Would you work a job that you loved to do? An alternative to the fastlane

[mat287]

Throughout this past year it has come to my attention that most people do not think that they age. Regardless of your opinion, Im a big anti lockdowner for the simple fact that time is our greatest commodity and we will never get this past year back. I lived in a very pro lockdown/hard blue area for the past few years, and it was obvious that these people have drank the kool aide. Have a slowlane attitude, work a job you hate for 45 years, and hopefully, maybe, just maybe, you're healthy enough to enjoy 15 years of your life after 45 years of hell.

If time is truly our greatest commodity, this begs the question of alternatives to the fast lane. Im currently attempting to start my own business, and will probably fail and start a few others after this one. The question then becomes what if I keep failing? Lets say for a duration of 5 years. Would any of you jump ship and elect an alternative? Specifically a job that pays little but is otherwise fulfilling. What comes to mind to me is teaching, coaching and research/Academia (for certain fields, if you have high interest in them).

I personally do not think Ill ever go back to a corporate job for reasons Ive stated in my introduction post. But what would be bad about a job like being a high school teacher, assuming you like kids, teaching and coaching? To me it seems like a job that would allow you to pursue any side business youd like to have at basically a full time pace (ie you could work 2-8 mon-fri, weekends, and only have 180 days youd actually need to be in the classroom a year). Being that time is our greatest commodity, I view helping young people as one of the ultimate responsibilities one could have in life. Its probably what I would do after I achieved 8 figure wealth. Im sure many others on this forum have passion for helping others, social and scientific research, writing etc

The fastlane essentially promises "work x years on eventually selling specialized units of value and then live life however you want to with relative ease from y point on". If you would spend the years from y point on teaching kids or conducting research, and time is our biggest commodity, why waste time developing a specialized unit of value and instead dive straight into y point on, albeit for little pay?

This is more of a thought experiment rather than an argument against the fastlane, but I think its important to ponder it. Most of use have entered this type of life because weve rejected the script and do not care what others think of us. So if I dont value what others think of me, which means I dont care if I live in a small house with an average car (because I dont value it, and thus driving a mercedes and living in a 10 thousand sq foot house would create relatively little value in my own life), why invest anything into fastlane entrepreneurship at all? Why not just jump into y point on?

 

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[Kevin88660]

Throughout this past year it has come to my attention that most people do not think that they age. Regardless of your opinion, Im a big anti lockdowner for the simple fact that time is our greatest commodity and we will never get this past year back. I lived in a very pro lockdown/hard blue area for the past few years, and it was obvious that these people have drank the kool aide. Have a slowlane attitude, work a job you hate for 45 years, and hopefully, maybe, just maybe, you're healthy enough to enjoy 15 years of your life after 45 years of hell.

If time is truly our greatest commodity, this begs the question of alternatives to the fast lane. Im currently attempting to start my own business, and will probably fail and start a few others after this one. The question then becomes what if I keep failing? Lets say for a duration of 5 years. Would any of you jump ship and elect an alternative? Specifically a job that pays little but is otherwise fulfilling. What comes to mind to me is teaching, coaching and research/Academia (for certain fields, if you have high interest in them).

I personally do not think Ill ever go back to a corporate job for reasons Ive stated in my introduction post. But what would be bad about a job like being a high school teacher, assuming you like kids, teaching and coaching? To me it seems like a job that would allow you to pursue any side business youd like to have at basically a full time pace (ie you could work 2-8 mon-fri, weekends, and only have 180 days youd actually need to be in the classroom a year). Being that time is our greatest commodity, I view helping young people as one of the ultimate responsibilities one could have in life. Its probably what I would do after I achieved 8 figure wealth. Im sure many others on this forum have passion for helping others, social and scientific research, writing etc

The fastlane essentially promises "work x years on eventually selling specialized units of value and then live life however you want to with relative ease from y point on". If you would spend the years from y point on teaching kids or conducting research, and time is our biggest commodity, why waste time developing a specialized unit of value and instead dive straight into y point on, albeit for little pay?

