Why I Didn’t Learn to Drive Until I Was 21
Once upon a time little Jason Fladlien was so shy… he wouldn’t even look people in the eye or say hi to strangers on the streets. He was so awkward, he didn’t learn to tie his shoes until his was 6 years old (thank god for Velcro!).
And he was so scared he didn’t get his license until his was 21 years old.
Flash forward to now and little Jason Fladlien is confident – he can even look a maitre de square in the eyes without blinking 
He travels the country, speaks to hundreds of people at a time and he’s constantly trying out new things without fear of failure.
What changed? What was the one key thing that transformed this introverted, shy nerd into somebody so confident in their ability to manifest wealth out of thin air, who can act on a good idea without “paralysis by analysis” because he’s learned to trust intuition and instinct?
If you’re asking yourself that question – you’re asking the wrong question.
There NEVER is ONE key thing.
Here’s something interesting I’ve noticed over my journey from broke house painter to “top 3% Income Earner” in the United States…
When I studied sales techniques – I didn’t really “get them” until about 6 months later. Sure, there was one or two things that gave me some immediate benefit. But it wasn’t until about 6 months later did most of what I study and practice become almost second nature.
The same was true when I started using NLP. At first it was hard and tedious… then things I hadn’t even looked for many months I could do almost effortlessly.
Same was true with sales copy – when I first started, I couldn’t finish an ad in a week. Even though I had studied the masters… had read over 5000+ pages of copywriting instruction… handwritten out ads for hours… copied, one by one, one thousand bullet points onto 3 by 5 notecards.
Only after about 6 months could I really use the stuff effortlessly. Now I can write sales letters in my head, and create a sales letter full of world class bullet points in seconds.
See the secret is this: I didn’t do ONE thing to overcome my “disadvantages”. I did everything I could… used every resource I had. Continued to use them – because I didn’t expect any of them to work hardly at all when I first applied them…
But I knew if I could stick with them for 6 months – then they’d become “a part” of me.
Now here’s the neat thing: when you master one of the skills to make yourself stronger… you accelerate complimentary skills. It didn’t take me 6 months to learn how to sell from the stage. Since I had already cultivated the talent of writing good sales copy… It took me days… not weeks… not years.
Days.
Now I can master most anything I want in business in 17 days or less. Because I paid my dues.
Since I’ve experienced a decent amount of success in Internet marketing, I’ve made many friends over the years. I can probably count 15 close marketing friends I talk with at least once a month. Each earns over six figures a year.
Everywhere I look around me I see wealth. It seems to me everyone is getting rich because I hang with the right crowds. Think of what that does to your mind state.
But here’s what else is interesting about these high achievers – everyone of them has a similar story to mine. Each had to overcome several “mental” limitations such as shyness, fear, anxiety, a poor mental image, etc.
And they all did. Because they wanted it bad enough.
What’s the moral to this story today? It’s this: I don’t care what you have going against you… I don’t care what has previously happened to you in your attempts to meet your monetary goals with Internet marketing… I don’t care what challenges you have facing you in the coming months ahead…
I do know that everything you’ve done up until this point can be used as experience, knowledge and power to get you to the next level.
And I do know that your dogged determination to make it happen will fuel you to do the things TODAY that will pay off in spades 6 months from now. Then that’s another skill you have in your tool bag. Do that with just a handful of skills… and you’ll be able to achieve your goals.
November 15th, 2009at 1:14 am
Hi Mr. Fladlien,
This blog has been a source of inspiration for me in the last 2 weeks since I found it. I’ve purchased your “How To Become a $40 An Hour Ghostwriter In Less Than 7 Days” course and am loving it. If I may make a piece of constructive criticism…
This course and “How to Create An Article In 7 Minutes Or Less” appears to have some overlap. In one of the videos on the e-course that I purchased, you recommended purchasing “How to Create An Article In 7 Minutes Or Less”.
I plan to purchase at least 7 of your products in the not-too-distant future, but it would greatly benefit myself as well as more people who are interested in your products if you could distinguish the differences amongst related products. Or maybe even offer them as package (just a suggestion
)
Also, is 3HourAds.com and “How to Write A Near World Class Sales Letter In One Sitting” the same product? I am very interested in purchase your Stopwatch Copywriting course but don’t want to pay too much extra for the exact same thing at a lower price.
Thanks for reading this post and I hope you’ve found it helpful.
Regards,
Johnson.
November 15th, 2009at 1:56 am
Johnson,
3 hour ad is great…solved my problem writing sales letters. You’d do well to pick up Jason’s stuff while you can…just my two cents (I’ve spent hundreds with him and gotten at least 10x the ROI from it).
That being said…now having coached someone on someone else’s blog
Jason,
This is a great post and for a number of reasons. We’ve spoken a few times and it’s important that you state this stuff…
There never is ONE key.
There isn’t a “shortcut”
Working your ass off is the only way and “paying your dues”
Great job and you deserve every ounce of success into infinity!
