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What would you tell your 16 year old self?

A detailed account of a Fastlane process...

Verge

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Hello fellow Fastlaners!
16 year old here, who is trying his absolute best to work out with all of MJ's suggestions in TMF . But if you guys could give any suggestions, book recommendations, wise words, etc etc, what would you tell your former 16 year old self?
Thanks guys!
 
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Filipe

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I'd say to my former self (i'm only 19 here) to get in experiences and "just do things". You know, those things people don't do because others would think they're crazy. I'm not talking "jump off a bridge", rather "build a bridge". :)

quick episode:
A couple years ago I was still in high school. Because I had good grades, the director invited me to be a candidate to represent the students in the school's board. I did, I was elected and I attended every meeting. Even though I was pretty talkative and generally confident in everyday life, I can tell you this:
During that year and half where I took part in those meetings, i LITERALLY said ZERO words. A year and a half and I didn't open my mouth ONE single time. My confidence was below null in that environment of bureocracy and policy, i just couldn't gather the nerve to speak my thoughts and be judged by those in a "superior" position.
Fast forward to a while afterwards, and here I am in university. At the end of the first semester, everybody in my class had to do a presentation. Well... The days before then weren't pleasant in the least bit. I got really really nervous when I was called up to face the 100 or so people and 2 cathedratic university professors. I just had to man the f**k up and do it, I thought to myself... and I did it, and people loved it. The professor thought it was pretty good and my classmates said i was really good. Maybe it was just the common "loser feel good talk" :D, but the truth is I absolutely completely lost my fear of public speaking ever since. I get nervous, sure, but I do it anyway, and it usually comes out nice because of the preparation I always put in before a presentation/lecture/whatever.

Lesson to my 16 year old self: man the f**k up and do it
 

Bouncing Soul

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I got my first W2 at 16, where before it'd been money from hustle and working in my dad's business.

So maybe, "pay attention to the fact you're going from >$10/hr and freedom to $5/hr wage slavery paycheck addiction".
 

Ross Morgan

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SET GOALS! Make your goal this year to be able to spot Fastlane opportunities every single day. Do this by training your problem solving muscle. Train your problem solving muscle by observing, listening for, and writing down problems, solutions, and ideas. Do this EVERY day!
Never be lazy, do anything and everything you can to help around the house and beyond. Learn to be happy to help and always request the opportunity to help more. When others around you are lazy and not helping, do not resent, set the example and help them too. Never think you are saving time by not helping others to focus on what you want to do. The most important part of helping is to learn to be happy to do it, especially with favors and chores.
Check out Fastlane bookstore and other threads here for good books. All the finance/wealth books recommended by MJ are great reads.
Figure out your interests, (if possible) try to determine an industry you're interested in ASAP.
Focus, read, learn, think, focus, read, think, learn.
Figure out what kind of lifestyle you need to solidify in order for you to achieve progress toward success whether its waking up on time, fitness, eating right, studying, etc.
Speed up, count every second because every second counts.
Never slow down.
 

Verge

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SET GOALS! Make your goal this year to be able to spot Fastlane opportunities every single day. Do this by training your problem solving muscle. Train your problem solving muscle by observing, listening for, and writing down problems, solutions, and ideas. Do this EVERY day!
Never be lazy, do anything and everything you can to help around the house and beyond. Learn to be happy to help and always request the opportunity to help more. When others around you are lazy and not helping, do not resent, set the example and help them too. Never think you are saving time by not helping others to focus on what you want to do. The most important part of helping is to learn to be happy to do it, especially with favors and chores.
Check out Fastlane bookstore and other threads here for good books. All the finance/wealth books recommended by MJ are great reads.
Figure out your interests, (if possible) try to determine an industry you're interested in ASAP.
Focus, read, learn, think, focus, read, think, learn.
Figure out what kind of lifestyle you need to solidify in order for you to achieve progress toward success whether its waking up on time, fitness, eating right, studying, etc.
Speed up, count every second because every second counts.
Never slow down.
Wow! What an awesome response! Thank you very much; this really does help!
 

Verge

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I'd say to my former self (i'm only 19 here) to get in experiences and "just do things". You know, those things people don't do because others would think they're crazy. I'm not talking "jump off a bridge", rather "build a bridge". :)

quick episode:
A couple years ago I was still in high school. Because I had good grades, the director invited me to be a candidate to represent the students in the school's board. I did, I was elected and I attended every meeting. Even though I was pretty talkative and generally confident in everyday life, I can tell you this:
During that year and half where I took part in those meetings, i LITERALLY said ZERO words. A year and a half and I didn't open my mouth ONE single time. My confidence was below null in that environment of bureocracy and policy, i just couldn't gather the nerve to speak my thoughts and be judged by those in a "superior" position.
Fast forward to a while afterwards, and here I am in university. At the end of the first semester, everybody in my class had to do a presentation. Well... The days before then weren't pleasant in the least bit. I got really really nervous when I was called up to face the 100 or so people and 2 cathedratic university professors. I just had to man the f**k up and do it, I thought to myself... and I did it, and people loved it. The professor thought it was pretty good and my classmates said i was really good. Maybe it was just the common "loser feel good talk" :D, but the truth is I absolutely completely lost my fear of public speaking ever since. I get nervous, sure, but I do it anyway, and it usually comes out nice because of the preparation I always put in before a presentation/lecture/whatever.

