The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

I have a problem with MJ DeMarco (Follow your passion gets a beatdown)

Mattie

Platinum Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
129%
May 28, 2014
3,485
4,490
53
U.S.
How to be happy right now

Step 1: Become aware of what makes you unhappy currently. Sit still, breathe, and feel your body. Ignore your mind and concentrate on what's happening in your body. If you're not happy now, then you will feel tension in your body - it can't be differently.

Step 2: Focus on that tension and just be with it, without attempting to change it or modify it in any way, shape or form. Your only goal is to be with what's making your body uncomfortable.

Step 3: Once you've been with that tension, consciously decide (not try!) that you let go of this tension and want to be back to your natural state of happiness more than you want to cling to that tension.

You feel noticeably lighter when you let go of something. Repeat this for everything that bothers you and after a few months (or years) you'll be in a state of constant peace and joy. Then you can enjoy every moment, whatever happens, and don't have to lie on your deathbed thinking "what if".

This is what's really weird. I'm bored with this experience! I've pretty much mastered a lot of techniques, studied it all, know a lot inside and out. And it used to be my passion and my why? And for some reason because I've been around it my entire life, it's just not challenging to me anymore. I believe that some of us love the challenge of mastering things, but than just simply get bored with it, for the simple reason it's being intelligent, a genius, and so your mind searches for something to heighten the experience. It doesn't matter if you're in constant peace and joy. Monks and Buddhists sit in caves and are at peace. Fortunately, this doesn't make you rich in wealth. And the other part, meditation becomes a way to escape and relax too much, which doesn't equal money either. While it may be necessary to a point, I believe people can get lost in the five senses, emotions, and feeling good, and that really doesn't amount to being rich either.

I think no matter what I choose personally, there will always be moments where I hate it and other times I love it. There will be times where I crash and burn, and tear things down, and rebuild new things. I really don't buy into theories much anymore, because they seem irrelevant to a point. You have an ocean of theories and philosophies. I believe in M.J.'s theory for the simple reason, I know he's done it himself. The individuals who go through the experience and took the actions, mean more than the surface words, and theories behind it, the sales gimmicks, the persuasive speech. The journey and the internal process. The longevity of sticking to something, finishing it, maneuvering through the obstacles, feelings, emotions, and thoughts. Since these are always changing, the only correct answer in the end is where your choices and actions take you.

I can tell you what I like about M.J. is he wrote a book and not standing around like a Guru, or leader. He just wrote the message, and said here you go. It's up to you to do the rest. He doesn't steal hours and hours of my attention feeding me theories, beliefs, that change moment to moment by his experience, or what he's read, what he's learned, and actually allowing people to make their choices and take action on their own.
 

loop101

Platinum Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
161%
Mar 3, 2013
1,557
2,505
First of all I have read the Fastlane Millionaire every year for the past 3 years or so. I love the book. And yes I already order Unscripted I'm still waiting for it in the mail.

I respect MJ DeMarco and his work but since the the first time I read his book I can't get over the fact that he says that money is more important than your passion. That doing what you love will not make you rich.

Imagine you're on your deathbed sweaty, nervous, trying your best to stay awake because you know that as soon as you go to sleep that will be the last time you close your eyes. You're dying on a 24k gold bedframe. But you don't care nor notice all that, you keep going back to that one thing you always wanted to be. A guitarist.

That was your dream and what you enjoyed most. But it wasn't paying the bills or putting food on the table. Nobody was buying your music either because they were been torrented. Yet you still enjoyed yourself and could survive off ramen noodles as long as your guitar was properly tuned.

But the pressure from your family to provide food and shelter made you take a detour on your dream. That detour led to riches but it also robbed you of your time with your precious guitar. Yet everytime you saw your dusty guitar in the coner of your room you told yourself next week I'll have free time to play. But you never did.

And yes I know money can buy you some good guitar lessons, your own record label, and even a recording studio. But unless you're Fastlane it won't give you time. So you either choose to strive to be rich or to follow your passion. Comfort in life or regret while dying.

Both passion and riches are essential for your life so is it possible to combine them both? Or are we forever force to decide for either or?

There are a lot of different paradigms for wealth-building, maybe one that includes "passion" is better suited to you. One of the principles of the Fastlane, if not the principle, is that the more people you serve, the greater the potential for wealth. You're not going to get away from that. If you make a hit single, and make millions, that is Fastlane. If you play in your garage by yourself, that is you just having fun.

