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

[Antifragile]

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.

This is a fun debate.

I believe that fitness programs are now the new "printed T-Shirt" businesses. If I want to run a marathon, I have thousands of free programs available to me, there is no way I'd pay for one. And if I did, I'd pay for a coach who would then give me his/her custom for me program. Selling a fitness program would be the opposite of fastlane.

I also do not believe that these types of products "sell forever". They distribute free forever, yes. But to sell them, would require skills way beyond writing (as you said already).

Worse yet, the need you point to isn't there. People who are overweight aren't overweight because there aren't enough fitness programs written by great copywriters! Do you agree with this?

In the end, what you described is not writing as fast lane business. You are describing a service converted into a product. Take Wim Hoff method - he had a service that is now a product, an app. That can be a great business.

As you continue thinking about it, I believe you'll come to the same conclusion as me.

All entrepreneurs should master the skill of writing.

Yes, 100% agree with this. Yet I don't need to be a copywriter to be good at copywriting (or writing for that matter).

 

[heavy_industry]

This is a fun debate.

I believe that fitness programs are now the new "printed T-Shirt" businesses. If I want to run a marathon, I have thousands of free programs available to me, there is no way I'd pay for one. And if I did, I'd pay for a coach who would then give me his/her custom for me program. Selling a fitness program would be the opposite of fastlane.

I also do not believe that these types of products "sell forever". They distribute free forever, yes. But to sell them, would require skills way beyond writing (as you said already).

Worse yet, the need you point to isn't there. People who are overweight aren't overweight because there aren't enough fitness programs written by great copywriters! Do you agree with this?

In the end, what you described is not writing as fast lane business. You are describing a service converted into a product. Take Wim Hoff method - he had a service that is now a product, an app. That can be a great business.

As you continue thinking about it, I believe you'll come to the same conclusion as me.

The fitness course was just a hypothetical example. I'm not saying this is the best thing to do.

All I am saying is that written material has very high fastlane potential due to its high scalability and time independence. You write it once, then it keeps producing value forever: each and every time it is being read by someone. This value could be monetized directly (selling info-product) or indirectly (ads on web traffic, affiliate marketing etc.).

Does this mean that everybody and their mom should start a blog? No.
Does this mean that this is the new goldrush that will make everyone rich? No.

But it does mean that written material, especially the one that is accessible through the world wide web is digital real estate.


This forum, for example, is creating a tremendous amount of value for everyone that is participating. And it mostly consists of... written material. It might not be very profitable, but it is very valuable. And that's what entrepreneurship is ultimately about - creating value.

 

[Kak]

Fortune favors the bold. Acting like it doesn’t feels good to some, but it doesn’t make it any less true.

If this triggers you, be honest with with yourself. Do you want to be told your comfort zone is totally cool and you’ll be “fastlane” from there, even if it isn’t true?

@Antifragile and I both genuinely believe telling this guy to start copywriting is bad advice, and I will leave it at that.

 

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[Black_Dragon43]

Some businesses have better odds to go fastlane than others. CENTS is a good guide. Apply it and see for yourself how a Realtor is your copywriter! But a general contractor construction company is not.

Odds of going fastlane are irrelevant if you’ll end up being depressed and unable to continue the business. Much more important than that is finding something that fits in with your personality.

It’s not about comfort zone here as Kak says. Believe me, getting started as a freelance copywriter took me out of my comfort zone plenty - I had probably none of the aptitudes required for success in that field when I started, apart from writing skill.

But selling, marketing, generating ideas, getting on calls with people, cold calling, understanding what makes copy successful or not - I had 0.

What matters here is that what you’re getting involved in fits with who you are and what you want to do. You can be successful in any industry. Why not find one that matches your personality?

I could pursue copywriting because it fit with my personality. I could push past my comfort zone and grow. But real estate would’ve been pretty much impossible for me (except for maybe wholesaling) since I lacked capital as a 15 something old, and couldn’t even legally do certain things. Not to mention I had 0 interest in getting a job.

So what chance did real estate realistically have for me? A big fat 0. And suppose like this guy here you’re in your early 20s, unless you’re happy to take a job and pray for the best or you have capital/connections, real estate is pretty darn difficult to get into.

Everyone has to find their own path, but ignoring your own personality and attributes in favor of “a better business opportunity” is imo dumb.

 

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[Kak]

Odds of going fastlane are irrelevant if you’ll end up being depressed and unable to continue the business. Much more important than that is finding something that fits in with your personality.

