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

MTF

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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:

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

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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.
 

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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.
 

rjurasek

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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:

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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Antifragile

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@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:
Screenshot 2022-12-01 at 9.06.47 AM.png

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.
 

BizyDad

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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.
 

BizyDad

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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?
Great point. Why choose when you can have it all.
 
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Simon Angel

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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
 

Kak

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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.
 

Andy Black

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@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:
 
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Black_Dragon43

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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?
No I don’t. It’s for him to decide, I’m merely saying that copywriting can be a good first step IF maintaining his freedom from the get-go is important for him personally. It can open avemues to go down the agency route, influencer, coaching and so on. Any of those businesses can make one a millionaire, if done at sufficient scale. For example, making $500K/year with an agency, which isn’t that impressive, can mean a 5-10x that pay day if you sell it. $2.5M-5M for a few years of work doesn’t sound that bad.

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.
Yep, it’s not a business. But how is getting a job a business? If being an independent dirty whore isn’t a business, than being a wage slave is even less of a business. At least the independent whore has no pimp lol :rofl:

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.
So why don’t you start a tech startup, secure VC funding, and work towards a billion dollar IPO? Or perhaps build a dream team, secure funding, buy a $1-10M company, cash flow servicing debt, no money of your own down, and then repeat it a few times, building possibly a $1billion company while consolidating an industry in the process before exiting?

Hopefully what that illustrates is that even though those are by far the best business opportunities around when considering earning potential, they’re not aligned with your values and/or personality and hence you don’t pursue them. Regardless of comfort zone.
 

Kak

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So why don’t you start a tech startup, secure VC funding, and work towards a billion dollar IPO? Or perhaps build a dream team, secure funding, buy a $1-10M company, cash flow servicing debt, no money of your own down, and then repeat it a few times, building possibly a $1billion company while consolidating an industry in the process before exiting?

And I’m not kidding about any of this. You think you found a hypocrisy, you didn’t.

I step up to that plate every day.
 
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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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Black_Dragon43

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And I’m not kidding about any of this. You think you found a hypocrisy, you didn’t.
So teach us - how do we do that? Instead of “get a job” share something about what big business truly is then. Certainly “get a job” isn’t that.
 

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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.
 

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NeoDialectic

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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.
 
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Antifragile

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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.
 

thereehldeal27

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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.
At least you HAVE a girlfriend to wallow in self-pity with. Some of us don't even have that!

Now if you were single, I would understand a bit more. I'm in your situation. Without a girlfriend. Because until I feel like I can provide and be financially stable, I just don't feel like I should have a girlfriend. Luckily, you found one who will stay with you despite your faults. Some of us aren't so lucky. You were in the military though, so that could be a big reason too. I support that, I come from a military family (I'm a Navy baby).

I hope you find what you're looking for! You have also helped motivate me to get my butt in gear! Pronto!

...Just as soon as I finish wallowing in my own self-pity in the darkness of my blacked-out bedroom and constantly thinking how it's so unfair others have what I want and many of them are even bad people who don't deserve a penny. But bad things happen to good people, while good things happen to bad people. As they say, no need to tell me to go to hell. Already there!

If my post was a tad dark, I do live in the Seattle area (north of it). I don't live in Scottsdale like 99% of the people on this sub.
 
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Antifragile

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At least you HAVE a girlfriend to wallow in self-pity with. Some of us don't even have that!

Now if you were single, I would understand a bit more. I'm in your situation. Without a girlfriend. Because until I feel like I can provide and be financially stable, I just don't feel like I should have a girlfriend. Luckily, you found one who will stay with you despite your faults. Some of us aren't so lucky. You were in the military though, so that could be a big reason too. I support that, I come from a military family (I'm a Navy baby).

I hope you find what you're looking for! You have also helped motivate me to get my butt in gear! Pronto!

...Just as soon as I finish wallowing in my own self-pity in the darkness of my blacked-out bedroom and constantly thinking how it's so unfair others have what I want and many of them are even bad people who don't deserve a penny. But bad things happen to good people, while good things happen to bad people. As they say, no need to tell me to go to hell. Already there!

If my post was a tad dark, I do live in the Seattle area (north of it). I don't live in Scottsdale like 99% of the people on this sub.