This is more of a thought experiment rather than an argument against the fastlane, but I think its important to ponder it. Most of use have entered this type of life because weve rejected the script and do not care what others think of us. So if I dont value what others think of me, which means I dont care if I live in a small house with an average car (because I dont value it, and thus driving a mercedes and living in a 10 thousand sq foot house would create relatively little value in my own life), why invest anything into fastlane entrepreneurship at all? Why not just jump into y point on?

I think the biggest reason to accumulate wealth earlier even you would like to live a simple life, is that when you change your mind the money is not going to appear suddenly.

There are many instances where you can change your mind. The biggest regret is usually they didn’t work harder.

We live in a fast changing world when we might no longer look the things the same ways as we did 2-3 years earlier.

For example 3 years later you had a high school alumni gathering. The boy who got the worst grade in class happened to be a millionaire.

There are actually a lot of administration work and red tape working in a government related role (public school teacher). Doing multiple risk assessment work before a simple field trip and dealing with horrible parents. That could make you change your mind also.

Even if you found a job you love (not too much unpleasant things attached) there is no guarantee that circumstances around you do not change and in fact they always do. One day you realise that you want to send your kid to a private school. One day you want to help your uncle to get him to the private hospital for surgery instead of staying on the public hospital waiting list. ......These things are happening everyday. No one ever feels they have enough money.

 

[alexkuzmov]

Throughout this past year it has come to my attention that most people do not think that they age. Regardless of your opinion, Im a big anti lockdowner for the simple fact that time is our greatest commodity and we will never get this past year back. I lived in a very pro lockdown/hard blue area for the past few years, and it was obvious that these people have drank the kool aide. Have a slowlane attitude, work a job you hate for 45 years, and hopefully, maybe, just maybe, you're healthy enough to enjoy 15 years of your life after 45 years of hell.

If time is truly our greatest commodity, this begs the question of alternatives to the fast lane. Im currently attempting to start my own business, and will probably fail and start a few others after this one. The question then becomes what if I keep failing? Lets say for a duration of 5 years. Would any of you jump ship and elect an alternative? Specifically a job that pays little but is otherwise fulfilling. What comes to mind to me is teaching, coaching and research/Academia (for certain fields, if you have high interest in them).

I personally do not think Ill ever go back to a corporate job for reasons Ive stated in my introduction post. But what would be bad about a job like being a high school teacher, assuming you like kids, teaching and coaching? To me it seems like a job that would allow you to pursue any side business youd like to have at basically a full time pace (ie you could work 2-8 mon-fri, weekends, and only have 180 days youd actually need to be in the classroom a year). Being that time is our greatest commodity, I view helping young people as one of the ultimate responsibilities one could have in life. Its probably what I would do after I achieved 8 figure wealth. Im sure many others on this forum have passion for helping others, social and scientific research, writing etc

The fastlane essentially promises "work x years on eventually selling specialized units of value and then live life however you want to with relative ease from y point on". If you would spend the years from y point on teaching kids or conducting research, and time is our biggest commodity, why waste time developing a specialized unit of value and instead dive straight into y point on, albeit for little pay?

This is more of a thought experiment rather than an argument against the fastlane, but I think its important to ponder it. Most of use have entered this type of life because weve rejected the script and do not care what others think of us. So if I dont value what others think of me, which means I dont care if I live in a small house with an average car (because I dont value it, and thus driving a mercedes and living in a 10 thousand sq foot house would create relatively little value in my own life), why invest anything into fastlane entrepreneurship at all? Why not just jump into y point on?

Consider that people have different goals in life.
Your questions are too broad to answer.
Essentially you are asking, "why do people do what they do?"
The answer is, everybody has their own reasons, simple as that.

 

[Dora Wi]

It's everybody's own choice whether they follow the fast lane or not. Many who manage to find a field they love technically start from y point, and there's nothing wrong with that necessarily. Not everyone finds their happiness in entrepreneurship.

