The Millionaire Fastlane (Gemini)

The Millionaire Fastlane

• Introduction - Introduction
  • The road to wealth has a shortcut, the "Fastlane," which leads to wealth and financial freedom in youth.
  • The "Get Rich Slow" approach is a mediocre strategy that involves going to school, getting a good job, saving, investing, and retiring at 65.
  • The Fastlane is a psychological and mathematical formula that unlocks the gateway to wealth and freedom.
  • It is not a static strategy but a progression of distinctions that gives probability to achieving wealth early.
  • The author, MJ DeMarco, has achieved wealth and financial freedom through the Fastlane.
  • He encourages readers to stop following conventional wisdom and embrace the Fastlane strategy.
  • This book presents nearly 300 wealth distinctions designed to get readers off their current road and onto the Fastlane.
  • The author acknowledges that the Fastlane may challenge and violate societal norms but emphasizes that it is not about changing his reality but the readers'.
  • The author's reality includes living in a large house, having no job or boss, enjoying a luxurious lifestyle, and having financial freedom.
  • He emphasizes that he achieved financial freedom by cracking wealth's code and escaping financial mediocrity.
  • He believes that the "Get Rich Slow" approach kills dreams and asks people to barter their freedom for freedom.
  • The Fastlane, on the other hand, allows people to create wealth fast, screw "Get Rich Slow," and win a lifetime of prosperity, freedom, and dream fulfillment.
  • The Fastlane is not age-specific or discriminatory and is open to anyone who unlocks its gateway.
  • The author clarifies that he is not a self-proclaimed guru and that the Fastlane is a lifetime school with no graduates.
  • He emphasizes that success is a journey that cannot be outsourced and requires hard work.
  • The Fastlane is a "yellow brick road" paved in psychology and mathematics that puts the odds of massive wealth in the reader's favor.
  • The author acknowledges that wealth seekers often have false expectations and that the road to wealth has no escort.
  • He positions himself as a "creepy munchkin" pointing off into the distance with a directive to "Follow the yellow brick road."
  • The author approaches the book conversationally, as if talking to a friend over coffee, and makes general assumptions about the reader's situation.
  • The book is organized with chapter summaries highlighting the critical distinctions to Fastlane strategy.
  • The Fastlane Forum is provided for readers to discuss Fastlane strategy with others.
  • The author encourages readers to share their experiences and email him if the Fastlane changes their lives.
  • The author spent years uncovering and assembling the Fastlane strategies, and he presents them in this book to help readers achieve wealth and live rich for a lifetime.
• Chapter 1: The Great Deception The Great Deception
  • Conventional financial advice ("Get Rich Slow") is flawed. The Millionaire Fastlane
  • Redefines wealth to include youth, fun, freedom, and prosperity.
  • Challenges the belief that old age is a prerequisite for wealth. Part 1: Wealth in a Wheelchair: "Get Rich Slow" is Get Rich Old
  • "Get Rich Slow" involves:
    • School, good grades, good job, 401K, stock market
  • This strategy is a losing game:
    • It takes a lifetime to achieve wealth.
    • It is dependent on factors beyond your control (e.g., market downturns).
    • It prioritizes financial freedom in old age, which is often accompanied by health problems.
  • The real BS is believing that "Get Rich Slow" is a viable path to wealth for young people. Reinvent Retirement to Include Youth
  • Traditional retirement is associated with old age and limitations.
  • "Get Rich Slow" takes so long that it robs individuals of the opportunity to enjoy their wealth while they are young and healthy. Chapter Summary: Fastlane Distinctions
  • "Get Rich Slow" requires a long period of gainful employment.
  • "Get Rich Slow" is a losing game due to its dependence on Wall Street and time.
  • The Fastlane offers an alternative path to wealth that prioritizes youth and financial freedom.
• Chapter 2: How I Screwed 'Get Rich Slow' - How to Get Rich Slow is a Lie
  • Common Roads to Wealth for the Young:
    • Become an actor, musician, entertainer, or pro athlete
    • These roads have a big "ROAD CLOSED" sign for those who lack talent
  • Get Rich Slow advocates:
    • Go to school
    • Get a job
    • Settle for less
    • Sacrifice
    • Be miserly
    • Quit dreaming about financial freedom
  • Limitations of Get Rich Slow:
    • Discourages dreaming and ambition
    • Promotes a mediocre and unfulfilling life
    • Fails to provide a clear path to wealth
  • The Lamborghini Encounter
    • Author's Dream Car: Lamborghini Countach
    • Unexpected Opportunity: Encountering a young Lamborghini owner
    • Realization: Wealth can be achieved without fame or physical talent
    • Inspiration: Deciding to become rich and own a Lamborghini while young
  • The Search for the Millionaire Fastlane
    • Criteria for Fameless Millionaires:
      • Living a rich lifestyle
      • Relatively young (under 35) or acquired wealth fast
      • Self-made
      • Not from fame, physical talent, or entertainment
    • Research Focus: Studying successful businessmen
    • Challenges:
      • Falling prey to scams and false promises
      • Experiencing failures and setbacks
  • Resistance into Mediocrity
    • Author's Experience: Graduating from college and facing limited job opportunities
    • Friends' Success: Getting "good" jobs and buying material possessions
    • Author's Rejection of Slowlane: Seeking the Fastlane to retire rich and young
  • Roadblocks, Detours, and Depression
    • String of Business Failures: Attempting various ventures without success
    • Mounting Debts and Humiliating Jobs: Struggling to make ends meet
    • Emotional Distress: Depression and self-doubt
    • Physical Exhaustion: Working long hours in low-paying jobs
  • My Blizzard of Awakening
    • Epiphany in a Blizzard: Realizing the need for change
    • Decision to Relocate: Taking control of one's environment
    • Feeling of Empowerment: Belief in the possibility of a better future
  • The Merge from SlowLane to FastLane
    • Moving to Phoenix: Starting fresh with limited resources
    • Web Site Venture: Building a website to connect limo services
    • Initial Success: Generating income from website design
  • A New Wealth Equation Yields Wealth Acceleration
    • Idea from a Friend: Selling leads instead of ad space
    • Unproven Solution: Implementing a new revenue model
    • Initial Challenges: Decreased income and customer complaints
    • Perseverance: Improving the system and listening to customer feedback
    • Exponential Growth: Revenue and income increasing significantly
  • My "Faked" Shortcut to Wealth
    • Dot-Com Frenzy: Receiving offers to sell the business
    • Sale of the Business: Becoming a millionaire almost instantly
    • Mistakes and Poor Investments: Wasting the majority of the money
    • Repurchase of the Business: Regaining control at a discounted price
  • The Birth of the Money Tree
    • Revitalization of the Web Site: Improving the service and streamlining processes
    • Automation and Process: Reducing workload and increasing efficiency
    • Money Tree: Earning a steady income with minimal effort
    • Freedom and Leisure: Enjoying a lifestyle of wealth and independence
  • Chapter Summary: FastLane Distinctions
    • FastLane Principles:
      • Fame or physical talent is not a prerequisite to wealth.
      • Fast wealth is created exponentially, not linearly.
      • Change can happen in an instant.
• Chapter 3: The Road Trip to Wealth Wealth is Not a Road, But a Road Trip!
  • Wealth's Illusionary Road
    • Wealth is not just a road, but a road trip.
    • Focusing solely on the destination (wealth) without considering the journey (process) will lead to failure.
    • Essential components of wealth's road trip formula include:
      • Roadmap (Parts 3, 4, and 5)
      • Vehicle (Part 6)
      • Roads (Part 7)
      • Speed (Part 8)
  • Millionaires Are Forged by Process, Not by Events
    • Wealth is not an event but a process.
    • The events you see (e.g., successful contracts, large sales) are the results of a long and arduous process.
    • Ignoring the process and trying to skip to the events will lead to disappointment.
  • Wealth's Road Trip Formula
    • Roadmap (Financial beliefs and convictions)
      • Sidewalk
      • Slowlane
      • Fastlane
    • Vehicle (You)
      • Oil, gas, engine, steering wheel, windshield, horsepower, accelerator
    • Roads (Financial pathways)
      • Job road
      • Entrepreneurial roads
    • Speed (Execution and ability to move from idea to implementation)
  • The Road Trip is Paved with Toll Roads
    • The road to wealth is not easy.
    • Toll roads represent challenges and sacrifices that must be overcome.
    • Entitlements and prerequisites do not exempt you from paying the toll.
  • The Road Trip Can't Be Outsourced to a Chauffeur
    • Wealth cannot be achieved by outsourcing the process.
    • The journey is yours, and you must experience it firsthand to gain wisdom and personal growth.
• Chapter 4: The Roadmaps to Wealth - The Roadmaps to Wealth
  • The comPass For weaLTh
    • Define your destination to reach it
    • Wealth requires a roadmap, not random actions
    • Financial success is a result of chosen roadmap and actions
    • Your current financial situation is a product of your existing roadmap
    • Choices are determined by belief systems, which are guided by the roadmap
    • Change your life by changing your choices, beliefs, and roadmap
  • How do beliefs affect finances?
    • Beliefs precede choices, which lead to actions
    • Beliefs drive actions, whether true or not
    • Fictitious beliefs lead to detours and false promises
  • The Three FinanciaL roadmaPs To weaLTh
    • The sidewalk roadmap: Predisposed to poorness
    • The slowlane roadmap: Predisposed to mediocrity
    • The Fastlane roadmap: Predisposed to wealth
    • Each roadmap has its own psychology, belief system, and mathematical "wealth equation"
  • Key mindposts (signposts) for each roadmap:
    • Debt Perception
    • Time Perception
    • Education Perception
    • Money Perception
    • Primary income source
    • Primary wealth accelerator
    • Wealth Perception
    • Wealth equation
    • Destination
    • Responsibility & control
    • Life Perception
  • The roadmaPs oPeraTe wiThin disTincT uniVerses
    • Each roadmap has its own mathematical formulas (wealth equation)
    • These formulas govern the speed and probability of wealth creation
    • The wealth equation determines the "universe" in which your financial plan accelerates or stalls
    • You can change your financial universe by switching roadmaps
• Chapter 5: The Road Most Traveled: The Sidewalk The Sidewalk Roadmap What is a Sidewalker?
  • Lives in a state of "one-something-from-broke"
  • No true wealth, despite potentially high incomes
  • Trapped in a "Lifestyle Servitude" driven by instant gratification and debt
  • Follows the path of least resistance and instant gratification
  • Exemplified by the TV show "Judge Judy" Mindsets of a Sidewalker
  • Debt Perception: Credit allows for instant gratification and supplements income.
