Friday, January 8, 2010
The Power of the Penny
A friend of mine who just started blogging last month earned 48 cents through his blog in his first few days. “Forty-eight cents???” you ask. Yes, forty-eight cents! But before you go snickering and laughing, answer this question:
Which would you rather have: a penny doubled each day for a month or $10,000? If you haven't already encountered this question before, you might be tempted to take the $10,000. After all, $10,000 is $10,000, and a penny is only a penny. And even if you suspect that doubling a penny each day might in fact amount to a huge number, most people might not intuitively realize just how much is really at stake. The correct answer-provided you want the option that will make you richer-is to take the penny option. Here's what you will receive each day for 30 days if you choose the penny doubled each day option.
Day 1 - 1 cent
Day 2 - 2 cents
Day 3 - 4 cents
Day 4 - 8 cents
Day 5 - 16 cents
Day 6 - 32 cents
Day 7 - 64 cents
Day 8 - $1.28
Day 9 - $2.56
Day 10 - $5.12
Day 11 - $10.24
Day 12 - $20.48
Day 13 - $40.96
Day 14 - $81.92
Day 15 - $163.84
Day 16 - $327.68
Day 17 - $655.36
Day 18 - $1,310.72
Day 19 - $2,621.44
Day 20 - $5,242.88
Day 21 - $10,485.76
Day 22 - $20,971.52
Day 23 - $41,943.04
Day 24 - $83,886.08
Day 25 - $167,772.16
Day 26 - $335,544.32
Day 27 - $671,088.64
Day 28 - $1,342,177.28
Day 29 - $2,684,354.56
Day 30 - $5,368,709.12
Seen for what it is, this example is truly astounding! A single penny, doubled for an entire month yields a final day's return of over 5 million dollars, and a total accumulated return of over 10 million! It's an example of growth which progresses not arithmetically (i.e. by single units) but by what's known as Geometric Progression, (also known as a geometric sequence or a geometric series)-a sequence of numbers where each term after the first is found by multiplying the previous term by a fixed number called the common ratio. Like the progression of rewards on the popular game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, which goes from $100 to a $1 million in just 12 questions by roughly doubling each prize (common ratio=2), the concept of geometric growth is indeed a powerful one.
But enough math, how does this apply to your business as a passionpreneur? Well, you can apply the principle of the doubling penny in your marketing and advertising campaigns to grow your business and sell more products.
Now before you get too excited, keep in mind that the reason many people never realize the full potential of their marketing and advertising efforts is simply this: They don't have the patience to see it through. Look back at our example for a moment, and notice how the rewards grow. A week after you've started, your daily take is still just 64 cents. Fifteen days later-fully half way through the process-your daily take is just $163, just 0.00305 percent of what it will be on the final day. (That's LESS than 1/2 of 1/10 of 1 percent!). Two-thirds of the way through, at $5242.88, your day's reward is just about 1/10 of a percent of what the reward will be on the final day. So for many people, since it's difficult to gauge how the momentum of a campaign is really growing, they abandon the campaign before they reach Day 30!
If you own a business you are marketing, or a product or service you wish to sell, your mission is to tell the world about it. Imagine if the numbers in our penny example represented the number of people who bought your product. Or, let's be conservative, and say it represents the number of people who merely HEAR about your product. And let's say that only 1 percent of these people purchase your product for $25. So 53,687 people buying your product means sales of $1,342,177.25.
In truth, when it comes to getting the word out about a business or product, a 1 percent response rate is considered great. Success in marketing is really a numbers game. The more people you tell, the more people will eventually become your customers.
Now, I know what you're thinking: What if there aren't 53,687 in my neighborhood who I can count on to purchase my product or service. What should I do?
Think Global
One answer to that question will bring us back conveniently to our blogger and his 48-cent income. That 48 cents, which will eventually be deposited into a Paypal® or local bank account, was generated by clicks on an Adsense Ad. Those clicks might have been generated by visitors to his blog from anywhere in the world from Australia to Zimbabwe.
And that 48 cents and the potential it represents isn't even based on a physical product! It's entirely advertising-generated, based on the typically small percentage of website visitors who click on ads while visiting a blog. What if you had a website devoted to a product that people were actively searching for?
It is my fervent belief that one of the best strategies for every business in this new paradigm is to embrace technology in order to expand the potential market for new and existing products, as much as practical and possible, beyond your immediate shores.
Think Empire
Another strategy for maximizing your sales is to think “empire.” Every product idea that you have has the potential to be the basis of an empire. When I wrote my first book to help music entrepreneurs in the Rap industry start their own record label, I immediately started thinking about extending the concept to apply to other types of music as well. I envisioned books for Gospel, Rock, Jazz and Rhythm and Blues musicians. It was this sort of vision that always drove me to create new products along the same original theme. Today, the empire has become the “Turn Your Passion Into Profit” line of products.
