perhaps a compensatory sports car, or an affair. Even in their panic they'll still take their behavioural cues from normality. That's how you cope with a mid-life crises... right?



But that's not you - you're here. Whether MJ DeMarco introduced you to it, or you already believe in life, liberty & the pursuit of entrepreneurship & just found a home here.
I hate to break it to you though, if you came here it means you're stuck with a choice, & you might not like it:

Will you accept a slow, painful wasting disease & remain conscious whilst it eats you alive
OR will you accept a hand of cards, an overview of the rules of the game, & just enough chips to play?​

Let's face it - you have no choice.

Perhaps ignorance is bliss. But for many ignorance is just a dissatisfaction they don't know how to solve.

Luckily or not, it's too late for you now - you can't un-see it.


If you've seen though the hollow appeal of sidewalk life
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you've understood how flimsy the promises of the slowlane truly are
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you've grasped how the fastlane really works & what it could do for you
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If, in light of all the evidence presented on this forum & beyond, you're convinced that it is possible to succeed at this
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you believe you can steer your own ship, chart your own path & are responsible for doing so
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you know that there's always another way over, under, round or through
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you accept failures are to be expected, but are not the end of the game
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you are wondering through the desert of desertion
...

Ah.

There it is.

That question.

Should you give up?

People are so busy stressing about the question, they forget the rest of the sentence which is what really brings forth the answer.

Should you give up... & do what?



I was once advising an actor friend. Acting is a tough profession & shares much in common with entrepreneurialism. She was going through the desert of desertion. I'd seen it in actors before. For many my question of what they'd do instead had elicited an even bigger existential crises as they'd confronted the void of what their life would be without acting. It seemed a black hole. They weren't really ready to quit, they were just traversing a tough bit of desert.
On this occasion though, her eyes lit up. She didn't actually know what she would do, but freed from the burdens & constraints of an acting career, she was excited by all the possibilities & was eager to try them out.
I knew if she quit - even if just for a time - she'd be ok.



So wait, what - now I'm saying it's ok to quit? Wasn't I banging on about not having a choice?



Actually, what I'm writing about is listening, very intently, to that quiet voice, that gut feeling, that conscience, that guiding light you may have buried under a bushel of fear, or shame, or pride. Sure you can deviate from it - you can choose to make your life worse. But if you want your life to be everything it can be - listen - you have no choice.



If you know your equation has changed & your current path is now measurably inferior to the alternative - be honest with yourself & make the change. For your own good - you have no choice.

If you're totally burnt out & need to recuperate you will not win in your current state - you have to take time to recover. For your own good - you have no choice.



But



If you're here, sat at the table, cards in hand, terrified it's all going wrong & you're never going to win - pause. Listen. If you know those thoughts aren't the truth - they're just the fear talking - then you know what you have to do. Wipe the sweat off your brow, remind yourself of how the game works, ask for advice if you need it, gather up your remaining chips & play.


You have no choice.​
 
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Last edited:

Not Most People

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Should you give up?

People are so busy stressing about the question, they forget the rest of the sentence which is what really brings forth the answer.

Should you give up... & do what?
Exactly. What's the alternative? Mediocrity? Regret?

The alternative makes it an easy choice
 

Ravens_Shadow

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Wonderful post! Once you see how bad mediocrity is, you have no choice but to push yourself.
 
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Captain Hoodie

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Amazing post!

I need to find that voice, that guiding light that has been buried under everything for too long now
 

Mutant

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Eep! Got marked Notable overnight! (Well it was overnight for me :rofl: )

Thank you (I assume?!) @MJ DeMarco !

Hope it helps!
 
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juresesko

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Amazing post.

You really have no choice but to keep going forward. If you get burned out take a rest and get on with it.
 

Ocean Man

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Should I choose the security of normality OR take the strange risk with low odds?
Should I take the strange risk with the low odds OR have a mental breakdown?​
Will you accept a slow, painful wasting disease & remain conscious whilst it eats you alive
OR will you accept a hand of cards, an overview of the rules of the game, & just enough chips to play?
Damn.

Life has been weird due to COVID this year. Your post reminded me to focus on what's important and not to give up just because things aren't going the way I want or I'm not in the position I want to be in. Honestly almost brought a tear to my eye reading this thread.

Thank you, @Mutant
 

Kevin88660

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YOU HAVE NO CHOICE
What am I talking about? We like freedom round these parts. We choose what we want to do & when. No boss breathing down our necks. We always have options. We're not beholden to anyone.


Ah.

There it is though.

The first of the unfinished sentences we pretend is complete.


We're not beholden to anyone... else.


Once busyness & distractions & all the nonsense has stopped - even if it takes being laid up ill in bed to do it - we all eventually have to face that still quiet voice inside of us that asks:


Why are you doing what you shouldn't?
And why aren't you doing what you should?


And if you dare stare hard enough into the abyss of truth you know that any feeble answer you could mutter is not a reason, it's just an excuse.



So, what choice do we have?

If I offer you the choice between a million dollars for you to keep OR I shoot you point-blank in the face, then I think I know what you'd choose. We could argue all day long about how you do, technically, have a choice, & whilst that's true - it's so heavily weighted, it's not much of a one. But as long as the positive choice is that great, who cares, right? It's easy to do that right thing when that's the case.



I've always done supposedly "risky" things. Things with a low chance of success. Things which others may with they could do, but think that they can't. They look at the equation & perceive it to be:

Should I choose the security of normality OR take the strange risk with low odds?
For many that doesn't even seem like a valid choice. It's like asking "would you like to live a pleasant life, or to be destitute in the streets?" The possibility of the strange risk actually paying off - whilst an engaging day dream - just doesn't seem real. That still quiet voice, if it even exist for them, is so subtle it's easily ignored or drowned out in any mild act of hedonism, or perhaps by an appeal to duty. This can go on for years.

"You're so crazy" they say. Or perhaps even "You're so brave"

But I am neither. I just heard the voice inside me speak & so I know my true equation:

Should I take the strange risk with the low odds OR have a mental breakdown?​

You have to agree that's no much of a choice.

It's not crazy to try & avoid rock bottom.
It's not brave to pick a fist fight over being shot in the face.

I have no choice.



Some hear the quiet voice much less. Perhaps they are lucky.
Or perhaps they'll only manage to suppress it until they reach mid-life & have a crises, but be so unused to tuning into the voice that they won't know what to do, & instead just reach for a cliche - perhaps a compensatory sports car, or an affair. Even in their panic they'll still take their behavioural cues from normality. That's how you cope with a mid-life crises... right?