  • Time Perception: Time is abundant, and money is spent without thought for the future.
  • Education Perception: Education ends with graduation.
  • Money Perception: Flaunt wealth and spend every dime earned, regardless of financial responsibility.
  • Primary Income Source: Whatever gig pays the most.
  • Primary Wealth Accelerator: Gambling, lotteries, lawsuits.
  • Wealth Perception: The one who dies with the most toys wins.
  • Wealth Equation: Wealth = Income + Debt.
  • Destination: No destination, focus on today. Disturbing Sidewalking Facts
  • 57% of people under 55 have zero or negative net worth.
  • 62% of US households have less than $100,000 in net worth.
  • Median net worth for ages 35-44: $13,000 (excluding home equity)
  • Median net worth for ages 45-54: $23,000 (excluding home equity)
  • 61% of income earners earn less than $35,000/year.
  • 85% of American families estimated to have zero or negative net worth. Standard Sidewalker: Income Poor
  • Lower to middle class with modest incomes
  • Possess material goods but have little savings or retirement plans
  • Future mortgaged for a lifestyle
  • Financially redlining with little hope for wealth
  • Disposition of gratification, selfishness, and irresponsibility Sidewalking Symptoms
  • Limited education
  • Frequent job changes
  • Blaming others for financial difficulties
  • Impressiveness and desire to impress
  • Poor credit
  • Reliance on government and politicians
  • Reliance on pawnshops, payday loans, and credit cards
  • Bankruptcy
  • Living paycheck to paycheck
  • Stealing from businesses
  • Negative net worth and minimal savings
  • Risky behavior (no insurance, unprotected sex)
  • Gambling and lottery playing
  • Escapism into entertainment
  • Belief in "get rich" schemes
  • Financial dependence on family The Sidewalk's Gravitational Pull: Poorness
  • Sidewalk offers no protection from financial setbacks
  • Recession and job loss can lead to financial ruin
  • Short-term focus on the present leads to horrible tomorrows
  • Insanity is doing the same things repeatedly and expecting different results Income Doesn't Solve Money Problems
  • Sidewalk is money blind and doesn't care about income
  • More money cannot medicate poor money management
  • Wealthy Sidewalkers can still be broke
  • Sidewalkers' wealth equation: Wealth = Income + Debt Affluent Sidewalker: Income-Rich
  • Look wealthy but are vulnerable to financial ruin
  • Spend excessive amounts on lifestyle
  • Supplement lifestyle with debt
  • High incomes lead to overspending and poor financial management
  • Example: Famous rapper who goes broke despite earning $400,000 per month Income/Wealth Mirage of the Sidewalk
  • Income-poor and income-rich Sidewalkers share similar problems
  • More money is not a solution to poor financial management
  • Financial discipline is blind to income
  • Change your mindset and roadmap to escape the Sidewalk
• Chapter 6: Has Your Wealth Been Toxified? - Has Your Wealth Been Toxified?
  • Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.
  • Society's definition of wealth: material possessions, luxury lifestyles
    • Cars: Rolls Royce, Aston Martins
    • Jewelry: six-carat diamond earrings
    • Homes: mansions, penthouses
    • Experiences: exotic trips, Indecent Proposals
  • The Wealth Trinity: What is Wealth?
    • Family (relationships)
    • Fitness (health)
    • Freedom (choice)
  • Wealth Can't be Bought For 60 Easy Payments
    • Real wealth is not about material possessions
    • True wealth comes from:
      • Family and loved ones
      • Health and vibrancy
      • Freedom to live as you choose
  • The Illusion of Wealth: Looking Rich
    • "30K millionaires": maintain an image of wealth with no net worth
    • Easy credit and financing options create the illusion of wealth
    • True wealth is not about appearances
    • Example: driving a Mercedes Benz with no cash payment
  • Faux Wealth Destroys Real Wealth
    • The pursuit of "faux wealth" destroys real wealth:
      • Violates expectations, leading to misery
      • Assiduously gnaws at health and relationships
  • Chapter Summary: Fastlane Distinctions
    • Wealth is authored by:
      • Strong familial relationships
      • Fitness and health
      • Freedom
    • Unaffordable material possessions are destructive to the wealth trinity
• Chapter 7: Misuse Money and Money Will Misuse You - Misuse of Money
  • Money cannot buy happiness, but it can provide comfort during miserable times.
  • Money and Happiness
    • Individuals who claim "Money doesn't buy happiness" may have concluded they will never have money.
    • This belief becomes a justification for poverty, as they question the point of saving money if it doesn't bring happiness.
    • However, it is important to question if poverty leads to happiness.
  • Happiness and Servitude
    • The real thief of happiness is servitude, which is the antithesis of freedom.
    • When people earn more money, it often detracts from freedom rather than adding to it, creating Lifestyle Servitude.
    • Lifestyle Servitude is destructive to the wealth trinity: family, fitness, and freedom.
  • Causes of Lifestyle Servitude
    • Debt is the leading cause of strife for newly married couples and keeps people bound to work.
    • The World Value Survey found that the happiest people have strong community and family bonds and prioritize relationships.
    • Consumerism is a major obstacle to happiness.
  • Misery of Wealthy Individuals
    • Many millionaires and well-paid professionals experience misery due to a lack of freedom.
    • Money owns them instead of them owning their money.
    • Examples:
      • Workaholics who neglect family relationships
      • Extortionist who tried to blackmail David Letterman for financial freedom
  • Normalcy and Modern-Day Slavery
    • Society defines "normal" as a lifestyle of working eight hours a day, saving 10%, and retiring after 50 years.
    • This "normal" lifestyle is a form of modern-day slavery.
  • Consequences of Lifestyle Servitude
    • Lifestyle Servitude erodes freedom and limits choices.
    • It forces a constant cycle of working for income, spending income on lifestyle, and needing to work more to support that lifestyle.
  • Proper Use of Money
    • Money should be used to buy freedom, which allows for choices and the pursuit of dreams.
    • Money can buy:
      • Time to watch children grow up
      • Opportunities to pursue passions
      • A chance to make a difference
      • Strengthened relationships
      • Freedom to do what one loves without financial constraints
  • Lifestyle Servitude and the Sidewalk
    • Sidewalkers are trapped in Lifestyle Servitude, where life is a constant struggle between lifestyle extravagances and work.
    • This cycle of work for income, income for lifestyle, and lifestyle for work erodes freedom.
  • Affordability
    • True affordability means not having to think about the purchase and not having it impact future choices or lifestyle.
    • If you have to justify or make assumptions about your ability to afford something, you likely cannot afford it.
  • Consequences of Instant Gratification
    • Instant gratification often leads to long-term negative consequences, such as debt and obesity.
    • Wealth and health require discipline, sacrifice, and delayed gratification.
    • Instant gratification is the bait that leads to Lifestyle Servitude, where people are owned by their possessions.
  • Fastlane Distinctions
    • Money used for consumer pursuits that destroy freedom is not true wealth.
    • Properly used, money can buy freedom, which can lead to happiness.
    • Happiness comes from good health, freedom, and strong relationships, not necessarily money.
    • Lifestyle Servitude steals freedom and wealth.
    • True affordability means not having to think about the purchase and not having it impact future choices or lifestyle.
    • Instant gratification is destructive to freedom, health, and wealth.
• Chapter 8: Lucky Bastards Play the Game - Lucky Bastards
  • Play the game
    • Work hard to increase luck
  • Self-made Luck
    • Process creates events that others see as luck
    • Bill Gates' success was not due to luck but to consistent action
  • Luck is a byproduct of Process
    • Luck occurs when probability moves from impossible to likely
    • Engage in processes with better probabilities to increase luck
  • Renounce the "Big Hit" as a Financial Plan
    • Big hits are long shots that violate true essence
    • Focus on process instead of events to build wealth
  • Getting Swindled: A Sidewalker's Temptation
    • Sidewalkers seek events and avoid process, making them vulnerable to scams
    • Infomercial pitches target Sidewalkers with promises of easy wealth
  • Disembarking the Sidewalk: The Three Anchors
    • Belief 1: Luck is needed for wealth
    • Belief 2: Wealth is an event
    • Belief 3: Others can give wealth to me
    • These beliefs keep Sidewalkers anchored in victimhood
  • Hitchhikers Don't Drive
    • Sidewalkers entrust their financial plans to others, making them vulnerable
    • Taking responsibility is essential for wealth
  • The Law of Victims
    • You can't be a victim if you don't relinquish power to others
    • Victims blame others instead of taking responsibility
    • "Theys" are self-imposed
  • The Politics of Hitchhiking
    • Sidewalkers seek the easy life at the expense of others
    • They believe the government should provide free services
    • This mindset has led to economic problems in the United States
  • Responsibility and Control
    • The Fastlane is about control
    • Sidewalkers have no control because they rely on others
    • Predicting the housing bust demonstrates the power of personal responsibility
• Chapter 9: Wealth Demands Accountability - Fastlane
  • Responsibility and Accountability
    • Responsibility precedes accountability
    • Responsibility without accountability is ineffective
    • Accountability requires modifying behavior to prevent negative consequences
  • Victimhood
    • Stems from relinquishing control over financial plans to others
    • Law of Victims: Can't be a victim without giving up power to someone capable of victimizing
  • Responsibility and Accountability in Practice
    • Scenario: Identity theft
      • Problem: Purse stolen in Mexico
      • Cause: Purse left exposed on table
      • Responsibility: Victim's choice not to safeguard purse
      • Accountability: Taking precautions to prevent future theft
    • Scenario: Hiring a contractor
      • Problem: Contractor incompetence and project delays
      • Responsibility: Hiring contractor without due diligence
      • Accountability: Conducting thorough investigations for future hires
  • Immunization from Victimhood
    • Requires both responsibility and accountability for actions and consequences
  • Consequences of Denying Accountability and Responsibility
    • Loss of control over life
    • Failure becomes a badge of victimhood instead of wisdom
  • "You Deserve" Syndrome
    • Promotes entitlement without effort or accountability
    • True deserving is earned through actions
• Chapter 10: The Lie You’ve Been Sold: The Slowlane - The Lie You've Been Sold
  • Slowlane is working 50 hours a week for 50 years and retiring to a retirement village.
  • Slowlane Antithesis
    • Sacrifice today for a brighter tomorrow.
    • Discipline and trade-offs: get a job, pack a lunch, save 10% of your paycheck, delay gratification until 65.
