I’m back!

I’d like to say thanks to all that took the time to reach out during my 7 weeks away. Everything has been fine–actually things are better than ever–and I mean that. My family is wonderful, business is good…the year has started off well.

In my blogging hiatus, I learned that stepping away to look at my activities from afar, offered me a new perspective that I never had while being directly in the mesh of things. To take it a step further, I was/am willing to accept the fact that I had adopted some bad practices that needed to be corrected in order for me to stand a chance of success in the blogging arena.

The Tipping Point

After this site being up and running for about 16 months, I finally put my first product up for sale here. That item being my recently published book: Driven To Learn, Learning To Win. After analyzing my initial sales, I knew I had some significant opportunities for improvement.

It was surprising to find that only a few of my fellow bloggers purchased a copy of my book. These are the folks I had developed relationships with, spent hours in communication with, support in many ways including free web design, custom graphics and so on.

To understand my audience, here’s a breakdown…

My audience consists of fellow bloggers, which used to be the majority, and in the last six months or so I’ve developed a larger non-blogging audience (created from Search Engine Traffic and referrals).

I was totally amazed that the people buying my book were people I hadn’t interacted with at all. The math just didn’t make sense. But it didn’t take me long to understand the dynamics of my book sales. Yes, it hit me by surprise initially–but after an honest assessment– it actually made perfect sense.  It was the spark to a critical lesson that I’m excited to share with you.

NOTE: A portion of my blogging audience was not able to purchase the book because I only shipped within the U.S. 

The Right Audience

One of the biggest lessons learned during my time away is the importance of attracting the right audience.

Having the right audience is crucial in life and business alike. In life, if you want to be successful then a “right” audience could be associating yourself with a group that has similar aspirations. In business, it could be marketing your products and services to the people who have interests in buying them.

Imagine Stephen King marketing his books to 1st graders. Failure. Wrong audience.

Imagine a Nintendo marketing their WII video game system (which is based on body motion) to elderly quadriplegics. Failure again. Wrong audience.

The Trap of False Momentum

Looking back, the growth of this blog was generated through an unsustainable means and with no thought to attracting the right audience. When this placed started to pick up (traffic and engagement), it was because my activity greatly picked up in the blogoshpere. I spent hours reading and commenting on other blogs each week. After time, fellow bloggers would come here and read and leave a comment in return.

On weeks where I was busy and didn’t have time for my normal blogging activities, this place would sit quietly, only visited by a few loyal readers.

I knew what was happening long before my book sales, but I was somewhat blinded because I thought I had developed momentum. This site was starting to grow, and I didn’t want to lose the momentum that took me so long to create. But what’s the point of momentum if it’s not the right momentum. It’s counterproductive. It pulls us in the opposite direction of where we really want to go.

My book sales proved the point of false momentum. The amount of books sold, matched my expectations, but I was surprised to find that [for the most part] my customers were folks I didn’t really know on a personal level.

Imagine your family not attending your graduation, but you still have a group of unknown people cheering for you when your name is called. It’s cool to hear the cheers, but it’s surprising that it’s not your family.

TIP > > > If you have a blog and you want to truly discover if you have the right audience, or at least to identify who in your audience is loyal, stop spending hours commenting on other blogs for one month. Just continue posting new articles. This will provide you with a priceless lesson showing you how many of your relationships are heavily built around conditions of “what have you done for me”, and those who truly find value in your work.

What’s Next for Hustler’s Notebook? Growth

A lesson does us no good if we don’t act upon it. 

I’m going to act upon the lessons I learned from my blogging hiatus. I’ve admitted, accepted and moved on from the fact that I had developed and participated in many poor practices of time utilization and non-strategic networking.

Coming off my biggest year ever (2011): personally, professionally, financially, spiritually and so on, it’s my belief that cleaning up the bad practices that I’ve developed over time will help me reach my next set of goals. I have total faith in it.

Since starting Growth Effect (my web design biz), and its early success, I simply don’t have time to mess around anymore. My actions have to be direct and deliberate. My time has become more valuable than ever. And finally, I understand that my time should be spent in ways that not only allow me to give value to others, but to receive value in return.