To build your own empire, you too must become a possibility thinker. You must think in terms of sequels, 2nd editions, translations into other languages, modifications for different ethnic groups, religions, special interests or children, movie rights, calendars, mugs, clothing and even food! You must ask yourself, which other target audience could I sell to using the same concept with slight modification? What other types of products could lend themselves to being marketed under the same theme as my original idea? A prime example of this type of “empire thinking” is Jack Canfield's Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books. There are now Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul, mother's, writer's, children's, and probably even the chicken's souls! Just kidding, Jack! From the onset of your business, you should be an empire thinker to increase the markets for what you sell.
Think Money Tree
And finally, to help you come up with a viable business idea, heed the words of Robert Allen, author of Multiple Streams of Income, who says the perfect business needs to be a "money tree." Each letter of the phrase “M.O.N.E.Y. T.R.E.E.” represents a quality or feature that the perfect business should possess in order to survive and thrive.
Multiple-Your business must create multiple streams of income for you
Outstanding-Your product or service must be outstanding in its field.
No money Down-Your business should require little or no money down as an initial investment.
Employee-Resistant-The less employees your business requires, the safer, the easier and the more profitable it will be.
Yield should be high-You must be in an industry and have a profit margin that produces a high profit yield.
Timely-Your product or service should be timely.
Residual-Your business should create residual streams of income for you.
Essential-What you provide should be essential, or at least people must feel that it is.
Enthusiasm-In order to survive and thrive in business, you must be enthusiastic about what you do.
With the right questions, the right answers, and the right commitment, it’s not inconceivable that you too can harness the Power of the Penny to launch and grow your business.
* * *(Click on a 'Label' category above to read all the posts in that category)
Which would you rather have: a penny doubled each day for a month or $10,000? If you haven't already encountered this question before, you might be tempted to take the $10,000. After all, $10,000 is $10,000, and a penny is only a penny. And even if you suspect that doubling a penny each day might in fact amount to a huge number, most people might not intuitively realize just how much is really at stake. The correct answer-provided you want the option that will make you richer-is to take the penny option. Here's what you will receive each day for 30 days if you choose the penny doubled each day option.
Day 1 - 1 cent
Day 2 - 2 cents
Day 3 - 4 cents
Day 4 - 8 cents
Day 5 - 16 cents
Day 6 - 32 cents
Day 7 - 64 cents
Day 8 - $1.28
Day 9 - $2.56
Day 10 - $5.12
Day 11 - $10.24
Day 12 - $20.48
Day 13 - $40.96
Day 14 - $81.92
Day 15 - $163.84
Day 16 - $327.68
Day 17 - $655.36
Day 18 - $1,310.72
Day 19 - $2,621.44
Day 20 - $5,242.88
Day 21 - $10,485.76
Day 22 - $20,971.52
Day 23 - $41,943.04
Day 24 - $83,886.08
Day 25 - $167,772.16
Day 26 - $335,544.32
Day 27 - $671,088.64
Day 28 - $1,342,177.28
Day 29 - $2,684,354.56
Day 30 - $5,368,709.12
Seen for what it is, this example is truly astounding! A single penny, doubled for an entire month yields a final day's return of over 5 million dollars, and a total accumulated return of over 10 million! It's an example of growth which progresses not arithmetically (i.e. by single units) but by what's known as Geometric Progression, (also known as a geometric sequence or a geometric series)-a sequence of numbers where each term after the first is found by multiplying the previous term by a fixed number called the common ratio. Like the progression of rewards on the popular game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, which goes from $100 to a $1 million in just 12 questions by roughly doubling each prize (common ratio=2), the concept of geometric growth is indeed a powerful one.
But enough math, how does this apply to your business as a passionpreneur? Well, you can apply the principle of the doubling penny in your marketing and advertising campaigns to grow your business and sell more products.
Now before you get too excited, keep in mind that the reason many people never realize the full potential of their marketing and advertising efforts is simply this: They don't have the patience to see it through. Look back at our example for a moment, and notice how the rewards grow. A week after you've started, your daily take is still just 64 cents. Fifteen days later-fully half way through the process-your daily take is just $163, just 0.00305 percent of what it will be on the final day. (That's LESS than 1/2 of 1/10 of 1 percent!). Two-thirds of the way through, at $5242.88, your day's reward is just about 1/10 of a percent of what the reward will be on the final day. So for many people, since it's difficult to gauge how the momentum of a campaign is really growing, they abandon the campaign before they reach Day 30!
If you own a business you are marketing, or a product or service you wish to sell, your mission is to tell the world about it. Imagine if the numbers in our penny example represented the number of people who bought your product. Or, let's be conservative, and say it represents the number of people who merely HEAR about your product. And let's say that only 1 percent of these people purchase your product for $25. So 53,687 people buying your product means sales of $1,342,177.25.
In truth, when it comes to getting the word out about a business or product, a 1 percent response rate is considered great. Success in marketing is really a numbers game. The more people you tell, the more people will eventually become your customers.
