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.

If money wasn't an issue what would you do with the majority of your time?

ShamanKing

Silver Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
140%
Aug 30, 2018
382
534
California
I have done some travel. Been to parts of Europe and Tanzania. I figured out that traveling with luggage and staying in resort hotels does not resonate well with me. Long flights are very uncomfortable and confining.

I have owned a motorhome for many years. That is my choice of travel. Open air and wide open land. I tow the jeep along and can go lots of places. I really doubt that all could be explored in the remainder of time I have left.

I camp on the beach a few weeks per year, explore the national monuments and parks, find quiet places nestled in the mountains and lay in the grass fields and search for fishing holes that are beyond where people like to hike to.

Yeah... That's it for me!

I agree with the flying thing. I never liked flying and turbulence lol. If you ever do a trip up North to California I have a few fishing spots we can go to. Worst thing we will catch is a beautiful scenery.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

SteveO

Legendary Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
456%
Jul 24, 2007
4,228
19,294
I agree with the flying thing. I never liked flying and turbulence lol. If you ever do a trip up North to California I have a few fishing spots we can go to. Worst thing we will catch is a beautiful scenery.
Great! Nice to have friends in good places.

I only fish with my kids and grandkids. The scenery and serenity is what I like as well.
 

AgainstAllOdds

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
647%
Dec 26, 2014
2,274
14,724
32
Chicago, IL
@Paul David - you say you want to go live in Spain and learn Spanish, so go do it.

There's no excuses. Even if you have a family, you can head out for the summer.

Start living your life.

And if you can't afford the lifestyle you want in Spain right now, look at Latin America. There's so many options available to you, you just have to get in the right mindset.
 

wade1mil

Platinum Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
247%
Jun 29, 2011
1,803
4,448
I would assemble the most creative team known to man and create my take of the TV show Lost. And I'd run a reality show in parallel showing behind the scenes challenges for writers to adapt the show to audience feedback in real-time. Sounds complicated, but I think it would be both fun and badass.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Bearcorp

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
237%
Jul 2, 2012
711
1,684
39
Australia
Hey Paul, have you considered supporting a second team in the lower leagues? I'm a big Liverpool fan myself but as you mentioned it would cost billions to own a Premier league or Championship club. However, if you get involved at a local club level you can get the same level of enjoyment. Sign up and start volunteering and slowly work your way up at the club. Suddenly you'll be working and trying to fund things like a training pitch, floodlights or a new dressing room etc.. you'll get to know all the players on a personal basis and you can be massive part of any title wins or promotions.

P.S I'm still planning on buying Liverpool but I know at the moment I can also contribute to the club I play for and make an immediate impact. Plus I'm learning everything that goes into the running of a smaller club.

If one good thing comes from C0VlD-19 I hope its a Premier League shut down and Liverpool get no title. Man Utd fan here :hilarious:

I'd been involved in local sports clubs in some capacity, all my life up until about 4 years ago. It can be a very rewarding, but also a massive time sap. I'm one of the few amongst my friends that don't miss it. When my kids are old enough and playing I'll be back into it in some capacity, if its cricket I'll probably make a comeback and also coach them haha. If it's another sport I'll be involved less in coaching and more in off field matters like you mentioned.
 

Paul David

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
199%
Feb 17, 2015
867
1,729
43
England
@Paul David - you say you want to go live in Spain and learn Spanish, so go do it.

There's no excuses. Even if you have a family, you can head out for the summer.

Start living your life.

And if you can't afford the lifestyle you want in Spain right now, look at Latin America. There's so many options available to you, you just have to get in the right mindset.

Yes learning Spanish is something I'm going to do. We have around 3-5 holidays a year anyway at the moment but it's a struggle to financially afford those at times.

My wife wouldn't move from UK to Latin America, she'd miss her mum too much and I don't think she'd handle the culture change. She also has friends who live in Spain which would make the transition easier.
 

Paul David

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
199%
Feb 17, 2015
867
1,729
43
England
If one good thing comes from C0VlD-19 I hope its a Premier League shut down and Liverpool get no title. Man Utd fan here :hilarious:

Couldn't agree more! In fact I'll quite happily stay locked down for another few months so it happens. ha.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
455%
May 1, 2011
7,560
34,430
@Paul David, you've been talking about the same problem for years. I remember several of your threads in which you were talking about wanting to move to Spain and learn Spanish.