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?
 

thereehldeal27

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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?

Glad you can understand my brand of humor!

As for your questions…

1. Tough one. I would have to say working a little on whatever business idea I have going on, at least once a day every day, and not procrastinating. I have a whole power point presentation meant for a blog that I want to turn into a course I have been procrastinating on finishing up for at least a year. Slides are done but I’m procrastinating on the voice narration.

2. Seeing as how writing seems to be my strong suit, I think learning more about copywriting (yeah, I know, original) would be worthwhile. So for tomorrow I can record a bit more of my course for my blog, and also study up more on copywriting.

I hope you are also not letting time go to waste! I assume you have made it. You sound successful.
 

heavy_industry

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At least you HAVE a girlfriend to wallow in self-pity with. Some of us don't even have that!

Luckily, you found one who will stay with you despite your faults. Some of us aren't so lucky.

Just as soon as I finish wallowing in my own self-pity in the darkness of my blacked-out bedroom and constantly thinking how it's so unfair others have what I want and many of them are even bad people who don't deserve a penny.

But bad things happen to good people, while good things happen to bad people.

Are you actually a former navy?

This is the worst attitude and victim mindset I've seen on this forum.
 
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thereehldeal27

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Are you actually a former navy?

This is the worst attitude and victim mindset I've seen on this forum.
I wasn’t in the navy. I was born on a Navy base while my Mom and Dad were in the navy.

Victim mentality wasn’t always there. It’s just that when life keeps keeping you down and keeping you broke and alone, you stop giving a crap.
 

ZackerySprague

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I'm no where near where I want to be and nor am I trying to make this post about me either. But to a degree I know how you feel when you are lost.

A bit of a backstory, in my early 20's I was successful as some might say and knew what I wanted to do. I had the girlfriend, renting out a house with roommates, finances where together, etc, etc.

But things started to take turn for the worse for me. I had my first traumatic event when I was a SOC analyst for a company downtown. I practically made IT as my identify of self. I stopped believing in myself, even until this day it haunts me. But I learned one thing right then and there that having a job or working for someone else, there was not safety.

I started getting into debt, I neglected paying them back, at first I was doing great. But then my situation got out a bit out of hand. Then I resigned that job and started the roller coaster of going from one job place to another, from one house to another.

Then my ex-girlfriend decided she wanted to become somebody else, we had no closure to the break up. I decided to move back down to Dallas-Fort Worth because that was a place I knew the most. To be perfectly honest, I wasn't really ready to move out on my own officially to a new town.

However, coming back home was still one of the bad decisions I have made. I didn't go to Therapy at the time to deal with all of the loss I have accumulated because of my decisions.

I almost had to file for Bankruptcy because I didn't believe in myself and got scared, I recently got into a car accident after driving safely for the past 7 years since the last accident. I almost lost my car, (to my surprise I am still dealing with this even today. It might be totaled *sigh*).

I am at a job that doesn't make me feel like I am making an impact, I am just pushing buttons for a piece of software and have been doing this for years.

My friends and family doesn't necessarily believe in an Unscripted Life. So it has been hard to try and change your identity or to become someone else when everyone know's the past self of who you once were.

That to say, I finally said enough is a enough. I'm stuck and I need help, so I pulled the plug and went to Therapy. It has helped me tremendously, but also has left me feeling like I'm lost, I don't know what direction to go. Lots of hurt from past events that have occured into my life.

But yet at the same time, I am very thankful to have lived those experiences. To know that I have supported myself through tough times even when family members weren't really there for you. It even hurts to realize that your own family might have actually used you indirectly for financial resources for things they couldn't pay for.

But MJ's books and the community here has brought me hope. Reading the books and meeting people from Fox Web School or even just communicating on this forum has brought me hope. That there is a whole new life out there yet to be explored. That we call can create a life that we want even though it will take years of hard work to get there.

To realize that I went into a career field for the wrong reasons, when actuality. I always wanted to be an entreprenuer since my high school years. I am about to be 29 next month as well.

I am hopeful that I will figure this out, I am hopeful that things will turn around. I don't know where I am going, but there is one thing that I do is that. I am willing to abandon everything that I know up to this point. Just to get to where I want to go.