Now, I know what you're thinking: What if there aren't 53,687 in my neighborhood who I can count on to purchase my product or service. What should I do?
Think Global
One answer to that question will bring us back conveniently to our blogger and his 48-cent income. That 48 cents, which will eventually be deposited into a Paypal® or local bank account, was generated by clicks on an Adsense Ad. Those clicks might have been generated by visitors to his blog from anywhere in the world from Australia to Zimbabwe.
And that 48 cents and the potential it represents isn't even based on a physical product! It's entirely advertising-generated, based on the typically small percentage of website visitors who click on ads while visiting a blog. What if you had a website devoted to a product that people were actively searching for?
It is my fervent belief that one of the best strategies for every business in this new paradigm is to embrace technology in order to expand the potential market for new and existing products, as much as practical and possible, beyond your immediate shores.
Think Empire
Another strategy for maximizing your sales is to think “empire.” Every product idea that you have has the potential to be the basis of an empire. When I wrote my first book to help music entrepreneurs in the Rap industry start their own record label, I immediately started thinking about extending the concept to apply to other types of music as well. I envisioned books for Gospel, Rock, Jazz and Rhythm and Blues musicians. It was this sort of vision that always drove me to create new products along the same original theme. Today, the empire has become the “Turn Your Passion Into Profit” line of products.
To build your own empire, you too must become a possibility thinker. You must think in terms of sequels, 2nd editions, translations into other languages, modifications for different ethnic groups, religions, special interests or children, movie rights, calendars, mugs, clothing and even food! You must ask yourself, which other target audience could I sell to using the same concept with slight modification? What other types of products could lend themselves to being marketed under the same theme as my original idea? A prime example of this type of “empire thinking” is Jack Canfield's Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books. There are now Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul, mother's, writer's, children's, and probably even the chicken's souls! Just kidding, Jack! From the onset of your business, you should be an empire thinker to increase the markets for what you sell.
Think Money Tree
And finally, to help you come up with a viable business idea, heed the words of Robert Allen, author of Multiple Streams of Income, who says the perfect business needs to be a "money tree." Each letter of the phrase “M.O.N.E.Y. T.R.E.E.” represents a quality or feature that the perfect business should possess in order to survive and thrive.
Multiple-Your business must create multiple streams of income for you
Outstanding-Your product or service must be outstanding in its field.
No money Down-Your business should require little or no money down as an initial investment.
Employee-Resistant-The less employees your business requires, the safer, the easier and the more profitable it will be.
Yield should be high-You must be in an industry and have a profit margin that produces a high profit yield.
Timely-Your product or service should be timely.
Residual-Your business should create residual streams of income for you.
Essential-What you provide should be essential, or at least people must feel that it is.
Enthusiasm-In order to survive and thrive in business, you must be enthusiastic about what you do.
With the right questions, the right answers, and the right commitment, it’s not inconceivable that you too can harness the Power of the Penny to launch and grow your business.
* * *(Click on a 'Label' category above to read all the posts in that category)
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Reality Reconstruction! Are you ready for it?
The only way to take control of your life, raise your standard of living and move beyond merely surviving is to create your own unique product or service that you offer to increasing numbers of people in exchange for the things of value that you desire. This simple formula applies to countries as well as people. A self-sufficient economy has its own products or services of value to export to the world. Similarly, a self-sufficient individual has something of value to exchange in the global marketplace. That thing of value is based on your natural talent, skill, or interest-in other words, your passion!
Considering pursuing your passion? Interested in launching your own business? Setting a challenging life goal? Intent on stimulating a national economy? Congratulations, and best of success to you! I would be remiss, however, if I didn’t prepare you for some of the consequences of the path you’re about to embark upon. If what you are considering is something that will take you to places others are afraid to journey, then there is going to be a price to pay for acting on ideas that go against the norm. In addition to the ridicule and rejection you may face from friends and family, there will also be some cosmic forces at work which may seem to be blocking you.
Many of us don’t recognize how the universe works. Here’s an illustration: if you are living in a house and wish to build a bigger better house, it may be necessary to demolish the existing house down to its foundation before you start building anew. In much the same way, once this creative universe we live in gets its orders from you that you want to change your reality, mysterious forces are set in motion that begin making the necessary changes in your life. If you’ve been living with people who think negatively and are going nowhere in their lives, you may find yourselves arguing more frequently. Or it may suddenly dawn on you that a person whom you thought you knew, has grown in an entirely different direction from where you now find yourself. You may have to make some hard decisions about who to keep with you on your journey, and who to leave by the roadside. If not, these individuals may hold you back from reaching your dreams. Go on without them, and if later you decide you still want their friendship, you can always come back and get them.
Similarly, if you’ve found yourself in a nowhere job, and you wish for the fulfillment and freedom of pursuing your passion, don’t be surprised if things start happening which lead to a (forced or voluntary) separation from your present place of employment.
