Comfortable with a lack of hunger...

[Panos Daras]

One very famous Greek novelist wrote, "Don't belittle yourself by questioning, 'Will we win? Will we lose?' Just fight!"

Most people are idiots who think that motivation breeds action. In the end, it is the other way around. Small actions every day, no matter how you feel (F*ck your feelings), can have a snowball effect.

Practical advice: Break tasks into small bits. Pick a time and place to do them. Mark good days on a calendar. Did life get in the way? It's okay, just never miss twice.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Isaac Odongo]

Get serious man.

If you think Fastlane isn't for you, create another forum called Slowlane and get people to join you.

Otherwise, spend time to convince yourself that Fastlane is the thing and stay on this forum and get out there and get kicked.

 

[Kevin88660]

I am on this forum for God knows how long (over a decade) and after so many fails I noticed one thing this year.

I am no longer hungry.

I just can't force myself to go at it again and I don't even know what kind of business I could do. Totally clueless at what people might want that I can provide. When I look at all those kids I think to myself what wrong I did that I couldn't be where they are?

I'm a software developer so I have stable income. I put all of it into crypto because that's the only thing right now that I'm interested in (small high-risk bets). Still, I don't feel that hunger. I go sleep at the same time and I rather go to sleep than stay up all night and work.

How to fight? Should I even? Maybe I should just focus on income and crypto until it works (same as business) and call it a day when it work?

I'm just tired and just seeing my days pass by like there is no tomorrow instead of squeezing more out of it. Anyone been stuck in similar downward spiral as I am?

You have a stable income. You have experience. You are in a good spot to hustle.

The more previous failures you had, the more skillful you have become.

You used to play a wheel of fortune that has odds 1 in a thousand. It is now 1 in 10 (due to an increase in xp point). It would be a mistake to give up.

If you can create app that can automate airdrop hunting in crypto that would be a huge need. People will tell you to take their money.

 

[tomzestatlu]

Another thread with many gems in it!

I can kind of relate with author´s point of view even though I hate such attitude. I mean I hate it with deliberate focus. But still there´s something in me that just understands such negative outlook based on what my basic psychological setup and life experiencewas like.

I also found myself around 30 years old at place of comfort with no real desire to make my future uncommon and bitterness from my past. Recently I had deep talk with my friend who is killing in life with his decisions and execution and he asked me whether I feel like I fullfiled my potential or wasted all those years.
Of course I´ve been thinking about this before. And I´ve always seen only a picture of potential me - who only did right decisions, had only right informations since the beginning and had supporting background - and I felt like I failed and could be much more.

But the reality is that I had to do a lot of learning by mistakes on the way. And when I was honest with myself and answered his question loud, I finally realized that evething is exactly as it should be. With the informations and background I had I can´t be angry on myself.

But at the same time I can´t be happy with myself. Maybe it´s more like I am not capable of that. It´s not that I hate myself but it´s more like I don´t have any feelings towards myself. It´s very neutral and more like phlegmatic.
Sometimes I find myself even nihilistic. Idea of me being dead isn´t big deal for me.

I would say its just that some people brains are built like that. You can work on it and change it to some degree but you will never become totally different person. At least it´s not a depression.

Anyway what I can feel is pride, joy from my integrity, joy from victory and desire to fight.

And I think that such qualities are much more important for a man than the ability to be happy and cheerful all the time.

Anyway the ability to feel hungry doesn´t mean I can´t be stuck now. I´am stuck as ..ck. I´m comfortable with my paycheck and investing so much time into skills that won´t be useful for me in 5-10 years. But just the fact that I´m on this forum gives me hope and belief that I can kill it in some other areas of life than those that I´ve mastered until this day. Some days I feel like I´m predestined to never get out of being average tax-payer and some days I feel that there isn´t anything I can´t achieve.

And also I realized one thing during the talk with my friend. I literally failed myself to this point. Literally everything I did in my life after high school ended up as failure. But those failures led me to place that is unreachable for the most of the people (even though it´s not monetazible). But I see other people who didn´t dare and will live with the feeling of never trying to prove themselves until the end of life and it must be horrible feeling. Possibility of failure equals opportuntiy of victory.

Fail forward.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[jeandearme]

Another thread with many gems in it!

I can kind of relate with author´s point of view even though I hate such attitude. I mean I hate it with deliberate focus. But still there´s something in me that just understands such negative outlook based on what my basic psychological setup and life experiencewas like.

