How Do I [NOT] Scale My Personal Training Business Significantly?

[ZCP]

Okay but beyond that, what's an effective way to market myself and acquire a bunch of clients?

Just had a good 1000 business cards printed with a nice call-to-action on them.

@JLE
if i would give you $1M after you acquired one client today, what would you do to get a client?
if i was going to take a sledgehammer to your left big toe as it rested on concrete if you do NOT get one client today, what would you do to get a client?

Pick whichever method works for you and don't make it any harder than that.

The easiest way to start is to start.

What is the best way? No one knows. Try 'a' way. If that doesn't work, what do you do? Right, try another way.

Go get a client.

 

[Andy Black]

Meanwhile, today, @Spenny had a breakthrough:

https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/building-a-physical-products-business-utilising-e-commerce-social-media.106168/page-3#post-1095561

I'm all for helping people, but there's a great line by Amy Hoy:

"Help the people in motion."

Gym instructors find clients down the gym, not on couches.

Anyone care to cheer on Spenny and give him some feedback and suggestions?

 

[Simon Angel]

Any advice you could give me whatsoever.

How would I end up finding online clients without building a social media following? It's the only course of action I'm familiar with.

Unless I'm to go the paid advertising route, which I'm fearful would result in a negative cashflow.

1. He's running some pretty basic FB ads that lead to a landing page.

2. The landing page starts with a video on top that shows his transformation from an overweight guy into a ripped "Chad".

• The video is basically about how he used to live in his mother's basement while depressed and playing video games all day and how he turned it around to look awesome now. With a voiceover. And of course, with over-the-top dramatic music that makes it all look like he's been to war.

2.. He leverages some social proof from here and there (TV interviews he's done) but it's got nothing to do with his personal training business or bodybuilding hobby but rather him being a daredevil, etc. He's not known for the former at all. Actually, he's not that well-known in general.

• And by leverage, I mean he has a "As seen on" section on his website. It's so negligent you could literally fake that and it won't make a difference.

3. Then, he offers 2 ebooks (for like $20) where he outlines his 10 years of weightlifting & nutrition experience in a way that's simple to digest... too simple, even, because it's full of grammatical mistakes. But clearly, that doesn't matter.

• $20 for 10 years of knowledge that got him to where he is currently. It's a no-brainer
• His ebooks function as a lead magnet for his $1000 3-month online training
• He has a few soft CTAs throughout the books + a hard CTA at the end
• Lots of value, no holding back

4. If you go straight for the big offer (the $1000 training) he's got a questionnaire at the bottom of his landing page which he uses to qualify his leads.

The last question is "Are you willing to invest $10 per day for 100 days to get into the best shape of your life?"

• If the answer is yes, they get to book a call with him and his team
• If the answer is no, they get a downsell for the ebooks and are added to the email list. Some of those still convert later

 

[BizyDad]

I'll never forget that one time I told JLE how much I pay my trainer. He called me a liar.

Until I showed him the screenshots.

Even that hasn't shattered his limiting beliefs. He's still talking about $450 a month when he could get that one client, one or two sessions a week. Or from 1-2 handyman jobs gotten off of Craigslist ads.

I don't know how many more months later this is, but I just got home from another session with my trainer.

He's a little like you. Not really looking to build a biz. I've been on him to build better.

In the past 3 months his life has been turned upside down. We're talking sad country song level disaster. Had to give up/lost so much.

He wishes he had listened sooner.

JLE issue is he thinks he has time to accomplish these things. He'll get there "eventually". But eventually never comes...

Some people have to learn the hard way.

You either let life happen to you, or you make your life happen.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

I removed the EXECUTION prefix on this thread (there is zero execution here) and tried to replace it with EXCUSES, but there is no such prefix. Perhaps I should create one.

 

[WillHurtDontCare]

you can do BOTH of those RIGHT NOW. just do them.
you don't need anything else to do them RIGHT NOW.

It’s not fear. It’s time.

I can‘t snap my fingers and have a diploma, relevant well-paying job, and shitload more muscle.

A few months ago I toyed around with building a SaaS that analyzes Amazon reviews with some machine learning tools to find insights that Amazon sellers / agencies could use to increase conversion rates. I killed it because I was too busy with my consulting projects. A friend from this forum is part of a cybersecurity group that meets weekly, so I asked if they'd be interested in a listening to me give a talk where I demoed the project and talked about what I learned.

