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I f***ed up.

Anything related to matters of the mind

mike24601

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It's been a while since I've visited the forum, let alone posted anything. For basically the last 12 months I've been busy cultivating not a business, but a J.O.B. Those of you who know the Fastlane and Unscripted books are probably shaking your heads, but that's what I did.

Last summer I was working a crap job for crap money, I had just read The Fastlane Millionaire and Unscripted , and I was chock full of energy and drive. I came upon an opportunity to apply for a job that would boost my salary about ten-fold--the only caveat was that it was in an extremely competitive profession and the odds of getting hired were worse than getting into Harvard. To make a long story short, I put all my effort into getting hired and, months later, succeeded in that. I moved across the country and after many more months of intensive training, I washed out of the hiring process and I'm now jobless.

Am I bummed? Yeah, but this has been an amazing reality check for me. I just got punched in the mouth. I chased a job that would give me a lot of financial freedom at the expense of my health and wellbeing--not Fastlane at all. All I saw were dollar signs, and I'm thankful I got bit in the a$$ in the end.

Now it's time for a fresh start, and now that I'm truly out of work I can devote all my time towards Fastlane goals again. I've started a miniature retail arbitrage business to help pay the bills while I work towards something more solid. For the first time in a long time, I am working for myself again and it feels amazing. Anyway, it's good to be back here. Hope to add some value to the forums in the near future!
 
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The Abundant Man

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why_do_we_fall____facebook_cover_by_raisrulez-d91of3t.jpg
 

f0reclone

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Thanks for sharing your story. I like your attitude as you're thankful for this opportunity.

What are your Fastlane Goals exactly? Are you making PROGRESS towards them?
 

MrYoshi

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Holy ****, I literally did the same thing except I had this "great" job and quit it. Then I came back to it like a moron and still hate my life. I'm really thinking about giving it another 8 months and quitting again. I had the time of my life running a business that failed.
 
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The Abundant Man

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Holy ****, I literally did the same thing except I had this "great" job and quit it. Then I came back to it like a moron and still hate my life. I'm really thinking about giving it another 8 months and quitting again. I had the time of my life running a business that failed.
If you were more happier with the business that failed then start another business and fail again?
 

garyfritz

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You invested months to get hired, moved across the country, spent many more months in intensive training, and THEN they washed you out!? I've never heard of a hiring process like that. May I ask what the job was? I'd like to understand what industry has such an intense/competitive hiring process, then an intense training process, and only THEN decides if they want you as an employee.
 

The Abundant Man

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You invested months to get hired, moved across the country, spent many more months in intensive training, and THEN they washed you out!? I've never heard of a hiring process like that. May I ask what the job was? I'd like to understand what industry has such an intense/competitive hiring process, then an intense training process, and only THEN decides if they want you as an employee.
Special Forces Selection
 
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garyfritz

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Hm. I guess I could see that. Choose promising top candidates, run them through the grinder for a few months, see who can't take it.

But in that situation you'd still have a "job," just not the one you were shooting for. You're still in the military, and you'd still have to serve out your hitch. I got the impression Mike was talking about a more normal "job." Maybe not.
 

lewj24

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Doesn't sound like you f*cked up to me. It sounds like you tried something, failed, learned some things, and are now moving forward and trying new things.

F*cking up is when you start thinking you're not good enough. F*cking up is when you stop working towards freedom. F*cking up is when you give up on the dream.

Sounds like you've been humbled.

Stay humble.
 

mike24601

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You invested months to get hired, moved across the country, spent many more months in intensive training, and THEN they washed you out!? I've never heard of a hiring process like that. May I ask what the job was? I'd like to understand what industry has such an intense/competitive hiring process, then an intense training process, and only THEN decides if they want you as an employee.

My background has been in aviation most of my adult life. I started as a helicopter mechanic in the Navy, got my private pilot's license, gassed up jets and waved wands for a time, and even worked as a flight attendant for a few years as well. The job was actually to become an air traffic controller with the government. It is a long and frustrating process to get in the door, involving lots of hurry-up and wait, medical examinations, mental exams, academic tests etc. Some people in my class spent 7 years trying to get in.

When you finally make it to their training academy you're faced with a 50% washout rate. We all knew this going in and I was willing to accept that risk. It's a very type-A environment and I am a very type-A individual, so many of us experienced a great deal of humbling along the road. Unfortunately most people just don't have the right aptitude to do this, and the only way to find out if you do is to try it out. The last 2 days of training determine who makes it and who does not. I am glad they are so selective, considering the implications of making a bad hiring choice. For those that do make it it's a pretty interesting career and it's pretty easy to make more than 200k a year, granted it involves a lot of stress and sitting down all day which doesn't do wonders for your health in the long run.

I learned TONS of great information about the industry that I will apply to new and different opportunities in the future. Made some great friends. Also learned about the seemingly infinite amount of storage the human brain can make available.
 
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Primer

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Interesting! I looked at air traffic control in my early 20s and yes.... the recruitment process is brutal.... rightfully so.

Example question (paraphrased):

Your plane is at 7000ft burning fuel at 70litres per minute. You have 15 miles to land safely and you have a leak in the fuel tank.

You’re losing 10litres of fuel per minute. Can you land safely.

You have 5 seconds to give the answer...

It’s pretty intense.

Ps. The above question is an example. I was looking at this almost 20 years ago.
 

MrYoshi

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If you were more happier with the business that failed then start another business and fail again?
Unfortunately, I just didn't have the money to keep going. I should make around $200-400k this year if things keep going this way so I'll have a few years to start a few side gigs as well.

I honestly am miserable each second at work, but I keep going knowing that I will be given another opportunity soon.
 

amp0193

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When you finally make it to their training academy you're faced with a 50% washout rate.

Only 50%? I thought it was more like 90.

My sister and her husband both washed out of Airforce ATC. It's nuts, don't blame you.
 

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