MJ DeMarco
I followed the science; all I found was money.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
LEGACY MEMBER
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
I started writing The Millionaire Fastlane when I was 35 when I was young and in the prime of my life. Released it by 37. Today, more than a decade later, I am no longer young.
Yet, I've never been wealthier, happier, and healthier, the latter two being the most important.
In fact, I feel better today at 53 years young than I did at 33 years old.
What's my secret?
I leveraged my superpower, and that superpower is decision-making.
I'm living a dream, and when I reflect on my choices, it boils down to this:
Hard decisions = Easy life.
Easy decisions = Hard life.
What were some of the hard decisions? Here are just a few:
Every day, you face numerous choices, from the trivial to the complex. However, the hard decisions are the ones that require courage and sacrifice. Ultimately these are the ones that pave the way for a more comfortable life.
This may seem paradoxical, but there's tremendous power in embracing the tough choices as they force us to confront our fears, shortcomings, and even our deepest desires.
The hard decisions compel us to face reality and take responsibility for our circumstances. Choosing to end a toxic relationship, quitting a secure job to pursue a dream, or accepting a move to a new city for better opportunities are all examples of hard decisions that initially brought me discomfort but eventually led to personal growth and an easier life.
The power of hard choices lies in their transformative nature. They reshape your life, push you out of your comfort zones and test your resilience. This doesn't mean the path after the hard decision will be smooth, but it forces you forward instead of staying stagnant.
In the process, they develop your problem-solving abilities, enhance your emotional intelligence, and increase your adaptability.
These skills can make life's future challenges less loaded with stress and anxiety. Less of those = better life!
The ex-coach of the Phoenix Suns, Monty Williams, always said, "Everything you want is on the other side of hard."
Hard is making the hard choices because they often involve risk and/or sacrifice. Risk is a necessary ingredient for growth and success. Making tough choices often means sacrificing short-term comfort for long-term gain. In doing so, you learn to manage and mitigate risk and understand that failure is not fatal but an opportunity to learn and grow.
Hard decisions also cultivates self-awareness and self-confidence. Each challenging decision you face is an opportunity to understand yourself better to clarify your values, ambitions, and fears. Making these choices, and living with their outcomes, builds confidence in your ability to navigate life's uncertainties, especially in a Fastlane pursuit.
Understanding that difficult choices often pave the path to an easier life.
Whether you agree or not, your superpower is your ability to decide.
To choose.
To work daily toward a life you want to live.
I recognized my superpower young— the idea that I was the drive of my life through choice—and it transformed my life into a dream. Making the easy decisions would have made it hard.
Decide to make the hard decisions.
Or let the easy decisions create a hard life.
Yet, I've never been wealthier, happier, and healthier, the latter two being the most important.
In fact, I feel better today at 53 years young than I did at 33 years old.
What's my secret?
I leveraged my superpower, and that superpower is decision-making.
I'm living a dream, and when I reflect on my choices, it boils down to this:
Hard decisions = Easy life.
Easy decisions = Hard life.
What were some of the hard decisions? Here are just a few:
- The hard decision to take the road less traveled and be an entrepreneur where peer pressure, academia, and media promoted a job culture. The easy decision would have been to get a job and pave the way to an unfulfilled life with a seemingly secure paycheck.
- The hard decision not to get wrapped up in my emotions and get married young to the wrong woman at a time when I was still "finding myself." The easy decision would be to succumb to my emotional impatience and get married fast, only to get divorced years later while enduring the financial turmoil that comes from it.
- The hard decision to leave cold Chicago for sunny Arizona with no job and no money. The easy decision would be to stay and argue that my friends and family are here! The easy decision would have eroded my happiness, motivation, and zest for life.
- The hard decision to save and invest a lot of my outsized earnings when I was in my thirties. Instead of buying a fleet of Lambos, I bought one every few years. As such, I can still live the same luxurious life with zero financial stress for the rest of my life. The easy decision would have been to spend everything, avoiding tax burdens and the long game.
- The hard decision to change my diet. After suffering many chronic health issues in my 30s and early 40s, I made the hard decision to change what I shove into my mouth, which requires daily, if not hourly, discipline. The easy decision would be to continue eating whatever I wanted (the standard American diet), while neglecting the consequences.
- The hard decision to make fitness a priority in my life. The easy decision to sit on the couch and play video games.
- The hard decision to continually educate myself. The easy decision is to binge Netflix and constantly entertain myself like the average person.
Every day, you face numerous choices, from the trivial to the complex. However, the hard decisions are the ones that require courage and sacrifice. Ultimately these are the ones that pave the way for a more comfortable life.
This may seem paradoxical, but there's tremendous power in embracing the tough choices as they force us to confront our fears, shortcomings, and even our deepest desires.
The hard decisions compel us to face reality and take responsibility for our circumstances. Choosing to end a toxic relationship, quitting a secure job to pursue a dream, or accepting a move to a new city for better opportunities are all examples of hard decisions that initially brought me discomfort but eventually led to personal growth and an easier life.
The power of hard choices lies in their transformative nature. They reshape your life, push you out of your comfort zones and test your resilience. This doesn't mean the path after the hard decision will be smooth, but it forces you forward instead of staying stagnant.
In the process, they develop your problem-solving abilities, enhance your emotional intelligence, and increase your adaptability.
These skills can make life's future challenges less loaded with stress and anxiety. Less of those = better life!
The ex-coach of the Phoenix Suns, Monty Williams, always said, "Everything you want is on the other side of hard."
Hard is making the hard choices because they often involve risk and/or sacrifice. Risk is a necessary ingredient for growth and success. Making tough choices often means sacrificing short-term comfort for long-term gain. In doing so, you learn to manage and mitigate risk and understand that failure is not fatal but an opportunity to learn and grow.
Hard decisions also cultivates self-awareness and self-confidence. Each challenging decision you face is an opportunity to understand yourself better to clarify your values, ambitions, and fears. Making these choices, and living with their outcomes, builds confidence in your ability to navigate life's uncertainties, especially in a Fastlane pursuit.
Understanding that difficult choices often pave the path to an easier life.
Whether you agree or not, your superpower is your ability to decide.
To choose.
To work daily toward a life you want to live.
I recognized my superpower young— the idea that I was the drive of my life through choice—and it transformed my life into a dream. Making the easy decisions would have made it hard.
Decide to make the hard decisions.
Or let the easy decisions create a hard life.
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today
