Where Did They All Go?

[eliquid]

I'm not an old timer here or some legendary poster guru, but besides the reasons @MJ DeMarco and @Lex DeVille already posted... I know I post less frequent now because I decided I needed to put more focus on my business.

I do try to answer questions in posts I started and keep those up to date if I can, but trying to keep my head down to grow more business has become more important to me in the last 12 months than start new posts or answer posts where someone else already said what I would have said too.

I even decided not to come to the coming up Summit so I could spend more time focused on growing business and pumping stuff out.

Sometimes you have to make choices based on how life and business change.

 

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[Andy Black]

Interesting viewpoints.

I occasionally have something burning to share but have found writing is just damn time consuming...without a known payoff.

Sometimes the fear of wasting a couple hours to have a post fall on deaf ears (or worse -- vehemently rejected) is more painful than getting that burning thought out of my skull.

Thus, I don't do anything about it. Quite a shame.

If I don’t write things down then my head gets clogged up.

A known payoff is increased clarity for me, as well as hopefully helping people.

By helping people for free I’ve had material payoffs too, but I don’t try and attribute or quantify that.

 

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[Entre Eyes]

I've been reading through some old threads from around 2014. Multi-page GOLD and NOTABLE threads with people posting every day like maniacs dropping value bombs like nobody's business.

Every now and then I check the user's profile and see that they haven't logged on in months or even years. It's like they just stopped coming here or gave up on the Fastlane dream altogether. Maybe life just got in the way, had kids, or found a job they were happy with?

Even gold contributors, people who showed up daily, took action, hustled and gave back to the community like a family...it's just...a bummer...

I would've liked to talk to these guys and gals back in the day!

Dropping Value Bombs....I am so Stealing That!

This whole thread pretty much covers it all and great thread to begin with.

It's a new year upon us and I hope alot of people are like me setting up to crush it in 2020 with 2020 Vision .

But this place is still like a recharging station for our electric space shuttle. Gotta go big or not at all ha.

 

[AnneC]

I think @csalvato already summed it up.

This is why I’m not on the forum. I'm only here to get Summit details, and I follow a handful of friends here.

It’s too easy for people to be anonymous jerks behind a screen. And we lose all those non-verbal communication cues that Arrabista talks about. Plus, I think that the demographic here definitely skews young, male, and naive... but think they know it all.

I always question @biophase why he takes the time to post. To me, it looks like a waste of time. You're helping dudes who don't think they need it, who won't follow through anyways, and who probably will not even be on the forum a few months later.

@BizyDad - Congratulations on being the oblivious forum newbie everyone's complaining about. The people you called out for not "walking the walk" have built multi-million dollar businesses. What have you accomplished? I find your "Know Thyself" tagline incredibly ironic.

I think this highlights the importance of attending the in-person meetups. I'm happily forum-agnostic, because I personally think you can judge a person's character better in real life. I'll see you guys in February (or sooner). Peace out.

 

[BizyDad]

When someone says they don't want to talk about something, and others selfishly push, I am the type of guy who says back off.

At a bar I could see reaction, so the analogy is a poor one.

Still, I didn't think doing the right thing would cause an argument. I was surprised at csavulto's reaction. I especially didn't get why he was giving us his credentials, that seemed out of place and out of character for him.

Thank you @AnneC for helping me figure it out. Boy am I glad you showed up!

Ok, so early in the thread I spoke of the two of you @csalvato and @1step as reasonable men, and that others aren't. That was a genuine compliment, based on your word choice and past interaction with csalvuto. I was drawing a distinction between you and noobs. I checked your profiles; I'm aware how long you are both members, which is why I said maybe you know JScott.

Well that distinction was still in my mind later, I was trying to make a point for noobs, but I responded to you. In my head I didn't mean to include you both as "talking the talk", but rereading it that's exactly what I called you. Super insulting.

I apologize for trivializing your accomplishments. That was not my intention, and I should have been clearer in making my point.

I almost want to edit it, but then what follows won't make sense, so I'll leave it.

Sorry to everyone else for the unnecessary tangent this took us down as well. And thank you again @AnneC .

 

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[LuckyPup]

Many are still around, reading, lurking, looking for opportunities to help. Others are busy executing. Some have made contact with each other off forum after doing meetups. Some have moved on. There are very talented and experienced members present.

Sometimes it gets tiring having to prove yourself to every newbie that creates a new profile and is here to set us all straight.

