JLaw
New Contributor
Hello everyone,
I finally decided it was time I registered for this forum. I have been reading it on and off for quite some time now. I recently just got back from a six month vacation after graduating from University of Wisconsin-Madison with Economics and International Studies - Global Political Economy in May. I do not know if it was a bad decision on my part, six months ago I had several opportunities lined up, was going to start studying for Series 7/63 exams, management opportunities, what not. Cut things short, I picked the Olympics and the fact that my parents were against the idea of me staying in the Midwest did not help either, they wanted me to come back to the Bay Area or go back to Hong Kong. I chose Bay Area because I went to high school here and In N Out, just kidding. Anyways, now I'm back and I find myself looking for jobs on craigslist almost every hour of the day. It sucks, I hate it, but I understand it's part of the process. I need job security before I can pursue my own dreams.
I eventually want my own company one day, but I know I have to pay my dues first. I am very fortunate, my father has his own fastlane story in China. I hope one day I can be as successful as he is. I am pretty privileged, maybe too privileged, I am debt free thanks to my father. I guess I am soul searching right now, kind of still lost in life. Thinking back, I wasted too much time in college, too much partying, too much drinking, too much lazyness all around. Now I regret every minute of it. But the good thing is, I'm only 22. I still have no direction in life, I have all sorts of ideas but I do not how to carry out them. I talk to my father about it, he understands I have the drive and desire (Think and Grow Rich reference), but he also understands failure is sometimes inevitable because I'm too young and lack experience in the "real world." My father does not want me to work for him at this moment, he wants me to go out and explore first. Not a bad idea, I believe it is hard to keep business and family affairs separate, it is probably best I do not interfere right now. I can see myself working "with" him when I have some experience later on in my life, but definitely not at this moment.
The biggest accomplishment in my life so far has been completing an internship with Southwestern. For some of you who do not know what Southwestern is, basically they recruit college students, train them for a week in Nashville, TN and then send them out to various suburbs all over the country to sell educational books and software. It is commission based. I was recruited by an alumni, it is definitely not your typical college internship. Rather than accepting an ordinary internship like my friends in college, I decided after my junior year I would take a different approach. At first, the whole idea of selling "books" from 8am to 9:30pm, 70+ hours week, door to door, no base salary was outrageous, but for some reason the concept of working for myself and the unlimited earnings captured my attention. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. One needs to have the right mindset to endure the hardships; the constant "No's," long hours of loneliness, 13 hour days, the 0 sale days. There was always someone quitting every week, I thought about quitting almost everyday but quitters never win. I told myself I picked this route, and one must not quit, because quitters are losers, and I am no loser. I would rather be last in a race, then quit. Success does not and should not come easy, only those who are privileged, intelligent, and mentally toughed are able to endure the obstacles to succeed. There is no easy way to success. By the end of my internship, the obstacles and hardships I've experienced were invaluable. I never doubted myself even after only a few sales in the first weeks because I know I am capable, I told myself I was going to finish as a top year dealer in the company. I have thought about quitting many times, but quitting has never been an option in my life for me, quitting is for people who need an easy excuse to make themselves feel better about their failures. My district manager once told me, if I can do a Southwestern internship, I can accomplish anything in life. I believe him, by the end of the summer, I have become Southwestern's Top First Year Dealer, won the Big Check Award and earned the bonus trip to Cabo for Thanksgiving break. But that is the past, all that money I have saved up has finally been spent.
Before cruising in the fastlane, I know there is a tedious journey ahead of me. But my friend who told me about this site, suggested I read the post "One Trick Pony." It did a lot of clarifying, and I will always keep those prudent words in the back of my head. As long as I keep my mind straight and focused, I believe one day I will be able to own that Lamboghini.
Regards,
Jefferson
P.S. I'm starting to read Think and Grow Rich during my break time from Craigslisting, it is truly a great read. I truly recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it yet.
PPS. This is truly a great forum, I try to read a little bit each night before I go to bed. It is my bible. The wisdom passed through this forum is priceless. It has taught me a great deal, thank you all.
