“Many people still believe that MBA grads or corporate execs are the only ones whose opinions count.”

– Sara Wilson, Entrepreneur Magazine

Nobody will take you seriously

Before starting this blog I made several unsuccessful attempts to get a job with the local newspaper. I think they paid $50 an article. I’d go in every so often to ask if they needed guest content.

Every time I was dismissed.

The funniest thing about this was the fact that I never even submitted a writing sample. Once my gangly 19 year-old self walked through the door I was disqualified.

So I went home and started a blog. And two years later 30 Days To X gets more readership than the paper I wasn’t allowed to write for.

If you’re under 25 nobody will take you seriously. It’s wonderful.

You have the freedom to experiment

If you’re under 30 you probably aren’t going to do anything profound. Not because you suck, but because of the fact that you really don’t have much life experience.

I’m 21. It would be near impossible for me to compose some great philosophical work or expound a revolutionary insight. I just don’t have enough life experiences to do so.

As I’ve talked about before, many men use this as an excuse to phone it in and goof-off. “Nobody listens to me so I’ll just play video games.”

That’s the wrong mindset. Not knowing what you’re good at puts you in the perfect position. You can try a little of everything and see what works.

Sometimes I’ll go to the library or Half Price Books and leave with every title that interests me. I’ve read everything from books on the history of ghost stories to old newspaper compilations. In fact, one of the most interesting things I’ve ever read was a book of articles from every Time magazine printed in 1927.

Go buy $50 worth of used books and try to replicate something from each of them.

Since I was 18 I’ve attempted to program computers, write a philosophical essay, meditate, pick locks, master the game of Chess, perform magic tricks, assemble a really hard jigsaw puzzle, speak Russian, salsa dance, windsurf, start a business, and play the ukulele.

I didn’t do well at most of these things, but I broadened my horizons.

Magazine mogul Felix Dennis used to say that trying new things becomes nearly impossible after the age of 35. People get stuck in their ways and rarely innovate.

If you’re young and no one wants to take you seriously anyway, go out and try a hundred crazy things. You really don’t have a reputation to tarnish so there’s really nothing to lose.

There’s no external pressure

A 40 year-old man with two kids and a wife has to play it safe. He can’t really switch careers or go off on a new tangent.

With a quick Google search I found that the average 23 year-old makes about $45,000. However, the pay gaps between professions are huge. A statistician might make over $60,000 while a salesman only earns $28,000.

If you’re on the low-end of the spectrum there’s no reason for you not to try and launch a business or build a brand. Making $28,000 a year is about the same as earning $77 a day. You could easily build up a company that exceeds that. It wouldn’t even have to be high-tech.

Back in Iowa I used to help with web design on occasion. When it was all said and done I earned about $50 to $75 an hour. Fixing broken links and formatting text is simple stuff. You can buy a book, take some Codecademy lessons and be an expert in no time.

In your 20’s you don’t have to worry about paying the mortgage and taking the kids to soccer practice. You’re time rich. Instead of going clubbing every night or watching TV, spend some of your free time on a hobby or hustle.

At worst you’re out some time. It really isn’t that big of an issue.

You can make an infallible business

There are certain things you can do as a young person that aren’t acceptable for anyone else. Low-key businesses are one of these.

I know that everyone likes to talk about online business and eBooks, but those aren’t guaranteed money makers. For every Bold and Determined there’s a thousand sites that never make a single buck. Internet business is a tough racket.

However, there are other jobs that have a guaranteed payout. They might be less glamorous, but you’ll be seeing returns.

Dog walker, dancer instructor, personal trainer, article writer, the list is endless.

Most of these things would be scoffed at by some middle-aged man, but they’re perfect for you. If you want to learn about business, setup a little side hustle. It will teach you a lot about marketing, sales, and budgeting. Plus you’re getting paid while you learn.

Final thoughts

The fact that stodgy old institutions turn away young men is actually a good thing. Most of these giants are so archaic that they’re failing anyway. Newspapers are dying while blogging thrives. Radio is in trouble as podcasts continue to gain popularity. And book publishers flounder at the same time independent authors are making record profits.

So yes, you might not be able to join the prestigious ranks old-time media. But you can make your own outlets. I have a blog and YouTube channel. That’s print and broadcast. 30 years ago no one could have done that. It would have been impossible to bankroll.

