OMFG This Hurt

[ZF Lee]

It's the wait and pray part I find sad.

Me too.
Salary and benefit bumps aside, it's really depressing to think that I need to wait to get experience coming to my doorstep to do more challenging ventures or opening new businesses.

It reminds me a lot of TMF in which MJ says that most jobs just involve you doing the same shit over and over again with no expansion of experience, in terms of soft skills or technical.

We may have different definitions of happiness, as @MJ DeMarco says, but if happiness is defined by a job promotion, we'd be F*cked. And just because people say they are happy, it doesn't means they are 'really' happy. Expression of personal feelings vary according to person, so we shouldn't take people's words at face value.

but not everyone can handle the rollercoaster of emotions that entrepreneurs experience and the constant uncertainty owning your own business can create especially early on.

Everyone still faces rollercoaster emotions...job politics, social media hyperrealities, paycheck-to-paycheck vs debt, stock market swings and hits on retirement funds.....

I suppose it's a matter of playing fields, be they SCRIPTED or UNSCRIPTED if rollercoaster emotions are a universal infliction lol

 

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[ZF Lee]

That said - we all know on Monday morning at 3:00 he's going to curse the job, the life, and everything else.
A promotion is an event, and that's cool. Monday to Friday is a slog of pain anyway - slowlaners are hardly consistently happy.
What matters is not events, but the consistency of happiness around the clock.

Mad props to you, especially the last clincher. Reps+!

But let's hope he doesn't go as far as cursing Mondays...it's not worth it cursing something that ain't real.

EDIT: @amp0193...I tried replying to your post below on some religious stuff but the post got deleted lol....forum rules
It went quite in-depth...can you PM me? I do have some opinions on that matter. Thanks...and hehe I was amused when my post got hitched lol.

 

[TonyStark]

1 like = 1 prayer

 

[Vigilante]

I don't cheer for a McDonald's worker when they get a $.25 raise, even though that makes them "happy."

Very few people in life find fulfillment in their scripted existence. Life becomes something they endure.

Let's assume this guy that served with @jon.a is in his mid-50s. His entire existence and hope was that his happiness was tied to a promotion in a job so he can perform for somebody else like a monkey that claps his hands for peanuts.

Jon can congratulate him publicly but privately mourn the loss of a friend to a lifetime of living with in the script.

Being happy that there are workers at Subway making your sandwich is an entirely self focused paradigm. You mortgage somebody else's freedom so that you can have the right amount of olives on your sub sandwich. To then thank them for their career choice is not a positive affirmation of who they are. That just makes them pawns... serfs in the capitalist world where you would prefer them to be content in servitude. Thanking them for them unknowingly selecting to be in chains so that my sub sandwich can be excellent is a feel good gesture that masks and perpetuates their servitude. The compassionate position is to help them escape it, not reinforce their slavery out of a position of self interest.

I'm 100 with @jon.a on this one and his position is a position of compassion.

While the world needs ditchdiggers, we don't have to be happy that they haven't found freedom.

I had a few workers at my place a week or so ago. I gave them two monetary tips... One normal generous tip for their labor for that day, and the other one for them to keep and tape to their bathroom mirror as a reminder. They agreed to only cash the second tip the day they quit their shitty manual labor job and struck out towards their dreams. They were young enough to realize they didn't want to end up where they started.

I don't celebrate or affirm life slipping past people for whom I could've played a big role in helping them find their freedom. If I truly care about the subway worker, I don't thank them for being there… I help them get out of there. Unless... my concern is the ratio of salami to cheese on my submarine sandwich and then I thank them for doing such a great job.

 

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[amp0193]

It's the wait and pray part I find sad.

Yeah, me too.

I identify as christian, and have a starkly different view of prayer than just about everyone else I know.

One of those views being: If the answer to my prayer, is someone else's prayer getting shut down (i.e. getting a job), then it's probably something I don't need to be praying about.

A better prayer would be for inner peace and acceptance at whatever the outcome of the job application was.

It also doesn't make sense to me to pray for a job as an electronics mechanic, when people across the world are praying for something to eat today, or to not have their house bombed.