It’s not about comfort zone here as Kak says. Believe me, getting started as a freelance copywriter took me out of my comfort zone plenty - I had probably none of the aptitudes required for success in that field when I started, apart from writing skill.

But selling, marketing, generating ideas, getting on calls with people, cold calling, understanding what makes copy successful or not - I had 0.

What matters here is that what you’re getting involved in fits with who you are and what you want to do. You can be successful in any industry. Why not find one that matches your personality?

I could pursue copywriting because it fit with my personality. I could push past my comfort zone and grow. But real estate would’ve been pretty much impossible for me (except for maybe wholesaling) since I lacked capital as a 15 something old, and couldn’t even legally do certain things. Not to mention I had 0 interest in getting a job.

So what chance did real estate realistically have for me? A big fat 0. And suppose like this guy here you’re in your early 20s, unless you’re happy to take a job and pray for the best or you have capital/connections, real estate is pretty darn difficult to get into.

Everyone has to find their own path, but ignoring your own personality and attributes in favor of “a better business opportunity” is imo dumb.

Yes, but you guys are hand feeding the op utterly fake “keys to the kingdom”. You are telling an op what fits his personality.

So you guys are the authority on what the op needs? You somehow know his personality type now because you wore him down?

He comes to an ENTREPRENEUR forum and you guys are suggesting a dirty whore’s freelance market for a low value unscalable service. It’s simply not a business any more than being an independent painter or photographer is a business. It’s self employment. Not entrepreneurship when he was obviously interested in ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

You simultaneously say it isn’t comfort zone, but then essentially admit it is. “I don’t want to end up depressed and whatever.” Clearly it’s about comfort zone.

Stop being the support group for cop out decisions just because you assigned yourself limiting beliefs.

OP. I sincerely hope you go after all that you can be. True growth and the greatest feelings of accomplishment happen when you stretch yourself. Settling is not a recipe for happiness.

 

[heavy_industry]

but isn't this also a violation of CENTS?

CENTS is an idealized framework for a business that is stable, profitable and highly scalable.

Just because some activity is not fully CENTS-compliant doesn't mean you should no do it. There are plenty of skills that can be learned from working on different projects. Skills which could then be used in a true fastlane venture.

I am not for or against copywriting, or any other freelancing endeavor. I don't care what people do.
Just remember that execution/implementation is much more important than an idea or chosen field of work. You can be successful in anything or you can fail at anything - depending on your level of competence.


To steer away from this pointless debate and back to the original question of the thread:
@rjurasek
Take a deep breath. Everything is alright.
You've experienced more life in the last decade than most people of your age. You've traveled the world, you've seen wonderful places, you've served 5 years in the military. That's quite an achievement.

You're still very young and there is no reason to stay trapped in the past. You can do anything and everything you want.
I wish you all the best.

 

[Simon Angel]

Thanks! I'll definitely be checking those out tonight.

Do whatever you feel like man. A big part of being "unscripted " is living and making money on your own terms.

Obviously, there are people here with strong beliefs on what's right and wrong. But I if were you - and especially after getting told what to do and following orders in the military - I'd just do whatever made the most sense to me.

Now, if I was American, I'd probably focus on a physical service business to be honest. I'd wager that's easier and pays more than copywriting gigs.

But I'm not. And the dollars I'm earning while living in my country allow for a decent quality of life. Plus, you may start as say a copywriter but end up somewhere else entirely.

Business owners like a good work ethic and you giving a F*ck. It's why I've been offered to be CEO in a company where I started off as a copywriter. In a a bid to remain true to myself, I ended up creating my own company and billing them as a client over taking up the CEO role offered.

But the opportunities for managerial roles are so there for people who seek them and go out of their way (and duties) to solve company problems.

Have you watched this video by MJ:

View: https://youtu.be/r_58zPgArb4

 

[Andy Black]

@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 don't know if you've watched this yet:

GOLD! - HOT! - From Flat-Broke to Financial Freedom: How to Get Started When You Have No Money

I see this question a lot here, and posted in a lot of introductions. How do I get started when I have no money and no skills? I made a video to answer... Also there's an update on my next book near the end of the vid! Enjoy, and if you're broke with no skills, I hope it helps you!

www.thefastlaneforum.com

 

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[LateStarter]

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.

To know which direction to go, you first have to picture your destination. Where is it you want to be at the end of this? What are you goals? Start there. No one can answer that but you.

 

[Itizn]

Military experience mixed with SDR experience at a tech company is a great foundation.

 

[rjurasek]

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

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.

