Today's my birthday. I couldnt be more disappointed.

[rjurasek]

I'm turning 29 today.

At 18 I never would have guessed I'd be where I am today. 1 year out of the military (Canadian Army) with no degree, a job I'm failing at, and living in a basement suite with My dog and girlfriend wondering what I'm doing with my life.

When I was young I had a vision. I wanted to explore the world. I wanted to see what was out there, climb the highest peak and see the most wild animals this earth had to offer.

At 20 years old I went to Africa for 2 months to work in animal conservation. I caught everything from impala to giraffe. I slept in the open savannah, met some amazing people, almost died from crazed wildebeest, and even rode an ostrich.

I came home depressed after those 2 months. How could I go back to a 9-5 job after having such a rich and raw experience? I ended up quitting my job in a stainless steel warehouse a few weeks later and applying to a business and adventure tourism program in British Columbia, Canada.

At 20 years old I moved 6 hours from my home town. I found myself in a quiet little mountain town surrounded by rocky peaks, a crystal clear river and endless adventure. I said goodbye to my parents and after a few tears they drove off.

I spent the next 2 years fulfilling my childhood dreams. I climbed some of the best mountaineering routes in Western Canada, navigated a glacier in a blizzard with 5ft of visibility, Skied feilds of endless powder, and conqured class 4 and 5 rapids in a kayak.

Even after all this something was missing. I spent my 2nd year trying to figure it out. Then it hit me, I wasn't helping anyone, I was doing all of this for me. I climbed the mountain for myself and me alone. I felt selfish and I also felt alone.

I decided I was going to do something about it. I was going to be selfless for once. I opened my laptop and applied to the Canadian Armed Forces.

6 months later on November 11th no less. (for those of you who don't know this is remembrance day in Canada). After the first day of being screamed at and beaten down, I finally got to my bunk and wondered "what the hell am I doing here". We all had that thought. 11 months later i was 2 weeks away from my graduation ceremony. After all that training, all that mental and physical abuse, after the sleepless weeks and hallucinations, after being away from family and friends, I was going to be a Combat Engineer. I thought my family would finally be proud of me, I thought I'd finally be proud of myself. On graduation day I marched onto that square with my head held high, we made our right turn and I could finally see the stands with all the family members watching. But something was missing, I couldn't see my family... they weren't in the stands. I was crushed but I had to hold position.

5 years later I release from the military. My contract was over, I needed to move on. Now with the hearing of a 60year old and aching knees, I'm sitting here lost.

I got a job as an SDR with a tech company. I've tried my hardest, but I'm failing I won't lie.

I'm 29 today, sitting in my basement suite writing a post with no point. Writing a post that provides no value. Writing a post that I'm not sure I'll even publish or you'll even read. I don't expect you to either.

When I was in school in British Columbia, we had to learn how to navigate at night while sea kayaking. I remember looking at the starts and my compass, I knew exactly where I needed to go and I knew exactly what I had to do to get there. The stars and my compass showed me the direction, my map the route.

Right now I feel the complete opposite. It's like I'm back on that kayak in the ocean but I don't have my compass and a thick fog rolled in. So thick you could drink it.

What direction would you go? Maybe someone could turn on the lighthouse.

 

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[Antifragile]

I'm turning 29 today.

At 18 I never would have guessed I'd be where I am today. 1 year out of the military (Canadian Army) with no degree, a job I'm failing at, and living in a basement suite with My dog and girlfriend wondering what I'm doing with my life.

When I was young I had a vision. I wanted to explore the world. I wanted to see what was out there, climb the highest peak and see the most wild animals this earth had to offer.

At 20 years old I went to Africa for 2 months to work in animal conservation. I caught everything from impala to giraffe. I slept in the open savannah, met some amazing people, almost died from crazed wildebeest, and even rode an ostrich.

I came home depressed after those 2 months. How could I go back to a 9-5 job after having such a rich and raw experience? I ended up quitting my job in a stainless steel warehouse a few weeks later and applying to a business and adventure tourism program in British Columbia, Canada.

At 20 years old I moved 6 hours from my home town. I found myself in a quiet little mountain town surrounded by rocky peaks, a crystal clear river and endless adventure. I said goodbye to my parents and after a few tears they drove off.

I spent the next 2 years fulfilling my childhood dreams. I climbed some of the best mountaineering routes in Western Canada, navigated a glacier in a blizzard with 5ft of visibility, Skied feilds of endless powder, and conqured class 4 and 5 rapids in a kayak.

Even after all this something was missing. I spent my 2nd year trying to figure it out. Then it hit me, I wasn't helping anyone, I was doing all of this for me. I climbed the mountain for myself and me alone. I felt selfish and I also felt alone.

I decided I was going to do something about it. I was going to be selfless for once. I opened my laptop and applied to the Canadian Armed Forces.