But I don't think you have to be super materialistic to want to make a lot of money. It can add value to your life even if you don't want a premium car and a fancy house. The fact that you don't have to live from paycheck to paycheck, as many employees do (depending on the field and the position, of course) is a huge advantage. Having savings or a passive income gives you a bigger freedom in when you decide to retire. If you change your mind and want to do something else, move to a different country, whatever, it gives you a lot of possibilities.

 

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[Spino]

I think it comes down to choice. The fastlane gives you "choice" or "freedom to choose" what to do. And with that you can do what you love, because you never know if what you love now is what you will love in the future, furthermore. Perhaps what you love doing now you won't in a few years but you will have to keep doing it because it pays the bill. The Fastlane can be a way of braking this link.

 

[Alxf]

Throughout this past year it has come to my attention that most people do not think that they age. Regardless of your opinion, Im a big anti lockdowner for the simple fact that time is our greatest commodity and we will never get this past year back. I lived in a very pro lockdown/hard blue area for the past few years, and it was obvious that these people have drank the kool aide. Have a slowlane attitude, work a job you hate for 45 years, and hopefully, maybe, just maybe, you're healthy enough to enjoy 15 years of your life after 45 years of hell.

If time is truly our greatest commodity, this begs the question of alternatives to the fast lane. Im currently attempting to start my own business, and will probably fail and start a few others after this one. The question then becomes what if I keep failing? Lets say for a duration of 5 years. Would any of you jump ship and elect an alternative? Specifically a job that pays little but is otherwise fulfilling. What comes to mind to me is teaching, coaching and research/Academia (for certain fields, if you have high interest in them).

I personally do not think Ill ever go back to a corporate job for reasons Ive stated in my introduction post. But what would be bad about a job like being a high school teacher, assuming you like kids, teaching and coaching? To me it seems like a job that would allow you to pursue any side business youd like to have at basically a full time pace (ie you could work 2-8 mon-fri, weekends, and only have 180 days youd actually need to be in the classroom a year). Being that time is our greatest commodity, I view helping young people as one of the ultimate responsibilities one could have in life. Its probably what I would do after I achieved 8 figure wealth. Im sure many others on this forum have passion for helping others, social and scientific research, writing etc

The fastlane essentially promises "work x years on eventually selling specialized units of value and then live life however you want to with relative ease from y point on". If you would spend the years from y point on teaching kids or conducting research, and time is our biggest commodity, why waste time developing a specialized unit of value and instead dive straight into y point on, albeit for little pay?

This is more of a thought experiment rather than an argument against the fastlane, but I think its important to ponder it. Most of use have entered this type of life because weve rejected the script and do not care what others think of us. So if I dont value what others think of me, which means I dont care if I live in a small house with an average car (because I dont value it, and thus driving a mercedes and living in a 10 thousand sq foot house would create relatively little value in my own life), why invest anything into fastlane entrepreneurship at all? Why not just jump into y point on?

To me, it comes down to dignity.

I don't like other people owning my time, or being in a position where I have to kiss a$$ or submit to the whims of others for the privileges of "keeping my job".

It would, in theory, be nice if one could have a perfect job doing what one loves, a perfect boss, that was stable, predictable, and life long.

Does that job exist? How would you know if you found it? No job owes anything to you, and anything can happen.

If you think teaching kids is great, do it.. but being a 'teacher' is not about teaching kids. It's about working in a government bureaucracy. Things may be good for a while, and then, one day, the school has some crazy progressive reform and you have to teach little boys and girls something fundamentally against your beliefs.

What do you do then? Submit? Give up a piece of your soul and dignity to 'keep your job'? Quit?

A job, especially a low paying one, generally violates the 'Commandment of Control' for your life.

When you have a job, especially in a large organization, there are dozens, if not hundreds of people who can get you fired. You have to piss off (intentionally or not), just one person to lose your jobs. That girl who did poorly in your class? Maybe you looked at her funny. That tweet you sent 5 years back? Someone can show it to some administrator.. and bam, that's it.

