I hit that milestone a long time ago and moved right past it. Honestly, life gets a lot easier when you stop sweating the small stuff. You start focusing on the bigger picture instead of living under constant pressure... you just keep moving because you’ve already cleared one level
But I got stuck at a different stage
At the end of the day, whether someone is chasing 100 or 1,000, the struggle is identical. It would be great if everything was just a click away, but there is no God coming to save you. It’s nothing but hard work until you actually make it. Ironically, the people closest to their goal usually suffer the most. Even money doesn't matter if you miss the mark. Same goes for a relationship. There’s nothing worse than working your tail off for a girl only to have someone else swoop in and take her. You want to thank God or her brain for staying loyal to you and then suddenly deciding to jump to someone else overnight? Forget it. Thanks for all that effort I put in before 🙂 but nobody sees your scars—you're the only one who sees them
you're born a certain way, and that's how you stay
if you were some kind of golden child, your parents probably made sure you were well-fed and pampered. but let's be real, parents can be selfish too; they think they've done their job in thirty minutes, while the kid just absorbs everything and carries it for the rest of their life
during those teenage years, you usually have one hobby that consumes your entire world. schoolwork happens in the background... whether you actually listen to it or not
then there's the messing around—either you're the one goofing off, or you're the one trying to rein it in. that’s where most of your energy goes. because until you figure that out, the nonsense just keeps happening...
I didn't really study; I just had too much energy Sure, I messed around, but luckily my hobby was strong enough to win out. Under that hobby, what I consider essential is discipline... though I was always a leader. Both in my hobby and in my antics. Even now, in my 30s, I spent last night at a party with twenty young people. They all ended up in the pool... but then there are those people who always stand off to the side. Like I said, you're born a certain way and that's how you end up. And hey, they'll find their own slice of the pie somewhere... maybe even a bigger piece than mine
In America, you don't really have a choice when it comes to working on yourself. Over there, students take gap years. Most of them spend a year traveling the world... that's where groups form, they learn to work together, and that's how they succeed. If you're an individualist, you should have developed leadership skills long ago so you could move the crowd around you without needing anyone's help
I’ve always had a massive chip on my shoulder regarding anyone who tries to strip away my freedom
It’s something you run into constantly if you actually have any real ambition
There are plenty of people out there with the exact same drive who aren't even bad at what they do—whether you're talking about a guy trying to pick up women or a musician. But then you have those types who just stay in their own lane and don't try to dominate everything. If you’re an ambitious person, dealing with those types is easy enough
I’ve noticed that, deep down, most people just crave hanging out over a cup of coffee. They love to gossip, meet new people, and drone on about meaningless topics... it's basically the same thing as Facebook, just without the caffeine
1 isn't some divine force who planted you here and told you to go play on the beach 2 everyone inherits a certain set of traits 3 say you've got a personality that's meant for the spotlight, but instead, you're stuck at home or just shoved into a corner somewhere
the system we live in is already set in stone. just like how people prune plants or shear sheep, the powers that be work on you too
Cut back on the sugar at night, otherwise your energy levels will spike too much
I’m the same way—it takes me forever to actually wind down. Usually, I just spend that extra time working on some creative projects or, let's be honest, procrastinating. If you happen to live in a city with an actual nightlife, you can always just hit up a club around midnight and hunt for some drunk people... you'll definitely have plenty to think about on the way home, though you'll feel like absolute death by the time you get there.
The real struggle is forcing yourself out of bed the next morning. If you find it impossible to get moving, I honestly think it's because you didn't focus on anything productive the day before. Without a real reason to stay active, you end up with nothing to drive you once the caffeine wears off.
driftingwolf5 said:I've been thinking for a little while now that it might actually be worth my time to start documenting things day by day—just listing out what I'm aiming to accomplish and then reflecting on how everything actually played out in the evening.
Trust me, you aren't going to make a dime just scrolling through social media or staring at your phone. My first piece of advice? Have a Plan B ready, because trying to make a living this way is an absolute energy drain.
It’s the same deal with guys. Just tune out any thoughts about them... since you haven't found the right one yet and probably won't anytime soon.
Look, this kind of thing is pretty standard for those of us watching from the sidelines
But honestly, if you're already hitting this point now, man, you're going to have enough life scars by 22 that you'll look like a walking cautionary tale by 26
The only way out is if you've got wealthy parents willing to bankroll you into picking a better path...
Carl Rivera43 said:You’ve got to learn how to actually manifest your own desires. It’s all about working for the pure joy of it, rather than letting the grind just weigh you down and crush your spirit.
Finding that inner fulfillment is basically your training ground for success, though let's be honest—it's a whole lot easier when you're surrounded by a positive environment.
Without that sense of freedom and self-actualization, you start drifting. And once you start drifting, you end up wandering aimlessly in all the wrong directions, don't you?
Nobody gets rich on their own between the ages of 20 and 30.
