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The definitive Fastlane guide for teenagers...

MJ DeMarco

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If you have been linked to this page, it is because you mentioned you are a teenager (17 or younger) and have posted questions on The Fastlane Forum seeking advice for wealth, business, and life in general.

First, let me say congratulations on being a proactive investor in your future. The fact that you have asked such questions young demonstrates that you are way ahead of the average adult twice your age.

Give yourself some cred!

:clap:: :fistbump: :thumbsup:

Second, as a matter of legal liability, it is not wise for internet strangers to actively advise and converse with minors regarding life choices. This activity is generally left to your parents or teachers, individuals who typically have a fiduciary duty to your wellness.

But MJ! My parents want me to go to college and be a worker drone! A slave to the Script!


I get it. But please understand that your parents only want what is best for you. Second, they know your habits, behaviors, and patterns far better than I do. As I've written before, the forum cannot make your life decisions, especially if you aren't even a legal adult.

As for how you should approach the Fastlane if you endeavor for an Unscripted life, know this: Your teenage years should be spent having fun, whether exploring your passions, playing sports, or learning how to do things that inspire your soul.

The teen years should be exploratory, not one of hustle, grind, and unrelenting expectations.

But MJ, I want to get in the Fastlane!


Youth and time is your biggest asset right now.

In fact, you're a time billionaire with billions of unused seconds remaining in your life. That's plenty of time to "go Fastlane," build a business, a family, and a life full of meaning. Don't cheat your youth by inviting adulthood too fast and too full of lofty expectations.

So am I suggesting you leave? Give up on the idea of a Fastlane, Unscripted life?

Not at all.

First and foremost, the Fastlane is mindset. An awareness and a mental state where you don't just want to survive; you want to thrive. The fact that you're here speaks volumes, and you've recognized your most important power in life: THE POWER TO CHOOSE.

Unfortunately, until you are an adult, the "power to choose" is likely limited to your legal guardian, or your parents.

The people here cannot advise you directly other than vague generalities, which I will outline below.

So rest assured, the investments you make as a teenager will pay you big dividends as an adult, and yes, perhaps a Fastlane, Unscripted life where you can be healthy, wealthy, and happy.

Here are 12 concepts that I told my step-son when he was a teenager, things that will improve his probability of living the life of his dreams.

#1) Don't dismiss a college education.

Yes, a college education isn't what it used to be.

However, college is more than the degree; it is socialization, it is time management, it is discipline, it is learning how to learn, and it is your first dance away from your parents.

Now, is college worth its debt? Depends.

Spending $50K on a philosophy degree isn't smart. Computer science, data analysis, robotics; perhaps it is.

If college is free in your country, study something that interests you and can be leveraged in either a great job or a great business.

Avoid any "greater fool" studies or degrees in liberal arts; these pursuits are only valuable in teaching other fools the same stuff.

#2) Don't dismiss your parent's wisdom, but also, don't take it as the holy gospel.

Your parent's primary goal is to protect you. Part of that protection is guarding you from unknown dangers and from taking perceived risks. They want what they think is best for you, even if you don't agree.

Starting a business sounds risky if your parents are part of the rat race, live paycheck-to-paycheck, and have been working a job most of their lives. Even more risky? The idea of starting a business for wealth and as a conduit to escape the rat race. These are massive unknowns. Risks. It is their job to be skeptical.

Hate school? That's OK, so did I.

But I powered through it and graduated.

Your first challenge as an entrepreneur is to finish high school, or if you have one year left in college, for the love of God, finish college. It only makes sense to drop out of you have an established business with sales, revenue, and a pathway to scale.

If you can't survive the grind of high school or college, you'll find the grind of starting and running a business no easier.

Quitters quit. Winners persevere, even when things are boring, hard, or dispassionate.

Second, do you want to get rich? Be successful and happy?

Get used to the idea that learning is LIFE-LONG.

Continuing self-education will make you rich. If your education officially ends at graduation, make no mistake: the rest of your life will suck.

You can hate school, but you can't hate education.

#3) Social media is mentally hazardous: Avoid social media, video games, and other dopamine addictions that destroy your ability to learn, focus, and evolve.

Decades ago, your most significant obstacle to success was access to knowledge.

Today, knowledge is everywhere—a readily accessible commodity—but most people are incapable of processing it, much less using it.

Why? Distraction.

Smartphones have killed your ability to focus. And the younger you are, the worse it is.

If you want any chance of success, avoid social media and video gaming except as tools for your business. If you can't avoid them, put strict limits on their use, like you would smoking or drinking a sugar-laden soda.

Social media is a perfect example of the consumer/producer dichotomy I expose in The Millionaire Fastlane ; the YouTubers with 3 million subscribers are producing, and hence, making millions—their subscribers are the consumers, spending millions in minutes per day.

#4) The producers of culture get rich; the consumers stay poor.

Know this: If you want to get rich as an adult, you must learn to produce value in excess of your consumption.

See the social media example above. Do you think Mr. Beast is on YouTube 4 hours a day, watching endless videos on meditation, cold showers, and productivity hacking?

Nope.

He's PRODUCING content for the masses to consume.

And as a result, he has billions of dollars in influence and wealth.

Yes, there's nothing wrong with watching YouTube to learn something new. However, at some point, the knowledge you consume must be put into real-life action. That's how you get a return on the time you invest.

As I like to say, at some point you can read and consume all kinds of material on swimming; at some point you have to jump in the pool.

Second, social media is an excellent tool for entrepreneurs to grow their business and influence. It is a tool, like a hammer.

A hammer can build you something impressive like a house, or you can use a hammer to hit yourself over the head, turning you into a dopamine slave.

Eventually, the choice will be yours.

#5) Business and entrepreneurship is a lifelong sport; it's not something you try for a few months and move on.


Business, or entrepreneurship, is not something you try. It's something you live. It is an enduring identity that goes beyond just a career. And you can reinforce your entrepreneurial identity during your teen years by doing entrepreneurial things.

In my community, enterprising teenagers are very common.

They mow and aerate lawns, pull weeds, walk dogs, wash/detail cars, power wash driveways/garbage cans, and host lemonade stands on the street corner.

Presuming you have your parent's permission, nothing stops you from posting your services on Facebook or NextDoor. You'd be surprised how many adults love to give 16-year-old teenagers work.

Any success in these local enterprises will spell future success in more significant ventures. Entrepreneurship is about selling value and delivering it. The "making money" aspect is the result.

If you're here asking, "How do I make money?" you're already on the wrong launchpad.

The answer isn't low-brow, fast money-making opportunities pushed by every two-bit guru; affiliate marketing, dropshipping, or crypto— it's in the art of unique value creation followed by marketing that value.

Help people and you will help yourself.

#6) Learn how to sell, communicate, and market. Bonus: Learn how to lead.

If you own the cure for cancer but can't sell, communicate, or market it, you make nothing. A great product sells zero. Selling is critical in life, from selling yourself to employers, customers, professors, bosses, regulators, lobbyists, and potential spouses—the selling never ends.

Communication is the bridge between your mind and the world. It's the energy that propels your imagination into reality. Like a skilled conductor leading an orchestra, learning to communicate effectively will enable you to create harmony and conciseness in relationships, projects, and pursuits.

Bonus points if you can lead groups of people.

Triple points if you learn how to speak in front of large groups.

Second, the art of marketing and advertising is a potent skill. It's more than just pushing a product; it's about connecting, understanding needs, and solving problems.

Whether a lemonade stand or a school project, learning to sell, persuade, and advance your position is about mastering the human connection.

It's the first dance in the grand ballroom of business.

#7) Leverage compounding; the skill behind life-changing results and ambitious dreams.


Compound is the key to success.

Compounding money, compounding returns, compounding skills, compounding habits.

When you hear a concert violinist, you're witnessing positive compounding.

When you watch a pro athlete, you're seeing years of positive compounding.

When you see a successful entrepreneur sell his company, again, positive compounding.

Conversely, when you see someone 300 lbs and obese, you're witnessing the incarnation of negative compounding.

Social media, video games, and poor dietary habits institute negative compounding and make your mind a mushy marshmallow.

Results—both positive and negative—only happen one day, one habit at a time.

As I like to say, hard choices create an easy life.

Easy choices? Be prepared for hard.