Here's one of your threads from February 2016, over four years ago: Something is missing but I don't know what

Then there's also your other thread and other posts about your mid-life crisis, for example here:

Yes learning Spanish is something I'm going to do. We have around 3-5 holidays a year anyway at the moment but it's a struggle to financially afford those at times.

Money is not your issue. You've been talking about Spain for over four years. No matter how busy you are, I can't believe that you can't find even 2-3 hours a week to take some $15 classes online (there are plenty of great native Spanish teachers, I can even recommend one).

I'm not writing any of this to pick on you—just wanted to point out that if you keep doing what you're doing now, you'll post another similar thread in four years, still wanting to move to Spain and learn Spanish.

Something has to change. Ask yourself what.
 

Paul David

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
199%
Feb 17, 2015
867
1,729
43
England
@Paul David, you've been talking about the same problem for years. I remember several of your threads in which you were talking about wanting to move to Spain and learn Spanish.

Here's one of your threads from February 2016, over four years ago: Something is missing but I don't know what

Then there's also your other thread and other posts about your mid-life crisis, for example here:



Money is not your issue. You've been talking about Spain for over four years. No matter how busy you are, I can't believe that you can't find even 2-3 hours a week to take some $15 classes online (there are plenty of great native Spanish teachers, I can even recommend one).

I'm not writing any of this to pick on you—just wanted to point out that if you keep doing what you're doing now, you'll post another similar thread in four years, still wanting to move to Spain and learn Spanish.

Something has to change. Ask yourself what.

Yes you’re absolutely right, it has been a goal of mine for a number of years to move to Spain and learn Spanish.

The only sticking point has been finances. During those times through no fault of anybody but myself I’ve found a lot of ways that’s don’t get me to where I need to be.

I haven’t just done the same thing over and over again. Since the 2018 post I’ve launched a towel ecom brand which unfortunately is on hold due to lack of money and lockdown.

I now have a Facebook ads agency. I have always felt like I needed to find myself, like there was something I was born to do. That would get me out of bed every morning excited to do. However after getting some clarity over the last few days thinking by myself and asking questions I’ve never asked before I know exactly what I want my life to look like.

I am actually already leading some of the life I want that doesn’t cost money to achieve, the part that’s always been missing is the money to achieve the experiences I desire. And not money to buy bigger and better cars or houses.

Since I’ve been an adult I’ve generally lived off the banks money, sure I’ve earned lots of money over the years and had brand new cars and lots of holidays but they were ultimately funded with help from the bank. I wasn’t cash rich.

I’ve never actually been able to go out and spend money on something and think, yes I can actually afford this now. My business did make lots of profit (which I spent) and was always propped up with loans and overdrafts and money owed to the taxman.

I’m actually now in a position to start again with a clean slate where none of my past decisions both personal and business are going to hinder me going forward. Before I did that I just wanted to make absolutely sure about the things I value, enjoy and the philosophies I want to live my life by.

Thanks also to everyone who’s replied to any thread I’ve made. It’s helped more than you know.
 

GrayCode

.
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
399%
Nov 23, 2015
261
1,041
I would assemble the most creative team known to man and create my take of the TV show Lost. And I'd run a reality show in parallel showing behind the scenes challenges for writers to adapt the show to audience feedback in real-time. Sounds complicated, but I think it would be both fun and badass.
I hope you do this. This sounds hella fun.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Odysseus M Jones

[B...{r<°∆°>}--O--{<°∆°>k}...E]
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
X MODERATED X
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
170%
Feb 2, 2020
916
1,559
60
Thanks also to everyone who’s replied to any thread I’ve made. It’s helped more than you know.
I'm sure you must have missed my comment :rofl:
Once I'm financially secure it's a toss up between that ^^^ in my private TV room complete with personal chef.
Or
Fly first class to my favourite Asian cities, stay in top hotels & watch TV there.
Although I do believe watching TV satisfies CENTS
Provided you have the remote...

