Unscripted MN Demarco
The script is today’s Matrix. It is a framework which was created to keep you where you are. It is modern day slavery. In the film “The Matrix”, Neo realizes that most people on earth are living in an imaginary world. A virtual reality which is fed to us by a parasitic machine species. This virtual reality is distracting humans from the harsh truth. Our script is the socially trained narrative which has been fed to us since childhood. It includes the following myths:
- To become successful, you ought to attend school. There you must achieve high grades and then get a college degree.
- People who are wealthy are so due to their luck.
- Rich people are often shady
- Age of retirement is 65 once you have worked hard for a nice firm
- Compound interest is the mantra to wealth
- You must follow your passion
- Starting your venture is risky. Instead, put your savings in a 401k or bank.
Seeders preach such myths. They do this to make you into an M.O.D.E. Citizen. That is, mediocre, obedient, dependent, entertained and lifeless.
“THE IDEAL TYRANNY IS THAT WHICH IS IGNORANTLY SELF-ADMINISTERED BY ITS VICTIMS. THE MOST PERFECT SLAVES ARE, THEREFORE, THOSE WHICH BLISSFULLY AND UNAWAREDLY ENSLAVE THEMSELVES.”
Unscripted Summary
The core idea of the book Unscriptedwas clear. When it comes to your money, there are three kinds of people in the world. The sidewalkers, the slowlaners, and the fastlaners.
Sidewalkers live paycheck to paycheck. They never manage to save anything. Such people are financial disasters.
Slowlaners manage to save something and might become rich eventually. But, their approach takes too much time. Sometimes, even their whole life. Consider a manager earning $80k/year who retires after investing in 401k for 30 years.
Fastlaners become rich. But, their approach is much different than slowlaners. These people can retire before 40. And maybe much younger too.
In the modern day, social media is trending. We wonder if MJ DeMarco knew how exact his model of the world will become now. There are apps like SnapChat, Instagram, Music.ly and many more now. Through these kids are becoming wealthy even before they turn 20. This is the Fastlane to wealth.
After reading this book, the instant decision was to become a fastlaner. Many people are entrepreneurial. But this book gives a serious model to turn their dream into reality.
The book is “Unscripted: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Entrepreneurship.” And this is “The Millionaire Fastlane” on steroids.
This 400+ pages book is a whole playbook for financial independence. It includes everything. From the first tryst with entrepreneurship to managing your millions. It is sarcastic, hilarious and full of swearing. But, it is spot on in so many ways.
Why it’s Awesome?
How are sidewalker, slowlaner and fastlaner different?
Some may say it is intelligence. Others would call it luck. The rest will say their place of birth. These answers are mostly slowlaners and sidewalkers. For them the problem is external.
But, if you speak with a real fastlaner, he/she will tell you all this is rubbish.
The real problem is you.
But, it is not your mistake for the reasons you believe. It is not that you do not hold the correct education. Or that your job is not right. Not even having the wrong parents.
It is your script.
Yes. Every human being has a script to follow. But, we do our best to cross the T’s and dot the I’s. Never do we go off-roading the script.
What is a script?
A script is a series of mental norms. When the traffic light is red, stop. Or, when Keeping Up With The Kardashians airs, watch.
The script is universal. It rules how you speak, what you wear. Anything and everything one can think of. And for the majority of us, we did not select it.
This is the essence of MJ DeMarco’s idea in Unscripted. Your money issues are not about your life issues. Instead, they are regarding your script.
The script is imposed by others and ultimately yourself. This is akin to a zombie virus. It uses its host to expand its presence.
The script need not be visible. Knowing that it was merely a script, will diminish its power on you. Its presence maintains itself through illusion and self-deception.
Slowlaner, Sidewalker, and Fastlaner
While growing up, you may have heard that the wealth comes from a great job. And also, by saving for retirement. This is a script. And, if you followed it, you would become a slowlaner.
But, perhaps you were told that being rich is for snobby people. For the elite who cheat others. Hence, the only answer which makes sense is to stay poor. This makes you a sidewalker.
To be a fastlaner requires you to let go of this old script. It is high time you go rogue off the script. Become Unscripted.
MJ says that the onset of this journey starts with “Fuck This” event. This is the lowest of your low. Perhaps you get expelled. Or maybe you get terminated from the job you did for 15 years. The agony of following the script eventually turns worse than discarding it.