I talked for 2 hours, and afterwards, a data scientist who was in the audience asked me if I was interested in working for his company for $150,000 a year. I declined.

So I got a 6 figure job offer because I spent around 4-6 weeks working a few hours a day on a project that I had little experience with (I can code, but ML was new to me), I asked some friends with experience in that field for help, and because I gave a talk on it. They didn't ask me about my degree.

You can do the same thing with software. You can make a simple web app that does something like let people read PDFs and use chat gpt to ask questions. It's a simple idea, but you'll learn a lot about programming. You can make that git repo public, and include it in your applications for programming jobs. Hell, you might stumble across a decent software business idea and just skip the job entirely.

You don't need credentials - you need results.

 

[Bekit]

I'm a bit invested in this topic now, and after reading through the whole progress thread, it sort of hurts me on the inside to see the massive mindset obstacles that are in play.

I don't know if I can do anything to break you out of those hurdles, @JLE - but I am sending you these thoughts with nothing but love and desire for your wellbeing and prosperity...even if some of this comes across as "tough love." (Plus, in a way, I'm preaching to myself in what I'm saying, as I get hung up on these exact same obstacles.)

The main thing I see holding you back is fear.

The second main issue I see is that you are trying to skip immediately to step 10 without doing steps 1-9. It doesn't work that way.

I'll tell you exactly what I would like to do. This is my list of action-fakes, that take time, but could eventually result in an income from online coaching/bodybuilding:
1. Continue physically building myself as a bodybuilder
2. Once built sufficiently, compete in a bodybuilding competition and hopefully place well
3. Advertise myself online as a bodybuilder on Instagram, possibly Youtube, and possibly TikTok
4. Be helpful and acquire a following in the bodybuilding and fitness niche
5. Acquire in-bound clients from my online following as a bodybuilder

That's the plan I have in mind.

Notice that nowhere on this list is "get a client." Why not? Because that's where the rubber meets the road. That's the scary thing. But it is 100% the thing you're going to have to face. The earlier you face it, get used to it, and stop feeling daunted by it, the sooner you'll make progress.

I don't think I'm professional enough to be seen as credible.

But yet you've had people notice you at the gym and ask for tips, and you've been comfortable sharing value for free.

What would stop you from helpfully giving them tip they asked for, and then confidently saying, "If you're interested in more strategic work together, I do private sessions for $XXX/hour. Let me know if you're ever interested!" What if you made this statement to 15 people a day for the next month while you put your business card in their hand? Do you think some of them would take you up on it? I guarantee you they would! And all of a sudden you'd stop making minimum wage and you'd be paid for work you actually enjoy.

Selling yourself is scary, but you'd find out that you're already credible to enough people to get income flowing in. And as you grow, you'll refine your target client and the level person you can help.

I'm expecting to be back in 1.5-2 years in the same spot but ready to start.

This sounds like "I'm scared to start now." We already have evidence of a previous 2-year hiatus in this exact thread. Why will things be any different in the next two years?

I feel like starting now is picking a fruit that isn't fully ripe.

But you're like a person waiting for fully-ripe tomatoes in a container where you've never even put a seed.

You're trying to skip steps. You want to go straight from zero to "having a fully-scaled up business and client-acquisition system on autopilot."

I'll have a great deal more people asking for my help without me even offering it.

This is a fallacy. You already have people asking for your help without you offering it, and you're selling them exactly nothing.

If you examine this deeply, what does it come down to?
- Is it because you're uncomfortable charging money for your work?
- Is it because you can't justify to yourself why your service is worth money?
- Is it because you feel like others are worthy of charging for their service but not you?
- Is it because charging for your service conflicts with some aspect of your identity?
- Is it because there's a fear of someone important to you ridiculing your efforts if you fail?

Let's imagine you do take the two years and get yourself into Olympic-level shape. And yet, you still don't know how to sell because you haven't been practicing that for the past two years. You know what that's going to look like? It's going to be identical to that UNICORN coder who knows all the languages, front end, back end, databases, UI, UX, you name it - and yet they're stuck working for a corporation because they have no idea how to get clients. Don't do this to yourself.

I probably could start now but I don't feel ready yet.

Feelings are dictating your decision here. Are you able to take your feelings in hand and stop allowing them to steer your decisions?