These strange forces which first appear to be creating chaos in your life are part a phenomenon I call "reality reconstruction," and it usually happens right after a new reality is wished for and committed to in a significant way.
I witnessed this phenomenon firsthand in one of my business ventures several years ago. Within a few days of signing someone into my network marketing business, some "catastrophe" would invariably befall them. It might have been an illness, a fight with a spouse, a car accident, or some seemingly random event. At first I thought I was jinxed, or worse, that I was jinxing my new business partners. I soon came to realize, however, exactly what was going on: their realities were being reconstructed.
We live in a receptive and constructive universe that responds to our thoughts. When you say you want a better life, visualize and set goals accordingly, things naturally start to happen to bring you the life you desire. (Really! It’s true!) What happens, however, is that most people miss the clues, and interpret the ensuing chaos, tension, stress, turmoil, strained relationships, disagreements, disappointments, betrayals and lack of support from those we love as an indication that they’ve made a bad decision. Or worse, they fail to see the connection the new way of thinking is having on relationships and environment, and get distracted putting out these seemingly unexpected, and unrelated fires in their lives.
Interestingly, "reality reconstruction" doesn’t affect everyone to the same degree. Some people meet their dreams at a point in life after they’ve gone through the necessary preparation and personal growth. For those people, it can be a smooth transition into their dreams. However, of those it does affect, many fall by the wayside, overwhelmed by the unexpected changes in life, while others see it and embrace it for what it is, a reality reconstruction in progress.
The reality reconstruction that ensues by following a passion can mean ups and downs, uncertainty of regular income, having to make late payments, having your lights turned off, having your telephone disconnected, and maybe even homelessness. I recall the months where I was basically homeless and living on my friend’s couch and running my business from his living room. I knew that this was a temporary reality that I needed to experience to get to the success on the other side. Nothing motivates like desperation. And for some of us, experiencing dire straits is the only way we’ll ever develop the inner strength to really do what’s necessary to succeed as entrepreneurs. Are you prepared for any of the possible reconstructive realities that you may experience while you build your life anew?
I know of people who say they could never go through those kinds of experiences. If they happen to be married with children, they add that being single would make such changes easier. In response, I encourage people not to let their reason for doing a thing be their excuse for not doing it. In other words, many people crave the Passion Profit Life-style so they can spend more time with their children, but use the "responsibility" of providing for their children as the reason for not taking the risk to succeed.
I know of one woman with three children and a husband who quit her high-paying job to pursue her passion of being a writer. She ended up homeless and on public assistance (kids, husband and all) just before her big break--a six-figure publishing contract--came along. She didn’t let the downs get her down, and she realized that all things "come to pass." That is, they have come so that they can pass... (IF you gain the lessons they bring with them). She knew that sunshine follows the rain; that there’s always the seed of victory within every defeat; and that sometimes it’s necessary to hit bottom, before you can bounce back up.
So, as we move forward as individuals, as nations, and as a world community; and as we embrace the new buzzword of "change" as the platform of the new leadership, let us remember that change comes with a few challenges of reconstruction. If we are prepared for these ups and downs, we will have a better attitude, more realistic expectations, and consequently a better chance of achieving the goals we’ve set for ourselves!!
To build a better life, my friend
here’s something that I’ve found
things might just get a little worse
before they turn around.
The reason is you’ve spent your life
constructing woes and troubles
In breaking down those structures
you’ll find chaos often doubles
The fights increase, the tension mounts
close friends you may estrange
The world you’ve made is falling
so some things are bound to change
The thoughts you keep have shifted
and so too whom you attract
Let all the players clear the stage
make way for life’s new act
You’ll face this choice in life
each time you go against the grain:
Let go and risk it all,
or seek my comfort in the pain?
If better’s what you seek
then face life’s turmoil without fear
The reconstruction crisis
is a signal change is near!
Considering pursuing your passion? Interested in launching your own business? Setting a challenging life goal? Intent on stimulating a national economy? Congratulations, and best of success to you! I would be remiss, however, if I didn’t prepare you for some of the consequences of the path you’re about to embark upon. If what you are considering is something that will take you to places others are afraid to journey, then there is going to be a price to pay for acting on ideas that go against the norm. In addition to the ridicule and rejection you may face from friends and family, there will also be some cosmic forces at work which may seem to be blocking you.
Many of us don’t recognize how the universe works. Here’s an illustration: if you are living in a house and wish to build a bigger better house, it may be necessary to demolish the existing house down to its foundation before you start building anew. In much the same way, once this creative universe we live in gets its orders from you that you want to change your reality, mysterious forces are set in motion that begin making the necessary changes in your life. If you’ve been living with people who think negatively and are going nowhere in their lives, you may find yourselves arguing more frequently. Or it may suddenly dawn on you that a person whom you thought you knew, has grown in an entirely different direction from where you now find yourself. You may have to make some hard decisions about who to keep with you on your journey, and who to leave by the roadside. If not, these individuals may hold you back from reaching your dreams. Go on without them, and if later you decide you still want their friendship, you can always come back and get them.