Nobody will take you seriously and there’s nothing wrong with that. We’ve entered an age where anyone can launch a business and make a name for themselves. You’re living in a time of opportunity. Make a blog, shoot a video, post some Craidslist ads. The days of being in the “old boys’ club” are drawing to a close.

Every young man who wants to can go out and start a business this afternoon. There’s no longer a barrier where you need a third-party to promote your work.

“Yolo!”

– Battle-cry of a future garbageman

Three bad ideas for men in their 20’s

Being in your twenties is rough. You’re kind of an adult but you have no idea what you’re doing. More established people won’t take you seriously and you really don’t have the life experience to do anything profound.

Lots of people use this as an excuse to screw around and make poor choices. “If no one will take me seriously I just won’t try!” Or they try to excuse all their stupid behavior. “I didn’t know I’m not supposed to do that, I’m young!”

Both of these are dumb. If you’re old enough to vote, fight in a war, and drink a beer you’re old enough to make life choices.

Rather than wasting your time with a generic post about “10 things to do when you’re 20,” I’m going to tell you what to avoid. Today’s post is about three bad ideas for men in their 20’s. Don’t do anything on this list and you’ll be okay.

Here we go:

1. Knocking a girl up

I know half a dozen dudes who have all contracted the old 18-year virus.

Chasing girls might be a roaring good time, but it has some serious downsides. Men need to remember that there are girls out there who would love to have your kid, so that they can take your money.

I’m from Iowa and this happens pretty frequently. Some guy gets good at throwing a football or solving math problems and his girlfriend suddenly forgets how her birth control worked.

Spend a couple bucks on some Okamoto 0.02 condoms and protect your future.

2. Backpacking world adventure

I sometimes hang out with this girl who works at a local hostel. One day I went to visit her at work. I went in expecting the hostel residents to be some worldly travelers with a lot of knowledge and interesting stories about cultural experiences.

Instead I was greeted by a bunch of people in their mid-twenties who still behaved like college freshmen. They jumped from country to country getting drunk and acting stupid.

There’s nothing wrong with seeing the world and traveling. However, you should find a way to monetize your trips. Freelance writing, Internet marketing, or a drop shipping business could all pay your way. This keeps you from turning 30 and realizing that you have no plans for a future.

Being a 40 year-old man who still sleeps in a bunk bed at the hostel isn’t something you want.

If you want to travel start a business and move someplace for several months. I live on the West Coast and spend most of my time in one major city. While I might not get to go out and do tourist stuff, I’m able to make money and support myself off actual endeavors.

3. Not investing in yourself

During the summer I ran into a guy I’d known from school. He was only two or three years older than me but looked horrible. If I didn’t know him I would have sworn he was 35.

After college this guy got a mediocre job and then never did anything outside of work. He abandoned the gym and library in favor of his television set.

A lot, if I had to venture a guess I’d say around 90%, of guys fall into this trap. They finish school, get a job, and then never work towards something else.

Even if you have a job or are on the right track, you still need to innovate. Read some books, exercise, learn a new skill. If you aren’t on top of the ball you’re always in danger of becoming obsolete.

There are plenty of average men who end up out of work when the newest technological innovation steals their job. If you aren’t keeping up with the times, or developing your own income stream, you’ll face a lot of problems down the road.

Closing thoughts

Poor choices can stick with you until the day you die.

Racking up a ton of debt to go get drunk at various hostels in Europe, having illegitimate kids, and stagnating all come with a hefty price tag. Each of these will cause immense amounts of stress and hardship throughout your 30’s and 40’s.

The time and money that could have been spent building a business, buying a rental property, or investing in a company is now being wasted.

Your 20’s aren’t some nonstop party without consequence. You need to plan ahead and lay the foundations for an awesome future.

“What we hope ever to do with ease, we must first learn to do with diligence.”

– Samuel Johnson

10 tricks to becoming an overnight YouTube star

Yesterday I didn’t feel like writing anything so I decided to try making a YouTube video.

Figuring it would be easy I sat down and began recording.

My first take sucked. I stuttered and stammered through the whole thing.

The second take was much better, but my camera fell down towards the end and I had to restart.

On my third take everything went fine. However, I had problems uploading my video. It took forever and my apartment’s power went out during the process, causing me to start all over again. Finally, around 4 o’clock the following afternoon, I got my video uploaded.

But, once it was there I realized that the resolution sucked and the top of my head was out of frame.

This was frustrating but I learned a valuable lesson.