I don't feel ready. Hate the slowlane, but just comfortable enough to continue tolerating it. Every part of me wants to wait 2 years before I start, it would be far more conducive to the personal branding I wish for my name to represent.

This sounds like "selling my services sounds scarier than continuing to make minimum wage." You're striking a deal with yourself to settle for this 7-day-a-week employment situation where you're NOT FREE, when you have it in your grasp to DO THIS RIGHT NOW.

You're gambling with your body. What if you get an injury next month?

You're not facing the price you have to pay for this to ever work out.

The price you have to pay for those first few clients is...
- Pounding heart
- Sweaty palms
- Racing mind
- Feeling uncomfortable
- Stammering with your words
- Wanting to sink into the floor
- Feeling like an idiot

What everyone in this thread is rooting for you to do is look at that price tag and say, "DEAL."

When you think about it, all of those things literally add up to $0.00!

So why would you shrink back from that? You have what it takes to pay that price. You just have to choose it.

Because what you GET in return for that price tag is...
- Total elation - SOMEONE SAID YES!!!! I DID THIS!
- One seed planted towards those eventual gorgeous ripe tomatoes
- One client at a time
- Building your reputation
- Establishing yourself as a trusted name
- Freedom and respect

You've got this!

DOOOOOOO ITTTTTTTTTTT.

I don't wish to associate my real-life name with mediocre skill

Here's a quick story for you. I started teaching piano lessons at the age of 15. I wasn't a concert pianist then, and I am not one now. But guess what? Parents were happy to pay me 4x minimum wage for me teach their 7-year-olds what I knew. And they LOVED me because I was able to break down piano for their kids in a way that kept it easy and fun. That's all that mattered to them. My name wasn't associated with mediocre skill - to my students minds, my name was associated with unlocking the ability to play an instrument, and they saw themselves as cool and accomplished and empowered because of it.

Here's another quick story for you. I started a workout class last April. The coach just leads us in exercises that we can do with a jump rope, kettlebell, and yoga mat. Literally that's all the equipment we have. Everything else is bodyweight exercises. I have no idea what my instructor's credentials are. Do you know why I HAPPILY pay for the class every month? Because there's a class twice a week, I show up, I'm told what to do, and simply by doing what I'm told, I'm getting stronger. That's it. It's dead simple.

Having a reputable name means...
- You follow through with your word
- You present yourself authentically
- You don't promise what you can't deliver

Just be authentic with who you ARE and let people choose you for the CURRENT version of you, not the hypothetical one two years from now.

And two years from now, when you're bigger and better and badder, if you attract a whole different caliber of client at that point, great! But on that hypothetically future day, you'll look back and realize that you're relying on every single detail of learning how to serve clients that you started in 2023 and have been doing all this time.

Practice on the easier clients now, the ones who DON'T demand an Olympic-level coach. Get glowing testimonials because they love their body and the way you've helped them to achieve better things for themselves. And then solve the problem of being a bigger business that attracts higher-caliber clients WHEN YOU GET TO THAT POINT.

Fitness is an industry where there's money to be made.

Don't look at the competition who is ahead of you as a threat to your success.

Look at the fact that there is competition out there as proof that there's money to be made.

 

[LightHouse]

@LightHouse Chris, need a favor. Could you post here (or DM @JLE if it gets too emotional / personal), could you post what happened in your life after reading Awaken the Giant Within?

This is usually a great intervention point, so thanks for tagging.... then I saw why this thread is 14 pages long.


to quote JLE from above (thx for the summary btw!)....

"I'm an aspiring SHW bodybuilder that wishes to maybe make an income from bodybuilding somehow. I'm currently in the first semester of school towards a diploma I care nothing about."


Yeah.

Sorry dude, the reason no one has been able to help you, and the same reason that I couldn't imagine helping you, is you can't help yourself.

You can't 'maybe' your way into anything worthwhile in life. I wrote a post a decade ago that was simple.

"Don't F*cking Dabble"

Which has the same general premise. You can't waffle and hope the world, or someone will give you a hand out of answers.

I don't care what it is, by god commit to something and see it through even if you are uncertain. Then snowball that knowledge into the next thing IF it doesn't work out. You can do this now, or regretfully do it 10 years from now.

No one is coming to save you.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

It would have been easy to let MJ reply to this and say yes or no, instead everyone jumped on him giving him a hard time after he had just taken a positive step.

