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Hi there, each action I take feels like I'm wasting my time and action faking

Richard Gao

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Hi everyone, I've posted here a couple of times, but I haven't made a proper introduction yet, so here it is.

I'm 15, and after reading the millionaire fastlane I decided I needed to do something instead of stagnating all day, so took action and started a dropshipping store, pissed away $1400 and closed down my shop in a couple of months. Lesson learned.

Now I'm thinking I should get into freelance web design to make some money and learn a skill, but I'm also working on designing and manufacturing a product prototype of mine, as well as wanting to work some minimum wage jobs to get some capital.

I know I am probably spreading myself out too thin, and I feel like I'm action faking, but then I also feel like I'm action faking when I read books and watch videos on business and entrepreneurship, so I'm kind of stuck in a catch 22 here.

What should I do? I really want to finish my product, but that requires some capital, I am applying to many min wage jobs to get some capital, but I don't think it will be enough so I'm thinking of doing some freelance web design, but then again I'm the most incompetent person at computers you will ever meet, I understand I shouldn't complain and just start learning code, and I can probably do it, but I'm worried it will be a useless skill for my situation and I'll just be action faking instead of focused on the bigger picture.

So what should I do?
 
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Hi everyone, I've posted here a couple of times, but I haven't made a proper introduction yet, so here it is.

I'm 15, and after reading the millionaire fastlane I decided I needed to do something instead of stagnating all day, so took action and started a dropshipping store, pissed away $1400 and closed down my shop in a couple of months. Lesson learned.

Now I'm thinking I should get into freelance web design to make some money and learn a skill, but I'm also working on designing and manufacturing a product prototype of mine, as well as wanting to work some minimum wage jobs to get some capital.

I know I am probably spreading myself out too thin, and I feel like I'm action faking, but then I also feel like I'm action faking when I read books and watch videos on business and entrepreneurship, so I'm kind of stuck in a catch 22 here.

What should I do? I really want to finish my product, but that requires some capital, I am applying to many min wage jobs to get some capital, but I don't think it will be enough so I'm thinking of doing some freelance web design, but then again I'm the most incompetent person at computers you will ever meet, I understand I shouldn't complain and just start learning code, and I can probably do it, but I'm worried it will be a useless skill for my situation and I'll just be action faking instead of focused on the bigger picture.

So what should I do?

This product of yours; are you into it because it will make lots of money or because it will solve a huge problem?

The reason your dropshipping business failed (like mine did) is because you were not solving a problem.

As far as being bad on a computer, change that, learn and become good.

Being 15 means you have time on your side, use it wisely, find a problem you can get enthusiastic about and then solve it. In the mean time get good on a computer, it will only become more important as the years roll by.
 

Richard Gao

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This product of yours; are you into it because it will make lots of money or because it will solve a huge problem?

The reason your dropshipping business failed (like mine did) is because you were not solving a problem.

As far as being bad on a computer, change that, learn and become good.

Being 15 means you have time on your side, use it wisely, find a problem you can get enthusiastic about and then solve it. In the mean time get good on a computer, it will only become more important as the years roll by.

Thanks. My store was predicated on spiritual jewelry, you know, that woo woo healing crystal stuff. I don't know if jewelry fulfills a need or not, but dropshipping in general isn't too stable, though I have purely myself to blame for it not working.

On being bad with computers, you are right, I can definitely change that and I am thinking of doing it, however, my biggest worry is that it will be a waste of time to learn the skill as it isn't business oriented, and as MJ said in Unscripted , learning or doing something not pertaining to your goal is action faking. But I will eventually learn code nonetheless.

The new product I am thinking of is not novel, the other ones have just been done very badly, they got tons of reviews but most of it was negative due to the product design being garbage. So I know there is demand.

Overall I think I can juggle all 3 of these things I want to do. I'll probably pursue the min wage jobs while learning code, putting my product idea on the back burner until I can get enough capital, then I might take it to manufacture.

I don't like thinking "there is still plenty of time," for me, it's just an excuse to stagnate, and if I continue thinking like that it'll be a self fulfilling prophecy, "oh I'm only 20, I still have time" "oh, I'm only 30, I still have time" "oh I'm only 100, I still have time" "oh, I'm 6 feet under, I still have time before my body decomposes." ad infinitum. It's just a personal opinion for me.