If including "passion" is very important to you, I suggest checking out Jim Collin's "Hedgehog"concept: "The concept requires the intersection of three answers: What are you passionate about? What can you be the best at? What can actually make you a living? And the answer must meet all three criteria."

If you are not a great guitarist, Scott Adams (of "Dilbert" fame) decided to follow a path of being in the top 75% of 3 different skills.

Here is a guy with moderate guitar skills, comedian skills, and 200 million video views.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsJHqstPuNo
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

GameOver

World Domination
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
177%
Mar 11, 2017
53
94
USA
I get where you're coming from, and I'll tell you how I have decided to look at things and maybe it will help you out as well.

I'm currently in the corporate world, and it takes up all my time and energy. I am actively looking to start my own thing. I've had at least one idea that I think is scalable and has a world-wide reach, but it is something I'd find boring even doing for a few years. So I passed on that, but am now working on an idea that is somewhat related to my interests, but it still geared-towards scale and multiples. It's enough to still be a passion for me, and could potentially make a lot of money.

So maybe think of things in terms like this... you love music, but unless you are one of the best musicians on the planet you aren't going to be able to touch the lives of millions of people playing your music. But maybe there is something music-related that you can do, to serve millions of other musicians, to help them reach their audiences. In doing whatever that is, you make a ton of money and can play your guitar anytime you want. Maybe the business you start is such that you even have your own platform to get up and do your thing in front of folks that you wouldn't have had otherwise. And at the same time, you are helping tons of folks to get their creativity out there, and as a result you are rewarded by having more free time to do whatever you want. Wouldn't that also be a life worth living? Wouldn't you feel pretty good about that on your death bed?
 

lewj24

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
369%
May 12, 2016
432
1,593
28
St. Louis, MO
Kevin O'Leary wanted to be a photographer and a rock star too. Now he's happy being a business owner and doing whatever he wants.
 

Sean Corroon

Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
106%
May 4, 2014
54
57
32
Dubai, UAE
Yes it's possible to combine them both but maybe it's not probable. Great if you can pull it off. Maybe you're passionate about guitar but you're not good enough or you are the good in a genre that won't pay the bills.

Do something you have an aptitude for. The better you get the more you will like it.

Don't do something you hate but it's OK if sometimes there may be parts of a job you hate.

It's not good to be on your deathbed thinking about how rough your life was because you stuck to your passion project! Find a balance so that you take care of yourself and also get to do what you love as time and resources permit.

I've lately been thinking there's some value in sucking it up in a pursuit that is profitable solely to create a solid financial future. Basically save up enough to become financially independent. Live within your means and do what you like. That's much better than slaving to afford stuff that won't really make you happy.
Are you ken from TRF ??
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

proper

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
222%
Feb 5, 2017
23
51
42
London, UK
If playing guitar solves other people's problems or makes them happy, you'll be rewarded. The rewards will be bigger if you can reach more people or solve bigger issues. You talked about pirated copies of your work. But I think you are in the guitar playing business not the music distribution business, right?

If playing guitar only helps you to follow your own passion, you will only be rewarded by yourself.
 

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,083
169,507
Utah

v0lume4

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
400%
May 1, 2017
4
16
30
Greenville, SC
For starters, I believe the biggest takeaway from this thread thus far is that your fastlane plan and your passion can coexist -- you don't have to choose one or the other. Frankly, having a successful fastlane plan will help fund what you LOVE -- playing your guitar! As you might remember in The Millionaire Fastlane , MJ wanted to be a screenwriter growing up ("blame Steven Spielberg", quoting the book). Once he made his money, he had the time to sit down and do exactly what he's wanted to do for a long time -- write! He didn't have to be at an office at 8AM, come home exhausted by 5PM, and then convince himself to work on his book. He had all day, every day, available to work on his book because his business and money systems bought him time.

You really love playing the guitar. And you might be the next Kirk Hammett -- neither me nor anyone here has the right to say that you won't be. Or... you may not. Regardless the outcome, why not at least create explosive cash flow in the meantime? I mean, man, can you imagine how much fun you could have waking up every morning, grabbing some coffee, then picking up your expensive guitar (plugged into the amp of your dreams) for hours, knowing "I don't have to be anywhere today." That would be INSANE, right?

--

Now, let me level with you. I know exactly where you are coming from because I routinely suffer with the same dilemma. I want to be a photographer and videographer. And I want to travel. Every time I open up Instagram, I see the many professional photographers that I follow traveling, having fun, hanging out together, creating content, and getting paid for it! Often times, their travels are paid for entirely by their clients. "Getting paid to travel to do what I love -- taking photos? What?! Sign me up!"