Sorry but when people show their true colors and want to be STEAL other people's time and spit on their help, it's hard to remain cordial. People clearly stated in this thread, that they were responding not necessarily for the OP, but for those who followed behind.

This thread...

View attachment 52187

You all have far more patience than I. I don't try to help those who are beyond help.

6 pages ago. On the money.

Absolutely.

This is why I bailed out weeks ago.

I've been here 15 years and I can spot a lost cause almost instantly. It's like trying to help a heroin addict that you can't begin to help unless some basic foundational things are in place. The forum users here were a threat to the OP's heroin/excuse addiction, hence the introduction of new criteria and new excuses.

Some people are beyond help as they create their own self-engineered obstacles, no matter their circumstances, and no matter WHO or HOW MANY people are willing to help.

Never in my life have I seen the forum come together to help some stranger, only for that stranger to create a new set of dumb reasons why he cannot move forward with that advice.

It makes me terribly sad for the people who tried to help...

Give yourself a big pat on the back.

 

[Kelani]

I'm new here, but I have some experience working with online fitness coaches, and I feel like I can contribute here. I read this whole thread, and there is some good advice here.

but Here's my two cents:

The problem you have now is a lack of clarity. You don't really have a problem that you want to solve. You're just bouncing ideas on how to make money. Personally, I don't believe your inaction stems from fear, but rather from a lack of clarity. It's difficult to start something if the steps in between are kind of vague.

I know a common advice is JUST START. but it does help tremendously to do some research to find the highest levrage activity you can do with your current skillset.

So I'll try to paint a detailed picture and make it as clear as possible.

From what I know, if i was in your situation, and wanted to earn money as an online coach, these are the steps that i and most other online coaches take to make six figures:

1. Post valuable content that solves a specific problem that you know you can solve.
2. Build a following on Instagram/TikTok (these are the only ones worth it right now) of people that have a specific problem.
3. Once you've built a big enough following (300-1000), post Instagram stories with a call to action (DM you) to a free ebook/workout plan (takes 10 minutes to make) that gives them valuable info on the problem you can solve.
4. Now you have people in your DM's that: A) Are dealing with a problem you can solve and B) Are willing to come to YOU to help them.
5. A couple of back-and-forths later, and you can ask them to get on a call with you.
6. (The most important part) You get good at selling. If you can, you could probably ask for $2k-$5k for a 3-month program to get them to where they want. Depending on what niche you picked or what you're comfortable with, I suggest you look at Alex Hormozi's video on selling high-ticket.
7. Coach them. get good at it and actually change peoples lives. if you did a decent job at selling your coaching. your client should be working with you towards REALY worthwile goal that either has to do with their wealth, health and or relationships.
8. Repeat until very proficient, scale by employing other coaches, run ads... you get the deal.

I'd send you links on very regular people with small Instagram followings making six figures, but I'm not familiar with the rules here.

so source: Trust me, bro.

By far the highest leverage activity with this is posting every day on Instagram. You're going to have to do this every day. The more, the merrier.

But the real question is: what are the posts going to be about? or more specifically What's the problem you want to make your content around?

In the online coaching space, your niche is key. Not what your niche is, but that you even have one.

This will determine the messaging of your posts, what you will write about, etcetera.

If you want to train menopausal moms, then your content should be geared towards that (side note: it's a very lucrative niche, even for male online coaches).

If you'd like to work with men trying to boost their confidence in their life, you should make your messaging towards that.
Use that to write compelling content together with your posts/Tiktok.

Show your progress where you used to be and where you are now. Attract the type of people you genuinely want to and can help.

Once you start getting to the 800-1000 follower range. monetizing your audience is just a series of steps.

Tell me if this was at all usefull. or complety rubish.

And good luck on your entrepenourial journy

 

[Guest931Xfjyx]

Sounds like we might finally get the progress thread we've been waiting for...

Here's my plan:
1. I drop out of my Computer Programming diploma and try to return as much of the loan as I can
2. I tell my wife I have dropped out of Computer Programming (this will be hell) but I have a financial plan in place
3. I make a landing page website under my first and last name and I share it with the forum here, one-page checkout
4. I share my website in the bio of my Instagram and offer my coaching service in my stories every day
5. I post on Facebook, Craigslist, and Kijiji offering my personal training services locally and online
6. I get 1000 business cards printed (I still have the designs from 2 years ago)


Deadline is 10 days. I‘ll consider that November 19th as I’ll start tomorrow. I‘ll update you all as progress is made.