But that's not you - you're here. Whether MJ DeMarco introduced you to it, or you already believe in life, liberty & the pursuit of entrepreneurship & just found a home here.
I hate to break it to you though, if you came here it means you're stuck with a choice, & you might not like it:

Will you accept a slow, painful wasting disease & remain conscious whilst it eats you alive
OR will you accept a hand of cards, an overview of the rules of the game, & just enough chips to play?​

Let's face it - you have no choice.

Perhaps ignorance is bliss. But for many ignorance is just a dissatisfaction they don't know how to solve.

Luckily or not, it's too late for you now - you can't un-see it.


If you've seen though the hollow appeal of sidewalk life
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you've understood how flimsy the promises of the slowlane truly are
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you've grasped how the fastlane really works & what it could do for you
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If, in light of all the evidence presented on this forum & beyond, you're convinced that it is possible to succeed at this
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you believe you can steer your own ship, chart your own path & are responsible for doing so
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you know that there's always another way over, under, round or through
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you accept failures are to be expected, but are not the end of the game
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you are wondering through the desert of desertion
...

Ah.

There it is.

That question.

Should you give up?

People are so busy stressing about the question, they forget the rest of the sentence which is what really brings forth the answer.

Should you give up... & do what?



I was once advising an actor friend. Acting is a tough profession & shares much in common with entrepreneurialism. She was going through the desert of desertion. I'd seen it in actors before. For many my question of what they'd do instead had elicited an even bigger existential crises as they'd confronted the void of what their life would be without acting. It seemed a black hole. They weren't really ready to quit, they were just traversing a tough bit of desert.
On this occasion though, her eyes lit up. She didn't actually know what she would do, but freed from the burdens & constraints of an acting career, she was excited by all the possibilities & was eager to try them out.
I knew if she quit - even if just for a time - she'd be ok.



So wait, what - now I'm saying it's ok to quit? Wasn't I banging on about not having a choice?



Actually, what I'm writing about is listening, very intently, to that quiet voice, that gut feeling, that conscience, that guiding light you may have buried under a bushel of fear, or shame, or pride. Sure you can deviate from it - you can choose to make your life worse. But if you want your life to be everything it can be - listen - you have no choice.



If you know your equation has changed & your current path is now measurably inferior to the alternative - be honest with yourself & make the change. For your own good - you have no choice.

If you're totally burnt out & need to recuperate you will not win in your current state - you have to take time to recover. For your own good - you have no choice.



But



If you're here, sat at the table, cards in hand, terrified it's all going wrong & you're never going to win - pause. Listen. If you know those thoughts aren't the truth - they're just the fear talking - then you know what you have to do. Wipe the sweat off your brow, remind yourself of how the game works, ask for advice if you need it, gather up your remaining chips & play.


You have no choice.​
Agree totally.

With AI, automation and outsourcing financial soundness on the the employee path will be much unlikely.

Working as home becoming the norm means company do not even need a visa to get a global replacement for what you can do.
 
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TheLearner

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Wow great post! I completely agree. One of the things that triggered my FTE and caused me to quit my job was seeing what my life trajectory was by looking at those 10-20-30 years ahead of me at my place of work. The terrifying reality is that if I’d stayed I would be exactly like them. Inertia is a massive force and who you spend time with is who you become. I knew if I didn’t listen to that little voice now I would never become the person I was meant to be, and I’d hear those little whispers of regret while sitting in my rocking chair at 80 saying “I wish I wish...” that’s the most terrifying thought of all, regret.

So when you say “you have no choice”. I completely agree with you. Everyone of us knows deep down what they’re meant to get out of life, but many times we repress that voice because of the perceived pain we must go through in order to reach our true goals.
 

Andy Black

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YOU HAVE NO CHOICE
What am I talking about? We like freedom round these parts. We choose what we want to do & when. No boss breathing down our necks. We always have options. We're not beholden to anyone.


Ah.

There it is though.

The first of the unfinished sentences we pretend is complete.


We're not beholden to anyone... else.


Once busyness & distractions & all the nonsense has stopped - even if it takes being laid up ill in bed to do it - we all eventually have to face that still quiet voice inside of us that asks:


Why are you doing what you shouldn't?
And why aren't you doing what you should?


And if you dare stare hard enough into the abyss of truth you know that any feeble answer you could mutter is not a reason, it's just an excuse.



So, what choice do we have?

If I offer you the choice between a million dollars for you to keep OR I shoot you point-blank in the face, then I think I know what you'd choose. We could argue all day long about how you do, technically, have a choice, & whilst that's true - it's so heavily weighted, it's not much of a one. But as long as the positive choice is that great, who cares, right? It's easy to do that right thing when that's the case.



I've always done supposedly "risky" things. Things with a low chance of success. Things which others may with they could do, but think that they can't. They look at the equation & perceive it to be:

Should I choose the security of normality OR take the strange risk with low odds?
For many that doesn't even seem like a valid choice. It's like asking "would you like to live a pleasant life, or to be destitute in the streets?" The possibility of the strange risk actually paying off - whilst an engaging day dream - just doesn't seem real. That still quiet voice, if it even exist for them, is so subtle it's easily ignored or drowned out in any mild act of hedonism, or perhaps by an appeal to duty. This can go on for years.

"You're so crazy" they say. Or perhaps even "You're so brave"

But I am neither. I just heard the voice inside me speak & so I know my true equation:

Should I take the strange risk with the low odds OR have a mental breakdown?​

You have to agree that's no much of a choice.

It's not crazy to try & avoid rock bottom.
It's not brave to pick a fist fight over being shot in the face.

I have no choice.



Some hear the quiet voice much less. Perhaps they are lucky.
Or perhaps they'll only manage to suppress it until they reach mid-life & have a crises, but be so unused to tuning into the voice that they won't know what to do, & instead just reach for a cliche - perhaps a compensatory sports car, or an affair. Even in their panic they'll still take their behavioural cues from normality. That's how you cope with a mid-life crises... right?



But that's not you - you're here. Whether MJ DeMarco introduced you to it, or you already believe in life, liberty & the pursuit of entrepreneurship & just found a home here.
I hate to break it to you though, if you came here it means you're stuck with a choice, & you might not like it:

Will you accept a slow, painful wasting disease & remain conscious whilst it eats you alive
OR will you accept a hand of cards, an overview of the rules of the game, & just enough chips to play?​

Let's face it - you have no choice.