6 months later on November 11th no less. (for those of you who don't know this is remembrance day in Canada). After the first day of being screamed at and beaten down, I finally got to my bunk and wondered "what the hell am I doing here". We all had that thought. 11 months later i was 2 weeks away from my graduation ceremony. After all that training, all that mental and physical abuse, after the sleepless weeks and hallucinations, after being away from family and friends, I was going to be a Combat Engineer. I thought my family would finally be proud of me, I thought I'd finally be proud of myself. On graduation day I marched onto that square with my head held high, we made our right turn and I could finally see the stands with all the family members watching. But something was missing, I couldn't see my family... they weren't in the stands. I was crushed but I had to hold position.

5 years later I release from the military. My contract was over, I needed to move on. Now with the hearing of a 60year old and aching knees, I'm sitting here lost.

I got a job as an SDR with a tech company. I've tried my hardest, but I'm failing I won't lie.

I'm 29 today, sitting in my basement suite writing a post with no point. Writing a post that provides no value. Writing a post that I'm not sure I'll even publish or you'll even read. I don't expect you to either.

When I was in school in British Columbia, we had to learn how to navigate at night while sea kayaking. I remember looking at the starts and my compass, I knew exactly where I needed to go and I knew exactly what I had to do to get there. The stars and my compass showed me the direction, my map the route.

Right now I feel the complete opposite. It's like I'm back on that kayak in the ocean but I don't have my compass and a thick fog rolled in. So thick you could drink it.

What direction would you go? Maybe someone could turn on the lighthouse.

You’ve come to the right place.
Stick around and you’ll find your answers. You are very young.

I didn’t make my first million until my 30s. Plenty of time to figure it all out.

 

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[Mikkel]

When you're in the military, you were always told what your mission and your end goal was. You were trained to excute tasks toward a well defined goal.

When you are a civilian, there is no one defoning your goals for you. It sounds like you need to spend some time working out your own goals. Make them well defined.

I think something like the 1-5-10 plansy would work well for you. You can see your overaching goals and then you can plan smaller goals that will allow you to reach your ultimate goal.

Don't allow yourself to wander aimlessly into your 39th birthday. Plan and execute.

 

[MTF]

But I doubt myself just because I was always told I wasn't skilled at writing.

F*ck your doubts man.

I've been a writer my entire adult life and have written literally millions of words over my life. And I'm telling you with 100% certainty that you have writing skills.

Your ability to transport the reader to a different place, even just through a few sentences, is rare. Your original post and the quick story of English being your worst subject is a great example of that.

Ex-military guys are some of the most solid workers out there with an unparalleled work ethic.

With all the stuff that you've experienced in life you have the makings of an awesome inspirational speaker. This is just a temporary dip that will serve as a powerful chapter in your life story.

 

[fastlane_dad]

You definitely got to start with some thinking and overall picking a new direction to go.

Much of what Jordan Peterson talks about would apply here, themes such as looking at what people have done in the past (as a collective), and taking on as much of a load as you can possibly carry ...

Topics such as

Sticking to a schedule, significant other (gf/wife), kids, stable Job, proper sleep/nutrition/work outs, etc all come to mind. Something to care about and grow outside of just yourself.

Where are you at on ALL of those topics above? Obviously you are starting close to ground level, BUT I assume you don't have much current attachment, significant responsibility or weight on your shoulders to prevent you from setting up and structuring (designing) your dream day -- and therefore your dream life.

You have found a great resource of information and tons of people that have been (and still are) successful in almost any endeavor you can think of.

So @rjurasek -- what are some of the next steps you are currently thinking about?

 

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[Shono]

• Some of the most important skills in the military are useless out of it (physical fitness).

But if there´s one thing I´ve learned on this forum so far, is that picking any (even wrong goal) is better than picking no goal.

Are you saying physical fitness is useless?

And I like Sylvia Plath's fig tree metaphor to depict what happens when you pick no goal, indeed much better to pick something, anything. It's so incredibly hard in the modern day due to the paradox of choice and the analysis paralysis that comes with it, so stressful.

“I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor, and another fig was Ee Gee, the amazing editor, and another fig was Europe and Africa and South America, and another fig was Constantin and Socrates and Attila and a pack of other lovers with queer names and offbeat professions, and another fig was an Olympic lady crew champion, and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn't quite make out. I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet.”​

― Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar

 

[Antifragile]

@Antifragile @Kak

I understand the point both of you are making. There are many freelance copywriters on the market. It's a competitive feild where the top 10% make it. On top of that, it doesn't fit into CENTS.

While reading everyone's replies over the last couple of days, I have also been going through other threads on this forum. Many with the title "should I do x or y?" "I want to learn x skill, is there opportunity?" And so on. I've seen a common theme in each of these threads. You have one side saying "do it! Check out this free course, it's a great starting point" and more positive feedback. Then you have the other side saying "don't do it, the market is crowded and it's very difficult to make it". This is how it goes on nearly every topic on any forum out there, not just the fastlane forum.

