Where were you 10 years ago? (Jan 1 2010)

[The-J]

10 years ago, I was living in my hometown as an unmotivated high school student with no money, no girlfriend, no idea what I wanted to do with my life, and no goals.

Now I'm happier than I've ever been, doing high value work for companies that need help with their advertising and media buy teams. I'm engaged and am living in a supportive environment with people I love.

I'm not where I want to be yet (far from it) but I've made significant progress since being a high school student who only cared about playing video games and chatting up girls (and failing at it the vast majority of the time)

Where were you 10 years ago? Are you happier today than you were then? Has it been a successful decade for you?

 

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[Mario_fastlaner]

I was 11, first year of middle school, an average kid with no responsibilities and no worries.

Ten years later, college student with no responsibilities but much more worries about the future.

Hope to take action, fail a lot and have no regrets by the end of 2029.

 

[minivanman]

10 years ago I was frustrated, trying to figure out why Texas work ethic was not like Nebraska work ethic. I finally just accepted it and sold that business. Much easier to work directly with retired people that care. And due to me selling that business, I came to know what true happiness is. For some reason, I kept myself tied up in the rat race even though I owned the rat cage. I didn't feel right unless I was working my (*) off. So after that business, I regrouped and slowed way down.

I am exactly where I want to be today although I'd like for the wife to retire but she never will. I've talked with a few people about building a racing complex but when it gets down to being serious, I think it would be too much of a headache. So here I am, being an old man on New Years Eve! Just glad to be looking at the flowers instead of the roots.

Probably the most successful decade of my life so far.

 

[Silverfox148]

Interesting Question, I was going to do a writeup for my own personal files/journal so I may as well share it here and hope it adds value to the younger guys in their 20s.

Summary:
2009: Was 23 years old, had just graduated from college with honors. Had gotten a job with a big multinational making 55K and moved to the U.S South from the Southwest, married my girlfriend that April 2010, no kids, was renting a nice 1bd apartment. I had a positive mindset but was very innocent due to my upbringing. Although I didn't show on the outside a lot of my actions looking back where fear/worst case scenario happen driven, I would randomly lie in social situations for some reason, they were white lies as I gained nothing from them but it must have been fear based. I was looked at as a leader by my classmates and also workmates due to my steady disposition and good character but I was reluctant to outright assume leadership roles/positions because of fear I believe, my view of time was that I had all the time in the world, I followed no goals framework but was still successful compared to my peers, anything I engaged in I would get into the top 20% due to my extreme ability to focus back then, nothing mattered if there was a task I was passionate about, not girls, alcohol, drugs, etc. I could go into flow states fairly easy. I had no trouble making friends/finding people and would let anyone into my life, I had no boundaries and most of all I didn't really know myself.

2019: Am 33 years old, still learning about life. Still working for another big multinational living again in the Southwest making 100K+ still married to my wife, have 3 kids now. I own a 3bd room in a solid middle/upper class area with good schools and nature(this is important to me). My mindset is now realistic positive and my innocence has died as experience has taught me we are imperfect human beings but am much more hopeful than I was in 2009. I am beginning to truly understand whom I am and am very hopeful and positive about the future. The fear is mostly gone/managed but I had to do a lot of work on this, it took years of active discomfort , most human beings don't conquer this ever I've noticed, it's amazing how much we are fear driven yet don't actually realize it/cognizant of it. I follow a goals framework now a variation of several books I have read, primarily a framework I created based on the 7 habits of Highly Effective people, The Road Less Traveled, and The Power of Focus, my wife and kids also follow this framework and they are very successful especially the kids I have followed this framework for about 2 years. I'm now open to leadership positions/opportunities and they come from time to time but not as much as in 2009, unfortunately the loss of my innocence has led to me no longer being as open as I was back then and recognition that time is limited and I can't afford to waste it no longer on random people/relationships or co-workers limits these opportunities, I also won't no longer lie and am very straight forward these days which also limits leadership opportunities as well as relationships. I have two solid good high performance friends and have other social acquaintances but I am very wary of who I allow into my life these days as I'm currently working on developing a super positive mindset and don't want any drama/negativity around me or my kids, I enforce strong boundaries these days and am going to have cut off even family members if it comes to that. I can no longer easily get into flow states as I have a ton of responsibilities I can't easily brush off, although I am working on getting back to the 2009 flow, I know it's still possible it will just need a different formula.

 

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[SEBASTlAN]

A failed affiliate marketer.

50% happier now.

 

[Imgal]

10 years ago, I was uber confident, pretty sure I was Teflon and about to embark on the most surefire business investment since time began.

10 years later, I've not made £1 from that surefire business investment as a business but it was the most invaluable investment in terms of education. I learnt I wasn't as much of a big shot as I was, how it feels to have your whole identity of who and what you were shatter in front of you and the strength and inner resolve I have to come back from the toughest of situations.