As such, if you can exercise this compounding muscle, you can win at life.
  • Learn how to play a musical instrument until you get to an intermediate level.
  • Visit the gym 4-5 times a week until fitness becomes a routine.
  • Eat right every day and avoid processed, sugary foods.
  • Brush your teeth daily; a root canal is the worst thing a human can endure.
  • Take up a sport and aim to be the best at it, not the best in your school, just the best YOU can be.
  • Learn how to save a portion of your earnings—no matter how small. It's not the amount; it's the process.

Success is found in the ordinary.

That's right, the mundane is where life reveals its most profound secrets. The daily grind, the routine, the everyday hustle is where you'll find the hidden threads of future greatness. Expect them, endure them, and come out better than before.

Are you better today than yesterday?

Ask, If I continue this behavior for the next 100 days, what will my results be?

Your answer will determine if you live a life of pride or shame.

#8) Stop caring what other people think or struggle mightily.


You can't do anything significant if you constantly avoid criticism or care what others think.

Success is a full-criticism sport.


Look at the most successful entrepreneurs, authors, and athletes in the world, from Elon Musk to JK Rowling to Ronaldo; they all get criticism and have their share of haters.

You can be pure of heart and soul and guess what? It still won't matter! People will hate you, especially if you succeed publicly. And it is hard not to take it personally.

However, this expected hatred is a fact of life, and if you want to resist the realities of life, you will struggle to succeed at anything.

Expect friction and know such negative commentary has nothing to do with you but with the person dispensing it. Friend, brother, schoolmate; it doesn't matter.

Hurt people hurt people.

#9) Surround yourself with accelerators, not drags.

As a teen, I once had a friend, Dave, who was crazy. At the time, I thought he was funny in a bold, inappropriate way. But I knew something was "off" about him and stopped being his friend. Here's later, I discovered he murdered a cop and was sentenced to life in prison.

There's an old and true saying: You are who you surround yourself with.

If your friends are lazy losers who eat and play video games all day, guess what? You likely will become a lazy loser who does the same.

People who don't support your goals and big dreams are drags. They are like anchors on your boat. Conversely, surrounding yourself with people who support your goal or, minimally aspire for better life outcomes becomes an accelerant.

Think of each person invited into the intimacy of life as a door. What door are they taking you through? What would have happened if I had been in the car when Dave decided to run over a cop?

People act like doors on your life's journey; they open new opportunities or new tragedies.

Choose wisely who you choose to associate with. Learn how to lock doors and walk away from them.

#10) Understand that culture, media, entertainment, and society generally want you mediocre and obedient, a good citizen who questions nothing and does their job for 50 years.


The Script is real. Culture is not your friend. Neither is the media.

If you want to live a 1% existence, you can't participate in 99% resources.

Beware of any mainstream media sources, opinions, or illusions of authority. They are all designed to get you into the Monday-thru-Friday slave/investment scheme. They are all designed to make you angry and to believe you're a victim. Yes, the world is screwed up—but your neighbor generally isn't the problem, it's what's your neighbor continues to consume, and continues to believe.

Learn to think critically and ask, "Why do they want me to think, behave, and act this way?"

More than likely, you'll find a conflict of interest or an agenda actually adverse to living your best life.

#11) Choose to be happy. You can be 50 years old and still live life like a kid.


I'm over 50 now. More than 2/3rds of my life is over. And yet, I still feel like a kid. Life is fantastic, and it feels like my playground.

Over the years, I learned that happiness is a state of mind, an existence of being, not a destination. If you make happiness a destination conditional on specific results (sales, cars, etc.), your happiness won't last and will be fleeting.

Think of it as a scale of 1 through 10.

Most people have a default happiness level that fluctuates around 3-6 and work to earn periodic bursts to 8s or 9s—a promotion, a new car, a concert or a vacation—whereas you should opt to live your life at a constant 8.

How?

Pursue your dreams.

No matter how hard.

Here's a secret for living happily: When you have a dream—a Meaning and a Purpose—and you're actively pursuing those purposes, you're already living the dream.

As you pursue your dreams, small wins spike happiness from a default baseline of 7 or 8, to 9 or 10.

Don't confuse Purpose with "Following your passion" or "doing what you love." These are selfish inclinations.

A Purpose is usually external and larger than ourselves. A Purpose forces you to do the dirty work, the work that forces others to quit. When turmoil arrives, and it will, Purpose is the propellant to get you over the mountain.

Screenshot 2023-08-25 at 12.32.27 PM.png

#12) One day, you'll be dead; make life your video game to be won.

Life is short. Yes, it goes fast. It feels like just yesterday I was 21.

However, one perspective that helped me endure life's challenges was looking at life as a role-playing fantasy video game. As such, I worked to acquire knowledge, experience points, proficiency, and skills; I performed market experiments, acted, assessed, and adjusted continually, and leveled up in the game while acquiring gold and treasure.

Video games always have big bosses to kill. Life does, too, from our impulsive decisions that result in poor consequences to a media that hates entrepreneurs and "rich people" to the lures of social media and endless Netflix binging. Kill the bosses, and you win.

Failures? No problem, they're just game resets. They're experience points—part of the game.

Looking at life this way while deploying the power of compounding, you might wake up owning a real Lamborghini in life, not a fake Lamborghini in a video game.

Ultimately, your main goal is happiness and self-fulfillment, a life you can be proud of when your last day on earth arrives.

With that said, remember, you are in the dawn of your existence.

Your teen years should be optimized to play, to dream, to laugh, and to explore. Don't rush to grow up; don't forget to live and savor youth's sweetness. Like a rare vintage wine, these years have a flavor that you'll never taste again. Don't hate your youth; embrace it, for it shall never come again.

As you age into adulthood, your career as an entrepreneur will unfurl like a journey through an uncharted wilderness. There will be mountains to climb and rivers to cross, but the beauty is in the journey, not just the destination. There's beauty in pursuing a dream and a Purpose. Embrace the video game that is life, sharpen your skills, nurture your mind, and prepare to set the world ablaze with your ideas.

This life is yours and no one else.

The greatest tragedy of humanity is to aspire for mediocrity. To just survive and get by.

Aim higher, produce, learn as you age, and master the video game that is life.

:fistbump::thumbsup::thumbsup:

I will add more over time, until then, get off Instagram, go outside and enjoy your youth.
Best wishes,
MJ DeMarco

Fellow Fastlaners? What advice are you giving your children?
 
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MJ DeMarco

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As a book,

A Web post,

I'm writing one main thread to start, and others can contribute under the premise of, "If you had a 15 year old child who was interested in entrepreneurship, what would you tell them?"

Who knows, I might even do a TMF for Teens book.
 

ExistingExpert

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Who knows, I might even do a TMF for Teens book.
LmpwZw
 
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Jrjohnny

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I'm writing one main thread to start, and others can contribute under the premise of, "If you had a 15 year old child who was interested in entrepreneurship, what would you tell them?"
Id be the one to judge if the advice valid..
Who knows, I might even do a TMF for Teens book.
Id love that.

That can be a basic guide to the other books.

There needs to be a ultimate thread for this, maybe even a own Category about teens.

I’ve seen like 30 something threads of teens asking what to do.

I’ve only been on this forum 3-4 months.

I’ve contributed maybe 3 or 4 messages but this is a pretty big need.

Good idea MJ! I like it!
 

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Thanks MJ been looking for some decent advice. Me choosing to read the millionaire fast lane this summer will be one of the most defining factors of my success. Cant wait to get some more of your great advice
 
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Take your time MJ! If you need to ask us teens some questions about "being a teen", feel free to ask us. We don't mind being interviewed:thumbsup:

Good luck with trying to emphasize with teens!:rofl:
 
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Guest06194gh

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I'm writing one main thread to start, and others can contribute under the premise of, "If you had a 15 year old child who was interested in entrepreneurship, what would you tell them?"

Who knows, I might even do a TMF for Teens book.
Yeah I think I'd read that thread considering I read ya book. But I still got a lot to learn so if you divulged more into that than I'd be a happy camper.
 
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Andy Black

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I did a call specifically for teens and students to help them get going.

An 8 minute video extract covers the main points I wanted to go through, but we covered other stuff as well in the full call.

Quite a few members wrote their takeaways down in that thread, and you may find those useful.


 

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"If you had a 15 year old child who was interested in entrepreneurship, what would you tell them?"
Great idea MJ! I’d tell them to find a service they can do for someone and charge them money. I think that’s one of the biggest gifts you can give a teenager.

Once someone learns that they don’t need to hold a job to earn one’s living, then their mind is forever open to the idea of freedom. They also get the psychological safety that they’ll always know that no matter what happens, they can make money on their own.