I also found myself around 30 years old at place of comfort with no real desire to make my future uncommon and bitterness from my past. Recently I had deep talk with my friend who is killing in life with his decisions and execution and he asked me whether I feel like I fullfiled my potential or wasted all those years.
Of course I´ve been thinking about this before. And I´ve always seen only a picture of potential me - who only did right decisions, had only right informations since the beginning and had supporting background - and I felt like I failed and could be much more.

But the reality is that I had to do a lot of learning by mistakes on the way. And when I was honest with myself and answered his question loud, I finally realized that evething is exactly as it should be. With the informations and background I had I can´t be angry on myself.

But at the same time I can´t be happy with myself. Maybe it´s more like I am not capable of that. It´s not that I hate myself but it´s more like I don´t have any feelings towards myself. It´s very neutral and more like phlegmatic.
Sometimes I find myself even nihilistic. Idea of me being dead isn´t big deal for me.

I would say its just that some people brains are built like that. You can work on it and change it to some degree but you will never become totally different person. At least it´s not a depression.

Anyway what I can feel is pride, joy from my integrity, joy from victory and desire to fight.

And I think that such qualities are much more important for a man than the ability to be happy and cheerful all the time.

Anyway the ability to feel hungry doesn´t mean I can´t be stuck now. I´am stuck as ..ck. I´m comfortable with my paycheck and investing so much time into skills that won´t be useful for me in 5-10 years. But just the fact that I´m on this forum gives me hope and belief that I can kill it in some other areas of life than those that I´ve mastered until this day. Some days I feel like I´m predestined to never get out of being average tax-payer and some days I feel that there isn´t anything I can´t achieve.

And also I realized one thing during the talk with my friend. I literally failed myself to this point. Literally everything I did in my life after high school ended up as failure. But those failures led me to place that is unreachable for the most of the people (even though it´s not monetazible). But I see other people who didn´t dare and will live with the feeling of never trying to prove themselves until the end of life and it must be horrible feeling. Possibility of failure equals opportuntiy of victory.

Fail forward.

That pretty much sounds like me. Thanks for describing it so on point.

One very famous Greek novelist wrote, "Don't belittle yourself by questioning, 'Will we win? Will we lose?' Just fight!"

Most people are idiots who think that motivation breeds action. In the end, it is the other way around. Small actions every day, no matter how you feel (F*ck your feelings), can have a snowball effect.

Practical advice: Break tasks into small bits. Pick a time and place to do them. Mark good days on a calendar. Did life get in the way? It's okay, just never miss twice.

How one keeps the spirit after serial losses?

You have a stable income. You have experience. You are in a good spot to hustle.

The more previous failures you had, the more skillful you have become.

You used to play a wheel of fortune that has odds 1 in a thousand. It is now 1 in 10 (due to an increase in xp point). It would be a mistake to give up.

To give up would probably mean to die, which is not on the menu. I'm kinda forced to go forward because there is nowhere else to go (I don't drink or have any hobbies to run into - just sometimes watching YouTube which seems like is not helping by showing young millies).

If you can create app that can automate airdrop hunting in crypto that would be a huge need. People will tell you to take their money.

It's already there called EarnDrop, made by a guy that specializes in airdrops. Pretty nice stuff.

 

[J Mutua]

This demonstrates a lack of perspective.

TIME can be either INVESTED or WASTED.

It's like money. INVEST it. Or SPEND it on fruitless endeavors designed to give you short-term, fleeting happiness (sitting at home gaming, drinking, lounging, whatever).

If you lose time on some business idea that doesn't work, you didn't lose time, you invested time in the experience which can be leveraged for the next experience. Think of it like practicing for sport.

You, in effect, are like a baseball player who says he doesn't want to waste time practicing, hitting, fielding, because he wants to save himself for the big game.

The problem is, he never gets to the big game because he fails to acquire the skills he never honed in the investment of practice time.

Time always drips away, and it doesn't care how you spend it.

You can invest it. Practice. Small wins. Small failures. It all doesn't matter, it's the process.
Or you can continue wasting it living with mum.

Right now, you're lobbying to waste your time for fear of making an investment that might not get you to the big leagues later.

You either quit and give yourself 0%, impossible odds.
Or you work and give yourself 50%, decent odds.

Those who refuse to see the benefits of practice, never get to the big stage.

The choice is yours.

This has to be one the best reality checks I have seen on the internet in a long time…if this can’t motivate you to change your ways, nothing else will.

 

[Panos Daras]

How one keeps the spirit after serial losses?

You do not need a F*cken spirit, you need a F*cken PROCESS.