Cheers,
Brad
November 15th, 2009at 2:03 am
Jason, I never knew you were shy and introverted. Your early years sounds like mine, except I learned how to drive when I was 19 out of necessity, but that’s another story.
November 15th, 2009at 2:13 am
Wise beyond your years. Takes some a lifetime to learn what you have learned. Sadly, some never will. If one surrounds themsevles with losers, you can still make it, but your true chances are much slimmer. Like 99% slimmer. ONE MUST START ACTING AND BEING IN ALL YOU DO THE PERSON YOU WANT TO BECOME.
November 15th, 2009at 2:18 am
It takes confidence to admit that you have imperfections, and I applaud you for taking the time to do that. Everybody who makes money, whether it be online or offline, employee or self-employed, had to start somewhere, and a lot of what’s required is simply the courage to take action. I hope your post will inspire others.
November 15th, 2009at 2:19 am
How odd… not till 19 here, too. I wonder if there’s some statistical correlation between late driving and IM success. Someone should do a study.
November 15th, 2009at 2:23 am
Good post Jason – thanks – appreciate the thoughts. Especially that whatever we think we have going against us we can overcome.
Jane
November 15th, 2009at 2:24 am
Hi Jason,
You never cease to amaze me! Thanks Jackie
November 15th, 2009at 2:28 am
Jason, that’s very inspiring! It’s cool to see what can become of anyone who is determined to do what no one else is willing to do.
November 15th, 2009at 2:29 am
Jason, I hated school from first grade on. I learned to read early and read the textbooks but could not comprehend homework or questions in class. Some thought I was retarded. The pressure was so great that I left a loving family at age 15 1/2. Went into the Army at age 16. Aced the IQ test I I found out years later). The pressure to be accepted as an adult worked like magic. I styed in the Army. Became an officer. BA,MSW Ph.D. via the GDE.
Now becaue of circumstances I am attempting to master making a living on the Internet.
Love your story,
James
November 15th, 2009at 2:29 am
I thought I was a sheep raised by a pack of wolfs yet in the end I came to realize I was sleeping the whole time. Wake up and do whatever it takes to change your “destiny” by owning your life responsibilities.
Thanks for more fuel Jason “Shoe Money” Fladlien!
November 15th, 2009at 2:34 am
Hi Jason, this is an inspiring post. It goes to show that one can always improve for the better.
I am interested though with NLP. What great books out there do you recommend that teaches NLP?
Also, I am very satisfied with your ‘7 Minute Articles’ product. It really helps with my writing.
November 15th, 2009at 2:35 am
I have purchased quite a few of Jasons products and it is a testament that I have bought more than one.
I call Jason my guru to my market. In fact I will have to either copy and paste this to my site at zenmack.com or paste a link.
My market are internet nerds who want to get a date and Jason has helped me reach my market quite a bit.
I am doing a product launch right at this very moment in fact.
The difference between myself and other marketers out there in this niche is that I am the real thing.
November 15th, 2009at 2:44 am
jason,
i just become one of your fan to know you from warrior forum. hell that is really ultra busy one. now i know why IM is always talking about mindset though mindset is important in every aspect of life. but in IM mindset means money! mindset, mapping, plan accordingly you will be more efficient to execute your planned project.
November 15th, 2009at 2:56 am
Jason, that was a great post, thanks for being my internet marketing cheerleader!!!
November 15th, 2009at 3:00 am
It’s amazing how much we have in common. When we get to the heart of things, we are all much more alike than we are different. Thank you so much for sharing and for inspiring, Jason!
November 15th, 2009at 3:04 am
Sean Stephenson is set to inspire the world.
http://iam.livingatcause.com/introducing-the-three-foot-giant/
November 15th, 2009at 3:12 am
Hi Jason,
what a cool post! So encouraging!
And just for the record, I was almost 19 when I got MY driver’s license. Of course, in Germany, we weren’t allowed to take driving lessons until we were 18. But I was a slow poke when it came to learning how to drive (a stick shift).
So surely I’m bound to be a big IM success sometime really soon
Thanks also for sharing how you learned things, and how your learning curve became faster and faster. I’m going to send my writing students the URL for this post!
And heck, maybe the ones in my blogging course too!
Elisabeth
November 15th, 2009at 4:21 am
Hey Jason,
Very inspiring, like you I was shy and introverted especially around big groups…
I forced myself to become more outgoing in high school.
I’m now creating live action videos and sending them to 1,000s of people on my list – it was a struggle to build up the confidence to do this
Lesson learned give it 100% effort for as long as it takes to master it!
November 15th, 2009at 4:26 am
I started driving when I was about 14, my brother’s car while he and his girlfriend got friendly in the backseat. When I was nearing actual legal age, my Driver’s Ed teacher wondered why I was so comfortable that I drove with one hand, and he kept reminding me, “10 and 2!”