Similarly, if you’ve found yourself in a nowhere job, and you wish for the fulfillment and freedom of pursuing your passion, don’t be surprised if things start happening which lead to a (forced or voluntary) separation from your present place of employment.
These strange forces which first appear to be creating chaos in your life are part a phenomenon I call "reality reconstruction," and it usually happens right after a new reality is wished for and committed to in a significant way.
I witnessed this phenomenon firsthand in one of my business ventures several years ago. Within a few days of signing someone into my network marketing business, some "catastrophe" would invariably befall them. It might have been an illness, a fight with a spouse, a car accident, or some seemingly random event. At first I thought I was jinxed, or worse, that I was jinxing my new business partners. I soon came to realize, however, exactly what was going on: their realities were being reconstructed.
We live in a receptive and constructive universe that responds to our thoughts. When you say you want a better life, visualize and set goals accordingly, things naturally start to happen to bring you the life you desire. (Really! It’s true!) What happens, however, is that most people miss the clues, and interpret the ensuing chaos, tension, stress, turmoil, strained relationships, disagreements, disappointments, betrayals and lack of support from those we love as an indication that they’ve made a bad decision. Or worse, they fail to see the connection the new way of thinking is having on relationships and environment, and get distracted putting out these seemingly unexpected, and unrelated fires in their lives.
Interestingly, "reality reconstruction" doesn’t affect everyone to the same degree. Some people meet their dreams at a point in life after they’ve gone through the necessary preparation and personal growth. For those people, it can be a smooth transition into their dreams. However, of those it does affect, many fall by the wayside, overwhelmed by the unexpected changes in life, while others see it and embrace it for what it is, a reality reconstruction in progress.
The reality reconstruction that ensues by following a passion can mean ups and downs, uncertainty of regular income, having to make late payments, having your lights turned off, having your telephone disconnected, and maybe even homelessness. I recall the months where I was basically homeless and living on my friend’s couch and running my business from his living room. I knew that this was a temporary reality that I needed to experience to get to the success on the other side. Nothing motivates like desperation. And for some of us, experiencing dire straits is the only way we’ll ever develop the inner strength to really do what’s necessary to succeed as entrepreneurs. Are you prepared for any of the possible reconstructive realities that you may experience while you build your life anew?
I know of people who say they could never go through those kinds of experiences. If they happen to be married with children, they add that being single would make such changes easier. In response, I encourage people not to let their reason for doing a thing be their excuse for not doing it. In other words, many people crave the Passion Profit Life-style so they can spend more time with their children, but use the "responsibility" of providing for their children as the reason for not taking the risk to succeed.
I know of one woman with three children and a husband who quit her high-paying job to pursue her passion of being a writer. She ended up homeless and on public assistance (kids, husband and all) just before her big break--a six-figure publishing contract--came along. She didn’t let the downs get her down, and she realized that all things "come to pass." That is, they have come so that they can pass... (IF you gain the lessons they bring with them). She knew that sunshine follows the rain; that there’s always the seed of victory within every defeat; and that sometimes it’s necessary to hit bottom, before you can bounce back up.
So, as we move forward as individuals, as nations, and as a world community; and as we embrace the new buzzword of "change" as the platform of the new leadership, let us remember that change comes with a few challenges of reconstruction. If we are prepared for these ups and downs, we will have a better attitude, more realistic expectations, and consequently a better chance of achieving the goals we’ve set for ourselves!!
To build a better life, my friend
here’s something that I’ve found
things might just get a little worse
before they turn around.
The reason is you’ve spent your life
constructing woes and troubles
In breaking down those structures
you’ll find chaos often doubles
The fights increase, the tension mounts
close friends you may estrange
The world you’ve made is falling
so some things are bound to change
The thoughts you keep have shifted
and so too whom you attract
Let all the players clear the stage
make way for life’s new act
You’ll face this choice in life
each time you go against the grain:
Let go and risk it all,
or seek my comfort in the pain?
If better’s what you seek
then face life’s turmoil without fear
The reconstruction crisis
is a signal change is near!
Labels: changing my life, Passion
(Click on a 'Label' category above to read all the posts in that category)What's My Passion, and other frequently asked questions
What's My Passion, and other frequently asked questions
By WALT F.J. GOODRIDGE
The only way to take control of your life, raise your standard of living and move beyond merely surviving is to create your own unique product or service that you offer to increasing numbers of people in exchange for the things of value that you desire. This simple formula applies to countries as well as people. A self-sufficient economy has its own products or services of value to export to the world. Similarly, a self-sufficient individual has something of value to exchange in the global marketplace. That thing of value is based on your natural talent, skill, or interest-in other words, your passion!
