I made a decision to finally take control of my life - Need advices

[mimedia]

I am actually 22 and will turn 23 soon. If I was 19, I wouldn't be upset that much.

Still young, but realize that if you don't start acting soon, things will get a lot harder, very quickly.

I think this would be the best option right now. I'd only need a PC with internet access. Btw, I don't know a lot about VAs, so before I do research, would you mind telling me how much you delegate to that VA? The reason I ask is because I'd like to know if I need to work as a VA for one person or more.

Why do you need me to respond to such a basic question? You'll find out as soon as you start doing research. If you had started as soon as I planted the idea, you could be working right now, earning real money.

I agree with the guy who said it doesn't sound like you wanna work though. It sounds like you just want to wallow in self pity and vent about how hopeless your life is. I'd bet that a year from now you won't have gotten anywhere as a VA. Prove me wrong!

I started the daily practice, a similar one. The only problem I have is with removing the people who are dragging me down from my life(my parents) and the "feel grateful" thing.

Your parents aren't dragging you down in life they're the only ones holding you up. They're completely justified in pushing you to get a job, and they're the only reason you can get away without having one. Take advantage of it while you still can.

Write down 5 things you're grateful for everyday, even if you don't *feel* grateful.

 

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[DeletedUser19]

I knew that getting a decent job as a VA or a freelancer in general is not easy, although it turned out harder than I thought. So many people are underestimating themselves. I am not in a position where I can choose my salary. But srsly. 1-2$/hour. How to compete against that? I think that US citizens find this even more silly.

I will start acquiring a skill so I can be more competitive, most probably copywriting. And until then I will be competing with Indians and Filipinos who think it is a good idea to work for 1$ an hour.

 

[Gruby Phil]

I'm from Central-Eastern Europe country as well. When I graduated from high school I had 3 months of vacation ahead of me but my parents told me that they 'can't afford sending me to college' afterwards. I couldn't find a job anywhere- at least job that would allow me to move from my parents and live on my own. You know what I did? I was working on a farm for two weeks and spent all the money I had earned on a one-way plane ticket to England. Being there I would knock on the door of every restaurant. I found a job on my first day (kitchen porter). After my vacations I had enough money to come back and cover my living expenses throughout the whole year. Remember- there is always a way!

 

[DennisD]

Bro.
I've been where you are.
Literally no money, kicked out of my parents house, literally on the streets, literally not eating for days at a time.
I've built myself out and been kicked back down 3 times now... a different mistake crushing me each time.
I'm only 3 years older than you.

The "safe" suggestion is to get 2-3 jobs, lower your cost of living, and save money.
Educate yourself at night, work during the day.
Save until you have enough money to support yourself for 12 months.
Then quit and pursue something fastlane fulltime.

Building a business is a lot easier when you can reinvest your profits and grow exponentially, rather than using it to feed yourself.

 

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[mimedia]

I knew that getting a decent job as a VA or a freelancer in general is not easy, although it turned out harder than I thought. So many people are underestimating themselves. I am not in a position where I can choose my salary. But srsly. 1-2$/hour. How to compete against that? I think that US citizens find this even more silly.

I will start acquiring a skill so I can be more competitive, most probably copywriting. And until then I will be competing with Indians and Filipinos who think it is a good idea to work for 1$ an hour.

So? Of course it's not easy, but you've been at it for like 2 days and you've already found yourself an excuse not to work.

If you can't compete on price, work on your positioning - if price were the only factor in the marketplace, 99% of the people on this forum wouldn't have a business.

There is a market for higher priced VAs that can speak/write fluent English, have some basic business knowledge, and are self-starters who don't need to be coddled at every step of a task. Right now, that doesn't really describe you, but that's something you can work on. Don't use skill acquisition as an excuse not to work - you can do both.

Anyways, I hope you actually go out and execute. Stop looking for reasons things can't be done and find a way to do it.

 

[DeletedUser19]

If there is one thing I learned form living with my parents, it's that now I know how I won't treat my children. They are so abusive. I feel sorry for my brother that he will continue to live with them, he is younger. I won't. I can't. They were out of the city for 7 days, and in those 7 days I took more action than the last two months. I am starting to long for the day that I will break free.

I thought my self pity was the problem. No, they are. My self pity comes from my inability to liberate myself from them. And now I am back at square one, to take a local job, if I can find a good one(by good I mean one that will cover my basic expenses), or maybe 2. I don't care. Tomorrow, I go out and ask for anything available.

For a second I thought to ask for money from home for the last time, so when I go out on my own, I survive until the my first paycheck is received. After the fight today, I was proven wrong. What a joke. The thing they want the least is me taking control. They don't want me going on my own. Today I was so furious, that if I had 200 euros with me, I would have left right then.

I am feeling down these two days again. I tried ignoring them. It doesn't help. They constantly nag, fight, abuse, irritate. It's like they want drama, chaos. My mum even threatens me; if I go out, she wouldn't live anymore or something. I still do the stuff from the routine. I exercise (run) and meditate, and write things that I am grateful for.

I started looking for students/roommates. I don't even know why I am doing that when all the money I have won't even cover expenses for 2 weeks.

I would like the day to come when I will write a fastlane success story here on this forum, instead of bitching and feeling sorry for myself.

The "safe" suggestion is to get 2-3 jobs, lower your cost of living, and save money.

That's what I plan to do anyway right now. There is no other better option at the moment. And I will continue looking for a job as a VA. Maybe a good opportunity will come.

