Finding a Likeminded Friend Group

[Justin L]

Hey everyone!

Lately, I've been wanting to start meeting new people my age that are interested in taking the Fastlane. But I'm 15, and it seems like barely anyone my age has aspirations similar to me. I was wondering if anybody had any resources or suggestions to help find a likeminded group similar in age. None of my close friends seem to be interested in entrepreneurship at all. And I can't seem to find anybody at my school who seems interested in this either. Any suggestions?

Thanks for your time,
Justin

 

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[WJK]

Hey everyone!

Lately, I've been wanting to start meeting new people my age that are interested in taking the Fastlane. But I'm 15, and it seems like barely anyone my age has aspirations similar to me. I was wondering if anybody had any resources or suggestions to help find a likeminded group similar in age. None of my close friends seem to be interested in entrepreneurship at all. And I can't seem to find anybody at my school who seems interested in this either. Any suggestions?

Thanks for your time,
Justin

Justin, you probably won't find like-minded people in your age group -- or in any age group. When I was your age and working every odd job I could find, the kids around me felt sorry for me. I was weird. I liked to work. And when I was a young woman working, going to college, and creating a life, the kids my age gave me a hard time. They would tell me, "Get a life!" By the time I was in my 40s and successful, then they thought I had been lucky to get there. They never saw nor acknowledged my personal journey.

See. It's not your age group. It's your goals and mindset.

When and IF you create a life as an entrepreneur, you will be part of a 5% group. That means that 95% of the people around you will NEVER understand. They'll be giving you advice that you should go get a "real" job. They'll be telling you how you are just a dreamer. You should wake up and accept reality -- you are doing IT all wrong. You should be burying yourself in debt to impress the neighbors -- just like them. You should be commuting to work and waiting around for the scraps of life to be thrown to you in the form of a paycheck. They'll tell you that you just don't understand how life works as they pat you on the shoulder with great pity.

So, what do you do about this? You get up; pull on your pants; shut your mouth, and wear a big smile... then you get out there every day and chase your dream with your whole heart -- if that's what you want...

 

[Sarthak_Tyagi]

Hey everyone!

Lately, I've been wanting to start meeting new people my age that are interested in taking the Fastlane. But I'm 15, and it seems like barely anyone my age has aspirations similar to me. I was wondering if anybody had any resources or suggestions to help find a likeminded group similar in age. None of my close friends seem to be interested in entrepreneurship at all. And I can't seem to find anybody at my school who seems interested in this either. Any suggestions?

Thanks for your time,
Justin

Actually we have a server of around 50 members which we are building for better networking, if you are interested to join then maybe this can help.

Join the The Network Discord Server!

Check out the The Network community on Discord - hang out with 77 other members and enjoy free voice and text chat.

discord.gg

We don't have that much engagement yet as it is just built but if it can help I'll be glad.

 

[WJK]

Justin, Here are some ideas on what I would do IF I was 15 again.

I'd educate myself with all the books, podcasts, and info out there. This forum is packed with people who are actually out there doing what you want to do. There are thousands of threads talking about their journeys. It's an opportunity for you to gain both knowledge and skills. Be a sponge. Learn everything that you can. Study anything that interests you. Take a deep dive into any subject that catches your attention. When I was young, we had to go to the library and really dig for information. Now it is a matter of asking a question on the net.

I'd be out getting odd jobs with everyone around me. I learned a lot when I was your age. I went to work when I was 11 years and my Grandmother died. I did every job I could find when I was your age. I delivered papers -- I got my younger brother to get a route since they didn't allow girls to have a paper route. I babysat. I mowed lawns. I mucked out horse stalls. I watered flowers for the neighbors and pulled their weeds. I cleaned houses. I picked flowers and sold them on the highway. I worked every day after school and every weekend. I saved my money and took care of myself.

What did I learn? I learned how to ask for a job. I learned to identify opportunities I learned how to turn a little job into a bigger one. I learned how to work with people and get along. It gave me a chance to try out a lot of different situations. There's no substitute for hands-on experience and selling skills. Book learning is a jumping-off spot, not skills that can be applied without a lot of practice and refinement.