As an entrepreneur, if you follow the basic principles, *all of you customers* would have to fire you for you to be out of business.

Which one seems more 'safe' to you?

 

[Rabby]

I would work a non-fastlane job if I liked doing it. In fact, sometimes I do exactly that. For example, I volunteer. Right now I'm volunteering for a "teaching kids about computers" program. I'm also a volunteer advisor to a for-profit company, lol. That one is because I like the people... they're combat veterans who risked their lives for the country, and now they're trying to make a good thing. Everything you do doesn't have to be for great wealth... but having some assets does go a long way toward giving you choices about what jobs you take on.

 

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[Johnny boy]

Well entrepreneurship isn't for everyone for that reason exactly.

If you want something simple, it would be silly to waste your time just to eventually go do what you could do tomorrow.

I want to grow my business into a national company, use the wealth and influence to transition into other major industries that have an effect on the world, fund, design and create incredible things (like huge and unique architectural projects), use my wealth to fund organizations that help swing our culture back towards a better direction instead of degenerate insanity, and all around live like a total badass.

I have one life to live. I'm sure as shit not going to waste it.

To each their own.

 

[mat287]

Well entrepreneurship isn't for everyone for that reason exactly.

If you want something simple, it would be silly to waste your time just to eventually go do what you could do tomorrow.

I want to grow my business into a national company, use the wealth and influence to transition into other major industries that have an effect on the world, fund, design and create incredible things (like huge and unique architectural projects), use my wealth to fund organizations that help swing our culture back towards a better direction instead of degenerate insanity, and all around live like a total badass.

I have one life to live. I'm sure as shit not going to waste it.

To each their own.

Which makes sense if those are your goals. If your goals are say, become an NFL coach, teach kids or find the cure for cancer, the fastlane approach would not be feasible. Which means that prior to taking this journey, or at least for a month or so while starting, it’s important to evaluate what you want. And more
Importantly, why you want it.

Like I’ve seen posts on this forum on loneliness and becoming popular on YouTube in recent days. The goals of these users are friends and fame/popularity. I don’t think the fastlane is going to solve those issues for these people, but they are blindly pursuing business anyway

 

[Kak]

I’d take a job... As CEO of Koch.

 

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[Rabby]

If your goals are say, become an NFL coach, teach kids or find the cure for cancer, the fastlane approach would not be feasible.

You have a better chance of curing cancer if you can get the money yourself.

 

[MitchC]

I have a job that I like and can imagine doing other “jobs” that I like. Nothing wrong with it.

The problem is when people work their a$$ off for 45 years, never enjoy any of thier money or time because they are investing to become a millionaire, and then discover at 65 that they wasted their life and what they believed was a lie.

Working part time at a coffee shop to meet people and socialise when you don’t need the money could be fun.

Doing consulting or freelance work in an industry you love could be fun.

Working at a retail store 60 hours a week and having no free time or money on the other hand, not fun.

Working a job you love but having no money or free time because it doesn’t pay well. And not being able to quit because you need the money. Not fun.

The fastlane gives you the option to have a job you love. Unless you are already rich you may not have the luxury of just working a job you love.

Also, why don’t you just F*cking move if you value your life that much and hate lockdowns?

 

[PapaGang]

The question then becomes what if I keep failing? Lets say for a duration of 5 years. Would any of you jump ship and elect an alternative? Specifically a job that pays little but is otherwise fulfilling. What comes to mind to me is teaching, coaching and research/Academia (for certain fields, if you have high interest in them).

I started a business in 2008, got fairly successful, had a few people working for me, and then fell on some hard times. I was dead broke in 2016 and it took me a year to get back on my feet. I ended up taking a slowlane job. Mostly because I wasn't ready to start a new business from zero and commit 70 hours a week. I had an 11-year old son at the time, and I chose to be with him and help him through his school years. His development and his life was more important than my desire for financial freedom and entrepreneurship. I could back-burner the entrepreneurship for a few years. What I really needed at the time was consistent cashflow, to pay down my business debts, save some scratch, and then when my son graduates, I could launch my next thing. So I got a slowlane job.