How it would look practically for the person would depend on their inclinations and personality. Someone could head over on Upwork, or they could knock on the neighbor’s door, that is imo less important.
 

MJ DeMarco

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Thread updated.

Going forward, any new threads created by teenagers asking for advice (17 and younger) will be locked and forwarded to this thread.
 
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Thread updated.

Going forward, any new threads created by teenagers asking for advice (17 and younger) will be locked and forwarded to this thread.
What? That’s kind of dumb

Just add a new catergory?

Why would you do that?
 

MJ DeMarco

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Did you even bother to read the thread? Maybe I should add attention to detail.
I read it, I just don’t really understand why every new thread has to be moved into here?

And also, thank you for those tips, I’ll make sure to use the ones I haven’t already been using.

Sorry if there’s any confusion, I just don’t see why every new thread has to be moved here..

EDIT:

I also wanted to say that for any teens in doubt, this is very true.

I spend most of my time hanging out with family, trying to find new friends.

We watch shows, play, laugh and i just have the best time ever..

I kind of struggle to find my purpose though.

I spend my time something like this, 50% with family, friends and doing my own thing, 20% on entrepreneurship, and 30% on improving myself.

I am possible one of the happiest I’ve ever been.
 
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The teen years should be exploratory, not one of hustle, grind, and unrelenting expectations.

Do not underestimate this wisdom....
I mostly partied and enjoyed life as a teenager....
And I haven't regretted it for a second.
I still think back on it often with many good memories !

As a 33 year old, I don't want to sound like one of your grandparents but you have a whole life of responsibilities ahead of you.
Children, parents getting older, your business, dealing with loss of loved ones,...

If you're on this forum as a teenager then you've come a long way.
Still plenty of time to "make it" in life !
Do they still say yolo these days ? Or am I really getting old
 
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As a 33 year old, I don't want to sound like one of your grandparents but you have a whole life of responsibilities ahead of you.
Children, parents getting older, your business, dealing with loss of loved ones,...
I understand this completely.

But what if I’m the next one? What will my parents remember me as? What about my loved ones?

Would they see me as a video gamer? Or a determined boy who enjoyed his life while he still had it?
If you're on this forum as a teenager then you've come a long way.
Still plenty of time to "make it" in life !
Do they still say yolo these days ? Or am I really getting old
They still say yolo, don’t worry man:rofl:
 

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If you have been linked to this page, it is because you mentioned you are a teenager (17 or younger) and have posted questions on The Fastlane Forum seeking advice for wealth, business, and life in general.

First, let me say congratulations on being a proactive investor in your future. The fact that you have asked such questions young demonstrates that you are way ahead of the average adult twice your age.

Give yourself some cred!

:clap:: :fistbump: :thumbsup:

Second, as a matter of legal liability, it is not wise for internet strangers to actively advise and converse with minors regarding life choices. This activity is generally left to your parents or teachers, individuals who typically have a fiduciary duty to your wellness.

But MJ! My parents want me to go to college and be a worker drone! A slave to the Script!


I get it. But please understand that your parents only want what is best for you. Second, they know your habits, behaviors, and patterns far better than I do. As I've written before, the forum cannot make your life decisions, especially if you aren't even a legal adult.

As for how you should approach the Fastlane if you endeavor for an Unscripted life, know this: Your teenage years should be spent having fun, whether exploring your passions, playing sports, or learning how to do things that inspire your soul.

The teen years should be exploratory, not one of hustle, grind, and unrelenting expectations.

But MJ, I want to get in the Fastlane!


Youth and time is your biggest asset right now.

In fact, you're a time billionaire with billions of unused seconds remaining in your life. That's plenty of time to "go Fastlane," build a business, a family, and a life full of meaning. Don't cheat your youth by inviting adulthood too fast and too full of lofty expectations.

So am I suggesting you leave? Give up on the idea of a Fastlane, Unscripted life?

Not at all.

First and foremost, the Fastlane is mindset. An awareness and a mental state where you don't just want to survive; you want to thrive. The fact that you're here speaks volumes, and you've recognized your most important power in life: THE POWER TO CHOOSE.

Unfortunately, until you are an adult, the "power to choose" is likely limited to your legal guardian, or your parents.

The people here cannot advise you directly other than vague generalities, which I will outline below.

So rest assured, the investments you make as a teenager will pay you big dividends as an adult, and yes, perhaps a Fastlane, Unscripted life where you can be healthy, wealthy, and happy.

Here are 12 concepts that I told my step-son when he was a teenager, things that will improve his probability of living the life of his dreams.

#1) Don't dismiss a college education.

Yes, a college education isn't what it used to be.

However, college is more than the degree; it is socialization, it is time management, it is discipline, it is learning how to learn, and it is your first dance away from your parents.

Now, is college worth its debt? Depends.

Spending $50K on a philosophy degree isn't smart. Computer science, data analysis, robotics; perhaps it is.

If college is free in your country, study something that interests you and can be leveraged in either a great job or a great business.

Avoid any "greater fool" studies or degrees in liberal arts; these pursuits are only valuable in teaching other fools the same stuff.

#2) Don't dismiss your parent's wisdom, but also, don't take it as the holy gospel.

Your parent's primary goal is to protect you. Part of that protection is guarding you from unknown dangers and from taking perceived risks. They want what they think is best for you, even if you don't agree.

Starting a business sounds risky if your parents are part of the rat race, live paycheck-to-paycheck, and have been working a job most of their lives. Even more risky? The idea of starting a business for wealth and as a conduit to escape the rat race. These are massive unknowns. Risks. It is their job to be skeptical.

Hate school? That's OK, so did I.

But I powered through it and graduated.

Your first challenge as an entrepreneur is to finish high school, or if you have one year left in college, for the love of God, finish college. It only makes sense to drop out of you have an established business with sales, revenue, and a pathway to scale.

If you can survive the grind of high school or college, you'll find the grind of starting and running a business no easier.

Quitters quit. Winners persevere, even when things are boring, hard, or dispassionate.

Second, do you want to get rich? Be successful and happy?

Get used to the idea that learning is LIFE-LONG.

Continuing self-education will make you rich. If your education officially ends at graduation, make no mistake: the rest of your life will suck.

You can hate school, but you can't hate education.

#3) Social media is mentally hazardous: Avoid social media, video games, and other dopamine addictions that destroy your ability to learn, focus, and evolve.

Decades ago, your most significant obstacle to success was access to knowledge.

Today, knowledge is everywhere—a readily accessible commodity—but most people are incapable of processing it, much less using it.

Why? Distraction.

Smartphones have killed your ability to focus. And the younger you are, the worse it is.

If you want any chance of success, avoid social media and video gaming except as tools for your business. If you can't avoid them, put strict limits on their use, like you would smoking or drinking a sugar-laden soda.

Social media is a perfect example of the consumer/producer dichotomy I expose in The Millionaire Fastlane ; the YouTubers with 3 million subscribers are producing, and hence, making millions—their subscribers are the consumers, spending millions in minutes per day.

#4) The producers of culture get rich; the consumers stay poor.

Know this: If you want to get rich as an adult, you must learn to produce value in excess of your consumption.

See the social media example above. Do you think Mr. Beast is on YouTube 4 hours a day, watching endless videos on meditation, cold showers, and productivity hacking?

Nope.

He's PRODUCING content for the masses to consume.

And as a result, he has billions of dollars in influence and wealth.

Yes, there's nothing wrong with watching YouTube to learn something new. However, at some point, the knowledge you consume must be put into real-life action. That's how you get a return on the time you invest.

As I like to say, at some point you can read and consume all kinds of material on swimming; at some point you have to jump in the pool.

Second, social media is an excellent tool for entrepreneurs to grow their business and influence. It is a tool, like a hammer.

A hammer can build you something impressive like a house, or you can use a hammer to hit yourself over the head, turning you into a dopamine slave.

Eventually, the choice will be yours.

#5) Business and entrepreneurship is a lifelong sport; it's not something you try for a few months and move on.


Business, or entrepreneurship, is not something you try. It's something you live. It is an enduring identity that goes beyond just a career. And you can reinforce your entrepreneurial identity during your teen years by doing entrepreneurial things.

In my community, enterprising teenagers are very common.

They mow and aerate lawns, pull weeds, walk dogs, wash/detail cars, power wash driveways/garbage cans, and host lemonade stands on the street corner.