    • Compound interest: $10,000 invested today will be worth 10 gazillion in 50 years.
  • Unexpected Conditions
    • Weather can change unexpectedly, so have a flexible itinerary and extra warm clothing.
  • The Promise of Wealth
    • Slowlane is a lifetime wager that a sacrificial today will yield a wealthier tomorrow.
    • Glorious tomorrow might arrive after 40 years or when you're 73 and suffering from Alzheimer's.
    • Driving force behind Slowlane wealth is time.
    • Joe's story: worked 60 hours weekly as a lawyer, neglected family, planned to retire at 55 but died at 51.
    • Rich at 25 is better than rich at 65.
    • Wealth is best lived young.
    • Global recession has exposed Slowlane's failure: job loss, stock market losses, housing crisis.
    • Slowlane is risky and impotent.
  • Slowlane Mindposts and Missives
    • Mom and Dad: go to college, get a job.
    • Best-selling author David: stop drinking expensive lattes.
    • Suze: open a Roth IRA and contribute 10% of your paycheck.
    • Ramsey: snowball that debt.
    • Debt Perception: Debt is evil.
    • Time Perception: Time is abundant, trade time for more dollars.
    • Education Perception: Education is important for a bigger salary.
    • Money Perception: Money is scarce, must be saved and budgeted.
    • Primary Income Source: Job is the sole source of income.
    • Primary Wealth Accelerator: Compound interest is powerful.
    • Wealth Perception: Work, save, and invest for 40 years until retirement.
    • Wealth Equation: Wealth = job + market investments.
    • Destination: Comfortable retirement in twilight years.
    • Responsibility & Control: It's my responsibility to provide for my family, but I rely on others (employer, financial adviser, government).
    • Life Perception: Settle for less, give up on big dreams, save, live frugal, retire with millions.
  • Slowlane Weapons
    • Go to school, get good grades, graduate, pay yourself first, overtime, corporate ladder, save X% of your paycheck, contribute to your 401K, invest in mutual funds, pay off your house early, buy and hold, paychecks, pensions, benefits, IRAs, live below your means, understand compound interest.
  • Slowlane Roadmap: A Mathematical Introduction
    • Wealth = (Primary Income Source: Job) + (Wealth Accelerator: Market Investments)
    • Intrinsic Value = Hourly Wage × Hours Worked
    • Intrinsic Value = Yearly Salary
    • Compound interest is derived from "market investments."
  • Have You Sold Your Soul For a Weekend?
    • Joshua Bell experiment in Washington, DC train station.
    • Slowlane blinds people to the beauty of life.
    • "Thank god it's Friday": born and bred in the Slowlane.
    • Friday evening is glorified because people celebrate freedom for two days.
    • Negative 60%: The Dismal Return of the Slowlane.
    • 5-for-2 return on investment is a negative 60%.
    • Most people accept this negative return with their time.
    • Kids and relationships don't wait for the weekend.
    • Time is mismanaged because the Slowlane is predicated on time.
    • Normal is condemnation to mediocrity.
    • Revolutionary Road movie portrays the Slowlane's death grip.
    • Slowlane story from the Fastlane Forum: living in a jail cell-sized room, working every day with no days off, rarely eating out, etc.
    • Slowlaner accepts an existence of frugality and sacrifice to a tipping-point where life feels like incarceration.
  • Fastlane Distinctions
    • Slowlane is a natural course-correction from the Sidewalk.
    • Wealth is best experienced when you're young.
    • Slowlane is a plan that takes decades to succeed.
    • For the Slowlaner, Saturday and Sunday is the paycheck for Monday through Friday.
    • The default return on your time in the Slowlane is negative 60%—5-for-2.
    • The 5-for-2 trade inherit in the Slowlane is generally fixed.
    • The predisposed destination of the Slowlane is mediocrity.
• Chapter 11: The Criminal Trade: Your Job - The Criminal Trade: Your Job
  • Working 8 hours a day may lead to working 12 hours a day as a boss.
  • Jobs: Domestication into Normalcy
    • To escape the Slowlane and achieve wealth quickly, it's essential to abandon jobs.
    • Jobs offer limited leverage and control, hindering wealth accumulation.
  • Six Reasons why a Job Should Not be the Center of a Financial Plan:
    • Suckage #1: To Trade Time is To Trade Life:
      • Jobs involve exchanging time for money, essentially selling one's freedom for pieces of paper.
      • The amount of time required to earn $1 million in various careers is significant, making it impractical to rely solely on saving from a job.
    • Suckage #2: Limitation on Experience:
      • Specialized skills limit one's value to a narrow set of marketplace needs.
      • Experience gained in a job is often regimented and leads to minimal new knowledge acquisition.
    • Suckage #3: No Control:
      • Employees have little control over their income and financial plan.
      • Dependence on a job for income creates vulnerability to job loss and financial setbacks.
    • Suckage #4: Linda's Bad Breath:
      • Office politics are inevitable in job environments, involving unpleasant interactions and obstacles.
      • To thrive in such environments, it's necessary to become the boss and control the playing field.
    • Suckage #5: A Subscription to "Pay Yourself Last":
      • Jobs often result in high taxation and limited options for tax-advantaged savings.
      • Employees prioritize paying others (e.g., government, creditors) before themselves, hindering wealth accumulation.
    • Suckage #6: A Dictatorship on Income:
      • Employees have limited ability to negotiate significant pay raises due to the constraints of a job.
      • The value of an employee's work is dictated by the employer, limiting wealth potential.
  • Fastlane Distinctions:
    • In a job, freedom is exchanged for freedom.
    • Experience is gained through action, regardless of the environment.
    • Wealth accumulation requires control over one's primary income.
• Chapter 12: The Slowlane: Why You Aren’t Rich - Slowlane Strategy: Uncontrollable Limited Leverage (ULL)
  • ULL:
    • Prevents wealth accumulation in the Slowlane
    • Arises from the inability to control or leverage variables in the Slowlane wealth equation
  • Slowlane Wealth Equation:
    • WEALTH = (Job) + (Market Investments)
  • Job:
    • Primary income source
    • Intrinsic value determines income
    • Intrinsic value = Hourly Rate of Pay × Hours Worked or Annual Salary
    • Time is a limiting factor in income generation (24 hours per day, 50 years of work expectancy)
  • Market Investments:
    • Wealth acceleration vehicle
    • Compound interest is the primary strategy
    • Compound interest formula: WEALTH = Invested Sum × (1 + Yield)time
    • Time and yield are limiting factors in wealth acceleration
    • Control over yield and time is lacking
  • Why Mutual Funds and 401ks Won't Make You Rich
    • Only 10% of penta-millionaires attribute their wealth to passive investments
    • Youthful wealth accumulation requires high returns (800% or more)
    • Slowlane investments (mutual funds, stocks, 401Ks) yield low returns (8%)
    • "Buy and hold" strategy is ineffective due to market fluctuations and inflation
  • Slowlane's Relationship with Time
    • Time is a liability in the Slowlane
    • Wealth accumulation is tied to time spent working and investing
    • Life expectancy limits wealth accumulation potential
    • Sacrificing time for wealth can have negative consequences for personal life
  • Slowlane is a Plan of Hope
    • Slowlane relies on uncontrollable variables and hope
    • Control is crucial for effective wealth accumulation
  • Fastlane Distinctions
    • Wealth creation in the Fastlane requires abandoning the Slowlane formula and its reliance on time
    • Time should be an asset, not a liability
    • Intrinsic value is not the primary focus in the Fastlane
• Chapter 13: The Futile Fight: Education - The Futile Fight: Education
  • Education can interfere with learning (Albert Einstein)
  • The Fight against Uncontrollable Limited Leverage (ULL) through Education
    • Slowlaners respond to ULL by elevating intrinsic value through education
    • Examples:
      • MBA programs (e.g., Steve Ambrose)
      • Project management certification courses
    • Belief: Higher intrinsic value leads to wealth
    • Problem: Formal education is expensive (time and money)
  • Not All Education is Created Equal
    • Education can be a Trojan horse to freedom if it leads to debt and job entrapment
    • Myth: A college degree is a prerequisite for Fastlane wealth
    • Examples of successful Fastlaners without college degrees:
      • Bill Gates, Steven Spielberg, Richard Branson, Michael Dell, Felix Dennis, David Geffen, John Paul DeJoria
  • Slowlane Entrapment
    • Financing expensive college tuition can lead to Slowlane entrapment
    • Collegiate study restricts options to specific disciplines
      • Example: Finance degree limits career paths to financial sector, insurance companies, etc.
    • Education servitude: Advanced degrees indenture individuals to jobs due to high debt
      • Statistics:
        • 56% of college seniors have 4+ credit cards with an average balance of $2,864
        • People aged 18-24 spend nearly 30% of their monthly income on debt repayment
        • Average college senior graduates with nearly $19,000 in student loan debts
        • Graduate degree pursuers have over $45,000 in student loan debts
    • Debt becomes parasitic, forcing individuals into job servitude
    • Indentured time: Time spent earning a living, the opposite of free time
  • Fastlane Distinctions
    • Slowlaners attempt to manipulate intrinsic value through education
    • Indentured time is time you spend earning a living. It is the opposite of free time.
• Chapter 14: The Hypocrisy of the Gurus - The hypocrisy of financial gurus who preach one strategy for wealth but use another to get rich.
  • The Paradox of Practice: Do you practice what you preach?
  • Examples of financial gurus who may be guilty of a Paradox of Practice:
    • Suze Orman (mutual funds, dollar-cost averaging, 401Ks)
    • David Bach (compound interest tables, save 10% of your paycheck)
    • Robert Kiyosaki (real estate investing)
  • The underlying mathematical equation that governs their teachings may not be the same one that made them rich.
  • If the "do as I say" doesn't match the "do as I do", you should be suspicious.
  • The author's Fastlane concepts have given him financial independence and freedom.
  • The "do as I say" matches the "do as I do" for the author.
  • SlowLane gurus may admit failure when their plans fail, but they will continue to sell the same failed rhetoric.
  • Take advice from people with a proven, successful track record of their espoused discipline.
• Chapter 16: Wealth’s Shortcut: The Fastlane - Wealth's Shortcut: The Fastlane
  • What is the Fastlane?
    • Business and lifestyle strategy centered around:
      • Controllable Unlimited Leverage (CUL)
      • Business (self-employment, entrepreneurship)
      • Lifestyle (blended beliefs, processes, actions)
      • Rapid wealth creation
  • Fastlane Mindposts:
    • Debt Perception: Debt is useful for building and growing systems.