I'm not on board with the prosperity gospel. If you want something in life, then go make it happen. Too many passive christians are sitting on their laurels, waiting for God to deliver abundance to their lives on a silver platter. And if He doesn't, then I guess it's because they're meant to suffer in this life, and they'll start living for real when they die.

Relying on "prayer" is a cop out, and takes the responsibility off of who is really responsible for your life, YOU.




(Sorry, I know this post was about religion... but I think it's relevant and would be appreciated by many here. Delete if you want, mods).

 

[PedroG]

This really comes down to everyone's top list of values, as covered in Robbins' books. Entrepreneurs have "Freedom" towards the very top of their list. And people have different rules for their values, that determine whether or not they feel they are achieving that thing. For an entrepreneur to feel he has achieved freedom, he cannot have a boss that he answers to, for example.

An example is a woman that has "Contribution" as one of her top values so she became a lawyer to help people. One of her goals then was to move up and become a partner in the firm. She achieves that goal, but there's a problem. As a partner she doesn't get to directly help clients anymore, as she does mostly paper work, and make decisions on how to run the firm.

She's successful, has achieved her goals, but now she's miserable because she's no longer "contributing" as she defines it.

This is why there are successful people with plenty of money who are miserable and end up committing suicide. They achieved goals but they never asked themselves what it is they truly value in life, to make sure their goals got them there.

Many living the scripted life that claim to be happy where they are, are not. Some just accept their lives because they think they can't do better.

It's frustrating when I try to motivate those around me to do better and they don't seem to want to. And I'm not talking about those who are truly happy. I'm talking about people who complain about things all the time but do nothing to change their situation.

But even the ones that don't normally complain could end up regretting their lives later on, when they get older, look back, and finally realize that shit, they did have choices and they did nothing, and realize that the scripted life wasn't really in sync with their values. That's the saddest thing.

 

[Christopher777]

This is why there are successful people with plenty of money who are miserable and end up committing suicide. They achieved goals but they never asked themselves what it is they truly value in life, to make sure their goals got them there.

Many living the scripted life that claim to be happy where they are, are not. Some just accept their lives because they think they can't do better.

It's frustrating when I try to motivate those around me to do better and they don't seem to want to. And I'm not talking about those who are truly happy. I'm talking about people who complain about things all the time but do nothing to change their situation.

But even the ones that don't normally complain could end up regretting their lives later on, when they get older, look back, and finally realize that shit, they did have choices and they did nothing. That's the saddest thing.

This is not a joke. This is for real. It's like some people have the gall to protect that nonsense of accepting their lot in life and allow themselves to be treated like trash by people who are playing the same game. It's an attitude issue. A responsibility issue.

Dude, I wasn't born unscripted . None of us are. We were born blank slates. I was just like them, went to school, and followed teachings that bombarded us with massive social conditioning. Struggling amidst it all. Trying to figure life out. I was always questioning things though.

But it was relentless.

It's not a joke that this is the normal thing. This is one of those things where Morpheus' stuff fits very well. They will fight to protect it.

Ever since I was a kid, I consistently aced the games that I played. That's how I got to believe in myself. I am an uber patient mofo. Video games, chess, homebrew, whatever. I won. I killed it. Tekken, Gran Turismo, Street Fighter. They called me master. They don't realize the amount of patience I had in order to master those games.

Now that I clearly see the truth, I know that I am playing the right game.

My dad followed that path to the hilt. I can clearly see where that path goes. Right in front of my face. Nothing great has come out of it. I feel bad for him.

So anyone out there willing to battle it out with me and be proud of their scripted existence. Here's a virtual punch for you. Right in the mouth, so you can shut up. Because I won't.

 

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[jon.a]

I didn't shit on him to him, I let him be proud. I just quoted him here.

I respectfully disagree.

You're projecting your own perceptions of happiness and success onto people you don't know or haven't even met.

He's gonna regret it based on what evidence? Based on the fact that if you were in his position you'd regret it?

Everyone views the world in different ways.

Imagine someone coming up to you and saying being an entrepreneur is stupid, you need to grow up and get a job, you're gonna regret it ten years from now, etc. How would you feel?

Let other people live man lol

 

[c_morris]

There is no objective reality - we are all living a fantasy, walking around with projectors in our eyes.

I'm posting this in the Quote of the Day thread!!

