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Am I too dumb for this?

Anything related to matters of the mind

A.Windhelm

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I hope "self development" is the right thing to post this under. I've been having trouble in the mental department in all of this. I'm doing my best to go through financial and business courses to get a better understanding of money and systems, but I fear I may be too stupid to comprehend this stuff. I especially have troubles with numbers, graphs and economic concepts. I have to read my courses several times, I also take notes-but I'm not getting any of it. I look up definitions and examples of words, but still, not a whole lot of progress. Am I being too hard on myself or am really too dumb to be an entrepreneur?
 
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SteveO

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Definitely being too hard on yourself.

It helps to understand numbers. Where you learn is when you are actually evaluating projects for yourself.

Many people have difficulty grasping information from books and classes. You are not alone there.

When you have something you want to learn, it comes to you differently. It becomes an interest.
 

Andy Black

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Agree with Steve.

I'm not reading books on economic concepts or anything with graphs either.

What's the problem holding you back at the moment? Focus on solving that. : )
 

A.Windhelm

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Agree with Steve.

I'm not reading books on economic concepts or anything with graphs either.

What's the problem holding you back at the moment? Focus on solving that. : )
You just reminded me of another question I had. Should I learn as I go?
 
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Andy Black

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You just reminded me of another question I had. Should I learn as I go?
Yes, figure it out as you go along.

This isn't school. The market doesn't care about what we learn. : )

Make it your goal to help people, then get paid helping people.

This thread might help:

 

Andy Black

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It sounds so epic, simple and true!
Over the years I've come to the conclusion that business is simple:

Help people. Get paid. Help more people.

Start. Sell. Scale.
 

LeszekM

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Over the years I've come to the conclusion that business is simple:

Help people. Get paid. Help more people.

Start. Sell. Scale.
Andy i think i need to write it somewhere in my house to read it everyday!
 

Andy Black

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Andy i think i need to write it somewhere in my house to read it everyday!
I just tweeted it. Thanks for getting me to write it.

So that comment hopefully helped a couple of people and now I’m trying to help more people with it.

In this case I get paid because people share and eventually someone reaches out. Have faith that helping people, especially in public, will come back ten-fold.
 
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JAJT

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I'm doing my best to go through financial and business courses to get a better understanding of money and systems, but I fear I may be too stupid to comprehend this stuff.

Business math can be done on a play-school calculator. You're smart enough.

As you get bigger and grow and get started you add a lot of extra line items to the list, but it's all just addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Your product costs $5 and you want 100 of them? 5 x 100 = $500
Shipping is $200? The shipping cost per unit is 500 / 200 = $2.50 per unit.
Cost of your unit so far is 5 + 2.50 = $7.50
Amazon fees are $2 per unit? 7.50 + 2 = $9.50
You sell them for $15 each? 15 - 9.50 = $5.5 profit

Keep adding line items and adding profit and subtracting expenses.

When you hit something you don't understand - just ask on here and someone will give you the equation or advice you need.

You got this.
 

A.Windhelm

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Business math can be done on a play-school calculator. You're smart enough.

As you get bigger and grow and get started you add a lot of extra line items to the list, but it's all just addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Your product costs $5 and you want 100 of them? 5 x 100 = $500
Shipping is $200? The shipping cost per unit is 500 / 200 = $2.50 per unit.
Cost of your unit so far is 5 + 2.50 = $7.50
Amazon fees are $2 per unit? 7.50 + 2 = $9.50
You sell them for $15 each? 15 - 9.50 = $5.5 profit

Keep adding line items and adding profit and subtracting expenses.

When you hit something you don't understand - just ask on here and someone will give you the equation or advice you need.

You got this.
That's really good advice. I suppose I just assumed I would have to do everything on my own.
 