We all have our past experiences. They needn’t define our present or our future experiences.
Having watched your transformation virtually from afar for a while now, I’d say your clarity of desire and outstanding work ethic are your trump cards. You’re also a smart cookie, of course, who’s able to break complex tasks down into manageable bits and systematize routine processes. I’m not sure which of those two sentences describes “the chicken” and which one describes “the egg,” though.
November 15th, 2009at 4:32 am
I was raised to believe that the highest thing I could be in life was a secretary. No one believed in me, and thus I didn’t believe in myself. When I was 45+ years old, I talked an editor into hiring me to write & research for the 75th anniversary edition of The American Legion Magazine. After that, I knew I could do anything. I became a published writer and later went on to found two writing schools. The present one is Creative Writing Institute. My point is – people often bloom later in life, and sometimes it only takes the encouragement from one person to urge them to do it. Good column, Jason. Deborah Owen
November 15th, 2009at 7:26 am
I have been shy and Introvert most of my life, but a few months ago I discovered NLP and through it I am coming out of my shell. Several of my friends have commented on the difference in me! I do wish I’d discovered it 20 years ago though! But that’s a very inspiring post thanks.
November 15th, 2009at 8:22 am
I learned to drive when I was 2..I drove my parents nuts with my shenanigans. Then when I was 8 I drove my teachers crazzzy, again, with my shenanigans. When I was in my teens I drove the neighbors up the wall, yup, you guessed it, with my shenanigans.
In my 20s, I drove to the other side of the world, which in my case was Canada (coming from a small town in New Hampshire). So much happened on that trip that we could make a movie about it..just to give you a taste, we were lost in the Montreal shipyards for over an hour! All we wanted to do was go skiing.
Eh? What has this post got to do with Jason’s Blog post. Everything!
If you can’t see the connection I’ll give you a hint…
“Once difficult now easy.”
Now go back and read the first line of each of the paragraphs that start with a “difficulty” and see how the end up.
As we say in Japan..”Horay” (”There ya go!”)
Thanks Jason and other posters for reaffirming that all that I did was okay. I’m a good driver now, and soon to be a successful Content Publisher all because of Dennis B, Jason and other folks like you.
Oh! One more…I now love to drive myself to new horizons.
November 15th, 2009at 4:23 pm
Fantastic Stuff Jason!
It’s never the circumstances, it’s the way you handle them. I’m currently being treated for urethral cancer and let me tell you, every single breath I take is precious. I continue to learn about unconditional love and the ability to go one more step when I think I can’t.
It’s just like anything else in life. Find a big enough reason (I have 4 young children and an incredible girlfriend with 3 of her own…VERY worth winning for)and you can do ANYTHING.
Thanks for the great content!
Phil Hughes
http://philhughes.tv/podcast
November 15th, 2009at 6:23 pm
Hi Jason,
It’s a great post and very inspiring. It make me stuck to read every words in your articles.
November 15th, 2009at 6:37 pm
Hi Jason,
You willingness to step outside of your comfort zone and share these awkward, yet victorious moments are a beacon of encouragement for all of us.
Thanks for doing what you can,
Nando
November 15th, 2009at 7:41 pm
Bonjour Jason,
I can’t remember how I found about you on the web. Nevertheless, since I bought your first product (6mn membership), I became a raving fan or yours. I’ve actually bought many of your other products since (about 10). But that’s not the point here.
I konw you don’t need any more testimonials, but let me say this :
The reason why I got charmed by your way of teaching web marketing comes from the way you freely lough during your presentations. Surprised ? It made me feel secure and easy to relate to your teachings. You sound light hearted, and not caring about what others may think about you while going straight to the point.
I don’t regret buying F.Kern’s mass control earlier this year, but frankly, I wish I had met you sooner. It’s so easy to go along with you. I got my first official report ready in 3 days, wrote an article in 1 hour, found more than 10 new products I can create before the end of the month. Do I need to say that it took me 2 months to get my first membership site up and running before I bought your first product ?
Without becoming a workoholic, your “system” based teaching allows me to do much more, with more self confidence and more pleasure. So now, I even follow you while I’m driving.
The only draw back is : besides this blog (which I just found about) and your emails, it is very hard to find you on the net. you didn’t even respond to friends request on facebook. but I guess you have your reasons.
Anyways, keep the good work going. I keep my eyes on what ever you have to say.
Regards
Olivier
November 16th, 2009at 2:42 pm
Hi Jason,
Very inspiring post. Overcoming most every obstacle in our life can be done by simply taking action. Doing something every day that gets us closer to our goals. However, many of us partake in self sabotage that limits our results.
See ya,
Bryan
November 17th, 2009at 4:18 pm
You never cease to amaze me Jason. I would have never guessed you were quite when you were younger. But it would be interesting to hear about your “turning point” some time.
Talk later,
James
December 6th, 2009at 9:44 pm
I am definitely bookmarking this page and sharing it with my friends.