 

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[BizyDad]

Man, I really appreciate you and your drive to help someone who, very plainly, does not want to be helped. I sure as hell couldn't do it.

The thing is...

I'm as stubborn as @JLE

And I also put my entrepreneurial dreams on hold. Mostly because I didn't know where to start or how to start.

I always wished I had someone like me in my corner.

Now here I am, 30 years later. And I get to choose how I spend my time. I choose to help people like JLE.

Besides, it's not that he doesn't want to be helped. I don't believe that. It's that the things that he's been provided in afforded haven't actually felt like help to him.

And I see a situation like that and say to myself...

There's got to be a better way.

That's the entrepreneur in me coming out.

 

[ZCP]

I guess action is better than no action.

This action though has no goal, outcome, strategy, or result. Can't be measured. Based on hope. No real value. If it doesn't work, can just play the victim card. This is script 101.

Going to school and 'hoping' to get a job.
Bodybuild to 'hope' to be a online bodybuilding influencer.

Those reading this, how many countless people do we see like this? Blue collar, stubborn, speaking the script they were told by people who didn't get where they want to get.

He knows he should be doing more. Knows he can do more. Just can't take that step.
It's not easy. Everyone is a different puzzle.

That is why I keep posting in this thread. Those reading this, is he REALLY doing anything to get to his goal? How many years are going to go by with no progress. Don't be that guy. Just do shit. Now. You got this!!

@JLE keep posting. something will eventually flip. there will be a FTE. some words will finally click. could you replace 'hope' with 'will' for a while? Language is key.

 

[biophase]

@Antifragile he is really close to the FTE / breakthrough .... check back in a few months

LOL, I read this as ZCP is really close to a FTE on this thread...

 

[ZCP]

Get 1 client. Start. Now.

 

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[The-J]

I just read this thread. Wow. And I thought my head trash was bad!

You have a bigger problem than not knowing how to get clients.

You're trainable but not coachable.

If you don't fix that, you'll never achieve any of your financial goals.

You can fix that. It's not incurable. Entrepreneurs are stubborn by nature.

Many people get into this because they want to set their own terms on how they work. They want to be free from the 9-5 grind and spend their lives doing what they love.

But some of those people set unrealistic terms on how they work. Your terms are unrealistic.

You're also not a good personal trainer. I know that because you've never had any clients.

That's ACTUALLY step number one for you. Becoming good enough at training clients to get them results. NOT being a bodybuilder.

To do that, you have to train people. One way or another. For free or for money. At a Globo Gym or by yourself.

If you're not prepared to do that, please give up this idea that you have a "personal training business". For your sanity's sake. Just train and enjoy being more jacked than most men.

 

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[Antifragile]

Buckle up. Or click ignore before reading what I’m about to say if you feel vulnerable and not ready for some harsh words.


JLE, you have an addiction, it’s not your purpose or a hobby. It’s an unhealthy, toxic addiction. Your priorities in life are: bodybuilding, bodybuilding and bodybuilding.

Any claims about you wanting a family (kids) or anything else in life isn’t even in the books. You aren’t a trainer or entrepreneur, worse yet - you want to be neither. You want … yes, of course, only bodybuilding. If you couldn’t do bodybuilding tomorrow you’d feel a part of you died. Like a heroin addict … your withdrawals could break you. It’s evident from my chats with you and for how long you’ve been “trying” to monetize that you are “in shape”.

But you already know this. And @BizyDad nailed it, a time (sooner than you wish) will come when it’s too F*cking late.

You are either going to win competitions, get sponsors and earn some decent coin now… I mean this year! Or soon, none of this talk about bodybuilding will even matter.

You still have some hope of success in bodybuilding… and that prevents you from hitting a real bottom, real FTE, rock bottom. But it’s coming. And it won’t be pretty.

To succeed financially, you will have to change yourself: and you aren’t willing to do that yet.

I recently posted a thread to address this very issue:
Thread 'Tell us, who are you?'
ASSERTION - MINDSET - Tell us, who are you?

I see it everywhere, with my employees, people on this forum… and you know what? Even in me! Yes, I too have some harsh realities to own up to.

Also, on the topic of business… @JLE when in your mind you think about being in such great shape that people approach you for advice and pay you, you are missing the point entirely. I don’t need to be in as good a bodybuilding shape as you to be 1,000x more successful in getting clients to train. You know why? Because it works in the opposite direction.