Amen! I just had a run-in a few weeks ago.

 

[doitman]

Occasionally, I do feel disheartened when providing advice. But luckily for me I move on. My hope is that people do reach out to me. There are just enough people who advance their agenda with action after we converse. Luckily I'm relatively new to the forum, and working through issues with other people helps me as an entrepreneur as well. I can imagine over time losing the energy to help others though.

 

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[PizzaOnTheRoof]

I agree with all 4 of your points. This 5th one speaks to me though. I noticed when I first 'drank the kool-aid' of 'The Fastlane' after reading the book. I saw million dollar exits too.

But as I got older (a whopping 28 now), I realized it was the journey and the pursuit of building systems that just keep growing. 2, 3, 4, 10 passive systems over time that contribute into a money-pot that contributes in its own right.

You realize that you don't need a 100m dollar exit or to focus on only things that will be 100m+ dollar companies. You just have to be creative enough to keep increasing that monthly cash-flow stream.

At the end of the day, there isn't much you can't do if you're at $20k per month and growing. Especially if you know yourself and what you want. Ala' that thread @Johnny boy posted the other day.

Edit: Adding thread I mentioned so there is a proper flow of information for other forum users.
GOLD! - 1,986 words on happiness, clarity, speed, introversion, attachment and confidence

One thing I’ve learned while being here is that Fastlane means wildly different things to different people.

 

[1step]

There are so many things in life that aren't obvious until you gain a specific type and amount of experience.

I remember people telling me that my views on money and success would change as I got older -- I thought they were nuts...until I got older.

I remember people telling me that my views on socioeconomics and wealth inequality would change as I spent more time traveling and meeting people -- I thought they were nuts...until I started traveling and meeting people.

I remember people telling me how my life would chang with kids -- I thought they were nuts...until I had kids.

Could you expand on these with what your previous views and current views on these topics? I would be interested in hearing your thoughts regarding these topics and further understanding the changes

 

[BizyDad]

I personally have no interest in arguing but am interested in your takes on the various topics you have outlined in the above posts. I think it would certainly be valued here but also understand if you don’t want to go down that route. Selfishly I wouldn’t mind a private message convo with more details but think the forum as a whole would benefit greatly to hear your insights even if some aren’t receptive to the message yet

Another idea would be a blog post or podcast episode, such as 5 things I’ve changed my mind on in the last 20 years or something similar.

Maybe this is exactly why "the experts" don't want to share too often.

Do you see the expectation here? You're talking about what's good for you. You admit to the selfishness, but that doesn't excuse said selfishness.

Are you guilting him? Being passive aggressive?

Whatever you are doing it certainly isn't respecting the boundary he so clearly stated.

You've been on this forum for much longer than I, maybe you two even know each other already. But what you are doing is rubbing me the wrong way. Back off.

^ yes please, especially this part


I'm an uneducated dummy, at least formally, and I'd actually be very interested in hearing more.

@broswoodwork learn the "inside outs" of income statements, cash flow statements, balance sheets.

If someday you plan to raise capital or sell the business, it'll help you be prepared and speak the language.

Start there.

From there, look at the curriculum of business schools and you will probably find videos for free that cover similar topics in general terms.

Personally, I don't know how valuable a use of your time it is to go deeper, I don't know your biz, etc.

 

[broswoodwork]

learn the "inside outs" of income statements, cash flow statements, balance sheets.

I bought a bunch of business text books once upon a time. Read the general biz and marketing books cover to cover. The principles of accounting sort of melted my brain at the time. I'll revisit it.

Thanks for the tip!

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

looks like @MJ DeMarco has the stats.

Still, it's mostly speculative mathematics from what I've heard over the years. And the years are piling up. LOL.

 

[BizyDad]

The other source of my misalignment tends to come from feeling like many people who are highly regarded are actually harmful. Whenever one group of harmful gurus churns out, another new guard seems to be building up.

 

[doitman]

Oh, and as for my goals, sure building a multi-million-dollar business would be great, but I'm more in line with building passive income streams that cover my living expenses and then some, while affording me to do the shit I want to do, when I want to do it, and wherever I want the shit done.

 

[broswoodwork]

At the risk of derailing, this would be an interesting convo

^ yes please, especially this part

formalize your business education, at least to some extent

I'm an uneducated dummy, at least formally, and I'd actually be very interested in hearing more.