Now you are on your own. Maybe an entrepreneur. But, you are in untested waters. Perhaps you have no idea of the real path. People around you may think what is wrong with you. But, slowly, you will start building your financial freedom.
This new life demands new bearings. New systems for how to act. Below are few of them which MJ suggests:
Giving Value
The Scripted are fascinated with the result. What is my salary? Is this coat on sale? Will I look cool wearing it?
Conversely, the Unscripted know that the heart of entrepreneurship is to solve problems. And focusing on that only.
Yes, the final aim of the Unscripted is financial independence. Hence, you will seek ways to earn money. But, in the micro, your focus is on giving to others.
MJ has a complaint with “bro-marketing.” He uses this term to explain the modern concept of internet marketers. These marketers try to get rich by gaming the system. They try to sell a rubbish e-book with a professional copy. There is no value in their offering, only strategy.
Ironically, such bro-marketers never get wealthy anyway. Their selfishness and laziness restrict them for creating something valuable. This same laziness restricts them from successfully selling their lousy book.
A focus on financial freedom and giving value has other meanings too. It means not blowing the first 6k you make at a local nightclub. Instead, you will invest it, keeping a focus on leading the Unscripted life. A life indeed of your own will.
The Scripted will not know such choices. They will continue to rent cars they cannot afford. These people will keep on taking time off. And will overall be cry-babies about why their life sucks.
Productocracy
This is a word MJ came up with to define a product which offers value. Such products do not need as much marketing because their value draws people.
An example he provides is his bestseller The Millionaire Fastlane. This book was self-published. There was nearly zero marketing budget. Very few copies sold when it came to the shelves. But, it was a fantastic book. Hence, word spread fast and ultimately sales sky-rocketed.
A Productocracy cannot be destructed by the whims of the world. It is akin to a restaurant which is always packed, be it weekday or weekend.
Forget About Passion
MJ says it is vital to find relevance in your job. But, you do not have to be passionate about all of it.
He claims to hate public speaking and interviews. Still, he does these things because he knows they are essential to living his dream life. The temporary pleasure of each activity does not drive him. Instead, it is the overall meaning.
When your job has relevance, you do it even if you do not feel like it. Plus, you get a sense of fulfillment by just being on that road. Meaning is the driving force for the Unscripted.
MJ also debunks the myth that an entrepreneur should have a passion for his product. But, what an entrepreneur requires is a belief in that product’s value. It is not even relevant if the entrepreneur ever uses his product.
Consider a man who makes millions owning rehab centers. He has little knowledge of drug rehabilitation. But, he knows the systems and that it provides value.
Hyper-Realities
Hyper-realities are a set of realities we all mistakenly think are real. Sadly, they are not. Also, they are restricting your financial freedom.
One hyper-reality is the days in a week. Do you ever wonder that there are no real days in a week? It is a complete human construct.
This hyper-reality is harmful as you get locked into believing some things. Like certain events can only occur at certain times and certain days. Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm are working days and hours. The weekend is time off.
The Unscripted life means you are not bothered about such hyper-realities. An Unscripted may work 3am-10am on a Sunday. The idea is, it is not mandatory to do what everyone is doing.
Another example of hyper-reality is money. What is money?
Is it just a paper with a popular leader in it? Or some digital numbers on a screen? Bitcoin? Gold coins?
You cannot point to what real money is. Because there does not exist any “really is.” Money was made by humans to solve a need.
Still, most of us are convinced about the reality of money. We believe our real problem is that we do not have it enough. Our bank accounts might agree. But, as money is just a method of exchange, our real problem is different. We have the problem of exchange.
“YOU ARE OWNED BY YOUR SHIT, WHICH IS OWNED BY YOUR DEBT, WHICH IS EITHER OWNED OR PROFITED BY A CORPORATION. SO YOU WORK FOR A CORPORATION, EVERYTHING YOU BUY COMES FROM A CORPORATION, EVERYTHING YOU WATCH IS PRODUCED BY A CORPORATION, AND THE DEBT YOU OWE IS HELD BY A CORPORATION. AH.”
Do What You Love Myth
To seek financial freedom, we hear the advice of “Do what you love” very often. The idea here is that if we do what we love, we will never work a day in our life. But, there is a problem with this idea. Doing what we love does not focus on what the market requires. Instead, it focuses on our desires. For example, you love exercising and going to the gym. This does not mean that becoming a personal trainer will make you rich.