Presuming you have your parent's permission, nothing stops you from posting your services on Facebook or NextDoor. You'd be surprised how many adults love to give 16-year-old teenagers work.

Any success in these local enterprises will spell future success in more significant ventures. Entrepreneurship is about selling value and delivering it. The "making money" aspect is the result.

If you're here asking, "How do I make money?" you're already on the wrong launchpad.

The answer isn't low-brow, fast money-making opportunities pushed by every two-bit guru; affiliate marketing, dropshipping, or crypto— it's in the art of unique value creation followed by marketing that value.

Help people and you will help yourself.

#6) Learn how to sell, communicate, and market. Bonus: Learn how to lead.

If you own the cure for cancer but can't sell, communicate, or market it, you make nothing. A great product sells zero. Selling is critical in life, from selling yourself to employers, customers, professors, bosses, regulators, lobbyists, and potential spouses—the selling never ends.

Communication is the bridge between your mind and the world. It's the energy that propels your imagination into reality. Like a skilled conductor leading an orchestra, learning to communicate effectively will enable you to create harmony and conciseness in relationships, projects, and pursuits.

Bonus points if you can lead groups of people.

Triple points if you learn how to speak in front of large groups.

Second, the art of marketing and advertising is a potent skill. It's more than just pushing a product; it's about connecting, understanding needs, and solving problems.

Whether a lemonade stand or a school project, learning to sell, persuade, and advance your position is about mastering the human connection.

It's the first dance in the grand ballroom of business.

#7) Leverage compounding; the skill behind life-changing results and ambitious dreams.


Compound is the key to success.

Compounding money, compounding returns, compounding skills, compounding habits.

When you hear a concert violinist, you're witnessing positive compounding.

When you watch a pro athlete, you're seeing years of positive compounding.

When you see a successful entrepreneur sell his company, again, positive compounding.

Conversely, when you see someone 300 lbs and obese, you're witnessing the incarnation of negative compounding.

Social media, video games, and poor dietary habits institute negative compounding and make your mind a mushy marshmallow.

Results—both positive and negative—only happen one day, one habit at a time.

As I like to say, hard choices create an easy life.

Easy choices? Be prepared for hard.

As such, if you can exercise this compounding muscle, you can win at life.
  • Learn how to play a musical instrument until you get to an intermediate level.
  • Visit the gym 4-5 times a week until fitness becomes a routine.
  • Eat right every day and avoid processed, sugary foods.
  • Brush your teeth daily; a root canal is the worst thing a human can endure.
  • Learn how to save a portion of your earnings—no matter how small. It's not the amount; it's the process.

Success is found in the ordinary.

That's right, the mundane is where life reveals its most profound secrets. The daily grind, the routine, the everyday hustle is where you'll find the hidden threads of future greatness. Expect them, endure them, and come out better than before.

Are you better today than yesterday?

Ask, If I continue this behavior for the next 100 days, what will my results be?

Your answer will determine if you live a life of pride or shame.

#8) Stop caring what other people think or struggle mightily.


You can't do anything significant if you constantly avoid criticism or care what others think.

Success is a full-criticism sport.


Look at the most successful entrepreneurs, authors, and athletes in the world, from Elon Musk to JK Rowling to Ronaldo; they all get criticism and have their share of haters.

You can be pure of heart and soul and guess what? It still won't matter! People will hate you, especially if you succeed publicly. And it is hard not to take it personally.

However, this expected hatred is a fact of life, and if you want to resist the realities of life, you will struggle to succeed at anything.

Expect friction and know such negative commentary has nothing to do with you but with the person dispensing it. Friend, brother, schoolmate; it doesn't matter.

Hurt people hurt people.

#9) Surround yourself with accelerators, not drags.

As a teen, I once had a friend, Dave, who was crazy. At the time, I thought he was funny in a bold, inappropriate way. But I knew something was "off" about him and stopped being his friend. Here's later, I discovered he murdered a cop and was sentenced to life in prison.

There's an old and true saying: You are who you surround yourself with.

If your friends are lazy losers who eat and play video games all day, guess what? You likely will become a lazy loser who does the same.

People who don't support your goals and big dreams are drags. They are like anchors on your boat. Conversely, surrounding yourself with people who support your goal or, minimally aspire for better life outcomes becomes an accelerant.

Think of each person invited into the intimacy of life as a door. What door are they taking you through? What would have happened if I had been in the car when Dave decided to run over a cop?

People act like doors on your life's journey; they open new opportunities or new tragedies.

Choose wisely who you choose to associate with. Learn how to lock doors and walk away from them.

#10) Understand that culture, media, entertainment, and society generally want you mediocre and obedient, a good citizen who questions nothing and does their job for 50 years.


The Script is real. Culture is not your friend. Neither is the media.

If you want to live a 1% existence, you can't participate in 99% resources.

Beware of any mainstream media sources, opinions, or illusions of authority. They are all designed to get you into the Monday-thru-Friday slave/investment scheme. They are all designed to make you angry and to believe you're a victim. Yes, the world is screwed up—but your neighbor generally isn't the problem, it's what's your neighbor continues to consume, and continues to believe.

Learn to think critically and ask, "Why do they want me to think, behave, and act this way?"

More than likely, you'll find a conflict of interest or an agenda actually adverse to living your best life.

#11) Choose to be happy. You can be 50 years old and still live life like a kid.


I'm over 50 now. More than 2/3rds of my life is over. And yet, I still feel like a kid. Life is fantastic, and it feels like my playground.

Over the years, I learned that happiness is a state of mind, an existence of being, not a destination. If you make happiness a destination conditional on specific results (sales, cars, etc.), your happiness won't last and will be fleeting.

Think of it as a scale of 1 through 10.

Most people have a default happiness level that fluctuates around 3-6 and work to earn periodic bursts to 8s or 9s—a promotion, a new car, a concert or a vacation—whereas you should opt to live your life at a constant 8.

How?

Pursue your dreams.

No matter how hard.

Here's a secret for living happily: When you have a dream—a Meaning and a Purpose—and you're actively pursuing those purposes, you're already living the dream.


As you pursue your dreams, small wins spike happiness from a default baseline of 7 or 8, to 9 or 10.

Don't confuse Purpose with "Following your passion" or "doing what you love." These are selfish inclinations.

A Purpose is usually external and larger than ourselves. A Purpose forces you to the dirty work, the work that forces others to quit. When turmoil arrives, and it will, Purpose is the propellant to get you over the mountain.

View attachment 50976

#12) One day, you'll be dead; make life your video game to be won.

Life is short. Yes, it goes fast. It feels like just yesterday I was 21.

However, one perspective that helped me endure life's challenges was looking at life as a role-playing fantasy video game. As such, I worked to acquire knowledge, experience points, proficiency, and skills; I performed market experiments, acted, assessed, and adjusted continually, and leveled up in the game while acquiring gold and treasure.

Video games always have big bosses to kill. Life does, too, from our impulsive decisions that result in poor consequences to a media that hates entrepreneurs and "rich people" to the lures of social media and endless Netflix binging. Kill the bosses, and you win.

Failures? No problem, they're just game resets. They're experience points—part of the game.

Looking at life this way while deploying the power of compounding, you might wake up owning a real Lamborghini in life, not a fake Lamborghini in a video game.

Ultimately, your main goal is happiness and self-fulfillment, a life you can be proud of when your last day on earth arrives.

With that said, remember, you are in the dawn of your existence.

Your teen years should be optimized to play, to dream, to laugh, and to explore. Don't rush to grow up; don't forget to live and savor youth's sweetness. Like a rare vintage wine, these years have a flavor that you'll never taste again. Don't hate your youth; embrace it, for it shall never come again.

As you age into adulthood, your career as an entrepreneur will unfurl like a journey through an uncharted wilderness. There will be mountains to climb and rivers to cross, but the beauty is in the journey, not just the destination. There's beauty in pursuing a dream and a Purpose. Embrace the video game that is life, sharpen your skills, nurture your mind, and prepare to set the world ablaze with your ideas.

This life is yours and no one else.

The greatest tragedy of humanity is to aspire for mediocrity. To just survive and get by.

Aim higher, produce, learn as you age, and master the video game that is life.

:fistbump::thumbsup::thumbsup:

I will add more over time, until then, get off Instagram, go outside and enjoy your youth.
Best wishes,
MJ DeMarco

Fellow Fastlaners? What advice are you giving your children?
This is a beautiful post. I feel like for once, I got permission from myself to go on adventures, try things and live life.
There is so much more to my life than money and maybe now is the time to enjoy that.