On a serious note, my mother dreamed of living in Benidorm, she went numerous times, she never stopped talking about it, but she always put if off for some insignificant reason.
She'd been retired five years, no ties, no dependants. I was in Hong Kong, my brother had his own place nearby her.
But she wanted to be near her sons, my brother couldn't move because of his business so I told her I'd move to Spain if she'd do it.
So she sold her house, furniture, moved into rental & later was diagnosed with cancer.
She never made it there, she died in a hospice.
In retrospect she could have had five good years there
You never know what life's going to throw at you
Carpe diem, seize the day
 

Devampre

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
119%
Jan 6, 2016
251
298
29
Canada
I mean if I didn't have to worry about money or wealth/assets at all...

I'd probably just focus more of my time on my creative ambitions, health and relationships. I feel like I have enough meaning and purpose in my life that I wouldn't turn to drugs and negative distraction. However, I'm not so sure about the masses of people in such a scenario.
 

Paul David

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
199%
Feb 17, 2015
867
1,729
43
England
On a serious note, my mother dreamed of living in Benidorm, she went numerous times, she never stopped talking about it, but she always put if off for some insignificant reason.
She'd been retired five years, no ties, no dependants. I was in Hong Kong, my brother had his own place nearby her.
But she wanted to be near her sons, my brother couldn't move because of his business so I told her I'd move to Spain if she'd do it.
So she sold her house, furniture, moved into rental & later was diagnosed with cancer.
She never made it there, she died in a hospice.
In retrospect she could have had five good years there
You never know what life's going to throw at you
Carpe diem, seize the day

I go to Benidorm every year with my friends for a blow out. I love it! Been going for 20 years! It’s always fun in Benidorm!

Sad that your mum never got to live there if that was her wishes and yes you’re right life is too short to have any regrets.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

pdneill

New Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Mar 8, 2019
8
6
Las Vegas
The answer to this question is something that I've been thinking about lately.

I've always wanted to have lots of money - I like nice cars, big houses and the freedom to travel anywhere but what like anything else shiny objects lose their appeal after a while. Just on a bigger scale. Not that I have reached that financial level yet - far from it.

So after I've bought the nice cars, been to exotic places and I'm living in a nice house then what?

I'm lacking a purpose. Or maybe I have a purpose but not the idea to run with. I literally only enjoy eating in restaurants, travelling, socialising with friends and family. I exercise regularly but my only hobby is watching football (soccer.)

When I'm on my death bed I know I won't be thinking I wish I sat on the couch more watching TV. Generally, that is is how I spend most evenings. My Facebook ads business is looking after itself, especially on lockdown and to be put it simply - I'm bored.

@RazorCut suggested that my current business doesn't get me excited to get out of bed and work on it every morning or whenever I have time and he's right. I would like to create a legacy business that I can build and look forward to working on. At the moment I can have all my work done by getting up at 6am and finishing at 12pm but I can't think of anything I want to do with the rest of the day that excites me. At the moment I don't have any ideas of what type of legacy business I could create. I just know something is missing from my life.

My ultimate dream would be to own my favourite Football club in UK and I would love to work on it each and every day to make it the best it can be. However, these days you'd need at least £10bn to do it.

Maybe it's a mid-life crisis. I'm nearly 40 now. I don't know. I just struggle with what to fill my spare time with and then wonder what's the point? Some days I've even just gone for a drive in my car for an hour or so to kill time.

So what is your purpose in life? Or maybe I should ask what do you do for happiness outside of work? I found these questions online which is supposed to help and I've put my answers next to them.

What’s something you want to learn? Spanish - As i want to live in Spain one day.
What’s something you’d be doing in your spare time? Travelling is all I can think of.
What do people always come to you for help with? Nothing I can think of
What’s a problem you can’t not solve? Don't know.
What do you love to do? Eat, travel, socialise with friends and family which usually entails alcohol.
What do you want to do less of and more of? Don't know.

I know everybody would like freedom, not to work a slowlane job or have their partner not work etc but after all that what's left?
We have the same name and it's trippin me out LOL
 

Del

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
394%
Jan 22, 2018
18
71
London, UK
I actually have never considered how lucky us people are that actually dο know what we would do more of. If money was no object that is.

Taking into account that you are already doing well in life and from what you say most days you are free after 12pm, there are a lot of beneficial things you could do. I am big on healthy lifestyle so even though it maybe easier said than done why not consider a sport and better nutrition? You mentioned you exercise already but how about actually getting better at something?