I reiterate because it did not land the first time, I should have been more descriptive:

Practical advice: Break tasks into small bits. Pick a SPECIFIC TIME and SPECIFIC PLACE to do them and WRITE IT DOWN. For example, "I will go to the gym for 5 minutes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6:00 after work. Mark good days on a CALENDAR with a tick and bad with an X. Did life get in the way? It's okay, just never miss twice.
This way action breeds motivation and you keep the momentum.

And now you ask "For only 5 minutes?" Yes because in the beginning, you will just show up. Our goal at the start is to create a routine. So, after a while, it will become a routine and 5 minutes will become 10 and then an hour, etc.

This is how motivation works.

Another very famous Greek poet wrote this metaphorical quote "By fishing, the sea appears."

I hope you get it by now.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[jeandearme]

You do not need a F*cken spirit, you need a F*cken PROCESS.

I reiterate because it did not land the first time, I should have been more descriptive:

Practical advice: Break tasks into small bits. Pick a SPECIFIC TIME and SPECIFIC PLACE to do them and WRITE IT DOWN. For example, "I will go to the gym for 5 minutes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6:00 after work. Mark good days on a CALENDAR with a tick and bad with an X. Did life get in the way? It's okay, just never miss twice.
This way action breeds motivation and you keep the momentum.

And now you ask "For only 5 minutes?" Yes because in the beginning, you will just show up. Our goal at the start is to create a routine. So, after a while, it will become a routine and 5 minutes will become 10 and then an hour, etc.

This is how motivation works.

Another very famous Greek poet wrote this metaphorical quote "By fishing, the sea appears."

I hope you get it by now.

From that it seems that motivation/discipline is not the issue here. As I mentioned, I train 3 times a week. If I schedule a meeting, I show up on time. The thing is that regardless of how much training went I don't feel better, I feel just okay-ish to not say average.

Maybe I just can't find any idea that is good enough for me to go all in at for the next x years?

 

[Panos Daras]

From that it seems that motivation/discipline is not the issue here. As I mentioned, I train 3 times a week. If I schedule a meeting, I show up on time. The thing is that regardless of how much training went I don't feel better, I feel just okay-ish to not say average.

Maybe I just can't find any idea that is good enough for me to go all in at for the next x years?

Same for me. Always after I train I feel like shit. This is an indication that I pushed hard. I get your point but maybe you are fixated on feeling a certain way.

Feel happy to just be alive and healthy to pursue what you want. Don't take this for granted. Be aware that, no matter what you achieve your mind will just move the goalpost.
With that in mind, CHOOSE to be happy now and CHOOSE to find BETTER PROBLEMS to solve.

So to summarise: Get out of your own head.

For some strange reason, this video helps me gain perspective when I feel like you describe:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Are9dDbW24&ab_channel=Scientificus

 

[oneac]

How can you be hungry when your belly is full?

You said it yourself…

“I’m a software developer so I have stable income”

That’s the problem.

Go to unstable income, where you actually have to do something every day to earn your money and you’ll see how hungry you become.

Right.

We have to decide for ourselves to remain in the comfortable of our daily routine with no chances of a rewarding life

or feel our discomfort for a greater chance at success

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Kevin88660]

It's already there called EarnDrop, made by a guy that specializes in airdrops. Pretty nice stuff.

Earndrop is interesting but more impressive would be a dapp that does the work for you, doing the swaps and participation.

Airdrop hunting is very time consuming.

 

[Muhammad Ibrahim]

Maybe I just can't find any idea that is good enough for me to go all in at for the next x years?

this is the problem. YOU DON'T NEED AN IDEA
PEOPLE MAKE MONEY WITH THE DUMBEST IDEAS EVER
LOOK AT STARBUCKS, ITS THE MOST BASIC BUSINESS IDEA EVER
'A COFFEE SHOP, WE'LL SELL SOME COFFEE, MAYBE SOME BROWNIES'
IF SOMEONE PITCHED THAT IDEA TO YOU YOU'D PROBABLY BITCH SLAP THEM ACROSS THE FACE
BUT IT WORKED, BECAUSE OF HOW THEY EXECUTED IT! IT'S WORTH BILLIONS OF DOLLARS NOW!