Well, there's another dream of mine that I didn't mention -- owning a Ferrari. For the most part, even as a successful photographer, I'd still be doing jobs for other people. There would be a ceiling as to what I could earn, as I only have a certain amount of days in the year to take photographs. I'd be trading my time for money, even though it'd be at a great rate. And if I decided to quit taking photos -- then what? My cash flow would cease. Goodbye travel and goodbye Ferrari.

And this leads me to my next and final point -- "Follow your passion" isn't inherently bad advice, as long as you apply fastlane principles to your passion.

You love the guitar, and you love playing music. You know WAY more about the music industry than most people do as a result, which means you also know much more about the problems within that industry. When you're playing your guitar, searching for new gear, or doing anything related to the guitar, how often do you think to yourself, "I wish there was a way to...", or "This sucks because..." or "If only I could..."

Answer those questions, and start a business. Because with 8 billion people on this planet, if you have a problem, I guarantee you that thousands (millions?) of others have had the same problem. Solve the problem! You don't have the drop the guitar or your love of music in order to create a fastlane business -- create a fastlane business within the industry that you love! You have unique insight into the problems of the music industry, and maybe just maybe, @kelvinfernandezm will be the one that solves problems for millions of other guitarists out there.

Solve needs. Solve problems. Use your unique insight in the music industry to solve problems within that industry.

I wish you the very best, my friend. Keep us updated. Cheers. :smile:

---

Fun example: What kind of travel could I do and what kind of pictures could I take if I had time and money, paid for by a fastlane business? Well, look no further than a man named Tom Anderson: the man that created and sold MySpace: Tom Anderson (@myspacetom) • Instagram photos and videos

A quick thank you: I'm new to the forum, and the advice given within this thread has been Gold (pun intended). I appreciate all of you taking the time to write out your responses. Not only have they helped the OP, but they have helped me, too.

edit -- Changed Kurt Cobain to Kirk Hammett. Got the two mixed up
 
Last edited:

GMSI7D

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
Jan 27, 2016
992
2,041
47
Lyon, France
First of all I have read the Fastlane Millionaire every year for the past 3 years or so. I love the book. And yes I already order Unscripted I'm still waiting for it in the mail.

I respect MJ DeMarco and his work but since the the first time I read his book I can't get over the fact that he says that money is more important than your passion. That doing what you love will not make you rich.

Imagine you're on your deathbed sweaty, nervous, trying your best to stay awake because you know that as soon as you go to sleep that will be the last time you close your eyes. You're dying on a 24k gold bedframe. But you don't care nor notice all that, you keep going back to that one thing you always wanted to be. A guitarist.

That was your dream and what you enjoyed most. But it wasn't paying the bills or putting food on the table. Nobody was buying your music either because they were been torrented. Yet you still enjoyed yourself and could survive off ramen noodles as long as your guitar was properly tuned.

But the pressure from your family to provide food and shelter made you take a detour on your dream. That detour led to riches but it also robbed you of your time with your precious guitar. Yet everytime you saw your dusty guitar in the coner of your room you told yourself next week I'll have free time to play. But you never did.

And yes I know money can buy you some good guitar lessons, your own record label, and even a recording studio. But unless you're Fastlane it won't give you time. So you either choose to strive to be rich or to follow your passion. Comfort in life or regret while dying.

Both passion and riches are essential for your life so is it possible to combine them both? Or are we forever force to decide for either or?


man, you should become a copywriter because you can grab attention

copywriters don't care whether they are right or wrong

they just want enough people to show up and discuss the thing

and grabing attention in our overwhelmed world is worth millions

even if 80 % of people don't like you, the remaining 20 % are enough to help make you money anyway

this is especially true is you are approved by the best 20 % of the population as described by the 80/20 rule

congratulations !!


Law 6 Court Attention at all Cost

Everything is judged by its appearance; what is unseen counts for nothing. Never let yourself get lost in the crowd, then, or buried in oblivion. Stand out. Be conspicuous, at all cost. Make yourself a magnet of attention by appearing larger, more colorful, more mysterious, than the bland and timid masses.

from the 48 laws of power
 
Last edited:

Frankie Relax

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
112%
May 1, 2015
84
94
34
Italy
First of all I have read the Fastlane Millionaire every year for the past 3 years or so. I love the book. And yes I already order Unscripted I'm still waiting for it in the mail.