I just wanted to vent. And I will probably stop posting on this thread for a while. I got all the advice that I needed. I will post when I'll have something worthwhile or good to report.

 

[DeletedUser19]

I started applying for jobs, but I was meeting failure. Failure after failure I broke down again(I didn't even had a plan). I was lying on my bed for days. So I said maybe I should give up after all. I should accept what my mom was telling me, that those stories I read about happen only in America. I should accept what everyone is saying here that you can't be a normal person without a degree. I don't have connections. No money.

After returning again to desperation and depression, I pushed myself, I hope this time for good. So I told myself, you either kill yourself or start doing something meaningful, because this shit ain't working. I was in a state of waiting. What was I waiting for?

Today I put my college studies on pause. I am rationalizing that some day I will return, even though deep inside I know it won't happen. it's weird, but I somehow feel lighter.
I think the problem was the plan. I didn't have any. "Taking control" isn't some plan. So I decided to come up with a better one. I need goals, either one goal or two. I will test either way and see which is better.

The most important thing that comes to my mind is to leave this house and start anew. Even if it's in the same city. I will need some money. So the goal is connected with money. I know I shouldn't chase money, I should chase needs, but...

Goal:

1. Make 50 euros a day

A bold one. It's far more than I need, and it's exactly how much I want. In order to accomplish that I would need to sell something here, well, more than something. Getting a job alone won't get me there. Probably I should do both.

I was talking with a friend of mine to start a news website about football or sport in general(for Macedonian audience). We had this talk once but did nothing. Now we are more serious. The competition is weak, so we can beat them. Their design is not good, and their content really sucks. 2 questions/problems arise that need research. The first is monetization. We don't know when and if it is going to be worth it. And the second is that we are two, and I don't watch sport anymore. Will it be enough for posts and stories in the beginning until we can afford writers? *This is not a business, this is a job, so I know what I will be getting myself into.

About the goal I posted. There is a similar website like craigslist here. So that would be my starting point. I have 140 dollars. I was avoiding this option because I haven't sold anything in my life, I didn't want to risk the last money I had. But that is b.s. I have nothing to lose. The market is small, but I will try it anyway.

I have some questions about goals for anyone that has more experience with accomplishing big goals. By big I mean something that seems challenging from the current situation that one is in.

1. Is it better to focus on one goal or two? Will focusing on two goals make me less productive? (Keep in mind that I don't have any other distraction).
2. How is your experience with productivity, by making the goal more realistic or less realistic?
3. Should I make a huge goal for longer period, or smaller for shorter and constantly increase it or add a new one as I finish it?
4. With deadline or without?

Note: I don't have problems with commitment, but only when I truly decide and want to commit. From my heart. When I was training(when my parents gave me money) I didn't miss a workout. Not even one. I stopped playing video games. I gave up smoking. I stopped eating dairy(+ every unhealthy food you can imagine) 2 years ago. I am gluten free 6 months. I have a strong willpower when I can find my why. Now i realize that this is a very good trait I have, I just need to find a way to put this in a good use financially.

 

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[scottaj74]

You mentioned that you were from a small country in Europe - what country? Obviously you have a pretty good grip on English, so unless you live in the UK, I'm guessing you already have 2 or more languages under your belt. Can you teach English? Can you do some translation work either way (english to ?, or ? to english)? Maybe some websites need to be updated in English for international customers. I don't really know, just throwing some ideas out there that might help you out.

I'm a Canadian currently in France - I grew in BC (western side) so I don't know French, but I'm looking at all the opportunities around me right now. Pick a direction, any direction and you'll find out if you like or not. It's better than standing still and not taking action.

 

[shedim]

My grandma's brother from Australia tells me how it's not as easy as I think to become independent in Australia. I just laughed at how he forgot where he came from. Then we compared the wages and the opportunities. He said nothing. Silence. Of course he won't. He has a house worth 300 000 dollars. My father makes 6000 dollars a year.

Instead of laughing I'd have asked him for advice, or maybe whether he wants to share his story with me. You're asking people you don't even know in a forum (allthough the people here are have a great supporting attitude and genuinely try to help you) instead of asking a relative, who succeeded in making a living in a foreign country and seems to have things you'd love to have as well. Don't make him feel bad because he has a 300.000$ house and you have nothing, that's not a good starting point for any conversation. Rather ask him, how he succeeded. What did he do? What did he fear? What made him go abroad? How did he get past all the obstacles? I bet you could learn a lot from him, even if he is a slowlaner.

I'd rather be Neo the slowlaner who is able to see the fastlane-matrix and trying to break free, than being broke and on the sidewalk still looking for red pills.

[edit] Ugh, sorry. Next time I'm going to pay more attention on the dates before practicing thread necromancy.

 

[SemiSentient]

You have been given some really good advice from people who have gone out there and hit the streets running to make it happen.

I noticed you said;

"I have no "special" skill that I can sell and no time to teach myself".

Just curious, but how much time are you putting into your job/entrepreneurial search? You need to be out hitting it everyday, all day. Search the internet, cold call, walk the streets for ideas. Look for needs! I guarantee they are there if you look hard enough.

I wish you the best of luck, but you have to be serious about this and believe in yourself before anyone else can.

 

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[Determined2012]

I started applying for jobs, but I was meeting failure.

The best way to get a job (barring knowing someone) is to go to career fairs.