I'm still making more mistakes than successes, but on a much smaller level and instead of making them break me, they now make me and shape the way I go.

 

[ShamanKing]

I was 15.
I wanted to go to college for my parents. I did. I have my BA. They flee from Laos during the vietnam war. Of course how could I let them down.

I found the freedom. Thank you MJ. See you guys soon! Unscripted !

 

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[Charnell]

10 years ago I was just getting started in my enlistment in the Marine Corps. Made it through boot camp and MCT, ready to start MOS school. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

 

[Ing]

10 years ago : employed, enough money, wife,2 children, good situation.
Better bones than today is nearly the only difference.

 

[GuestUser4aMPs1]

I was 12 LOL

 

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[broswoodwork]

10 years ago: Full time nursing student and mopping the floors of a heroin detox full time 2nd shift.

5 years ago: Call center cubicle. Cleaning up after sick heroin addicts was better than this.

Today: Self employed. I like life now. I'll hold onto this as long as I can.

 

[Deleted74396]

I was only 12! I'd just begun to be more entrepreneurial after completing my first gig of creating a website. I spent the year investing that £500 and making more cash. Started my journey! Here's to as good a year as that was

 

[BlackMagician]

College student with loads of fire inside to build business and live a freedom life.

5 years later: script caught me and i started job.

Now: Hustling my way to freedom with the same fire i had 10 years ago.

 

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[TimothyJS]

Setting world records in Mario Kart

Screen addiction is something I've continually struggled with, although I got rid of the games consoles many years ago.

 

[ecommercewolf]

17 years old Finishing up senior year in high school.

No direction in life. Wasting hours playing video games that won't contribute to my life.

If only I knew the things I know now back then. Guess that's what experience and life is for.

 

[EvanOkanagan]

10 years ago: Bit of a lost boy. Zero assets and in debt. Had read tons of self development books, positive mindset, however, definitely wasn’t living up to my potential and didn’t know how to get there. Luckily I got on the right track and started to get into sales where I could earn $$ based on my results. Started seeing some decent income finally... had dreams of the elusive “passive income” and “financial freedom”.

Today: Reached financial independence a while back but still grinding hard in sales (selling homes now). Over 15 streams of passive income. Still into self development but learning more now by “doing” than reading.

 

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[SarahO]

Basically the same job with same pay (inflation adjusted).

 

[SarahO]

10 years ago: Bit of a lost boy. Zero assets and in debt. Had read tons of self development books, positive mindset, however, definitely wasn’t living up to my potential and didn’t know how to get there. Luckily I got on the right track and started to get into sales where I could earn $$ based on my results. Started seeing some decent income finally... had dreams of the elusive “passive income” and “financial freedom”.

Today: Reached financial independence a while back but still grinding hard in sales (selling homes now). Over 15 streams of passive income. Still into self development but learning more now by “doing” than reading.

Very cool!

 

[CoreyCapella]

I was a United States Marine getting ready to deploy to the front lines in Afghanistan in few months (March, 2010). I didn't realize at the time how much that deployment was going to change my life.

 

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[Tom.V]

10 years ago.

I was 20 years old.

No college. No money. No direction. No skills. No help.

Lived in a trailer in rural NC far away from any real opportunities.

I was working as a brick mason's apprentice. Aka I carried heavy shit around for $10 an hour. Enduring all of the elements, and in January that meant trying to keep brick mud from freezing with propane heaters because the show had to go on.

I probably had $100 to $300 in my bank account and just after the recession I was lucky to work 30 hours per week. In January, snow or rain means no work. If snow, perhaps no work for days or even a week.

The future was dark and unpromising with no way to change course without some serious effort.

Fast forward to now. Tropical paradise. Rich personal relationships. And all the opportunity one could ever dream of.

The roaring 20s are going to kick a$$.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I was 15.
I wanted to go to college for my parents. I did. I have my BA. They flee from Laos during the vietnam war. Of course how could I let them down.

I found the freedom. Thank you MJ. See you guys soon! Unscripted !

Thank you for doing this for them! I went to high school with Laotian refugees, among others. I totally get their reasons for wanting you to do this so much. Now you have more options, and that's all it takes.

 

[ZZZ]

Jan 1 2010 I was 9 years old & in 4th grade... nothing notable I can remember happened
Happy at the time, still happy today

 

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[CaptainAmerica]

10 years ago feels like 100!

I went back east to convince my mom to sell me her partner's lab supply microbusiness and drive the stock back across the country. I was about to break up with my alcoholic boyfriend. My daughter had just broken up with her inappropriate boyfriend, so she was there too, along with my 10 year-old son, who wanted to do the road trip with me and my mom.

It was a disaster, and yet... it turned out okay. My mom made me pay full price, but was willing to take it in installments over 5 years (I paid it in 4). She's not a nice person, and laid into me pretty hard. It was The Worst Road Trip Ever. My daughter had gotten pregnant with her inappropriate boyfriend. I had no place to store the stock, since I was moving out of my boyfriend's place. My mom broke her wrist.

