Former Disney Animator - Now, Broke (But Not For Long!)

[djnicke]

I was stuck in the slowlane, even though I had my pedal to the metal.

I pushed myself into College before finishing high school (at 17), then I became a standup comedian at 18, a Disney animator at 21, award-winning filmmaker at 25, and by 30 I was depressed, broke, and broken.

My problems stemmed from deep emotional wounds which I had neglected and thus prevented from healing properly.

I am 38 now, and I spent nearly a decade sorting through my emotional baggage. I’ve come an amazingly long way, and I am EXCITED at continuing on this journey of self discovery and self improvement.

Admittedly, my wife and I are in a difficult situation at the moment. I would love to get feedback from those with experience.

I don’t always know the right path, but I am willing to take decisive action continuously in the pursuit of my goals.

It’s an honor to be in this group! I’m almost done reading The Millionaire Fastlane !

 

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[GPM]

Every single up and down that you have had in your life will build on your future to make it better if you let it! Don't ignore any of the lessons that you have learned. Take your battles and use them for success in the future.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Welcome aboard my friend.

Admittedly, my wife and I are in a difficult situation at the moment.

Care to share?

 

[djnicke]

Care to share?

After 1.5 years of hard-earned lessons, we are staring destitution in the face.

Currently we are living with my wife’s widow mother, in Germany. We are sharing a one-bedroom apartment where her mother insists on sleeping on her couch while we sleep in her bed. Amazing love and kindness!

But for every day I focus on building my business systems instead of getting a “real job” - my conscience tries to make me feel guilty. As if I’m taking advantage of her kindness.

I’m working to build the distribution platform for a documentary film I created and directed last year.

Money is running out, but my wife and I have our “fail safe savings point” where returning to a job is essential to maintain our lifestyle. We are not willing to sacrifice more than that - and it’s getting close to my folding point.

It’s difficult because the job gravity is extremely intense right now, and it’s exhausting just fighting that.

The good thing is that neither my wife nor myself doubt our chosen path. We would choose it again even knowing the difficulties.

But that doesn’t make the difficulties any less painful.

I hope it is appropriate to share my unfiltered feelings here.

 

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[djnicke]

I'm still here, and still going strong!

My film just won "Best Documentary" at a film festival this last weekend, and now we have a screening scheduled in Maine this Friday - plus screenings in Asheville, Raleigh, Wilmington, & Myrtle Beach in the Carolinas, Iowa City, and Storm Peak Iowa, a screening in Chicago, and I just got an email this morning for a screening in Brooklyn NY!

This film is not my entire Fastlane plan, but it is a large part of it.

I released a short video which went viral and has over 2.5 million views - and another that is approaching 1 million views already!

My wife has gotten a job as PR manager of a coffee roastery here, so her income will cover our bills until my business takes off and starts building our Fastlane income.

Our goal is $250,000 a month coming into the business within the next 5 years. Then we plan to position ourselves so we can sell it for $8 Million, then live off the interest and never HAVE TO work again.

I'm still going through the second book: Unscripted .
I LOVE IT SO FAR!

Anyway, I just wanted to check back in and say that I'm still here. I've just been busy.