The start of a journey: from slowlane to fastlane

[Ghergan]

Hi everyone,
I just signed up to the forum and I'd like to present myself. I think the best way is to share my journey and share the lessons learned along the way.

NOTE: I know this wall of text can compete with the great wall of China, but I tried to summarise my life while trying to be as concise as possible. I hope it will be useful to someone.

Here's my story:

I dropped out of college because I had a clear idea of what I wanted to do: I wanted to be a designer and was sure there was a more efficient way to learn a new skill without spending that much money. After a period of self learning, I built my personal portfolio (even tho everything in there was just web design work done for made up clients ).

Got my first job and learned my first two lessons: I was trying to get jobs by sending resumés, this is what everyone does, I thought. Turns out I sent a bunch of CVs with a conversion rate of 0% and I learned first hand that:

• You shouldn't follow the road most travelled
• When something doesn't work you should find another way

The first job was paid 300€/month but I did it anyway: I was eager to learn and it was a demonstration that you can achieve your goals when you work hard for it (I was a designer, finally!!!).

The business I was working with was full of debt and turns out they were going to close. I was laid off and the business closed. After a period of "What the f**k should I do now?" I landed another job, in a different city. I moved there and this time I was paid way better, the problem was I was required to work 8am-8pm every day and sometimes (quite often actually) I had to work till 2am. When I realised that I was stressed as hell, I couldn't keep up with the amount of work I needed to do and what I earned was just sufficient to pay the bills and nothing more I resigned to find a better job.

I found a good opportunity as a Creative Director for a startup. The CEO proposed 70k/y + 5% equity. What looked like a great opportunity was instead the worst opportunity I was ever offered:

It was 2k month for the first 5 months then it was 70k/y: well we never reached that point because after I worked my a** off for 5 months (working late at night here as well) he said he couldn't keep his promise and he offered me to keep working for him for 1.5k/month.

Another set of lessons learnt:

1) I was working that much because I really cared about helping people out, but you should never neglect yourself. You come first, and if you are in a good state of mind you can help people better.
2) Don't make irrational decisions: even tho I had a contract it was with a different country (really difficult to sue them without spending a lot of money and time), I should have been more careful instead of being lured into the position.

After this experience I was a bit depressed. I started asking myself if this was a life worth living. I realised that working for someone else is the road to slavery and that I didn't want to do that anymore. The problem was I was in such a slowlane mentality that I couldn't see another way.

I was able to design and build great websites, but I just couldn't see how I could make my own business and make an income on my own: I was out of ideas, I had no more energy, I was stressed.

I spent a lot of time letting life pass by: play videogames all day, no social life, returned to live with my parents because I was out of money.

I needed to do something about it: the first thing I did? I found another job!

Fastforward to now and I left the job: still working all day, still getting paid s**t, still going nowhere.

But now is different, because this is the start of my fastlane journey. I just can't handle it anymore, I know it's the only way forward, it's the only thing I can do (remember the lesson about changing what's not working?). And I have a plan:


SHORT TERM GOAL

Goal:
• Being able to earn at least 2k/month from home

Why
• Sustain myself and go live alone

When
• 4 months from now

How
• Affiliate marketing - freelance gigs - everything works


MID TERM GOAL

Goal
• Earn at least 5k month from home

Why
• Prove to myself that I can earn enough money on my own, so I don't need to work for someone else ever again

When
• April 2016

How
• Dunno, my focus is on short term goal


LONG TERM GOAL

Goal
• Work on my fastlane business

Why
• Travel, spend time with family, being able to have a nice house, not having to think about money issues anymore

When
• 3 years from now

How
• Dunno, my focus is on short term goal


Thanks for reading the wall of text, if you reached the end you totally get all of my gratitude! Feel free to leave a comment, I'm here to learn everything I can and every bit helps.

Cheers

 

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