The market does not care what you love. It is selfish and is bothered only about its needs. A similar idea was spoken about in the E-Myth Revisited. You may know how to do a lot of things. But, that does not mean you should do business out of them. The skills needed to make apple-pies and the skills for running an apple-pie business are different.
Doing what you love is a myth. Many Gurus promote this myth. Recognize the difference between “putting love into your job” and “doing what you love.” You need not enjoy cleaning up your yard. But, you can surely put in love there ensuring the job is done nicely. A successful entrepreneur always inserts love into his/her work. They do not confine themselves to only doing things they love.
The Gurus and the Compound Interest Myth
You will hear many gurus giving the age-old advice about compound interest. These gurus also talk about the importance of the stock market. Such advice is repeated again and again in every finance book. These gurus recommend investing in mutual funds to gain riches fast. They promise amazing returns. But, there is one problem. Such gurus never follow their advice.
The reality is somewhat different. Such investment tools do not lead to explosive growth if you deal with small volumes. Also, compound interest works when you already own a big principle. Such gurus earn money by selling their books or talking at expensive seminars. They are getting wealthy from the stock market.
It is not possible to know the exact course of the market. But, the gurus will make you believe that you can outdo it. The formula could be yours if you subscribe and buy their latest DVD. They will not educate you about inflation rates. Or the risk of economic downturns. No way! These topics will scare you away. So, they recount the same old stories. For example, you should have purchased shares in Coke during the early 1900s. By now you would have become a millionaire! Yes, at age 100 you could enjoy your millions!
Value Cheats
There are a new species of entrepreneurs who have beset the market. This new species is there to make fast money. They use any means needed to make a quick buck. Such fakepreneurs cheat value. Entrepreneurship is basically about offering value and solving issues. Fakepreneurs provide the least value while trying to make maximum money. These people run affiliate links to poor products through their blogs pages. This same person spams the Kindle store with rubbish e-books.
Value cheats follow trends. As soon as the trend goes away, they also go away. Then they need to discover new ways to make money. Such value cheats shift from Kindle to blogging, and to any new trend which is popping. Eventually, value cheats do not remain in business for very long. You can cheat value only for some time. Then you have to face the consequences.
Entrepreneurs do not provide actual value in return for monetary gains. Instead, they provide value by solving issues. Problems are normally solved in 2 ways. First, creating a new system or product. Second, by improving an existing system/product.
Uber was highly successful as it improved an existing problem. For years, the public complained about how taxis were costly and unreliable. But, nobody did anything about this. Uber disrupted the industry through improvements it made on consumer experience. They are the classic example of an effective entrepreneurial venture.
Innovation is making something new and promoting it in a blue ocean. In this blue ocean, you build a monopoly. A great example of entrepreneurship innovation is streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify. It is simpler to improve an existing issue than to make something new. Hence, do not value cheat if you wish to succeed.
“WE ARE NOT TAUGHT TO BE THINKERS, BUT REFLECTORS OF OUR CULTURE. LET’S TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO BE THINKERS. ~ JACQUE FRESCO, FUTURIST.”
The Process Vs. The Event
Entrepreneurship includes many processes which go unnoticed by masses. The Script makes us think that things occur because of sudden events.
- An actor bags the blockbuster movie
- Few college grads make the greatest social media site
- A YouTuber turns a millionaire
But, the script does not tell the process which supports these events. The hundreds of auditions and rejections of the actor are overlooked. Many failed attempts of the college kids are ignored. The several failed videos and sleepless nights of the YouTuber are overlooked.
Entrepreneurship is all about the process. It is not a glitzy event as shown by the Script. Instead, it is a life in channels. Entrepreneurship is not simple. You should be ready to work constantly toward your vision. Plus, you should also accept that you may get your reward instantly. Entrepreneurship does not involve instant gratification. Rather, it is a long game.
Most people cannot become successful entrepreneurs. Why? Because it needs you to act against your human nature. It needs you to have no form, like water. There are no laid out blueprints to follow. It does not involve easy steps to follow. There are only actions and their feedback. Humans by nature are lazy. This quality an entrepreneur cannot risk having.
There are only a few of the new dimensions in the Unscripted world.