10 years later: I still have that microbusiness, and it pulls in a steady $300/mo. I got taken up, and let go, from a startup. I stopped talking to my mom. My daughter left Mr. Inappropriate, and married a nice man she'd met at college. My son grew up and got a trucking license. I got badly ill, for years, and still managed to join here. I'm better now, and about to marry a man I've been dating for the last 8 years.

Business lessons were manifest, and painful. I'm just at the point where I can work from home as an independent sales rep, without getting a part-time job. I have the Idea, and starting to get the connections in the industry I want to serve. It's going to be slow, and I'm going to do it right.

 

[ShamanKing]

Thank you for doing this for them! I went to high school with Laotian refugees, among others. I totally get their reasons for wanting you to do this so much. Now you have more options, and that's all it takes.

You are correct. Thank you.

 

[MetalGear]

• 10 years ago I was desperately trying to climb the corporate ladder
• The possibility of escape from the rat race only existed for other lucky people that I read about
• In that time, I developed some real estate that is now worth about $3M total
• I found the Fastlane Forum in 2017 and feel like I have found my tribe
• This is a great reminder about how much I have grown because I still feel impostor syndrome creeping up every now and then

 

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[Pat D. Rick]

I was just 14 years old, so it's hard to tell.
Sure I made a lot of progress in the right direction.
But I honestly don't think that I was unhappy. Just had different priorities back then.

 

[SD Entrepreneur]

10 years ago, I was living in my hometown as an unmotivated high school student with no money, no girlfriend, no idea what I wanted to do with my life, and no goals.

Now I'm happier than I've ever been, doing high value work for companies that need help with their advertising and media buy teams. I'm engaged and am living in a supportive environment with people I love.

I'm not where I want to be yet (far from it) but I've made significant progress since being a high school student who only cared about playing video games and chatting up girls (and failing at it the vast majority of the time)

Where were you 10 years ago? Are you happier today than you were then? Has it been a successful decade for you?

• 11 years ago I was a national sales director for an awesome company (young guy started the business and grew it to almost 500 million/yr) but then he sold it so was out of a great paying job
• 10 years ago started a business that I quickly realized wasn't going to work, then started my current business (seems like forever ago)
• Grew that business from $0 to roughly 4 million in total sales since
• Learned a ton about owning/running a business, executed, failed, succeeded, failed again, succeeded again, adapted/learned-- many ups and downs along the way
• Got married, had 2 kids

Was just discussing with my wife how so much changes not only in 1 decade but even in a 1, 3, and 5 year span. Trying to use that as motivation for where to go next with the current biz and future ideas.

Happy new year everyone, take action and get 2020 off in the right direction!

 

[The-J]

Jan 1 2010 I was 9 years old & in 4th grade... nothing notable I can remember happened
Happy at the time, still happy today

Being a teenager and finding this forum may save your life. It saved mine. I arrived here in 2011 at the age of 18. Before then I had no idea what I wanted: I applied to college because I thought I was gonna do investment banking, because bankers make money and that's what I wanted!

I learned in that time that I'm not that money motivated, but freedom motivated. The number in the bank account means much less than the time I get to spend doing what I love with people I love. But you gotta experience it to understand.

Good on you for ending up here at a young age.

 

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[WJK]

10 years ago, I was living in my hometown as an unmotivated high school student with no money, no girlfriend, no idea what I wanted to do with my life, and no goals.

Now I'm happier than I've ever been, doing high value work for companies that need help with their advertising and media buy teams. I'm engaged and am living in a supportive environment with people I love.

I'm not where I want to be yet (far from it) but I've made significant progress since being a high school student who only cared about playing video games and chatting up girls (and failing at it the vast majority of the time)

Where were you 10 years ago? Are you happier today than you were then? Has it been a successful decade for you?

In 2010, I had been retired from my career for a few years. I was rebuilding our family business - and killing myself to make that and a couple of side hustles work. I had a LOT more debt and stress. I'm very blessed and a lot happier now to be in a better place. I'm to the point where I can out-source a lot of issues that I used to do myself. Funny, they say that having a little money and less debt doesn't buy happiness. I can counter that it sure makes life more comfortable. Were those 10 years worth it? Yes. I just wouldn't want to do it all again.

 

[tylerwilkinson]

Ten years ago: mid 20s, I was just on the way out of working in kitchens (or so I thought). I was an armchair rockstar who planned to “make it big”, and had just moved into my dad’s house. I had debt I was ignoring, few prospects and a $9/hr gig at the liquor store.
Today? Married with a dog and a mortgage. I have a slow lane career, a small side business, a crap ton of debt that I’m no longer ignoring and some software education. Presently building my software development portfolio so I can switch career paths. I have enough debt and bills to scare me from going “all in” until I have a higher job market value and financial cushion.