Are You Content With Your Work
If you read this blog, chances are you’re not the norm.
You’re probably not a 9-5’er, and what I mean by that is that you may be working a 9-5 but you don’t feel you really fit within that box anymore. It doesn’t totally feel right to you.
I’m guessing you’re looking for a way to fully express yourself, do what you love and surpass your current income and lifestyle.
Passions, profits, purpose and congruency. It’s an interesting mix that is able to be done but the route to getting it done isn’t always smooth sailing.
Or rarely is it perceived as smooth sailing.
I’ve experienced how this can be confusing first hand.
I’m going to as best I can, share with you what has worked for me and what have been some of my realities that hopefully give you some insight as to your own journey of doing what you love.
I’m going to cover:
- Passion– Finding what gets you excited as hell to get up every morning and get started on your day
- Profits– How to get paid what you feel your worth while you find your purpose
- Purpose– Discovering your heroic mission in life
- Congruency– Making sure your thoughts, actions and words are all in alignment with who you see yourself as, your core values you hold, the purpose you’re on and the value that you add. This is what I consider the most important aspect of it all.
I’m going to cover them in this order because this is how I’ve discovered doing what I love so far and created money doing it.
But first, what are you currently doing and why?
What You Are Currently Doing
For the past 10 years I’ve worked from home with one home based business.
I don’t answer to a boss, I don’t report for duty somewhere and I don’t have a set schedule unless I’m the one who sets it.
Considering the vast majority of people who attempt a home based business rarely make enough to even make a car payment, I’d say I haven’t done too bad.
When I first started my home based business 10 years ago it represented the light from the dark worldof manufactured home sales where I worked 50 and 60 hour weeks.
The home business was my escape hatch from all the stress, crazy business relationships and in-congruency I felt in the mobile home business even though I was self employed.
My home business represented freedom. It didn’t represent my passion or my purpose. However it has contributed significantly to me discovering my purpose.
I was desperate for my freedom 10 years ago, even if the ship that picked me up from the choppy seas wasn’t as appealing on the eyes as I hoped.
So you may ask, “Tony…why on earth have you done it for 10 years?”
Commitment, discovery, growth, profits, relationships, stability, unconsciousness.
Shit, I could give you a number of reasons why.
None of it matters at this point though.
There’s no forward progress when you’re in your story. “In Story” means you’re not present in order to take action today. You’re too busy telling yourself why something happened yesterday that created your circumstances today.
It’s happened as it’s happened and it couldn’t have happened any other way.
I’ve begun waking up from the human dream over the past year or two by asking questions, exploring new things, screwing them up and discovering what feels right and what doesn’t.
Before that though I was asking questions that only went as deep as my conscious self could ask. I’ve had to go below the surface and be around others who were more conscious than I was about their passions.
I found that I was still sleep walking even though I was under the illusion I was watching all the sleeping 9-5’ers.
I was in judgment and in story.
There was a whole new level of consciousness I had yet to discover and today I’m walking into its light, free of story.
So I may ask what are you currently doing and why, but ask that you not judge where you’re at currently.
I ask that you not dog the fact you’ve been working a 9-5 or a running a business you can’t stand, or doing a home business that you think you have failed at.
Your past has totally served you by preparing you for the next evolution of consciousness and physical application of your lessons.
“You cannot solve a problem at the same level of consciousness that you discovered it.“-Albert Einstein
My point here is don’t just choose something to do just because of the money you think you’ll make but also don’t discount jumping on board with something because it’s not exactly what you want to do yet.
It may just be preparing you for the next step. (You also don’t have to do it for 10 years like I did though. 😉 )
Discovering What You Want To Do: Passion
I get the question a lot, “Tony just tell me how to make money doing what I love.”
There is running a business and there is doing what you love because you’re passionate about it.
I’ve had lots of people tell me these two things can’t be congruent with one another but the fact is they can and they are.
Definition of Passion: Having, compelled by, or ruled by intense emotion or strong feeling
Let’s talk about doing what you can be passionate about:
- What hobbies do you currently have that you get lost in the moment doing?
- What hobbies do you want to do but haven’t because you think you’ll be judged?
- What are you passionate about that you are good at and could teach?
- What could you talk about all day long without getting tired of it?
- What is something you’ve wanted to explore but felt silly about doing? (Explore it!)
- What topics of interest are you passionate about?
- What issues or topics make you heated, pissed off, excited, bring you joy, and why do you feel strongly about them?