    • Time Perception: Time is the most important asset, exceeding money.
    • Education Perception: Constant expansion of knowledge and awareness is critical.
    • Money Perception: Money is everywhere and abundant, reflecting value created.
    • Primary Income Source: Income earned through business systems and investments.
    • Primary Wealth Accelerator: Creating something from nothing or adding value to existing assets.
    • Wealth Perception: Building business systems for cash flow and asset valuation.
    • Wealth Equation: Wealth = Net Profit + Asset Value
    • Strategy: Helping others leads to enrichment in time, money, and fulfillment.
    • Destination: Lifetime passive income through business or investments.
    • Responsibility & Control: Life and financial plan are personal responsibilities.
    • Life Perception: Dreams are worth pursuing, and money is necessary to make them real.
  • Fastlane Roadmap: Predisposed to Wealth
    • Operates under a wealth equation with controllable, unlimited variables.
    • Rapid wealth accumulation through "profit" or "asset value" or both.
    • Produces wealth in short periods (millions or billions of dollars).
  • The Shadow Behind "Get Rich Quick"
    • "Get Rich Quick" is a distorted concept often associated with scams.
    • True "Get Rich Quick" embodies the Fastlane, where wealth is created through process.
  • Tales from the Fastlane
    • Examples of individuals who experienced "Get Rich Quick" events through business ventures.
  • Fastlane: Wealth's Industrial Revolution
    • A financial revolution that leverages systems to industrialize the wealth creation process.
  • The Parable of Fastlane Wealth
    • Azur (Slowlane): Manual labor, limited progress.
    • Chuma (Fastlane): Developed a system to move heavy stones efficiently.
  • Fastlane is a Business System: Slowlane is a Job
    • Slowlane: Hard work traded for an employer's cash.
    • Fastlane: Building a system that leverages work, creating a business system.
  • Chapter Summary: Fastlane Distinctions
    • Fastlane strategy carries similar risks but greater rewards compared to Slowlane.
    • Fastlane Roadmap emphasizes Controllable Unlimited Leverage.
    • Fastlane Roadmap is designed for wealth creation.
    • Fastlane Roadmap allows for "Get Rich Quick" outcomes through process, not easy schemes.
• Chapter 17: Switch Teams and Playbooks - Switch Teams and Playbooks
  • Losing teams use losing playbooks
  • To win, switch teams and use the winner's playbook
  • Fastlane roadmap creates financial winners
  • To get the Fastlane playbook, forsake the majority ideology and become a Slowlane traitor
  • Switching Teams and The Playbook
  • From birth, we are conditioned to be consumers
  • Jobs exist to facilitate the consumer process
  • This consumer focus keeps you amenable to anti-Fastlane thinking
  • Cracking The Code
  • The winning team is Team Producer
  • Reshape life's focus on producing, not consuming
  • When you switch to minority thinking (producer), you effectively switch teams and allegiances
  • Become a producer first and a consumer second
  • Instead of buying products, sell products
  • Instead of taking a job, hire for jobs
  • Instead of consuming, switch sides and reorient to the world as a producer
  • As a producer, you see the world from a different perspective
  • You understand how companies make money and can identify opportunities
  • This producer mindset is critical to strengthening your wealth-creation temperament
  • Producer Reorientation
  • Examine advertising messages from a producer perspective
  • How does the company make money?
  • What is the aim of its message?
  • What kind of business processes are involved?
  • Is the company making a profit?
  • What is the revenue model?
  • Is the product manufactured overseas or locally?
  • As a producer, you attract wealth because consumers seek producers
  • To Consume Richly, Produce Effectively
  • Once you succeed as a producer, you can consume anything you want with little consequence
  • To consume richly, produce richly first
  • Producers get rich. Consumers get poor
  • Switch teams and reorient as a producer first, a consumer second
  • Make wealth attracted to you!
  • Be a Producer: Leverage The Business of a System
  • To switch teams and become a producer, you need to be an entrepreneur and an innovator
  • You need to give birth to a business and offer the world value
  • A Fastlane business is the key to the Fastlane wealth equation (Wealth = Profit + Asset Value)
  • It unlocks LEVERAGE, a new set of wealth variables that are unlimited and controllable
  • For example, the sale of this book puts me into the Fastlane universe, which is governed by its wealth equation of net profit and asset value
  • This book is a business system that has unlimited leverage in both time and money!
  • The more I sell, the greater the return on my original time investment
  • If I guest-speak on a radio show for 10 minutes and that appearance yields 1,000 book sales, this 10-minute investment yields $5,000 in income (1,000 books × $5 profit) and yields a return on my time at $30,000 per hour
  • Fastlane Distinctions
  • Producers are indigenous to the Fastlane roadmap
  • Producers are the minority as are the rich, while consumers are the majority as are the poor
  • When you succeed as a producer, you can consume anything you want
  • Fastlaners are producers, entrepreneurs, innovators, visionaries, and creators
  • A business does not make a Fastlane—some businesses are jobs in disguise
  • The Fastlane wealth equation is not bound by time and its variables are unlimited
• Chapter 18: How the Rich Really Get Rich - How to become wealthy:
  • The Fastlane Wealth Equation:
    • Wealth = Net Profit + Asset Value
    • Net Profit = Units Sold × Unit Profit
    • Asset Value = Net Profit × Industry Multiple
  • Controllable and Unlimited Variables:
    • Increase units sold by increasing conversion ratio or web traffic
    • Increase unit profit by raising prices or offering new services
  • Appreciating Assets:
    • Focus on businesses, brands, cash flows, intellectual property, and real estate that increase in value over time
    • Asset Value = (Net Profit) × (Industry Multiplier)
  • Wealth Acceleration Factor (WAF):
    • Factor that determines the rate at which wealth is accelerated through assets
    • WAF = Industry Multiple
  • Liquidation Events:
    • Selling appreciable assets to realize gains and transform "paper" net worth into "real" net worth
• Chapter 20: Recruit Your Army of Freedom Fighters - Creating Wealth:
  • Passive income is both the short and long-term goal.
  • Building an "army of freedom fighters" by saving money.
  • Money is the means to fight for freedom, allowing individuals to break the equation of "time for money."
  • Focus on increasing income, not just reducing expenses.
  • Think globally and invest in international dollar-denominated assets.
  • Compound Interest:
    • For Slowlaners, compound interest is used to get wealthy.
    • For Fastlaners, it is used to create income and liquidity.
    • Fastlaners leverage compound interest against large sums of money.
    • Compound interest is not responsible for Fastlaners' wealth; their Fastlane businesses are.
  • Effective Use of Compound Interest:
    • Doubling a penny every day for 40 days results in a substantial sum of money.
    • Compound interest becomes powerful when applied to large sums.
    • Fastlaners ride the "tidal wave" of compound interest near land, where its force is most effective.
    • Example: 10% interest on $10 million yields $1 million annually, creating a substantial passive income stream.
  • Key Distinctions:
    • A saved dollar is a seed for a money tree.
    • 5% interest on $10 million generates $40,000 in passive income monthly.
    • A saved dollar adds a freedom fighter to an individual's army.
    • Fastlaners leverage compound interest at its peak, with large sums of money.
• Chapter 21: The Real Law of Wealth - The Law of Effection
  • The more lives you affect in an entity you control, in scale and/or magnitude, the richer you will become.
  • "Affect millions and make millions."
  • Examples:
    • Impact millions (write an article or make a product that impacts millions)
    • Sell millions of units (even with a small profit margin)
    • Provide housing for thousands of families (provide magnitude)
    • Create a product worth millions of dollars (sell fewer units but with high profit margin)
  • Key Concepts:
    • Scale: units sold
    • Magnitude: profit per unit
    • Effection of scale or magnitude always precedes money.
  • Examples of Effection:
    • Athletes: Paid millions because they entertain millions (scale)
    • Comedians: Paid millions for making millions laugh
    • Corporate executives: Paid millions for servicing millions (scale)
    • Agents of high-profile athletes: Rich because of indirect contact to the Law of Effection
    • Real estate brokers: Rich because they indirectly connect to the Law of Effection
  • The Law of Attraction vs. the Law of Effection:
    • The Law of Attraction: Not a law, but a theory. Belief and manifestation are not absolute.
    • The Law of Effection: Absolute and operates exclusive of a roadmap.
  • All lineages of self-made wealth trace back to the Law of Effection.
  • To make millions, you must serve millions in scale or a few in magnitude.
• Chapter 22: Own Yourself First - The Paralysis of "Pay Yourself First"
  • Fastlane success requires ownership of oneself and control over financial decisions.
  • "Pay yourself first" (PYF) is a flawed doctrine that doesn't work for individuals reliant on employment income.
  • Governments take a significant portion of income through taxes, making PYF difficult.
  • To truly pay oneself first, one must own their own business and control their finances.
  • To Pay Yourself First, You Must Own Yourself
    • One can't pay themselves first effectively without owning their business.
    • When employed, someone else owns you, and you are paid last after taxes.
    • To own yourself, establish a corporation that you control.
  • How to Own Yourself
    • Avoid sole proprietorships or general partnerships due to unlimited liability.
    • Best business structures for Fastlane:
      • C corporation
      • S corporation
      • Limited liability corporation (LLC)
    • All three offer limited liability and tax efficiency.
  • The C Corporation
    • Survives time, easily transferred, profits taxed at corporate rates, net income distributed to shareholders.
    • Income splitting: distribute income to owner and business to lower tax bracket.
    • Advantageous for larger corporations focused on asset growth rather than profit distribution.
  • The S Corporation
    • Similar to C corporation but not taxed as a separate entity.
    • Taxes paid at individual level, reflected on owner's tax return.
    • Tax advantages: profits not subject to self-employment tax.
    • Limited to 100 owners, additional filing requirements.
  • The Limited Liability Corp (LLC)
    • Similar to a corporation with benefits of a partnership or sole proprietorship.
    • Profit passes through to owners (members), reflected on personal tax returns.
    • Considered a "pass-through" entity, like S corporations.
    • Recommended for small startups due to limited liability.
  • Selecting an Entity
    • Depends on business goals and vision.
    • Consider questions such as exit strategy, growth strategy, liability exposure, capital raising plans, hiring plans, and profit timeline.
    • Different entities suit different needs (e.g., S corp for pass-through taxation, LLC for limited liability).
    • Consult with professionals for specific advice.
  • Chapter Summary: Fastlane Distinctions
    • PYF is impossible in a job due to tax obligations.