@Antifragile @Kak, you both recommended getting a job in a feild of interest, but isn't this also a violation of CENTS? You have no control in a job and you trade time directly or money. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, it's a starting point for future opportunities. It is not free of competition though. Getting a job is extremely competitive in today's world. Each job posting that comes up is flooded with hundreds of applications.

Even once you are in your position as an entry level employee it doesn't end. You are now one of 10 other entry level employees, 3 of which have been there for 2 years. Then you hear in the break room, your manager is leaving the company and they are planning to promote someone from the team to take his place. You've been there 8 months, others close to 3 years. There's 10 of you gunning for this promotion in your department. Who knows when the next opportunity will arise.

Point I'm trying to make is that I don't think freelancing is seen as a fastlane business. I don't think anyone is saying that. It's another way to have a job that you have more control over.

Sure you'll learn skills working for an employer that you can use in future opportunities. But the same can be said for freelance copywriting and many other skills people have mentioned on this forum.

I was watching @Lex DeVille's youtube channel last night. As well as reading his past comments and posts. He says the same thing many copywriters on other forums have said. That there are many copywriters out there, but 90% of them are offering cheap service with low quality results. The demand for quality copywriters is always high.

I'm not saying either route is better than the other. I think it really comes down to personal preference. Do you want to learn while working for someone else? Or do you want to work for yourself? Again neither route is CENTS qualified, but I think it's a stretch for me right now to demand of myself a CENTS appeasing business. The ultimate goal is a fastlane business, but I need to build some skills and find that idea to execute first.

Basically @Antifragile @Kak @MTF @Simon Angel @heavy_industry you are all right. You all just have different view points on how to reach the end goal. I doubt @MJ DeMarco intended for everyone to take the exact same route to the finish line. He has said himself in previous posts that taking action is far more important than appeasing all aspects of CENTS.

I'm going to look into copywriting more. I've been teaching myself marketing these past 3 months and copywriting is really just a type of marketing.

I also think @BizyDad might be right that I need to do some soul searching. I didn't give myself a chance after leaving the military. I just went straight into sales because of the high earning potential.

I have no pony in this race bud. Nothing to gain or lose from you doing right or wrong. You are truly a perfect stranger to me. Keep that in mind, my motives are pure.

Why would I suggest getting a job? Because you were in a military, it tells me you aren't soft useless human. You are the opposite of that. I expect zero chance of you becoming depressed while having a job. And my main point is this:


Take care of your own Physiological needs first. If that means a job, that's what responsible men do. We take care of our business. We take responsibility.

If you think you are the god's gift to the copywriting world and will pay your bills writing - do it. I have nothing against it. This is where my comments on probabilities (odds) come into play. Odds are poor that you'll succeed. Why? It's a saturated field, I can't throw a stone without hitting a freelance copywriter these days. But it's your life. Remember, I have no pony in your race.

Your comments about jobs being hard to get... I employ dozens of people at my businesses and let me tell you, labour market lacks good people. I bend over backwards for my employees because they are so hard to find and replace! Your perception is the opposite of the reality we, business owners, face today.

Next, a comment on a "job" violating all CENTS. It is a job, it is not meant to be something it is not - a business. Why not do both? Pay your bills with the job and get a side-hustle to launch a business?

Real threads by @fastlane_dad and @NeoDialectic on their business they sold for 8 figures. Connect to @MoneyDoc on how he's killing it in commerce. Listen to @Kak radio show and try to understand that people who speak the least about their business numbers often have the most success. @Ravens_Shadow built an epic software business. @SteveO made his wealth in real estate. You have everything you need here to figure it out. Start with paying your bills and getting your head into the right mindset. Do not choose "easy" because someone said you'd be good at writing. Choose hard because its the right thing to do. For all my clashes with @Johnny boy - he's an example of someone who's performing in a business that most people overlook: lawn-care.



Best of luck, sincerely.

 

[K1 Lambo]

I'm turning 29 today.

At 18 I never would have guessed I'd be where I am today. 1 year out of the military (Canadian Army) with no degree, a job I'm failing at, and living in a basement suite with My dog and girlfriend wondering what I'm doing with my life.

When I was young I had a vision. I wanted to explore the world. I wanted to see what was out there, climb the highest peak and see the most wild animals this earth had to offer.

At 20 years old I went to Africa for 2 months to work in animal conservation. I caught everything from impala to giraffe. I slept in the open savannah, met some amazing people, almost died from crazed wildebeest, and even rode an ostrich.

I came home depressed after those 2 months. How could I go back to a 9-5 job after having such a rich and raw experience? I ended up quitting my job in a stainless steel warehouse a few weeks later and applying to a business and adventure tourism program in British Columbia, Canada.

At 20 years old I moved 6 hours from my home town. I found myself in a quiet little mountain town surrounded by rocky peaks, a crystal clear river and endless adventure. I said goodbye to my parents and after a few tears they drove off.