I want to talk about the last point.
Up until now you could say that everything I’ve covered is about just feel good woo woo. Like being artistic such as writing, music, blogging or art.
I’d say don’t get in that box.
Someone who is passionate about a particular topic such as apartheid, HIV, homelessness, the senseless slaughter of baby seals or dolphins can be an subject matter that drives you and you could love what you do in the way of supporting your viewpoint, movement or cause.
Can you make money doing it too?
Of course.
Attach your product to a strong enough cause and watch out.
Think outside the box but be in the moment.
I can’t stress how important this is.
As a musician myself, I can tell you the only reason I’ve ever performed is because I loved the act of creation first and contribution second. I can’t tell you the hours upon hours that went into mastering my technique, creating the music and practicing modes and theory. Then there was rehearsing with others as a band too.
Every moment alone or in front of an audience was a performance of a lifetime to me as it should be with you when you’re doing what you love.
I found myself lost in the moment because it just felt right.
That’s called doing what you love.
The word performance may imply a specific meaning to someone else but it represents an overall experience to me instead. That experience didn’t start only when I stepped out on a stage or pushed publish on this post. It started when I was practicing, writing, rehearsing, creating etc…etc…
In my experience you only truly gain by giving.
Even if that’s giving your passion your full attention in the moment as you practice it, support it or by giving your audience everything you have in the moment.
That is the performance of a lifetime. This happens whether you’re alone, in the room with one person or in front of a crowd of 10 to 15,000 people.
I’ve done all 3 and I can tell you I was doing it regardless of profits.
Because of this, I choose to believe what I have experienced in the past, has supported what I find myself more passionate about doing in the present.
Taking the time to inspect and acknowledge your gifts, passions and talents is important. They can all come in many different forms and that form may only become discovered through taking actions that lead to another and that lead to another.
The act of standing still and just looking for the answer rarely gets you to the point of discovery.
Transitioning Into What You Want To Do: Profits
“That’s all great woo woo stuff Tony but I have to pay the bills and I can’t pay the bills with something that feels right.”
“How can I make money if I’m not even totally sure what business model I’m going to choose?“
And I totally agree.
That’s why I’m going to share with you how to profit…until it all comes together.
I may get some shit about this being the 2nd step but I know first hand what it’s like trying to figure out what you want to do while making no money doing it.
It sucks.
Imagine if I had stayed in my manufactured home sales job for the past 10 years because I wasn’t totally sure of what I wanted to do?
I’ll just say that could have been like living in suckville.
I’m almost sure I would have had a stroke. *I later learned a good friend of mine who started the same home business I did, and quit, later had a massive heart attack on the job in the very office I worked in.
A close friend of mine just went to a luncheon with billionaire Mark Cuban this past week and told me an awesome story about this transitioning concept.
Someone asked Mark if he had to start all over again as a young adult what career would he choose.
Marks answer, (I’m paraphrasing based on the conversation):
“I wouldn’t choose one. I would get a job as a server somewhere and try a bunch of different things until I found what really resonated with me. I’d live lean and I wouldn’t buy a new car or house and crap like that. That’s the trap, you buy all that stuff and then end up changing jobs or getting fired and you end up working jobs you hate because you’re in debt. When you’re young and just coming out of college you don’t know what the hell you want to do for the rest of your life.“-Mark Cuban
I thought that was the most real answer ever and it’s pretty much what I’ve done.
While I’ve been working my home based business I’ve also been moving forward:
- I’m doing personal spiritual, streamline & productivity coaching
- I’m doing blogging, online marketing and social media consulting (I just had a $3500 day from doing this alone)
- I’ve been blogging every week on a self contained concept that I’ll later expand upon and turn into info products
- I’ve been approached about producing music tracts for a site where I’ll get paid royalties for every sale (Oh and I create the music in my spare time for fun anyway 😉 )
I’ve done all of this by not being totally sure where I wanted to focus my efforts, but damnit I’ve just been moving forward, I’m still making money and I’m finding I love doing it!
Imagine hitting the Start Over Button right now with the Mark Cuban philosophy?
I understand if you’re already later in life and find yourself with all the attachments such as cars, homes and debt. That’s fine. It is what it is, but start the road to discovery now. Today.
I started spare time with my home business 10 years ago and made the transition slowly over a year until I was making $1000 a week.
I put 8 hours a week into my business even though I was working 50 ad 60 hours at my full time job.