    • To own yourself and truly pay yourself first, establish a corporation that separates you from the business.
    • Your corporation acts as your surrogate, allowing you to control your finances and wealth creation.
• Chapter 23: Life’s Steering Wheel Chapter Summary: Fastlane Distinctions
  • Leading Cause of Poorness: Poor choices
  • Life's Steering Wheel: Choices
  • Current Situation: Result of choices
  • Success: Hundreds of choices forming process and lifestyle
  • Choice: Most powerful control in life
  • Treasonous Choices: Negative and permanent impact on life
  • Choice Horsepower: Trajectory into the future
  • Youthful Choices: Maximum horsepower, lasting consequences
  • Aging Choices: Decreased horsepower, less impact on life's trajectory Key Points:
  • Poorness stems from poor choices, not lack of money or opportunities.
  • Personal choices determine life's circumstances.
  • Success is a result of numerous deliberate choices, not single events.
  • Choices have significant power to shape the future, especially in youth.
  • Treasonous choices can irreparably harm life, goals, and dreams.
  • Youthful choices have the most impact and shape the foundation of life's trajectory.
  • As individuals age, the impact of choices diminishes due to accumulated past experiences and habits.
  • Reflecting on past choices can reveal the forks in the road and their consequences.
  • For individuals under 30, choices are at peak horsepower and should be used to propel them towards success.
• Chapter 24: Wipe Your Windshield Clean - Wipe Your Windshield Clean
  • The Choice of Perception:
    • Our perception of events influences our actions and choices.
    • We choose to interpret events based on our frame of reference.
    • Changing our perception can lead to better choices and actions.
  • Your Perception is not the Reality:
    • Our perception of money and wealth may be limited by societal norms.
    • It's important to challenge our limiting beliefs and seek out new perspectives.
  • Wiping the Windshield Clean Starts with Language:
    • Examine the words we use to describe our goals and aspirations.
    • Flimsy language implies doubt and uncertainty, while firm language conveys confidence and determination.
  • Steering Tips: Better Choices and a Better Life:
    • Respect yourself and make choices that align with your dreams.
    • Avoid choices that could be treasonous to your goals and cloud your vision.
  • Changing Your Life Starts with Changing Choices:
    • Use the Fastlane vehicle of choice to make better decisions.
    • Worse Case Consequence Analysis (WCCA):
      • Identifies potential risks and consequences of choices.
      • Helps prevent disastrous choices.
    • Weighted Average Decision Matrix (WADM):
      • Quantifies and compares big decisions.
      • Isolates and prioritizes relevant factors.
  • Get Your Eyes Off the Rearview Mirror:
    • The past does not define the future.
    • Focus on the present and the opportunities it holds.
    • The universe forgets, so we should too.
  • Is Your Memory Treasonous?
    • Our memories can be either accelerative or treasonous.
    • Choose to frame past experiences in a way that serves your future goals.
    • Let failures teach you lessons and motivate you to grow.
  • Chapter Summary: Fastlane Distinctions:
    • Choices of perception drive choices of action.
    • Align with those who embody the perception you want to adopt.
    • Use WCCA to avoid harmful choices.
    • Use WADM to make informed big decisions.
    • The universe has no memory, only you do.
    • Your past can empower or hinder you, depending on your perspective.
    • Focus on the future and become the person you need to be.
• Chapter 25: Deodorize Flatulent Headwinds - The FasTLane's Natural Headwind
  • Society's gravitational pull keeps people from achieving extraordinary wealth
  • Naysayers, such as friends, family, and educational institutions, create a headwind
  • To break free from this headwind, individuals need to adopt an uncommon approach and have extraordinary beliefs
  • Turning Your Back to Flatulent Headwinds
    • Turning your back to headwinds can accelerate your progress
    • Break free from society's gravitational force and expectations
    • Identify and avoid people who "fart headwinds" (e.g., friends and family who don't support your goals, Slowlane gurus)
    • Escape environmental headwinds (e.g., a negative work environment or a depressing location)
  • Escaping Human Headwind Bloviators
    • People who don't empower your goals are "human headwind bloviators"
    • They add friction to your journey and spread doubt and disbelief
    • Turn your back on these individuals
    • Surround yourself with positive people who support your dreams
  • Escaping Environmental Headwinds
    • Environmental factors can also create headwinds (e.g., a negative work environment or a depressing location)
    • Take active steps to remove yourself from environmental headwinds
    • Identify and eliminate headwinds that prevent you from pursuing your dreams
  • Creating Accelerative Winds
    • Associate with people who empower your goals
    • Positive relationships nurture your growth and provide support
    • Join entrepreneur clubs, attend networking events, and find a mentor
    • Read books and autobiographies of successful people
  • Significant Other or Significant Distraction?
    • A significant other can be a headwind if they don't support your life ideals and philosophies
    • Bad relationships drain energy and dim dreams
    • Evaluate your relationship and consider if your partner is aligned with your goals
  • Chapter Summary: Fastlane Distinctions
    • Society's natural gravity is to be average, not exceptional
    • Toxic relationships detract from your goals to be extraordinary
    • Surround yourself with supportive people
    • Good relationships accelerate your progress, while bad relationships hinder it
• Chapter 26: Your Primordial Fuel: Time - Time is the most valuable asset, not money.
  • Time is finite and cannot be created outside of our mortal limits.
  • Money is abundant and can be acquired more easily than time.
  • Indentured time is the time spent earning money and the consequences of that spent time, while free time is yours to spend as you please.
  • Free time is bought and paid for by indentured time.
  • Parasitic debt is debt that forces you to work and limits your free time.
  • The Law of Chocolate Chip Cookies: If the cookies don't get into the grocery cart, they don't get home, and if they don't get home, they don't get in your mouth.
  • Control parasitic debt by controlling its source: instant gratification.
  • A poor valuation of free time leads to poorness.
  • Time losers are poor evaluators of time and waste their free time to save money.
  • Fastlaners exalt time as their primary consideration in decision-making because it's our most valued asset.
• Chapter 27: Change That Dirty, Stale Oil - Education is crucial for success in the Fastlane.
  • Education should be used to enhance the business system and money tree, not just to increase intrinsic value.
  • Fastlaners start their education at graduation, if not before.
  • Education should be obtained through methods that do not produce parasitic debt or conformity.
  • Sidewalkers don't bother with education after graduation.
  • Slowlaners focus on education to increase intrinsic value.
  • Education is a critical component to a successful Fastlane journey.
  • Education should be ongoing and focus on new skills and competencies.
  • Education should be obtained through real-world experiences and self-directed learning.
  • The excuse of "I don't know how!" is invalid.
  • Knowledge is readily available and can be acquired through various means.
  • Education is free and can be found in books, libraries, and online resources.
  • The rich understand that education doesn't end with graduation; it starts.
  • Education should be squeezed into existing activities to maximize time.
  • Expensive seminars are often exploitative and should be avoided.
  • Good seminars are under $1,000 and are given by respectable experts, practitioners, and seminar firms.
  • The first tipoff of a bad seminar is price.
  • The second tipoff of a bad seminar is FREE.
  • The third tipoff of a bad seminar is the presenter.
• Chapter 28: Hit the Redline - Winners are forged at the Redline:
  • Redline represents pure, unadulterated commitment, not money trees or systems.
  • Commitment is essential for business growth and success.
  • Interest vs. Commitment:
    • Interest involves reading books, while commitment involves applying the knowledge repeatedly.
    • Interest starts businesses, while commitment files LLC paperwork.
    • Interest works on businesses part-time, while commitment works on them whenever possible.
    • Interest leases expensive cars, while commitment rides bikes and invests in the system.
  • Distance yourself from "most people":
    • Determine how badly you want success and if you're willing to make sacrifices.
    • Most people avoid discomfort and choose the easy path.
    • Fastlane winners embrace challenges and work hard.
  • Get your foot off the brakes:
    • Failure is a natural part of success, and avoiding it prevents you from achieving success.
    • Risk-taking is essential for growth and opportunities.
  • Intelligent risks vs. moronic risks:
    • Intelligent risks have limited downside and unlimited upside, such as investing in a company with high growth potential.
    • Moronic risks have unlimited downside and limited upside, such as gambling a month's salary at a casino.
  • Smack "someday":
    • Don't wait for perfect timing, as it never comes.
    • Take action today and make "someday" today.
  • Opportunity doesn't care about timing:
    • Opportunity comes and goes, and it's important to seize it when it presents itself.
    • Successful entrepreneurs often start businesses outside of their preconceived timing.
    • Unanswered opportunities move on to those who are willing to take them.
• Chapter 29: The Right Road Routes to Wealth - The path to wealth is determined by the means chosen at the outset.
  • The Slowlane path to wealth is a job, while the Fastlane path is a business.
  • Most jobs and businesses do not lead to wealth due to mathematical limitations.
  • If the current business path does not lead to wealth, a course correction is necessary.
  • Business owners often deceive themselves by pursuing the wrong path and failing to achieve wealth.
  • The Fastlane philosophy emphasizes starting a business, but it is crucial to choose a business that aligns with the Law of Effection.
  • The Law of Effection states that impacting millions is necessary to make millions.
  • In the Slowlane, intrinsic value is developed, while in the Fastlane, businesses are engineered to impact millions.
  • If a business does not lead to the Law of Effection, it is not a Fastlane business.
  • The Fastlane wealth equation is driven by businesses that align with the Law of Effection.
  • Business opportunities are abundant, but not all lead to the Fastlane.
  • Serving millions is essential for making millions.
  • A positive attitude is insufficient if the business path is not aligned with the Law of Effection.
• Chapter 30: The Commandment of Need - Chapter Summary: Fastlane Distinctions
  • Not all businesses are the right road. Few roads move at, through, or near the Law of Effection.
  • The best roads and the purest Fastlanes satisfy the Five Fastlane Commandments: Need, Entry, Control, Scale, and Time.
  • The Commandment of Need
    • Businesses that solve needs win.
    • Needs can be pain points, service gaps, unsolved problems, or emotional disconnects.
    • Ninety percent of all new businesses fail because they are based on selfish internal needs, not external market needs.
    • No one cares about your selfish desires for dreams or money; people only want to know what your business can do for them.
    • Money chasers haven’t broken free from selfishness, and their businesses often follow their own selfish needs.
    • People vote for your business with their money.
    • Chase money and it will elude you. However, if you ignore it and focus on what attracts money, you will draw it to yourself.
    • Help one million people and you will be a millionaire.