My job is a position I sort of designed for myself. What I mean is that I made sure that the job I was looking for had certain prerequisites that would work in my favor. For instance, I made the following list of requirements:

• Blue collar, small family business
• An industry vertical that I liked or was interested in
• It HAD to be a business that I knew I could add value to and help grow
• Their pain points matched up with my skillset
• Daily access to the owner (Get paid to learn) <-- big factor
• Not-sexy, dull-boring business that was established, stable, profitable
• 40 hours MAX. I did not want to take my work home with me

I made a spreadsheet and had those listed, along with my skills. I started hunting, and I eventually found a position that fit the requirements perfectly. The owner turned me down. Twice. I didn't take no for an answer, instead negotiating and convincing him that I was serious about committing to his vision, and writing a 30 page marketing plan for him—unprompted—which sold him. (Always give the employer something the other candidates won't).

I've been working there for 4 years. It's a great job, one of the coolest in town as far as I'm concerned. I work maybe 40 hours a week, I love what I do, I love the people I work with, the owner gives me a lot of freedom to build and develop my department and marketing programs, there is NEVER anything that comes across my desk that I can't handle, the work is at an easy pace, they respect work/life balance, AND I have learned how to run a successful food business by working with the owner to launch a new enterprise that was successful and profitable in 9 months, so I learned how to launch a culinary business on top of it. Immeasurable educational value for me. Probably equivalent to a personal MBA.

I make more than I spend, I have some money in the bank, my work is leisurely, engaging and challenging, and I am very happy.

I could keep on this path for many years but next year my son graduates—and so will I.

There are dream jobs out there, you just have to do a little work to design your life path and then make some prototypes of what your life should look like.

 

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[PapaGang]

Also, I was thinking about my grandmother the other day. She had a small house, a garden, a TV and stereo, and a little studio that she used to make quilts. She had a lot of spare time to engage in her hobbies, or just listen to the cars pass by on wet streets during summer rains. She had friends, spent time with her grandkids, and every weekend there was a big family gathering at her house, with great food and laughs.
She lived like this the last 25 years of her life.

She didn't have a lot of money but SHE WAS RICH!

 

[PapaGang]

I’d take a job... As CEO of Koch.

HaHaha!

 

[Ing]

Yes, its possible and can be good.
I m an example for that.

requirements were:
1.cool job
2. lots of money
3.good reputation
4. own stress management ( I want to make my work stressful or not myself)

So I got a job, which is very similar to being independent. When I had made my own business with that, it would nearly be fastlane.
So now I earn quite good money, work 20-30 hours weekly and can do nice things beneeth that.

For a side business which could go fastlane I don t have the abilities.


XXXX
So in My opinion you shouldn’t see a slowlane job as an alternative to fastlane. Go fastlane, if you can. But if you can’t, dont make yourself down and look for a cool job!

 

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[Deleted78083]

Well entrepreneurship isn't for everyone for that reason exactly.

If you want something simple, it would be silly to waste your time just to eventually go do what you could do tomorrow.

I want to grow my business into a national company, use the wealth and influence to transition into other major industries that have an effect on the world, fund, design and create incredible things (like huge and unique architectural projects), use my wealth to fund organizations that help swing our culture back towards a better direction instead of degenerate insanity, and all around live like a total badass.

I have one life to live. I'm sure as shit not going to waste it.

To each their own.

