Entrepreneurship

The 3 Criteria We Used to Decide On Our Business

March 4, 2013

About a year and a half ago, Claudia and I decided I was going to quit my job. Our son was just born and Claudia cut her hours back to stay home with him. This meant our income was not covering our expenses. We needed to do something different, we didn’t have a choice.

Me with our now one and a half year old, Jude

Me with our now one and a half year old, Jude

As we watched our savings deplete each month to cover the difference between our income and our expenses, we put all our options on the table.

First, we trimmed our expenses to the bare minimum. Then we considered me looking for a higher paying job. However, that seemed like it would be a big challenge and it wasn’t what I really wanted to do anyway.

What I really wanted to do was something entrepreneurial. I had read a bunch of books on starting your own business and was part of a great entrepreneurial school, but I still wasn’t sure how to start.

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Personal Growth

Why Not?

February 28, 2013

So, the question is why? Why would you take all the time and effort to do all those things you do? Why take all the effort to write a book, or keep a blog, or travel, or start your own business? Why do you read so many books? Doesn’t it take up a lot of your time?

My answer, along with Jim is, well, why not?! The time will pass anyway, so why not see how high you can fly?

Why not watch the sun set over the Swiss Alps with your love?

Why not write books about what you are learning and share them with others?

Why not start your own business together?

Why not eat pastries at an outdoor cafe in Paris?

Why not drink black tea in London with an extra lump of sugar?

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Entrepreneurship

Should You Stalk Your Heros?

February 25, 2013

I’m currently working on a project where I’m in correspondence with some big-time entrepreneurs. These people are doing incredible things which are positively impacting the world on a huge scale. They are doing the types of things which I am secretly (or not so secretly to my wife) envious of.

superman

While I realize it’s not healthy to discount my own success and wish for someone else’s, I also never want to settle for doing less than I am capable of doing. I want to stretch to new levels, and was challenged to do so by these big-time entrepreneurs.

I noticed something interesting happening to me after interacting with them. I was energized. I was more optimistic. I was able to think bigger and rise above my limiting fear and belief.

I came to the realization that they were normal people. If it was possible for them to do these big things, it’s possible for me to them as well. I couldn’t help but ask myself, “How can I interact with people like this on a more regular basis?”

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Entrepreneurship

The Reason To Do The Work You Do

February 21, 2013

It can’t be for other people. It won’t stick.

It can’t be for a response. Sometimes the greatest work goes unnoticed.

It has to be for your own fulfillment. It has to be for the feeling of knowing you poured your very best out, whether it gets an applause or not. Applause is nice of course but is of no importance when it comes to your best work.

We all feel it when we have made our best and when we haven’t. Too often, we put out a watered down version of our best.

The tricky part is presenting your best to others with no hold on the outcome.

 

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Entrepreneurship

What To Do When You’re Stuck in Dreaming and Preparing Mode

February 18, 2013

When wanting to start a project to generate income, be careful not to get stuck in the dreaming and preparing mode. Yeah sure, you want to be intentional about which direction you’re headed, but remember there will be a lot of trial and error in the process so just starting is vital to your success.

ideas, growth, entrepreneurship, start

photo by _sjg_

If this is your first project, why not start with something small you can complete in the next two months. This will take the pressure off of needing to find the “perfect idea” and will give you a sense of urgency with the limited time frame.

Start, stay committed, and finish. Then immediately start the next project. Don’t hesitate or you will talk yourself out of things. Just keep working and the constant progress on a project will give you great momentum. You can evaluate and reevaluate every couple months to see if you are still headed in the direction you really want to go and whether your projects are truly taking you there.

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Entrepreneurship Personal Growth

Get Your FREE Copy of Our Book: Compass

February 13, 2013

For months now, people have been asking Michael and me these three questions:

1. How do you get everything done?

2. How did you go about setting goals together?

3. How did you start figuring out what to do with your life?

The answer comes down to two words: life planning.

The truth is, life approached in a haphazard manner is not a fulfilling life. If you don’t know where you are going, it sure doesn’t feel good when you arrive… wherever you arrive.

You need to be strategic to be successful.

Sadly, most people live their whole lives in this haphazard manner. They are simply spectators of their own lives. And rather than figuring out a route to set their life sailing in the direction they want to go, they simply drift wherever the wind and waves take them.

Most people spend more time planning their summer vacations than their own lives!

Don’t be “most people!”

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Entrepreneurship

Scary, Simple Projects

February 7, 2013

When it comes to doing something on your own to make money, I have heard people say, “Just get in the game and try something.” While this is good advice and something that has worked great for me, this concept deserves clarification.

photo by spaceodissey

For example, let’s say you hate your job and have a grand dream to build a big technology company. You figure it will take 5 years to scale. Your mortgage is due on Friday. Not a great plan for the moment.

It is true that there are good and not so good times to try things.

So, before we invest 5 years of our life into one single plan not knowing whether it will succeed or fail, is there another way?

Yes, there is.

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Miscellany

The Truth About My Marriage

February 4, 2013

Have you ever had a paradigm shift?

Say, you are annoyed at your dog one evening. You came home to a chewed up pile of books and pee on your favorite leather chair. Morning walks have become a dreaded chore as you are pulled hither and yon through your neighborhood. And to top it all off, he eats way too much.

“This whole dog owner thing is way overrated,” you mumble to yourself as you grab your phone, a slobbery tennis ball, and march out the door to grumpily engage in a game of fetch.

You start unenthusiastically throwing your way-too-excited dog the soggy tennis ball and giving him the death stare each time it is returned. Suddenly distracted by your phone, you throw the ball a bit farther than anticipated and it bounces innocently into the middle of the busy street in front of your house, taunting your dog with its erratic bouncing movements.

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Uncategorized

We Owe You This…

January 31, 2013

Claudia and I want to say a big THANK YOU to the many of you who, in one way or another, supported our fight of saving two children from sex slavery.

You helped raise nearly $2000 which was incredible! This will fund one whole rescue and nearly half of another one. We were really blown away by your great response to this mission! Thanks for being part of it!

As incredible as all that is, it gets even better. Claudia and I are part of a team of bloggers for The Exodus Road raising awareness and fighting for those trapped in sex slavery. You along with the rest of the Exodus Road team helped raise over $10,000 funding nearly eight rescues!

The following video is a heartfelt thank you, to you, from The Exodus Road’s marketing director.

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