Our brains are wired to always wanna improve, this is why computer gaming is so addicting, for example leveling up, gathering items, etc. I can understand that at 40 it might be hard to get going with something but if you remain disciplined enough until you start seeing results then it will most definitely be easier to keep going.

Personally I enjoy boxing and calisthenics. However if money was no object (or I could afford it) I would basically be at the racetrack all day long. As a motorsports engineer, I can appreciate vehicle dynamics and various other aspects. I could literally be doing track side engineer work for free. There is always stuff to learn. Let alone if you actually get to drive the vehicle. There will always be a faster lap time out there and that will forever be my motivation for improvement.

I am very proud of you for realising that spending time in front of a T.V (regardless of your income) is for the biggest part wasting time. I am not taking about the big game you would watch on a Saturday night or your favourite show. Entertainment is also part of a balanced life.

Going back to nutrition; Elever noticed how after a burger or a pizza you feel heavy, unmotivated and sometimes even regretful you are for eating crap? Your body needs a whole bunch of effort to digest heavy and greasy foods leaving you with less energy. Eating better will have you more energised and light on your feet. Eat your fruit, veggies and unsaturated fats with enough protein per meal and you would be surprised by the difference it makes in the way you feel. Another benefit will be your physical shape and strength. There is a bunch on information online so you can get started with anything that suits you best.

May not be a popular opinion but it's my 2 cents on the matter, hope it makes a difference. Set a reminder to give us an update 6 months from now, may make it easier if you convince yourself you have "something to prove"

Good luck, Del
 

OnePercentBetter

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
233%
Sep 9, 2017
6
14
28
Australia
I would do hardcore experiments with psychedelics and biohacks with friends. Document my experiences. Create my own chem lab like Alexander Shulgin and get to work. :clap::
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Ismail941

Silver Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
108%
May 7, 2019
537
581
Bartering & Trading
 

ygtrhos

Bronze Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
135%
Dec 27, 2016
240
325
34
What’s something you want to learn? Spanish - As i want to live in Spain one day.
What’s something you’d be doing in your spare time? Travelling is all I can think of.
What do people always come to you for help with? Nothing I can think of
What’s a problem you can’t not solve? Don't know.
What do you love to do? Eat, travel, socialise with friends and family which usually entails alcohol.
What do you want to do less of and more of? Don't know.

I have also seen that you have written down your perfect day.

Just my take on this.

Asking questions like this or writing down your perfect day are logical ways of finding an answer. You use your brain.

Brain solves practical problems like earning money etc. but you cannot solve an emotional problem like lack of meaning with your brain. You have to address your emotions for that.

We are all going to die. We have limited time on this earth and we all want to make our time matter at the end. Your problem seems to be finding out the things that are worth dying for.

You have to be conscious of your own values.

So I wager to ask you:

- What in life would make you cry, or at least emotional?
- What would make your 7-yr old yourself proud about what you have achieved in your past?
- What on earth would you die for?
- What is more important than your existence for you?


I usually reach the most awareness when I cry my eyes out.

For me, for example, I used to read inventors' biographies when I was a kid, for no apparent reason. I used to know who Tesla was, back in 1999, when I was 10. It made me emotional. It still makes me emotional. That dude was an exemplary man for example.

Or say someone like Bismarck or Ataturk. These guys are (in my eyes) beneficial dictators that revolutionized the destiny of their nations and changed the course of history for the good of their nations. They acquired power and used it to secure the dignity of their nations. Now instances of their stories make me cry really.

I was bullied in the school for 7 years. Not physically (I am a big guy), but I was constantly picked on because I demanded respect and it was easy to abstain me of that by ridiculing me in groups. As a reason, I am highly emotional when it comes to the dignity of individuals and action against bullying or basic human rights make me emotional.

In connection to this (and the fact that I was raised in a closed society) made me a late bloomer in dating. I lost my virginity at 21 and had my first girlfriend with 24. Compared to where I moved to (Germany), I felt like a loser and I still carry some of that shame. Hence, I feel compelled to help young guys, when they ask me for life advice.