Perhaps ignorance is bliss. But for many ignorance is just a dissatisfaction they don't know how to solve.

Luckily or not, it's too late for you now - you can't un-see it.


If you've seen though the hollow appeal of sidewalk life
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you've understood how flimsy the promises of the slowlane truly are
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you've grasped how the fastlane really works & what it could do for you
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If, in light of all the evidence presented on this forum & beyond, you're convinced that it is possible to succeed at this
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you believe you can steer your own ship, chart your own path & are responsible for doing so
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you know that there's always another way over, under, round or through
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you accept failures are to be expected, but are not the end of the game
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you are wondering through the desert of desertion
...

Ah.

There it is.

That question.

Should you give up?

People are so busy stressing about the question, they forget the rest of the sentence which is what really brings forth the answer.

Should you give up... & do what?



I was once advising an actor friend. Acting is a tough profession & shares much in common with entrepreneurialism. She was going through the desert of desertion. I'd seen it in actors before. For many my question of what they'd do instead had elicited an even bigger existential crises as they'd confronted the void of what their life would be without acting. It seemed a black hole. They weren't really ready to quit, they were just traversing a tough bit of desert.
On this occasion though, her eyes lit up. She didn't actually know what she would do, but freed from the burdens & constraints of an acting career, she was excited by all the possibilities & was eager to try them out.
I knew if she quit - even if just for a time - she'd be ok.



So wait, what - now I'm saying it's ok to quit? Wasn't I banging on about not having a choice?



Actually, what I'm writing about is listening, very intently, to that quiet voice, that gut feeling, that conscience, that guiding light you may have buried under a bushel of fear, or shame, or pride. Sure you can deviate from it - you can choose to make your life worse. But if you want your life to be everything it can be - listen - you have no choice.



If you know your equation has changed & your current path is now measurably inferior to the alternative - be honest with yourself & make the change. For your own good - you have no choice.

If you're totally burnt out & need to recuperate you will not win in your current state - you have to take time to recover. For your own good - you have no choice.



But



If you're here, sat at the table, cards in hand, terrified it's all going wrong & you're never going to win - pause. Listen. If you know those thoughts aren't the truth - they're just the fear talking - then you know what you have to do. Wipe the sweat off your brow, remind yourself of how the game works, ask for advice if you need it, gather up your remaining chips & play.


You have no choice.​
Whoa. That’s like poetry. We can only marvel and admire how well you led us to the inevitable conclusion and actions to take.

I so agree. We need to be able to hear that little voice inside us. We’ve a tendency to drown it out with other people’s ideas and input.

I often like to go on a car journey or stroll without the radio on or headphones in ... just so I can try to hear that voice. When you hear it it’s obvious what to do next.
 

Schuylerc

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YOU HAVE NO CHOICE
What am I talking about? We like freedom round these parts. We choose what we want to do & when. No boss breathing down our necks. We always have options. We're not beholden to anyone.


Ah.

There it is though.

The first of the unfinished sentences we pretend is complete.


We're not beholden to anyone... else.


Once busyness & distractions & all the nonsense has stopped - even if it takes being laid up ill in bed to do it - we all eventually have to face that still quiet voice inside of us that asks:


Why are you doing what you shouldn't?
And why aren't you doing what you should?


And if you dare stare hard enough into the abyss of truth you know that any feeble answer you could mutter is not a reason, it's just an excuse.



So, what choice do we have?

If I offer you the choice between a million dollars for you to keep OR I shoot you point-blank in the face, then I think I know what you'd choose. We could argue all day long about how you do, technically, have a choice, & whilst that's true - it's so heavily weighted, it's not much of a one. But as long as the positive choice is that great, who cares, right? It's easy to do that right thing when that's the case.



I've always done supposedly "risky" things. Things with a low chance of success. Things which others may with they could do, but think that they can't. They look at the equation & perceive it to be:

Should I choose the security of normality OR take the strange risk with low odds?
For many that doesn't even seem like a valid choice. It's like asking "would you like to live a pleasant life, or to be destitute in the streets?" The possibility of the strange risk actually paying off - whilst an engaging day dream - just doesn't seem real. That still quiet voice, if it even exist for them, is so subtle it's easily ignored or drowned out in any mild act of hedonism, or perhaps by an appeal to duty. This can go on for years.

"You're so crazy" they say. Or perhaps even "You're so brave"

But I am neither. I just heard the voice inside me speak & so I know my true equation:

Should I take the strange risk with the low odds OR have a mental breakdown?​

You have to agree that's no much of a choice.

It's not crazy to try & avoid rock bottom.
It's not brave to pick a fist fight over being shot in the face.

I have no choice.



Some hear the quiet voice much less. Perhaps they are lucky.
Or perhaps they'll only manage to suppress it until they reach mid-life & have a crises, but be so unused to tuning into the voice that they won't know what to do, & instead just reach for a cliche - perhaps a compensatory sports car, or an affair. Even in their panic they'll still take their behavioural cues from normality. That's how you cope with a mid-life crises... right?



But that's not you - you're here. Whether MJ DeMarco introduced you to it, or you already believe in life, liberty & the pursuit of entrepreneurship & just found a home here.
I hate to break it to you though, if you came here it means you're stuck with a choice, & you might not like it:

Will you accept a slow, painful wasting disease & remain conscious whilst it eats you alive
OR will you accept a hand of cards, an overview of the rules of the game, & just enough chips to play?​

Let's face it - you have no choice.

Perhaps ignorance is bliss. But for many ignorance is just a dissatisfaction they don't know how to solve.

Luckily or not, it's too late for you now - you can't un-see it.


If you've seen though the hollow appeal of sidewalk life
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you've understood how flimsy the promises of the slowlane truly are
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you've grasped how the fastlane really works & what it could do for you
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If, in light of all the evidence presented on this forum & beyond, you're convinced that it is possible to succeed at this
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you believe you can steer your own ship, chart your own path & are responsible for doing so
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you know that there's always another way over, under, round or through
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you accept failures are to be expected, but are not the end of the game
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you are wondering through the desert of desertion
...

Ah.

There it is.

That question.

Should you give up?

People are so busy stressing about the question, they forget the rest of the sentence which is what really brings forth the answer.

Should you give up... & do what?