Everyone's perception is their own reality and no 2 realities are the same, even among a like-minded group such as this forum.
Ask yourself these questions:
Which religion is correct?
Which political view is correct?
Which lifestyle is correct?
Which...... is correct?

The answer? All of them!

 

[biophase]

I used to volunteer at the zoo once a week. I was that guy you see in the enclosure shoveling tiger shit into a bucket.

I often wondered what some of the onlookers thought as they watched me from outside the fence. Were they thinking the same things as you guys?

Wonder what they thought when at the end of the day I got in my SL500 and drove home. Probably reinforced it in their minds even more.

He's probably leveraged to the max.
Working to afford that car.
$30k millionaire.

Btw, the employees at the zoo got raises in the range of $0.10-$0.25 per hour per year. And $0.25 was considered a good raise!

 

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[Vigilante]

I used to volunteer at the zoo once a week. I was that guy you see in the enclosure shoveling tiger shit into a bucket.

I often wondered what some of the onlookers thought as they watched me from outside the fence. Were they thinking the same things as you guys?

Wonder what they thought when at the end of the day I got in my SL500 and drove home. Probably reinforced it in their minds even more.

He's probably leveraged to the max.
Working to afford that car.
$30k millionaire.

Btw, the employees at the zoo got raises in the range of $0.10-$0.25 per hour per year. And $0.25 was considered a good raise!

You are the exception to the norm. For every one of you, there are 100,000 people where perception equals reality.

Most people spend a lifetime shoveling shit.

 

[Vigilante]

I just deleted a well thought out but overtly religious post. Whether I agreed with the post (I did) or not, the forum and this thread is not going to stray from the principles that keep this place different than all the other forums on the internet.

FORUM RULES
Please obey the forum rules. Violators are quickly expunged.

• No MLM links and/or discussion.
• No affiliate links and/or promotion.
• If you're new, no self-promotion.
• No sigs until 100 posts. (INSIDERS exempt).
• No trolling or disruptive behavior.
• No solicitation for investors/partners.
• Respect: Leave foul language at home.
• No religion/politics.

 

[Christopher777]

I used to volunteer at the zoo once a week. I was that guy you see in the enclosure shoveling tiger shit into a bucket.

And not anymore because you stepped up. What made you?

 

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[biophase]

And not anymore because you stepped up. What made you?

I think you misread my post. I volunteered there. I did not work there. I would still volunteer at the zoo if I did not move. I live 40 miles away for it now.

 

[Christopher777]

I see. My bad lol,

You.still.stepped.up.

Unless you were born with a success story man.

 

[bettereveryday]

I don't cheer for a McDonald's worker when they get a $.25 raise, even though that makes them "happy."

Very few people in life find fulfillment in their scripted existence. Life becomes something they endure.

Let's assume this guy that served with @jon.a is in his mid-50s. His entire existence and hope was that his happiness was tied to a promotion in a job so he can perform for somebody else like a monkey that claps his hands for peanuts.

Jon can congratulate him publicly but privately mourn the loss of a friend to a lifetime of living with in the script.

Being happy that there are workers at Subway making your sandwich is an entirely self focused paradigm. You mortgage somebody else's freedom so that you can have the right amount of olives on your sub sandwich. To then thank them for their career choice is not a positive affirmation of who they are. That just makes them pawns... serfs in the capitalist world where you would prefer them to be content in servitude. Thanking them for them unknowingly selecting to be in chains so that my sub sandwich can be excellent is a feel good gesture that masks and perpetuates their servitude. The compassionate position is to help them escape it, not reinforce their slavery out of a position of self interest.

I'm 100 with @jon.a on this one and his position is a position of compassion.

While the world needs ditchdiggers, we don't have to be happy that they haven't found freedom.

I had a few workers at my place a week or so ago. I gave them two monetary tips... One normal generous tip for their labor for that day, and the other one for them to keep and tape to their bathroom mirror as a reminder. They agreed to only cash the second tip the day they quit their shitty manual labor job and struck out towards their dreams. They were young enough to realize they didn't want to end up where they started.

I don't celebrate or affirm life slipping past people for whom I could've played a big role in helping them find their freedom. If I truly care about the subway worker, I don't thank them for being there… I help them get out of there. Unless... my concern is the ratio of salami to cheese on my submarine sandwich and then I thank them for doing such a great job.