YOU ARE FOCUSING TOO MUCH ON HOW YOU FEEL, GATHERING MOTIVATION, GAINING SPIRIT. HOW ABOUT YOU PICK THE MOST RANDOM IDEA EVER, AND GO ALL IN, [BEAR WITH ME] WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT IT WILL FAIL. THEN YOU WONT BE DISSAPOINTED EVEN IF IT DOES, BUT PUT YOUR EFFORT IN.
YOU'VE GOT NOTHING BETTER TO DO.
STOP.
FOCUSING.
ON.
SPIRIT.
I'VE BEEN THERE, TRYING TO MAKE THE STARS ALIGN SO I CAN HAVE MY WONDERFUL MOMENT OF ESCAPE. GUESS WHAT motherfcker, IT DOESN'T COME. THE STARS DO NOT ALIGN. AND TIME KEEPS ON PASSING. IT DOESN'T GIVE A SHIT HOW YOU FEEL, IF YOU FEEL DEMOTIVATED OR WHAT. IT WILL KEEP ON GOING IF YOU DON'T CATCH UP WITH IT.


YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME BS IDEA RIGHT? WORK ON THAT.

SORRY FOR THE CAPSLOCK BTW. IT WONT TURN OFF.

 

[RicardoGrande]

this is the problem. YOU DON'T NEED AN IDEA
PEOPLE MAKE MONEY WITH THE DUMBEST IDEAS EVER

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME BS IDEA RIGHT? WORK ON THAT.

SORRY FOR THE CAPSLOCK BTW. IT WONT TURN OFF.

Literally what Muhammad here said, it's why I started the QUESTION - Surprisingly simple stupid businesses- that somehow work thread to drop random stupid and stupidly successful businesses I run across to PROVE it's in the doing, not the idea.
One of the companies in the thread LITERALLY just sold water bottles and landed the founder a 3m$ exit.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[jeandearme]

Literally this, it's why I started the

Literally what Muhammad here said, it's why I started the QUESTION - Surprisingly simple stupid businesses- that somehow work thread to drop random stupid and stupidly successful businesses I run across to PROVE it's in the doing, not the idea.
One of the companies in the thread LITERALLY just sold water bottles and landed the founder a 3m$ exit.

That DUDE Products were really something.

Back on the main topic: I found that it's really a strange place to be when you have all you need for success - skills (dev), time (I work 30h a week in my freelance gig), some brains (I'm not stupid, but often I feel dumb), I understand technology etc. The only thing needed is to find a proper target to deploy it on.

On the other hand I see simple businesses like wipes or water bottles take off. Interesting.

Also, I think if I just should get more gigs and hoard cash or still research ideas that I might want to pursue. I really like what Pieter Levels is doing (he founded NomadList.com and many many other smaller ventures) that yield him $200k/mo with 99% margin (really small maintenance costs). I have his book, maybe should get back to it again.

Haven't mentioned, but I have one of my services for sale ($6k) and there is possibility it will get sold. After reading @doitman 's (excellent) thread: GOLD! - HOT! - From 0 To $240,000 Per Year PROFIT In 18 Months (Acquisition Entrepreneurship) it got me thinking about this. Not excited about it, though, but still very interesting. The question I have now is: should I even be excited about new business venture? Or it shouldn't matter as much as hard numbers that scream profits?

I ask those questions because, I didn't mention, I am highly sensitive person (HSP for short) which doesn't help when dealing with other people that not only don't have it, but also are skilled in the game. I'm mitigating it by training in the gym and also been on therapy, but some things we are just born with so I figured it might be good to state it to provide more context.

 

[Muhammad Ibrahim]

I ask those questions because, I didn't mention, I am highly sensitive person (HSP for short) which doesn't help when dealing with other people that not only don't have it, but also are skilled in the game.

BS. You are not anything. You only act sensitive because you view yourself as sensitive. You have created a mental frame which limits you when talking to people who you view as "skilled in the game"
From now on you will never view yourself as this. IF you do, no matter how much gym, self improvement, reading, meditation you do, or even if you make shittons of money, you will not be able to escape.
View yourself as someone who is strong, capable. View your failures as the leadup to the greatest comeback the world has ever seen instead of the end of your story. Unless you move the needle in your brain, you can't move the needle in real life.

 

[Muhammad Ibrahim]

don't stress about it. do a combination of both.

should I even be excited about new business venture? Or it shouldn't matter as much as hard numbers that scream profits?