I would lie, cheat and steal:
- Lie in bed and dream about my freedom I was working on
- Cheat as much time as I possibly could to get to it
- And steal as many good ideas as I could to make it happen
I suggest you start to do the same once you’ve identified some of your passions.
Move on them and then sort them out!
Making Money Doing What You Love: Purpose
I have to say I love what I’m doing right now and it’s not exactly how I saw myself arriving.
I wake up challenged everyday.
Change doesn’t happen without challenge and discovery.
Because I’ve got the profits part out of the way, at least right now and I’m not stressed out about it, I can focus on building a profitable model around what I love and laser in on the market that loves it and wants it.
Like a musician you plan, you practice and if you choose, you contribute your experience to those who are eager to hear it.
How do you find those people eager to hear it, is the question.
In business you research, plan, create and execute. It’s methodical, it’s purposeful and it feels good because it just fits within the context of contributing your gift to your audience in whatever form of value that is. (consulting, online or online products & services etc)
If your gift is selling the audience a solution or if it’s selling them something that entertains them, (or both) either way you must research, plan, do and review.
I see business as an art. Just as if I want to fully express my gifts via music, then I’ll learn music theory and I’ll practice modes and scales. Add a healthy dose of self expression and creativity & wholla! Sweet music can be found.
In business if I want to fully serve my customers by meeting their needs, I’ll create a solution for their problem in order to be financially rewarded for it. In that case I’ll learn marketing and what’s required to do it effectively so that it’s a win win for both parties involved.
I’ll discover if there is a hungry market for what I am passionate about. In the case of online (and offline) marketing it’s never been easier to target and attract that audience than by doing keyword research.
Keyword research tells you exactly the phrases and words people are typing into Google for.
Discover what people are looking for and make sure what you offer matches up to what the market is looking for.
- Can you help the market with their problem?
- Is anyone looking for what you offer?
- Do you need to tweak your offer to make it attractive?
This actually can work in reverse for you too.
You may find what you’re passionate about by doing keyword research around what problems people are having and for what solutions they are seeking.
Through keyword research you could find you have the solution and can create an information product around that solution.
It may jazz the hell out of you.
There are people who make million dollar a year incomes just because they are passionate about this whole finding a niche process, not necessarily the individual niches themselves. They love the challenge of finding people who have problems and creating the solutions.
If you already have something you’re good at, you must find where people are hanging out online and have the problem for which you can provide the solution.
After that you must attract those prospects and present your offer in such a way that it’s attractive to that audience.
The latter part is marketing.
There is a way to do this where you’re not pushy, you’re totally seen as a helpful and you’re congruent with your actions.
That’s another blog post. (Or maybe a product 😉 )
Doing It And Not Compromising: Congruency
No matter what anyone says, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. ([9:57])
There is someone out there that will buy what it is you do if it provides them enough value.
When it comes to profits and a business, it’s just a matter of if there are enough people out there so that it supports you making a living or creating a lifestyle.
That’s where keyword research can be extremely helpful. Is there a hungry crowd?
I got hung up for the longest time that I didn’t provide enough value to charge high enough prices to sustain my lifestyle, based on my knowledge.
Today I know that’s total bullshit.
I’m able to do it offline and online.
The value I provide is completely congruent with how I feel about myself, see myself and project myself onto the world.
- How I feel about myself- What beliefs do you carry around your gifts, talents or knowledge.
- See myself- Do you have a healthy self image that supports you taking risks and challenging yourself to seek out what your good at?
- Project myself onto the world- How do you show up in the world and share your gifts?
Once you’re doing what juices you in way that gets you up early (passion) you’re successfully generating revenue, (profits) and you feel you’re on task with your heroic mission (purpose) you begin to feel a congruency around your thoughts, deeds and words.
It feels good!
One big reason I believe I’ve seen so many people quit what they start? Because the vehicle they started with wasn’t congruent with who they really saw themselves as. It wasn’t congruent with their core values.
For example: If you don’t like people I can assure you, something like network marketing isn’t the business vehicle for you. No matter how much money you see could be the result. It’s a people business where you intimately work with people.
If you don’t like people you were set up to quit before you ever started. You will find or make up a reason. I’ve seen this over and over again.
You would need to work on your in-congruency first.
Normally you’d hear someone say, “they were doomed for failure before they ever started.”
People are only doomed to failure if they aren’t conscious of why it occurred to begin with.
