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Doh! She's a total Sidewalker!

Topics relating to managing people and relationships

dpj

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Have been seeing a gal for a few months now. While we are pretty in to each other, similar sense of humor, musical tastes, food likes, and amazing sex, there has always been something beneath the surface that has bugged me, but I could not put my finger on it. I thought maybe it had something to do with our age difference (she's 10 years younger), but then I realized that her youth is not a bad thing at all.

Recently, probably due to the fact that I finally read my year-old copy of the MFL book, things she says and the things she wants me to do with her have solidified for me that she is a classic Sidewalker who has no concept of what I am working toward! She works in a small business that, while she has no ownership, is a potential goldmine (salary, bonus, unlimited commissions on sales leads that are so hot, the clients are practically begging to hand over their money, and that is not an exaggeration). Unfortunately, she sees it only as a tedious "job" that requires her to work late sometimes (her starting office time is much later in the morning than normal jobs), and some weekends, which she hates. She has proclaimed that she would be happy to commute in morning rush hour traffic with everyone else if she can just find a "job" with a daily list of tasks to complete, and that allows her to go home at 5:00, so she can relax on the couch and watch her favorite reality-TV shows and be able to discuss them with her girlfriends "like a normal person". She says that she "deserves" her weekends off since, after all, she's been working since she was 16! Her plan for finding this new, great job? She has sent her resumé to her girlfriends, all of whom are of the same mentality, always bitching about having no money, always bitching about their jobs, bosses, co-workers, traffic, but every one of them trying hard to impress each other with new cars, designer purses, boutique yoga outfits, jewelry, etc. Fortunately, though, she does want to work and be "independent", so she is not a gold digger eyeing my success.

As I mentioned, I am almost done finally reading the MFL, and I have found myself laughing out loud at her Sidewalker proclamations. I have realized that trying to have a conversation about Fastlane, etc. is not an option, since her opinion is that my "job" sucks, because it requires me to work so much. She has no concept of what I am building and working toward. While she is fun to hang with and is smoking hot, I have come to realize that my dreams are too important to me to try to compete with her insistence on cuddling on the couch watching reality-TV and trying to relate to her like-minded friends and their loser boyfriends.

Thanks, MJ, for helping me see through all this and for helping solidify my thoughts about what I am working toward.

dpj :thumbsup:
 
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Tom.V

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Sounds like my girlfriend. I love her to death, but we disagree on basically everything in regards to finances and lifestyles. Other than that, it's a great relationship.

It really comes down to what makes you truly happy. Are you trying to settle down with this girl, or is it just a fling? What do you feel is the best use of your time?

Tough questions, but they must be considered.
 

Twiki

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Spending the rest of your life w/ someone that you have such obvious contempt for is a recipe for a miserable life, "fastlaner" or not. Contempt for the other person is the clearest sign of inevitable divorce, so you might as well cut her loose now before things get any more entangled.

Yes, contempt is the right word, because I don't know what else you would call it when someone goes onto an internet forum and complains about how stupid and laughable their smoking hot f-ck buddy is, and how all her friends are brainless losers just like her.

I wouldn't bother with "geting her to read" something like TMF . But if she does happen to read a book like TMF someday, and wakes up, then good for her... hopefully when she does, she will find someone who can treat her with some respect.
 

deepestblue

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It doesn't sound like this one would get through page 2 of TMF , but you never know.

Dude if this one doesn't work out there are so many awesome girls out there who dig & encourage a guy that is doing more than the typical 9 to 5 thing.
 
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dpj

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Thanks

Twiki, thank for your honesty. Contempt just may be the right word in this case. However,...

Re-reading back through my post, it would appear that it was meant to bash her, but my actual original intent was to point out my own "aha" moment, realizing why our discussions about this subject have been so frustrating, and pointing out specific examples of conversations that match MJ's book almost word for word.

In other words, I knew something was annoying me, but the categories described in TMF and their specific vocabulary are spot on.

It is unfortunate that many times, it is the very people we choose to spend the most time with, as much as we may care about them, that hold us back from realizing our dreams.
 

Lights

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She is not holding back your dreams, come on man, you're in your 40s. If you haven't reach your dreams it was because you didn't know how to reach those dreams, which is how that book help you. You can't blame your life on just one person, she isn't holding you back. She's only your girlfriend, she's not your wife nor the mother of your children (I assume).

Dump her. You sound like a complete jerk. You ridicule her friends, you ridicule her behavior, and then you just indirectly compare her to a "gold-digger" and treat her like she's just some sex object. She doesn't deserve this kind of treatment, so just do her some good and find a new girlfriend who can have that "fastlane" mentality.

Basically you want a hot woman with the mentality of MJ. So go find her!!! Be happy. And let this woman find someone else before she waste another second with you. If she as hot as she sounds then she should have no problem in finding a better replacement than you.
 

dpj

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I am not blaming her, or anyone for that matter, for my not being there yet. I have only myself to rely on for that. In general, we (business owners, or otherwise successful people), have a tendency to take advice from, listen to, and spend our time with people who zap our time and do not help in achieving goals.

People have a tendency to get advice from their brother-in-law who is an attorney, or their cousin who is a CPA, instead of spending a few dollars to hire a true professional who knows what the hell they are talking about. And I am just as guilty of this than anyone. In the case of my girlfriend, she is seeking career advice from her girlfriends, only because they are her friends, completely ignoring the fact that she currently has a great opportunity, and ignoring the fact that her 'mentors' are actually worse off than she currently is, career-wise.