I was once advising an actor friend. Acting is a tough profession & shares much in common with entrepreneurialism. She was going through the desert of desertion. I'd seen it in actors before. For many my question of what they'd do instead had elicited an even bigger existential crises as they'd confronted the void of what their life would be without acting. It seemed a black hole. They weren't really ready to quit, they were just traversing a tough bit of desert.
On this occasion though, her eyes lit up. She didn't actually know what she would do, but freed from the burdens & constraints of an acting career, she was excited by all the possibilities & was eager to try them out.
I knew if she quit - even if just for a time - she'd be ok.



So wait, what - now I'm saying it's ok to quit? Wasn't I banging on about not having a choice?



Actually, what I'm writing about is listening, very intently, to that quiet voice, that gut feeling, that conscience, that guiding light you may have buried under a bushel of fear, or shame, or pride. Sure you can deviate from it - you can choose to make your life worse. But if you want your life to be everything it can be - listen - you have no choice.



If you know your equation has changed & your current path is now measurably inferior to the alternative - be honest with yourself & make the change. For your own good - you have no choice.

If you're totally burnt out & need to recuperate you will not win in your current state - you have to take time to recover. For your own good - you have no choice.



But



If you're here, sat at the table, cards in hand, terrified it's all going wrong & you're never going to win - pause. Listen. If you know those thoughts aren't the truth - they're just the fear talking - then you know what you have to do. Wipe the sweat off your brow, remind yourself of how the game works, ask for advice if you need it, gather up your remaining chips & play.


You have no choice.​
This is very true. We really have no choice but to bunker down and do what needs to be done to get the job done. A lot of people I know are in the slow lane and don't want to have the other alternative to think about. What you have to do is do what needs to be done no matter what and to not wine about it or overthink it. The pure post you put up is what needs to be shown to more people. It is awesome!
 
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themarkboogie

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Pardon my language, but I f***ing love this.

I've battled with many things on this journey so far but I think the most surprising thing I've noticed about myself is that my fear has actually grown the more I realize how possible it is. The more plausible and calculated the journey to financial freedom has become, whether it's from reading your guys' posts or rereading one of the chapters, the more fear I've felt. My urge is always to distract myself and stop reading. The urge is so powerful it almost feels painful. But I believe it stems from the accountability - If Fastlane success is actually determined by ourselves, and not some one-in-a-million idea or luck, then I have no one to blame but myself if I fail. And that's scary because you will have to face yourself every day knowing you were responsible.

Fortunately, and unfortunately, I cannot ignore the voice in my head telling me what's possible. For whatever reason, I'm unable to shake the need to be great. And different. So despite my battles with mental health, confidence, fear, motivation, and the unknown, I'm unable to sacrifice the dream. And sometimes just having the dream is enough for the time being.

Thanks for the post, brother.
 

Boogie

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Once busyness & distractions & all the nonsense has stopped - even if it takes being laid up ill in bed to do it - we all eventually have to face that still quiet voice inside of us

I so agree. We need to be able to hear that little voice inside us. We’ve a tendency to drown it out with other people’s ideas and input.

I often like to go on a car journey or stroll without the radio on or headphones in ... just so I can try to hear that voice. When you hear it it’s obvious what to do next.

Great thread.

Yes. In modern society, there are so many distractions. It's difficult to hear the voice.

We have news, and politics which is just nuts. Always talking. Always an agenda. Always distracting. People don't think. They mostly follow their biases not realizing that they are being manipulated by two sides who try to polarize everything to define their market and create allegiance to their side and fear of the other. It dominates people's thoughts and creates problems.

Then we have the internet, youtube, and podcasts.

We have hustle culture. Vaynerchuck and his kind. For the record, I think he is pretty awesome.

Being able to tune people and events out, get some mental space, and get on with some focused work are keys for most successful people in any discipline.

For me, having thinking time followed by bursts of focused action is how I like to work in general.

I think bigger breakthroughs come when I have real downtime alone though. No work. No earbuds. Just thoughts. Preferably for a few days. It's easier to find the voice.

One more thing. When I'm tired or stressed, it's difficult to get to that point of simple, relaxed, contemplation to hear the voice.
 
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Great thread.

Yes. In modern society, there are so many distractions. It's difficult to hear the voice.

We have news, and politics which is just nuts. Always talking. Always an agenda. Always distracting. People don't think. They mostly follow their biases not realizing that they are being manipulated by two sides who try to polarize everything to define their market and create allegiance to their side and fear of the other. It dominates people's thoughts and creates problems.

Then we have the internet, youtube, and podcasts.

We have hustle culture. Vaynerchuck and his kind. For the record, I think he is pretty awesome.

Being able to tune people and events out, get some mental space, and get on with some focused work are keys for most successful people in any discipline.

For me, having thinking time followed by bursts of focused action is how I like to work in general.

I think bigger breakthroughs come when I have real downtime alone though. No work. No earbuds. Just thoughts. Preferably for a few days. It's easier to find the voice.

One more thing. When I'm tired or stressed, it's difficult to get to that point of simple, relaxed, contemplation to hear the voice.

I'm reminded of this thread:
 

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STRAIGHT in the procrastinator

giphy.gif
 

Ivan2BAlive

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Way to get your point across and remind us to keep moving forward. Thanks @Mutant

But I'm going to throw this out to you and see what kind of response you're going to say, just curious.

What if you're married and have 2 kids and the only source of income they're relying on is your own?
 
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Mutant

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But I'm going to throw this out to you and see what kind of response you're going to say, just curious.

What if you're married and have 2 kids and the only source of income they're relying on is your own?

Well now, I obviously don't know what your voice inside is telling you, but am going to answer on the assumption that it's telling you to go fastlane, but you feel duty-bound to "play safe" because they're relying on you to provide (& that of course you want to provide, I'm not dismissing your duty to your family as merely an annoying duty - like simply taking the garbage out).

Here are just a few of many possible scenarios that could play out:

- You get to the end of your life & regret never finding out what you're capable of. Because you did this "for your family" you feel a certain level of resentment to them.

- You stick with your job, but because of your view on it, you slowly become more & more miserable. As the years go by, these negative thought patterns compound & "dad has depression" or "dad drinks a lot" becomes a thing.

- You could keep your "safe" job, & start a side hustle. This doesn't jeopardise your income, but does take some time - which either means you cut down on some family time, give up [insert hobby or pass time like watching tv], getting up early or going to bed late, or work out some other way to find the time. This side hustle could still fail, but might learn enough to be successful next time.

- You could go through the rollercoaster that is building a business that goes fastlane & end up with more time to spend with the kids, & enough financial security for your grand kids too.