  • The Commandment of Entry
    • Every Fastlane road is an entry point, a place where you start your journey to wealth.
    • Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a lot of money to start a Fastlane business.
    • You can start small and scale up as you go.
    • The key is to find an entry point that is accessible to you and that has the potential to lead to a profitable business.
    • There are many different ways to find an entry point. You can start a new business, buy an existing business, or invest in a franchise.
    • The important thing is to do your research and make sure that the entry point you choose is a good fit for your skills and interests.
    • Once you have found an entry point, you need to develop a plan for how you are going to grow your business.
    • This plan should include marketing strategies, sales strategies, and financial projections.
    • It is also important to have a team of advisors who can help you along the way.
    • With hard work and dedication, you can build a successful Fastlane business and achieve your financial goals.
  • The Commandment of Control
    • Control is the key to Fastlane success.
    • You need to control your time, your money, and your business.
    • When you have control, you can make decisions that are in your best interest and you can avoid the pitfalls that can derail your business.
    • There are many ways to gain control of your business. You can start by owning your own business, which gives you the freedom to make your own decisions.
    • You can also gain control by investing in a business that you believe in.
    • Once you have control of your business, you need to manage it wisely.
    • This means making sound financial decisions, hiring the right people, and marketing your business effectively.
    • With control, you can build a successful business that will provide you with financial freedom and security.
  • The Commandment of Scale
    • Scale is the ability to grow your business without sacrificing quality.
    • When you scale your business, you increase your revenue and profits without increasing your costs.
    • There are many ways to scale your business. You can increase your sales volume, expand into new markets, or offer new products or services.
    • The key to scaling your business is to find a way to do it that is sustainable.
    • This means having a solid business model and a team of people who are committed to your success.
    • With scale, you can build a large and profitable business that will provide you with financial freedom and security.
  • The Commandment of Time
    • Time is the most important asset you have.
    • You need to use your time wisely in order to achieve your goals.
    • There are many ways to manage your time effectively. You can set priorities, delegate tasks, and automate processes.
    • The key to managing your time is to find a system that works for you.
    • With time, you can build a successful business and achieve your financial goals.
  • Conclusion
    • The Five Fastlane Commandments are a roadmap to wealth.
    • By following these commandments, you can build a successful business and achieve your financial goals.
    • Remember, the Fastlane is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It takes hard work, dedication, and perseverance to succeed.
    • But if you are willing to put in the effort, the Fastlane can lead you to a life of wealth and freedom.
• Chapter 31: The Commandment of Entry Commandment of Entry
  • As entry barriers fall, competition rises, and the road weakens.
  • Easy access roads carry more traffic, generating higher competition and lower margins.
  • Businesses with weak entry often lack control and operate in saturated marketplaces.
  • Exceptionalism is required to overcome weak entry barriers.
  • Access to a business road should be a process with a toll, not an event.
  • "Everyone" consists of the general populous and is served by the mainstream media.
  • If everyone were wealthy, "everybody is doing it" would work. And if everyone is wealthy, then no one is wealthy.
  • "Everyone is doing it" is a signal to overbought conditions and the entrance of "dumb money." Commandment of Control
  • You're either driving the Fastlane or you aren't. You're either in control over your financial plan or you aren't.
  • Business hitchhikers seek refuge from risk and cower within the confines of a matriarchal organization.
  • A business hitchhiker loses control and makes someone else rich.
  • Fastlane drivers retain control. Those who violate the commandment do not.
  • Drivers create MLM companies; they don't join them.
  • Drivers sell franchises; they don't buy them.
  • Drivers offer affiliate programs; they don't join them.
  • Drivers run hedge funds; they don't invest in them.
  • Drivers sell stock; they don't buy stock.
  • Drivers offer drop-shipping; they don't use drop-shipping.
  • Drivers offer employment; they don't get employed.
  • Drivers accept rents and royalties; they don't pay rents and royalties.
  • Drivers sell licenses; they don't buy them.
  • Drivers sell IPO shares; they don't buy them.
  • Hitchhiking a Fastlane is an incredible risk, especially when your family is the cargo.
  • When you relinquish control and defer power to a higher authority, you cede big money to the driver and accept good money as the passenger.
  • No control leads to crashes.
  • Think shark, not guppy.
  • Be a driver, not a hitchhiker.
  • Invest in your brand only!
  • Network marketing is a Fastlane but only if you own the network marketing company.
• Chapter 34: The Commandment of Time Thomas Edison's Commandment of Time Definition:
  • Requires businesses to be independent of the owner's time.
  • Passive income is a Fastlane objective that aligns with the Commandment of Time. Key Considerations:
  • Can the business be automated and systematized to operate without the owner?
  • Are margins sufficient to hire human resources to support automation?
  • Can a "money tree seedling" (e.g., content or distribution system) be introduced to generate passive income?
  • How can the business be structured to operate independently of the owner's time? Consequences of Violating the Commandment of Time:
  • Jobs and some businesses are time trades for income, limiting wealth creation and personal freedom.
  • Businesses that violate the Commandment of Time become "lifelong prison sentences" for owners, preventing them from enjoying the fruits of their labor. Case Study: Ashlyn Gardner's Coffee Shop
  • Ashlyn's coffee shop initially thrived, but over time, it became a burden due to its dependence on her time.
  • She realized she didn't own her business; it owned her, consuming her time and personal life.
  • Hiring a general manager was financially infeasible, and the business failed to generate sufficient profits to justify her personal sacrifices. Avoidance of the Commandment of Time
  • Many entrepreneurs enter business with unrealistic expectations, believing that "doing what you love" is enough for success.
  • This mindset can lead to choosing roads that lack the potential for passivity and financial freedom.
  • "Money trees don't grow in the desert," meaning businesses that violate the Commandment of Time are unlikely to generate substantial wealth or personal freedom. Path to Passivity and Wealth Creation
  • As a Fastlaner, businesses should be designed with automation and passivity in mind.
  • Money-tree seedlings (e.g., content, computer, distribution systems) can be added to businesses to facilitate passivity.
  • If a business is not based on a money-tree seedling, it should be evaluated for its potential to incorporate one. Obstacles to Satisfying the Commandment of Time:
  • Lack of access to money-tree seedlings (e.g., due to a deficient business model)
  • Infertile soil (e.g., businesses that are not structured to support passivity) Chapter Summary: Fastlane Distinctions
  • Businesses tied to your time are essentially jobs.
  • Businesses that generate income independently of your time satisfy the Commandment of Time.
  • To satisfy the Commandment of Time, start with a business that employs money-tree seedlings.
• Chapter 35: Rapid Wealth: The Interstates - The Crossroads
  • Our actions can impact others
  • Make decisions based on long-term goals
  • Starting a Business
    • Treat it seriously to avoid failure
    • Consider the risks and potential rewards
  • The Crossroads of Opportunity
    • Evaluate opportunities carefully
    • Don't dismiss them based on existing competition
  • The Three Interstates
    • The most potent Fastlane roads
    • Offer the fastest speeds and meet the Fastlane commandments
    • Include Internet, Innovation, and Intentional Iteration
  • Potent Fastlane #1: Internet
    • Offers significant potential for wealth creation
    • Obeys the Fastlane Commandments
    • Business models include subscription-based, content-based, lead generation, social networks, brokerage systems, advertising, and e-commerce
  • Potent Fastlane #2: Innovation
    • Involves creating and distributing a product or service
    • Includes inventing, manufacturing, and distributing
    • Can involve improving existing products or introducing new ones
  • Potent Fastlane #3: Intentional Iteration (II)
    • Achieving scale through repetition
    • Can transform a singles-based business into a home-run business
    • Examples include real estate investing and franchising
  • Identifying Open Roads
    • Opportunities are everywhere
    • Look for unmet needs or poorly met needs
    • Listen for phrases like "I hate..." or "This frustrates me"
    • Don't be afraid of competition
    • Focus on doing it better
    • Successful businesses often improve existing concepts
    • Consider the needs of others
    • Evaluate opportunities based on their potential for solving problems
• Chapter 36: Find Your Open Road - Open Roads to Opportunity
  • Identify unmet needs or pain points:
    • "I wish there was..."
    • "I'm tired of..."
    • "This sucks..."
  • Seek solutions to address these needs:
    • "Make wishes come true..."
    • "Fix someone's tiresomeness..."
    • "Remove or reduce suckage..."
  • Example: Canker Sore Formula
    • Personal discomfort led to research and discovery of a potential solution
    • Combination of Vitamin X and Herb Y (hypothetical) effectively prevented canker sores
    • Opportunity identified: Market a unique canker sore preventive formula
  • Characteristics of Opportunity
    • Discomfort, distress, inconvenience, complaints, problems, performance gaps
    • Solve these challenges and offer solutions to the masses
  • Failure: A Catalyst for Innovation
    • Failure can pave new paths to success
    • Examples: Heart pacemaker, microwave ovens, penicillin, vulcanized rubber
    • Recognize the potential in failure and explore new directions
  • Distinction Between Quitting and Quitting Your Road
    • Quitting: Abandoning dreams and aspirations
    • Quitting your road: Changing course while pursuing the overall dream
    • Examples: Teacher to private tutor, tanning salon to Internet company, network marketing to own business
  • Fastlane Distinctions
    • Opportunities often lie in addressing unmet needs, not breakthroughs
    • Competition is inevitable; focus on outperforming
    • Execution is key to success, not the idea itself
    • Successful entrepreneurs improve existing concepts or expand their reach
    • Opportunity can be found in language and thought processes
    • Failure can create new avenues for innovation
    • Quitting only occurs when the dream is abandoned
• Chapter 37: Give Your Road a Destination - Give Your Road a Destination
  • The tragedy of life lies in having no goal to reach.
  • The Price of Freedom: Money
    • Freedom has a price, and that price is money.
    • Dreams cost money, both materialistic and altruistic.
  • Set Your Destination: Four Steps to Starting
    • Define the Lifestyle: What do you want?
    • Assess the Cost: How much do your dreams cost?
    • Set the Targets: Set the money system and business income targets.
    • Make it Real: Fund it and open it!
  • Step 1: Define the Lifestyle
    • Define the lifestyle you want and its associated costs.
  • Step 2: Assess the Cost
    • Determine the monthly cost for each, including all associated taxes and insurance.
  • Step 3: Set the Targets
    • Calculate your money system target by multiplying your Net Living Cost by 12, then dividing by .05, or 5%.
    • Calculate your business system target by multiplying your Gross Living Cost by 5.