Thanks for the advice though, I will definitely learn some coding.
 

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Thanks. My store was predicated on spiritual jewelry, you know, that woo woo healing crystal stuff. I don't know if jewelry fulfills a need or not, but dropshipping in general isn't too stable, though I have purely myself to blame for it not working.

On being bad with computers, you are right, I can definitely change that and I am thinking of doing it, however, my biggest worry is that it will be a waste of time to learn the skill as it isn't business oriented, and as MJ said in Unscripted , learning or doing something not pertaining to your goal is action faking. But I will eventually learn code nonetheless.

The new product I am thinking of is not novel, the other ones have just been done very badly, they got tons of reviews but most of it was negative due to the product design being garbage. So I know there is demand.

Overall I think I can juggle all 3 of these things I want to do. I'll probably pursue the min wage jobs while learning code, putting my product idea on the back burner until I can get enough capital, then I might take it to manufacture.

I don't like thinking "there is still plenty of time," for me, it's just an excuse to stagnate, and if I continue thinking like that it'll be a self fulfilling prophecy, "oh I'm only 20, I still have time" "oh, I'm only 30, I still have time" "oh I'm only 100, I still have time" "oh, I'm 6 feet under, I still have time before my body decomposes." ad infinitum. It's just a personal opinion for me.

Thanks for the advice though, I will definitely learn some coding.

There you go, sure the crystals fulfil a need however you didn't really care about that need...

Learning computer skills is directly related to what you're trying to do, simply because you live on planet earth. You will be 40 in the year 2043, my guess is knowing how to talk to computers and complex machines, is a skill that will only get more important, not less.

When I say, 'you have time', I don't mean use that as an excuse to procrastinate, I mean you have time to get into something that is difficult, will take years to get right and will pay off big time.

For instance I would love to spend the next four years becoming an expert in various programming languages, however at 46 that would be a shocking waste of my time.

Instead I am concentrating on the parts of particular languages that will allow me to build a working framework which I can then hire experts to perfect.

Please read these two books as they have really helped me and a lot of people on this forum, and they are real I-wish-I-had-read-these-when-I-was-a-youth type books.

Deep Work - Cal Davenport

Mindset - Dr. Carol Dweck

If you have already, read them again as it doesn't sound like they have fully sunk in.

Channel that energy.
 
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15 an awesome age to start, as I guess you're still in school and have family to support you.

One good thing about having a job is that it immediately exposes you to issues, needs and problems in the real world. You don't need to invent a need. You get paid and when you're off work, you can focus on your own business and learn new skills.

With web dev, the entry barrier is low and many others are competing for work (online at least). Being good at what you do is important, so expect it to take time. Like any skill, it can take months (even years) to get good. It can end up taking up a lot of time and may or may not be best for your situation.

I did web dev and worked a lot to make very little. I sucked at the design aspect.So I pivoted and once I started writing for a certain niche, I could easily get work and make a lot more for the time I put in. It's still not the best situation, but you learn.

I don't like thinking "there is still plenty of time," for me, it's just an excuse to stagnate, and if I continue thinking like that it'll be a self fulfilling prophecy, "oh I'm only 20, I still have time" "oh, I'm only 30, I still have time" "oh I'm only 100, I still have time" "oh, I'm 6 feet under, I still have time before my body decomposes." ad infinitum. It's just a personal opinion for me.

I'm 21 and I like this attitude :) Just do it.
 

Richard Gao

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There you go, sure the crystals fulfil a need however you didn't really care about that need...

Learning computer skills is directly related to what you're trying to do, simply because you live on planet earth. You will be 40 in the year 2043, my guess is knowing how to talk to computers and complex machines, is a skill that will only get more important, not less.

When I say, 'you have time', I don't mean use that as an excuse to procrastinate, I mean you have time to get into something that is difficult, will take years to get right and will pay off big time.

For instance I would love to spend the next four years becoming an expert in various programming languages, however at 46 that would be a shocking waste of my time.

Instead I am concentrating on the parts of particular languages that will allow me to build a working framework which I can then hire experts to perfect.

Please read these two books as they have really helped me and a lot of people on this forum, and they are real I-wish-I-had-read-these-when-I-was-a-youth type books.

Deep Work - Cal Davenport

Mindset - Dr. Carol Dweck

If you have already, read them again as it doesn't sound like they have fully sunk in.