I agree with everything you've said here, and what you aspire to is a noble cause that we should all partake in.

The only problem is that in a Capitalistic society a serf and peasant class has to exist, the brutal and ugly aspects of Capitalism is what allows successful and wealthy people to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Without poor people, there are no rich people. Without workers, there are no business owners and entrepreneurs. Without consumers, there are no producers. You get where I'm going here.

It sounds kinda fu*ked up, but some people are perfectly comfortable and content with being peasants and serfs.

Or maybe they're just lying to themselves. I don't know man, all I know is that life's already hard as it is, so if something positive happens in someone's life and it makes em happy, no matter what it is, I'll be happy too.

 

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[Vigilante]

I agree with everything you've said here, and what you aspire to is a noble cause that we should all partake in.

The only problem is that in a Capitalistic society a serf and peasant class has to exist, the brutal and ugly aspects of Capitalism is what allows successful and wealthy people to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Without poor people, there are no rich people. Without workers, there are no business owners and entrepreneurs. Without consumers, there are no producers. You get where I'm going here.

It sounds kinda fu*ked up, but some people are perfectly comfortable and content with being peasants and serfs.

Or maybe they're just lying to themselves. I don't know man, all I know is that life's already hard as it is, so if something positive happens in someone's life and it makes em happy, no matter what it is, I'll be happy too.

Agreed. But rather than celebrate that, people like MJ spend a portion of their life trying to bring people to freedom. They can't all find it. They can't all be saved.

We can only do what we can do. I just don't allow myself the intellectual dishonesty of believing there is much difference between me and them other than non-acdemic education.

Academia is scripted. The FastLaneForum is an oasis. It's a place where freedom can be found within it's pages.

However, Jon's reflection was shared amongst people that have found the Fountain of Youth, commenting with sadness on people that haven't.

This thread is FILLED with platitudes that make people sleep better at night. There have been a lot of surprising people (including friends of mine in this thread) that surprised me by disagreeing with the OP.

I find it hypocritical to affirm the principles of the Fast Lane Millionaire ---and not be sad about people who buy the bullshit script of the masses. I want them to have what I have.

 

[bettereveryday]

Agreed. But rather than celebrate that, people like MJ spend a portion of their life trying to bring people to freedom. They can't all find it. They can't all be saved.

We can only do what we can do. I just don't allow myself the intellectual dishonesty of believing there is much difference between me and them other than non-acdemic education.

Academia is scripted. The FastLaneForum is an oasis. It's a place where freedom can be found within it's pages.

However, Jon's reflection was shared amongst people that have found the Fountain of Youth, commenting with sadness on people that haven't.

This thread is FILLED with platitudes that make people sleep better at night. There have been a lot of surprising people (including friends of mine in this thread) that surprised me by disagreeing with the OP.

I find it hypocritical to affirm the principles of the Fast Lane Millionaire ---and not be sad about people who buy the bullshit script of the masses. I want them to have what I have.

That's all relative though my man.

I've had Co-workers in retail jobs who were millionaires but simply worked there because they liked talking to people.

I've spoken to Corporate Executives who love what they do because it gives them a sense of pride, accomplishment, and importance.

I've talked to people who work in the most mundane corporate jobs, like an HR job for example, that like what they do because it gives em a sense of comfort and security.

That janitor we see might've come from a 3rd World Country where he would break his back for a couple dollars a day, so this current situation for him might be a huge blessing.

Maybe that mechanic simply likes working on electronics, its his passion, and he doesn't care how much he's making and the fact that he has a boss. It's possible, I've spoken to Car mechanics who just simply love working on cars, maybe the same applies to him.

Like an early poster said, there is no objective reality, we're all looking at the same shit but perceiving it in different ways lol

Our internal beliefs and thought processes dictate what we see externally, and for the most part, we're only looking out for shit that reaffirms those beliefs and thought processes rather than for shit that challenges those beliefs and thought processes.

But at the end of the day, all I know is that I don't know shit

 

[bettereveryday]

I think you misread my post. I volunteered there. I did not work there. I would still volunteer at the zoo if I did not move. I live 40 miles away for it now.