Not a sex object, not a f**k buddy. I was actually complimenting the fact that she is a beautiful girl, we have similar interests despite our age differences, and we usually have a great time together, which, (gasp) yes believe it or not happens to include sex. Reading the book just clarified for me about what I observe and the reality that, despite the good times we have, she may not be for me. Our good times are usually had at the expense of time that should be spent getting closer to my business sale date.

I only added the "gold digger" comment as a disclaimer for like-minded individuals who might assume that she may be hanging out with an older guy who is already a millionaire (in net worth, the Slowlane millionaire-next-door type) because of the money. I have a higher-than-average net worth, but this forum is about the Fastlane, taking it to the next level, enjoying big wealth, Lamborghini-style wealth, wealth without having to work, while still young enough to do so.

Perhaps I should have posed a question: Anyone else in the same boat in your journey? (And how have you dealt with it) or Does anyone have a success story, where they achieved the Fastlane while dating a Sidewalker or Slowlaner?

dpj
 
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GPM

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Sit her down and talk to her about it, ask her to read the book for you.

Don't read too much in to what a particular poster directly above you said, you did not come off sounding like some sex-crazed man who is using this younger woman.
 

santa

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STRONGLY encourage her to read the book.

It could be worth starting with richdad/poordad first depending on certain details.

seeking career advice from her girlfriends, only because they are her friends, completely ignoring the fact that she currently has a great opportunity, and ignoring the fact that her 'mentors' are actually worse off than she currently is, career-wise.

So true

Not a sex object, not a f**k buddy. I was actually complimenting the fact that she is a beautiful girl, we have similar interests despite our age differences, and we usually have a great time together, which, (gasp) yes believe it or not happens to include sex.

Might be worth slowly opening her up if you can.
Also, from my experience, one of the best times to have deep, honest conversations with someone is after great s*x. The barriers are down etc etc. Just make sure to use language she can relate too.

Keep us updated!
:)
 

FastNAwesome

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Have been seeing a gal for a few months now. While we are pretty in to each other, similar sense of humor, musical tastes, food likes, and amazing sex, there has always been something beneath the surface that has bugged me, but I could not put my finger on it. I thought maybe it had something to do with our age difference (she's 10 years younger), but then I realized that her youth is not a bad thing at all.

In my world, this would be enough for me to consider marrying her.

This theme "she's not fastlane" often repeats here on forum and I just don't get it. Why does she have to be into it? Are you in emotional or business relationship with her?

If you agree on everything and are the same, where will be the passion, where will be inspiration, where will be a different perspective, where will be the tease?

Many of my girlfriends and friends are "sidewalkers", "slowlaners"... So what? They're great people. I love them and need them.

She has no concept of what I am building and working toward.

Well you can give her a concept. Why does she even have to know and understand the details. Just explain in terms she'll understand.

Either in a really passionate way, or by giving her a taste of what the bright future will be like (if your business has already taken off to some level, provide her a nice experience out of her current reality and then explain it was possible thanks to your business).

Your woman can support you without fully understanding what you do, it's about trust.

So many times I got up before my gf, turned on the computer and started coding. Then after a while I turn to look at my beauty...and realize she's awake and silently looking at me, with smiling eyes full of love. She LOVES how her man is passionate and determined. Man with a direction. The one she WANTS to follow.

So my suggestion - compromise. Cuddle in the evening:), and then wake up before her and do whatever you are doing.
 
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andyredsox

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Talk to her and explain to her briefly what you really want for her. Let her understand. I know she can, she is a sidewalker but it doesn't mean that she is dumb, right? You are the one to ask her to be your girlfriend, it means you accept her who she is and everything she have. Don't complain much about her, its your choice to be with her. Just talk to her
 

Russ H

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My wife was not a fastlaner when we first met.

She read Rich Dad Poor Dad, and we talked about it, for hours. We related it to our own lives, and how we were starting to see things differently.

We started going down that road *together*-- both of us were having "aha" experiences during this. It was a shared thing. VERY powerful.

Things got even better when we played the Cashflow board game (note, not the e-game, the board game). Key here was learning how to play from really, really successful people. That one night rocked my world. You can read about it here if you search for keywords like "san francisco cash flow" w/my avatar name ("Russ H").

My wife and are I partners in life, and in business. We would both sacrifice the business to save our marriage and our family. But we work our a**es off to make the business successful.

She is by far the most fun person I've ever hung out with. Not b/c she is funny, but b/c I have never gotten tired of being with her, and sharing my life w/her.

She is a radically different type of person than the ladies I dated in my earlier years.

I actually studied the long term marriages of successful businessmen, and looked at what their wives all had in common-- and what the men all had in common.

Pretty interesting stuff.

-Russ H.
 
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Twiki

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She read Rich Dad Poor Dad, and we talked about it, for hours. We related it to our own lives, and how we were starting to see things differently.

We started going down that road *together*-- both of us were having "aha" experiences during this. It was a shared thing. VERY powerful.

What a great story... makes me think about how the OP or others could use the idea of literally going down a road together learning about this stuff. By that I mean: plan a long road trip with significant other... along the way, after you get tired of crappy radio, pop in the great audiobook version of Rich Dad Poor Dad... or MJ's TMF audiobook version... and ta-da, you have a captive audience being indoctrinated in the best possible meaning of the term. This would work not only with spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend but also with kids probably. What a great way to start a dialogue about these topics, beyond "Hey read this book".
 

Skys

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She has no concept of what I am building and working toward.

FastNAwesome said everything I wanted to say. I just want to add: Do you give her the chance to get a concept of what you are building / working towards? Are you a dreamer or a doer? Do you really have something going or is it all a bit wishy washy?
 

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