Take some of the money you make to fund your education. You can take classes, join groups, and access different streaming services all on your own dime. You don't have to depend on anyone else to fund your interests.

By having your own savings, you can start to learn about investing. That too is part of the education you need to pursue if you are successful over time.

Justine -- put your shoulder into your quest. It's a calling that very few hear and then act on...

 

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[Justin L]

Thank you so much for your lengthy responses! I am already planning on going around the neighborhood today or tomorrow to get lawn mowing jobs since it's about that time of year now. I can then use any money I make to fund my education like you said.

Be a sponge. Learn everything that you can.

That is definitely my goal. I'm very grateful for your advice!

 

[WJK]

Thank you so much for your lengthy responses! I am already planning on going around the neighborhood today or tomorrow to get lawn mowing jobs since it's about that time of year now. I can then use any money I make to fund my education like you said.

That is definitely my goal. I'm very grateful for your advice!

And talk to everyone. Use your mouth and your ears in the proportions God gave them to you. Listen twice as much as you talk. When you talk, try to only ask questions. Craft open-ended questions and really listen to their answers. Things like:

Why do you do it this way?
How does it work?
What is your shortcut?
How did you get started?
What really interests you about _____?
How did you do that?
What was your biggest challenge?
What is your biggest challenge now?
What would you do differently if you started your business now?
What have you learned from doing _____?
What part of your education in _____ has helped you the most?
What is most important to you?

The questions are endless. If you can get people talking about themselves, you will find that subject is their favorite. Don't be judgemental. Just ask another question. Be humble and absorb the knowledge. You have no idea how and when you'll use it. Every trade and business has its secrets and shortcuts. That's how the experts do it and do it well. Knowing those secrets gives you the keys to the Universe.

FYI: It's kind of a family joke. My husband is very introverted. And he's always asking me, "Do you HAVE to talk to everyone!" I smile at him and nod my head yes. It is one of the biggest secrets to my success. But, when there's a problem or he wants something, he pulls me in front of him and tells them, "Talk to Wifey." I can usually fix the problem in a short conversation.

 

[T. Davis]

Hey everyone!

Lately, I've been wanting to start meeting new people my age that are interested in taking the Fastlane. But I'm 15, and it seems like barely anyone my age has aspirations similar to me. I was wondering if anybody had any resources or suggestions to help find a likeminded group similar in age. None of my close friends seem to be interested in entrepreneurship at all. And I can't seem to find anybody at my school who seems interested in this either. Any suggestions?

Thanks for your time,
Justin

That's great that you're interested in entrepreneurship! 15 is a great time to start because you don't have to worry about bills or failure or responsibilities. And your non-entrepreneurial friends can help you learn about what typical customers want.

When I was 15 I started a clothing line and a local store sold my clothes there and to my friends. Then I started organizing events for my school mates and charged for entry. Then I bought a booth at a local fair and sold things I made. All of these were great experiences and helped me later on.

What about you? What does your community need/want? See if you can come up with something to sell and boom—you've got yourself a business. Even if you're not successful at this one, you'll learn a ton that will help you succeed in the next one.

 

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[missinfinity98]

Hey everyone!

Lately, I've been wanting to start meeting new people my age that are interested in taking the Fastlane. But I'm 15, and it seems like barely anyone my age has aspirations similar to me. I was wondering if anybody had any resources or suggestions to help find a likeminded group similar in age. None of my close friends seem to be interested in entrepreneurship at all. And I can't seem to find anybody at my school who seems interested in this either. Any suggestions?

Thanks for your time,
Justin

Keep searching - it doesn't have to be a miserable and lonely world. Internet is open for the whole world right now. It is different than it used to be - some older people are used to how things were and don't understand it.

Love yourself and keep searching for like-minded individuals, darling. Don't settle.