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Muhammad Ibrahim]

One of the companies in the thread LITERALLY just sold water bottles and landed the founder a 3m$ exit

some company on shark tank sold F*cking BANANA HATS [tiny hats that you put on that joint thingie part on bananas to help them last longer] and made 300k profit.
[not boring but still unbelievable]
banana hats? really?
also @jeandearme this just goes to show it's not about the idea, it's about how you execute it. a thousand people might have the same idea, but usually, only a few make bank

 

[jeandearme]

some company on shark tank sold F*cking BANANA HATS [tiny hats that you put on that joint thingie part on bananas to help them last longer] and made 300k profit.
[not boring but still unbelievable]
banana hats? really?
also @jeandearme this just goes to show it's not about the idea, it's about how you execute it. a thousand people might have the same idea, but usually, only a few make bank

Watched it now, I even did that foil-around-a-nana thing and he made a reusable product out of it. Funny product, serious money. Glad to see deals like that to pan out, inspiring.

 

[Muhammad Ibrahim]

Glad to see deals like that to pan out

good to see but what do you mean by 'pan out?'. panning out implies that it unfolds, or happens autonomously. big things don't usually pan out, rather they are made to pan out, ifyk what i mean.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[jeandearme]

good to see but what do you mean by 'pan out?'. panning out implies that it unfolds, or happens autonomously. big things don't usually pan out, rather they are made to pan out, ifyk what i mean.

Because all the big successes will tell you that they also been lucky. Hence, the more you work the luckier you get, but still luck is a considerable factor in the whole equation.

 

[Muhammad Ibrahim]

Because all the big successes will tell you that they also been lucky. Hence, the more you work the luckier you get, but still luck is a considerable factor in the whole equation.

but that's the secret: when you're a success at a certain point it is actually more productive to believe you are lucky. i don't remember who said this but it's something along the lines of believing in a competitive advantage leading to cultivating said advantage idk.
but are you a success? no. then stop mentoining luck.
also it's more probabilities then luck.

also also, let's ask @MJ DeMarco , how much of your success was luck?
exactly.

 

[jeandearme]

but are you a success?

Well, are you? I heard enough of them to conclude this as a fellow trait the all say the had. Hard work and luck - they favor one another.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Muhammad Ibrahim]

Well, are you?
no

I heard enough of them to conclude this as a fellow trait the all say the had

Examples?

 

[Muhammad Ibrahim]

Well, are you? I heard enough of them to conclude this as a fellow trait the all say the had. Hard work and luck - they favor one another.

what i'm saying is, can you control luck? no. then why fret about it?

 

[jeandearme]

No examples, just look up interviews - even in my country I've been to two lectures of two billionaires (and I live in Eastern Europe) and they both said that luck helps a lot.

what i'm saying is, can you control luck? no. then why fret about it?

True that.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[MJ DeMarco]

hey both said that luck helps a lot.

So does eating, breathing, and sitting on the toilet.

 

[jeandearme]

So does eating, breathing, and sitting on the toilet.

Let's say you have a stable freelancing gig (that is earning you 7x of what you spend), coding skills and you are physically in a good condition and the only bad thing right now really is debt. What would you do in such place? Get more gigs? Look for biz opportunity where you could use your skills? Both? Something else?

I literally just scroll through the forum, but that's not work, I know. I'm like that ship that just floats on the water because the captain has no clue where to go. Or maybe I just should go back to reading (your) books.

 

[Black_Dragon43]

I'm like that ship that just floats on the water because the captain has no clue where to go. Or maybe I just should go back to reading (your) books.

Go make some sales. Sell anything. Then keep doing more of it. Depending on your own life circumstances and predispositions, you’ll pick something. 12 years ago I picked copywriting. I’m in consulting & lead gen for agency owners today.

The most important thing is to get started. As @Andy Black likes to quote, you can’t steer a parked car.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[jeandearme]

Go make some sales. Sell anything. Then keep doing more of it. Depending on your own life circumstances and predispositions, you’ll pick something. 12 years ago I picked copywriting. I’m in consulting & lead gen for agency owners today.

I'm a freelance web dev - that's how I make a living if that's what you meant. I also tried running web dev agency (can dm you a link), but didn't work out and had to look for a job.

 

[Muhammad Ibrahim]

Let's say you have a stable freelancing gig (that is earning you 7x of what you spend), coding skills and you are physically in a good condition and the only bad thing right now really is debt. What would you do in such place? Get more gigs? Look for biz opportunity where you could use your skills? Both? Something else?

I literally just scroll through the forum, but that's not work, I know. I'm like that ship that just floats on the water because the captain has no clue where to go. Or maybe I just should go back to reading (your) books.

Find out what you want to achieve further and reverse engineer how to get there.
It doesnt have to be money, it could be travelling, raising kids, prioritising family or climbing mount F*cking everest or even simply chilling. Its ok if you dont want to start a multimillion dollar world changing company