Mark Szymanski

Lots to do and a ton of fun on the horizon! MJS YouTube Channel Fueled By Progress AM In The PM

I just took a big, scary step. It's starting to hit me a little bit. I'm overthinking about what could go wrong, but I'm anxious to get started.

It's over and this is the beginning. I am officially on my own. From now on, I will be building up my own business empire, MJS Industries. This is going to take a lot of hard work and self-discipline. I'm ready to get out of life what I put into it. I'd love for you to come along with me on this journey. Follow me everywhere @markjszymanski and markjosephszymanski.com.

A bittersweet day, for sure. Today is my last day at my full-time gig as a Marketing Director. It's difficult to move away from a situation that you've become comfortable in. For me though, the thought of regretting not pursuing my goals is much worse. I am moving towards a lifestyle that will be much more flexible and require a higher level of self-discipline. I am ready to be the captain of my own ship and build my own empire. It's time to take the next step and I'm excited for what's next.

Some things I've learned: Always be grateful for the opportunities that people give you. Never burn any bridges. Build up your network with people by providing genuine value and actually helping. Focus on building things into your life that are productive and bring you fulfillment. Be genuine and authentic with your recommendations. Become an expert. Stop caring whatsoever about what other people think. It will severely limit your success. If you believe in it, go for it. Go out and find the answer. Some people will help you, but they're not obligated to. If you want to change yourself or learn more, you have to do it for yourself. Share your knowledge with the world. Someone needs it.

We're almost at the end of this chapter. I only have a couple of days left at my full-time job. It's scary and exciting at the same time. One thing that I am focusing on moving forward is dealing with clients and partners. Sales skills are very important and it's something that I'm not very experienced in. I have to be unshakably confident in the service that I deliver and I need to transmit that confidence over to my clients and partners. Becoming more sure of myself is my goal moving forward. I am going to connect with more ambitious, like-minded people. This is a powerful one. I have underestimated the impact that the people around you have on your overall being. I am ready to go all-in.

Today is my 24th birthday. I don't like to make a big deal about the day, but I do think it's very important to reflect on the previous year and look ahead to the next. A lot has changed in my 23rd year. I established 5 LLCs and have been focused on building them up for my future. I grew personally and professionally, including working up the courage to resign from my job and go all-in on building my empire. I've learned that consistency is so vital. I'm constantly trying to improve on that. Just keep going and good things will happen. As I head into year 24, I want to turn up the heat. I'll have unlimited freedom and be able to pursue fulfillment and happiness every single day. I am going to share everything I learn and do with the world. I know I can provide value to people and I'm going stay Fueled By Progress.

This is a tough topic for me. I go back and forth on it a lot. I'm kinda concerned that I am about to quit my job with having a full income replacement. However, I fully believe that this is the best time ever to do so. I have a lot of confidence in my abilities, but it is inconsistent at times. I'm going to make it. Don't let the voices in your head or the pessimists around you stop you from doing what you believe in deep down.

A plan and a mindset to grow will keep you moving forward throughout your life. This will help more than you could ever imagine. Give it a shot and see where it takes you and how you start to feel. I am a real example of this. I am about to embark on a scary, yet rewarding journey as a young entrepreneur. I want to build my own empire and create my own happiness. I want to be the captain of my own ship.

I never really believed it, but you truly are the average of the 5 people you are around the most. Because of this, I make it a priority to associate with people that push me to do better and become more every single day. You have to do what you love. If you are consistently doing things that you like to do, you won't want to do the other BS, like shopping, watching TV, etc. Find your fuel and change your life.

Don't make excuses when you have the ability to solve the problems you're faced with. You're only going to hurt yourself in the long run. I am a huge proponent of minimalism. I frequently look around my room and ask myself what I could live without. Then, I list any items that fit that mold on Facebook Marketplace. For me, it's a great way to downsize and make a littel extra cash. A couple of tips on Facebook Marketplace selling: Sould you use it? Yes, it's too simple not to try. Price your item higher than you think. Buyers will haggle with you. Reply quickly and DON'T WAIT! This has made me lose a sale many times. Move in on a potential buyer as soon as possible. Meet in a well-lit, public place, like a grocery store or police department online exchange zone. Double confirm your meeting plan. Be nice and give them a good buyer review.

Always be yourself. No matter where you're at: school, work, etc. I love getting to know people for who they really are and I try to always show my true colors to other people. By the same token, always trust yourself. When you feel something, don't ignore it. Take note of what you're feeling and try to diagnose why you feel that way. Then, make an educated decision on what you should do next and DO IT.

As you go through life, you'll meet and intereact with a lot of people. Sometimes, you will disagree with what your partners, clients or friends have to say about a topic. These times, though they may be frustrating, will help you grow. The more you deal with people, the better you will become at dealing with people. Specifically, in business, don't sell yourself short based on other people's opinions. Be confident in the work that you do. You know what you are worth, don't let other people decide that for you.

Sign up for Robinhood here! My relationship with Tesla has been a roller coaster. I truly believe in the company and Elon Musk. The mission that they are on is world-changing in magnitude and just cool overall. I've been in and out of the stock a few different times and made a few bucks. I don't think anyone could have predicted this type of growth. I don't know what could have caused the stock price to double in such a short time. The media seems to have a lot to do with it, which is crazy to me.

I'm getting impatient. I want the time to do whatever I want. I want to focus on the things that I have created and continue to build them. I'm just not there yet. Even at the time, I want to maximize my efficiency. I love to educate people and I need to make it much easier to educate people on a broader scale. Time to ramp up the content!

When you are gracious and care about what you do, you'll get rewarded. Given my performance and experience, I was offered an opportunity to do some contract work for my previous company during my transition to complete independence. In addition to that, I will be building up FindIT Tech, LLC, my personal brand, and anything else I find interesting. 

In life, sometimes you have to have difficult conversations. I just had one. I have officially planned my resignation from my 9-5 gig for January 31, 2020. This is extremely exciting for me. I've been thinking about it for quite a while and I have come to the conclusion that there will never be a better time to make this leap. It's definitely scary, but I'm confident that it's the best decision I can make. I want to be happier and I need more time to do the things that make me happy. Let's go for a ride!

My current spot in life has me torn a couple of different ways. I'm not happy going to work every day and I have been working towards building up alternative means of income. I have several business ventures that I want to move forward with and I need more time to develop them. My ultimate goal is happiness and fulfillment. I'm confident that moving forward towards my goals is the right thing to do.

I've been fortunate in 24 years that I haven't had to deal with many deaths in my family. Like everyone, I will have to experience it someday. Any time someone in my sphere dies, I try to be optimistic about the situation. If they were sick, I trust that they are happier now. I also use it as one of the strongest reminders to always do what you love and what makes you happy, because you never know how much time you have left.

I've done a ton of self-introspection and have realized that I'm in need of a change. My 10-6 gig is no longer providing me with the level of fulfillment and happiness that I require. I want to live my best life and that relies solely on me doing what I think is right. I am grateful for everything that has been done for me, the people I've met, and the opportunity to develop my skills. Soon, however, it will be time for me to move on.