Then again, Cleaning windows and selling cookies are great things to do.

Still, there is nothing like building a massive smoke bomb or exploring an abandoned hospital at night with the boys.
 

Spenny

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@Aidan04

#11 is exactly what we were talking about.

Superb post, I'll be coming back to this.
 
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Aidan04

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@Aidan04

#11 is exactly what we were talking about.

Superb post, I'll be coming back to this.
#9 as well. Even though we aren't exactly teenagers anymore, some of this advice can still apply to young adults in the Fastlane mindset.
 

Jrjohnny

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If you have been linked to this page, it is because you mentioned you are a teenager (17 or younger) and have posted questions on The Fastlane Forum seeking advice for wealth, business, and life in general.

First, let me say congratulations on being a proactive investor in your future. The fact that you have asked such questions young demonstrates that you are way ahead of the average adult twice your age.

Give yourself some cred!

:clap:: :fistbump: :thumbsup:

Second, as a matter of legal liability, it is not wise for internet strangers to actively advise and converse with minors regarding life choices. This activity is generally left to your parents or teachers, individuals who typically have a fiduciary duty to your wellness.

But MJ! My parents want me to go to college and be a worker drone! A slave to the Script!


I get it. But please understand that your parents only want what is best for you. Second, they know your habits, behaviors, and patterns far better than I do. As I've written before, the forum cannot make your life decisions, especially if you aren't even a legal adult.

As for how you should approach the Fastlane if you endeavor for an Unscripted life, know this: Your teenage years should be spent having fun, whether exploring your passions, playing sports, or learning how to do things that inspire your soul.

The teen years should be exploratory, not one of hustle, grind, and unrelenting expectations.

But MJ, I want to get in the Fastlane!


Youth and time is your biggest asset right now.

In fact, you're a time billionaire with billions of unused seconds remaining in your life. That's plenty of time to "go Fastlane," build a business, a family, and a life full of meaning. Don't cheat your youth by inviting adulthood too fast and too full of lofty expectations.

So am I suggesting you leave? Give up on the idea of a Fastlane, Unscripted life?

Not at all.

First and foremost, the Fastlane is mindset. An awareness and a mental state where you don't just want to survive; you want to thrive. The fact that you're here speaks volumes, and you've recognized your most important power in life: THE POWER TO CHOOSE.

Unfortunately, until you are an adult, the "power to choose" is likely limited to your legal guardian, or your parents.

The people here cannot advise you directly other than vague generalities, which I will outline below.

So rest assured, the investments you make as a teenager will pay you big dividends as an adult, and yes, perhaps a Fastlane, Unscripted life where you can be healthy, wealthy, and happy.

Here are 12 concepts that I told my step-son when he was a teenager, things that will improve his probability of living the life of his dreams.

#1) Don't dismiss a college education.

Yes, a college education isn't what it used to be.

However, college is more than the degree; it is socialization, it is time management, it is discipline, it is learning how to learn, and it is your first dance away from your parents.

Now, is college worth its debt? Depends.

Spending $50K on a philosophy degree isn't smart. Computer science, data analysis, robotics; perhaps it is.

If college is free in your country, study something that interests you and can be leveraged in either a great job or a great business.

Avoid any "greater fool" studies or degrees in liberal arts; these pursuits are only valuable in teaching other fools the same stuff.

#2) Don't dismiss your parent's wisdom, but also, don't take it as the holy gospel.

Your parent's primary goal is to protect you. Part of that protection is guarding you from unknown dangers and from taking perceived risks. They want what they think is best for you, even if you don't agree.

Starting a business sounds risky if your parents are part of the rat race, live paycheck-to-paycheck, and have been working a job most of their lives. Even more risky? The idea of starting a business for wealth and as a conduit to escape the rat race. These are massive unknowns. Risks. It is their job to be skeptical.

Hate school? That's OK, so did I.

But I powered through it and graduated.

Your first challenge as an entrepreneur is to finish high school, or if you have one year left in college, for the love of God, finish college. It only makes sense to drop out of you have an established business with sales, revenue, and a pathway to scale.

If you can't survive the grind of high school or college, you'll find the grind of starting and running a business no easier.

Quitters quit. Winners persevere, even when things are boring, hard, or dispassionate.

Second, do you want to get rich? Be successful and happy?

Get used to the idea that learning is LIFE-LONG.

Continuing self-education will make you rich. If your education officially ends at graduation, make no mistake: the rest of your life will suck.

You can hate school, but you can't hate education.

#3) Social media is mentally hazardous: Avoid social media, video games, and other dopamine addictions that destroy your ability to learn, focus, and evolve.

Decades ago, your most significant obstacle to success was access to knowledge.

Today, knowledge is everywhere—a readily accessible commodity—but most people are incapable of processing it, much less using it.

Why? Distraction.

Smartphones have killed your ability to focus. And the younger you are, the worse it is.

If you want any chance of success, avoid social media and video gaming except as tools for your business. If you can't avoid them, put strict limits on their use, like you would smoking or drinking a sugar-laden soda.

Social media is a perfect example of the consumer/producer dichotomy I expose in The Millionaire Fastlane ; the YouTubers with 3 million subscribers are producing, and hence, making millions—their subscribers are the consumers, spending millions in minutes per day.

#4) The producers of culture get rich; the consumers stay poor.

Know this: If you want to get rich as an adult, you must learn to produce value in excess of your consumption.

See the social media example above. Do you think Mr. Beast is on YouTube 4 hours a day, watching endless videos on meditation, cold showers, and productivity hacking?

Nope.

He's PRODUCING content for the masses to consume.

And as a result, he has billions of dollars in influence and wealth.

Yes, there's nothing wrong with watching YouTube to learn something new. However, at some point, the knowledge you consume must be put into real-life action. That's how you get a return on the time you invest.

As I like to say, at some point you can read and consume all kinds of material on swimming; at some point you have to jump in the pool.

Second, social media is an excellent tool for entrepreneurs to grow their business and influence. It is a tool, like a hammer.

A hammer can build you something impressive like a house, or you can use a hammer to hit yourself over the head, turning you into a dopamine slave.

Eventually, the choice will be yours.

#5) Business and entrepreneurship is a lifelong sport; it's not something you try for a few months and move on.


Business, or entrepreneurship, is not something you try. It's something you live. It is an enduring identity that goes beyond just a career. And you can reinforce your entrepreneurial identity during your teen years by doing entrepreneurial things.

In my community, enterprising teenagers are very common.

They mow and aerate lawns, pull weeds, walk dogs, wash/detail cars, power wash driveways/garbage cans, and host lemonade stands on the street corner.

Presuming you have your parent's permission, nothing stops you from posting your services on Facebook or NextDoor. You'd be surprised how many adults love to give 16-year-old teenagers work.

Any success in these local enterprises will spell future success in more significant ventures. Entrepreneurship is about selling value and delivering it. The "making money" aspect is the result.

If you're here asking, "How do I make money?" you're already on the wrong launchpad.

The answer isn't low-brow, fast money-making opportunities pushed by every two-bit guru; affiliate marketing, dropshipping, or crypto— it's in the art of unique value creation followed by marketing that value.

Help people and you will help yourself.

#6) Learn how to sell, communicate, and market. Bonus: Learn how to lead.

If you own the cure for cancer but can't sell, communicate, or market it, you make nothing. A great product sells zero. Selling is critical in life, from selling yourself to employers, customers, professors, bosses, regulators, lobbyists, and potential spouses—the selling never ends.

Communication is the bridge between your mind and the world. It's the energy that propels your imagination into reality. Like a skilled conductor leading an orchestra, learning to communicate effectively will enable you to create harmony and conciseness in relationships, projects, and pursuits.

Bonus points if you can lead groups of people.

Triple points if you learn how to speak in front of large groups.

Second, the art of marketing and advertising is a potent skill. It's more than just pushing a product; it's about connecting, understanding needs, and solving problems.

Whether a lemonade stand or a school project, learning to sell, persuade, and advance your position is about mastering the human connection.

It's the first dance in the grand ballroom of business.

#7) Leverage compounding; the skill behind life-changing results and ambitious dreams.


Compound is the key to success.

Compounding money, compounding returns, compounding skills, compounding habits.

When you hear a concert violinist, you're witnessing positive compounding.

When you watch a pro athlete, you're seeing years of positive compounding.

When you see a successful entrepreneur sell his company, again, positive compounding.