Channel that energy.

Thanks, I'll definitely check those 2 books you mentioned out.
 

Richard Gao

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15 an awesome age to start, as I guess you're still in school and have family to support you.

One good thing about having a job is that it immediately exposes you to issues, needs and problems in the real world. You don't need to invent a need. You get paid and when you're off work, you can focus on your own business and learn new skills.

With web dev, the entry barrier is low and many others are competing for work (online at least). Being good at what you do is important, so expect it to take time. Like any skill, it can take months (even years) to get good. It can end up taking up a lot of time and may or may not be best for your situation.

I did web dev and worked a lot to make very little. I sucked at the design aspect.So I pivoted and once I started writing for a certain niche, I could easily get work and make a lot more for the time I put in. It's still not the best situation, but you learn.



I'm 21 and I like this attitude :) Just do it.

Oh, the reason for me wanting to pursue web development, isn't purely to make money, it just seems really important skill in today's world, a little like reading and writing.

I was just worried a a min wage job would not be enough capital for starting a business, or even worse, not enough to pay the bills and fund a business simultaneously when I move out, so I'm thinking doing a little freelance in web development wouldn't be too bad in procuring capital, especially since that's what MJ mentioned in Unscripted what he did when he moved out. But if I go to university, I might be able to get a higher paying job (since most jobs above min wage require a diploma) when I get out, and that means more capital to fund my business, but that also means 4 years of my time and debt, so again, another catch 22.

But I guess I should just focus on learning some programming and finishing my prototype for now, I've got plenty of spare time out of school, I don't do what many my age do anyways :) .

May I ask, what did you mean by "writing for another niche?" you mean writing articles for blogs and news websites?
 
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Welcome to the forum Richard, incredible that you are just 15 and thinking about this stuff!

I can't imagine what you're life is going to look like at 21! You're off to a great start, just try not to lose sight of your youth. Money comes and goes, you'll never get your youth back!

MJ said in Unscripted , learning or doing something not pertaining to your goal is action faking.

I don't think I said that, that is your interpretation.

Learning is never action-faking.

Knowledge is not action-faking.

Action-faking is busywork that doesn't move the needed.
 

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Welcome to the forum Richard, incredible that you are just 15 and thinking about this stuff!

I can't imagine what you're life is going to look like at 21! You're off to a great start, just try not to lose sight of your youth. Money comes and goes, you'll never get your youth back!



I don't think I said that, that is your interpretation.

Learning is never action-faking.

Knowledge is not action-faking.

Action-faking is busywork that doesn't move the needed.

I might have misinterpreted it, I thought action faking included just reading books, not only busywork and not taking action, but I guess there are some instances which reading books is helpful.

Thanks, your book(s) have really opened my eyes, I have yet to encounter any other business book on par. and I love your writing style, It's very readable and inspired me to take action instantly.
 

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May I ask, what did you mean by "writing for another niche?" you mean writing articles for blogs and news websites?

Yeah that's quite accurate. I wrote articles and blog posts for businesses in a specific industry.

Since you're thinking of freelance web dev. I suggest you choose an industry and see how you can address their needs through web dev.

By niching down, it can make things a lot easier and more profitable. You become the go-to guy. You could be a web developer, or you could be the web developer for health tech companies (just throwing an example out there. @Fox has some good stuff on building a web dev business)

I've reached the point where I've been turning down invites on Upwork and offers from past clients lately, as I'm short on time and pursuing another business idea. But I've experienced first-hand how much better it is to niche-down and focus on an industry as a freelancer.
 
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Richard Gao

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Yeah that's quite accurate. I wrote articles and blog posts for businesses in a specific industry.

Since you're thinking of freelance web dev. I suggest you choose an industry and see how you can address their needs through web dev.

By niching down, it can make things a lot easier and more profitable. You become the go-to guy. You could be a web developer, or you could be the web developer for health tech companies (just throwing an example out there. @Fox has some good stuff on building a web dev business)

I've reached the point where I've been turning down invites on Upwork and offers from past clients lately, as I'm short on time and pursuing another business idea. But I've experienced first-hand how much better it is to niche-down and focus on an industry as a freelancer.

Nice, I would probably start out doing some small scale stuff, I haven't decided exactly what industry yet (health, movies, sports, cooking, etc) as I am still learning code. Do you have any links to @Fox's posts? I can't seem to find any by just clicking on his name in the tag.

