Getting Started: Share some advice please.

[BabyFaceAssasin]

Hey everyone,

I'm 20 years old and live in Toronto. I just started reading and applying the principles in Personal Development for Smart People, and 4 Hour Work Week.

Both books are obviously awesome and reflect where I'm at in my life. Below is a quick snapshot of my situation:

I'm 20 years old. I go to York University for Accounting. I dislike accounting (read: ----ing hate). It's not for me and I'm 100 percent sure of this. The reason I'm still taking it is because when I was 16, my dad (who was quite intimidating back then) forced me to choose a profession and I bascically didn't think for myself. I just kind of went along with what he said. I now realize that working 9-5 or maybe even 9-10 during business season is not what I want.

Passions: I love fighting. I compete in boxing, bjj, wrestling, and going to start muay thai this summer. Another one of my passions is Self Development. I'm always listening to tapes and trying stuff out on myself.

What I want:

1) Move out on January 1, 2010. Just literally take my stuff and go. If I tell my parents before this (my dad is a very negative person), they'd do everything to stop me. Does anyone have any advice on the pitfalls, or stuff to watch out for when moving out? Or just give me some tips and share your experiences with this. I want to know what it was like for other people who took a huge leap of faith and just left.

2) I have a website Edge Dating Please put some comments about the website on this thread and tell me ways I can improve it. I want to make enough passive income from it to cover my expenses but I"m not sure how to do it. Do I just get more affiliate programs? I've read lots of articles from this site and I find myself a bit confused.

3) What are some other ways I can make passive income. The only other one that comes to mind is: network marketing. I'm sure I can come up with a couple more, I just don't know where to start.

Any help or advice is much appreciated. Thanks guys!

[Grandiouse]

Cool website. Looks like it's progressing well. I have some advice about moving out. I was in the same boat as you a few months back. Just make sure you move out on good terms with your parents. I know it's frustrating but make a plan to move out and sleep on it for 24 hours, then move out. You want to be level headed because if it's your first time moving out, there's going to be some challenges.

[TheSceptic]

Originally Posted by BabyFaceAssasin

1) Move out on January 1, 2010. Just literally take my stuff and go. If I tell my parents before this (my dad is a very negative person), they'd do everything to stop me. Does anyone have any advice on the pitfalls, or stuff to watch out for when moving out? Or just give me some tips and share your experiences with this. I want to know what it was like for other people who took a huge leap of faith and just left.

Hmm, moving out was one of the best things I've ever done, even though my parents were supportive. I was wondering: why wait until 2010? Seems like a looong time. Also, a fixed date seems a bit artificial to me. Why not start looking for a way to leave now? Or whenever there's an opportunity?

Originally Posted by BabyFaceAssasin

2) I have a website Edge Dating Please put some comments about the website on this thread and tell me ways I can improve it. I want to make enough passive income from it to cover my expenses but I"m not sure how to do it. Do I just get more affiliate programs? I've read lots of articles from this site and I find myself a bit confused.

Only advice I can give you consist of my first superficial impression when looking your site: it appears a bit "p0rny" to me. Too much sexy ladies, too much of the outside. I'd not bother looking any further. Perhaps you could try to give it a more "serious" style? Just my 5 cents.

[SimonaRich]

You surely have many interesting hobbies. It is great that you now realise that it is not you but your dad that wanted you to study. I would definitely quit what does not interest me.

Why would you ask someone to advise of what to watch out for? If you focus on what to avoid, you will always find it - law of attraction in action. I would rather ask for positive aspects of moving out and living on your own , and there are plenty of them.

I moved out from my parents home as soon I became 18. I am so happy that I did, because now I am 22 and I am completely independent, and since the day I moved out I was able to make enough money to even pay for the holidays of my parents (I feel that I owe them because they always provided me with everything I wanted).

So do not worry about pitfalls because if you do, you will find them. Do what feels best and you will always be happy.

As for your site. I do not understand the 'advanced' and 'intermediate' categories. Also you mix dating with personal development in one site. I don't think you should.

For you to make more money on your site you should attract more visitors and put up more ads, more visitors will click on more of your ads and you will make more money.

Also, make your site clearer. When a visitor visits your site he/she should straight away know that this is a dating site.

[BabyFaceAssasin]

Thanks for the replies everyone! Much appreciated.

The reason I set a certain date was because I want to save up money and finish this term in school. I'll finish this term by the end of May. So I'm beginning to see that I'll have to do it then. Sooner just seems right.

[sirkinm]

I'm not able to check out your site because I'm at work, but that's a funny little tag line about he vaseline

[thinktank1985]

a)the term passive income seems very illusive and attractive...but in general passive income is much harder to acheive...and probably comes after a long gestation period...if I were to need money now..i wouldnt depend on passive income to provide me with that...more conventional methods of earning..such as "working" []...will provide you that faster...if you really want passive income in the long term..i think the best way is to take up some conventional job in the short term...while working on your passive income part time.

I dont mean to discourage you with your website....but its hard to see what value you provide to your visitors...if I were looking for a site for dating...and dating of the sort your talk about...I could tell you hundreds of other sites...much better...also I tend to think that internet marketing and blogging as a source of income is over-hyped...the very fact that its so easy to do...tends to make it very difficult to earn...due to the large number of people actually trying to do it...it has probably become saturated...

b)while it seems you dont really enjoy accounting..i think..for the short term the best way to get cash and move out would be to take up an accounting job somewhere. since you have a background in accounting and are completing a college degree in accounting..i think it will help you get such jobs easily

[David Cain]

I think moving out ASAP is important. I would urge you not to just steal away in the middle of the night, it would only strain the relationship on your parents. Just tell them you're moving out. Take responsibility for who you are and what you want in life. Don't hide it from anyone. Don't be afraid.

Be civil with your parents, but do not compromise who you are and what you want to do with your time on earth.

Now I don't want to tell you to quit school, but what is the point of finishing the term if you do not intend to work in the accounting field?

I checked out your blog, and it looks pretty nice. It's attractive and readable. The only problem is that it is a saturated market. There are hundreds of bigger and more established blogs you are trying to compete against. Can you tell me what you offer that they don't? It takes some sort of angle or twist to take on the big guys.

What if you left your dating blog to the other two guys and you created a blog that unites personal empowerment with fighting style topics? It would be your own distinct brand. The market for MMA-related information and how-to's is mushrooming and underserved at the moment. All kinds of guys everywhere want to learn the cool moves they see on UFC.

For example, you could make simple how-to posts for inexperienced fighters about Jiu Jitsu techniques. "How to escape from a headlock" or "How to apply the all-powerful kote wrist lock." Regular people with a passing interest in martial arts would find this stuff to be really cool.

I'm just a few months into jiu jitsu and I've already learned enough to wow my friends and write how-to's on a couple dozen cool moves. I'm sure you could do a lot more with step-by-step how to's and especially video instruction.

How to's are what people want in almost every niche. How to's are direct, real value.

I'm pretty picky with the blogs I read, but I would read a blog like that and I know a lot of other people who would too. You're a smart guy and I'm sure you could do this.

Just don't forget, it's all about providing easy, simple, pieces of value that aren't already being provided in an easy and simple way. The dating niche is overserved already.

As for other ways to make passive income, the Four Hour Workweek will give you enough ideas. But don't worry about that yet. Get started doing something you are passionate about. You can do this while working a full time job to cover expenses.