I've been an "entrepreneur" since 2007. I put that in quotes because whilst I did have a fairly successful business for around 10 years, in the 6-7 years since that wound down, I have been struggling. I've been guilty of flitting from half baked idea to random shiny object idea and never really settling on anything solid. I had faffed around, procrastinated and been endlessly distracted, for years!
I was "lucky" that I had a large amount of savings from the sale of a house and from that previous business but again I put this in quotes because in my case I don't actually think that having the money in the bank helped me. It made me lazy and gave me no sense of urgency. Eventually, I spent it all, and more; I ended up taking out a loan and racking up a small debt on credit cards when I ran out of money because I was too stubborn to get a job because I had this elitist idea that I was an entrepreneur, and therefore above having to get a job. #facepalm
But I'm not a complete idiot so after realising what I was doing to myself I sucked it up and did what I needed to do. I got a damn job! And you know what? It's been the best thing! I've been lucky enough to find a really nice part time job where I work mainly in the evening. The evening is what I call my "dead time" as I'm more of a morning person so I work best on mental work earlier in the day and by somewhere around 6-8pm, I'm done with my work and the rest of the evening is really just lost on Netflix or some other mindless activity.
My job hours are 5-10pm which is awesome. I'm earning enough to cover my bills on those hours and I still get almost all my day time free. And what I never expected is that having less time to work on my business is actually making me more productive! I've focused in on a single idea, I have begun the execution, I'm doing the work, I'm close to the launch, and I'm just feeling a whole lot happier!
Sometimes I feel bad when I see posts about people making their millions and here I am surviving on a £12 an hour job, but I am in this situation because of the poor choices I made earlier in life. I've owned it and done what I needed to do. At least now I know I'm taking responsibility and I can sleep better as a result.
I don't know if my new business will be successful or not, but even if it isn't, I know my bills are paid and I also have that spare time to see family & friends, go to the gym and do the other important things in life that don't involve business and money, and that's enough.
So, I don't know if this post helps anyone out there who's not yet making their millions but just wanted to share something that I would normally be too scared to admit to.
I was "lucky" that I had a large amount of savings from the sale of a house and from that previous business but again I put this in quotes because in my case I don't actually think that having the money in the bank helped me. It made me lazy and gave me no sense of urgency. Eventually, I spent it all, and more; I ended up taking out a loan and racking up a small debt on credit cards when I ran out of money because I was too stubborn to get a job because I had this elitist idea that I was an entrepreneur, and therefore above having to get a job. #facepalm
But I'm not a complete idiot so after realising what I was doing to myself I sucked it up and did what I needed to do. I got a damn job! And you know what? It's been the best thing! I've been lucky enough to find a really nice part time job where I work mainly in the evening. The evening is what I call my "dead time" as I'm more of a morning person so I work best on mental work earlier in the day and by somewhere around 6-8pm, I'm done with my work and the rest of the evening is really just lost on Netflix or some other mindless activity.
My job hours are 5-10pm which is awesome. I'm earning enough to cover my bills on those hours and I still get almost all my day time free. And what I never expected is that having less time to work on my business is actually making me more productive! I've focused in on a single idea, I have begun the execution, I'm doing the work, I'm close to the launch, and I'm just feeling a whole lot happier!
Sometimes I feel bad when I see posts about people making their millions and here I am surviving on a £12 an hour job, but I am in this situation because of the poor choices I made earlier in life. I've owned it and done what I needed to do. At least now I know I'm taking responsibility and I can sleep better as a result.
I don't know if my new business will be successful or not, but even if it isn't, I know my bills are paid and I also have that spare time to see family & friends, go to the gym and do the other important things in life that don't involve business and money, and that's enough.
So, I don't know if this post helps anyone out there who's not yet making their millions but just wanted to share something that I would normally be too scared to admit to.
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