I spent the next 2 years fulfilling my childhood dreams. I climbed some of the best mountaineering routes in Western Canada, navigated a glacier in a blizzard with 5ft of visibility, Skied feilds of endless powder, and conqured class 4 and 5 rapids in a kayak.

Even after all this something was missing. I spent my 2nd year trying to figure it out. Then it hit me, I wasn't helping anyone, I was doing all of this for me. I climbed the mountain for myself and me alone. I felt selfish and I also felt alone.

I decided I was going to do something about it. I was going to be selfless for once. I opened my laptop and applied to the Canadian Armed Forces.

6 months later on November 11th no less. (for those of you who don't know this is remembrance day in Canada). After the first day of being screamed at and beaten down, I finally got to my bunk and wondered "what the hell am I doing here". We all had that thought. 11 months later i was 2 weeks away from my graduation ceremony. After all that training, all that mental and physical abuse, after the sleepless weeks and hallucinations, after being away from family and friends, I was going to be a Combat Engineer. I thought my family would finally be proud of me, I thought I'd finally be proud of myself. On graduation day I marched onto that square with my head held high, we made our right turn and I could finally see the stands with all the family members watching. But something was missing, I couldn't see my family... they weren't in the stands. I was crushed but I had to hold position.

5 years later I release from the military. My contract was over, I needed to move on. Now with the hearing of a 60year old and aching knees, I'm sitting here lost.

I got a job as an SDR with a tech company. I've tried my hardest, but I'm failing I won't lie.

I'm 29 today, sitting in my basement suite writing a post with no point. Writing a post that provides no value. Writing a post that I'm not sure I'll even publish or you'll even read. I don't expect you to either.

When I was in school in British Columbia, we had to learn how to navigate at night while sea kayaking. I remember looking at the starts and my compass, I knew exactly where I needed to go and I knew exactly what I had to do to get there. The stars and my compass showed me the direction, my map the route.

Right now I feel the complete opposite. It's like I'm back on that kayak in the ocean but I don't have my compass and a thick fog rolled in. So thick you could drink it.

What direction would you go? Maybe someone could turn on the lighthouse.

Don't give up man, life is beautiful AND hard at the same time.

You're still only 29 years old, not 60 years old remember that.

It looks like you really enjoyed your time in wild, wild Africa and when you were in the military because you had a sense of purpose, achievement and a sense of pride in yourself. Then all of a sudden it's lost in the daily mundane tasks like eating, paying your bills, Netflix and chill on the weekends, same old shit for 5 years. You miss those experiences don't you?

You can start by setting some goals and dreams to inspire you. What would you love to do, be or achieve in the next 1, 5, 10, 20 years?

Maybe move back to the wild Africa, build a house there for your girlfriend and dog with a pool, where you can swim -everyday and settle down?
Climb mount everest/K2?
Open an African safari?
Build your own animal sanctuary or build a homeless shelter for animals in your county/city?
Go swimming with great white sharks in Australia?
Become a paleontologist?

Hope it helps.

 

[Antifragile]

EDIT: I also think that David Goggins is an ego-maniac much more than someone who did what he did to 'help others,' and is largely a charlatan who has a nicely packaged story but is highly overrated.

You’d need to elaborate on how you define a charlatan. DG influenced millions of people to get out of their comfort zone, improved their lives. And he did it by pushing himself way past what most people consider “normal” or even “possible”. Where is the “charlatan” part?

I disagree with you. I believe we need more, a lot more DGs in this world. The world today is full of soft useless depressed people. How do you help them? Pharmaceuticals? I think we’ve all seen enough of how well those work, since they don’t.

 

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[Antifragile]

I see, thanks. However i was curious if he was a writer, like someone who wrote books. That certainty doesn't violates all cents aspects as mj did it himself

@MJ DeMarco doesn’t write for a living. He made his wealth and now does it because it’s fulfilling to his life to help others.

 

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[Kak]

For all my clashes with @Johnny boy - he's an example of someone who's performing in a business that most people overlook: lawn-care.

I was just thinking this threaded needed some signature @Johnny boy bluntness.

 

[NeoDialectic]

Wheewww, this thread sure did turn into a pissing match.

Like many, I have often thought about the "what should I do?" question. I didn't like a lot of advice given by guru's because it usually smuggled in some kind of assumption about what my values SHOULD BE or an assumption that I even know what is fulfilling to me. The simple "do what fulfills you" type of advice falls flat when you don't know what that is.

The only thing that I have found reliable is to imagine myself in 20 years (so ~55 years old). What kind of man would I have to be for me to respect and admire that man? This generally revolves around my accomplishments, the character I have fostered, the people I surround myself with, and the things I have done. Then I work towards things that help align my current identity with that identity.

That's it. I'm not claiming it's some magical answer, but it hasn't let me down yet.

Take care of your own Physiological needs first. If that means a job, that's what responsible men do. We take care of our business. We take responsibility.