I respect MJ DeMarco and his work but since the the first time I read his book I can't get over the fact that he says that money is more important than your passion. That doing what you love will not make you rich.

Imagine you're on your deathbed sweaty, nervous, trying your best to stay awake because you know that as soon as you go to sleep that will be the last time you close your eyes. You're dying on a 24k gold bedframe. But you don't care nor notice all that, you keep going back to that one thing you always wanted to be. A guitarist.

That was your dream and what you enjoyed most. But it wasn't paying the bills or putting food on the table. Nobody was buying your music either because they were been torrented. Yet you still enjoyed yourself and could survive off ramen noodles as long as your guitar was properly tuned.

But the pressure from your family to provide food and shelter made you take a detour on your dream. That detour led to riches but it also robbed you of your time with your precious guitar. Yet everytime you saw your dusty guitar in the coner of your room you told yourself next week I'll have free time to play. But you never did.

And yes I know money can buy you some good guitar lessons, your own record label, and even a recording studio. But unless you're Fastlane it won't give you time. So you either choose to strive to be rich or to follow your passion. Comfort in life or regret while dying.

Both passion and riches are essential for your life so is it possible to combine them both? Or are we forever force to decide for either or?

I get your point and I understand you pretty well because I'm a guitarist as well!

In my opinion, it is all a matter of finding the right balance between work and passions (as well as other crucial things like love, relationships, hobbies, etc. ) . In simple words we have to find the balance between work and life.

Work isn't life. Unless you make money with your passion. But most of us could never make money with our passions, just because we aren't good enough.

Regarding myself, for example, I like basketball, but I'm not good enough to become a pro player. So it's unlikely I would make money playing basketball. Thus I need to work on things I don't like. Why? Because I need money.

We live in a society based on money and money is necessary to live.

If you don't like this, you can move to Amazonia and live together with the aborigines. But I guess you won't be able to connect your amp to an electric source.

So, we need to find a balance between work and life.
If you only work, you will waste your life, as well as your health.
If you only live, you won't make any money.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

5holiday

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
61%
Jun 7, 2012
106
65
This was actually a relevant, worthwhile point to make and discuss.

It seems like 90% of the replies to this are dogmatic garbage, regurgitating 'the gospel' and referencing MJ as if he is some cloud breaking, light shining saint reaching down from heaven to impart words of unquestionable wisdom. Evey book is an opinion , guys.

There is more than one valid way to live a successful life - and not everyone is going to have one.

Some people will work their a$$ off for FI early and it will work. Some people work their a$$ off and die unexpectedly, leaving behind friends and family who wished they thought worked more on the 'play hard' part.

Some people will follow their passions, make F*ck-all cash for most of their life and hit it big later as a rock star, thought leader (not one of those thinkfluencer clowns), writer, whatever.

Whatever the case, I'd wager that most people who've made it in life did it by being themselves and not forcing themselves to go totally against something they're not.

Here's a cliche example if you wanted one: I bet you Steve Jobs didn't TRY to be a hard headed a**hole because he read it in a book. He just was. That worked for him. I doubt he optimized his choices in life just for cash and I doubt could have made the same impact in his life in career forcing himself to found some other kinds of companies because he thought they would get him FI earlier.

The book is an opinion about what's important and works. It's worth discussing different points of view on the pros and cons.
 

MJ DeMarco

I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
445%
Jul 23, 2007
38,083
169,507
Utah
Every book is an opinion , guys.

There is more than one valid way to live a successful life - and not everyone is going to have one.

Absolutely.

In the end there is no right / wrong answer.

However I always try to deconstruct everything down to mathematics and put it into the perspective of game theory -- math is the fundamental law of the universe. From my research, what approach has the better odds of succeeding? Following your passion? Or following where there's demand? IMO, it's the latter.

It's kinda like debating MLM -- I won't say you can't succeed or make money at it -- many do -- my problem lies in the mathematics, or the odds of success.

If tasked with winning a game and 1 path gives you 1% odds of winning and the other 11%, which path do you want to pursue? Both paths can win -- it is just one gives you better chances.
 

lewj24

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
369%
May 12, 2016
432
1,593
28
St. Louis, MO
I bet you Steve Jobs didn't TRY to be a hard headed a**hole because he read it in a book. He just was. That worked for him. I doubt he optimized his choices in life just for cash and I doubt could have made the same impact in his life in career forcing himself to found some other kinds of companies because he thought they would get him FI earlier.

Steve Jobs read books daily so how do you know he didn't get the idea from a book and ran with it when it worked? I'm a completely different person than I was 2 years ago because I started reading regularly.