 

[BizyDad]

He might be surprised at your conclusion as to who he is too.

Dan

Just a correction... I'm most certainly not a Wharton professor...though if I were smart enough to teach business classes, that's one of the few schools I'd love to be associated with (they provide a very hands-on, tactical program that churns out a lot of great business-people)...

My LinkedIn profile is in my sig...

Hahahaha. Ah well, I stand corrected a second time.

 

[Runum]

I'm going to jump in here with my opinion. So I am now 48....

I thought you were only 35!

 

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[BellaPippin]

Here are the usual reasons I don't post as much:

1. Don't feel like I have something I really want to share.
When I first joined I made a pact with myself to not waste anybody's time and to try to make every post as valuable as possible. It was the kind of mentality I hoped to receive in return.

2. Increasing number of low-value contributions
A lot of times when I click into a post that looks interesting it turns out to be something really stupid not worth reading or responding to and violates my expectations based on the pact from above.

3. Expectation of future free value based on past free value
Sometimes I wonder why past high-value contributors are expected to show up and provide more free value in the future. It's not like there's a box you check at sign up for "Legendary." We all start the same place with "Parked" and zero posts. Sometimes new people make GOLD posts. So why is a burden of expectation placed on people who've already contributed value that continues to hold value to this day?

4. It sucks when you share something and people don't use it
Whether it's a value-post or a response, it all takes time and energy and when people repeatedly disregard advice they asked for, or get hyped and praise suggestions from a post and then disappear, it's kind of draining. It's also disheartening to watch some who are so motivated go through their failures, especially those who throw in the towel.

5. Misalignment of values
Sometimes I don't feel like my values align with the forum. A lot of people see Fastlane as the creation of a multi-million dollar business with an exit plan. I mainly enjoy the process of creating passive systems that cover my expenses and free my time while I do what I want.

Also, I'm a *figure it out on my own* kind of guy and there's a lot of whiny, needy people who show up and want their hand held.

Right in the wantpreneurship. I'm guilty of a couple of those at least. .__.

 

[PizzaOnTheRoof]

I for one have found that the more I share, the more comes back to me in real life. I am far from a devout follower of The Secret, I actually didn’t like it at all as I think it tries to replace the hard work required for success. I just mean sharing wisdom, sharing wealth, sharing experiences. I have made a conscious effort to be around more and give back more to the community that has helped form my mindset. For example: I start a business, and give back an INSIDERS membership, 1 month later the business gets investment at a valuation of 3/4 of a million dollars. Are they related? Probably not. Do I want to continue the pattern? Hell yes.

I see "The Secret" as an internal mindset, as when you put out good vibes to the world, your own mind starts to believe them as well and you end up making decisions that reflect those beliefs.

Not that the universe is actually rewarding you or calling back to you for just thinking good thoughts.

@ZCP... aka ball buster. @PizzaOnTheRoof . If you ever come to a meetup, don't tell Zane what you are working on. Unless you are ready for a rabid dog on your tail.

Or...maybe I should tell him exactly what I'm working on...

 

[GrayCode]

One thing I’ve learned while being here is that Fastlane means wildly different things to different people.

I agree, but see it slightly differently.

I think we're all talking about the same things when we refer to Fastlane. It's essentially living the lifestyle you want. The only difference is in the $ it costs.

Live where you want = $x
Drive what you want = $x
Eat where you want = $x
Do what you want = $x
Vacation where you want = $x
Work on what you want which brings in X dollars

All ideally detached from time.

Then it's fastlane. You're your own boss, on your on-time, at your own pace, while still earning enough to achieve all the above. Where X is whatever you define you want.

Maybe we all learned something in 5th-grade math after-all. Solve for X.

 

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[Timmy C]

Life gets in the way.

Personal issues.

Not much at all to share right now.

I pop in and see what people are up to.

Ain't going anywhere though.

 

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[PapaGang]

Maybe they are Fastlane INSIDERS now???

 

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[SEBASTlAN]

Pretty sure they got too busy running larger companies or have a local group of entrepreneurs alongside them (that's the goal right?)

 

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[PizzaOnTheRoof]

I think @ZCP meant “Why don’t you chatter with the folks in the forum now that you would wish you’d done so if they left?”.

Ah ok my bad

 

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[ZCP]

As for forum participation and people going 'hot' 'cold', looks like @MJ DeMarco has the stats.
Life. Business. Personal. Etc.