I studied for 11 years (bachelor+master+PhD), now I see that it was a huge mistake and a big waste of time. It makes me emotional when someone asks me about if they should make a PhD or not. I feel compelled to tell more and more and make sure that they select it for the right reasons. (an innate attraction to the subject they work on and nothing materialistic)

I was a hyper-rational being in a religious society. I disdain anything like religions or astrology or anything that is unproven metaphysical belief to my core. That moves me bad.

I think @MJ DeMarco could have started another venture instead of writing a book. But the massive cultural lies in mainstream push his buttons and that is why he wrote those damn books and built this forum. I am not sure how profitable that was for him but it is likely that he would have made more profit in another niche, were he to invest his time in another venture. Yet he probably wrote a book, because it moved him very much emotionally to make a wake-up call for other humans. It was not the most monetarily profitable thing, but probably the most satisfying (emotionall profitable) thing.

I think I have given enough examples.

So say, I can take one of these and build a legacy around it:

- I can be an inventor and use my invention to bring foreign currency to Turkey, reducing the trade deficit and making it richer than before me.

- I can be an activist for acceptance of atheism in Turkey (and probably attract a lot of aggression) but hell, F*ck it, that is worth dying for.

- Most of my late bloomer friends, who got caught up in that dating / pickup thing, became coaches. Because they also still feel that shame and lack of popularity and teaching others how they coped with them and saving them all the heartache adds meaning to their lives. (Most of them are incompetent IMHO at this, like 95% of coaches but that's another story.)

Note that, these things all make me highly emotional. (Why the F*ck I care about your problem of meaning so much to write such a long post anyway? Because it is meaningful for me to help you.)

Summary:

- Ask yourself the questions I wrote above.
- If you want to speed up the process, concentrate on something that would make you cry. You do not have to be masochistic, just find something that pushes your buttons and makes you cry. Then things will start to become clear. Get emotional.
- And then act on your discoveries. You do not have to do this tomorrow. Take your time. Self-awareness takes decades of work sometimes. Sometimes (like in my case) you have self-awareness, but you lack courage or creativity to create that lifestyle which would work for you.

This is my take on your problems. Hope it helps you.

Now, I am only 30, but I probably have 3x more life experience than an average 30 year old. I have moved abroad when I was 21, I have seen poverty in Turkey and wealth in Germany, I have a lot of academic achievements and I have had major depressive periods.

But again, please filter my advice through your own soul. This would be my plan, if I had the same problem though.
 
Last edited:

André Casal

Bronze Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
140%
Jun 1, 2018
99
139
That is the question one needs to ask if we want to live a meaningful life.

You need to find the answer on your own and be careful not to adopt anyone else's ideas.

With that said, here are my life goals:
1. Become a world-class full stack software engineer (using my own definition of 'world-class') and become very rich in the process
2. Help mankind achieve immortality
3. Help mankind transition to fully sustainable energy sources
4. Help mankind colonize Mars
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

John TenBrink

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
185%
Jan 26, 2018
20
37
Raleigh
Some of the questions I don’t know the answer to.

Although I’ve been baptised as a Christian I don’t believe in God sorry. I have a very hard time believing in something that no one can prove existed.

Paul, no one has proven that God does not exist - something to ponder.

We all carry an emptiness that will never be filled with materialism or personal pursuits. Nonetheless, I've been in your situation and felt the so called mid-life crisis. What are we to do in this life to be on purpose and fulfilled?

Arthur Brooks, in this video, describes the Formula for Happiness and meaning. It comes down to two principles:
- Help Others
- Earn Your Success

I wish you well, brother. Thank you for your post.

John
 

valuecreator

Bronze Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
189%
Apr 16, 2015
83
157
54
Australia
that's easy to answer because money is never a problem... usually the ideas in my head are.

I play business with my teenage boys, do a bit of sport, surf the net, travel and invest in people.

I shifted my mindset from being an entrepreneur to being an investor and that changed everything.

The most amazing thing is you that you don't even need money to start investing.

And yes, I added the last sentence to make your head explode. Still true, though!
 

Xeon

All Cars Kneel Before Pagani.
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
191%
Sep 3, 2017
2,427
4,628
Singapore
Painting, sculpting, drawing and girls.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

FierceRacoon

Bronze Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
137%
Jun 1, 2019
217
298
Help other humans
I am not talking about volunteering for a soup kitchen, though I've done that and many similar missions.
I am talking more like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Think Albert Schweizer who quit being a musical superstar, learned medicine from scratch and founded a hospital in Africa. Success speaker Bryan Tracy visited Schweizer's hospital during his trip to Africa when Bryan was about 20 years old.

