Regardless of your entrepreneurial explorations, there is a huge benefit to acknowledging your strengths, weaknesses, and expectations when examining a new business venture. As with anything worth while, starting a business takes research, careful planning, preparation, and a disciplined determination to achieve success.
There are so many people who are vulnerable to 'think' there's an easy way to riches or a "turn-key' system that will make them millionaires overnight. While I disagree to this belief impart; I too believe when you find your 'calling' or the "right niche"; success can be reached at an accellerated pace or even feel like it hit overnight.
However, the majority of us forget that slow and steady can often be a more rational approach than that of being overanxious and blinded by the big cash prize few lottery players ever achieve. Another words, before you decide to sign-up and gamble on one of those "quick ticket to riches" schemes; stop and research the opportunity, and make a well informed decision. Consider your options, there are tons of legitamit work-from-home and online business's that do not require massive start-up costs. Honestly, few programs will include or disclose the reality that as you develope your online business like any business, the demand for tools, resources, services, and knowledge costs time & money.
In reality, running a business online or off can be very rewarding, profitable, and enjoyable if you are prepared properly. Ultimately, the first thing we recommend is finding something you are passionate about, have sound knowledge of, and something you yourself can certify is worthy to bring to today's market.
In doing this, you will be far more motivated than jumping on the latest "As Seen on TV" bandwagon idea or that 3am infomercial craze that is here one minute and gone the next. Also, by carefully planning the direction you desire your business to go, it is essentially a key component to focus on things that interest you, and can thereby serve anothers interest.
Theoretically, those who truly succeed in their business are usually passionate about living life on their terms. Hence, whether you desire more time, more money, or just can't control that entrepreneurial hunger for success, the main ingredient should be derived from passion, and that which you love doing yourself.
Think about it; "Where would you be right now if time and money permitted you to go anywhere or do anything you wanted?"
Sadly, most of us either work the 40 hour shift or more, attend school, or have children and responsibilities that are so demanding and so great; many sacrifice who they really are. In fact, if your anything like myself, you were groomed to believe; if you worked long days earning an honest living, one day you could afford the time to do the things you love.
Unfortunately, that theory often comes up short, cages us, and by the time we realize it; we're too old to enjoy or even perform the things we once dreamt of doing. While time management will be included in future blogs, ponder this thought for a moment;
There are 168 hours in a week. In breaking down your daily 24 hour grind, factoring in work, school, commuting (traffic), shopping (food, clothing, hygiene, etc...), along with bathing, cooking, cleaning, laundry, paying bills, grooming (hair cuts, dental, botox...lol), and all the other intruding necessities; you'd be surprised to find how little time remains to be social or doing anything fun, aside from sleeping!
I can only hope that as we assemble this blog, we begin to scratch the surface of what's to come, and provide that which will be of benefit to you, the reader.
In fact, there is a "library of sort" within my head. There is no bias, prejudice, or level of academic achievement required to access this information, for it is free, as am I. However, the true investment is time. I cannot promise you neither fame and fortune, nor peace and freedom for that decision rests solely with you and how you interpret the insight I am preparing to share.
Honestly, we all desire to reach a level of success worthy of our time and effort. If you feel you've been robbed of your time, then stay-tuned, we want you to open your mind and cross the strongholds of the silent slavery so many remain imprisoned by. Most people equate: money = freedom. When in reality time to enjoy your freedom is far more valuable than money.
In essence, money can indeed buy hapiness at a superficial level, but; money can also become the master of misconception as well as create a false sense of security and reliance, while blindly robbing you of irreplaceable time. Don't grow old and miserable waiting for a money train that may never come. Lay down your own tracks (retrace your steps), and take the necessary measures to ensure you'll get to the destination of your choosing by enjoying the journey itself.
Finding a logical and practical approach to enjoy your time while making money is not as far out of reach as you may think. First you must develope a "Mindset 4 Success", and commit your time to doing what you love. Honestly, if you say you love driving a garbarg truck for $37, 500 per year, that's your choice. But, be honest, and ask yourself; is this where I truly belong?