If you think you are the god's gift to the copywriting world and will pay your bills writing - do it. I have nothing against it. This is where my comments on probabilities (odds) come into play. Odds are poor that you'll succeed. Why? It's a saturated field, I can't throw a stone without hitting a freelance copywriter these days. But it's your life. Remember, I have no pony in your race.

Your comments about jobs being hard to get... I employ dozens of people at my businesses and let me tell you, labour market lacks good people. I bend over backwards for my employees because they are so hard to find and replace! Your perception is the opposite of the reality we, business owners, face today.

Next, a comment on a "job" violating all CENTS. It is a job, it is not meant to be something it is not - a business. Why not do both? Pay your bills with the job and get a side-hustle to launch a business?

I think @Antifragile may have been a bit harsh, but his response resonates the most with my point of view. I suppose it's a bit ideological though as I can imagine someone with different values arguing against the points effectively.

Both @fastlane_dad and I had jobs (and/or went to school) until we could pay all our expenses with our business. There is nothing embarrassing about that. I'm not claiming that it's the right thing for everyone to do, but it's what I recommend to anyone that asks if they should quit their job/school to pursue entrepreneurship. It is hard to start an empire when you haven't even addressed your basic needs.

You aren't getting a job because it's the path to Fastlane. You are getting a job so that you fulfill your duty as a contributing member of society and reap the rewards that brings (i.e providing a roof over your own head and not feeling like a loser that needs to leach off everyone else). If you think having a normal job is unfulfilling, having no job is even worse!

I while I know nothing about the copywriting profession, this is where I think some may be a bit harsh. I don't see anything wrong with starting there and working on bigger things in the future. I'm not sure if people are saying that you have to make your millions with it. It could be a stepping stone.

 

[Xavier X]

@rjurasek You feel lost because you're not working toward anything you consider significant.

Picture what you believe your ideal outcome should be, then draft small but concrete actionable steps to reverse engineer it.

In other words, what can you do today to move you one inch closer to the version of yourself and your life you would rather have?

 

[Simon Angel]

All of us feel "lost" just as much as you do. You're just currently at a point in your life where your awareness of that fact is heightened.

There are plenty of job opportunities related to your interests that you can explore. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and wallowing in depressive thoughts, and just go for it.

 

[Kak]

I know there are a few people on this forum who make a living writing … but I am of the opinion that it is not a good business. It is easy to get into but rewards are pitiful. It violates all CENTS framework items.

There is nothing wrong with getting and having a job.

Would love to hear what @Kak thinks on this …

I think writing is awesome if you have an audience or a book deal. Getting paid for something for the rest of your life because you write something this year is super cool.

The reality of the situation is that everyone thinks it is an awesome idea and therefore there are a lot of books and not a lot of readers.

If I write a book, and I have a few in the notes, I will wait until I’m positive they can all launch with tremendous success, whether I self publish or shoot for a book deal.

I’m honestly shocked that 10% of the forum somehow makes a living with copywriting. Yes, trading your time directly for money, with a skill that you can’t scale, into a crowded market, that anyone can get into, on platforms that can change the game on you, violates every damn letter of CENTS.

Most people tell themselves that they’ll do it “for a little while” to “get experience” or to “fund their fastlane venture” the reality is they think it’s easier. In the context of thriving, I see it as tremendously more difficult than a real business. I believe I write well and wouldn’t personally touch a copywriting service business. I don’t value the experience, and I don’t believe it would make enough money to personally fund any actually fastlane venture I’d want to start.

I’m honestly convinced a job in a field of future interest would offer better experience and be staggeringly more lucrative than freelance anything.

 

[Johnny boy]

What direction would you go?

Kinda just depends on whatever you wanna do doesn't it?

Life is cool, you can enjoy different seasons and change things. You can explore, go into the military, go start a business, etc.

Think intimately about what you feel you would like to develop next, and use that feeling and write it down and make it tangible, and then use it to make a goal. Use that goal and break it down into some steps and then come back and we'll talk about the best route from there.

5 years is a long time, I don't like the military route for that reason but nothing you can do about it now.

Usually the best bet when you feel confusion is to say "what's something I can do to improve my life that is very unlikely to be a regret?" Usually the answer is "structure my day better, get in shape, etc" you know...the basics. The basics usually have a funny way of sorting out your brain, giving you the right attitude and clarity to make better decisions in the future.

There is some feeling of inadequacy that you have, which comes from comparing yourself. So who or what standard are you comparing yourself to? What would that person do in your situation? Thinking that way helps take useless emotions and solipsism out of your strategy-making process. What would a winner do? What would the wisest man do? What would the bravest man do? You probably can think of an answer, which means you already know what to do.

 

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[fastlane_dad]

Ha! For what that’s worth, you write well too. Made me chuckle a few times. I didn’t feel “dark” as much as dry self deprecating humor.