To no longer owe debt, to no longer have things be taken away from you, to establish and have more control over your life. To believe in yourself and finding a community that will also support that has a Fastlane mindset. It is tough doing this alone or even by yourself.

To where I am going? Well, the market will be my shining light.

I am hopeful that you will find a direction, don't feel let down, just know that there are others who are struggling as well right with you.

If theirs anything I can, please let me know :).

I hope this helps!
-Zack.
 
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fastlane_dad

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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!
 
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Two Dog

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What can you actually do with writing ro make a living?
Oh, come on. What a lazy a$$ question from someone who honestly seems to be asking for help.

How about posting a reply to your own question with fifteen different ideas?
 

Two Dog

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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 …
How is writing any different than publishing digital content in any form?

Forums, copywriting, online courses, how to guides, self-help, novels, scripts, fortune cookies, greeting cards...

Jeez, the current governor of Colorado sold his digital greeting card company for $800M way back in 1999. Yes, that's M as in millions of dollars. Who care if it was purchased with BS crazy internet stock money. It ended up in his pocket no different than Mark Cuban's ridiculous Yahoo buyout right around the same time for a few billion dollars.

One of my all-time favorite "shoulda, woulda, coulda, didn't" businesses to buy a couple years back was a ghostwriting business. The owner had a dozen odd freelancers pumping out endless iterations of fiction novels to an immense fan base who reliably purchased every single new release. It was something like 20 - 30 different title lines.

Thank God my daughters are happy checking out thousands of pages of the "same" book from the library instead of buying all two hundred "Warrior Cats" titles from Amazon. Fine, it's more like a hundred. Who can even count that high. I should have bought the damn thing.

About The Warriors Books:​

Erin Hunter is the author of the acclaimed best selling junior fantasy books for young adults called the Warriors series. There are six books total in the primary series. There are over 80 books featuring the tales and adventures of a group of Warrior Cats. The series is published by Harper Collins and is written by the three authors, Cherith Baldry, Kate Cary, and Tui T. Sutherland as well as editor Victoria Holmes, who develops the story for the books. Harper Collins asked Victoria Holmes to develop a story about a group of feral cats.

Holmes used classical themes of love, politics, war, and religion and soon had enough material for a first novel. Harper Collins decided to green light for a six book series. All four use the collective pen name of Erin Hunter.
 
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thereehldeal27

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How is writing any different than publishing digital content in any form?

Forums, copywriting, online courses, how to guides, self-help, novels, scripts, fortune cookies, greeting cards...

One of my all-time favorite "shoulda, woulda, coulda, didn't" businesses to buy a couple years back was a ghostwriting business. The owner had a dozen odd freelancers pumping out endless iterations of fiction novels to an immense fan base who reliably purchased every single new release. It was something like 20 - 30 different title lines.

Thank God my daughters are happy checking out thousands of pages of the "same" book from the library instead of buying all two hundred "Warrior Cats" titles from Amazon. Fine, it's more like a hundred. Who can even count that high. I should have bought the damn thing.

About The Warriors Books:​

Erin Hunter is the author of the acclaimed best selling junior fantasy books for young adults called the Warriors series. There are six books total in the primary series. There are over 80 books featuring the tales and adventures of a group of Warrior Cats. The series is published by Harper Collins and is written by the three authors, Cherith Baldry, Kate Cary, and Tui T. Sutherland as well as editor Victoria Holmes, who develops the story for the books. Harper Collins asked Victoria Holmes to develop a story about a group of feral cats.

Holmes used classical themes of love, politics, war, and religion and soon had enough material for a first novel. Harper Collins decided to green light for a six book series. All four use the collective pen name of Erin Hunter.
I like cats. Maybe I should check out those books.

I also have an idea as an author (unpublished). Write a book, get it on Amazon, and make it stand out by having unrelated illustrations of animals (like cats) in the book. People will click because of their emotional attachment to the animal (often cats and dogs).
 

Two Dog

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I also have an idea as an author (unpublished). Write a book, get it on Amazon, and make it stand out by having unrelated illustrations of animals (like cats) in the book. People will click because of their emotional attachment to the animal (often cats and dogs).
You can even skip the book writing part.

License one of the zillion non-best selling books on Amazon for $100 and stick illustrations into it. Excellent test, BTW.
 

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