- Or you could get to the end of your life & feel happy & proud that you stuck out the job, supported your family, and wouldn't change a thing.

I can't truly know what's right for you, only you can.
Because it mainly depends on how you look at things.


Remember how for some people it's "do you want the safety of normality OR to take the strange risk with low odds" but for me it's "do I take the strange risk with low odds OR have a mental breakdown?" - that's looking at the exact same problem, with a different perspective, informed by having different views. Maybe you wouldn't have a mental breakdown if you don't try. Good for you, you can operate from a different equation. If I had to provide for a family though, it wouldn't change my equation, it would just change how I tried to attack the difficulty (/mitigate the risk) of going for the strange risk with low odds.

I do know this though:

If you believe you can steer your own ship, chart your own path & are responsible for doing so
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you know that there's always another way over, under, round or through
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE


If you accept failures are to be expected, but are not the end of the game
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE


Sorry there's no easy option.

But at least you get to pick your hard.
 

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If this post and evolving thread do not resonate in you - you're in the wrong forum and should return to your LinkedIn or Indeed profile. I don't mean to be...mean, but if the truth of this post isn't clear and if your mind isn't screaming something like, "YES - that's it," you're just not cut out for this lifestyle. And I say this from personal experience.

Some of you know me from the last Summit and may remember. For those who don't - I'm on the north side of 60 and have fought this fight within myself since I stopped believing in Santa. My little history may serve as an illuminating tale for those of you with the years left to make a difference.

I am an entrepreneur and have been all my life. Unfortunately, I was raised in strict obedience to the script. All my elder role models were hard working, honest men and women, of the slow lane. But it didn't feel right to me. Deep in my gut I knew there had to be something I - and they - were missing. In my youth, I took on every money making opportunity one can imagine: grass cutting, snow shoveling, door-to-door sales, paper route, washing cars and the list goes on. When I was 14 I rode my bike to a nearby lawyers office to ask how to start a company. He was kind enough to humor me for an hour or so of the legal issues and business structures - at no charge. Of course, being a minor there was nothing I could do without my parents signature and starting a company was not what the SCRIPT dictated.

The script dictated that I go to college. I loved the sea. Fortunately, I found myself at the US Naval Academy and was honored to serve in the Navy for 25 years. Even in the Navy I was an entrepreneur. Some of you may think that impossible. But I assure you, the military is always pushing new boundaries and methods. As an entrepreneur in uniform, I added value in ways that may seem unorthodox to those who only see money as the marker.

It was in my "retirement" that the internal battle really began. The script constantly telling me to get a job, my soul telling me that's not the way. My resume sling shots from corporate positions to small biz start ups, with and without others. Finally it all came together over the span of my last year in corporate life: MJ's books, some personal traumatic events and my FTE. I walked away from a high paying executive position to regain my soul.

So here I am, 60 plus and building my Fastlane route. I'm happier than I've been since leaving the Navy. I'm working my butt off, learning new things and living life on my terms. Had I seen this route more clearly and sooner, I'd still be doing what I'm doing - I'd just likely have more money to do it with ;)

As Mutant so eloquently put it, I had no choice.
 
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YOU HAVE NO CHOICE
What am I talking about? We like freedom round these parts. We choose what we want to do & when. No boss breathing down our necks. We always have options. We're not beholden to anyone.


Ah.

There it is though.

The first of the unfinished sentences we pretend is complete.


We're not beholden to anyone... else.


Once busyness & distractions & all the nonsense has stopped - even if it takes being laid up ill in bed to do it - we all eventually have to face that still quiet voice inside of us that asks:


Why are you doing what you shouldn't?
And why aren't you doing what you should?


And if you dare stare hard enough into the abyss of truth you know that any feeble answer you could mutter is not a reason, it's just an excuse.



So, what choice do we have?

If I offer you the choice between a million dollars for you to keep OR I shoot you point-blank in the face, then I think I know what you'd choose. We could argue all day long about how you do, technically, have a choice, & whilst that's true - it's so heavily weighted, it's not much of a one. But as long as the positive choice is that great, who cares, right? It's easy to do that right thing when that's the case.



I've always done supposedly "risky" things. Things with a low chance of success. Things which others may wish they could do, but think that they can't. They look at the equation & perceive it to be:

Should I choose the security of normality OR take the strange risk with low odds?
For many that doesn't even seem like a valid choice. It's like asking "would you like to live a pleasant life, or to be destitute in the streets?" The possibility of the strange risk actually paying off - whilst an engaging day dream - just doesn't seem real. That still quiet voice, if it even exists for them, is so subtle it's easily ignored or drowned out in any mild act of hedonism, or perhaps by an appeal to duty. This can go on for years.

"You're so crazy" they say. Or perhaps even "You're so brave"

But I am neither. I just heard the voice inside me speak & so I know my true equation:

Should I take the strange risk with the low odds OR have a mental breakdown?​

You have to agree that's not much of a choice.

It's not crazy to try & avoid rock bottom.
It's not brave to pick a fist fight over being shot in the face.

I have no choice.



Some hear the quiet voice much less. Perhaps they are lucky.
Or perhaps they'll only manage to suppress it until they reach mid-life & have a crises, but be so unused to tuning into the voice that they won't know what to do, & instead just reach for a cliche - perhaps a compensatory sports car, or an affair. Even in their panic they'll still take their behavioural cues from normality. That's how you cope with a mid-life crises... right?



But that's not you - you're here. Whether MJ DeMarco introduced you to it, or you already believe in life, liberty & the pursuit of entrepreneurship & just found a home here.
I hate to break it to you though, if you came here it means you're stuck with a choice, & you might not like it:

Will you accept a slow, painful wasting disease & remain conscious whilst it eats you alive
OR will you accept a hand of cards, an overview of the rules of the game, & just enough chips to play?​

Let's face it - you have no choice.

Perhaps ignorance is bliss. But for many ignorance is just a dissatisfaction they don't know how to solve.

Luckily or not, it's too late for you now - you can't un-see it.


If you've seen though the hollow appeal of sidewalk life
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you've understood how flimsy the promises of the slowlane truly are
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you've grasped how the fastlane really works & what it could do for you
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If, in light of all the evidence presented on this forum & beyond, you're convinced that it is possible to succeed at this
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you believe you can steer your own ship, chart your own path & are responsible for doing so
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you know that there's always another way over, under, round or through
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you accept failures are to be expected, but are not the end of the game
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you are wondering through the desert of desertion
...