Again, I am very new to coding anyways, so I don't know I would be a good idea for me to pursue freelance in it. How did you start in freelance writing? I don't think I can do freelance programming for quite a while, as I a still learning the ropes, so it might be closer in my grasp to look into freelance writing.
 

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Nice, I would probably start out doing some small scale stuff, I haven't decided exactly what industry yet (health, movies, sports, cooking, etc) as I am still learning code. Do you have any links to @Fox's posts? I can't seem to find any by just clicking on his name in the tag.

Again, I am very new to coding anyways, so I don't know I would be a good idea for me to pursue freelance in it. How did you start in freelance writing? I don't think I can do freelance programming for quite a while, as I a still learning the ropes, so it might be closer in my grasp to look into freelance writing.

Here you go:

GOLD! - How to Learn Code, Start a Web Company, $15k+ per month within 9 months

Making Money With Web Design 2017/2018

https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/the-learn-web-design-video-response-thread.82373/

And also there is a separate section on here for Web Design too:

https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/the-new-web-design-sub-forum-intro-post.82283/
 

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@Richard Gao I just want to let you know that I think it's huge that you're already entering the game at your young age, that's a huge win. And I think it's impressive that you're already thinking about these things at your age. That speaks of a lot of maturity.
 

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Again, I am very new to coding anyways, so I don't know I would be a good idea for me to pursue freelance in it. How did you start in freelance writing? I don't think I can do freelance programming for quite a while, as I a still learning the ropes, so it might be closer in my grasp to look into freelance writing.

@SinisterLex has personally coached me and many others on how to get hired as a freelance writer. If you're interested, check out his threads:

GOLD! - How to Make $1,000 a Week with no Degree, no Feedback, & no Portfolio.

GOLD! - 15 Days to Freedom - Make Money Copywriting in 15 Days or Less

I'll let you know upfront, to get hired for writing gigs, clients expect good grammar as a minimum.
 

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I think its awesome that at 15 you are already thinking this way. When I was 15 Halo 3 came out and I didn't care about anything but getting good at Halo. I currently have a 15 year old cousin that only cares about two things in the world right now...girls and Fortnite.

You may have pissed away $1400 on a dropshipping site, but you actually did something. That is more than what 90% of people reading business books and watching motivational videos do. Most never do anything at all. So congrats, you're already better than most.

I think now you just need to focus on one or two things to get really good at. Getting a min wage job would be fine. You need to realize it isn't necessarily about the money though. You would be learning how to interact with customers and learn how to give them what they want. Don't underestimate that experience. Or at 15, you could start something of your own that doesn't require much capital, like going house to house asking people if they need their grass mowed. (assuming you're parents have a lawn mower.) This would give you a similar experience of learning to deliver to customers.

I don't think learning web dev would be a bad idea at all. Bettering yourself is never bad! That being said, a partner and I needed to learn a little bit of HTML, CSS, and Javascript for a project at work. I bought those famous Jon Duckett books and learned what I needed to know, and it was pretty fun to learn. I didn't realize how easy it was to learn the very basics of web dev. I ended up applying to 4 different coding bootcamps in Atlanta after that and they all claimed to have "rigorous" (it actually wasn't hard at all) interviews and application processes to get in. With the tiny bit of knowledge I had I got accepted to all 4 of them. When that happened I took a step back and thought "I'm the sucker here". This was like a gold rush and the ones selling shovels are the bootcamps and I am the one digging for gold. I have two friends from high school both currently getting their masters degrees together in computer science from Georgia Tech, one of the best engineering schools in the world. I asked them about these bootcamps and they told me web dev is a commodity now. You can learn web dev, but it is similar to being a bookkeeper vs an accountant (web dev vs. software engineer).

I'm not saying don't do web dev (as I obviously don't know anything about it as a business), and I know you aren't looking at bootcamps, but if you do pursue it I would imagine you should really be looking to self-educate and specialize in a niche area of it. There is obviously still a great need for it, as people like Fox are killing it in the space. I think it would just be smart to understand that it is getting to where web dev seems to be (someone correct me if I'm wrong) starting to violate the commandment of entry. Specialization is key.