I’ve noticed a trend online: the blogosphere, at large, is a complacent environment, just like the off-line world. People do the same thing, year after year, but continue to raise their bar of result expectations. The most successful people, no matter the environment, make adjustments and mirror their performance with the types of results they want to achieve.

Stay in the Loop

Some major changes are on the way for Hustler’s Notebook. As I work behind the scenes to improve my blogging practices to better align with my goals–in the next month or two you’ll see some drastic changes in things here.

If you find Hustler’s Notebook to be a source of value, then I asked that you sign up below to stay in the loop of the major changes that are in the works. I’ll periodically send short updates to your email, uncovering the “what’s next” for this place.

It’s my hope that every single time you read something I’ve composed, that it makes a positive difference for you. I take every sentence seriously. I write from experiences, good and bad, and all shaped in a way to inspire growth, personally and professionally.

 
Discussion

Have you and do you actively seek the RIGHT audience? Or do you try to make everyone and anyone your audience? What are your thoughts on taking time away to gain new perspectives on your activities? Are you willing to possibly lose momentum to assess if you have the right momentum in first place?
Don’t forget to sign up above to keep up with the changes to come.

I had the wonderful pleasure of attending the Miami International Book Fair a week ago with Nick Kent (Art Director) of Mind Adventure, Inc. The experience was one of a kind; one that I’ll always remember; one that was life impacting. This book fair symbolized a new adventure in my life…one that brought confirmation and clarity to a long term aspiration: becoming an author.

A Different Kind of Hustler Publication!

Rob White (remember: Learning from a Multi-millionaire) invited me to attend the book fair along with the Mind Adventure team acouple months ago. Rob and team were headed out to promote his newest book: Marvelous Denials and Wonderful Obsessions. A few weeks or so after the invite, I received another call from Rob raising the stakes … he not only wanted me to attend the book fair to consume and enjoy the unique experience, but to attend as a published author to capture a fuller essence of the energy–one that only an author can experience.

I was all for it! I went to work immediately identifying the best content from here, The Hustler’s Notebook that would make up the greater portion of my soon-to-be book. As I worked to edit the articles and get them book-ready, Nick worked his magic on creating the design, formatting and layout of the book.

Book Title.  Driven to Learn, Learning to Win: The Evolution of a Hustler

What this title means to me is huge. Driven to Learn signifies my willingness and commitment to personal development. And not just development, but to learn from the many lessons that life presents me through people and situations. Learning to Win is a testament to the results that I plan on getting in life, and the persistence needed to get those wins.  And lastly, The Ev0lution of a Hustler speaks about my personal evolution from where I was >> where I am now  >> and where I’m going.

Off To Miami

The dwindling of months, weeks, days and hours that led up to my flight to Miami compounded my excitement. I wasn’t a tad bit nervous …more so anxious to meet the team and selfishly to meet my first publication.

I was so excited I even bought some Nikes with Mind Adventure branded 0range. Nick told me that I had an orange shirt to wear so i had to coordinate!

^Jk | Nick^

The bulk of my excitement was the opportunity to finally meet Rob in person. We’ve really gotten to know each over the past 14 months or so and finally it was our time to meet in person. Well, so we thought.

Unfortunately, due to a couple of circumstances he wasn’t able to attend the book fair. It was a bummer, but it didn’t ruin the trip. Nope, the mission remained sturdy. Days prior to departure to Miami, Rob shared what our trip was about; and it wasn’t just about selling books.

The Mission was to attend the book fair to SHARE OUR SPECIAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE with others, without the thought of gain.

First Book Sold

“Who wrote this one”, a passerby asked.

“I’m the author of that book”, I quickly replied with a smile. I proceeded to tell the kind lady what the book meant to me and what subjects were covered in it. Our conversation ended with the purchase of  not one, but two copies of Driven.

At that very moment…after the purchase of my first couple of books, I felt a huge concoction of appreciation, gratitude, understanding, and drive. At that point, I knew I had more titles ahead me and I was only getting started.

Selling and signing books was fun. It was exceptionally fulfilling in instances I gave books away to those that that formed a connection with the book but weren’t in a position to purchase one.