Ah.

There it is.

That question.

Should you give up?

People are so busy stressing about the question, they forget the rest of the sentence which is what really brings forth the answer.

Should you give up... & do what?



I was once advising an actor friend. Acting is a tough profession & shares much in common with entrepreneurialism. She was going through the desert of desertion. I'd seen it in actors before. For many my question of what they'd do instead had elicited an even bigger existential crises as they'd confronted the void of what their life would be without acting. It seemed a black hole. They weren't really ready to quit, they were just traversing a tough bit of desert.
On this occasion though, her eyes lit up. She didn't actually know what she would do, but freed from the burdens & constraints of an acting career, she was excited by all the possibilities & was eager to try them out.
I knew if she quit - even if just for a time - she'd be ok.



So wait, what - now I'm saying it's ok to quit? Wasn't I banging on about not having a choice?



Actually, what I'm writing about is listening, very intently, to that quiet voice, that gut feeling, that conscience, that guiding light you may have buried under a bushel of fear, or shame, or pride. Sure you can deviate from it - you can choose to make your life worse. But if you want your life to be everything it can be - listen - you have no choice.



If you know your equation has changed & your current path is now measurably inferior to the alternative - be honest with yourself & make the change. For your own good - you have no choice.

If you're totally burnt out & need to recuperate you will not win in your current state - you have to take time to recover. For your own good - you have no choice.



But



If you're here, sat at the table, cards in hand, terrified it's all going wrong & you're never going to win - pause. Listen. If you know those thoughts aren't the truth - they're just the fear talking - then you know what you have to do. Wipe the sweat off your brow, remind yourself of how the game works, ask for advice if you need it, gather up your remaining chips & play.


You have no choice.​
someone should turn this into a video
 

Timmy C

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YOU HAVE NO CHOICE
What am I talking about? We like freedom round these parts. We choose what we want to do & when. No boss breathing down our necks. We always have options. We're not beholden to anyone.


Ah.

There it is though.

The first of the unfinished sentences we pretend is complete.


We're not beholden to anyone... else.


Once busyness & distractions & all the nonsense has stopped - even if it takes being laid up ill in bed to do it - we all eventually have to face that still quiet voice inside of us that asks:


Why are you doing what you shouldn't?
And why aren't you doing what you should?


And if you dare stare hard enough into the abyss of truth you know that any feeble answer you could mutter is not a reason, it's just an excuse.



So, what choice do we have?

If I offer you the choice between a million dollars for you to keep OR I shoot you point-blank in the face, then I think I know what you'd choose. We could argue all day long about how you do, technically, have a choice, & whilst that's true - it's so heavily weighted, it's not much of a one. But as long as the positive choice is that great, who cares, right? It's easy to do that right thing when that's the case.



I've always done supposedly "risky" things. Things with a low chance of success. Things which others may wish they could do, but think that they can't. They look at the equation & perceive it to be:

Should I choose the security of normality OR take the strange risk with low odds?
For many that doesn't even seem like a valid choice. It's like asking "would you like to live a pleasant life, or to be destitute in the streets?" The possibility of the strange risk actually paying off - whilst an engaging day dream - just doesn't seem real. That still quiet voice, if it even exists for them, is so subtle it's easily ignored or drowned out in any mild act of hedonism, or perhaps by an appeal to duty. This can go on for years.

"You're so crazy" they say. Or perhaps even "You're so brave"

But I am neither. I just heard the voice inside me speak & so I know my true equation:

Should I take the strange risk with the low odds OR have a mental breakdown?​

You have to agree that's not much of a choice.

It's not crazy to try & avoid rock bottom.
It's not brave to pick a fist fight over being shot in the face.

I have no choice.



Some hear the quiet voice much less. Perhaps they are lucky.
Or perhaps they'll only manage to suppress it until they reach mid-life & have a crises, but be so unused to tuning into the voice that they won't know what to do, & instead just reach for a cliche - perhaps a compensatory sports car, or an affair. Even in their panic they'll still take their behavioural cues from normality. That's how you cope with a mid-life crises... right?



But that's not you - you're here. Whether MJ DeMarco introduced you to it, or you already believe in life, liberty & the pursuit of entrepreneurship & just found a home here.
I hate to break it to you though, if you came here it means you're stuck with a choice, & you might not like it:

Will you accept a slow, painful wasting disease & remain conscious whilst it eats you alive
OR will you accept a hand of cards, an overview of the rules of the game, & just enough chips to play?​

Let's face it - you have no choice.

Perhaps ignorance is bliss. But for many ignorance is just a dissatisfaction they don't know how to solve.

Luckily or not, it's too late for you now - you can't un-see it.


If you've seen though the hollow appeal of sidewalk life
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you've understood how flimsy the promises of the slowlane truly are
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you've grasped how the fastlane really works & what it could do for you
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If, in light of all the evidence presented on this forum & beyond, you're convinced that it is possible to succeed at this
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you believe you can steer your own ship, chart your own path & are responsible for doing so
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you know that there's always another way over, under, round or through
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you accept failures are to be expected, but are not the end of the game
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you are wondering through the desert of desertion
...

Ah.

There it is.

That question.

Should you give up?

People are so busy stressing about the question, they forget the rest of the sentence which is what really brings forth the answer.

Should you give up... & do what?



I was once advising an actor friend. Acting is a tough profession & shares much in common with entrepreneurialism. She was going through the desert of desertion. I'd seen it in actors before. For many my question of what they'd do instead had elicited an even bigger existential crises as they'd confronted the void of what their life would be without acting. It seemed a black hole. They weren't really ready to quit, they were just traversing a tough bit of desert.
On this occasion though, her eyes lit up. She didn't actually know what she would do, but freed from the burdens & constraints of an acting career, she was excited by all the possibilities & was eager to try them out.
I knew if she quit - even if just for a time - she'd be ok.



So wait, what - now I'm saying it's ok to quit? Wasn't I banging on about not having a choice?



Actually, what I'm writing about is listening, very intently, to that quiet voice, that gut feeling, that conscience, that guiding light you may have buried under a bushel of fear, or shame, or pride. Sure you can deviate from it - you can choose to make your life worse. But if you want your life to be everything it can be - listen - you have no choice.



If you know your equation has changed & your current path is now measurably inferior to the alternative - be honest with yourself & make the change. For your own good - you have no choice.

If you're totally burnt out & need to recuperate you will not win in your current state - you have to take time to recover. For your own good - you have no choice.