Steve Jobs also started Pixar when he was fired from Apple.

Obviously you're wrong about most or all of what you said here. You don't stumble into a net worth of over $10 Billion. He clearly optimized his choices to make money.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

TrevorLC

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
175%
May 21, 2015
4
7
27
His point the way I saw it was to get rich quick through the fastlane so that you would be able to pursue your passion without having to worry whether or not it will pay the bills.

For him it was the book, he literally says he doesn't know or care if it'll sell well in the pages because he was already making millions off investments.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
 

Michael Greene

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
132%
Jun 2, 2015
38
50
31
Detroit
First of all I have read the Fastlane Millionaire every year for the past 3 years or so. I love the book. And yes I already order Unscripted I'm still waiting for it in the mail.

I respect MJ DeMarco and his work but since the the first time I read his book I can't get over the fact that he says that money is more important than your passion. That doing what you love will not make you rich.

Imagine you're on your deathbed sweaty, nervous, trying your best to stay awake because you know that as soon as you go to sleep that will be the last time you close your eyes. You're dying on a 24k gold bedframe. But you don't care nor notice all that, you keep going back to that one thing you always wanted to be. A guitarist.

That was your dream and what you enjoyed most. But it wasn't paying the bills or putting food on the table. Nobody was buying your music either because they were been torrented. Yet you still enjoyed yourself and could survive off ramen noodles as long as your guitar was properly tuned.

But the pressure from your family to provide food and shelter made you take a detour on your dream. That detour led to riches but it also robbed you of your time with your precious guitar. Yet everytime you saw your dusty guitar in the coner of your room you told yourself next week I'll have free time to play. But you never did.

And yes I know money can buy you some good guitar lessons, your own record label, and even a recording studio. But unless you're Fastlane it won't give you time. So you either choose to strive to be rich or to follow your passion. Comfort in life or regret while dying.

Both passion and riches are essential for your life so is it possible to combine them both? Or are we forever force to decide for either or?

I know this thread is kind of dead but i want to make a point about it.

1. You should keep in mind that MJ wrote the book from the perspective of a person who wanted to achieve a luxury lifestyle but does not see himself as particularly "talented" or "gifted". I don't believe he is saying "i'm not talented, so you're not talented either...go invent something". He may not have believed he was talented enough to reach his lifestyle off of his writing alone ( though his sales suggest otherwise ;) ), that's just his belief it dictated his own actions. Other people might think the opposite and then you get J.K Rowling's. He's speaking from his perspective and giving advice to people who resonate with that message. If you don't think it applies to you, skip over that part. The other 99% of the book applies to anyone aspiring towards success.

2. Regardless of you want to want to do, the principle still comes down to providing value for others. Whether you're MJ, Mark Cuban, Slash, Drake, Lebron James, Tiger Woods, Martha Stewart, whoever. Whether you're doing a work of passion or not. It comes down to providing value for others. LeBron is insanely passionate about basketball, but nobody cares that he is passionate about basketball. LeBron is rich because he is entertaining to watch. His passion may have driven him to get his skills to the point where he is now, but the value for others is in the entertainment not the passion. That goes for all entertainers. All roads lead to providing value for others. So if you want to be rich as a guitarist that's something to think about.

3. You may not even want to pursue fast lane. Fastlane is about building a system that can operate on it's own with minimal effort on your behalf so you can live the lifestyle you want to live. But if you want to live the lifestyle of a musician, because you're an artist and you would be using your free time to make music anyway, then maybe that's not what you want. Maybe you want your income connected to your time if you're spending the time doing what you want to do. If that's the case you shouldn't be worrying about Fastlane, you should be focused on expanding your brand, increasing your popularity so you can increase the amount of opportunities available to you in the field you actually want to go into. I have friends making 20k for an hour show on top of paid travel and lodging, and they're happy. It's about what you want to do.

4. Keep in mind that the music industry in 2017 is not what it was in 1997. If it was possible to go Fast Lane in music at any point it would be now. You can do what a record label does for yourself. By that i mean, You can distribute and register your works and collect all the money, rather than receive royalties. I know of an artist that makes 90k a month from his music because he's independent so he owns all the rights to his songs (it helps that he does everything his self too). Then it becomes a game of getting your name out there (to LISTENERS), which you would have to do anyway if you had a business (to customers).

Just food for thought.
 

