My journey of determination, hard work, and self-discovery

[Ella R]

Hello! It took me almost a year to conquer my fear and be able to write in this forum. I kept reading all the posts, and I am admiring all of your successes. I am really thankful for all the insights from this forum and especially for @MJ DeMarco books that made me change my perception about life and act differently.

A little bit about my background: I was born into a poor country and a very poor community. I strived for success from a young age because I wanted more from life, and life came with a lot of challenges, but I never stopped. I thought that education was the key to success and the escape from poverty, so I tried to become highly educated, acquiring a bachelor's degree and a double master's degree, all from prestigious universities, but after I finished the master's program, I was still not feeling prepared; it was still not enough. I decided to leave the country and see the world.

I came to the United States on a student visa and worked for almost eight years as part of an international visa program after finishing my studies. During that time, I obtained five more certifications in different fields, but I still didn't feel prepared or smart enough to start a business (after reading some posts on this forum, I understood why). I probably never worked less than 70 to 80 hours per week, making good money but being so unhappy. From the age of 16 to the present, my life has been one of consistent hard work, and I was able to fulfill a large portion of my dreams, for which I am extremely grateful, and I can say with certainty that hard work is always rewarded if you are not an easy quitter.

Even though I have some limiting beliefs, I know that victim mentality is not helpful in any way, so I am trying to conquer my fears every day. One of my dreams was to start my own business, so last year I decided to end this cycle of acquiring education and working while not feeling prepared or happy. I started my own small business, selling guided journals and digital products, and doing some freelancing on the side.

I would like to open a business in the technological field that brings value to society. I am brainstorming ideas now, applying the CENTS model to each of them, and I hope to come back one day to this forum and present my story on how I successfully exited the Rat Race.

 

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[Stargazer]

And now that you have plucked up the courage to finally write, you are thinking 'That wasn't so bad after all'

Dan

 

[Ella R]

And now that you have plucked up the courage to finally write, you are thinking 'That wasn't so bad after all'

Dan

Not bad at all! I just conquered another fear that I had.

 

[WeeksOutstanding]

Not bad at all! I just conquered another fear that I had.

Welcome! Fellow new member here in a similar stage (just left employment / doing freelance). Keep us updated, I'd love to hear more and am also looking to do good through tech.

 

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[Ella R]

Welcome! Fellow new member here in a similar stage (just left employment / doing freelance). Keep us updated, I'd love to hear more and am also looking to do good through tech.

Thank you! I hope we all make it.

 

[Hayden Layne]

A belated welcome to you Ella! It's great to see that you have gained the courage to speak here.

Sounds like you have had one hell of a life so far and have learnt an awful lot. I am sure you have so many skills and a lot of experience that you can funnel into your own business.

I wish you all the success in the world and hope to hear updates on your new business idea in the future.

 

[Ella R]

A belated welcome to you Ella! It's great to see that you have gained the courage to speak here.

Sounds like you have had one hell of a life so far and have learnt an awful lot. I am sure you have so many skills and a lot of experience that you can funnel into your own business.

I wish you all the success in the world and hope to hear updates on your new business idea in the future.

Thank you for your kind words!

 

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[Lyzmin]

Welcome Ella!

Happy for you that you became more courages than fearful to post on the forum.

Best recommendation now I can give you is to 'go deep' on the Unscripted book.
Great practical way of becoming a 'value chaser' in your area and wil help you progress.
I've read it multiple times now with a marker and I'm summarising the material.
Helps with reprogramming your RAS filter.

Good luck!

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Welcome to the forum, happy to hear the books have offered you some insight!

 

[Ella R]

Welcome Ella!

Happy for you that you became more courages than fearful to post on the forum.

Best recommendation now I can give you is to 'go deep' on the Unscripted book.
Great practical way of becoming a 'value chaser' in your area and wil help you progress.
I've read it multiple times now with a marker and I'm summarising the material.
Helps with reprogramming your RAS filter.

Good luck!

Thanks for the helpful advice! I have already started summarising the ideas from the book and acting upon them.

 

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[Ella R]

Welcome to the forum, happy to hear the books have offered you some insight!

I will say one more time, thank you! The books have completely altered my perspective and inspired me to take action, not just accumulate more self-help concepts, and I really needed that.

