Facing a Huge Decision, Need Some Honest Opinions

[Btmann]

Hey guys

I hate making a thread without having much value to bring to the table, but I'm struggling with a decision and I really didn't know where else to go..

I've been on the forum a little less than a year and in that time I have started two business that didn't work out while working my day job which I currently can't stand (alarm installer- no benefits/ crap money).

I've been gearing up for my next business idea over the past few weeks, and I have been contemplating quitting my job to get some kind of sales gig in the meantime. Something that earns a commission. I know it's not fastlane but I'm the type of guy that goes all in on things and I think a commission-type job could be something I can get excited about on a daily basis while I do my own thing on the side.

Anyway, my dilemma is this: I just got a big job opportunity in a construction union today. The job comes with great benefits and it would be a stable career for me. Everybody is SUPER EXCITED that I got accepted because I come from a blue collar type family and this job is like the lottery to people in the industry. Not to mention I'm 26 and I still live at home and everyone (including me) is waiting for me to "get my stuff together". Also, it is a five year apprenticeship program and in that time I'd be making like 15 bucks an hour(!) and I'd be a glorified coffee gopher.

In my mind I feel like if I took this job I'd be settling in the worst way. But if I don't take the job I feel like I would be making a huge mistake.

I have dreams like most people on this forum. I don't want to break my back for a living anymore, and I don't want to trade my time for money anymore. But at the same time I don't want to feel like a loser anymore. So far none of my entrepreneurial ventures have been successes and everyone around me seems to be getting "good jobs" while Im just spinning my wheels.

I just want to add value and make a difference in peoples' lives but I just don't know how and I'm terrified that if I take this job I'm going to settle into that lifestyle where I complain about the boss and work for friday afternoon and go on strike and count my days till retirement etc...

Thanks for reading If anybody has any advice /tough love (be gentle!) it would be greatly appreciated because I'm having a bit of a crisis.

CLIFFS:
*working on side business
*thinking about going into sales (don't really know what area)
*got accepted into a construction union job that people would kill for
*Job doesn't fit my goals but I feel like I Have to take it
*Don't know what to do- hate feeling like everyone is passing me by in life

 

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[MKHB]

Hey guys

I hate making a thread without having much value to bring to the table, but I'm struggling with a decision and I really didn't know where else to go..

I've been on the forum a little less than a year and in that time I have started two business that didn't work out while working my day job which I currently can't stand (alarm installer- no benefits/ crap money).

I've been gearing up for my next business idea over the past few weeks, and I have been contemplating quitting my job to get some kind of sales gig in the meantime. Something that earns a commission. I know it's not fastlane but I'm the type of guy that goes all in on things and I think a commission-type job could be something I can get excited about on a daily basis while I do my own thing on the side.

Anyway, my dilemma is this: I just got a big job opportunity in a construction union today. The job comes with great benefits and it would be a stable career for me. Everybody is SUPER EXCITED that I got accepted because I come from a blue collar type family and this job is like the lottery to people in the industry. Not to mention I'm 26 and I still live at home and everyone (including me) is waiting for me to "get my stuff together". Also, it is a five year apprenticeship program and in that time I'd be making like 15 bucks an hour(!) and I'd be a glorified coffee gopher.

In my mind I feel like if I took this job I'd be settling in the worst way. But if I don't take the job I feel like I would be making a huge mistake.

I have dreams like most people on this forum. I don't want to break my back for a living anymore, and I don't want to trade my time for money anymore. But at the same time I don't want to feel like a loser anymore. So far none of my entrepreneurial ventures have been successes and everyone around me seems to be getting "good jobs" while Im just spinning my wheels.

I just want to add value and make a difference in peoples' lives but I just don't know how and I'm terrified that if I take this job I'm going to settle into that lifestyle where I complain about the boss and work for friday afternoon and go on strike and count my days till retirement etc...

Thanks for reading If anybody has any advice /tough love (be gentle!) it would be greatly appreciated because I'm having a bit of a crisis.

CLIFFS:
*working on side business
*thinking about going into sales (don't really know what area)
*got accepted into a construction union job that people would kill for
*Job doesn't fit my goals but I feel like I Have to take it
*Don't know what to do- hate feeling like everyone is passing me by in life

I don't see where you have a lot of options.
You talk about going into sales but not sure what area- not a good idea. You need to have at least a jumping off point.

You're not spinning your wheels - evidence of that: you joined this site, your looking to learn, you've put a couple of plans into motion.
Your 26 ...don't panic and get on the wrong side of your emotions.
If you're getting a union job you will not be working crazy hours, so you have time to continue the Fastlane Education.