Lol that's awesome, that's the life I aspire to live.

Having cash flow so that I'm able to dibble and dabble in many jobs, industries, and volunteering opportunities just for the experience and opportunity of meeting different types of people lol.

Now that I think about it, the life I'm aspiring to live is the same life I lived when I was broke, with the only difference being the peace of mind I get from wealth and financial freedom lol.

 

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[Vigilante]

That's all relative though my man.

I've had Co-workers in retail jobs who were millionaires but simply worked there because they liked talking to people.

I've spoken to Corporate Executives who love what they do because it gives them a sense of pride, accomplishment, and importance.

I've talked to people who work in the most mundane corporate jobs, like an HR job for example, that like what they do because it gives em a sense of comfort and security.

That janitor we see might've come from a 3rd World Country where he would break his back for a couple dollars a day, so this current situation for him might be a huge blessing.

Maybe that mechanic simply likes working on electronics, its his passion, and he doesn't care how much he's making and the fact that he has a boss. It's possible, I've spoken to Car mechanics who just simply love working on cars, maybe the same applies to him.

Like an early poster said, there is no objective reality, we're all looking at the same shit but perceiving it in different ways lol

Our internal beliefs and thought processes dictate what we see externally, and for the most part, we're only looking out for shit that reaffirms those beliefs and thought processes rather than for shit that challenges those beliefs and thought processes.

But at the end of the day, all I know is that I don't know shit

Feel good stuff. What you are talking about is the outliers, the exception to the norm, not the norm.

The norm is the guy that wants more but is chained to a desk, eating or shoveling shit, because he has a wife, kids, and a mortgage.

There's a reason why surveys consistently show that over 70% of workers are unhappy in their jobs. 7 out of 10 people --- trapped.

There's nothing wrong with wanting them to have what we have discovered.

They won't all do it. Some will be content to be where they are. Excellent for them. THEY ARE NOT the norm. Statistics show that you are talking about the outliers that are content within the script.

I hope MJ's book catches fire.

If everyone was happy with their lot in life, there would be no need for https://www.amazon.com/dp/UNSCRIPTED/?tag=tff-amazonparser-20

 

[bettereveryday]

Feel good stuff. What you are talking about is the outliers, the exception to the norm, not the norm.

The norm is the guy that wants more but is chained to a desk, eating or shoveling shit, because he has a wife, kids, and a mortgage.

There's a reason why surveys consistently show that over 70% of workers are unhappy in their jobs. 7 out of 10 people --- trapped.

There's nothing wrong with wanting them to have what we have discovered.

They won't all do it. Some will be content to be where they are. Excellent for them. THEY ARE NOT the norm. Statistics show that you are talking about the outliers that are content within the script.

I hope MJ's book catches fire.

If everyone was happy with their lot in life, there would be no need for https://www.amazon.com/dp/UNSCRIPTED/?tag=tff-amazonparser-20

Good point.

I'm only speaking on based what I've seen and experienced, which is all I can do.

I think we can both agree on one principle though, which is no matter who you are and what you do, our obligation as a human being is to do whatever we can to try to make this world a better place and to improve the quality of life for the people around us.

 

[Chazmania]

However, if he is happy with his life, why should we care? I would give him congratulations.

So what? He's happy isn't he?

Everyone views the world in different ways.

This is something I've been thinking about lately. If they are truly happy, then yes, who are we to judge, as our values are obviously different than theirs.

I think you are wrong here. How do we or you know that he is going to regret it? There are people who look at us and cringe or get scared because we live this risky, unstable, up and down life. They don't envy us. They like their job. They like to go home at 5 and not think about work until 9 the next day.

Yeah I do totally agree that the story is kind of sad in a way. Especially to members of an entrepreneur forum like this.

Reminds me:

I worked as an appliance repair tech with Sears years ago and my first day on the job at the morning meeting they were recognizing someone for 35 years of employment there. They gave him a f------g Sears coupon booklet and a sweatshirt with the company logo on it.

35 years!

What's crazy is that he didn't seem to mind at all while I felt insulted for him. I know because he was one of my trainers. In fact it didn't even register with him that there may be a better life out there!

Maybe ignorance really is bliss?