Your passion is not just any entrepreneurial business idea that makes you money. There’s a big difference between turning your passion into profit, and simply turning a profit. Any business can make you money. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with finding a lucrative business and using it to create the reality you dream of. In fact, if more people would simply do that, the level of happiness in the world would increase tenfold. However, a passion-centered business answers to a higher calling. Even profitable business vehicles will often fail to sustain your interest, and eventually fail simply because they are not meeting your spiritual needs. You may have some success, but may still end up looking for something else later. It's that something else that we seek in this chapter.
A passion is also NOT someone else’s idea of what you should be doing. Even though you can and will use other people’s observations about your talents and strengths in figuring out your passion, the final choice should be something that you decide is important to you. "My dad thinks I'd make a great doctor" is not a valid reason to pursue that profession. A passion cannot be an obligation or someone else’s vision for you. It must be yours and yours alone.
A JOB BY ANY OTHER NAME
One of the most common tendencies people have when they start thinking about doing something they love is to start looking to standard professions. They hold out the hope that changing professions will offer them a means of escape from the monotony and lack of fulfillment of their present form of incarceration, er, I mean employment. Unaccustomed to thinking about making money in ways other than those with names like lawyer, social worker and accountant, they make choices within those boxes.
It's time, however, to think outside the box. As you search for your passion, don't make the mistake of simply trading one form of employment for another. While it's true that some jobs may be more satisfying than others, and that you can get degrees of fulfillment from various forms of employment, what we're doing here is something completely different. We're not looking for an existing box within which to fit ourselves. We're starting with our dreams, and making our own box from scratch.
YOUR DESIRE IS YOUR RESUME; RESULTS ARE YOUR DEGREE
To live the Passion Profit lifestyle, no resume is needed. There are no pre-qualifications, just your natural gifts, talents and interests. The lack of formal education or degrees will not exclude you as long as you have a willingness to learn. Your desire is the only resume you'll need.
In addition, there's no degree required for what you do naturally. Your ability to create the results you promise through your passion is the only validation and certification that others want to see to feel safe buying from you or hiring you.
WHAT IF I HAVE TOO MANY PASSIONS?
Here is my best advice for those who are overwhelmed by the many things they like to do. In choosing a passion to pursue, it’s not important what you choose, but simply that you choose. You are not obligated to stick with this decision for the rest of your life. Following your passion is like taking a journey. Each decision is a station along the way.
Each choice is a single step in a thousand mile journey. That’s why it’s vitally important to simply head in the direction of your passion, because the journey is the most important thing. Six months from now you may be an entirely different person with different needs, desires and motivations that may require completely new passions to express. Don't be paralyzed by thinking that your decision is written in stone, or that you are excluding all the other things that interest you. You are simply taking the critical first step. . Go forth boldly knowing that you can change your mind and your direction at any time.
WHAT IF I DON'T HAVE A PASSION?
The answer: EVERYONE has a passion. The fact that you exist is your guarantee that you do. Your passion is who you are. Everything about you is an expression of your passion. Your love is the expression of your passion. Your enthusiasm is the expression of your passion. Your fear is an expression of your passion. Your desires are the expressions of your passion. Every thought you’ve ever had of new ways to express yourself is your passion speaking to you. Every feeling that has ever passed through you that beckons you to be, do and have more is an expression of your passion.
Your passion is the reason and rhyme for why you are here. It reveals the underlying theme of your life and the role you have chosen to play in this drama called life. Your passion is what guides your decisions in all of your choices. Your passion communicates its existence through that still small voice within you when you choose to listen.
The opposite of a life lived with passion, is a life of desperation, misery, frustration and unhappiness. It is a life that appears confusing, chaotic and out of control. It is a life perfectly described by Henry David Thoreau, who said "the mass of men live lives of quiet desperation." So, if you’re experiencing any of those feelings, it's a sure sign that you do in fact have a passion that is seeking attention and expression.
So, the question is not whether you have a passion, but how do you discover it. You can discover your passion if you know which questions to ask, and then answer them honestly. That is what the Discovery Exercises are designed to accomplish. Any one of the exercises may hold the key to helping you find your passion.
Many people report experiencing breakthroughs simply by asking themselves the question in the first exercise: "What do I want?” For many people, that question is one they have never really answered. Allowing their own desires to be brought to the forefront of their minds, opens up limitless possibilities that, quite literally, changes lives!
The foregoing is an excerpt from Turn Your Passion Into Profit. Find out more about the Discovery Exercises online at www.passionprofit.com
The only way to take control of your life, raise your standard of living and move beyond merely surviving is to create your own unique product or service that you offer to increasing numbers of people in exchange for the things of value that you desire. This simple formula applies to countries as well as people. A self-sufficient economy has its own products or services of value to export to the world. Similarly, a self-sufficient individual has something of value to exchange in the global marketplace. That thing of value is based on your natural talent, skill, or interest-in other words, your passion!