Yes, in the world used to consumption, creators are fewer, but we exist. I do I am 23 and I also seek like-minded individuals my age with my mindset. I joined Reddit yesterday and I'll just keep searching. So, I also will watch this thread. Thank you for creating it.
I have the ability to move around the world and join events to meet people in person - which is a big advantage.
What I would advise you - have you considered volunteering abroad? I did it when I was younger. I met a.m.a.z.i.n.g. people. If you would do that, I would advise you to focus on projects related to business. I joined a project around human rights and people were more in that spirit too. One doesn't exclude the other, but I didn't met people focusing their lives on entrepreneurship there



Also - now I remembered - business incubators in the US welcome also young entrepreneurs... So, if I would be you, I would check that out for sure

 

[Justin L]

Keep searching - it doesn't have to be a miserable and lonely world. Internet is open for the whole world right now. It is different than it used to be - some older people are used to how things were and don't understand it.

Love yourself and keep searching for like-minded individuals, darling. Don't settle.


Yes, in the world used to consumption, creators are fewer, but we exist. I do I am 23 and I also seek like-minded individuals my age with my mindset. I joined Reddit yesterday and I'll just keep searching. So, I also will watch this thread. Thank you for creating it.
I have the ability to move around the world and join events to meet people in person - which is a big advantage.
What I would advise you - have you considered volunteering abroad? I did it when I was younger. I met a.m.a.z.i.n.g. people. If you would do that, I would advise you to focus on projects related to business. I joined a project around human rights and people were more in that spirit too. One doesn't exclude the other, but I didn't met people focusing their lives on entrepreneurship there



Also - now I remembered - business incubators in the US welcome also young entrepreneurs... So, if I would be you, I would check that out for sure

I have done some volunteering over the past few years, however it didn't have to do with much related to business. I volunteered at an animal shelter for a couple years and then a food bank for a little bit. I should definitely try to find other volunteering options or events to meet people with similar interests. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[WJK]

I have done some volunteering over the past few years, however it didn't have to do with much related to business. I volunteered at an animal shelter for a couple years and then a food bank for a little bit. I should definitely try to find other volunteering options or events to meet people with similar interests. Thanks for the suggestion!

These charities are businesses, similar to for-profit businesses. They each have a budget and business model. They have a target customer and a marketing program. They are looking for both donations and end-users. They share a lot of the same issues with their for-profit cousins. Be sure and take advantage of the learning experience while you are there helping.

 

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[Justin L]

These charities are businesses, similar to for-profit businesses. They each have a budget and business model. They have a target customer and a marketing program. They are looking for both donations and end-users. They share a lot of the same issues with their for-profit cousins. Be sure and take advantage of the learning experience while you are there helping.

You're right, I guess when I said it didn't have much to do with business, I was thinking about it not having much to do with volunteering alongside other people interested in entrepreneurship. Should have phrased that better haha.

Be sure and take advantage of the learning experience while you are there helping.

Definitely, knowledge and experience is everything.

 

[RickRoller71]

I face the same problem. I can't find any like minded people who are the same age as me (15) or even older.
I wanted to recommend unscripted to 2 of my friends but I guess I won't, at least for now.
Here's why : in the great rat race escape , MJ said that recommending such book to a comfortable person is a bad idea, and it's preferable to recommend it after an FTE. And I can relate to this because I experienced it with my sister. So I'll either recommend the book to my friends when they have an FTE, or try to spark some curiosity that the book can feed & then recommend it.

 

[Justin L]

I face the same problem. I can't find any like minded people who are the same age as me (15) or even older.
I wanted to recommend unscripted to 2 of my friends but I guess I won't, at least for now.
Here's why : in the great rat race escape , MJ said that recommending such book to a comfortable person is a bad idea, and it's preferable to recommend it after an FTE. And I can relate to this because I experienced it with my sister. So I'll either recommend the book to my friends when they have an FTE, or try to spark some curiosity that the book can feed & then recommend it.

Yeah, unfortunately I recommended TMF to one of my friends before I had read the part where MJ said to not recommend it before an FTE. My friend did read it, but he never said anything about it nor did he really seem to care.

 

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