Before considering an online business or any business venture, take a moment and ask yourself a few simple questions:
- What are my true passions and desires?
- Where do I truly long to go?
- What are my true talents and goals?
- Finally, ask yourself who you feel you are right now?
For starters, take some time and write down your answers. Be honest, and don't limit yourself to any one narrow minded. Think optomistically. Better yet...think opportunistically! If you are 100% honest with yourself and it's almost upsetting facing the reality of where you are -vs- where you long to be, don't get yourself down over it. Acknowledgements are generally the beginning stages, whilst the epilogue concludes the task, much like our last will and testament. If you're reading this, you're obviously not dead yet, and that's a good start! Certainly, don't fret and develop feelings of regret or spend too much time reflecting on past experiences, people, or any time lost. If anything, find the good in your failures, many people fail to this and never learn from their mistakes.
In fact many of us fail to do a thorough self-evaluation, and constantly look to place blame, make excuses, or ignore the truth to explain or unsderstand our current situations. Don't worry, you're not alone...it's human nature, and society itself dictates these practices everywhere we turn. Unfortunately, unlike reality tv, most people have little mercy, let alone sympathy or pity for our sufferings.
However, many successful people are their own worst critics, and never blame anyone less themselves for any shortcomings. Rightly so, as it is generally our choices that lead to our failure or success. In most cases, we learn more from failure, as it demands our attention.
Regardless of your childhood, religious beliefs, environment, or the typical "outside influences" that impart raised us to be so concerned for social and political correctness...the true geniuses were nothing short of odd or out of the ordinary in many ways.
Hence, traditional business methods and pratices are not wrong per se, it's just a proven fact that many of the true "raw talented" people did not fit that standard. Many successful people think outside the box. Many successful people can indeed study others, their behaviors, and their talents trying to immulate their strengths, whilst avoiding any distasteful weaknesses and still succeed.
Before I get carried away, my point is rather simple...just be yourself!
If you are passionate about something, set your mind to spending more time in that area of your life. It can be anything from playing golf, scrapbooking, or building an online mall. Just take some time and reflect on who you really are, where you've been, what you know, and especially what your strengths, passions, and true talents are, as that is where you'll find the path you seek. Once you refocus, and strip the societal blinder's and reconnect with you, then it's time to consider developing a business that you already have specific knowledge of, are passionate about, and can enjoy doing.
How can you successful determine what others want, if you don't know what you want yourself?
In future posts, I am considering the option of sharing some of my most insightful personal journal entries. While they were never written for public viewing, many of them contain a message(s) or a lesson(s) of sort, that are far more mind expansive than I can take credit. In starting a journal and documenting my deeper thoughts I found great relief, and a sense of calm. Honestly, I did it as a form of therapeutic relief, and thought nothing more of it. However, trapped with those pages remains some great insight and actually experiences that changed my perceptions in many ways.
Here it is, nearly 6 years later, and wow; going back and re-reading through my entries I learned things about myself, society, and exposed both my strengths and weaknesses. Even more so, I exposed my fears, and uncovered several areas of my life that were stealing away my precious time, robbing me of my true self, and ultimately turned me into a prisoner to my job and the demands of my increasing responsibilities. What has transpired from my journals defies explaination. If I had to explain I'd say my journals have taken on the role of the wise teacher, whilst I became a student of deeper messages within. There too, I began to understand human nature, and a common universal inheritance we all hold stock in.
So, I insist you grab a piece of scrap paper, and sincerely ask yourself the 4 questions above, and answer them thoroughly and with total honesty as a courtesy to yourself.
In posts to come, we'll go deeper into the psychology of creating a winning formula by practicing a few simple principles to live by. A moral code to oneself if you will. From there, you will develope a 'new' perception of yourself, and of others, and begin to develope a greater mindset 4 success in all areas of your life.
To Your Freedom and Your Success,
Dr. Seymour Truth
