Quote: (09-12-2018 02:22 PM)2 Cool 4 U Wrote:
Quote: (08-02-2018 12:25 PM)Disco_Volante Wrote:
The years of isolation is the tough part that grinds you. Most people think persistence is like 6 months but when you're 3.5 years into a business with little to show for it, it's very difficult to keep trying. You need an extreme desire to be self employed to put up with the pain of that, watching yourself age 4 years chasing a dream.
If you have a traditional job, it takes a huge amount of effort and commitment to wake up every morning to go to work, put up with a boss, and deal with a toxic work environment. It takes a huge amount of desire to put up with that
Hmmm. I definitely understand where you are coming from.
I've experienced all 3 - success in business, struggle in business and working a traditional job.
As bad as a traditional job can be in terms of the monotony and feeling trapped and dealing with the politics - the one thing you know at the end of the day (unless you are in a performance based job and you aren't performing), is that you will definitely get paid for the work you put in.
Whatever happens - you can bank that cash and use it in the future. You can even go find another job.
It's not your business so you don't have to deal with all the behind the scenes stuff - you can take the money and run.
You also turn up to work everyday and there are people around and you have a boss and management that keep you on track.
It's close to impossible to explain what it feels like in business when you first start and you don't know what you're doing and things aren't working, or when you are a year or several years in and you haven't succeeded yet.
You aren't getting paid, you're isolated, you feel dumb and you start crucifying yourself, your mind starts wondering and thinking about what you could have done with your life instead of putting all this time into this pursuit that hasn't worked out.
The bills keep coming, you keep working harder, you keep getting more depressed and unhealthy (mentally and physically) - it's so easy to get on a downward spiral very fast if you don't have a plan, keep checking in with yourself and keep yourself moving forward.
In short - everything is on you. If you don't get paid or something goes wrong, whether it's your fault or not - you are the only one you can blame at the end of the day.
As an example, I had 20k that I was owed the other month which essentially got voided (for reasons I can't go into here) between my payer and my bank. It got super messy and I spent a week staying up stupidly late working it out (got no sleep and productivity nosedived). I'm told it's sorted out now - but it still hasn't hit my bank account - so I'm just working and essentially waiting for it to come through.
I've also heard horror stories of guys being denied up to 50-100k of earnings from some clients and affiliate programs that was never eventually given to them.
This stuff all eats into your social/personal life and your sanity.
The uncertainty sometimes can make you feel like you're just floating in life not knowing where you are going sometimes - which makes it hard to plan things or communicate things with people and potential dating partners (I've lost at least a couple of girls because they didn't want to take on how unconventional and unpredictable my life was at the time I met them, and I don't blame them).
I'd be lying if I didn't say I didn't have regular depression at certain stages, and even thoughts of why am I living this life anymore if this business stuff isn't working out/it's so hard and stressful, and I can't go back to employment because it makes me sick with anxiety.
That's the part people never talk about on Instagram and YouTube because you can't sell that, and most people want to distance themselves from all the ugly and depressive times and experiences - it's heavy energy to deal with that brings people down.
Having said all that, I'd still re-hash:
1) Business is certainly great once you stick at it and work it out - it's like anything - you can learn over time to improve massively and callous your brain to all the seemingly high pressure stuff
2) Everyone is going to find success at different things. A traditional job might be way better for some people. It depends on who you are and your circumstances - and also what you want out of life in the short and long term