It is NOT about YOU!
YOU doesn’t matter. The client is all that matters.

To discover how to deliver greater value to clients , you must interact with clients. Make mistakes. Fix them. Correct and adjust. Then get better and better. That iteration means changing how you behave AND who you are.

 

[BlackMagician]

These are hilarious @MJ DeMarco

 

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[ZCP]

I would charge $200 per month for coaching. So for 3 months it would be $600. However, considering I have no present clients: I'd charge you nothing but an honest testimonial after the 90 day period.

I'm not sure if you inquired as a sign of interest in coaching or to gauge what my response would be, but if you are truly interested I think it's important that you fully understand what goes into being coached.

A few things:
1. Your progress falls on you. I can bring you to water but I can't make you drink.
2. I need you to have a very specific fitness goal that we're to be working towards.
3. This would require progress pictures sent every week.

ok. dm me and let's get started.

 

[Fox]

but it gives my reasoning on why I'm led to believe I can't start a fitness business right now.
I don't think I'm professional enough to be seen as credible.
My offer can't surpass that of my competitors due to simply not being good enough yet.

The only way to get better is to start, and you won't ever do that with this mindset.
Sitting on the bench isn't getting better, it is just sitting on the bench.

Get in the game and start playing to win.

Your customers don't want you to be the best - they want themselves to be the best.
You are focusing on the wrong thing. They need your help, so get going right now!

 

[Guest931Xfjyx]

I'm ready to take action.

The past few weeks I've had a lot of activity on the forum. Mainly comments justifying why I'm not ready to start, or DM's asking notable members for special advice that they truly can't give. All of you have told me the same thing repeatedly.

"Just start."

After an armageddon of excuses, I'm ready to start. No more hellfire. No waiting 2 years. I'll start now.

However, and here's the part I'm sure I'll be lynched for: I won't be monetizing myself yet. I'm going to start posting to Instagram and marketing myself as a bodybuilder. My sole focus is to build up a following. I won't be selling anything for the time being.

Maybe this isn't what you all wanted to hear, but this is my start. It's more than I have done in the past 2 years.

The way I look at it, as a part of me still does wish to wait 2 years, is that I could always archive any Instagram posts I don't want to have publicly available anymore. The whole reason I didn't want to start now is because I picture my Instagram feed as an actual resume. I didn't wish to showcase anything but the best. I've overcome that and I'll be starting now and archiving any posts I no longer want up in the future. It'll still probably take me 2 years to get to the standard I'd like for myself as a bodybuilder to represent, but at least by then I should have amassed some form of a following. I even know of coaches with only 15k Instagram followers making over $100k a year. I think this is a good start.

----------------------------------------------------------------

March 17th, 2023:
Followers: 17 (half of which are bots that followed me)
Posts: 0
Stories: 0
Reels: 0

I'd also like to keep my real name and Instagram private. I'd prefer to not have a history of my activity on the internet. That being said, I'm willing to share my personal information over DM with a select few members to prove that I'm being sincere in my claims.

This is my start.

 

[Skroob]

In life we can either be wise and learn from other people's mistakes.
Or we can do the mistakes ourselves, on purpose.

The first approach might save some time. And given the fact that life is limited, learning and adapting quickly may be the optimal strategy.

I am not saying this to encourage or discourage you from taking action. I understand that people have the freedom to do what they want with their life, and you have already made your choice.

This is the final thing I will say:

If you choose to be the person that is "not ready yet", this is exactly what will happen.

You will be that person. And you will get exactly the results you would expect from that person.

---

I would like to thank everyone who took their time to comment in this thread.
It's always nice to see when people try to lift each other up. I hope that this spirit will never die on the fastlane forum.

I need to stop here too, because the things I want to say would not be helpful to anyone.

So what I will say is this: It is okay to have a day job to pay the bills and a hobby you put your passion into. There's no shame in it, it's a perfectly normal and valid way to live your life; it is in fact what most people do and live happy fulfilled lives.

It is not, however, what this forum is about. If everyone is telling you to get fired up, get started, every hour that passes is another gone forever and you are wasting them by waiting, and your response is just nah ima keep waiting until the winds change or the mood strikes or the bush on the mountain bursts into flame and the Word of the Lord is passed directly to me in the form of stone tablets... Well, it sounds like to me you have a hobby you're pretty passionate about, but you don't really have the drive to be an entrepreneur.