But



If you're here, sat at the table, cards in hand, terrified it's all going wrong & you're never going to win - pause. Listen. If you know those thoughts aren't the truth - they're just the fear talking - then you know what you have to do. Wipe the sweat off your brow, remind yourself of how the game works, ask for advice if you need it, gather up your remaining chips & play.


You have no choice.​
Don't know how I only just found this, but such an epic post mate.
 

Chris_Varick

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Thank you MUTANT for this post ! It is razor sharp to the point - you are 100% right even though we read M.J.'s books and are fully awaken now a lot(including me of course) of us still are trying to get diverted from the work that needs to be done but this gut feeling and our subconsciousness does not leave us alone. When walking outside seeing all the slow lane signs commercials, billboards the latest 50% off deals, the latest 3d 4k gaming entertainment parks and so on ... it reminds us of constant consumption where we do not want to belong. We want to be producers by heart and yes we have no choice but to switch sides to get rid of this gut feeling and to release the dopamine by choosing the FLM path starting one step at a time !
 
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Chris_Varick

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It was in my "retirement" that the internal battle really began. The script constantly telling me to get a job, my soul telling me that's not the way. My resume sling shots from corporate positions to small biz start ups, with and without others. Finally it all came together over the span of my last year in corporate life: MJ's books, some personal traumatic events and my FTE. I walked away from a high paying executive position to regain my soul.
... if this in not a story of encouraging others, then what will it be? Biggest take away for me from your story is that starting the FLM path is not a matter of age! Your positive energy that is underlying in your post is really an encouragement for everyone in this forum who has any doubts if they are fit for it -- Thanks!
 

Matt_E

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YOU HAVE NO CHOICE
What am I talking about? We like freedom round these parts. We choose what we want to do & when. No boss breathing down our necks. We always have options. We're not beholden to anyone.


Ah.

There it is though.

The first of the unfinished sentences we pretend is complete.


We're not beholden to anyone... else.


Once busyness & distractions & all the nonsense has stopped - even if it takes being laid up ill in bed to do it - we all eventually have to face that still quiet voice inside of us that asks:


Why are you doing what you shouldn't?
And why aren't you doing what you should?


And if you dare stare hard enough into the abyss of truth you know that any feeble answer you could mutter is not a reason, it's just an excuse.



So, what choice do we have?

If I offer you the choice between a million dollars for you to keep OR I shoot you point-blank in the face, then I think I know what you'd choose. We could argue all day long about how you do, technically, have a choice, & whilst that's true - it's so heavily weighted, it's not much of a one. But as long as the positive choice is that great, who cares, right? It's easy to do that right thing when that's the case.



I've always done supposedly "risky" things. Things with a low chance of success. Things which others may wish they could do, but think that they can't. They look at the equation & perceive it to be:

Should I choose the security of normality OR take the strange risk with low odds?
For many that doesn't even seem like a valid choice. It's like asking "would you like to live a pleasant life, or to be destitute in the streets?" The possibility of the strange risk actually paying off - whilst an engaging day dream - just doesn't seem real. That still quiet voice, if it even exists for them, is so subtle it's easily ignored or drowned out in any mild act of hedonism, or perhaps by an appeal to duty. This can go on for years.

"You're so crazy" they say. Or perhaps even "You're so brave"

But I am neither. I just heard the voice inside me speak & so I know my true equation:

Should I take the strange risk with the low odds OR have a mental breakdown?​

You have to agree that's not much of a choice.

It's not crazy to try & avoid rock bottom.
It's not brave to pick a fist fight over being shot in the face.

I have no choice.



Some hear the quiet voice much less. Perhaps they are lucky.
Or perhaps they'll only manage to suppress it until they reach mid-life & have a crises, but be so unused to tuning into the voice that they won't know what to do, & instead just reach for a cliche - perhaps a compensatory sports car, or an affair. Even in their panic they'll still take their behavioural cues from normality. That's how you cope with a mid-life crises... right?



But that's not you - you're here. Whether MJ DeMarco introduced you to it, or you already believe in life, liberty & the pursuit of entrepreneurship & just found a home here.
I hate to break it to you though, if you came here it means you're stuck with a choice, & you might not like it:

Will you accept a slow, painful wasting disease & remain conscious whilst it eats you alive
OR will you accept a hand of cards, an overview of the rules of the game, & just enough chips to play?​

Let's face it - you have no choice.

Perhaps ignorance is bliss. But for many ignorance is just a dissatisfaction they don't know how to solve.

Luckily or not, it's too late for you now - you can't un-see it.


If you've seen though the hollow appeal of sidewalk life
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you've understood how flimsy the promises of the slowlane truly are
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you've grasped how the fastlane really works & what it could do for you
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If, in light of all the evidence presented on this forum & beyond, you're convinced that it is possible to succeed at this
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you believe you can steer your own ship, chart your own path & are responsible for doing so
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you know that there's always another way over, under, round or through
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you accept failures are to be expected, but are not the end of the game
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you are wondering through the desert of desertion
...

Ah.

There it is.

That question.

Should you give up?

People are so busy stressing about the question, they forget the rest of the sentence which is what really brings forth the answer.

Should you give up... & do what?



I was once advising an actor friend. Acting is a tough profession & shares much in common with entrepreneurialism. She was going through the desert of desertion. I'd seen it in actors before. For many my question of what they'd do instead had elicited an even bigger existential crises as they'd confronted the void of what their life would be without acting. It seemed a black hole. They weren't really ready to quit, they were just traversing a tough bit of desert.
On this occasion though, her eyes lit up. She didn't actually know what she would do, but freed from the burdens & constraints of an acting career, she was excited by all the possibilities & was eager to try them out.
I knew if she quit - even if just for a time - she'd be ok.



So wait, what - now I'm saying it's ok to quit? Wasn't I banging on about not having a choice?



Actually, what I'm writing about is listening, very intently, to that quiet voice, that gut feeling, that conscience, that guiding light you may have buried under a bushel of fear, or shame, or pride. Sure you can deviate from it - you can choose to make your life worse. But if you want your life to be everything it can be - listen - you have no choice.



If you know your equation has changed & your current path is now measurably inferior to the alternative - be honest with yourself & make the change. For your own good - you have no choice.

If you're totally burnt out & need to recuperate you will not win in your current state - you have to take time to recover. For your own good - you have no choice.