Kids today have zero clue how the business world actually functions. Just think about what level you need to reach before you can even qualify for a bank loan. To actually pull something off, you already need to have built something significant. It’s always the same cycle: school, then a job, then saving up, then finally figuring out what you actually want to do, and only then do you end up with a "final product." Honestly, there's no way to make it happen before you're 40...
And most people get stuck in the mud because red tape and difficult people won't let you launch anything. Especially here in the States. For instance, if you're trying to build a startup, you aren't going anywhere unless you have a massive network of connections. It all comes down to your reputation and how many people are willing to listen to you... you have to find a way to attract a crowd.
fadedlynx96 said:It feels to me like we haven't actually settled on what defines a winner's mindset yet.
In sports? What does victory even entail? Simply outperforming everyone else? Snagging an Olympic gold medal?
In business? Before bringing up Steve Jobs—a fascinating figure whom many dismiss as just another mediocre jerk both professionally and personally—if you happen to be reading this on an iPhone, you might find it difficult to grasp the irony of that statement.
Socially or within a family? Is it having ten kids, or perhaps being a CEO or the owner of a thriving corporation?
Why act like he invented portable devices? Why do people keep bringing him up like that... portable electronics have been around for two hundred years before he showed up.
And trust me, he didn't invent the soft-touch button either.
Look at how things work globally. Nikola Tesla used to travel for four weeks straight across continents just to try and convince someone his ideas actually worked.
The money today lives in social media and social needs. America has 300 million sheep—you know what it means to be a trend in the States. You could take a product worth a dollar and get all those sheep to flock to it... In the telecommunications era, a few lucky people just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I don't believe their ideas would have ever taken off if they hadn't been pushed through existing global networks.
Because even today, there are plenty of great ideas out there that only survive because they go through some massive global middleman. It doesn't happen any other way.
Besides, trying to sign a contract with him these days isn't easy. He has his own engineers. He isn't interested in outsiders. He’ll just wait until you make your first $100,000 and then buy you out.
Morgan Bishop4 said:Honestly, I think they’re just deeply insecure, or maybe 🤷 just straight-up intolerant, you know? Because let’s be real, talking trash about people isn't some grand achievement, and pretty much everyone knows that already...
I'd argue they have no clue at all.
But if they genuinely believe someone is going to roll out the red carpet for them after acting like that... they are in for a rude awakening.
And what about those little trolls on the internet who just spend their whole lives talking trash about everyone else? Are they actually aiming for success? Or is it just that they can't stand seeing anyone else win
crimsonpuma23 said:Haha, "crazies." Honestly, most people just label anyone who stands out from the crowd as a nutcase because the masses are obsessed with being "normal." 🤣 But I wouldn't call them crazy. People who make the choice to actually win—to go all-in on whatever they're best at—they've got this internal fire, this relentless drive and willingness to take massive risks and live on the edge. You could definitely bundle all those intense traits under the umbrella term of "madness" if you wanted to.
The theory is that this spark exists in everyone; we all have that potential buried deep inside. But instead, most people just settle into their cozy little bubbles and live these totally mediocre, bottom-of-the-barrel lives. So then you end up with a situation where an legendary Steve Jobs is giving a keynote to a sea of average Joe types. I remember reading somewhere that maybe only 5% of humanity actually goes all the way. It’s all or nothing...
It's not like you have to believe in astrology
but it clearly explains how depending on where Mars was when you were born, that influences how you act in the real world. Like, maybe you're naturally passionate here, or a leader there...
If you watched a street corner for a century, you'd notice patterns. You'd see one person grabbing bread at 8:00 AM every single day while another rolls in for coffee at 8:15... certain traits are just obvious
But that's just a generalization, since we aren't all in the same boat. We aren't all shaped by the same environment; in some places, a father provides support, while in others, he's just a nuisance..
Someone might start from $0.33 someone else starts at 10
And once you get into professions and income, there's a massive difference between selling 100 pounds of carrots and having 1,000 people buy a ticket to your show.
Both are successful if the sale happens. It's just a matter of scale.
A 10-table bistro isn't exactly the same thing as a packed football stadium.
Joshua Adams41 said:Running through the hills of Tennessee at high noon when it's pushing 97 degrees out... At that point, I either need extreme sports or I’m just not risking it. I mean, what kind of shock is that for the body? It takes me hours just to recover from the heatstroke alone..
Look, I need something hardcore just to feel like a man. Every time I headed out for a run like that, I was basically flirting with death. But death didn't show up.. So what am I supposed to do? Just drink myself into oblivion and look like an idiot in front of my friends... and women and their boyfriends...
Go all out, brother. If you finish, you'll be walking on air; if you don't, you just overshot your limits..
I crushed plenty of marathons down by the boardwalk back in the day during my 20s and 30s because of work. It had nothing to do with running for fun.