Two questions for you:

1. What is the one thing that if you started doing today consistently, would make the biggest improvement in your life?

2. What will you do tomorrow to get you one step closer to your desired life?

And to add to this - Step one really is figuring out what this desired life is. Then breaking it down into small goals and creating your FIVE tasks for the day to get going. Get out a sheet of paper and a pen. Stop living in your head.

It can be something as simple as DOING LAUNDRY, WRITING ONE EMAIL, RESEARCHING SOMETHING FOR 20 MINUTES or PLACING THAT PHONE CALL to inquire on XYZ.

I have dozens (or hundreds) of SHOULDS circling around in my brain at all hours of the day.

It just doesn't seem real until it's out in the open, written in front of me, like an assignment that I need to execute on. That also frames - and makes me question - is what I wrote down congruent with my values, getting me towards my goals and actionable.

If I need more FUN in my life, I incorporate that into my action list (play video games, watch a movie, go out with friends) etc. BUT most days you won't see me writing those things on my 'to-do' list as my higher level values don't surround FUN (man I'm getting old!).

It's all good to high-level brainstorm, daydream of 'million dollar businesses and Ferraris' and all, but we all need small, concrete steps daily to move forward.

The only times I get ANYTHING done, and achieve progress, is when I take out a notepad, write that item down, and cross if off once it's done. This was our method for the last 15+ years. This is how we got to build up and SELL an 8 figure business. This is how now we have multiple new projects in the works, including some that are already bringing in additional cash flow and profit.

Day by day, task by task!

 

[Matt Sun]

Do you believe in God ? I don't mean to be all religious, but I seriously think as many traditions do, that a healthy human inherently needs a relation with a higher power, intelligence or whatever you wan't to call it. Earthly things and feelings will always change. You are in the top of the mountain and later you will have to come down and "suffer" the lack of the feeling you had when you were up there. So putting our life's meaning in inner sensations is really not a solid foundation.

I'll leave you three books that can help you in the search that you are going through. Specially if you listen in the gym / doing a work out, they definitely will help with clarity.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2A-hgYqQio

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABRN0E_mI0U

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5E2AQKuCyU

And welcome to the forum !

 

[MTF]

You're a good writer with a great story. Perhaps you could start by becoming a freelance writer and taking it from there?

 

[Simon Angel]

It's funny you say that. English was always my worst subject by far. I'd work on my essays and book reports for hours or days. Each time thinking "this is the one, the perfect conglomeration of words".

Then the day came, I feel like everyone experienced this. The teacher goes up and down the isles handing back assignments. She smiles at some students and just walks by others with no special expression. Finally she gets to you, she puts the paper on your desk, it's face down.

English wasn't something I enjoyed in school. It was too subjective, I'd interpret one thing from a book or poem, the teacher another. But the student doesn't win, they have to follow the rules and interpret the "correct meaning" from authors dead a hundred years prior. Did the instructor speak with the author or poet? Did the author only intend one true meaning? Or was it left up to interpretation from different perspectives.

English was too subjective for me and I saw things differently.

But I also sucked a$$ at spelling and grammer so that's probably a large portion of it too haha.

I have been learning marketing the last couple months with the intention to use that skill to grow my own business. Copywriting is also something I've looked into. But I doubt myself just because I was always told I wasn't skilled at writing.

I write for a living and I think your writing is great.

Download grammarly (it's a chrome extension). You'll quickly improve your spelling and grammar with it — and it's free.

Anyway, the way you write is descriptive and engaging i.e. it revs up one's imagination, so you've got something going for you which many writers and copywriters do not.

 

[heavy_industry]

We disagree on this. You'd have to elaborate how it doesn't violate all CENTS.

Sure, let's take a generic fitness training program that is being sold as an info product:

• Control: You sell it on your own website which has plenty of inbound traffic from several sources.
• Entry: You will need the aforementioned domain-specific knowledge to be able to create the product.
• Need: Half of the 1st world population is overweight or in bad health.
• Time: Create once, sells forever.
• Scale: Create once, sells unlimited number of copies over the internet.

Does this hypothetical business model rely solely on writing? No.
Creating this would require an entire skill-set which includes: knowledge of sports and general human physiology, video recording and editing, web design, marketing, sales etc.

But writing is the core ability that will enhance all the other required skills. Being able to write means being able to speak, being able to think, being able to lead, being able to sell.
This is our fundamental skill and it's being used directly or indirectly in almost anything we do, especially in business.

All entrepreneurs should master the skill of writing.

 

[BizyDad]

What am I saying?

• Writing is not a good fastlane business
• Making a great return on your time invested is very hard with writing (think like actors, most are broke, some are rich)
• The OP should not become a copywriter because it is neither easy nor all that profitable. It'll take years to get to a level of being a real producer in that space. It's is not an area lacking people doing the work, quite the opposite.

I'm not saying that the op should start writing.

I just want to point out that many of your points can also be said about several other fields, like real estate for example. Most people who go into real estate fail. I'm talking real estate agents, brokers, construction, fixing flippers, investors. Most people who start in each of those categories fail.