This turned into a post way longer than I wanted, but I wanted to end by saying you have an excellent mindset and I think you will be in a position to kill it as long as you keep taking action!
 
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I think its awesome that at 15 you are already thinking this way. When I was 15 Halo 3 came out and I didn't care about anything but getting good at Halo. I currently have a 15 year old cousin that only cares about two things in the world right now...girls and Fortnite.

You may have pissed away $1400 on a dropshipping site, but you actually did something. That is more than what 90% of people reading business books and watching motivational videos do. Most never do anything at all. So congrats, you're already better than most.

I think now you just need to focus on one or two things to get really good at. Getting a min wage job would be fine. You need to realize it isn't necessarily about the money though. You would be learning how to interact with customers and learn how to give them what they want. Don't underestimate that experience. Or at 15, you could start something of your own that doesn't require much capital, like going house to house asking people if they need their grass mowed. (assuming you're parents have a lawn mower.) This would give you a similar experience of learning to deliver to customers.

I don't think learning web dev would be a bad idea at all. Bettering yourself is never bad! That being said, a partner and I needed to learn a little bit of HTML, CSS, and Javascript for a project at work. I bought those famous Jon Duckett books and learned what I needed to know, and it was pretty fun to learn. I didn't realize how easy it was to learn the very basics of web dev. I ended up applying to 4 different coding bootcamps in Atlanta after that and they all claimed to have "rigorous" (it actually wasn't hard at all) interviews and application processes to get in. With the tiny bit of knowledge I had I got accepted to all 4 of them. When that happened I took a step back and thought "I'm the sucker here". This was like a gold rush and the ones selling shovels are the bootcamps and I am the one digging for gold. I have two friends from high school both currently getting their masters degrees together in computer science from Georgia Tech, one of the best engineering schools in the world. I asked them about these bootcamps and they told me web dev is a commodity now. You can learn web dev, but it is similar to being a bookkeeper vs an accountant (web dev vs. software engineer).

I'm not saying don't do web dev (as I obviously don't know anything about it as a business), and I know you aren't looking at bootcamps, but if you do pursue it I would imagine you should really be looking to self-educate and specialize in a niche area of it. There is obviously still a great need for it, as people like Fox are killing it in the space. I think it would just be smart to understand that it is getting to where web dev seems to be (someone correct me if I'm wrong) starting to violate the commandment of entry. Specialization is key.

This turned into a post way longer than I wanted, but I wanted to end by saying you have an excellent mindset and I think you will be in a position to kill it as long as you keep taking action!

When that happened I took a step back and thought "I'm the sucker here". This was like a gold rush and the ones selling shovels are the bootcamps and I am the one digging for gold.

Web dev is saturated? Wow, I always thought web developers where always those code guys in super high demand...

My motivation for doing web development isn't to start a business from it- I would treat it as a job for procuring capital for an actual business- a temporary ride in the slowlane if you will. Web development violates scale, control, entry, (like you mentioned) and time, (although some on this forum have proven me wrong @Fox) so I treat it as a way to procure some extra capital, since when I move out a min wage job isn't going to cut it for entrepreneurial ventures. (or so I think, I'll be gladly proven wrong)

Thanks for all the support, I feel like I might be on the wrong path sometimes, and worry that if I can't develop a successful business soon, it will be a lot harder with bills to pay, along with my parents pressuring me to go to university.
 

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@SinisterLex has personally coached me and many others on how to get hired as a freelance writer. If you're interested, check out his threads:

GOLD! - How to Make $1,000 a Week with no Degree, no Feedback, & no Portfolio.

GOLD! - 15 Days to Freedom - Make Money Copywriting in 15 Days or Less

I'll let you know upfront, to get hired for writing gigs, clients expect good grammar as a minimum.

Thanks again, I'll definitely check those out but I think it would be smart for me to focus on one freelance endeavor at a time, (maybe web dev) after all, a jack of all trades is a master of none
 

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When that happened I took a step back and thought "I'm the sucker here". This was like a gold rush and the ones selling shovels are the bootcamps and I am the one digging for gold.

Web dev is saturated? Wow, I always thought web developers where always those code guys in super high demand...