“There is no such thing as failure, only testing.“-Dan Kennedy
Every opportunity why something doesn’t work, only puts you closer to how it can, if you choose.
This may mean you need to change your offer or you may need to change your business approach all together.
This isn’t failure, no more than when a system breaks down in your business.
You shouldn’t take it personally. It was just a break down in the system.
As long as you’re operating congruently within your values and your conscious of the steps: passion, profits & purpose it’s hard to get it wrong without eventually getting it right.
Next Steps:
1. Take out a piece of paper and begin to brainstorm and discover hidden passions:
- What hobbies do you currently have that you get lost in the moment doing?
- What hobbies do you want to do but haven’t because you think you’ll be judged?
- What are you passionate about that you are good at and could teach?
- What could you talk about all day long without getting tired of it?
- What is something you’ve wanted to explore but felt silly about doing? (Explore it!)
- What interests are you passionate about?
- What issues or topics make you heated, pissed off, excited, bring you joy, and why do you feel strongly about them?
2. Research: how you can begin to profit from those passions:
- Check out this Introduction to Keyword Research
- I use Market Samurai (Affiliate Link) for my Keyword Research
- Are you an expert around the subject or are you at least a few steps ahead of others who are just now looking into the subject?
- Can you offer consulting on the subject?
- Could you create an information product around the subject? (Audio, PDF, Video formats)
- Are there affiliate products you could begin to sell of other peoples?
3. Share this post via Twitter with the Retweet button below, the Facebook “Like Button” below or simply email it to someone who you believe is on a quest to discover how to make money doing what they love.
- This is only an introduction to the process
- It’s only what’s worked for me so far
- Share with me in the comments if this was helpful for you or what else you’d like to know
Now rock on and make right now amazing!
Related Posts
How I Found My “Purpose” In Business (VERY Different) TPIP:0039
Finding Your Footing Amongst Fear (And Upgrading Your Game)
I Found Out I’m Dying (I’ve Seen The Light)
Going Beyond Having an Attitude of Gratitude (A Bigger Gratitude Game)
Calling All Coaches-Is This Why People Struggle With Success?
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Hi, Tony.
I got your email today and came to back to re-read this. You want feedback, but I think this article really has it all to build a great starting point.
I know it helped me change my direction a tad when it came to taking one subject off my current blog and putting it into its own site. I was going to move the blogging about blogging…then I read this. I started thinking about what I am really good at AND enjoy. So (to let the cat out of the bag a touch) I am starting a site about romance and relationship tips with a buddypress MU install on a brand new domain. Its about 10% done. I am taking my time to get it set up right and looking good before I let too many see it. I can’t wait to show it off…and then start doing the consulting and infoproducts I have general ideas for.
Thanks for making me think…which you always do. It really helped push me to do what I knew would be better for me in the end. 🙂
Thanks Jenn!
Such a great point that you looked at what you’re good at AND enjoyed. So critical.
I’m excited about your new site and can’t wait to see it!
I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts! You’re entered into the contest for the consulting 🙂
Cheers!
It was my pleasure to share my experience with you. I know how awesome it is when someone tells you how something you did helped them 🙂 And I just may NEED that consulting to help me get a plan in place to manage these blogs LOL 😉 Looking forward to your next opus, as always. Hope you have an awesome week!
Hi Tony! Once again, you have succeeded in explaining things in a way that only you can and in such a way that is thorough with no mindless filler. Your posts are always real, refreshing and a breath of fresh air. The internet is inundated with motivational/prosperity teachers and I read A LOT of their blogs and emails that they send to me. Usually what I read is “Give me a wad of money and in return I will leave you with a totally excited false sense of hope. If you want a real sense of hope, that will cost you another $599.”
You are not like them. You freely give information and genuinely want people to have what you have. You let us, your loyal readers, know that whatever it is…it’s attainable…and with ease and simplicity. I LOVED the Mark Cuban statement! I will be putting that on every graduation card I send from now on! That is such a powerful truth.
One thing that I think you should address is fear. People ask me daily how I do what I do and I always respond “I’m fearless mixed with a little wrecklessness and PASSION!” As you know, fear and doubt are deal breakers and a force to be reckoned with. And it is something that every single one of us has to address and deal with. Breaking free of those is an important step.
THANK YOU, Tony! I always read what you have to say because you seem to be talking the things that I have either realized myself along the way or that directly address the place I am at on my path.