Taking Action

I talk about taking action a lot. It’s been my personal theme for 2011 and will be even more so in 2012. I sat around and thought about the successes that I’ve wanted in life for too long…thinking that they might magically appear. Until I started applying some action to those thoughts, I was just thinking up great ideas but never experiencing them.

I mention this because sometimes the thought of an uncomfortable situation can hold you back. When I first got to the book fair reality hit…”I’m in the midst of action. I’m here to really do something, not just sit around and think about it or hope for it…I’m experiencing and acting upon my thoughts.”

A Milestone That Couldn’t be Held Back

About one year ago, I shared with several people a major goal of mine for 2011 was to have a book published. Shortly after the start of the year, I made some adjustments to my goals because I believed that I had possibly bitten off more than I could actually chew.

Well I’ve come to learn that some things are meant to happen. Having a book published was the first goal I scratched off of my list. But what do you know…That goal couldn’t be eliminated. Even after removing it from my goal list it constantly lingered in my mind. I continued to write blog posts that I thought were chapter worthy. And then, what seemed to be out of nowhere, Rob graciously extended an extremely generous offer to sponsor my first publication. He had no clue that having a book published had been a 2011 goal of mine.

A HUGE Thanks to Rob and Nick (Mind Adventure, Inc.)

Not only did Rob totally sponsor the publication for my book (design, format, print coordinating, etc. – all completed by Nick), but he also paid for my trip (flight, hotel, etc.). This trip taught me something that I’ll never forget. It was a great lesson of generosity and it  reminded me why I aim to become financially wealthy: so that I can one day bless someone else, as Rob has blessed me.

But even more that the monetary aspects, Rob’s mentorship has taken me from just a thinker…to a do’er. From a doubter…to a believer. From a know it all…to a student. From a hustler…to a hustler/author!

I’m Driven to Learn and Learning to Win. This IS the Evolution of a Hustler.

Want a Book?

Of course you do! This is your chance to get your hands on a very limited, yet high quality production of Driven To Learn, Learning To Win.

Note: At the current time, I am only shipping this book within North America. . If you are outside of North America and would like to get your hands on a copy, just send me an email or let me know in the comments below.

Order Your Copy

Choose Your Shipping Option

Ship to Non P.O. Box $10.00 USD Ship to P.O. Box $13.00 USD

Let’s Discuss

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Let’s keep this one casual and fun. If you have any questions about the experience that I may have skipped over, that you’d like more details on, or anything else…let me know in the comments below.

We live in results driven economy. Employers, clients, and people–at the end of the day–are interested in one thing: results. The days are gone when hard work for the sake of hard work mattered. It’s now all about producing; not so much about the style of performance, rather the outcomes of it.

This article is about better understanding your value in this results-based economy. Specifically, the focus is about the idea of hard work and the misconception that it’s a major factor of one’s value, because that’s simply not the case.

Hard work is important and should be the foundation to our unique skills…but it’s our unique skills that make us valuable. 

Hard Work isn’t Enough

Work ethic is like gasoline to a car; it keeps it going. A cars overall performance has very little dependency on the gas. Gas is needed in order for a car to perform at any level…but gas isn’t the distinguishing factor that differentiates the performance between a Beetle and a Bentley.

So we can say that gas plays a foundation-level role in a cars performance. On the other hand, it’s the engineering sophistication that really separates the average vehicle from a high performance one. And what do we care most about? PERFORMANCE…it’s all about the results (horse power, speed, safety, capacity, etc).

Finally, imagine gasoline being hard work, and unique ability/skills (talents, gifts, etc.) being the engineering masterpiece.

This breakdown shares a lot about the dynamic of hard work and the relationship it has to our intangible and learned qualities. It’s all about value. Everybody has gas…albeit some have higher thresholds to work harder than others (bigger tanks to hold more gas)…but not everyone has the same skill sets (top speed, efficiency, size, etc.). As an economy and world culture, we’re drawn to the performance because it’s what distinguishes one level from the next.