 

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[Spenny]

You've got good writing skills, I'll tell you that. Also gotta say welcome man, we're all here to become better iterations of ourselves & we all have those thoughts of not being good enough.

 

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[MTF]

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 …

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).

 

[Simon Angel]

@Antifragile @MTF @Kak @heavy_industry @Amerstain

Cool discussion above and I'd say all of you are correct in your own way and point of view.

I think writing just for the sake of writing as a service (e.g. you wrote a landing page without actually doing your research and getting a feel for the business you're writing for OR prioritizing sounding "nice" and methodical instead of being focused on the objective - whether's that's lead generation, sales, etc.) is a crappy way to go about it.

For the record, I started off as "just" a copywriter (though there are copywriters who've earned tens of millions in commissions from a single sales page) but my work now revolves around managing email marketing for businesses and consulting digital marketing agencies and e-commerce stores.

Copywriting might be my specialized skill, but I'd rather describe myself as a big-picture guy that's keen on solving problems in his environment. I LOVE to stick my nose in matters that shouldn't concern me on paper and provide value in a way that wasn't expected of me by my clients. It has led to a lot of novel opportunities, bonus payments, and connections...

 

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[Antifragile]

@heavy_industry
I think we agree more than we disagree.

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.

What am I not saying?

• I am not saying there is no business whatsoever in writing. @MTF has a newsletter that I bet will get monetized and I'll likely pay for reading it. There are other examples too.
• I am not saying that no one ever made a lot of money writing. There are winners.

This forum, for example, is creating a tremendous amount of value for everyone that is participating. And it mostly consists of... written material. It might not be very profitable, but it is very valuable. And that's what entrepreneurship is ultimately about - creating value.

That's key - I don't think the return on the effort invested is worthwhile. If it is not very profitable, is it still a "Fastlane" business? Put it another way, I would not recommend the OP to start a forum to monetize it and retire.

 

[ZCP]

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.

i listen to him every morning. i think he's awesome. ....... i don't need to dig into him or his story or any of that. his message helps me and others i point toward him. so there is value.

 

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[Matt Lee]

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

Hey man. It doesn't matter where you've been up until now. You can still choose to do something else today and be able to do it, make it work, become great, and leave a mark on the world. It may take creativity, bloody effort, and time but you can surely do it. It's all a mental choice as anything worthwhile.

It will start with the next few physical decisions(sleeping better, eating better, getting your health in check, developing the mindset of a killer), then a few mental choices(never give up control of your life ever again and never disappoint yourself), which will probably ripple into many years of actions and adjustment and growth but you will turn everything around sooner than later. It doesn't matter where you have been or what history you have. I know you must be feeling pretty mad and perhaps even angry, and resentful. It doesn't matter. Don't let all those pent-up emotions of anger turn into apathy and nihilism. Your emotions right now are powerful if you use them as a catalyst to get your life in order.

For you, your 29 birthday should mark the day you realize everything is a lie. It's a day of enlightenment. A moment of rebirth, even. Those around you that tell you that you have a lot of time are all liars. Time goes by in a blink of an eye if you don't use it properly. You know this first handed. But the thing is, it's ok. It's yin and yang. You still have a lot of time compared to someone in their 40s, 50s, or 60s. It doesn't mean you can afford to spend it unwisely. It just means it's not too late for you to make a decision to change.

You must have done a lot of reflecting as you write this post. You know time is dripping away one day at a time and if you don't grab your life by the balls your life will continue to drift on with you in the passenger seat. Spectating those around you win and not becoming the winner himself. Let your disappointment fuel you. Let all those negative emotions burn you and leave a scar that won't heal. This scar will serve as a reminder of how precious your life is, specifically your time on this planet. Allow it to feed your drive and ambitions. I know you have some in you. You don't sound like a broken person. You sound like a person who realizes that time passes by quickly and that in a blink of an eye you can become old, frail, regretful, and miserable. Be glad you're on this forum at 29 and not 60. Be glad that you have access to the internet, living somewhere that is not a 3rd world country, and still have choices to make. Afterall, you are still breathing.

You said you didn't provide value with this post. I think you are a liar. You show people that if you don't put in the work today and use time wisely, time will fly out the window literally. So thank you man and keep on going.

 

[BizyDad]

Nonsense.

With you post you are saying “since everything is hard, everything is equally hard” or “odds of success are same / similar”.

Utter nonsense. You know better than that.

That's harsh. Your post didn't allow for much nuance, so don't blame me for the lack of nuance of mine. All I did was parrot your points.

And while you and I know better, other readers might see it more simply rather than nuanced.