I got off the rails there for a minute. In an effort to make this helpful to someone in the future:

Nothing moves unless you move it. Nothing happens unless you make it happen. Nothing changes unless you change it. If you have a dream, a goal, a desire, a vision of Fastlane-style freedom for your life, the most basic thing you have to do is SOMETHING.

 

[ZCP]

Have you considered reading this thread for advice?
Seriously, instead of answering / deflecting / defending / rationalizing / excusing .....

Like as if someone else had written this thread and gotten the advice. Trying reading it as if you JUST came across it and didn't know anyone in it. Try it.

 

[Antifragile]

You're successful. I know you are. I've seen you around the forum. I think I listened to a few minutes of a podcast you featured in. I know you know your shit. You're absolutely right. I could go out and find clients.

I'll try to be clear here though, I've tried to repeatedly but nothing sticks.

Is it because the rest of us aren’t start enough to understand you or because you are fooling yourself?

Very succinctly: I want to do it my way.

Of course you want to do it your way. And so far your way has worked … not at all. How long before you realize that maybe you are great at building your body but not your business. Someone like me is your polar opposite. I have skinny arms but I know business. Which is why you posted this thread 2 years ago in the first place?! Or is it just a journal of “I want to do it my way and show others how to do it”?

Everyone here is in such a damn rush. But for what? Why so hasty? Is money gonna vanish tomorrow?

Classic. Most poor people I meet act like time has no value, there is always tomorrow. But is there? Will your wife still be with you? Will you be able to have kids with age? (Maybe you don’t want kids, maybe you don’t want a wife or any material things or vacations or safety net). What if something happens to your body tomorrow that makes it impossible for you to train? How will you make a good living?

Analogy: the time it took you to get into the current physical shape and the effort - same is required in business. It won’t just happen because you “wish it were so”. It requires equal level of sacrifice.

Today I see you telling me “hey AF, I am willing to do whatever it takes except show up or put in any kind of effort into making money”. OK. It’s like a bodybuilder coming to you and saying “I’ll do whatever it takes except show up to gym or lift any kind of weights”. That’s your business the last 2 years of this thread being alive.

I am holding up a mirror brother - look at it. See yourself. Tell me, where am I wrong?

Sure, I could be wealthier now, but not in a way I'd like.

I have a plan in place.

Tell me this wont work if I'm coming from the mindset of doing it for the remainder of my life:
1. I get to the point where I'm damn near incredible and it's very obvious I have a clue
2. I post content every single day proving I have a damn clue and that I've accomplished some admirable things
3. People see that content, progressively in larger and larger quantities over time
4. I never quit. By never, I mean never. This goes on until I croak and rest my eyes in life for good
5. When a large amount of people see that I'm giving value, repeatedly, and I've proven myself very obviously...

...I'm going to have the opportunity to make an income in an infinite amount of ways. I'll be seen as an authority.

That’s not a plan. It has no timeframe, it has no iterations or corrections. It requires everything the way you write it to go to perfection and life is a bitch. Nothing ever goes that way.

What’s the rush again? Oh right… life. It happens. Shit happens. It’ll happen when you want it least. It is always better to be ahead than behind.

Yes this is a long route. But guess what? I'm just hardheaded and annoying enough to pull it off.

Don't believe in me? Good.

I'll prove you wrong.

Long live my toxic insufferable addiction. (I prefer the word obsession, but I'll take your description of it).

I truly and sincerely hope you succeed. I find you to be an interesting and good person. Our chats led me to think positively of you. I take the time to reply because I care. The most valuable resource I have is time and I am willing to give some to you. Don‘t confuse that with anything but positive intentions. I am concerned for you … it’s been 2 years and you are still talking about $500 / mo being ”life changing” amount. That is what concerns me. I could give a shit about bodybuilding or personal training… I want YOU to do better and not have to worry about such small amounts of money.

But if you don’t really want anything other than confirming your own thoughts by others… I am the wrong person to be replying and please tell me so I don’t waste more time.

 

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[ZCP]

You could get a programming job tomorrow. No need to wait 2 years.
More excuse making, action delaying, script following.

I actually love this thread. You are textbook what @MJ DeMarco is writing about. Just make sure you are investing in the stock market too and you will have the avatar nailed. For those reading this years from now, Don't be this guy.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

I suggest you rename your Username to "Someday" ...