Building a fast lane real estate business is hard. Making a great return on your time invested in real estate is hard. Most people who become successful don't become successful until years into the process. If this wasn't true, every Dean graziosi student would be a multi millionaire by now.

Think of it like acting. Most people who go into it quit with little to show for it other than knowledge, some decent number of them are able to make a living paycheck to paycheck, and a small percentage of them shoot the moon.

Does that mean people shouldn't go into real estate? I don't think so. Much like anything in life, your success is predicated on your commitment to learning and your commitment to not quitting.

It is true of copywriting, it is true of real estate, of marathon running, shoot, it's true of life itself.

That said, this man wrote one post which was basically his personal life story. Just because someone knows how to tell a personal story doesn't mean they have good writing skills. That's a leap.

To be a good copywriter you have to put yourself in other people's shoes. We don't know that this guy can do that. He told a story based on his own shoes...

And if the OP has no real inclination to go into writing, telling him to go into writing based on one post is bad advice. He needs to do some more soul searching.

 

[rjurasek]

@Antifragile @Kak

I understand the point both of you are making. There are many freelance copywriters on the market. It's a competitive feild where the top 10% make it. On top of that, it doesn't fit into CENTS.

While reading everyone's replies over the last couple of days, I have also been going through other threads on this forum. Many with the title "should I do x or y?" "I want to learn x skill, is there opportunity?" And so on. I've seen a common theme in each of these threads. You have one side saying "do it! Check out this free course, it's a great starting point" and more positive feedback. Then you have the other side saying "don't do it, the market is crowded and it's very difficult to make it". This is how it goes on nearly every topic on any forum out there, not just the fastlane forum.

@Antifragile @Kak, you both recommended getting a job in a feild of interest, but isn't this also a violation of CENTS? You have no control in a job and you trade time directly or money. I'm not saying it's a bad idea, it's a starting point for future opportunities. It is not free of competition though. Getting a job is extremely competitive in today's world. Each job posting that comes up is flooded with hundreds of applications.

Even once you are in your position as an entry level employee it doesn't end. You are now one of 10 other entry level employees, 3 of which have been there for 2 years. Then you hear in the break room, your manager is leaving the company and they are planning to promote someone from the team to take his place. You've been there 8 months, others close to 3 years. There's 10 of you gunning for this promotion in your department. Who knows when the next opportunity will arise.

Point I'm trying to make is that I don't think freelancing is seen as a fastlane business. I don't think anyone is saying that. It's another way to have a job that you have more control over.

Sure you'll learn skills working for an employer that you can use in future opportunities. But the same can be said for freelance copywriting and many other skills people have mentioned on this forum.

I was watching @Lex DeVille's youtube channel last night. As well as reading his past comments and posts. He says the same thing many copywriters on other forums have said. That there are many copywriters out there, but 90% of them are offering cheap service with low quality results. The demand for quality copywriters is always high.

I'm not saying either route is better than the other. I think it really comes down to personal preference. Do you want to learn while working for someone else? Or do you want to work for yourself? Again neither route is CENTS qualified, but I think it's a stretch for me right now to demand of myself a CENTS appeasing business. The ultimate goal is a fastlane business, but I need to build some skills and find that idea to execute first.

Basically @Antifragile @Kak @MTF @Simon Angel @heavy_industry you are all right. You all just have different view points on how to reach the end goal. I doubt @MJ DeMarco intended for everyone to take the exact same route to the finish line. He has said himself in previous posts that taking action is far more important than appeasing all aspects of CENTS.

I'm going to look into copywriting more. I've been teaching myself marketing these past 3 months and copywriting is really just a type of marketing.

I also think @BizyDad might be right that I need to do some soul searching. I didn't give myself a chance after leaving the military. I just went straight into sales because of the high earning potential.

 

[rjurasek]

Yes, but you guys are hand feeding the op utterly fake “keys to the kingdom”. You are telling an op what fits his personality. He actually pushed back on the stupid idea and you guys kept pushing.

So you guys are the authority on what the op needs? You somehow know his personality type now? I don’t know if you noticed, but he even pushed back on the writing idea.

I don't think I "pushed back" at least that wasn't my intention. I was trying to say both of you are right.

I won't lie I think your perspective is fairly narrow minded. You seem to be fixated on the CENTS and entrepreneurial vision, which is great. But I think you are discounting their advice a little too easily. Copywriting isn't for everyone. Freelancing isn't for everyone. But there is definitely value in Copywriting and Freelance work.

I also can't just dive into a CENTS business thay doesn't exist. Developing a specialized skill to give me a solid foundation is where I'm at right now.

I didn't say I wasn't going to pursue Copywriting. I simply said both sides have their pros and cons. I'm going to continue teaching myself marketing as well as Copywriting while I do some soul searching.

My favorite part of being an SDR has been the messaging. I've discovered I like marketing more than sales. Sales is still important and needed for freelance work. But I have more interest in marketing. I also love helping people so if I can become a skilled copywriter and help people improve their business, it could be a great avenue to pursue.