Lesson to my 16 year old self: man the f**k up and do it
Haha that's a cool story man! I'm a pretty social person, and love presenting in front of the class, along with answering questions, and so on. But obviously there's moments when I do need to man the F*ck up. Thank you for putting time into this response!
 

Bouncing Soul

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Could you explain this?

Sure, I went from hustling- raking leaves, working in dad's janitorial biz which led to a couple of my own small accounts, working on cars, stuff like that, to a job working in a kitchen for a steady paycheck. Per hour worked I made a lot more money hustling.

For my kids, I will be very focused on what I'll call 21st century hustling...using technology to do the same kind of things. Whether online stores, product development/marketing, something their old dad has no idea about or doesn't now exist :) or just as a way to better reach local customers raking leaves.
 
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Ross Morgan

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You're welcome, and even little things like turning off the water when you brush and not throwing cardboard in the trash are more valuable than you think. Helping the world on a small scale will lead you to help the world on a big scale. Whether it's 6 billion people's problem or 1 person's problem, identifying and proactively making choices toward solving problems of all sizes will develop your problem solving muscle. Lifestyle is the key.
 
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Envision

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Workout
Read alot
Eat healthy
Play sports
Talk to alot of girls
Be as social and confident as possible
Start a business
Dont get fat
Dont get into hard drugs
Dont smoke cigarettes.

I was honestly reading threads like when I was 16 so I didnt make really any mistakes I'd say. my biggest advantage was working out in high school... I went from 120 pounds to 210 pounds and I was strong and lean as hell. Not going to lie it made me popular, I had awesome friends and had amazing girlfriends just because of the confidence from working out and it's only getting better..

I'd tell any young guy to get into working out as soon as they can. I started when i was 14.

Edit: and go listen to elliot hulse and fightmediocrity on youtube and read boldanddetermined.com
 

CMA

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Wow. 16 and already into this forum and the book. Good stuff.

So here what I would tell my 16 year old self.

1. You are in control of everything that happens in your life: Good, bad, everything.
2. What you do today affects your tomorrow: Think in the long term. You want to be fit at 25, work out consistently today
3. Don't set self limiting beliefs: If you want be something, do something, make 100 million go out and do it. The only person that can stop you is you.
4. Always invest money (Most people would say save, but don't save to just spend it, save to make that money work for you.) - This is a habit that when ingrained early is easy to keep, but when never learned hard to do.
5. You can't get time back.- 20, 25, 30 will be here in no time. Take time to enjoy your teenage years.

Have fun and remember that everybody dies, but not everybody lives. (Silly Drake line, but I find truth to it.)

Caonex
 
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marklov

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I would tell my 16 year old self.

Do more 16 year old stuff party and enjoy yourself.

Growing up too fast is boring.

Many of the stuff I would tell my 16 year old self now....
he wouldn't have the maturity to internalize half of it.
 
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brewster

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Chill out and stop caring what people think.

I let social anxiety dominate me all throughout my teens and always thought people were judging me.

In reality? No one gave a damn about me!

So, in one word? Relax.
 

Charnell

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When you break up the first time, stay broken up.
Continue doing poorly in school, you'll end up in the military no matter what.
While in the military, start creating. Websites, eBooks, videos, music. Those checks are guaranteed on the first and fifteenth, might as well use them.
 
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WaqarM93

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1) READ. Anything and everything (well, not everything)!
2) Experience life in all it's glory. Pick up an extra-curricular activity or two (sports was my choice).
3) Don't give a shit about what others think of you. A wise fellow once said: "Do what you want to do, say what you want to say, because those who matter don’t mind, and those who do mind don’t matter."
4) Go out there and make life-long friends and memories!
 

TTG SS

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Get yourself into the weight room and don't be a sissy who only hits arms everyday, as if that is some kind of workout. Work on your major compound lifts.

Don't make the mistake I did and wait till I was 20, I missed out on 4 years of prime lifting.

Enjoy yourself, once you graduate high school its time to get to work.
 

BaraQueenbee

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"Get the red hair, the blonde isnt really you"

"Jump more, waiting is useless. Amount of fear about the same, if not bigger by waiting"

^^ from those, all shall happen
 
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Ross Morgan

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My second favorite book I forgot to mention... "The Traveler's Gift"
Priceless read, wish I had it when I was 16!
 

Ross Morgan

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It is very serious, F*ck college lol. Unless its free or you wana be a doctor, lawyer, scientist or engineer...
 
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