People who claim anything is easy are liars

The other night I was reading some blog post where the author had 10 ways to make money online. The first five were pretty generic, and number six actually made me roll my eyes. The author said “write a $0.99 eBook and watch the cash roll in.”

When someone tells you “just write a book” or “just make a website,” they have no idea what they are talking about. Everything takes a lot of work and preparation in order for you to get it right. Additionally, running into something blindly will cause nothing but problems.

“Write a book and get rich” sounds great until you actually try to write a book. It takes a long time and a lot of effort. On top of this you need to format things to match specific handheld readers and computer screens. It isn’t a walk in the park.

Also, throwing a book on Amazon isn’t enough. The average book makes $250 total. For every Harry Potter and Dark Tower there are a thousand books with almost no sales. And that $250 isn’t going into the author’s pocket. You’re brilliant $0.99 scheme nets you 33% of all royalties. Out of that $250 you’re only getting $82.

Not much to retire on.

“Make a video and post it on YouTube” isn’t good advice either. While making a video is easier than writing a book, you still need to find an interesting filming location and edit your content. Putting up a blurry video with your head chopped off won’t get you very far.

I’m not saying that you need to go to film school or intern at a major publishing house, but you need to be critical of the people giving you advice.

I’ve published stuff and tried making money off eBooks. I’ve pumped out over a dozen titles. Most of those didn’t do well.

 If I say “$0.99 eBooks are a waste of time” I’m not being a hater. I’ve been there and done that. They don’t sell well and Amazon is the only one making money off them.

By the same token I can’t really give advice on things like podcasts and YouTube videos. I don’t have the experience yet. While I could easily make up “10 tricks to becoming an overnight YouTube star” or something, it would be a lie and waste both of our time.

If you want to know if a guru is reliable ask yourself, “does this person have the resources to back their claims up?” You’ll be surprised to find that most of the experts don’t.

“I came from a real tough neighborhood. Once a guy pulled a knife on me. I knew he wasn’t a professional, the knife had butter on it.”

– Rodney Dangerfield

How to avoid getting beaten up abroad

The other night I was walking home when a guy on a bicycle rode into the middle of the sidewalk and started asking me questions. I ignored him and stepped to the side. As I continued along the dude started yelling obscenities at me, trying to lure me back over. I just kept going.

In every country around the world, including the Untied States, there are criminals who survive by robbing naive tourists.

Whether you’re traveling overseas or visiting New York City, I have a tip that will prevent you from getting robbed or beaten up:

The number one secret that will keep you out of trouble

If a random guy comes up to you and starts talking, walk away. I know that all those Lonely Planet and feel-good travel books gush about how some preppy white college kid learned the secret of life from a one-armed Moldovan beggar, but those are made-up stories.

Even the feel-good story of the century, Three Cups of Tea, was completely fictitious and a front for some fraudulent school building scam. When you travel you make friends, but none of them are homeless people or reformed gang members.

If you were back home and some dudes came out of an alley you wouldn’t say: “Perfect. I can learn the true definition of happiness from these fine gentlemen.”

You’d be running down the street trying to avoid them.

If any random person walks up to you on the street and starts a conversation, give them the cold shoulder and walk off. They’re either trying to sell you something or trap you in a bad situation. A lot of criminals and con men play a lengthy game where they try and engage you for several minutes before liberating your wallet.

Walk the walk

In addition to ignoring people, there’s another easy way to reduce your chances of running into trouble.

The first time I traveled abroad I was 148 pounds. Back then I got heckled fairly often. At least once a day someone would come up and bother me. Right now I’m 180 pounds and very few people approach me. I’ve seen a lot of tourists and backpackers getting hassled, but I’ve only been bothered about 10 times since I got here.

Additionally, I have fairly decent body language when I walk around. This has really helped me. When you shuffle around aimlessly you look like a target. Walking with a sense of purpose will protect you.

While I could probably plug a book on body language, I’m just going to give you some basic tips instead. These are simple but effect and take very little effort to implement:

• Don’t slouch your shoulders
• Don’t stare at the ground
• Don’t shuffle around
• Make eye contact with anyone who talks to you
• Walk with a sense of purpose
• Survey your surroundings before turning onto a new street

Not looking like an easy target is the best form of self-defense. People don’t bother a man who looks like a potential threat. This doesn’t mean that you have to coat yourself in tattoos and look scary, but you shouldn’t come across as weak or a victim.

Nothing deters petty thieves and crooks like a man who can fight back.