Conversely, when you see someone 300 lbs and obese, you're witnessing the incarnation of negative compounding.

Social media, video games, and poor dietary habits institute negative compounding and make your mind a mushy marshmallow.

Results—both positive and negative—only happen one day, one habit at a time.

As I like to say, hard choices create an easy life.

Easy choices? Be prepared for hard.

As such, if you can exercise this compounding muscle, you can win at life.
  • Learn how to play a musical instrument until you get to an intermediate level.
  • Visit the gym 4-5 times a week until fitness becomes a routine.
  • Eat right every day and avoid processed, sugary foods.
  • Brush your teeth daily; a root canal is the worst thing a human can endure.
  • Take up a sport and aim to be the best at it, not the best in your school, just the best YOU can be.
  • Learn how to save a portion of your earnings—no matter how small. It's not the amount; it's the process.

Success is found in the ordinary.

That's right, the mundane is where life reveals its most profound secrets. The daily grind, the routine, the everyday hustle is where you'll find the hidden threads of future greatness. Expect them, endure them, and come out better than before.

Are you better today than yesterday?

Ask, If I continue this behavior for the next 100 days, what will my results be?

Your answer will determine if you live a life of pride or shame.

#8) Stop caring what other people think or struggle mightily.


You can't do anything significant if you constantly avoid criticism or care what others think.

Success is a full-criticism sport.


Look at the most successful entrepreneurs, authors, and athletes in the world, from Elon Musk to JK Rowling to Ronaldo; they all get criticism and have their share of haters.

You can be pure of heart and soul and guess what? It still won't matter! People will hate you, especially if you succeed publicly. And it is hard not to take it personally.

However, this expected hatred is a fact of life, and if you want to resist the realities of life, you will struggle to succeed at anything.

Expect friction and know such negative commentary has nothing to do with you but with the person dispensing it. Friend, brother, schoolmate; it doesn't matter.

Hurt people hurt people.

#9) Surround yourself with accelerators, not drags.

As a teen, I once had a friend, Dave, who was crazy. At the time, I thought he was funny in a bold, inappropriate way. But I knew something was "off" about him and stopped being his friend. Here's later, I discovered he murdered a cop and was sentenced to life in prison.

There's an old and true saying: You are who you surround yourself with.

If your friends are lazy losers who eat and play video games all day, guess what? You likely will become a lazy loser who does the same.

People who don't support your goals and big dreams are drags. They are like anchors on your boat. Conversely, surrounding yourself with people who support your goal or, minimally aspire for better life outcomes becomes an accelerant.

Think of each person invited into the intimacy of life as a door. What door are they taking you through? What would have happened if I had been in the car when Dave decided to run over a cop?

People act like doors on your life's journey; they open new opportunities or new tragedies.

Choose wisely who you choose to associate with. Learn how to lock doors and walk away from them.

#10) Understand that culture, media, entertainment, and society generally want you mediocre and obedient, a good citizen who questions nothing and does their job for 50 years.


The Script is real. Culture is not your friend. Neither is the media.

If you want to live a 1% existence, you can't participate in 99% resources.

Beware of any mainstream media sources, opinions, or illusions of authority. They are all designed to get you into the Monday-thru-Friday slave/investment scheme. They are all designed to make you angry and to believe you're a victim. Yes, the world is screwed up—but your neighbor generally isn't the problem, it's what's your neighbor continues to consume, and continues to believe.

Learn to think critically and ask, "Why do they want me to think, behave, and act this way?"

More than likely, you'll find a conflict of interest or an agenda actually adverse to living your best life.

#11) Choose to be happy. You can be 50 years old and still live life like a kid.


I'm over 50 now. More than 2/3rds of my life is over. And yet, I still feel like a kid. Life is fantastic, and it feels like my playground.

Over the years, I learned that happiness is a state of mind, an existence of being, not a destination. If you make happiness a destination conditional on specific results (sales, cars, etc.), your happiness won't last and will be fleeting.

Think of it as a scale of 1 through 10.

Most people have a default happiness level that fluctuates around 3-6 and work to earn periodic bursts to 8s or 9s—a promotion, a new car, a concert or a vacation—whereas you should opt to live your life at a constant 8.

How?

Pursue your dreams.

No matter how hard.

Here's a secret for living happily: When you have a dream—a Meaning and a Purpose—and you're actively pursuing those purposes, you're already living the dream.

As you pursue your dreams, small wins spike happiness from a default baseline of 7 or 8, to 9 or 10.

Don't confuse Purpose with "Following your passion" or "doing what you love." These are selfish inclinations.

A Purpose is usually external and larger than ourselves. A Purpose forces you to do the dirty work, the work that forces others to quit. When turmoil arrives, and it will, Purpose is the propellant to get you over the mountain.

View attachment 50976

#12) One day, you'll be dead; make life your video game to be won.

Life is short. Yes, it goes fast. It feels like just yesterday I was 21.

However, one perspective that helped me endure life's challenges was looking at life as a role-playing fantasy video game. As such, I worked to acquire knowledge, experience points, proficiency, and skills; I performed market experiments, acted, assessed, and adjusted continually, and leveled up in the game while acquiring gold and treasure.

Video games always have big bosses to kill. Life does, too, from our impulsive decisions that result in poor consequences to a media that hates entrepreneurs and "rich people" to the lures of social media and endless Netflix binging. Kill the bosses, and you win.

Failures? No problem, they're just game resets. They're experience points—part of the game.

Looking at life this way while deploying the power of compounding, you might wake up owning a real Lamborghini in life, not a fake Lamborghini in a video game.

Ultimately, your main goal is happiness and self-fulfillment, a life you can be proud of when your last day on earth arrives.

With that said, remember, you are in the dawn of your existence.

Your teen years should be optimized to play, to dream, to laugh, and to explore. Don't rush to grow up; don't forget to live and savor youth's sweetness. Like a rare vintage wine, these years have a flavor that you'll never taste again. Don't hate your youth; embrace it, for it shall never come again.

As you age into adulthood, your career as an entrepreneur will unfurl like a journey through an uncharted wilderness. There will be mountains to climb and rivers to cross, but the beauty is in the journey, not just the destination. There's beauty in pursuing a dream and a Purpose. Embrace the video game that is life, sharpen your skills, nurture your mind, and prepare to set the world ablaze with your ideas.

This life is yours and no one else.

The greatest tragedy of humanity is to aspire for mediocrity. To just survive and get by.

Aim higher, produce, learn as you age, and master the video game that is life.

:fistbump::thumbsup::thumbsup:

I will add more over time, until then, get off Instagram, go outside and enjoy your youth.
Best wishes,
MJ DeMarco

Fellow Fastlaners? What advice are you giving your children?
If I could add one more catergory it would be

don't underestimate your health.

Even me being a teen, I know how important health is, especially during the teen years when your body changes.

People are encouraging the grind mindset where your schedule looks like this:

2:15 AM: WORK

7:30 AM: SKIP BREAKFAST AND WORK MORE

8:15 AM: SKIP WASHING YOURSELF, SIGMAS SMELL GOOD NATURALLY.

8:17 AM: COLD SHOWER

8:45 AM: GO TO SCHOOL

2:45 PM: GET HOME AND WORK

5:15 PM: DINNER

5:30 PM: WORK

10:15 PM: SLEEP

REPEAT

you need to take breaks, enjoy yourself but also prioritize health.

Especially sleep, some people might dislike this opinion.

It’s true though, sleep matters.

I think this should be one of the main focuses of teens looking to improve themselves.

Once again, thank you MJ, a lot of teens needed to see this..
 

skyflare

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If you have been linked to this page, it is because you mentioned you are a teenager (17 or younger) and have posted questions on The Fastlane Forum seeking advice for wealth, business, and life in general.

First, let me say congratulations on being a proactive investor in your future. The fact that you have asked such questions young demonstrates that you are way ahead of the average adult twice your age.

Give yourself some cred!

:clap:: :fistbump: :thumbsup:

Second, as a matter of legal liability, it is not wise for internet strangers to actively advise and converse with minors regarding life choices. This activity is generally left to your parents or teachers, individuals who typically have a fiduciary duty to your wellness.

But MJ! My parents want me to go to college and be a worker drone! A slave to the Script!


I get it. But please understand that your parents only want what is best for you. Second, they know your habits, behaviors, and patterns far better than I do. As I've written before, the forum cannot make your life decisions, especially if you aren't even a legal adult.