But



If you're here, sat at the table, cards in hand, terrified it's all going wrong & you're never going to win - pause. Listen. If you know those thoughts aren't the truth - they're just the fear talking - then you know what you have to do. Wipe the sweat off your brow, remind yourself of how the game works, ask for advice if you need it, gather up your remaining chips & play.


You have no choice.​
I revisit this often. Wonderful post Mutant, thank you.
 

JayGoony

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Perhaps ignorance is bliss. But for many ignorance is just a dissatisfaction they don't know how to solve.
Powerful stuff!

Thinking about the horrible alternatives in great detail turns out to be an even greater push forward than the potential good outcomes you're actually aiming for.

Avoiding the inner voice's dissatisfaction is a real good kick in the butt.
 
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DavidePaco00

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YOU HAVE NO CHOICE
What am I talking about? We like freedom round these parts. We choose what we want to do & when. No boss breathing down our necks. We always have options. We're not beholden to anyone.


Ah.

There it is though.

The first of the unfinished sentences we pretend is complete.


We're not beholden to anyone... else.


Once busyness & distractions & all the nonsense has stopped - even if it takes being laid up ill in bed to do it - we all eventually have to face that still quiet voice inside of us that asks:


Why are you doing what you shouldn't?
And why aren't you doing what you should?


And if you dare stare hard enough into the abyss of truth you know that any feeble answer you could mutter is not a reason, it's just an excuse.



So, what choice do we have?

If I offer you the choice between a million dollars for you to keep OR I shoot you point-blank in the face, then I think I know what you'd choose. We could argue all day long about how you do, technically, have a choice, & whilst that's true - it's so heavily weighted, it's not much of a one. But as long as the positive choice is that great, who cares, right? It's easy to do that right thing when that's the case.



I've always done supposedly "risky" things. Things with a low chance of success. Things which others may wish they could do, but think that they can't. They look at the equation & perceive it to be:

Should I choose the security of normality OR take the strange risk with low odds?
For many that doesn't even seem like a valid choice. It's like asking "would you like to live a pleasant life, or to be destitute in the streets?" The possibility of the strange risk actually paying off - whilst an engaging day dream - just doesn't seem real. That still quiet voice, if it even exists for them, is so subtle it's easily ignored or drowned out in any mild act of hedonism, or perhaps by an appeal to duty. This can go on for years.

"You're so crazy" they say. Or perhaps even "You're so brave"

But I am neither. I just heard the voice inside me speak & so I know my true equation:

Should I take the strange risk with the low odds OR have a mental breakdown?​

You have to agree that's not much of a choice.

It's not crazy to try & avoid rock bottom.
It's not brave to pick a fist fight over being shot in the face.

I have no choice.



Some hear the quiet voice much less. Perhaps they are lucky.
Or perhaps they'll only manage to suppress it until they reach mid-life & have a crises, but be so unused to tuning into the voice that they won't know what to do, & instead just reach for a cliche - perhaps a compensatory sports car, or an affair. Even in their panic they'll still take their behavioural cues from normality. That's how you cope with a mid-life crises... right?



But that's not you - you're here. Whether MJ DeMarco introduced you to it, or you already believe in life, liberty & the pursuit of entrepreneurship & just found a home here.
I hate to break it to you though, if you came here it means you're stuck with a choice, & you might not like it:

Will you accept a slow, painful wasting disease & remain conscious whilst it eats you alive
OR will you accept a hand of cards, an overview of the rules of the game, & just enough chips to play?​

Let's face it - you have no choice.

Perhaps ignorance is bliss. But for many ignorance is just a dissatisfaction they don't know how to solve.

Luckily or not, it's too late for you now - you can't un-see it.


If you've seen though the hollow appeal of sidewalk life
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you've understood how flimsy the promises of the slowlane truly are
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you've grasped how the fastlane really works & what it could do for you
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If, in light of all the evidence presented on this forum & beyond, you're convinced that it is possible to succeed at this
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you believe you can steer your own ship, chart your own path & are responsible for doing so
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you know that there's always another way over, under, round or through
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you accept failures are to be expected, but are not the end of the game
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE

If you are wondering through the desert of desertion
...

Ah.

There it is.

That question.

Should you give up?

People are so busy stressing about the question, they forget the rest of the sentence which is what really brings forth the answer.

Should you give up... & do what?



I was once advising an actor friend. Acting is a tough profession & shares much in common with entrepreneurialism. She was going through the desert of desertion. I'd seen it in actors before. For many my question of what they'd do instead had elicited an even bigger existential crises as they'd confronted the void of what their life would be without acting. It seemed a black hole. They weren't really ready to quit, they were just traversing a tough bit of desert.
On this occasion though, her eyes lit up. She didn't actually know what she would do, but freed from the burdens & constraints of an acting career, she was excited by all the possibilities & was eager to try them out.
I knew if she quit - even if just for a time - she'd be ok.



So wait, what - now I'm saying it's ok to quit? Wasn't I banging on about not having a choice?



Actually, what I'm writing about is listening, very intently, to that quiet voice, that gut feeling, that conscience, that guiding light you may have buried under a bushel of fear, or shame, or pride. Sure you can deviate from it - you can choose to make your life worse. But if you want your life to be everything it can be - listen - you have no choice.



If you know your equation has changed & your current path is now measurably inferior to the alternative - be honest with yourself & make the change. For your own good - you have no choice.

If you're totally burnt out & need to recuperate you will not win in your current state - you have to take time to recover. For your own good - you have no choice.



But



If you're here, sat at the table, cards in hand, terrified it's all going wrong & you're never going to win - pause. Listen. If you know those thoughts aren't the truth - they're just the fear talking - then you know what you have to do. Wipe the sweat off your brow, remind yourself of how the game works, ask for advice if you need it, gather up your remaining chips & play.


You have no choice.​

Taking a break to look around and distress is very important to begin the process of change.

You cannot think new ideas if you're constantly in the same loop of stress, recover, repeat.

You need to detach from everything, if possible, to really grasp new , fresh thoughts about business and life in general.

Creativity either comes from superstimulation ( by writing a lot, for example), or by extreme boredom.

Please, quit before it's too late and realize You wasted a lot of time. There's no reward after following the commitment bias, unless You want to quit because You failed once or twice.

The thing is that when something truly belongs to You , You're truly motiveted to embrace the suck, while if You don't like something, You'll recognize the feeling of truly wanting to quit to move on.

Cheers
 

Matesrate24

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This post made me feel things I never knew I wanted.
 

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