Seriously dude you should write a book

 

[journeyman]

It's a very interesting discussion.
There are a number of questions one can ask in this dilemma:

• If I was in an industry where I can be making $200,000-$400,000 while being 30-40 year old with a day job, and spend my 30's having fun and traveling, would that be such a bad alternative to the Fastlane?
• If I spend all my young years when I'm full of energy, constantly working to make money that I am going to enjoy only when I am older, is that a waste of my energy and will I regret it?
• Why work a low-paying job and live in shitty accommodation eating pot noodles when I can find a similarly low-stress job that pays double the money and allows me to live better?
• If I get terminal-disease news tomorrow, will have I regretted a few years of failing in Fastlane business and not just enjoying life while I could?

I've approached it like this: I have a job which I enjoy, pays great for my age and is reasonably low-stress and not long hours. In the meantime, I'm working on my Fastlane project, admittedly not with the focus I'd have if I was still working as a waiter and I'm not putting all my spare income in it as I "should". If I fail all my Fastlane projects, I will still be fine, and I will be a high-level executive in a relatively young age and an industry that drives me, still making a ton of money. According to MJ's recommendations, this is unlikely to work. But for me it doesn't matter, because I guess I like the backup option too much to go all in Fastlane and abandon all career prospects.

 

[falcon87pl]

It's a very interesting discussion.
There are a number of questions one can ask in this dilemma:

• If I was in an industry where I can be making $200,000-$400,000 while being 30-40 year old with a day job, and spend my 30's having fun and traveling, would that be such a bad alternative to the Fastlane?
• If I spend all my young years when I'm full of energy, constantly working to make money that I am going to enjoy only when I am older, is that a waste of my energy and will I regret it?
• Why work a low-paying job and live in shitty accommodation eating pot noodles when I can find a similarly low-stress job that pays double the money and allows me to live better?
• If I get terminal-disease news tomorrow, will have I regretted a few years of failing in Fastlane business and not just enjoying life while I could?

I've approached it like this: I have a job which I enjoy, pays great for my age and is reasonably low-stress and not long hours. In the meantime, I'm working on my Fastlane project, admittedly not with the focus I'd have if I was still working as a waiter and I'm not putting all my spare income in it as I "should". If I fail all my Fastlane projects, I will still be fine, and I will be a high-level executive in a relatively young age and an industry that drives me, still making a ton of money. According to MJ's recommendations, this is unlikely to work. But for me it doesn't matter, because I guess I like the backup option too much to go all in Fastlane and abandon all career prospects.

This is a kind of the post I have been postponing writing for a long time! This is exactly the "problem" I have while working as a well-paid IT specialist.

I got to the point where most of the lifestyle checkboxes are ticked and financial ones can be ticked in a few years:
- I earn very good money (my income has increased 8x over the last 7 years)
- I can work from anywhere and do not work more than 8 - 8,5 hours a day
- I have a very flexible schedule - as long as 2-3 short meetings during the day are covered I can start earlier/later/ do split shifts/ do shorter shifts on particular days etc
- because of the above I am not missing any events (very important for me, especially when you have a kid)
- I work with mostly great people and in case there are some changes within the company I usually get 3-5 job offers per week so can just change it
- I sleep well, take care of my health, spend quality time with my family
- next year I will be debt free (except for mortgage) and totally debt free around 40 owning two flats in two different cities (just by doing what I am doing)

The "problem" is I have been reading, thinking, dreaming about the fastlane for almost a decade now and because of that

I feel comfortable but not satisfied.

I want to be debt free and have enough money saved so as not to worry about them for years but money is not a goal itself. Time is a goal.

I am a family guy and rather an introvert who doesn't give a F*ck about big houses, expensive cars, watches etc I am happy when I can play football with the little one, read him a book in the evening or have a good board game session with a friend.
It's great to have money and not worry about them too much but at some point more money doesn't make you more happy.

After years of just thinking about the business I believe I have finally found something that can be done in the evenings or early mornings and meets 4 out of 5 CENTS commandments.

I feel like I need to CREATE something and make it work to prove it to myself I am capable of doing it rather than the strong desire to have more money (which would be nice). I know how addictive it is to get sales/new subscription notifications especially for something you had created long time ago and it is still working in the background.

 

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