 

[Black_Dragon43]

Welcome to the forum.

Most businesses are built based on a knowledge advantage.

It doesn’t have to be significant.

One recent example.

My intercom broke down, so I called the guys who put it in to replace it. They charge 3x what it would take me if I bought a new one myself to replace it. And replacing it is easy - you’ve got to release 4 screws, free up 4 differently colored wires, and then connect them to the new intercom the same way. Takes 5mins, anyone can do it.

I’ve got them to come around this time since I’d already set the appointment, but next time I’ll just replace it myself.

They’ve built a business around that small knowledge advantage.

What’s one knowledge advantage you have?

Stop thinking big - complex AI, etc. - those companies takes ages to make money, and that’s if you get the necessary investment and so on.

Start small, solve problems and scale. Do it around a knowledge advantage that you already have.

 

[Ella R]

Welcome to the forum.

Most businesses are built based on a knowledge advantage.

It doesn’t have to be significant.

One recent example.

My intercom broke down, so I called the guys who put it in to replace it. They charge 3x what it would take me if I bought a new one myself to replace it. And replacing it is easy - you’ve got to release 4 screws, free up 4 differently colored wires, and then connect them to the new intercom the same way. Takes 5mins, anyone can do it.

I’ve got them to come around this time since I’d already set the appointment, but next time I’ll just replace it myself.

They’ve built a business around that small knowledge advantage.

What’s one knowledge advantage you have?

Stop thinking big - complex AI, etc. - those companies takes ages to make money, and that’s if you get the necessary investment and so on.

Start small, solve problems and scale. Do it around a knowledge advantage that you already have.

Thanks for the suggestion! I'm currently struggling with finding clarity on my skills and strengths, and despite having several certifications, I'm still unsure of what I'm good at. Most of my studies were pursued because they were deemed useful or trendy by society at the time. While my degrees cover diverse fields such as political and administrative sciences, project management, UX design, cybersecurity, and civil aviation, I don't feel like I possess any particular skills that would enable me to start the business I desire. Although I'm passionate about AI, I recognize that succeeding without a team or solid knowledge base can be challenging. I plan to continue brainstorming until I find an idea that incorporates my skills and is useful to society, and then build from there.

 

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[Andy Black]

I think it's easier and quicker to find people you can help and start helping them, rather than looking for "ideas".

Replace "help" with serve, entertain, support, educate, or whatever resonates with you best.

Start with people you already know and follow your nose.

As @Black_Dragon43 said, start small then scale.

 

[Ella R]

I think it's easier and quicker to find people you can help and start helping them, rather than looking for "ideas".

Replace "help" with serve, entertain, support, educate, or whatever resonates with you best.

Start with people you already know and follow your nose.

As @Black_Dragon43 said, start small then scale.

Thank you, Andy! When I mentioned ideas earlier, I was specifically referring to ideas that could benefit others. However, I'm currently struggling to determine which direction to take in terms of entertaining, supporting, or educating others. I am lacking clarity. English is not my native language, and I may have difficulty expressing myself clearly. I've started various business ventures in the past that were aimed at serving others, but I may have given up on them too quickly. It wasn't a matter of lacking effort or financial resources, but rather a lack of fulfillment and happiness in my endeavors.

 

[Andy Black]

Thank you, Andy! When I mentioned ideas earlier, I was specifically referring to ideas that could benefit others. However, I'm currently struggling to determine which direction to take in terms of entertaining, supporting, or educating others. I am lacking clarity. English is not my native language, and I may have difficulty expressing myself clearly. I've started various business ventures in the past that were aimed at serving others, but I may have given up on them too quickly. It wasn't a matter of lacking effort or financial resources, but rather a lack of fulfillment and happiness in my endeavors.

Ok. Maybe I jumped the gun. Lately there seems to be lots of people stuck looking for ideas.

I started my own small business, selling guided journals and digital products, and doing some freelancing on the side.

Cool. Which are you focused on at the moment?

 

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[Ella R]

Ok. Maybe I jumped the gun. Lately there seems to be lots of people stuck looking for ideas.


Cool. Which are you focused on at the moment?