I finally decided it was time I registered for this forum. I have been reading it on and off for quite some time now. I recently just got back from a six month vacation after graduating from University of Wisconsin-Madison with Economics and International Studies - Global Political Economy in May. I do not know if it was a bad decision on my part, six months ago I had several opportunities lined up, was going to start studying for Series 7/63 exams, management opportunities, what not. Cut things short, I picked the Olympics and the fact that my parents were against the idea of me staying in the Midwest did not help either, they wanted me to come back to the Bay Area or go back to Hong Kong. I chose Bay Area because I went to high school here and In N Out, just kidding. Anyways, now I'm back and I find myself looking for jobs on craigslist almost every hour of the day. It sucks, I hate it, but I understand it's part of the process. I need job security before I can pursue my own dreams.
I eventually want my own company one day, but I know I have to pay my dues first. I am very fortunate, my father has his own fastlane story in China. I hope one day I can be as successful as he is. I am pretty privileged, maybe too privileged, I am debt free thanks to my father. I guess I am soul searching right now, kind of still lost in life. Thinking back, I wasted too much time in college, too much partying, too much drinking, too much lazyness all around. Now I regret every minute of it. But the good thing is, I'm only 22. I still have no direction in life, I have all sorts of ideas but I do not how to carry out them. I talk to my father about it, he understands I have the drive and desire (Think and Grow Rich reference), but he also understands failure is sometimes inevitable because I'm too young and lack experience in the "real world." My father does not want me to work for him at this moment, he wants me to go out and explore first. Not a bad idea, I believe it is hard to keep business and family affairs separate, it is probably best I do not interfere right now. I can see myself working "with" him when I have some experience later on in my life, but definitely not at this moment.
The biggest accomplishment in my life so far has been completing an internship with Southwestern. For some of you who do not know what Southwestern is, basically they recruit college students, train them for a week in Nashville, TN and then send them out to various suburbs all over the country to sell educational books and software. It is commission based. I was recruited by an alumni, it is definitely not your typical college internship. Rather than accepting an ordinary internship like my friends in college, I decided after my junior year I would take a different approach. At first, the whole idea of selling "books" from 8am to 9:30pm, 70+ hours week, door to door, no base salary was outrageous, but for some reason the concept of working for myself and the unlimited earnings captured my attention. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. One needs to have the right mindset to endure the hardships; the constant "No's," long hours of loneliness, 13 hour days, the 0 sale days. There was always someone quitting every week, I thought about quitting almost everyday but quitters never win. I told myself I picked this route, and one must not quit, because quitters are losers, and I am no loser. I would rather be last in a race, then quit. Success does not and should not come easy, only those who are privileged, intelligent, and mentally toughed are able to endure the obstacles to succeed. There is no easy way to success. By the end of my internship, the obstacles and hardships I've experienced were invaluable. I never doubted myself even after only a few sales in the first weeks because I know I am capable, I told myself I was going to finish as a top year dealer in the company. I have thought about quitting many times, but quitting has never been an option in my life for me, quitting is for people who need an easy excuse to make themselves feel better about their failures. My district manager once told me, if I can do a Southwestern internship, I can accomplish anything in life. I believe him, by the end of the summer, I have become Southwestern's Top First Year Dealer, won the Big Check Award and earned the bonus trip to Cabo for Thanksgiving break. But that is the past, all that money I have saved up has finally been spent.
Before cruising in the fastlane, I know there is a tedious journey ahead of me. But my friend who told me about this site, suggested I read the post "One Trick Pony." It did a lot of clarifying, and I will always keep those prudent words in the back of my head. As long as I keep my mind straight and focused, I believe one day I will be able to own that Lamboghini.
Regards,
Jefferson
P.S. I'm starting to read Think and Grow Rich during my break time from Craigslisting, it is truly a great read. I truly recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it yet.
PPS. This is truly a great forum, I try to read a little bit each night before I go to bed. It is my bible. The wisdom passed through this forum is priceless. It has taught me a great deal, thank you all.
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