Again I don't see copywriting alone as a fastlane business. But it is definitely a skill that can be utilized in a fastlane business.

 

[BizyDad]

I'll have to figure out how to do this soul searching, self discovery thing haha. It's difficult after the military, your mind changes in a way that's hard to describe. I'll figure it out though, I'm sure there's resources that help guide the initial stage of self discovery.

My last post and then I have to crush some work.

Maybe you don't need to do soul searching. We all give advice through the lens of our own experience and beliefs. Personally, I'm a philosopher at heart. So of course I'm going to recommend people do some soul searching. I do think it's a good idea for everyone, and I like MTF's suggestion about reading people who have walked that path before.

But that doesn't mean you have to do some soul searching. Maybe you're less of a thinker and more of a get stuff done type of brain. And that's okay too. Put one foot in front of the other and march, soldier. Lol.

Ultimately, it's your life. It's your choices that you have to make, and it sounds like you're approaching this with a level-headedness that many people who are feeling down do not possess.

I think you're going to do just fine, whichever direction you go.

 

[Xavier X]

 

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[rjurasek]

When you're in the military, you were always told what your mission and your end goal was. You were trained to excute tasks toward a well defined goal.

When you are a civilian, there is no one defoning your goals for you. It sounds like you need to spend some time working out your own goals. Make them well defined.

I think something like the 1-5-10 plansy would work well for you. You can see your overaching goals and then you can plan smaller goals that will allow you to reach your ultimate goal.

Don't allow yourself to wander aimlessly into your 39th birthday. Plan and execute.

Ya I think you nailed a huge part of it here. It's been 9 months since I released. The first week was great. I had freedom and endless possibilities infront of me.

Then week 2, 3, and 4 hit and it came crashing down. Those endless possibilities turned into a directionless pit of dread. The freedom I was so excited for turned into a feeling of loneliness and uselessness.

I've been going to a therapist, been trying to do everything I can to better myself and find myself again.

I'm going to write out a 1-5-10 plan over the weekend. Try to dive deep into what I need to find a purpose. I need my own thing I know that, I can't work for someone else. I'll find it, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Thanks for the advice. These books and forum have been a great eye opener for me. I just need to train my mind to get on the right foot, then I'll be running.

 

[Antifragile]

I know there are a few people on this forum who make a living writing … but I am of the opinion that it is not a good business. It is easy to get into but rewards are pitiful. It violates all CENTS framework items.

There is nothing wrong with getting and having a job.

Would love to hear what @Kak thinks on this …

 

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[heavy_industry]

I know that, still it's a good income source to bring your wealth even higher. What i meant by this is that if he invested his time in it, then (if you can and have the opportunities), i should consider it too.

Writing a book to create wealth is playing the lottery.
It scales very well, it is detached from your time, but once you publish the book you have very little control over it. With other business models you can launch the product to the market and then make a lot of adjustments until you get the desired results.

Writing can be a very profitable skill and there are other ways (besides writing a book), to turn it into a fastlane CENTS-compliant business.

 

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[Antifragile]

My suggestion is to start with writing, get some clients, make some money, and regain some confidence.

What happens later may be completely unrelated to writing. With OPs skills and work ethic he'll be a top 1% freelance writer and IMO it will end up being more lucrative (and more confidence-building) than getting a regular job (that may further kill the spirit of such an adventurous person).

We are all biased to our reality. As a writer, you see it as a way to build confidence. Yet I see getting a regular job that pays the bills as confidence building. Especially if you get one in the industry you want to learn from. But I agree with your comment about "adventurous person", if the OP is seeking "adventure" only, then these highs and lows are likely to be part of life. I've never been on an African safari, and have no interest either. What gives us joy differs for each person. The OP will need do figure it out by trial and error.

My thinking is that a man who chose military is likely to be a good company man. Promotions are likely, good life is also right around the corner - with just a job. Work ethic can then drive side hustle business and once that takes over the $$$ as key income driver, quit the job. What is missing in this advice is that "adventurous person" lifestyle.

Writing a book to create wealth is playing the lottery.
It scales very well, it is detached from your time, but once you publish the book you have very little control over it. With other business models you can launch the product to the market and then make a lot of adjustments until you get the desired results.

Writing can be a very profitable skill and there are other ways (besides writing a book), to turn it into a fastlane CENTS-compliant business.

The only way to make writing "fastlane" is by not writing! Create a company full of writers. Even then, I believe it sucks as a business. If it didn't, wouldn't the old newspaper companies be still rolling in profits? Yet they are barely making the ends meet. Newspaper writers are all freelancers now and most are struggling.

Acting is another example, most people in acting are broke. Few are rich. The odds just aren't there for my taste. I prefer to stack odds in my favour.

@Kak wrote above and I agree, write a book when you already have the audience for your message, a platform of sorts. But I don't see it as a Fastlane business, not even a little bit.