The book also contains tons of strong, core financial and business advice. Should you make investments in the share market or not? Keep working or retire early? All such queries and more get answered.
The book ends with MJ advising how to keep your money. Many people say that it is easy to make money but hard to keep it. And, even hard to multiply it. This is what the last part is all about. Keeping and multiplying.
Overall, this is a complete guide to gain financial freedom. There is something for all. Regardless of what phase you are at.
Unscripted Review
This is a great read in the famous “success” genre. Yes, it is the predictable blend of inspirational tales and empty clichés, but it is surely a mind-shift changer. It will make you re-evaluate long-established beliefs and look at the topic of success from a new standpoint. MJ’s earlier book was an immediate classic and revealed many facts about the unhappy condition of today’s society and entrepreneurship. This book addresses many of the similar concepts but from a separate and more detailed angle. In fact, it takes them to a whole new level for many reasons. To begin with, it is very hilarious and amusing as well as entertaining. Nearly every page has some funny analogies or examples.
“WHEN A WELL-PACKAGED WEB OF LIES HAS BEEN SOLD GRADUALLY TO THE MASSES OVER GENERATIONS, THE TRUTH WILL SEEM UTTERLY PREPOSTEROUS AND ITS SPEAKER A RAVING LUNATIC.”
Secondly, the book also makes a deliberate attempt at addressing the mental obstructions which are the biggest hindrances in the road to entrepreneurship. Besides this, the book is remarkably detailed. It does not provide a specific formula for a fruitful business for your case. But, it is applicable from a series of angles, repeatedly, clipping away at the barriers which are likely to trap most of us who contemplate going for something more. In this context, it is a helpful reference with many relevant ideas and method to deal with challenges.
If you are a happily working professional who is highly content with your weekend life, then this is not a book for you. In fact, it may cause you trouble. However, if you are among the dissatisfied population, depressed, stuck in traffic, deeply disillusioned with your choices, read this book attentively. Some readers may think of the content as shocking. However, what is actually astonishing is that this is not common wisdom. You are not likely to learn this in your college or during your work.
Unscripted Quotes
“The ideal tyranny is that which is ignorantly self-administered by its victims. The most perfect slaves are, therefore, those which blissfully and unawaredly enslave themselves.”
“You are owned by your shit, which is owned by your debt, which is either owned or profited by a corporation. So you work for a corporation, everything you buy comes from a corporation, everything you watch is produced by a corporation, and the debt you owe is held by a corporation. Ah.”
“We are not taught to be thinkers, but reflectors of our culture. Let’s teach our children to be thinkers. ~ Jacque Fresco, Futurist.”
“When a well-packaged web of lies has been sold gradually to the masses over generations, the truth will seem utterly preposterous and its speaker a raving lunatic.”
“Those who are able to see beyond the shadows and lies of their culture will never be understood, let alone believed, by the masses. ~ Plato, Philosopher.”
“In school, failure is a bad thing. Marked by a bloody F and a parental beatdown, failure is admonished. Fail and you’re grounded! No TV, no iPad! Is it any shock that straight-A students make great employees while the C-students are the guys hiring them? The A-students do as they’re told, follow rules unquestioningly and stay within the lines. Meanwhile, C-student and future billionaire Johnny is a ninth grader’s newest BFF—he’s underneath the bleachers selling his older brother’s Playboys at twenty-five dollars a pop.”
“Want to see how the investment income changes with a change in principal? Simply divide the figures by the change in principal. With a $20M portfolio (twice the principal) just multiply by two: instead of $40,000/month, you’d receive $80,000/month and $1M per year. With a $1M portfolio, divide the results by ten: instead of $40K per month, you’d live comfortably passive on $4,000/month and nearly $50,000/year.”
“The problem is not people being educated. The problem is that they are educated just enough to believe what they’ve been taught, but not educated enough to question what they’ve been taught. ~ Author Unknown.”
“If financial freedom and autonomy are your goals, your beliefs must align with those goals. If they don’t, you’ll either (A) lie to yourself, or (B) sabotage your effort, causing tension and stress. Both make goals unobtainable.”
About the Author
DeMarco founded the Limos.com. It is a multinational ground transportation marketplace. He sold the firm to a private equity company in 2007. In his keen efforts to become wealthy at a young age, he became a self-made millionaire. At present, he is the founder of Viperion Publishing Corp. and The Fastlane Forum.