Results Drive Opportunities

Why this is important…

On a job resume, we designate about 75% of it to showcasing our work experience and highlighting the results we’ve accumulated along the way. We’ve been taught this, because employers have asked for it. Clients want referrals, testimonials and proofs of concept before they do business with you. They could care less about how hard you work…they want to know if you can “make it happen”. Don’t get me wrong, they don’t want a slug–but the focus is on performance outcomes…not so much the style of performance.

I’ve thought a lot about my unique qualities lately (we all have them). I’ve been very interested in understanding what has been my limiting behavior and thoughts, and what factors have allowed me to soar. This assessment has reminded me of all the different companies that I’ve worked for over the years and the many mid-year and year-end reviews that have come with the territory.  Most  of my reviews have been positive, sometimes even rewarding. And NEVER, not once did hard work come up. Even when I was in leadership roles, never did I reward a person for working hard…it was always about the ability to create a positive impact.

Working hard can help stimulate positive impact…but it’s only one ingredient. Banking everything on the idea of working hard is like buying a book but not reading it…it has no value.

Working Smarter

We hate to see people waste away out of laziness. But I’ve come to learn that people can just as quickly waste away from working hard without focus. We admire the people that seem to get things done with an effortless essence…these are the people that work smarter rather than harder.

In the jungle (the corporate world), failing to understand the importance of the working smarter dynamic can become a detriment to success. People are working more hours than ever, taking on more projects, carrying more responsibility all by way of a lean workforce. Hard workers get worked harder and get respected less. They become the go to people for petty tasks that require very little brain power. You can smell their value depreciate as you can smell smoke after putting out a camp fire.

Smart workers, on the other hand, somehow work less, get more done and tend to be on the smiling side of new opportunities. It’s not that smart workers don’t work hard…they do. But they carry an incredible focus and willingness to learn new ways of maximizing their ability to perform well.

How many times have you worked your butt off but didn’t produce what you set out to produce? It’s for this reason that hard work isn’t worthy of much more than a friendly pat on the back…from yourself. Yes it’s important, but in a results driven economy, what gets the recognition to produce opportunities is results.

Hard Work Doesn’t Equal Results

Hard work doesn’t equal great results. Hard work doesn’t equal average results. Hard work doesn’t equal poor results. Hard work simply defines the energy and effort that goes towards accomplishing something.

Scenario: Three Artists

One has an exceptional work ethic to go along with great artistic abilities. The second artist is even more artistically talented, but lacks the ability to hustle. And the third artist has very little artistic skill, but all the work ethic in the world.

If this scenario were a real one, I think the first artist would be the most successful because of the embodiment of the full relationship: the gas and the engine sophistication. The second artist would go unseen and the third artist would only be respected for their willingness and ambition.

Imagine this…your employer or client runs a great business, but they refuse to pay you. When it’s all said and done, we can really care less about how great a business is ran…we want to be paid for our service. Well, working hard to an employer or client is seen in the same light…it has very little significance if you’re not producing the results that are required or expected of you. Because the factor that matters the most in our results driven economy…is getting results. 

LET’S DISCUSS! How do you rank the idea of hard work in relationship to establishing value in something? If you were to hire a mechanic would you be more inclined to hire the guy that says he works hard, or the guy who has a track record of getting cars fixed? Are you driven by results as our economy is, or do you believe that effort is enough? Can’t wait to hear your point of view!

A side hustle is simply a part time business–it’s nothing new. But it is great way for people that aspire to start their own business, to do so without having to commit all of their time and resources into one bucket. The ultimate goal is to start the side hustle small and grow it into a full time business over time.

Starting a business is a major commitment and requires a lot of time. For this reason many that aspire to embark in this area don’t take action because they think in the lines of all or nothing; either quitting their job to start a business, or just hope for a lucky opportunity to arise.

Having a job shouldn’t keep us from moving our goals forward.

Prime Candidates for a Side Hustle

Everybody is a candidate. However, I believe that the prime candidates are those who have a main/steady source of income already in line. This includes a 9-5′ers, or business owners.

9-5′ers. One of the beauties of most 9-5 jobs is that work starts at 9am and stops at 5pm (or whenever you start/shut down each day). Besides whatever life has in store for you outside of business hours, you can carve out time to dedicate specifically to your side hustle.