Some businesses have better odds to go fastlane than others.

Yes, and to be clear, real estate is clearly one of the better ones. But that doesn't change that every critique I mimicked is true about real estate.

Apply it and see for yourself how a Realtor is your copywriter! But a general contractor construction company is not.

Yes. CENTS or no, for someone starting with no knowledge about anything, becoming a successful general contractor is harder than becoming a copywriter. There is more to learn, more that can go wrong, and the stakes are much higher. More GC's declare bankruptcy than copywriters do.

And where did you get that “investor” goes broke? WTf are you talking about?

Just as a reminder, I'm a former banker in Phoenix, a city "full" of "real estate investors". So I know these things to be true through that lens.

Most people who begin the journey of real estate investor start under-capitalized, armed with a little knowledge from having taken a course or bird dogging for a mentor, and never even become a "true" real estate investor. Most never close one deal. Much like copywriting agencies, the washout rate is high. In fact, I'd argue just based on numbers of real estate courses sold since at least the 80's, the odds of success in real estate investing is lower than that of copywriting agencies.

But even the ones who do get to run a real business, once they've got a taste for how to be successful at the game, fall prey to pitfalls like overextending themselves time-wise or over-leveraging themselves. And economic downturns wipe them out.

To me this is such a self-evident comment, I'm kind of shocked you don't have a clue what I'm talking about. I imagine the same happens in your part of the world, and your life becomes easier because in real estate, whether it is agents or construction or investors, the downturns are what separates the wheat from the chaff.

 

[MTF]

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.

I strongly recommend reading some autobiographies of ex-military guys who had to find a new career after their service.

I have some on my website:

The Best Books for Men Who Want to Become Better

Here's Discomfort Club approved list of the best books for men who want to improve themselves through discomfort and setting ambitious goals.

www.discomfortclub.com

Out of these, I think you may resonate with:

• Beyond Possible: One Soldier, Fourteen Peaks – My Life in the Death Zone by Nimsdai Purja
• Transformed: Navy SEAL’s Unlikely Journey from the Throne of Africa, to the Streets of the Bronx, to Defying All Odds by Remi Adeleke
• Relentless: From SBS to World Record Breaker by Dean Stott

 

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[rjurasek]

I strongly recommend reading some autobiographies of ex-military guys who had to find a new career after their service.

I have some on my website:

The Best Books for Men Who Want to Become Better

Here's Discomfort Club approved list of the best books for men who want to improve themselves through discomfort and setting ambitious goals.

www.discomfortclub.com

Out of these, I think you may resonate with:

• Beyond Possible: One Soldier, Fourteen Peaks – My Life in the Death Zone by Nimsdai Purja
• Transformed: Navy SEAL’s Unlikely Journey from the Throne of Africa, to the Streets of the Bronx, to Defying All Odds by Remi Adeleke
• Relentless: From SBS to World Record Breaker by Dean Stott

Thanks! I'll definitely be checking those out tonight.

 

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[Brian5150]

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.

Been there, and it's a shitty place to be. Here's the GREAT news: You have everything you need INSIDE OF YOU to figure it out. Remember this...with every new day comes the opportunity to re-invent yourself and create your masterpiece. You've had many experiences in your life that only somebody with grit and determination can make it through. Don't be afraid of the uncertainty and don't get caught up with the "I don't know" of the moment. Use the uncertainty as your chance to explore the opportunities that are all around you. Important question: Are you truly failing at your job? If so, WHY? Have you made the conscious decision to immerse yourself in your job and face it head-on with a positive attitude, high energy, and enthusiasm? If you're not doing that, you can start TOMORROW. That might be a good launching point to improve things by keeping some money coming in and figuring out the rest along the way. You may need to re-invent your attitude and perspective FIRST, and that may just set you on a much better path.

And, I highly recommend doing the following to get your thinking on a better path: Do this for 60 days (religiously) for 20-30 minutes, every night before you go to sleep and every morning right after you get out of bed, hop on YouTube and listen to some motivational videos...videos that are positive and talk about reaching your goals and the undeniable potential you have as a human being. LISTEN WITH FOCUS AND INTENTION - DON'T JUST HIT "PLAY" AND DO SOMETHING THAT DISTRACTS YOU. That may sound a silly, but constant negative thinking is a HABIT. Our brains were made to help us survive, not to be happy. When your psychology is in the gutter for an extended period of time you need some help getting it out of the gutter. In the morning, I usually use a blue tooth speaker and listen while I'm in the shower - it's important to do this right after you wake up in the morning as your subconscious is most open to suggestion. This process works if done with focus and repetition. And, as you likely already know because you're 29 years old, it all starts with how you think. Shitty thinking = Shitty life.