As for the social side—most people will bail on you, unless they're coworkers. In that case, you have to maintain those relationships because they end up being your safety net.
Joshua Adams41 said:Look, if you’re out there chasing some big dream without a father figure to point you in the right direction, you’d better realize one thing: you’re basically walking around like a ghost before you’ve even kicked the bucket. It’s like trying to navigate a dense forest in the middle of the night without a compass or a flashlight. You think you're making progress? You're just wandering in circles until you hit a tree. Without that guidance, that foundational steering, you're effectively dead on arrival. You might be breathing, sure, but you're already gone.
Anyone who can't wrap their head around the fact that death is inevitable honestly has nothing better to do with their life. They can go ahead and cry about it on YouTube because they can't find a job. It’s a choice, really. You either stand your ground, or you spend your entire life bending the knee to the system. It’s that classic, fundamental struggle. You can fight to maintain your integrity, or you can just let the machine grind you down until you're nothing more than another compliant cog in the engine. There isn't much middle ground once you realize how the gears actually turn.🙂
It's more like Give me some bullet points... this is getting a little too "deep philosopher" for me.
Jose Carter2 said:What rowdyharbor15 is getting at is that you first need to temporarily distance yourself from that narrow social circle you grew up in... focus on yourself and sharpening your skills instead 😁
Smart moves, JP.
To be honest, that was me... except I wasn't even aware of it at the time.
Then again, I know there are people out there whose parents actually set them on the right path from day one. For those folks, you don't really have to do much work—you just have to listen.
Me? I was practically living on the streets, by choice.
Joshua Adams41 said:Look, I used to be the kid retaking math and English classes, and now here I am—a full-blown IT Support pro working exclusively for international clients.
Am I happy about it? Am I successful? Success isn't really what people think it is, but I definitely pushed way further than anyone expected me to.
And you know why? Some might call me a sociopath, others a psychopath, but honestly, I just realize that life is a game you either play until the very end or you don't play at all...
If I ever have grandkids of my own, then maybe I'll finally call myself a successful man.
Between 20 and 30, you're basically building a career on autopilot (unless your dad sets the course for you).
The person who actually builds something starts from scratch; the ones who don't, they never really get going.
Besides, not every career path is actually worth the money...
That guy from Target is only happy when he’s winning. His worst nightmare is just not coming out on top... then he goes absolutely feral for the win. Honestly, when you see someone walk away from their career, they probably made the right call by saving their sanity before things went south. It’s the same as when a woman loses her mind over some random guy—or when a man spends his whole life chasing a woman he’ll never actually have.
If you aren't about that Target mindset, I don't even know why you're in sports or who talked you into this. You haven't even figured out if you're meant to be the support system for someone else or something else entirely. Everyone carries their own baggage onto the ice.
crimsonpuma23 said:So you're seriously telling me that all those "grind harder" success stories are nothing more than total clichés?
Everything just goes quiet once night hits. All that mindless daytime noise finally dies down, and honestly, there’s nothing better than just being alone with your own head and your own thoughts. Even I’m sitting here typing this up in the dead silence of my room—nothing but me and my brain.
Man, you could go on forever about what "persistence" actually means... maybe some people just grind harder because they're built different—tougher and more resilient, like rowdyharbor15 was saying. 😁
Those aren't clichés; they're just the nonsense of a civilized society. Bureaucratic bullshit... filling out form after form just to prove you actually know what you're doing...
"Break a leg, but don't give up"? "Never lose hope"? You mean dig yourself into a hole for the rest of your life chasing a dream that's never going to happen? Lose hope about what exactly? That your professor hates your guts and won't pass you?
You stay tough until you hit the top. And when you can't move forward, even those types retreat into isolation to think things through. It looks like a mountain of successful Rockefellers who started out working with their hands and then vanished into seclusion to plan their next move... clearly, they just hit a wall with their public image.
To all the women reading this: I’ve been hit by just about every brick in the wall, but I guess I’m just stubborn enough to keep getting back up.
1. Never give up—classic advice from my old man (and he’s an idiot) 2. You have to believe in yourself—more nonsense from Dad 3. Better days are coming—stuff Mom says (she's clueless) 4. "Wish for good, think good." Honestly, the dumbest proverb ever. You want success? Someone will screw you over before you even get started, writing you up or shutting you down without having the slightest clue what you're actually going through. They don't even look at the work you've put in! 5. "Give and it will come back to you." I’d love to take a swing at whoever came up with that. And I'm not even a fighter. From my own experience, I give six times more than I ever get back... I've never once seen the universe settle the score.
- All I can say is: I can build enough to feed you for a lifetime.
Like I said in my last post, stop being so dependent on those tiny little social circles of twenty people. There are eight billion people on this planet. Break out of that bubble and find a new one.
Reviews, ratings, and all that crap? It’s the downfall of our society. That whole system was designed by the people running the show to breed "better" citizens. It's exactly how they raise livestock in a factory farm.