Imgal

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
329%
Aug 9, 2015
486
1,599
If playing guitar solves other people's problems or makes them happy, you'll be rewarded. The rewards will be bigger if you can reach more people or solve bigger issues. You talked about pirated copies of your work. But I think you are in the guitar playing business not the music distribution business, right?

If playing guitar only helps you to follow your own passion, you will only be rewarded by yourself.

I work with and know some fairly well known musicians who do make their money from music and here's the funny thing, while they make really good money doing it... for at least a third of them, it's not their passion. They know how to write music that touches people and helps them in times of emotional turmoil... but does it make their heart sing? Nope.

Between them they'd rather be playing with cars, doing geeky things online or being an artist. They know though that they're crap at it and won't make them money to be able to do it if it was their career.

Chase what makes others hearts sing when you give them the solution. If it's something that makes your heart sing 24-7 doing it to then awesome (though if you're doing it 24-7 you're doing the Fastlane wrong... EMERGENCY BACKTRACK!! )
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

ApeRunner

Very Fast on a Bike
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
326%
May 16, 2014
166
541
43
Cozumel
. Yet you still enjoyed yourself and could survive off ramen noodles as long as your guitar was properly tuned.

But the pressure from your family to provide food and shelter made you take a detour on your dream.

Music was AND IS my dream.

But you know what is more important than a guitar that is properly tuned? Caring for your family.

You know what sucks a$$? Feeding ramen to your family.

Fastlane IS the reason we are in this forum. Year by year I own better music equipment. Every month I have more time for making music. "Striving" to get rich is only temporary. I dont regret anything. My life and family ARE my true passion. The end justify the means.

¿What is the real END? ¿Is there one?
 
Last edited:

ApeRunner

Very Fast on a Bike
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
326%
May 16, 2014
166
541
43
Cozumel
laughing-gifs-foolish-human.gif


That's probably why 99.9% of all musicians, while trying to follow their dream, are bitter, frustrated and absolutely not enjoying themselves.

In case you still don't get it: playing songs on a tuned guitar won't solve problems for many people. Curing cancer will.

I was one of those 99.9% of musicians. Then I got my "F*ck This" event.

Now when I see this lots musicians beggin on the streets, following their passion, I laugh like Putin...

And I still love and enjoy music!
 

Iammelissamoore

Silver Contributor
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
239%
Sep 23, 2014
393
938
Trinidad and Tobago
Prior to reading TMF and now Unscripted , I believed in that Passionate Philosophy too, but, when you're hungry, like literally hungry - no food to eat etc., Passion doesn't put food on the table; however, while TMF and Unscripted doesn't promote the "Do What You Love" philosophy, it doesn't sideline it.

When one builds a biz Fastlane and Unscripted , one manages to create enough time to do a lot of passion projects and follow dream passions because the foundation for income would have been set and working, therefore it leads to a win-win.

After all, life isn't about simply paying bills, and while not all passions may just be that, sometimes we can easily get lost in our passion that it blindsides us and we can lose understanding when things become to overwhelming and we don't have the means to get out.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

BrooklynHustle

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
207%
Apr 3, 2014
735
1,524
40
DMV
Prior to reading TMF and now Unscripted , I believed in that Passionate Philosophy too, but, when you're hungry, like literally hungry - no food to eat etc., Passion doesn't put food on the table; however, while TMF and Unscripted doesn't promote the "Do What You Love" philosophy, it doesn't sideline it.

When one builds a biz Fastlane and Unscripted , one manages to create enough time to do a lot of passion projects and follow dream passions because the foundation for income would have been set and working, therefore it leads to a win-win.

After all, life isn't about simply paying bills, and while not all passions may just be that, sometimes we can easily get lost in our passion that it blindsides us and we can lose understanding when things become to overwhelming and we don't have the means to get out.
Amen...
 

bringitnow28329

Bronze Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
98%
Mar 30, 2013
168
165
Providence
Don't have kids or get married and your problem is solved. Marriage and children is a life of slavery for most people that aren't already in the fast lane.

First of all I have read the Fastlane Millionaire every year for the past 3 years or so. I love the book. And yes I already order Unscripted I'm still waiting for it in the mail.

I respect MJ DeMarco and his work but since the the first time I read his book I can't get over the fact that he says that money is more important than your passion. That doing what you love will not make you rich.

Imagine you're on your deathbed sweaty, nervous, trying your best to stay awake because you know that as soon as you go to sleep that will be the last time you close your eyes. You're dying on a 24k gold bedframe. But you don't care nor notice all that, you keep going back to that one thing you always wanted to be. A guitarist.