  • Step 4: Make it Real
    • Start by looking three feet in front of you, not three miles.
    • Break down enormous tasks into their smallest parts.
  • The Rules of the Road: Financial Literacy
    • You can't build a financial empire if you're ignorant of basic finance and economics.
    • Financial illiterates can't manage money systems.
  • Live Below Your Means—SlowLane?
    • Live below your means with the intent to expand your means.
    • "Live below your means" is relevant at any income level.
    • For Fastlaners it's a big challenge because we get paid first, not last.
  • A Financial Adviser Doesn't Fix Illiteracy
    • Hiring a financial adviser doesn't fix financial illiteracy.
    • Literacy gives you the power to evaluate your adviser's advice.
  • Chapter Summary: Fastlane Distinctions
    • The Fastlane is the means to your end because dreams cost money.
    • Conquer big goals by breaking them down to their smallest component.
    • Daily saving reinforces your relationship with money; it is your passive system that buys freedom and another soldier added to your army.
    • A money system isn't used to grow wealth but to grow income. Growing wealth should be left to your Fastlane road.
    • You will struggle to build a financial empire if you are financially illiterate.
    • "Live below your means" is relevant at any income level.
    • For the Fastlaner, "Live below your means" means to expand your means.
    • A financial adviser doesn't solve financial illiteracy and literacy is insurance.
    • Financial illiteracy dilutes your control, especially when evaluating the advice of a financial adviser.
• Chapter 38: The Speed of Success - Speed: The Transformation of Ideas to Execution
  • Ideas are nothing without execution
  • Execution is the process of turning ideas into reality
  • Most People Let Powerful Information Expire and Become Worthless
    • Doing nothing is expected
    • Human nature leads people to seek events and avoid process
    • The path of least resistance is to do nothing
  • Successful Fastlane Businesses Are Run Multi-Dimensionally, Like a Game of Chess
    • One-dimensional businesses focus on price only
    • Chess is a complex game with complex maneuvers
    • Each piece in chess represents a specific function within a business
  • Execution Divides Winners and Losers from Their Ideas
    • Execution is the king of the business game
    • Ideas are pawns
    • Potential speed is an idea
    • Actual speed is an idea accelerated and executed
  • In Business, Execution Is Process. Ideas Are Events.
    • Execution takes effort, sacrifice, discipline, and persistence
    • Ideas are just events
  • Ideas Are Potential Speed. Execution Is Actual Speed.
    • A great idea with weak execution is worthless
    • A so-so idea with brilliant execution can be worth millions
  • Others Share Your Blockbuster Idea. He Who Thinks the Idea Owns Nothing. He Who Executes the Idea Owns Everything.
    • The owner of an idea is not he who imagines it, but he who executes it
  • Real Money and Momentum Is Created When an Idea (Potential Speed) Is Matched with Execution (Accelerator Pressure).
    • The coupling of a great idea and weak execution is worthless
    • The coupling of a so-so idea and brilliant execution can be very valuable
  • An Idea Is Neurological Flatulence. Execution Makes It Smell Like a Rose.
    • Ideas are common
    • Execution is what makes an idea valuable
  • Chapter Summary: Fastlane Distinctions
    • Speed is the transformation of ideas to execution
    • Most people let powerful information expire and become worthless
    • Successful Fastlane businesses are run multi-dimensionally, like a game of chess
    • One-dimensional businesses focus on price only
    • Execution divides winners and losers from their ideas
    • In business, execution is process. Ideas are events
    • Ideas are potential speed. Execution is actual speed
    • Others share your blockbuster idea. He who thinks the idea owns nothing. He who executes the idea owns everything
    • Real money and momentum is created when an idea (potential speed) is matched with execution (accelerator pressure)
    • An idea is neurological flatulence. Execution makes it smell like a rose
• Chapter 39: Burn the Business Plan, Ignite Execution - Ignite Execution:
  • Act on ideas for success
  • The World Reacts How It Reacts:
    • Test ideas in the real world
    • Accept feedback and adjust accordingly
    • The market (world) determines the success of ideas
  • The Tribe Has Spoken:
    • Example: Redesigning a website
    • Negative feedback (complaints, low conversion rate) led to reverting back to the old version
    • The world provides guidance on the right direction
  • Dead College Professors Roll Over:
    • Business plans are useless
    • They are ideas on steroids, not reflections of reality
    • Execution is key
  • But I Want Venture Capital!
    • Venture capitalists invest in people with track records of execution
    • Create a tangible concept that reflects execution (prototype, brand, track record)
  • Get Funded with Execution, Not with Business Plans:
    • Investors want to see evidence of execution
    • Create something tangible for investors to evaluate
  • Chapter Summary: Fastlane Distinctions:
    • The world provides clues on the right direction
    • Business plans are invalidated when ideas interact with the world
    • The marketplace steers businesses into unplanned directions
    • A track record of execution is the best business plan
    • Investors invest in people with execution experience
    • Tangible execution is more attractive to investors than ideas on paper
• Chapter 40: Pedestrians Will Make You Rich! - Customer Service as a "Go-To Guy"
  • Customer service is crucial in business, serving as a guide and support system for customers.
  • Its primary objective is to provide assistance and resolve issues.
  • Internal Roadmap: The Black Book
    • A written record of customer complaints, grievances, and issues.
    • Serves as a valuable tool for identifying areas for improvement and taking corrective actions.
    • Complaints are seen as free feedback and indicators of unmet needs.
  • Types of Complaints
    • Complaints of Change:
      • Resistance to changes in products or services.
      • Can be difficult to decipher, requiring data analysis to determine validity.
    • Complaints of Expectation:
      • Occur when customer expectations are not met.
      • Can expose operational issues, marketing misinformation, or product problems.
    • Complaints of Void:
      • Highlight unmet customer needs.
      • Valuable for identifying new revenue opportunities.
    • Complaints of Fraud:
      • Illegitimate complaints designed to exploit businesses.
      • Should be handled with caution and appropriate documentation.
  • Managing Complaints
    • Pick Your Battles:
      • Focus on addressing complaints that add the most value and benefit the most customers.
    • Use "Sucks" to Your Advantage:
      • Low customer service expectations can be an opportunity for businesses to differentiate themselves by providing exceptional service (SUCS).
      • SUCS involves violating customer expectations positively, creating loyal and repeat buyers.
  • Leverage Free Human Resource Systems
    • Customer discipleship can generate free advertising through word-of-mouth.
    • Provide SUCS to turn customers into unpaid human resource systems who promote your business.
  • Customer Loyalty and Stakeholder Prioritization
    • Success in business depends on prioritizing customer satisfaction.
    • Customers should be the No. 1 stakeholder, ahead of the business owner's personal interests.
    • Violating customer expectations positively creates evangelists and human resource systems that drive business growth.
  • Look Big, Act Small
    • Create a perception of a large and well-established business while maintaining a personalized and responsive service approach.
    • This strategy can intimidate competitors and create SUCS opportunities.
  • Fastlane Distinctions
    • Complaints provide valuable insights into customer needs.
    • Great customer service involves exceeding low expectations.
    • Poor service gaps present business opportunities.
    • Satisfied customers can be free marketing resources.
    • Customer satisfaction is the key to achieving personal goals.
    • Looking big and acting small can create SUCS events and deter competition.
• Chapter 41: Throw Hijackers to the Curb! - Your castle is mismanaged:
  • If you put crooks in the castle, expect trouble.
  • The rook—or the castle—represents the people you put in your business. This includes employees, partners and investors, and advisers.
  • The business marriage: Partners
    • A business partner is like being married. It either works fabulously or it ends in fiery divorce.
    • Partnerships are marriages. After the love affair and the lust wears off, they must survive on character, synergy, and complementary attributes.
  • Get A+ A's:
    • If I didn’t have good team of A’s—accountants and attorneys—I’d be poorer.
    • These people aren’t easy to find because they’re like partners under contract, another group of individuals who have the keys to your castle.
    • Be very careful with whom you trust with the keys to your castle because they can drive you to financial ruin.
    • Treat your two A’s like you would any partner, because they have unfettered access to your castle, and those with the keys have the potential to steer you wrong.
  • Would you Like a chainsaw with your beer?
    • When you blindly trust others to anything—business, financial investments, security—you’re vulnerable to being conned.
    • You must make your trust an asset to be earned by others. Let actions speak louder than words.
    • When you allow words to disarm your trust or BS meter, you become vulnerable to attack.
    • When you pick up hitchhikers and salivate at their case of beer, you might be blinded to their chainsaw.
    • Verify First, TrusT LaTer.
  • Fire reckless chauffeurs:
    • Are inmates running the asylum? When you’re not home, who runs your castle?
    • Who chauffeurs your business?
    • Your people are ambassadors of your business and they communicate your vision. Essentially, they’re business chauffeurs, and if they’re reckless, your vision is destroyed.
    • Your employees drive the public’s perception of your company.
    • No amount of spectacular product features, such as great technology (snazzy Web sites) or great architecture (lavishly appointed hotels) can compensate for poor customer service.
    • Exponential business growth is fueled by fanatical customer service, and your frontline employees must share your vision.
• Chapter 42: Be Someone's Savior - Be Someone's Savior:
  • Ensure your product/service addresses a genuine need (knight in shining armor).
  • Avoid selfish motives and focus on solving customer problems.
  • The Crowded World of "Me Too!":
    • "Me-too" businesses lack differentiation and uniqueness.
    • They sink into commoditization and face intense competition.
  • Commoditization:
    • Occurs when products/services appear homogenous among providers.
    • Leads to intense price competition and forces businesses to play "checkers" (e.g., air travel, gas).
  • Get in Business for the Right Reason:
    • Identify a genuine need and build your business around it.
    • Avoid starting businesses based on personal desires or "doing what you love."
  • The Limo Industry Example:
    • Excess supply and weak demand due to numerous new businesses.
    • Price drops and commoditization result from ignoring market needs.
  • Get Your Eyes Off the Competition's Ass:
    • Focus on your own business, innovation, and customer satisfaction.
    • Avoid reacting to competitors' actions and neglect your own path.
  • How to Use Your Competition:
    • Exploit their weaknesses and differentiate your product/service.
    • Focus on unmet needs and customer service gaps.
  • Chapter Summary: Fastlane Distinctions:
    • Commoditization occurs when businesses lack a genuine need-based premise.
    • Too much focus on competition stifles innovation and differentiation.
• Chapter 43: Build Brands, Not Businesses - Build brands, not businesses. - Businesses survive, brands thrive. - Brands defend against commoditization. - People are loyal to brands, not corporations.