~Coryn
Hi Tony,
Not a bad start for a post. The one problem I see with the post is that you seem to ramble just a tad in the middle. It was enough to distract me from your main points. I really like the advice to just do something now whether or not it’s what you really want to do. It’s not the advice you usually hear. Maybe you could also address how to keep the momentum going in this step when what you’re doing isn’t exactly what you love.
Coryn,
Amazing feedback. I’m so glad what I share here resonates with you and is helping you along your journey.
I do the best I can. I really appreciate any and all feedback because I will be charging for deeper & more specific information. Everything I do here on the blog I intend on providing value and actionable steps.
Imagine how good the stuff I charge for will be? lol
Thank you again for your insight and that what I share here is assisting you on your journey.
Hi Diz,
I admit I do “ramble” lol and it is something I’m working at letting go so thank you for the feedbback. I actually edit out a lot of stuff because I am getting a better sense of what is fluff and what matters most to the reader.
I’m glad you picked up on the “do something on whether or not it’s what you really want to do.” I see too many people who get caught up in analytical seizure.
For me the gold in your comment is about sustaining momentum in this step. Great point of which I’ll dig into deeper.
Many thanks Diz!
Tony:
I believe your post on $$ Your passions covers most of the bases well
It is hard for me to ‘compete’ with your logic & intellect that is what I mean…..You want ME to tell you what you are missing!!,,,that is kinda like the average Joe Ballplayer telling Lebron, or Arod , or Peyton Manning what they are missing(IMHO)
Having said that seeing I have till Sunday to come up with something I am currently in the middle of crafting a REPLY
So Far here is what my ‘jaded’ mind has come up with….
1) I have been blessed in my life of 55 years …45 of which I worked a J-O-B in one fashion or another…to NEVER have had to work at something I hated(did it a day or two a couple of x & walked out!)….Did I LOVE it, Was I Passionate about it!?…Not really & yet I made the best of things,,,I found the activities ,folks, etc,,,etc,,in each position I held I enjoyed…I think a JOB at times & your enjoyment of it(or not) is all about ATTITUDE!!!! Because of this I was promoted or should I say promoted MYSelf a # of x…
2)Besides I have grown so very WEARY over the yrs. of being on various opportunity calls & hearing Susie or Bob etc bitch about how much they hated their day job & were now seeking to peddle pills or potions on the side to replace their day job cause this was their True PASSION,,,,,Wake up here Folks you will NEVER promote yourself like that!!!! you can not turn Passion ON & OFF,,,You had better FIRST find Passion in your day job if You ever think you will promote yourself out of IT!!!!!!
3) I think this concept of doing what you are PASSIONATEfor $$ about is often over rated see link below from dirty jobs…I mean if every man & woman who had to earn $$ Really, Really followed their passion & $$ it where would the garbage men be, Where would the toll collectors be, where would the ‘ed nortons’ of the world be !!!??How would we get these vital services accomplished!!??
4) I think the hard truth is not everyone in this life can follow their passion for $$$ does that mean they must remain unhappy!!?,,,In my opinion NO!!,,,,Outside of work voulunteer at your church(I did 20+ yrs…), go on a Mission trip(I did 2-3x it is a PASSION of mine)..teach something to another (I did & Have…& I love it!!!),,,etc,,.I think if you are to ever $$ your Passion you had better 1st be willing to do it for FREE!! Then possibly if the ‘stars align’ $$ may follow(some people)
5) Finally,,,,The Times they Are a Changin’!!…This is the other side of the coin( I tend to be conflicted at times on issues…I see BOTH sides & have a hard time coming down on either one in a Definitive way)….as I tell my kids these days things are different…The concept of the 40/40 plan(40 years at a job for 40 hours a week) are swiftly dying(started in the 80’s),,,you had better be flexible & adaptable…you had better have a BU plan & think outside the box & be able to create $$$ yourself ,,,so why not be your own company so to speak & be Passionate about it as you so aptly addressed in your post!!My son (8 yr. Navy vet) wants to create The Tim Ferriss Life style so that is good cause life is too short not to EXPERIENCE all you can!