That was your dream and what you enjoyed most. But it wasn't paying the bills or putting food on the table. Nobody was buying your music either because they were been torrented. Yet you still enjoyed yourself and could survive off ramen noodles as long as your guitar was properly tuned.

But the pressure from your family to provide food and shelter made you take a detour on your dream. That detour led to riches but it also robbed you of your time with your precious guitar. Yet everytime you saw your dusty guitar in the coner of your room you told yourself next week I'll have free time to play. But you never did.

And yes I know money can buy you some good guitar lessons, your own record label, and even a recording studio. But unless you're Fastlane it won't give you time. So you either choose to strive to be rich or to follow your passion. Comfort in life or regret while dying.

Both passion and riches are essential for your life so is it possible to combine them both? Or are we forever force to decide for either or?
 

AFMKelvin

Some Profound Quote Goes Here
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
199%
Jan 26, 2016
733
1,456
31
Rice, Texas
Don't have kids or get married and your problem is solved. Marriage and children is a life of slavery for most people that aren't already in the fast lane.
Ok so do you have any kids? Also when is the best age to have kids?
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

TheFrancophile

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
155%
Feb 5, 2017
40
62
35
Lyon, France
In the end there is no right / wrong answer.

However I always try to deconstruct everything down to mathematics and put it into the perspective of game theory -- math is the fundamental law of the universe. From my research, what approach has the better odds of succeeding? Following your passion? Or following where there's demand? IMO, it's the latter.
May I add my humble two cents?

The above is absolutely true, except that it's hard doing something just for the money when you're not passionate about it and don't really like what you're doing. Eventually, even the promise of millions of $ won't be enough to keep you going and you'll burn out. In other words, if you're only doing it for the money, you'll fail. OTOH, if you're passionate about it, if you truly care about it, you will have an edge over the competition - they're only doing it for the money and you're doing it because you love it. And if you really love it, you'll likely to be pretty good at it.

I'm just an aspiring entrepreneur, not a seasoned one yet, but I think the best path is to do something that you love *and* which you're good at *and* which can bring you profits. Find out where those three conditions intersect.

I used to believe that "following your passion/doing what you love" doesn't work, but then again, many overwhelmingly-successful businessmen, from Warren Buffett to Elon Musk to Theo Paphitis, say that you should.
 

Iammelissamoore

Silver Contributor
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
239%
Sep 23, 2014
393
938
Trinidad and Tobago
I used to believe that "following your passion/doing what you love" doesn't work, but then again, many overwhelmingly-successful businessmen, from Warren Buffett to Elon Musk to Theo Paphitis, say that you should.
...yet none of them actually built their wealth following that exact 'advice' they tell everyone; it's easier to tell people in a quick sentence "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life" than it is to go through a whole course/conversation/lesson teaching people about:

1. Changing/Adjusting their mindset (because everything begins with changing or adjusting our mindsets).
2. Explaining proven principles and theories that assist people in getting ahead with business.

I don't exactly get why Warren Buffet, Elon Musk and the likes would spend exceptional time telling consumerists the real way they got ahead, when they recognise that the vast majority of people have a very short attention span, and that most consumerists do not care to make an effort to live beyond owning the next latest, shiny object over becoming better versions of themselves.
 

TheFrancophile

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
155%
Feb 5, 2017
40
62
35
Lyon, France
...yet none of them actually built their wealth following that exact 'advice' they tell everyone; it's easier to tell people in a quick sentence "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life" than it is to go through a whole course/conversation/lesson teaching people about:

1. Changing/Adjusting their mindset (because everything begins with changing or adjusting our mindsets).
2. Explaining proven principles and theories that assist people in getting ahead with business.

I don't exactly get why Warren Buffet, Elon Musk and the likes would spend exceptional time telling consumerists the real way they got ahead, when they recognise that the vast majority of people have a very short attention span, and that most consumerists do not care to make an effort to live beyond owning the next latest, shiny object over becoming better versions of themselves.
Uh oh. You are now essentially accusing all of the world's top businessmen, from Elon Musk to Warren Buffett to Jeff Bezos, of misleading people. That is a very serious accusation.

You're essentially accusing all of them of telling people one thing and doing something completely different : that they only tell people to follow their passions while doing something they're not passionate about just for the money or for the sake of responding to market demand.