  • Create a Unique Selling Proposition (USP).
    • What makes your company different?
    • Define your target audience's needs.
  • Develop a strong USP.
    • Be specific and provide evidence.
    • Keep it short, clear, and concise.
    • Incorporate your USP into all marketing materials.
  • Rise above the noise.
    • Polarize your audience.
    • Use risqué content.
    • Arouse emotions.
    • Foster interaction.
    • Be unconventional.
  • Consider "What's in it for me?"
    • Focus on benefits, not features.
    • Translate features into benefits.
  • Use price as a branding weapon.
    • Price implies value.
    • Don't let price steal your brand.
    • Consider the perceived value of your product or service.
• Chapter 44: Choose Monogamy Over Polygamy - Fastlane requires monogamy
  • No focus = no results
  • Scattered focus leads to scattered results
  • Weak assets do not accelerate wealth
  • Focus on one thing and do it well
  • Tekel Syndrome:
    • A compulsion to scatter your focus across different projects and opportunities.
    • A symptom of money chasing versus need filling.
    • Polygamist-opportunist:
      • Tosses as much shit on the wall as possible because something's gotta stick.
      • 10 businesses earning $10,000 cumulatively are not better than one business that does it singlehandedly.
  • Monogamy leads to crazy fun polygamy!
    • The richest people in the world got rich by focusing on one core purpose.
    • Successful entrepreneurs hit the mother lode of wealth and then divert into other ventures that deviate from their core business.
    • Monogamy led to polygamy.
    • Why is polygamy now possible? Money buys systems that buy time.
  • Fastlane success comes from monogamy
    • Focus on one Fastlane business and kick ass at it.
  • Chapter summary: Fastlane distinctions
    • Tekel Syndrome sufferers are polygamist-opportunists who opportunity-hop.
    • A weak business commitment commits you to weak assets. Weak assets do not accelerate wealth.
    • The most successful entrepreneurs lived their business and were 100% com-mitted to it.
    • Successful business monogamy can lead to successful business polygamy.
• Chapter 45: Put It Together: Supercharge Your Wealth Plan! - Put It Together: Supercharge Your Wealth Plan!
  • Your choices have lasting consequences.
  • Strap on the F-a-s-T-L-a-n-e s-u-P-e-r-c-h-a-r-g-e-r:
    • Formula: Wealth is a systematic process driven by beliefs, choices, actions, and habits.
    • Admit:
      • The traditional path to wealth ("Get Rich Slow") is flawed due to limited leverage and weak mathematics.
      • "Get Rich Quick" strategies exist.
      • Lack of planning is not a good plan.
      • Luck is a byproduct of engagement.
    • Stop and Swap:
      • Abandon ineffective roadmaps.
      • Stop sacrificing your well-being for a weekend.
      • Shift your allegiance from consumerism to production.
    • Time:
      • Time is the king asset, especially free time.
      • Invest in activities that grant free time.
      • Avoid time thieves like debt that enslave you.
      • Make time a key decision factor.
    • Leverage:
      • Employ controllable and unlimited mathematics to create wealth.
      • Leverage systems that work for you.
    • Assets and Income:
      • Accelerate wealth by increasing income and asset value through a systematized business.
      • Live below your means and focus on expanding income while controlling expenses.
    • Number:
      • Determine your financial goal (the amount needed for your desired lifestyle).
      • Make it real by saving, opening a brokerage account, and visualizing your dream.
    • Effection:
      • Help others and wealth will follow.
      • Solve needs on a massive scale to generate income.
    • Steer:
      • Commit to the Fastlane ideology.
      • Good decision-making is crucial (use WCCA and WADM).
      • Reflect on past choices to avoid repeating mistakes.
    • Uncouple:
      • Create a business structure (C- or S-Corporation, LLC) to separate your personal and business finances.
    • Passion & Purpose:
      • Fuel your actions with a passion that drives you.
      • Define a clear purpose for your business.
    • Educate:
      • Never stop learning.
      • Seek knowledge about building and operating business systems.
    • Road:
      • Identify problems and unmet needs in the market.
      • Focus on solving pain points and providing value.
    • Control:
      • Maintain full control over your business, from pricing to operations.
    • Have:
      • Provide what others need to attract wealth.
      • Focus on meeting the demands of your target market.
    • Automate:
      • Free up your time by automating business processes.
      • Utilize systems like money systems, rental systems, and human resource systems.
    • Replicate:
      • Expand your business by replicating your successful model.
      • Aim for global impact to maximize wealth creation.
    • Grow:
      • Treat your business as a multi-dimensional game.
      • Build a brand, differentiate yourself, and focus on one business at a time.
    • Exit:
      • Plan an exit strategy to liquidate assets and achieve financial independence.
    • Retire, Reward, or Repeat:
      • After liquidating assets, consider retirement or reinvesting in new ventures.
      • Celebrate milestones along the journey.
  • Additional Insights:
    • Excuses and "buts" hinder progress.
    • Take action and make choices that can change your life.
    • Connect with the Fastlane community for support and inspiration.
    • Always keep your dreams alive.
    • The journey itself is the reward.
• Appendix A — Reader Reflections. - Reader Reflections on MJ DeMarco's "Millionaire Fastlane":
  1. For teachers with limited income:
     • Identify unmet needs within the education system or parallel industries.
     • Consider creating products, writing books, or starting private schools that address these needs.
     • Utilize summer breaks to explore new opportunities.
  2. For entrepreneurs facing financial challenges:
     • Determine the source and cause of debt accumulation.
     • Prioritize paying off debt through cash payments and reducing expenses.
     • Start a need-based business to increase income.
  3. For couples with differing financial goals:
     • Discuss and compromise on common financial principles, such as the value of time and financial literacy.
     • Consider whether the relationship can accommodate divergent financial paths.
  4. For those questioning the Fastlane potential of real estate:
     • Real estate can be a Fastlane, but requires manipulation of the Five Commandments (Need, Entry, Control, Scale, Time).
     • Successful real estate investments involve identifying and fulfilling specific needs.
     • Magnitude and reach limitations of real estate investments should be considered.
  5. For those aspiring to work four-hour workweeks:
     • Four-hour workweeks are possible, but require significant upfront investment and effort.
     • Focus on building a business that generates passive income.
  6. For those considering affiliate marketing:
     • Affiliate marketing can be a Fastlane, but violates the Commandments of Entry and Control.
     • Success requires exceptional skills and a solid process.
  7. For those considering skipping college:
     • The decision depends on the individual's goals, maturity, and the marginal benefits of education.
     • Formal education can sometimes be counterproductive to wealth creation.
  8. For those facing time constraints:
     • Passion and desire drive the commitment to find time for Fastlane pursuits.
     • Prioritize goals and allocate time accordingly.
  9. For those considering expensive purchases:
     • Happiness does not come from material possessions.
     • Focus on the process of achievement, not the reward.
  10. For single mothers seeking to go Fastlane:
      • Explore unmet needs within the dental industry or other areas of interest.
      • Identify problems and develop solutions that serve a large-scale audience.
  11. For those concerned about business risk:
      • Start businesses based on genuine needs or superior products.
      • Avoid selfish or overly ambitious motives.
      • Delegate control only when necessary.
  12. For those concerned about interest rate fluctuations:
      • Build a large enough financial nest egg to accommodate interest rate variations.
      • Diversify investments globally to mitigate risks.
  13. For those seeking mentors:
      • Mentors provide guidance but should not replace personal effort and sacrifice.
      • Good mentors accelerate progress.
  14. For those questioning material extravagance:
      • The Fastlane is about freedom and affordability, not excessive spending.
      • Purchase material possessions within financial means.
  15. For those struggling to break free from a rut:
      • Start by changing beliefs and making better choices.
      • Identify and develop talents to solve the needs of others.
      • Sacrifice immediate pleasures for a more favorable future.
• Appendix B — The 40 Fastlane Lifestyle GuideLines. - The 40 Fastlane Lifestyle Guidelines:
  • Not Dismiss Get Rich Quick as Improbable
  • Not Allow the Slowlane to Bury Dreams
  • Not Allow Slowlane Prognosticators to Contaminate Truth
  • Not Ordain the Slowlane as the Plan
  • Not Sell Soul for a Weekend
  • Not Expect nor Seek a Chauffeur to Wealth
  • Not Trade Time for Money
  • Not Put Time in Control Over Financial Plan
  • Not Forsake Control Over Financial Plan
  • Not Demote Time as Abundant and Effervescent
  • Not Assign Faith to Events, but to Process
  • Not Take Advice from Gurus Preaching One Roadmap While Getting Rich Using Another
  • Not Use Compound Interest for Wealth, but for Income
  • Not Disrespect the Passivity of a Dollar
  • Not Cease Learning at Graduation, but Start It
  • Not Impose Burdens of Parasitic Debt into Life
  • Not Play on Team Consumer, but Switch to Team Producer
  • Not Dismiss the Plausibility of Dreams
  • Not Chase a Path of Money, but a Path of Need
  • Not Fuel Motivation by Love, but by Passion
  • Not Focus on Expenses, but on Income
  • Not Pay Myself Last, but First
  • Not Do What Everyone Does
  • Not Trust Everyone, but Allow Trust to Be Proven
  • Not Relinquish Control Over Business
  • Not Hitchhike, but Seek to Drive
  • Not Operate Within Limited Scales and in Tiny Habitats
  • Not Dishonor the Horsepower of Choices
  • Not Swim as a Guppy in a Pool, but as a Shark in the Oceans
  • Not Consume First, but Produce First, and Consume Later
  • Not Engage in Barrier-Free or Entry-Weak Businesses
  • Not Invest in Other People's Brands, but in My Own
  • Not Give Credence to Ideas, but to Execution
  • Not Forsake Customers for Other Stakeholders
  • Not Build a Business, but a Brand
  • Not Focus Marketing Messages on Features, but Benefits
  • Not Be a Polygamist Opportunist: Focus!
  • Not Engage Business Like Checkers, but Chess
  • Not Live Above Means, but Seek to Expand Means
• Appendix C — Further Your Fastlane. - Further Your Fastlane
  • Fastlane on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheMillionaireFastlane
  • Discuss the Fastlane: http://www.theFastlaneForum.com
  • Fastlane articles: http://www.FastlaneEntrepreneurs.com
  • mJdemarco: http://www.MJDeMarco.com
  • Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MJDeMarco
  • The millionaire Fastlane: http://www.theMillionaireFastlane.com