6) Me?,,, I am in a different place(time) than my kids(22 & 28) & even you Tony,,,To be REAL & TRANSPARENT,,,here is the bottom line for Matthew Paul Geib…I am a 55 yr. OLD man who rose to a certain level of JOB success & saved a Certain amount of $$ over the years to ‘RETIRE’ on & have been discarded by the JOB world for the most part ….I am still at a loss for fulfillment …I desire MORE!! (not $$ either!),,,I feel time has passed me by,,,what do I have left 20-30 years,,,I find as I ‘awaken from my dream’ to pursue what I have called my Search for significance these past 5-6 years an increasing ANGER(especially these last 2 yrs) that I wrestle with,,,I am Angry because I never Fully went for my dreams & passions,,,I am Angry because I feel as though I wasted a lot of years,,,I am Angry because my Life Today is Not what I had envisioned many , many years ago…AND FINALLY I am ANGRY because I Feel the Train has left the station quite a while ago & I am not on it!! Time has run out for me (or at least this is the feeling I fight daily).
At any rate sorry I rambled on so long…Lets just call this my response & leave it at that,,,,at least because of you & your posts I am coming clean with who I am this has been very cathartic
Matt
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/mike_rowe_celebrates_dirty_jobs.htmlout
http://www.ted.com
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Tony – this is awesome stuff. LOVE it! You gave some really great, practical tips on how to do what you love and make money at it. 🙂
Particularly good tip on the whole just do something topic. Too many people get caught in that paralysis by analysis crap – I’ve certainly been there myself! – and taking ACTION and moving forward is the only way to get anywhere. 😉
I am actually well on the path myself – finally! 😉 And it feels good. It’s great to feel that congruency getting stronger as I move toward my purpose and what I am passionate about. 🙂
Dude amazing comment! Thank you!
I want to address your comment:
“You want ME to tell you what you are missing!”
I don’t want you to tell me what “I missed” but what I missed for you. Much like Dez below pointed out something that I’m definitely going to implement in my update which:
How does one sustain momentum while not doing exactly what they love?
So it’s not that I missed anything. It’s what was missing for him! (Or in this case for you)
It’s super valuable for me to address what’s not clear to you or what’s missing “for you.”
Remember I’m not guru and I’m still working on my communication of what I “do” know.
Thanks for an amazing response and you are Definitely entered my friend 😉
Awesomeness Jess!
So glad you got value from this and that you’re already moving forward and you’re doing it congruently.
I love that word! Congruence. It just FEELS right doesn’t it? lol
Thanks again!
heehee – yes, it sure does feel right! 😉
Tony,
Great post. I am so glad I read this as you really hit on some key points for me personally. Your sentence “I found that I was still sleep walking even though I was under the illusion I was watching all the sleeping 9-5ers” stood out for me. The way you wrote that, crystallized some thoughts for me. Even though I feel as though I may be watching my “sleeping” co-workers, or “sleeping” neighbor, and feel as though I’m doing more to further my success than they are, am I even close to living up to my potential!?! No way! I’m realizing I need to wake up and STRIVE FOR MY POTENTIAL!
I’ve always thought the “good to great” story is not told enough. Most success stories I read are from “poor to millionaire”, “absolutely miserable to best life ever”, “quitting school to multi-billionaire business owner”, “completely un-supportive abusive family to breaking free and living the life you want.” Well shoot I’ve been so blessed to have a wonderful supportive family, good grades, “good” jobs, never short on money, the key is taking that comfortable lifestyle, getting uncomfortable, and taking it to the next level…that is my personal challenge and something I am working on every day. I’ll be honest, I’ve sit through seminars and conventions and read books, listening to those types of rags to riches stories and sometimes wonder if I need to go through rags first, to get to riches, I mean I don’t WANT to go through rags, but man sometimes it seems like thats the only way!….that is a personal hurdle I need to jump over.
Other Most Valuable Items for me were the Will Smith video. Somehow I had not seen that before. That man speaks with such purpose and passion its amazing…loved it. From a writing point of view I really liked how you posed those “passionate” questions at the beginning and end of the post. How many times have we read books and not actually written down what the author asks us to? It allowed me to think about the questions as I continued reading, so by the time I saw the questions again I actually started writing things out! Tips on keyword research were also great…I started looking into it as soon as I finished the post.
Missing for me in this post, nothing really! Without making the post extremely long I don’t think there would be too much to add. If I had to have something it would be:
Since most of us are in the “transition” phase of getting out of the 9-5 I would have liked to hear some of your early struggles with PPL and how you kept your commitment though it was not your “passion.” Where did you develop your burning desire to get out of the mobile home business and change?
You da man! 🙂
Matt,
Great comment man.