Mattie

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I hope "self development" is the right thing to post this under. I've been having trouble in the mental department in all of this. I'm doing my best to go through financial and business courses to get a better understanding of money and systems, but I fear I may be too stupid to comprehend this stuff. I especially have troubles with numbers, graphs and economic concepts. I have to read my courses several times, I also take notes-but I'm not getting any of it. I look up definitions and examples of words, but still, not a whole lot of progress. Am I being too hard on myself or am really too dumb to be an entrepreneur?
I would agree. Your being to hard on yourself. I used to be the same way about 20 years ago. This is more training your brain to work differently then what you're used to doing. It may seem hard at first because your not used to it. This just require patience with yourself.

New things challenge us to think differently. This is also learning to watch your self-dialogue and inner critics. You can have a false belief system you are not smart enough dependent on what you have heard externally from others in your life prior to this point in time.

This story is probably not true. You just have not to pursued what you are now before this point in time.

The more you read it becomes easier. The more you take notes, the more you learn to focus, and the more you learn to discipline the negative critic.

This is also encouraging yourself and and thanking the negative critic for showing up, but you will move on to find out the truth of the matter.

If you have difficulty right now, just learn in smaller chunks and until you comprehend what you are learn. I tend to read fast, and learn in big chunks. Naturally, I have to go back if it's something important.

It doesn't mean you one way or the other is better. It's taking the time to recognize what the root of the problem is in the first place.

Insecurities
Fears
Self-doubt
Negative Critic

If you catch yourself saying, "I can't do this." turn it around. "I can do this."

"I am stupid." turn it around. "I am intelligent. "

We have a lot of self-dialogue at times that can be self-sabotage.

Recognize your negative words. Replace them with positive words.

Make a list of those negative words and put the positive next to them.

Learning is different for everyone.
 
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Flint

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Am I Too Dumb For This?​

What a great click-bait title! ;)
And what an engaged audience!
:)
See, you can do this.
Problems and challenges are opportunities.

Good luck!
 

A.Windhelm

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Am I Too Dumb For This?​

What a great click-bait title! ;)
And what an engaged audience!
:)
See, you can do this.
Problems and challenges are opportunities.

Good luck!
Huh, I guess you're right. I didn't even expect this many people to respond to my post. Thanks for the encouragement!
 

A.Windhelm

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I would agree. Your being to hard on yourself. I used to be the same way about 20 years ago. This is more training your brain to work differently then what you're used to doing. It may seem hard at first because your not used to it. This just require patience with yourself.

New things challenge us to think differently. This is also learning to watch your self-dialogue and inner critics. You can have a false belief system you are not smart enough dependent on what you have heard externally from others in your life prior to this point in time.

This story is probably not true. You just have not to pursued what you are now before this point in time.

The more you read it becomes easier. The more you take notes, the more you learn to focus, and the more you learn to discipline the negative critic.

This is also encouraging yourself and and thanking the negative critic for showing up, but you will move on to find out the truth of the matter.

If you have difficulty right now, just learn in smaller chunks and until you comprehend what you are learn. I tend to read fast, and learn in big chunks. Naturally, I have to go back if it's something important.

It doesn't mean you one way or the other is better. It's taking the time to recognize what the root of the problem is in the first place.

Insecurities
Fears
Self-doubt
Negative Critic

If you catch yourself saying, "I can't do this." turn it around. "I can do this."

"I am stupid." turn it around. "I am intelligent. "

We have a lot of self-dialogue at times that can be self-sabotage.

Recognize your negative words. Replace them with positive words.

Make a list of those negative words and put the positive next to them.

Learning is different for everyone.
I always forget how powerful the mind actually is when it comes to changing as an individual. Thanks for reminding me to trust my brain.
 
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Saad Khan

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I hope "self development" is the right thing to post this under. I've been having trouble in the mental department in all of this. I'm doing my best to go through financial and business courses to get a better understanding of money and systems, but I fear I may be too stupid to comprehend this stuff. I especially have troubles with numbers, graphs and economic concepts. I have to read my courses several times, I also take notes-but I'm not getting any of it. I look up definitions and examples of words, but still, not a whole lot of progress. Am I being too hard on myself or am really too dumb to be an entrepreneur?
Take it easy, you can't learn everything overnight. It will take a while for the stuff you learned to settle in.
 