Your passion is not just any entrepreneurial business idea that makes you money. There’s a big difference between turning your passion into profit, and simply turning a profit. Any business can make you money. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with finding a lucrative business and using it to create the reality you dream of. In fact, if more people would simply do that, the level of happiness in the world would increase tenfold. However, a passion-centered business answers to a higher calling. Even profitable business vehicles will often fail to sustain your interest, and eventually fail simply because they are not meeting your spiritual needs. You may have some success, but may still end up looking for something else later. It's that something else that we seek in this chapter.
A passion is also NOT someone else’s idea of what you should be doing. Even though you can and will use other people’s observations about your talents and strengths in figuring out your passion, the final choice should be something that you decide is important to you. "My dad thinks I'd make a great doctor" is not a valid reason to pursue that profession. A passion cannot be an obligation or someone else’s vision for you. It must be yours and yours alone.
A JOB BY ANY OTHER NAME
One of the most common tendencies people have when they start thinking about doing something they love is to start looking to standard professions. They hold out the hope that changing professions will offer them a means of escape from the monotony and lack of fulfillment of their present form of incarceration, er, I mean employment. Unaccustomed to thinking about making money in ways other than those with names like lawyer, social worker and accountant, they make choices within those boxes.
It's time, however, to think outside the box. As you search for your passion, don't make the mistake of simply trading one form of employment for another. While it's true that some jobs may be more satisfying than others, and that you can get degrees of fulfillment from various forms of employment, what we're doing here is something completely different. We're not looking for an existing box within which to fit ourselves. We're starting with our dreams, and making our own box from scratch.
YOUR DESIRE IS YOUR RESUME; RESULTS ARE YOUR DEGREE
To live the Passion Profit lifestyle, no resume is needed. There are no pre-qualifications, just your natural gifts, talents and interests. The lack of formal education or degrees will not exclude you as long as you have a willingness to learn. Your desire is the only resume you'll need.
In addition, there's no degree required for what you do naturally. Your ability to create the results you promise through your passion is the only validation and certification that others want to see to feel safe buying from you or hiring you.
WHAT IF I HAVE TOO MANY PASSIONS?
Here is my best advice for those who are overwhelmed by the many things they like to do. In choosing a passion to pursue, it’s not important what you choose, but simply that you choose. You are not obligated to stick with this decision for the rest of your life. Following your passion is like taking a journey. Each decision is a station along the way.
Each choice is a single step in a thousand mile journey. That’s why it’s vitally important to simply head in the direction of your passion, because the journey is the most important thing. Six months from now you may be an entirely different person with different needs, desires and motivations that may require completely new passions to express. Don't be paralyzed by thinking that your decision is written in stone, or that you are excluding all the other things that interest you. You are simply taking the critical first step. . Go forth boldly knowing that you can change your mind and your direction at any time.
WHAT IF I DON'T HAVE A PASSION?
The answer: EVERYONE has a passion. The fact that you exist is your guarantee that you do. Your passion is who you are. Everything about you is an expression of your passion. Your love is the expression of your passion. Your enthusiasm is the expression of your passion. Your fear is an expression of your passion. Your desires are the expressions of your passion. Every thought you’ve ever had of new ways to express yourself is your passion speaking to you. Every feeling that has ever passed through you that beckons you to be, do and have more is an expression of your passion.
Your passion is the reason and rhyme for why you are here. It reveals the underlying theme of your life and the role you have chosen to play in this drama called life. Your passion is what guides your decisions in all of your choices. Your passion communicates its existence through that still small voice within you when you choose to listen.
The opposite of a life lived with passion, is a life of desperation, misery, frustration and unhappiness. It is a life that appears confusing, chaotic and out of control. It is a life perfectly described by Henry David Thoreau, who said "the mass of men live lives of quiet desperation." So, if you’re experiencing any of those feelings, it's a sure sign that you do in fact have a passion that is seeking attention and expression.
So, the question is not whether you have a passion, but how do you discover it. You can discover your passion if you know which questions to ask, and then answer them honestly. That is what the Discovery Exercises are designed to accomplish. Any one of the exercises may hold the key to helping you find your passion.
Many people report experiencing breakthroughs simply by asking themselves the question in the first exercise: "What do I want?” For many people, that question is one they have never really answered. Allowing their own desires to be brought to the forefront of their minds, opens up limitless possibilities that, quite literally, changes lives!
The foregoing is an excerpt from Turn Your Passion Into Profit. Find out more about the Discovery Exercises online at www.passionprofit.com
Labels: Passion, what's my passion
(Click on a 'Label' category above to read all the posts in that category)Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Top 10 Reasons for NOT pursuing your passion...
The only way to take control of your life, raise your standard of living and move beyond merely surviving is to create your own unique product or service that you offer to increasing numbers of people in exchange for the things of value that you desire. This simple formula applies to countries as well as people. A self-sufficient economy has its own products or services of value to export to the world. Similarly, a self-sufficient individual has something of value to exchange in the global marketplace. That thing of value is based on your natural talent, skill, or interest-in other words, your passion!