Lots of things I’d like to address but in the interest of time…
No you don’t have to go through rags, unless you see yourself as having to.
Then guess what, you’ll create it.
Striving for your potential to me is the long way around…You don’t strive
to find your potential you strive to find your purpose and in your purpose
you discover passion.
Where there is purpose, there is passion. Where there is passion, there is
fulfillment in contribution.
Your potential is limitless.
Your self image and what you see yourself capable of is what puts a cap on
your potential. Doing shit you hate or know you’re not built for is what
sneaks up on your potential and sabotages it.
You begin to realize your potential is discovered through purpose.
I don’t claim to know how one would discover their purpose. I believe it’s
unique to everyone. Had you told me 6 years ago that I would inspire people
with my writing I may have told you I’m not writer, how would that be
possible?
Today it’s one of my passions. It’s a tool I love to use to empower people
on their own road to discovery.
But I had to go through a process before I discovered it. Had I stood still,
I wouldn’t have and you’d never be reading these words, much less leaving
such an awesome comment. 🙂
Transition seems to be something everyone is interested in and probably
think they have the hardest time with. (Based on their results I can see
why)
There are how tos involved but like myself, it was my passion for freedom
that always drove me. PPL was just the vehicle of which I chose to drive in
order to get there.
Today I’ve decided to drive something different.
I’ll definitely dig into some of these topics you and the other awesome
people in this community have asked about much more in detail.
And soon.
Thank you my friend!
Tony, Matt sent this to us and Kin & I really enjoyed reading it. I love the way you bring your passion to the table! We are in the process of starting a company called Passionate Parenting that we will use some of your concepts (if that is ok). The over-lap of businesses while developing your “passionate for life business” makes a lot os sense and I liked the way you detail out specifics for starting this process.
I also really liked your lie/cheat/steal frame and plan to use that as well! That’s a great way to activley develop your plan.
We are working to “start over” right now and look forward to the process. We will begin to follow your postings to assist in our own development. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas!!
George,
I’m glad this article really resonated with you. I appreciate your kind words.
These concepts are put on the table for everyone to discuss openly, research and implement. I’m glad you find value in it.
Starting over is a great place to be. I’ve discovered that in starting over it’s what we let go of that is just as important as what we learn. Embracing both assists us in discovering new joys and successes.
I look forward in providing further insights and support!
Thank you for contributing to the conversation my friend!
Tony,
I am so glad, for so many reasons, that my son, Matt, met you! First, when he called me about what you are up to, he was very excited both about your success as a friend, as well as about the potential for him and for our entire family to benefit from your expertise and advice.
Our family’s early exposure to Direct Sales in toys was very influential in introducing us to the whole area of personal growth and success. As a result, we have read many books, listened to speakers and attended seminars. Like you said in your post though, family commitments, financial obligations, “busyness” and such can and have kept us from truly acting upon our passions in a way that could take maximum advantage of who we are as well as provide more financial freedom. Matt’s comments about it being harder sometimes to break free from a reasonable level of comfort as opposed to a “rags” situation is so true. We also fall victim sometimes to an inability to give up the good to honor and pursue the “great!”
I believe we are ready now and that what we have to offer can make a huge difference to young families starting out! I love your reminder that, “ your past has totally served you by preparing you for the next evolution of consciousness and physical application of your lessons.” No longer any regrets for me! Your comment, “The act of standing still and just looking for the answer rarely gets you to the point of discovery,” fits so well for us too as we have to remind ourselves that we don’t have to have our ideas perfectly crystallized to get started TODAY!
As we begin to move on our ideas for our new business, we will definitely look to your ideas and expertise for direction and inspiration. Thanks Tony!
Wow how awesome is that Kim!
I’ve known Matt for a few years now and I can see how he hasn’t fallen far
from the tree 🙂 He’s very fortunate as I’m sure you both feel fortunate
for him and the other boys.
I don’t claim to have all the answers but I’m glad the ones I have
discovered resonate with you.
I’m looking forward to hearing of the success that is to come 🙂
I appreciate your kind words and am glad to provide value in what ways I
know how. (And even in the ways I don’t know, but do anyway lol)
I’ll be speaking with you soon!
By the way Diz if you get this congratulations. If you’re interested you are one of the two winners for the Blog Comment email I sent out. If you’d like to claim your hour of consulting contact me through the “Contact Me’ function on the blog.
Thanks man and congrats!