Do you really think those people became so successful and wealthy simply because they recognized some unmet (or poorly met) demand and responded to it ? That their passions had nothing to do with their success ? Do you know their biographies ? Do you know what trials and tribulations most (if not all) of them had to go through ? In Elon Musk's case, this included the Great Recession of 2008 that hit the auto industry particularly hard (and sent oil prices down to the thirties), staking all of his life's fortune on saving Tesla and SpaceX, and being ridiculed in front of the whole world not just by the media, but also by his own childhood heroes (American astronauts such as Gene Cernan) testifying before Congress.

As Steve Jobs has said, faced with such difficulties, people who are doing it only for the sake of meeting demand (or for the money) will simply quit. Only those who are passionate about what they're doing will perservere.

And no, those wealthy business figures were not speaking to average consumerists, they were speaking to aspiring entrepreneurs at forums, seminars, and in similar settings. Here's a sample video of them speaking.

And BTW, the "don't follow your passion, the world doesn't give a damn about it, follow market demand instead" advice is nothing new. There are plenty of videos and websites by people who says so. Last time I checked, though, none of them was a billionnaire.

So basically, it all comes down to whom you listen to and whom you take your advice from.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
Last edited:

GatsbyMag

Bronze Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
171%
Jun 20, 2016
268
459
Uh oh. You are now essentially accusing all of the world's top businessmen, from Elon Musk to Warren Buffett to Jeff Bezos, of lying. That is a very serious accusation.

You're essentially accusing all of them of telling people one thing and doing something completely different : that they only tell people to follow their passions while doing something they're not passionate about just for the money or for the sake of responding to market demand.

Do you really think those people became so successful and wealthy simply because they recognized some unmet (or poorly met) demand and responded to it ? That their passions had nothing to do with their success ? Do you know their biographies ? Do you know what trials and tribulations most (if not all) of them had to go through ? In Elon Musk's case, this included the Great Recession of 2008 that hit the auto industry particularly hard (and sent oil prices down to the thirties), staking all of his life's fortune on saving Tesla and SpaceX, and being ridiculed in front of the whole world not just by the media, but also by his own childhood heroes (American astronauts such as Gene Cernan) testifying before Congress.

As Steve Jobs has said, faced with such difficulties, people who are doing it only for the sake of meeting demand (or for the money) will simply quit. Only those who are passionate about what they're doing will perservere.

And no, those wealthy business figures were not speaking to average consumerists, they were speaking to aspiring entrepreneurs at forums, seminars, and in similar settings. Here's a sample video of them speaking.

And BTW, the "don't follow your passion, the world doesn't give a damn about it, follow market demand instead" advice is nothing new. There are plenty of videos and websites by people who says so. Last time I checked, though, none of them was a billionnaire.

So basically, it all comes down to whom you listen to and whom you take your advice from.

It hardly mattered that young Henry Ford was drawn to automobiles, or that Ruben Rausing chose packaging, or that Bill Gates gravitated to software to create vast fortunes. I would be open to persuasion that had their roles, and the century in which they lived, been reversed, they would have done just as well and raised themselves every inch as high from the common herd financially. Their ability to take chances and to subsequently exploit initial success counted more than their inclination["passion"] towards a particular industry. Their execution of a strategy trumped the subject of their obsession.

- Taken from Felix Dennis.

[My maybe incorrect thoughts]
Some people are lucky that they have talent in their passion which also happens to bring value to others i.e. LeBron James and Justin Bieber. And there are people like Elon Musk who are extremely intelligent which allows them to figure things out pretty quickly and dominate areas within Tech.

But for most of us who aren't talented in our passion and aren't blessed with extreme intelligence, we have to do things we don't enjoy. We have to use the passion that comes from overcoming the challenge of doing something we don't enjoy to keep us moving forward. I've had a hard time coming to terms with this reality but it's the only one that has worked well for me so far. Life's not fair and only those who can adapt quickly can survive and thrive.
 

MidwestLandlord

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
759%
Dec 6, 2016
1,479
11,226
Way over thinking this "do what you love" stuff guys...

The common theme with the Elon Musk's and Steve Jobs' of the world? They filled a NEED. (Or several)

Of course those people love what they do, they are in (or were, in Jobs' case) a positive feedback loop from providing tremendous value to the world.

If "do what you love" coincides with a need that you can fill, great...do it. But for the vast majority of people that isn't the case and only leads to failure from starting a business on the premise of "I love doing this so much that people should pay me to do it"

And Steve Jobs understood that having a passion for being the best and providing more value than anyone else was followed by money.

I mean, the early days of Apple are one of the best examples of a productocracy on the planet, and all people got out of Jobs' example was "do what you love"??
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top