This forum is absolutely unbelievable - you got heavy hitters that will give you insights into what they are doing, what went wrong and other info that
you could not get anywhere else for anything less than thousands of dollars.

TMF forum is like MIT Open course ware, only from people who actually do it for a living not a bunch of academic tools.

 

[jon.a]

A long time ago, I was a welder. I worked really hard and got raises and promotions much faster than the other guys. It was very hard work. I ached and coughed up black crap all night. I looked at the foreman and told myself that I didn't want to be like him, old and broken down, in 20 years. I went to the Navy recruiting office and struck a deal to re-enlist and start my career over. When I gave the foreman my notice, he told me that they were opening a 2nd shop and they were going to make me the assistant foreman. I said thanks, but I didn't want to be him in 20 years.

 

[Btmann]

Thanks guys.

It's looking like I'm going to take the union job while doing my own thing on the side. Even if its a pay cut, I do get health and dental, and the conditions are much better than the job I'm at.

As far as the sales thing, i didn't really look into it too much. I just figured that it's the most "fastlanish" type of job I could think of, but your right i don't have a jumping point.

I'm gonna work on adding more to the forum- I've learned a lot from all of you guys and I want to give back in any way that I can even if I'm not taking over the world just yet.

 

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[MKHB]

Thanks guys.

It's looking like I'm going to take the union job while doing my own thing on the side. Even if its a pay cut, I do get health and dental, and the conditions are much better than the job I'm at.

As far as the sales thing, i didn't really look into it too much. I just figured that it's the most "fastlanish" type of job I could think of, but your right i don't have a jumping point.

I'm gonna work on adding more to the forum- I've learned a lot from all of you guys and I want to give back in any way that I can even if I'm not taking over the world just yet.

As long as you apply what you learn from the top contributors on this forum, who knows where your road will lead.

Construction is very fertile ground for Fastlane principles.

Sometimes the oldest, most resistant industries need innovation and disruption the most; keep your ears and eyes open, approach your job as more than just trading your time for wages - see yourself in the producer role, a staging ground your future endeavors.

MK

 

[AllenCrawley]

http://www.helpmydecision.com/

 

[scratchdisk]

Sounds like a good thing to me. You can leave at anytime, just don't go out and create a bunch of liability for yourself now that you have a steady income. Keep your living expenses lean so you have freedom.

 

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[SenGracic]

I'm all for commission jobs since you can somehow increase your hourly wage ( not exponentially but it's better than nothing ).

For me this job it's a way to become better at sales... apply what I learn about sales and how to deal with customers so the day I launch a product/service I will be able to focus my energy on developing it.

Things that are not so good :
* it's still slowlane

Take this job if you feel like it's right for now but never forget about the fastlane.
See it as a temporary job you will leave in a bit since you have bigger things on your mind.
See it as an opportunity to learn about the construction world... there are big bucks in there.

PS: I'm 24 years old and I left home last year because of my parents '' get your stuff together '' speech haha.

 

[Digamma]

This happens on this forum periodically.
Man, turn your brain on. You are 26 and living with your parents. Get the job, hustle on the side, start building up momentum.

 

[AgainstAllOdds]

... at the same time I don't want to feel like a loser anymore.

Success is highly correlated to self-esteem. Take the job. Improve your self image. Come home, and hustle.

Work 40 hours for the man. 20 hours for yourself. Then when that 20 hours makes you more than your $600 a week job, quit.

 

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[RBefort]

Not sure what the job will do, but $15/hr is really junk pay. I sat in cushy cubicle job browsing internet as an UW and reading TMF type of stuff for $38kish a year, and that was around $18/hr+. I cringe thinking of going back to anything like that job, let alone anything less. I'd rather work part time waiting tables or bartend to stay afloat+sales gig, which is I guess what I am going to lean towards. Sales=potentially higher pay+learning skills. Unless you are doing something cool with construction, F that. No point wasting your life being a coffee getter unless you utilize the chance to learn how to become a person who can then parallel it with real estate and renovate homes or the like.

 

[tafy]

Sounds good to me, you can build a business out of work hours no problem!

 

[JasonR]

So, you want to trade 5 years of your life for $15/hour and a job you don't want?

Seems like a pretty easy decision to me...

 

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[Kevin Peter]

Sales it is! You get the right to sue the company you for as well
Jokes apart, you get to showcase you're talent everytime you are on a call. Your power of understand a person's intention improves each time you talk to someone and the thinking capability increases as you try to resonate the current condition of that person to help him with your product.