 

[Antifragile]

may have been a bit harsh

Haha, point well taken! I’ve never been accused by friends or colleagues as being “too subtle”. So yes, I am often too harsh. Only excuse I provide is that it comes from the heart with good intentions.

 

[Kevin88660]

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.

Welcome.

 

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[PoFFicK]

@rjurasek
Write down some goals you'd like to achieve. Your dream physique, what would you want to spend money on, what person you want to become, what value you want to provide to the world. And then start grinding. I believe that the army should've taught you discipline. Make a plan for each day of the week and stick to it. Put the most important task of the day at the very beginning of that day.
I am a student, so I have to go to university almost each day of the week at ~10am, so what I do is wake up at 6am, work on my skills / read books for 2-2.5 hours right after i wake up. This way i guarantee that I've made at least some progress each day. Consistency is king.
Make a tracker of your daily tasks. Once you've done one of todays tasks - check the box. This gives you something to be proud of when you can see a lot of successful days and keeps you accountable if you see a lot of skipped days.
Consider doing physical exercise, it helps your brains relax after a long day of work, helps you fall asleep at night, and, of course, grows your physical and mental strength.
Believe in yourself, stay consistent, and success will come with years of hard work.

 

[Shono]

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.

and if he was 60 years old, at least hes not 120 years old

 

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[tomzestatlu]

I am of similar age, currently still in the military.

There are definitely some factors of serving in the military that shape someone differently than working "normal job":

• There´s no need to chase profit. The organization works with budget credited by the government and there´s no need to creatively pursue ways how to reach certain revenue. This rigid system that suppress creativity is maintained at all levels (organizational to individual).
• Unless you are technician, you won´t learn many skills to aplly outside of the system.
• You are always assigned a task or a goal. You always know where you are heading and what´s necessary to succeed the mission.
• You are surrounded by many people who are damaged by the system and are useless in real life.
• Some of the most important skills in the military are useless out of it (physical fitness).

I don´t understand what exactly did you do but the 12 months training sounds like SF style. If you had this experience, it might give you big advantage in all areas.
Recently I surprisingly found out some interesting ways to monetize your experience. Of course you can teach people to shoot or how to survive in nature. But also they are willing to pay for experiencing few days based on SF selection or learning small unit tactics. I would never guess so (but it´s also a result of the Russia-Ukraine war, people here in Eastern Europe arm and train themselves massively).

I´ve noticed one thing. In military you learn to chase excellence, you work on your body everyday and drill the same situations again and again in order to win the battle. If you transit such persistence and discipline into normal life, you would become unstoppable. The problem is that it´s difficult to transit these traits into normal life. Honestly I personally have no idea and everyday I´m thinking about how to do it.

There are some solid adviced in this topic. Picking up some goals along the way will be huge step forward. We can probably agree that picking a goal is much more difficult than achieving a goal. 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.

Good luck! I´m looking forward to read about your progress.

 

[MTF]

What can you actually do with writing ro make a living? I've looked at copywriting but I've also seen people say to avoid it.

Here's a thread discussing Fastlane opportunities for writers:

HOT! - IDEA - Fastlane Opportunities for Writers

What are in your opinion the best Fastlane opportunities for writers? Which opportunities are exhausted and which ones may still have a bright future? Is writing still a lucrative skill or should writers consider it more of a supplemental skill? I've been in the self-publishing industry for the...

www.thefastlaneforum.com

 

[Shono]

I´m not saying that physical fitness is useless.
But the fact that overcome many physical challenges during your service doesn´t your create value on the market (unless your are David Goggins).

And yes, fitness and health is important and I understand that it can add you a value even in a business. But it´s a a complement to your value, not value itself.

I think fitness is an ancillary habit just like meditation that can benefit everyone regardless of their vocation, whether they are an athlete or an artist or a scientist, and thereby add value by making them healthier/more efficient throughout the day, but I can see your point of view.

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.

 

[heavy_industry]

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.

I don't think he is a charlatan.
Just a deeply traumatized person that tries to escape his demons through extreme physical exertion. What he does is very unhealthy, but there are even worse addictions out there.

 

[Amerstain]

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

I had the same thought. You don't realize how much people would like to hear about your adventures man. When i read your story, i had 2 thoughts that came up. 1. Damn, i really should explore nature like this guy. 2. This guy is a great writer, if this was a sample i definitely would read his book. These are genuine words. Good luck.