Saad Khan

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Am I Too Dumb For This?​

What a great click-bait title! ;)
And what an engaged audience!
:)
See, you can do this.
Problems and challenges are opportunities.

Good luck!
Makes me think click baits aren't too bad after all...ONLY if the content provides value
 

GoGetter101

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I hope "self development" is the right thing to post this under. I've been having trouble in the mental department in all of this. I'm doing my best to go through financial and business courses to get a better understanding of money and systems, but I fear I may be too stupid to comprehend this stuff. I especially have troubles with numbers, graphs and economic concepts. I have to read my courses several times, I also take notes-but I'm not getting any of it. I look up definitions and examples of words, but still, not a whole lot of progress. Am I being too hard on myself or am really too dumb to be an entrepreneur?
I used to doubt myseld all the time until read Think and Grow Rich. This book was a huge mindset shift.

It makes you realise that ALL IS IN THE MIND. If think you can't do it, you won't do it. If you think you'll fail, you'll fail.

"What I think, I become" - Buddha

Think and Grow Rich has exercises on to shift you mind from looking for ways you could fail to ways you could succeed.

Our brains are wired to look for threats and to find exuses to stay comfortable.

Practicing the exercises from the book will help you turn the table on your destructive mind.
 
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Ing

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I was offroad riding for some days With some friends.
One of them, a serial entrepreneur since 40 years allways says:
„If you can say: its not because of the money, than you will succeed!“ and other way round. Maybe thats our mistake of us, thinking of being to dumb.
 

WJK

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I hope "self development" is the right thing to post this under. I've been having trouble in the mental department in all of this. I'm doing my best to go through financial and business courses to get a better understanding of money and systems, but I fear I may be too stupid to comprehend this stuff. I especially have troubles with numbers, graphs and economic concepts. I have to read my courses several times, I also take notes-but I'm not getting any of it. I look up definitions and examples of words, but still, not a whole lot of progress. Am I being too hard on myself or am really too dumb to be an entrepreneur?
You don't have to know all this stuff upfront. When Ford started his car company, he hired a lot of people who were a lot more educated and smarter than he was to advise him. You can do the same. Hire a bookkeeper for a few hours per week. Also, keep struggling with it. For some people, it suddenly falls into place after they wrestle with it for a while. Once you try to run your business, you'll see how the working parts fall together.
 

Sharona87

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Thanks for asking this @A.Windhelm , I'm sure many on here have thought the same at some point - I know I do all the time! Self doubt can be crippling and sometimes it feels like it would be easy to just give in to that critical part of yourself. If you have a strong enough 'why', it can help navigate you through those tough thoughts again and again. I've found my 'why' is the one thing that helps me get back up and try again, even after numerous blows and disappointments.
 
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Astekki

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If you realize that you are too stupid for something, but are working on it, then you are on the right track!
 

A.Windhelm

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You don't have to know all this stuff upfront. When Ford started his car company, he hired a lot of people who were a lot more educated and smarter than he was to advise him. You can do the same. Hire a bookkeeper for a few hours per week. Also, keep struggling with it. For some people, it suddenly falls into place after they wrestle with it for a while. Once you try to run your business, you'll see how the working parts fall together.
I do remember someone saying "a smart man hires people who are smarter than himself." Great idea!
 

WJK

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I do remember someone saying "a smart man hires people who are smarter than himself." Great idea!
Now, when you hire people, have them explain it all to you as part of their job. It should be your quest to understand every aspect of your business...
 
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A.Windhelm

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Now, when you hire people, have them explain it all to you as part of their job. It should be your quest to understand every aspect of your business...
Oh yes, for sure
 

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