Someday is Never.

If there was ever a perfect demonstration of SOMEDAY it is this thread, and this lost cause.

 

[BizyDad]

99/100 on selfish as well.

To be fair, this is 99/100 people on this forum.

And I have more respect for @JLE than I do 99/100 of the rest of them. Why? Several reasons:

1. He has a plan. People on here choose not to see it or admit it, but he does have a plan.
2. He is working his plan.
3. He is nothing if not consistent.
4. He is his own man.
5. He is still showing up.

It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. It doesn't matter what anyone else says.

This dude truly thinks for himself. Moreso than 99.99% of people to ever be on this forum.

He has flaws. Sure.

But he also has grit. He also is demonstrating something few people on this forum ever get to demonstrate:

It's my life and I'll do what I want.

People think they have to achieve Fastlane to get to that point. And maybe most people do.

But this guy doesn't need permission or approval to live the life he wants to live.

And there is a lesson in that for all of us.

I doubt anyone else on here would choose to live this life. That's ok. It his life and he IS very obviously choosing it.

You can't call him brainwashed. He isn't following anyone else's script. There is literally no one on the sidewalk, slow lane, or Fastlane that recommends this script.

And I know, I know, there's the whole "but he's impacting his family" argument. I've told him as much as well. But his wife made her choice too. We should all be so lucky to have a partner stand by us through the grit and the grime whilst supporting us in our dream.

How many people proclaim future greatness and leave here? How many people get angry or upset at this level of negative criticism?

I've said it before and I'll say it again, this guy is going places. Nowhere near as fast as anyone would like, himself included, but he is more likely to get there than 99/100 people on this website.

Why would someone want a college grad who followed a straight path direction over someone who made a real, live, working project in their OWN time without any obligation to do it whatsoever?

As an intellectual exercise I can think of lots of reasons. Here are a few:

Because the solo learner isn't likely a good team player.
Because they never bothered to learn basic industry standards.
Because the solo learner probably has an inflated sense of their ability. (Don't worry boss, I studied this for a whole month! Hahaha)
Because their commenting habits suck.
Because the solo learner is more likely to leave faster.
Because the college grad showed the ability to accept instruction, hit a certain level of achievement, and the stick to it'veness that employers want in an employee.

College grads can get jobs. Non college grads can get jobs.

As a marketer, especially one who wants to sell to businesses, you should learn to think more like a business owner.

If you had a simple project, you probably want the solo learner (assuming he can get it done, he'll often be cheaper. Good luck getting someone else to work on his code later though.). And if you are building a software company or development shop, you might lean towards hiring those scripted college grads.

 

[Aidan04]

My takeaway from this ordeal:

This guy had the biggest people on the forum helping him and didn't take advantage of it.

I would kill for support like that.

I don't know if you remember this at all @BizyDad but I briefly had a similar moment where I posted my first big action on the forum and could not take the heat- and lashed out a bit.

It's almost like a test to see if you're coachable or not.

Eventually, I caved and learned to accept the wisdom of those who had a lot more experience compared to (then) 18-year-old me. Young people like me can be stubborn, and teaching yourself to be teachable is important.

It's good to not accept and rebel against scripted society's standards, but lashing out against the absolute MOST unscripted people you can find? That's just dumb as F*ck.

 

[Andy Black]

LOL, what a contrast to this clusterfuck of a thread.

Someone talking himself into failure...

And someone working himself into success...

@Spenny writes about what he's done and the results, not what he's going to do, not doing, or why he's not done something.

I've not been following this thread. When someone's clearly in their own way then I Iike to give a few breadcrumbs and leave it up to them to follow if they want to and when they're ready.

There's lots of people on the forum quietly taking action and making great progress. I appreciate it when they leave breadcrumbs in their progress threads for the rest of us and I like drawing attention to those threads.

 

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[heavy_industry]

My biggest issue is finances.

Your biggest issue is the bullshit story that you keep telling yourself about why things are the way they are and why you can't change your life for the better.

The lack of money is a mere consequence of your behavior.

What happened to that fitness business idea you talked about in the previous thread? Start taking small steps towards achieving your vision and don't stop until you get the results that you seek.

The only way to achieve your goals is by incremental improvement (progressive overload). And the only one that can help you is you.
You should have learned both of these lessons through your physical training in the gym.