As for how you should approach the Fastlane if you endeavor for an Unscripted life, know this: Your teenage years should be spent having fun, whether exploring your passions, playing sports, or learning how to do things that inspire your soul.

The teen years should be exploratory, not one of hustle, grind, and unrelenting expectations.

But MJ, I want to get in the Fastlane!


Youth and time is your biggest asset right now.

In fact, you're a time billionaire with billions of unused seconds remaining in your life. That's plenty of time to "go Fastlane," build a business, a family, and a life full of meaning. Don't cheat your youth by inviting adulthood too fast and too full of lofty expectations.

So am I suggesting you leave? Give up on the idea of a Fastlane, Unscripted life?

Not at all.

First and foremost, the Fastlane is mindset. An awareness and a mental state where you don't just want to survive; you want to thrive. The fact that you're here speaks volumes, and you've recognized your most important power in life: THE POWER TO CHOOSE.

Unfortunately, until you are an adult, the "power to choose" is likely limited to your legal guardian, or your parents.

The people here cannot advise you directly other than vague generalities, which I will outline below.

So rest assured, the investments you make as a teenager will pay you big dividends as an adult, and yes, perhaps a Fastlane, Unscripted life where you can be healthy, wealthy, and happy.

Here are 12 concepts that I told my step-son when he was a teenager, things that will improve his probability of living the life of his dreams.

#1) Don't dismiss a college education.

Yes, a college education isn't what it used to be.

However, college is more than the degree; it is socialization, it is time management, it is discipline, it is learning how to learn, and it is your first dance away from your parents.

Now, is college worth its debt? Depends.

Spending $50K on a philosophy degree isn't smart. Computer science, data analysis, robotics; perhaps it is.

If college is free in your country, study something that interests you and can be leveraged in either a great job or a great business.

Avoid any "greater fool" studies or degrees in liberal arts; these pursuits are only valuable in teaching other fools the same stuff.

#2) Don't dismiss your parent's wisdom, but also, don't take it as the holy gospel.

Your parent's primary goal is to protect you. Part of that protection is guarding you from unknown dangers and from taking perceived risks. They want what they think is best for you, even if you don't agree.

Starting a business sounds risky if your parents are part of the rat race, live paycheck-to-paycheck, and have been working a job most of their lives. Even more risky? The idea of starting a business for wealth and as a conduit to escape the rat race. These are massive unknowns. Risks. It is their job to be skeptical.

Hate school? That's OK, so did I.

But I powered through it and graduated.

Your first challenge as an entrepreneur is to finish high school, or if you have one year left in college, for the love of God, finish college. It only makes sense to drop out of you have an established business with sales, revenue, and a pathway to scale.

If you can't survive the grind of high school or college, you'll find the grind of starting and running a business no easier.

Quitters quit. Winners persevere, even when things are boring, hard, or dispassionate.

Second, do you want to get rich? Be successful and happy?

Get used to the idea that learning is LIFE-LONG.

Continuing self-education will make you rich. If your education officially ends at graduation, make no mistake: the rest of your life will suck.

You can hate school, but you can't hate education.

#3) Social media is mentally hazardous: Avoid social media, video games, and other dopamine addictions that destroy your ability to learn, focus, and evolve.

Decades ago, your most significant obstacle to success was access to knowledge.

Today, knowledge is everywhere—a readily accessible commodity—but most people are incapable of processing it, much less using it.

Why? Distraction.

Smartphones have killed your ability to focus. And the younger you are, the worse it is.

If you want any chance of success, avoid social media and video gaming except as tools for your business. If you can't avoid them, put strict limits on their use, like you would smoking or drinking a sugar-laden soda.

Social media is a perfect example of the consumer/producer dichotomy I expose in The Millionaire Fastlane ; the YouTubers with 3 million subscribers are producing, and hence, making millions—their subscribers are the consumers, spending millions in minutes per day.

#4) The producers of culture get rich; the consumers stay poor.

Know this: If you want to get rich as an adult, you must learn to produce value in excess of your consumption.

See the social media example above. Do you think Mr. Beast is on YouTube 4 hours a day, watching endless videos on meditation, cold showers, and productivity hacking?

Nope.

He's PRODUCING content for the masses to consume.

And as a result, he has billions of dollars in influence and wealth.

Yes, there's nothing wrong with watching YouTube to learn something new. However, at some point, the knowledge you consume must be put into real-life action. That's how you get a return on the time you invest.

As I like to say, at some point you can read and consume all kinds of material on swimming; at some point you have to jump in the pool.

Second, social media is an excellent tool for entrepreneurs to grow their business and influence. It is a tool, like a hammer.

A hammer can build you something impressive like a house, or you can use a hammer to hit yourself over the head, turning you into a dopamine slave.

Eventually, the choice will be yours.

#5) Business and entrepreneurship is a lifelong sport; it's not something you try for a few months and move on.


Business, or entrepreneurship, is not something you try. It's something you live. It is an enduring identity that goes beyond just a career. And you can reinforce your entrepreneurial identity during your teen years by doing entrepreneurial things.

In my community, enterprising teenagers are very common.

They mow and aerate lawns, pull weeds, walk dogs, wash/detail cars, power wash driveways/garbage cans, and host lemonade stands on the street corner.

Presuming you have your parent's permission, nothing stops you from posting your services on Facebook or NextDoor. You'd be surprised how many adults love to give 16-year-old teenagers work.

Any success in these local enterprises will spell future success in more significant ventures. Entrepreneurship is about selling value and delivering it. The "making money" aspect is the result.

If you're here asking, "How do I make money?" you're already on the wrong launchpad.

The answer isn't low-brow, fast money-making opportunities pushed by every two-bit guru; affiliate marketing, dropshipping, or crypto— it's in the art of unique value creation followed by marketing that value.

Help people and you will help yourself.

#6) Learn how to sell, communicate, and market. Bonus: Learn how to lead.

If you own the cure for cancer but can't sell, communicate, or market it, you make nothing. A great product sells zero. Selling is critical in life, from selling yourself to employers, customers, professors, bosses, regulators, lobbyists, and potential spouses—the selling never ends.

Communication is the bridge between your mind and the world. It's the energy that propels your imagination into reality. Like a skilled conductor leading an orchestra, learning to communicate effectively will enable you to create harmony and conciseness in relationships, projects, and pursuits.

Bonus points if you can lead groups of people.

Triple points if you learn how to speak in front of large groups.

Second, the art of marketing and advertising is a potent skill. It's more than just pushing a product; it's about connecting, understanding needs, and solving problems.

Whether a lemonade stand or a school project, learning to sell, persuade, and advance your position is about mastering the human connection.

It's the first dance in the grand ballroom of business.

#7) Leverage compounding; the skill behind life-changing results and ambitious dreams.


Compound is the key to success.

Compounding money, compounding returns, compounding skills, compounding habits.

When you hear a concert violinist, you're witnessing positive compounding.

When you watch a pro athlete, you're seeing years of positive compounding.

When you see a successful entrepreneur sell his company, again, positive compounding.

Conversely, when you see someone 300 lbs and obese, you're witnessing the incarnation of negative compounding.

Social media, video games, and poor dietary habits institute negative compounding and make your mind a mushy marshmallow.

Results—both positive and negative—only happen one day, one habit at a time.

As I like to say, hard choices create an easy life.

Easy choices? Be prepared for hard.

As such, if you can exercise this compounding muscle, you can win at life.
  • Learn how to play a musical instrument until you get to an intermediate level.
  • Visit the gym 4-5 times a week until fitness becomes a routine.
  • Eat right every day and avoid processed, sugary foods.
  • Brush your teeth daily; a root canal is the worst thing a human can endure.
  • Take up a sport and aim to be the best at it, not the best in your school, just the best YOU can be.
  • Learn how to save a portion of your earnings—no matter how small. It's not the amount; it's the process.

Success is found in the ordinary.

That's right, the mundane is where life reveals its most profound secrets. The daily grind, the routine, the everyday hustle is where you'll find the hidden threads of future greatness. Expect them, endure them, and come out better than before.

Are you better today than yesterday?

Ask, If I continue this behavior for the next 100 days, what will my results be?

Your answer will determine if you live a life of pride or shame.

#8) Stop caring what other people think or struggle mightily.


You can't do anything significant if you constantly avoid criticism or care what others think.

Success is a full-criticism sport.


Look at the most successful entrepreneurs, authors, and athletes in the world, from Elon Musk to JK Rowling to Ronaldo; they all get criticism and have their share of haters.