Currently, my focus is primarily on freelancing. I am working on various web design projects as well as handling administrative tasks. I have temporarily set aside my journal business and am only selling my current inventory without creating more. However, I am eager to delve into the technological field, which is why I have taken a few courses to gain specialised knowledge.

 

[Andy Black]

I am eager to delve into the technological field

What type of technology?

 

[Black_Dragon43]

Most of my studies were pursued because they were deemed useful or trendy by society at the time. While my degrees cover diverse fields such as political and administrative sciences, project management, UX design, cybersecurity, and civil aviation, I don't feel like I possess any particular skills that would enable me to start the business I desire.

That’s the problem — you know a lot about what society generally wants, but very little about yourself. The key is to find that niche which combines your own unique situation, experience and expertise with problems that others have.

This is why as you say you didn’t feel fulfilled in the past. You can make a lot of money following a path that isn’t your own, and that doesn’t lead to fulfilment.

What are YOU uniquely positioned to offer the world? What do you know as a result of your past experience that most people don’t? That’s what you should be doing.

Brainstorm until I find an idea that incorporates my skills and is useful to society, and then build from there.

You’re not setting yourself up for success this way. This is what wantrepreneurs do - they think of ideas. A great business is rarely the result of willful effort thinking about “great” business ideas.

More often than not it’s the result of someone playing around / tinkering with something, or otherwise experiencing a problem themselves or seeing others experience a problem and then finding a solution.

Nobody wants “technology”. So wanting to go into “technology” isn’t smart. Nobody wants AI either. Nobody wants an app. Nobody wants “insert latest new thing”.

People want love. Fun. Great experiences. Relief from pain. Friendships. Money. Customers. Enlightenment.

That sort of stuff.

Now if you can use AI to help match people with the right dating partner — now you have an idea that resonates… meaning that people will at least want to try it because it sounds new and exciting, fulfilling a desire they already have in a novel way.

People are kinda dumb - we tend to love and be attracted to new things, for no other reason than that they’re new…

BUT — this attraction only exists if they promise to resolve one of our perennial problems. If they’re just new and useless, usually we don’t care.

So if you present someone with another version of Google — they don’t care. If you present them with a new way to search using AI instead of human searches (ChatGPT), now you have their attention. It fulfills a deep need - find information faster, in a novel way that fires up their imagination.

So you’re too focused on the bait “technology” or “AI” and too little focused on the real thing - fulfilling human needs and solving problems. Forget the bait. Find the need first. The bait is the easy part.

 

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[Ella R]

What type of technology?

My primary areas of focus were cybersecurity in public administration, which has the potential to solve a significant problem currently faced in our country, and augmented reality in mental health, which involves developing programs to ease anxiety and depression. Although I have studied both fields, I still do not feel that I possess enough knowledge or information to begin a business venture in either of these areas.

 

[Walter Hay]

Thank you, Andy! When I mentioned ideas earlier, I was specifically referring to ideas that could benefit others. However, I'm currently struggling to determine which direction to take in terms of entertaining, supporting, or educating others. I am lacking clarity. English is not my native language, and I may have difficulty expressing myself clearly. I've started various business ventures in the past that were aimed at serving others, but I may have given up on them too quickly. It wasn't a matter of lacking effort or financial resources, but rather a lack of fulfillment and happiness in my endeavors.

Don't discount your ability. You have already succeeded in areas that many people would envy. You grasp of English is excellent, indeed it is better than the standard of English achieved by many whose native language is English.

Your early difficulties in life can actually be a great help. In my featured user thread a member posted this:
"It seems to me that difficulties in the early years help forge motivations." and I replied:
"Early difficulties can bring on rapid maturity or total rejection of responsibility. I omitted a lot of the difficulties from my early years because I didn’t want to appear to be plucking at my readers’ heart strings. Your comments have alerted me to the fact that to tell more of the story could prove motivational for some, so here is the…. Second Installment: ....."

I hope this encourages you to face the future with confidence. I am convinced that you have what it takes to succeed. You are in the right place to find help and support. Be patient, keep posting, and it will come.

Best wishes,
Walter

 

[Ella R]

Don't discount your ability. You have already succeeded in areas that many people would envy. You grasp of English is excellent, indeed it is better than the standard of English achieved by many whose native language is English.