My motivation for doing web development isn't to start a business from it- I would treat it as a job for procuring capital for an actual business- a temporary ride in the slowlane if you will. Web development violates scale, control, entry, (like you mentioned) and time, (although some on this forum have proven me wrong @Fox) so I treat it as a way to procure some extra capital, since when I move out a min wage job isn't going to cut it for entrepreneurial ventures. (or so I think, I'll be gladly proven wrong)

Thanks for all the support, I feel like I might be on the wrong path sometimes, and worry that if I can't develop a successful business soon, it will be a lot harder with bills to pay, along with my parents pressuring me to go to university.

Definitely don't take what I said as fact. I want to be clear and state that I don't know anything at all about web dev as a business, or even as a freelancer.

I work in a closely related field (IT Consulting) and like I said in my other post I needed some web dev knowledge to work on a specific project. I enjoyed it and looked into options and didn't necessarily like what I saw. Like I said, I have two friends working together on their masters in comp sci and currently work as software engineers. Web dev and software engineering are on two totally different levels. Software engineering is what you are probably thinking of when you think of programmers in high demand. A web dev is the bookkeeper or paralegal, the software engineer is the accountant or lawyer.

And you are super young. Instagram and social media has made it seem like if you aren't a millionaire by 19 you're a failure, which is all just a big facade. And regardless of anything you read, going to college isn't the worst thing. It isn't either/or. You can go to college and still start a business after. Or even at the same time.
 
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but then again I'm the most incompetent person at computers you will ever meet, I understand I shouldn't complain and just start learning code, and I can probably do it, but I'm worried it will be a useless skill for my situation and I'll just be action faking instead of focused on the bigger picture.

Learn to code. If you get good enough at it, you can get paid $100+ an hour to work for a company over the summers. That's a lot better for you to build capital than making minimum wage now.

Sacrifice a few years. Build a skill. Apply that skill to get a lot of capital. Use that capital to build something huge.
 

Fox

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You can learn to code and become another anonymous drone freelancer.
Or you can learn to code and build yourself something with the skills and resources you gather.

This is what MJ DeMarco did, also G_Alexander, and many others on this forum.

It isn't the only way, but it is one way. If you already have the resources you don't even need to ever do freelancing (like G). I only promote is as a stepping stone but I do think it is an excellent one. In a very short amount of time you can learn the skills to sell, build, connect, and scale. But you do have to eventually use them to build something for yourself though.
 

Richard Gao

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And you are super young. Instagram and social media has made it seem like if you aren't a millionaire by 19 you're a failure, which is all just a big facade. And regardless of anything you read, going to college isn't the worst thing. It isn't either/or. You can go to college and still start a business after. Or even at the same time.

I can see what you mean, I would go without a doubt (to university) if it would not put me in debt. Unfortunately, I would probably get a back breaking debt if I go to uni or college.
 
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GoGetter24

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What should I do? I really want to finish my product, but that requires some capital, I am applying to many min wage jobs to get some capital
You've got it the wrong way around. Remember: DeMarco worked 7 years in limos before starting a limo site. You should start with building a high income skill, so your rate keeps increasing, and save your money, which you can then use as capital later. Building capital on minimum wage is nonsense.
I would go without a doubt (to university)
Don't do it. You have too much to live for.
 

Richard Gao

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It isn't the only way, but it is one way. If you already have the resources you don't even need to ever do freelancing (like G). I only promote is as a stepping stone but I do think it is an excellent one. In a very short amount of time you can learn the skills to sell, build, connect, and scale. But you do have to eventually use them to build something for yourself though.

What do you mean by that?

You can learn to code and become another anonymous drone freelancer.
Or you can learn to code and build yourself something with the skills and resources you gather.

This is what MJ DeMarco did, also G_Alexander, and many others on this forum.

So I should focus more on making web dev a business instead of using it as a "stepping stone" and freelancing? I can see a possibility of that, I mostly plan on doing physical products with my freelance money, more possibilities in my opinion.

 

SoftStone

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Hey Richard,

as someone who is pretty good at coding, I think I can say that it's more than just a profession. It gives you a new perspective at problems and breaking them down into smaller chunks.

I'm in a pretty similar situation as you right now, wanting to make some money to fuel my main venture.

After re-reading a passage in Unscripted outlining how every entrepreneur should be willing to get a shitty job, I thought about getting a shitty one on purpose. But then again, why not use the skills you already have?

Anyway, in which way do you think you could add value to a company or to an individual? Maybe that would be a good way of looking at some income for your business.