 

[AFMKelvin]

Interesting viewpoints.

I occasionally have something burning to share but have found writing is just damn time consuming...without a known payoff.

Sometimes the fear of wasting a couple hours to have a post fall on deaf ears (or worse -- vehemently rejected) is more painful than getting that burning thought out of my skull.

Thus, I don't do anything about it. Quite a shame.

I know this feeling. I spent 4 hours writing, editing and proofreading one of my posts about how religion is a form of script that can keep you trapped. A lot of religious folks got mad at it. And than MJ had to lock it down. I'm not mad that it was locked down but I wanted to hear more from the other members there was a discussion beginning to form. But at last there are some things that are too controversial and it might drive some forum members away or new comers if that's the first thing they stumble upon. But it was definitely discouraging to spend so much time and not get enough in return.

 

[Runum]

Just to point out the obvious, he said he's had these arguments on the forum before...

So a simple Google search

site:thefastlaneforum.com jscott education - Google Search

www.google.com

Led me to this discussion...

MINDSET - Paying for Child's Education

High School - Not University How many people would or do send their children to a private school? If so why did you choose this way? Or why did you choose the government driven schools? Things I can think of that could be a difference - - standard of teaching - class sizes - families with...

www.thefastlaneforum.com

Where I began to see an argument about education like he mentioned.

Also, did you know JScott is a Wharton professor? And author? I didn't. (First comment in this thread)

NOTABLE! - HOT! - BOOKS - CHAT - What book are you reading? Right now. Post up!

I've got a stack of books by my bed that I'm working through: Awaken the Giant Within - Tony Robbins (read it before, but recently started reading it again). An Introduction to Psychology (can't remember by whom, but its the university type handbooks, so it often succeeds in putting me asleep...

www.thefastlaneforum.com

Anyways, instead of asking someone else to go through all the trouble of reeducating me as he had stated he had done several times before on this forum, I decided to start researching for myself out of respect for his time.

That Google search can be modified all kinds of ways to learn a Wharton professor's thoughts on a variety of topics.

So before you humbly and respectfully request somebody to add more value to the forum, especially someone you want to receive value from, I urge you to consider finding the value they've already created on here. Maybe that's how noobs can stop annoying the experts.

Love the memes btw...

Impressive initiative!

 

[Ocean Man]

You know how when you go to Disneyland you get those little autograph books for when you take the pictures with the characters? Gotta get me one of those for the summit, except this ain't people in costumes nuh-huh

I know exactly what you mean haha, a family member has one. After reading @vigilante’s thread (don’t have the link off the top of my head), I’ve been carrying a yellow legal pad with me.

 

[Vadim26]

Here are two posts to get you started (see the whole threads for more context):

Some of the traits that indicate an aspiring entrepreneur has potential (in my opinion):

BOOKS - The 10x Rule by Grant Cardone - Crazy or Brilliant?

I recently finished listening to The 10x Rule by Grant Cardone audio book. I like his passion and drive, but his advice almost seems reckless to me. He suggests to just take action and worry about the details later. While I agree that taking action is a good thing, it seems like lack of some...

www.thefastlaneforum.com

How a really smart person can make 7- or 8-figures pretty reliably in the "slowlane":

HOT! - Just heard a dad tell his son to go the slow lane to get a Lamborghini

I was just in Subway for lunch when an early 1990's Diablo rolled by eliciting a lot of heard turns and chatter. I couldn't help but overhear a son asking his dad at the table next to me how to get a Lamborghini. The dad's response epitomized what this community believes about the slowlane...

www.thefastlaneforum.com

Thanks!

 

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[IlseVdG]

Thank you for those kind words!

The podcast has taken a bit to really get into the groove, but we're starting to feel really good about it, and we have some great guests coming up in the new year!

Here's the Michael Michalowicz episode that I highly recommend to everyone here, especially the new entrepreneurs:

BiggerPockets Business Podcast 30: How to Guarantee Profit From Day 1 with Mike Michalowicz

Mike Michalowicz—author of five amazing business books, including The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur and Profit First—knows firsthand how important it is to ensure that you get paid each and every day. And in this episode, he teaches how to make sure that you’re profitable in your businesses from day...

www.biggerpockets.com

This post got me listening today to the very first podcast, the one with Joshua Dorkin. Loved it! Thanks @JScott ! I will certainly check out the Michael Michalowicz one too.