Your early difficulties in life can actually be a great help. In my featured user thread a member posted this:
"It seems to me that difficulties in the early years help forge motivations." and I replied:
"Early difficulties can bring on rapid maturity or total rejection of responsibility. I omitted a lot of the difficulties from my early years because I didn’t want to appear to be plucking at my readers’ heart strings. Your comments have alerted me to the fact that to tell more of the story could prove motivational for some, so here is the…. Second Installment: ....."

I hope this encourages you to face the future with confidence. I am convinced that you have what it takes to succeed. You are in the right place to find help and support. Be patient, keep posting, and it will come.

Best wishes,
Walter

Thank you, Walter! Your kind words are truly appreciated, and I agree with you regarding the challenges we may face early on in life. Rather than perceiving these difficulties negatively, I have always seen them as opportunities for personal growth and strength.

 

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[starttoday123]

Hey Ella, You write so well! So glad you posted!

 

[Bidyut]

Very encouraging...your shared experience led us to work more...

Hello! It took me almost a year to conquer my fear and be able to write in this forum. I kept reading all the posts, and I am admiring all of your successes. I am really thankful for all the insights from this forum and especially for @MJ DeMarco books that made me change my perception about life and act differently.

A little bit about my background: I was born into a poor country and a very poor community. I strived for success from a young age because I wanted more from life, and life came with a lot of challenges, but I never stopped. I thought that education was the key to success and the escape from poverty, so I tried to become highly educated, acquiring a bachelor's degree and a double master's degree, all from prestigious universities, but after I finished the master's program, I was still not feeling prepared; it was still not enough. I decided to leave the country and see the world.

I came to the United States on a student visa and worked for almost eight years as part of an international visa program after finishing my studies. During that time, I obtained five more certifications in different fields, but I still didn't feel prepared or smart enough to start a business (after reading some posts on this forum, I understood why). I probably never worked less than 70 to 80 hours per week, making good money but being so unhappy. From the age of 16 to the present, my life has been one of consistent hard work, and I was able to fulfill a large portion of my dreams, for which I am extremely grateful, and I can say with certainty that hard work is always rewarded if you are not an easy quitter.

Even though I have some limiting beliefs, I know that victim mentality is not helpful in any way, so I am trying to conquer my fears every day. One of my dreams was to start my own business, so last year I decided to end this cycle of acquiring education and working while not feeling prepared or happy. I started my own small business, selling guided journals and digital products, and doing some freelancing on the side.

I would like to open a business in the technological field that brings value to society. I am brainstorming ideas now, applying the CENTS model to each of them, and I hope to come back one day to this forum and present my story on how I successfully exited the Rat

Hello! It took me almost a year to conquer my fear and be able to write in this forum. I kept reading all the posts, and I am admiring all of your successes. I am really thankful for all the insights from this forum and especially for @MJ DeMarco books that made me change my perception about life and act differently.

A little bit about my background: I was born into a poor country and a very poor community. I strived for success from a young age because I wanted more from life, and life came with a lot of challenges, but I never stopped. I thought that education was the key to success and the escape from poverty, so I tried to become highly educated, acquiring a bachelor's degree and a double master's degree, all from prestigious universities, but after I finished the master's program, I was still not feeling prepared; it was still not enough. I decided to leave the country and see the world.

I came to the United States on a student visa and worked for almost eight years as part of an international visa program after finishing my studies. During that time, I obtained five more certifications in different fields, but I still didn't feel prepared or smart enough to start a business (after reading some posts on this forum, I understood why). I probably never worked less than 70 to 80 hours per week, making good money but being so unhappy. From the age of 16 to the present, my life has been one of consistent hard work, and I was able to fulfill a large portion of my dreams, for which I am extremely grateful, and I can say with certainty that hard work is always rewarded if you are not an easy quitter.

Even though I have some limiting beliefs, I know that victim mentality is not helpful in any way, so I am trying to conquer my fears every day. One of my dreams was to start my own business, so last year I decided to end this cycle of acquiring education and working while not feeling prepared or happy. I started my own small business, selling guided journals and digital products, and doing some freelancing on the side.

I would like to open a business in the technological field that brings value to society. I am brainstorming ideas now, applying the CENTS model to each of them, and I hope to come back one day to this forum and present my story on how I successfully exited the Rat Race.