One question to the community: how much can you expect to make at a summer job in comparison to the other employees?

Good luck to you Richard!
 
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amp0193

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Flipping stuff on Craigslist/FB Marketplace is a great way to build some capital.

You'll make way more than you ever would at a minimum wage job.

There's some Gold "hustling" threads you should check out.
 

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There you go, sure the crystals fulfil a need however you didn't really care about that need...

Learning computer skills is directly related to what you're trying to do, simply because you live on planet earth. You will be 40 in the year 2043, my guess is knowing how to talk to computers and complex machines, is a skill that will only get more important, not less.

When I say, 'you have time', I don't mean use that as an excuse to procrastinate, I mean you have time to get into something that is difficult, will take years to get right and will pay off big time.

For instance I would love to spend the next four years becoming an expert in various programming languages, however at 46 that would be a shocking waste of my time.

Instead I am concentrating on the parts of particular languages that will allow me to build a working framework which I can then hire experts to perfect.

Please read these two books as they have really helped me and a lot of people on this forum, and they are real I-wish-I-had-read-these-when-I-was-a-youth type books.

Deep Work - Cal Davenport

Mindset - Dr. Carol Dweck

If you have already, read them again as it doesn't sound like they have fully sunk in.

Channel that energy.

I can second both those books - without realising it, I had operated on the 'growth' mindset. I have moved within two industries and never said no to anything work related because I am of the view I can learn anything. Others around me are of a fixed mindset that Dr Carol speaks of - they are the ones I've seen stagnating in the same job for 10 years. On the plus side the original poster is already exhibiting signs of wanting to improve at the tender age of 15! He should realise he's doing more than most (OK, I speak for myself...) were doing at that age :)
 

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There you go, sure the crystals fulfil a need however you didn't really care about that need...

Learning computer skills is directly related to what you're trying to do, simply because you live on planet earth. You will be 40 in the year 2043, my guess is knowing how to talk to computers and complex machines, is a skill that will only get more important, not less.

When I say, 'you have time', I don't mean use that as an excuse to procrastinate, I mean you have time to get into something that is difficult, will take years to get right and will pay off big time.

For instance I would love to spend the next four years becoming an expert in various programming languages, however at 46 that would be a shocking waste of my time.

Instead I am concentrating on the parts of particular languages that will allow me to build a working framework which I can then hire experts to perfect.

Please read these two books as they have really helped me and a lot of people on this forum, and they are real I-wish-I-had-read-these-when-I-was-a-youth type books.

Deep Work - Cal Davenport

Mindset - Dr. Carol Dweck

If you have already, read them again as it doesn't sound like they have fully sunk in.

Channel that energy.

I suggest you also another great book, suggested also on MJ's book list: The One Thing - Gary Keller
 
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0dysseus

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Can't go wrong with learning a skill. Programming is among the best ones today, so it will really be a win for you, especially if the product you want to create is something involving coding. And the best thing is, the $$$ are pretty good if you need a job in between.

Working a minimum wage job would be a mistake for you. I've done that, and I regret it. Wish I learned to sooner than waste my time with dead end jobs.

Also, a personal rule of mine is spend as less as possible on getting knowledge. You can basically learn anything for free today. And be extremelly careful with investements too, don't throw money away unless you know exactly what you're doing. I'm a developer and I built my website myself, and only pay about $15/month for it. Sure, that will increase when I need to scale, but my point is you can get soooo many resources and information for free.

Good luck.
 

Richard Gao

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Can't go wrong with learning a skill. Programming is among the best ones today, so it will really be a win for you, especially if the product you want to create is something involving coding. And the best thing is, the $$$ are pretty good if you need a job in between.

Working a minimum wage job would be a mistake for you. I've done that, and I regret it. Wish I learned to sooner than waste my time with dead end jobs.

Also, a personal rule of mine is spend as less as possible on getting knowledge. You can basically learn anything for free today. And be extremelly careful with investements too, don't throw money away unless you know exactly what you're doing. I'm a developer and I built my website myself, and only pay about $15/month for it. Sure, that will increase when I need to scale, but my point is you can get soooo many resources and information for free.

Good luck.

Thanks, my product is physical but website design would be a good way to fuel it, especially since I still don't know whether I'm going to university yet, I think freelance would be great since it doesn't require a degree.
 

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