You can be pure of heart and soul and guess what? It still won't matter! People will hate you, especially if you succeed publicly. And it is hard not to take it personally.

However, this expected hatred is a fact of life, and if you want to resist the realities of life, you will struggle to succeed at anything.

Expect friction and know such negative commentary has nothing to do with you but with the person dispensing it. Friend, brother, schoolmate; it doesn't matter.

Hurt people hurt people.

#9) Surround yourself with accelerators, not drags.

As a teen, I once had a friend, Dave, who was crazy. At the time, I thought he was funny in a bold, inappropriate way. But I knew something was "off" about him and stopped being his friend. Here's later, I discovered he murdered a cop and was sentenced to life in prison.

There's an old and true saying: You are who you surround yourself with.

If your friends are lazy losers who eat and play video games all day, guess what? You likely will become a lazy loser who does the same.

People who don't support your goals and big dreams are drags. They are like anchors on your boat. Conversely, surrounding yourself with people who support your goal or, minimally aspire for better life outcomes becomes an accelerant.

Think of each person invited into the intimacy of life as a door. What door are they taking you through? What would have happened if I had been in the car when Dave decided to run over a cop?

People act like doors on your life's journey; they open new opportunities or new tragedies.

Choose wisely who you choose to associate with. Learn how to lock doors and walk away from them.

#10) Understand that culture, media, entertainment, and society generally want you mediocre and obedient, a good citizen who questions nothing and does their job for 50 years.


The Script is real. Culture is not your friend. Neither is the media.

If you want to live a 1% existence, you can't participate in 99% resources.

Beware of any mainstream media sources, opinions, or illusions of authority. They are all designed to get you into the Monday-thru-Friday slave/investment scheme. They are all designed to make you angry and to believe you're a victim. Yes, the world is screwed up—but your neighbor generally isn't the problem, it's what's your neighbor continues to consume, and continues to believe.

Learn to think critically and ask, "Why do they want me to think, behave, and act this way?"

More than likely, you'll find a conflict of interest or an agenda actually adverse to living your best life.

#11) Choose to be happy. You can be 50 years old and still live life like a kid.


I'm over 50 now. More than 2/3rds of my life is over. And yet, I still feel like a kid. Life is fantastic, and it feels like my playground.

Over the years, I learned that happiness is a state of mind, an existence of being, not a destination. If you make happiness a destination conditional on specific results (sales, cars, etc.), your happiness won't last and will be fleeting.

Think of it as a scale of 1 through 10.

Most people have a default happiness level that fluctuates around 3-6 and work to earn periodic bursts to 8s or 9s—a promotion, a new car, a concert or a vacation—whereas you should opt to live your life at a constant 8.

How?

Pursue your dreams.

No matter how hard.

Here's a secret for living happily: When you have a dream—a Meaning and a Purpose—and you're actively pursuing those purposes, you're already living the dream.

As you pursue your dreams, small wins spike happiness from a default baseline of 7 or 8, to 9 or 10.

Don't confuse Purpose with "Following your passion" or "doing what you love." These are selfish inclinations.

A Purpose is usually external and larger than ourselves. A Purpose forces you to do the dirty work, the work that forces others to quit. When turmoil arrives, and it will, Purpose is the propellant to get you over the mountain.

View attachment 50976

#12) One day, you'll be dead; make life your video game to be won.

Life is short. Yes, it goes fast. It feels like just yesterday I was 21.

However, one perspective that helped me endure life's challenges was looking at life as a role-playing fantasy video game. As such, I worked to acquire knowledge, experience points, proficiency, and skills; I performed market experiments, acted, assessed, and adjusted continually, and leveled up in the game while acquiring gold and treasure.

Video games always have big bosses to kill. Life does, too, from our impulsive decisions that result in poor consequences to a media that hates entrepreneurs and "rich people" to the lures of social media and endless Netflix binging. Kill the bosses, and you win.

Failures? No problem, they're just game resets. They're experience points—part of the game.

Looking at life this way while deploying the power of compounding, you might wake up owning a real Lamborghini in life, not a fake Lamborghini in a video game.

Ultimately, your main goal is happiness and self-fulfillment, a life you can be proud of when your last day on earth arrives.

With that said, remember, you are in the dawn of your existence.

Your teen years should be optimized to play, to dream, to laugh, and to explore. Don't rush to grow up; don't forget to live and savor youth's sweetness. Like a rare vintage wine, these years have a flavor that you'll never taste again. Don't hate your youth; embrace it, for it shall never come again.

As you age into adulthood, your career as an entrepreneur will unfurl like a journey through an uncharted wilderness. There will be mountains to climb and rivers to cross, but the beauty is in the journey, not just the destination. There's beauty in pursuing a dream and a Purpose. Embrace the video game that is life, sharpen your skills, nurture your mind, and prepare to set the world ablaze with your ideas.

This life is yours and no one else.

The greatest tragedy of humanity is to aspire for mediocrity. To just survive and get by.

Aim higher, produce, learn as you age, and master the video game that is life.

:fistbump::thumbsup::thumbsup:

I will add more over time, until then, get off Instagram, go outside and enjoy your youth.
Best wishes,
MJ DeMarco

Fellow Fastlaners? What advice are you giving your children?
I never quite understood the enjoy your youthful years advice. I am aiming for a life where I will be able to do all the things I can currently. Probably I underestimate what comes. How should I look at this?

Whenever I speak to adults about this they say that I should enjoy the prime time I have, but at the same time they say I should continue what I am doing now. By this I mean networking with people, going to (for example cybersecurity) conferences, getting to know curiously people and businesses structures, learning constantly on my own, sporting etc. I assume finding a balance here between wasting time and grinding 24/7 is the key, to use time in a way that aligns with my goals while spending quality time with friends family and all the rest. What do y'all think?
 
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biophase

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Bonus #12) Get Ripped


and

#13) Please get ripped

This is so underrated. I would definitely tell younger people to build as much muscle during teens to 30’s.

As a 50+ person, I now struggle to build muscle and maintain bone density. It’s so much harder to gain muscle now. It’s not that you can’t workout hard. But your recovery and actual increase is so much slower.

It’s a balance of working out and resting and trying not to get injured in the process.

So build your muscles naturally when you can. Your back will thank you when you are 50. Oh and build those legs, they are the first to go and hardest to keep. That’s why older people have trouble getting up, but you never see them have trouble moving their arms around!
 

Isaac Odongo

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By this I mean networking with people, going to (for example cybersecurity) conferences, getting to know curiously people and businesses structures, learning constantly on my own, sporting etc.
Do you enjoy them?
 
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Chet Shen

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If I could add one more catergory it would be

don't underestimate your health.

Even me being a teen, I know how important health is, especially during the teen years when your body changes.

People are encouraging the grind mindset where your schedule looks like this:

2:15 AM: WORK

7:30 AM: SKIP BREAKFAST AND WORK MORE

8:15 AM: SKIP WASHING YOURSELF, SIGMAS SMELL GOOD NATURALLY.

8:17 AM: COLD SHOWER

8:45 AM: GO TO SCHOOL

2:45 PM: GET HOME AND WORK

5:15 PM: DINNER

5:30 PM: WORK

10:15 PM: SLEEP

REPEAT

you need to take breaks, enjoy yourself but also prioritize health.

Especially sleep, some people might dislike this opinion.

It’s true though, sleep matters.

I think this should be one of the main focuses of teens looking to improve themselves.

Once again, thank you MJ, a lot of teens needed to see this..
It's true that breaks are underrated and overlooked along with the sigma grindset and hustle mindset that the hustle culture promotes to younger people like us.

I believe that there must be a balance when it comes to working and having a break. What I mean is that we see working as "productive" and taking a break as "a waste of time" when actually it's proven to increase your creativity skills and help you in your journey. That's why in the book Deep Work by Cals Newsport, he says to work then take a break after doing it, never looking at it and thinking about it in that day. Taking breaks may seem like you're not doing anything but you're actually letting your mind rest and process what you just did and how to make it better or more efficient.

Lesson: Don't underestimate the power of taking breaks. Learn when to stop and have a break and let your mind rest and be creative.

That's what I Learned the hard way after overthinking about stuff and having analysis paralysis
 

skyflare

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Do you enjoy them?
I love all of these and I am constantly looking forward to the next occasion. This is part of the adulthood that I bring early into my life because I enjoy it, but then what is everyone referring to?
 

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