But it's true that many people don't want to deal with the financial risks, delayed gratification, employee BS, tenant BS, customer BS, chinese manufacturers..........yadda yadda yadda.

After giving this topic lots of thought over time I've decided that if someone is truly happy, then I guess I'm happy for them and that's it.

 

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[Christopher777]

Maybe ignorance really is bliss?

The guy who loved steak said that.

 

[Iammelissamoore]

But then I also wonder whether many people like that just don't realize that they CAN do much better if they were to raise their standards. If they truly adopted the belief that they can do anything, would they still claim to be happy at that point, doing what they are doing now, or are they happy now because of their ignorance of what is possible for them?

Are their limiting beliefs keeping them ignorantly happy, like those living in the Matrix? Once you find out you're living in a dream world, how many would still be happy living in it?

I honestly feel the same - sometimes some people really just don't know better exists, because so easily - the Scripted life says - you must settle with the mediocrity. Scripted life says that Millionaires and Billionaires are products/offspring of legacy Millionaires and Billionaires, Scripted life says that being wealthy does not happen to ordinary people - what Scripted life does not say is that somewhere along the line, some ordinary person made a decision to become extraordinary - to add more - to become more - to build more - to be more.

Prior to reading TMF and now Unscripted , some of us may have never believed a lot of the philosophies MJ highlighted were possible; some of us, though we believed it was possible, we had no idea how or where to begin and that lack of knowledge or understanding can easily make us succumb to nothingness.

However, some of us are so hungry for better that the word "settle" does NOT exist in our vocabulary.

 

[PedroG]

I'll summarize what I've been saying with this:

"If you knew you could not fail, what would you be doing with your life?"

I think if a janitor can honestly answer that he would still be a janitor, then it may make sense to feel happy for that person. But I think most people would be doing something different. And that's why we feel bad for people even when they think they are happy.

Because we want to at least show them what's possible, so they can truly decide for themselves to do what they are doing because they truly want to, and not because they have a fear of failing or because they believe they can't do anything else.

 

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[BrooklynHustle]

It hurts "us" because we do not identify with this.

However, if he is happy with his life, why should we care? I would give him congratulations. His version of freedom is not ours. His pursuit of happiness is obviously not ours.

I agree. Not for me, but why should I pass judgement if it's working for him?

 

[ZCP]

It is our responsibility to let people know 'another option' exists. (It is up to them to take the pill.....)

Having had trouble getting those already in the slowlane to 'see', I have started working with younger kids/teens through financial / business merit badges in scouts.

If I can save that one starfish........

 

[MJ DeMarco]

I find it hypocritical to affirm the principles of the Fast Lane Millionaire ---and not be sad about people who buy the bullshit script of the masses. I want them to have what I have.

The larger question is, is someone "appears" happy in the Matrix, is it our duty to tell them of its existence?

Frankly, I'm not trying to convince the Cyphers of the world who want to remained plugged into the system.

 

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[Vigilante]

I'll match your clip with an offsetting clip of someone who thought they were happy, but it was only when they learned they were in the script and broke out did they realize there was much more out there.

We have an obligation to help them find the door. Whether or not they walk through it is on them. You didn't write Unscripted because you wanted to hide it under a bushel.

And if you want to get really deep, the last few seconds of this clip with the two guys eating pizza probably represents the majority.

 

[jsk29]

It hurts "us" because we do not identify with this.

However, if he is happy with his life, why should we care? I would give him congratulations. His version of freedom is not ours. His pursuit of happiness is obviously not ours.

This is one of the things I respect the most about respect MJ.

He doesn't hard sell his philosophy. He shares his views as authentically and honestly as he can and lets "the chips fall where they may".

That's why I gravitated to this forum and bought his second book.

His approach reminds me of the quote: "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear."

He mentions in his interviews that he doesn't believe entrepreneurship is for everyone. I agree.

The problem I see in @jon.a 's story is if his shipmate's pursuit was predicated on the assumption that being promoted was the only way to increase income.

Why is that a problem? Like MJ has stated, planning your financial strategy around HOPE and TIME is very dangerous.

If the shipmate wished to become an Electronics Engineer for non-financial reasons such as a sense of purpose, mastery of his craft, status in the hierarchy, etc. I don't see any reason to pity him - he deserves congratulations.