Humanity needs intelligent, driven, educated humans who are free to work on tasks that affect everyone.
Such as
* C0VlD-19
* global warming (frankly, much more important), air quality, land and water pollution
* sustainability / solving the issue of limited resources for future generations
* human rights
* refugee crises — help other people have at least a chance at "getting bored" with entrepreneurship
* curing AIDS and cancer
* prison reform in the majority of the countries

Get out of your house (after COVID) , get exposed to how most people live on Earth, and you'll regain motivation very quickly.

There is also need for politicians who will set humane priorities. A lot of laws in the U.S. are still, arguably, senseless, cruel, or both. The emerging trend of ubiquitous surveillance isn't making things easier either. Think Arnold Schwarzenegger. He mentioned that he found public service (two governor of California terms) more fulfilling than both bodybuilding and action movies.
If you think "other people will do it", then think again. Who are those other people? Just like nobody will build your business for you, nobody will care to save the planet from global warming or address the refugee crises if enough people like you and me wouldn't care about it.

You can also help one human at a time, in the way Mother Theresa did it.

But coming back to your sports club, OK, focus on making 10 billion, then have a club. Or — better — start a new club from scratch and make it just as successful. Nobody said it's easy. You may well die while trying. But if you want a challenge, you can have one.


Culture
Culture, art are a never-ending source of meaning and inspiration for all of humanity. Spend some time learning about classical literature, music, dance, opera, paintings, sculpture, and you may well rediscover the meaning. You can be an artist — painting and poetry are easily accessible to a 40-year old — or you can be a consumer, or a promoter of art, such as .Sergei Diaghilev, the Russian impressario (born 1872). Existential philosophers such as Sartre and Camus and Heidegger as well as some of the later thinkers such as Viktor Frankl and Erich Fromm have thought about it, and much has been written.

Family, children
Raising children and teaching them to be good and successful people has been a source of meaning to many, sometimes for decades. And you can always start over and raise more children — or adopt one. Again, your worries about being bored will disappear in a brink. Even a cat or a dog may do!
 

Bobby_italy

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
192%
Jan 19, 2016
209
402
I'd just organize epic parties for free and help everyone I could.

That's what makes me happy.

If we're talking about just not having any "expenses" and being able to survive without ever needing to worry but not actually having a lot of money , I'd spend all my time having fun with whatever brings me joy in that moment, be it travelling/gaming/playing cards literally anything but idk it wouldn't really change much from my normal life since I can already do this stuff.
 

sergiodcarreno

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
188%
Apr 24, 2020
17
32
Petaluma, CA
The answer to this question is something that I've been thinking about lately.

I've always wanted to have lots of money - I like nice cars, big houses and the freedom to travel anywhere but what like anything else shiny objects lose their appeal after a while. Just on a bigger scale. Not that I have reached that financial level yet - far from it.

So after I've bought the nice cars, been to exotic places and I'm living in a nice house then what?

I'm lacking a purpose. Or maybe I have a purpose but not the idea to run with. I literally only enjoy eating in restaurants, travelling, socialising with friends and family. I exercise regularly but my only hobby is watching football (soccer.)

When I'm on my death bed I know I won't be thinking I wish I sat on the couch more watching TV. Generally, that is is how I spend most evenings. My Facebook ads business is looking after itself, especially on lockdown and to be put it simply - I'm bored.

@RazorCut suggested that my current business doesn't get me excited to get out of bed and work on it every morning or whenever I have time and he's right. I would like to create a legacy business that I can build and look forward to working on. At the moment I can have all my work done by getting up at 6am and finishing at 12pm but I can't think of anything I want to do with the rest of the day that excites me. At the moment I don't have any ideas of what type of legacy business I could create. I just know something is missing from my life.

My ultimate dream would be to own my favourite Football club in UK and I would love to work on it each and every day to make it the best it can be. However, these days you'd need at least £10bn to do it.

Maybe it's a mid-life crisis. I'm nearly 40 now. I don't know. I just struggle with what to fill my spare time with and then wonder what's the point? Some days I've even just gone for a drive in my car for an hour or so to kill time.

