Trust Your Gut

I want to share a story from my life that not many people know about. It's a tale of hitting rock bottom and then finding my way back up.

Sometimes, it's not the low moments themselves, but the feeling of falling from a high that can be the hardest to handle.

When I was 20, I was in Dubai and had just parted ways with my sales job with Tate.

I had big plans to expand and move into the marketing space. But at that point, I was nearly in debt and had very little money.

Most people would have advised against making such a bold move, but I trusted my gut and went for it.

In Dubai, I left the sales job to explore new opportunities.

I saw so many deals and potential out there, which led me to impulsively leave my secure position.

However, what I discovered was that many of the conversations with these multi-millionaires were just talk.

The real money they made was from their main businesses, not the side quests I was chasing. I was distracted by the allure of quick money and big promises.

For about two weeks, I struggled.

I was building my personal brand from scratch with no followers or impressions.

It was tough, but then a friend offered me a sales job with the promise of making more money than before. I took it, seeing the potential.

When I arrived at the office in Dubai, I was impressed by the luxury cars and the apparent success of the people there.

The owner had a Rolls Royce and a Lamborghini Huracan, and the salesmen were driving R8s.

I thought I could easily make $10k a month and quickly move up. But my arrogance and trust in people without proper evaluation led me astray.

The job turned out to be a nightmare.

I was given terrible leads—people who had inquired about the product years ago. I worked tirelessly, sending voice notes to thousands of uninterested leads.

My sleep schedule was completely disrupted as I had to work from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. with no base salary, only a 5% commission on the worst leads.

Despite my hard work, nothing came of it.

No one was responding, and I was physically and mentally drained. The lesson here is to always prioritize your health.

If your body can't handle certain hours, don't force it.

Another crucial lesson is to thoroughly review any deal, even if it's from a trusted friend. Always be cautious and aware of the details.

Eventually, I quit that job and returned to building my personal brand.

Within weeks, I landed four deals worth $50k each. That was the turning point that put everything back on track.

The takeaway from my experience is to trust your gut.

If something feels wrong or too good to be true, it probably is.

Prioritize your health, review every deal carefully, and choose the right opportunities. A good deal can take you far, but a bad one can derail you.

Stay strong, trust yourself, and always be ready to pivot when necessary.

Go Kill It Man
- JP