It’s always easy to see someone who is making money and doing well and think they must be lucky or that it came so easy. I’m very thankful that all the years of trying and failing have finally paid off. I’m living my dreams.
It hasn’t been easy to get to this point though. In fact, I think I have taken longer than most people who are making money online. It does seem some do well on their first attempt.
It’s very possible, but I think that’s not the norm. I wish it were that easy for me. My first attempt didn’t go that well. Nor did the next or the following attempts. In fact it took many years and many embarrassing ways that I tried to make money online.
The reason I want to talk about it in today’s episode is because I know many of you have this fear of trying. I’m telling you to start now. Because your first attempt may not be successful. It’ll probably be embarrassing when you look back on it, but with each try you move slightly closer and closer.
I know that’s what helped me. At the time it felt like I was going backwards or making no progress but it all led me to where I am today.
We all want to be more productive. Take a look at the bookstore or Google productivity tips and you’ll find so much advice that you feel like your head will explode. We’re doing things in our daily lives that appear to be helping us, but actually causes more stress in the short and long term. Not only that but these time thieves sneak up on us. We often don’t realize we’re even doing them.
In today’s episode I talk about three time wasters that you’re probably doing every day. Once these are identified then you can begin to find solutions to prevent them.
When I look back, if there’s one thing that has helped achieve so much it’s been that I’ve prioritized what’s important to me and don’t worry about the rest.
I began this new chapter in October 2010. I hit my rock bottom and needed change badly. My first priority was to get healthy. At that time I was out of shape and fat for my standards. I knew if I wanted to change anything about me the first thing I could do and get the quickest results was exercise and lose weight. So I focused on training for a half marathon and I cleaned up my diet for the next three months.
After I finished the half marathon I had lost 15 pounds, and had confidence through the roof. My next focus was starting this blog and development of Photo 365, which both began in January 2011. That year I didn’t juggle too many projects. My priorities were growing this blog and the app. That’s it. By the end of the year Photo 365 was a success and this blog had grown.
In 2012, my priorities were to make enough money to finally quit my job. The plan was to create a course for this blog and develop more apps. That I accomplished both, but financially my goals weren’t. It wasn’t because I lacked getting my priorities straight.
In 2013, I decided to finally quit my job. Just couldn’t take it anymore and couldn’t keep waiting for the right moment to quit when my online income matched what I was making at the restaurant. It was scary to do that but I needed to. So my #1 priority was make money. I had the same priority in 2012 but what I tried didn’t work. So I had to try something different and I did. I began reskinning iPhone games and by the end of the year, thanks to being solely focused on that and pushing everything else aside, I was able to breath a sigh of reflief by the end of the year.
Then last year I discovered Teespring and the business model of selling shirts online. I soon become obsessed with this and made this my #1 business priority. I even stopped reskinning apps even though it was profitable for me. I knew I wouldn’t have enough time to do both. Again this paid off very well for me and I had my very first $100k year online.
So what are your priorities for the year? You can have more than one but it’s best to choose one main priority in different areas in your life. You can choose a priority for family, business, spiritual, financial and lifestyle. Last year my wife and I made it a priority to travel since 2013 we didn’t in order to save every penny we could since I quit my job and no income was coming in. So in 2014 we made up for that by nearly traveling once a month. Because we made it a priority, we achieved it.
I hope you enjoy today’s episode and become clear what your priorities are for this year.
Living in the past is never a good thing. I’m a believe that we have to let go of the past in order to move forward. However I am a believer at taking the time to reflect on the past 12 months. It’s like going to the dentist or the doctor’s for a regular check up, but less painful.
By reflecting on the past 12 months, it lets us take time to assess what we have done. What did we do well? What did we do poorly? What do we need to do more of? What do we need to do less of? These questions and more can help us make sure that we’re on the right track for the next 12 months.
We don’t want to be a dog chasing our tail and end up in the same situation, as the same person, and wasted a whole year.
That’s why before we get too far along in 2015, it’s best to take time to do a year in review.
Headspace - What I use for mediation. Get a free 10 day trial. Available on iOS and Android.
Blinkist - Read the best non-fiction books in less than 15 mins. My new favorite app. Sign up for a free 3 day trial (no credit card needed. Just your email.) If you love it as much as I do, sign up for an annual plan with the promo code “getbusyliving” and get 20% off.
Morning routine - In episode 10, I did an interview with Hal Elrod who talks about how a morning routine can change your life.
In today’s episode I answer an email I received. It wasn’t meant to be answered on the podcast, but it was a question that is very common so I felt it would be helpful to record a podcast episode about it.
A reader is in a job now but wants to do something more fulfilling. She has many passions but doesn’t know how to turn that into a thriving career.
Does this sound like you? I know many of you are in a job that’s going nowhere. You’re tired of just doing the same work day after day. You have ideas of what you like to do, but are unsure how you can monetize that.
It doesn’t matter what age you are. You can be 30 or 50 years old. It’s not too late to change directions and begin doing something on your own. Because running your own business doesn’t require a resume or a job interview so you don’t have to worry about being not qualified or being too old.
And the skills and experience you have gained can be transferred to running your own business.
If this is a question that you have then this is a great podcast episode to listen to.
Have you ever made resolutions and failed? The majority of you said yes. I have. When I did make resolutions I started well for the first couple weeks but after that I completely went back to my old ways. By the end of the year, I felt like nothing had changed in my life. Then I’d make those same resolutions again.
I stopped making resolutions and my life has been better.
With a month left till 2015, I felt the need to talk about this because there are many of you looking at 2015 as a new fresh start. So you’re preparing in your mind what changes you want to make for 2015.
I talk about why you shouldn’t make resolutions and why in today’s podcast episode.