As you proceed on your passion to profit journey, you may find yourself challenged by doubts and fears. It's only natural. While this is a natural part of being human, however, giving into those doubts and fears doesn't have to be. Here therefore, are my counterarguments for “The Top Ten Fear-Based Excuses People Give Themselves For Not Following Their Passion”
Reason #1: Will people really want to pay me for this?
If you believe that the only place your prosperity can come is from your employer, then that’s the reality that you will create. If you accept that your good and all the blessings of the universe come from other sources, and that you can create and receive wealth for yourself from any channel, then you’ll understand that you can make enough to thrive, not just survive! It's a law of the universe that people will pay for the things that have value to them.
Reason #2: I don't have the credentials.
Most successful entrepreneurs don't have a formal education or degree. If you are faced with a task you've never accomplished before, you don't need to be smart, you simply need to know what to do. Many successful passionpreneurs are simply people who knew the steps to take to go from where they were to were they wanted to be.
Reason #3: If it does sell, will my luck continue long enough for me to be successful?
The question is not whether IT will continue long enough for you to be successful, but will you? As long as you are providing value to the world, there will be people who will pay for it.
Reason #4: I don’t know where to begin.
That's a common fear. You feel this way because you feel overwhelmed by the task. The trick is to make your list of things to do and simply take one step at a time.
Reason #5: I have kids and a family to feed.
Yes, and soon the kids will have more expenses, like college tuition. It’s been at least 20 years since one or even two incomes has been enough to meet the average family’s rising cost of living. Rather than working more and more hours to make more money, wouldn’t it be easier to put something in place to decrease your dependence on a single stream of income? Your kids are the reason you want to make money. Don't let them be the excuse you use not to.
Reason #6: I’m not a good business person.
Again, that’s not a requirement. Many of the most successful entrepreneurs are "idea people" who were simply smart enough to find people who are good in the areas they aren't.
Reason #7: If I leave my job, I’ll lose my pension and benefits.
If it’s predicted that 97 percent of the population will retire dependent on family, friends and the federal government to survive, and they’re doing pretty much the same thing you are, what assurances do you have that your fate won’t be the same? Besides, no one’s saying you have to leave your job, but why not think about creating something that can create your own pension and benefits. It's my belief that no job can ever match the potential for prosperity of someone with the passion to succeed.
Reason #8: I’ll think about that when I’m older.
And in the meantime? There really is no such thing as the future. There is only now. Your future and the lifestyle you desire is created by the things you choose to do now.
Reason #9: It’ll take too long for me to be successful at it.
Ask yourself: "How old will I be in 10 years?" Then ask, "How old will I be in 10 years, if I don’t do this?" Then ask, "How old will I be in 10 years if I do this?" The fact is, the years will pass regardless of what you decide to do with your life. By not pursuing your passion, however, you’ve simply decided to pass the years unhappy and frustrated rather than in empowering pursuit of fulfillment.
Reason #10: I’ll start when I have the money to invest.
Many people assume that no actions can be taken unless and until they have a certain amount of money. In fact, just the opposite is true. Paperwork can be completed. Products can be designed. Calls can be made. Estimates can be acquired. Marketing strategies can be mapped out.
In addition, it’s been my experience that if you proceed AS IF you have the money, faith, and the divine order of the universe will bring you what you need. Remember, we live in a supportive and creative universe. And this creative power of the universe is brought to bear by commitment, is multiplied by faith, and serves men and women who go after their dreams!
And now, the big secret
I'm now going to share with you the REAL reason you're not pursuing your passion and turning it into profit. Are you ready? After years of coaching and consulting people, I've discovered that the single and only reason people aren't out there doing it is because you don't believe it is possible for you. Forget all the excuses above. It's simply a matter of your belief level. If you really believed it was possible; if you included "passionpreneur" in your self-concept, you would get the information required and embark on the journey. It's as simple as that. We do things that are consistent with our self-concept. The reason you don't smoke, the reason you do exercise, the reason you don't live in an apartment, the reason you work the job you do, the reason you do anything you do, or don't do anything you don't is simply because you think of yourself as the type of person who ________ (fill in the blank.)
Your mission. My mission. Our mission, therefore, is simply to raise your belief level and help you change your self concept so that you actually believe and think of yourself as the type of person who can make money in unique, untraditional ways. Some of the ways I do that in this book is by telling my own story so you can relate, telling others' stories, and by breaking down the entire process in ways that make sense and that resonate as doable.
That's why many people have benefited from reading and implementing the strategies in Turn Your Passion into Profit, and why you can too!
Note: For more tips on overcoming your fears, acting on your ideas, changing the game, and creating a passion-centered lifestyle, visit www.passionprofit.com!
Labels: Passion
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