So what is your purpose in life? Or maybe I should ask what do you do for happiness outside of work? I found these questions online which is supposed to help and I've put my answers next to them.

What’s something you want to learn? Spanish - As i want to live in Spain one day.
What’s something you’d be doing in your spare time? Travelling is all I can think of.
What do people always come to you for help with? Nothing I can think of
What’s a problem you can’t not solve? Don't know.
What do you love to do? Eat, travel, socialise with friends and family which usually entails alcohol.
What do you want to do less of and more of? Don't know.

I know everybody would like freedom, not to work a slowlane job or have their partner not work etc but after all that what's left?
I'm only 23 and it's funny that at my age, I'm working to be able to get to the point where you are already at. A business that runs itself with minimal hours where I can do whatever I want for the rest of the day. The thing is that I have a lot of interests and creative endeavors outside of my entrepreneurial journey like music, acting (theatre and film), rock climbing, and working out. I think what could help you is if you dabble in a craft, be it painting, sculpting, acting, stand up, improve, woodworking, etc.... See what sticks so that you can find joy in learning something new everyday. Often times when we are in a flow state of some kind, like when painting or acting, even rock climbing, your brain goes into creative over drive. It starts solving problems a little more abstractly so when you go back to working on your legacy business you might have some new ideas you never would have thought of if you haven't taken the time to do something creative just for the enjoyment of it. You're nearly 40. You're an older person but by no means are old, there is still so much to be done and to learn and discover.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Leo Hendrix

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
61%
Apr 15, 2014
497
304
WWW
Serial Entrepreneurship, Volunteering, Investing, develop more skill in hobbies, travelling, experiments, inventing.
 

Madame Peccato

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
311%
Jul 14, 2018
659
2,048
31
Morbegno, Italy
If I had all the money in the world I'd try my best to raise all kind of pets and look what I can do with them. I have a thing for Alpacas :rofl:
 

Kevin88660

Platinum Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
118%
Feb 8, 2019
3,457
4,081
Singapore
It really depends on how much money.

A few millions could easily let you retire. You could really focus on hobbies and interest or set aside a retirement fund and then went to do an interesting business that could go very big but would not generate cash soon..you can source for external investment. In another words you reach the pre-microsoft Bill Gates stage or pre-facebook Mark Zuckerberg stage where you can focus on something big purely without worrying about paying bill.

If magically I am a billionaire I would logically focus on life extension research..for myself just to live longer. No matter how much money you have you cannot buy time and all life planning is based on you leaving the earth at age 75-100.. and who knows how long the none bedridden years are.
 

srodrigo

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
129%
Sep 11, 2018
792
1,024
It's funny how humans struggle with self-actualisation, purpose, and things like that. My dog's biggest concern was begging her best to get proper food while we had dinner, and finding the most comfy position under the blanket on the sofa in winter. She didn't browse forums to figure out what to do in the evenings. We sometimes make our own unhappiness for no reason, little smart F*ckers we are.

I'm struggling with the same as OP. Working as a freelancer and not enjoying it anymore. I've also tried a ton of businesses that I didn't stick to because I didn't care about them enough. And talking myself out of the ones that matter to me and allow me to deliver my best work, because of stupid believes. I agree that working on a business that you don't have a deep connection with can be a problem, both for you (not being fulfilled) and for your customers (who won't get the value they deserve).

Truth is, your life purpose doesn't have to involve making others' lives better. That's the glamorous idea many people post out there (some genuinely), but you are entitled to do whatever you want with your time here, even if it's selfish (as long as it doesn't cause harm, obviously). If you just like travelling, that's okay, no obligation to save the world.

Sometimes, the problem we have is the all-or-nothing mindset. "I need to make millions so I can do X", when in reality you can do X already. I want to fund and contribute to some open source projects, because I love programming and I believe open source is great in many ways. I keep talking myself out for over a decade, thinking "I need to make lots of money first so I can spend all my time on this". Well, I could perfectly spent 5 hours a week contributing to some open source project I really believe in, and it wouldn't make my finances tank. There are things that might require big money upfront. If I want to open an animal shelter, then yeah, I need to make big bucks first. But knowing what one wants, what the end game is, is extremely important to avoid chasing the wrong rabbit.
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

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

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top