Business Owners. Business owners that have a solid operation and are able to approach their business like a job and not a baby (requiring around the clock attention) are ideal candidates for implementing a side hustle.

Chasing the next check is a commonality for many small business owners–which typically takes up most of their time. Anyone in this position is not a prime candidate. Why? Well because their time is better spent on the development of their main source of income.

Again, everybody is a candidate, but not everybody is a prime candidate. 

Why Start a Side Hustle (Part Time Business) Over a Full Time Business?

It’s all about resources. Again, most people can’t afford to just quit their full time job. So, a side hustle allows a person to grow their business and strengthen their operation over a longer course of time–without having to assume the full load of a traditional/full time startup.

[Some] Important Considerations

• PACE. You dedicate a chunk of time to your side hustle each day or week. There’s no requirement to work around the clock. It’s also important to note that developing and managing a business at a slower pace will likely create a slower growth rate.
• SKILL DEVELOPMENT. Since this isn’t a full time gig, you have the time to develop the skills needed to establish an effective operation.
• SECURITY. Nurturing a business on the side can potentially become a significant source of income.
• LONGEVITY. This can one day be your sole source of employment.
• RISK. There’s a chance that your business won’t be viable. This is a potential for any business, both full time and part time. Risks should be understood (calculated) but not avoided.
• RESOURCES. When business picks up, you may find that you have more than you can handle yourself. It’s wise to build a team of people that you can outsource work to.

Don’t Get Caught in the Negative Web

This part goes completely left. But I think it’s important to mention…

There are a number of websites online that are dedicated specifically to whining about their 9-5 jobs. They have aspirations to become entrepreneurs but choose to spend their time complaining about how much they hate their job, but do nothing about it. Don’t get caught in that trap. Joining those pity parties will surely keep your situation as is.

I admit, I found myself starting to take part in that nonsense earlier this year. Upon my discovery that I was going down that track, I stopped wasting my time and I started thinking about what would become my side hustle…

My Side Hustle

You may have noticed a decrease in postings here over the past few months. To my fellow bloggers–you may have noticed a decrease in my presence at your website over the past few months. Well, it wasn’t a result of laziness. I’ve been working on the development of my own side hustle called GROWTHEFFECT.COM–a web design and digital marketing company that focusing on helping small businesses capture the eye of their local markets. As I’ve developed this business (still in final  stages of development), I’ve done so by dedicating scheduled blocks of time to it, while maintaining my 9-5 job.

It’s been an interesting, fun, challenging and educational journey. Not only have I had to build the back-end operations, team, legal stuff, website (still under development) but I’ve had to do so while managing everything else in life. I’ve been able to make this happen by following a very deliberate schedule, which included a decrease of time spent in some of my other endeavors.

It’s not a race. The side hustle is the crock pot version of developing a business…not the microwave version. 

It’s become common these days for people to take action after getting laid off, or some other life changing event. But why wait…make a move while momentum is on your side.

DISCUSSION – What are your thoughts on the side hustle? I imagine that some will despise the idea because it requires spreading concentration rather than focusing it in one area. However, I suspect some will find that this method works best for them. Being that this was only an introductory level article, please share any suggestions you may have on this subject? And of course…if you have a side hustle – please tell us about it.

Also see: 5 steps to a successful side hustle

Sometimes I feel like there’s an endless amount of stuff to do and I can never catch up. It’s become commonplace to have 50 different things flashing in my head at once. The flashes look like a collage of images–all referencing stuff I have to get done. As of late, I’ve been getting things done even with this mental madness, but it’s taking me far too long to execute and consuming way too much energy.

So I’m taking action to change.

Last Friday morning I read a powerful blog post by Rob White called Atomic Action. In short, Atomic Action is about getting stuff done and moving on to the next thing; all with total focus and without feelings of burden or stress.  I started the read with the idea that my level of taking action was optimal…but reality hit me like a ton of bricks. I do in fact take action, but too often I have poor focus in concentrating on one thing at a time; I multi-task with just about everything.

The Truths

After reading Atomic Action and truthfully assessing how it relates to me, I determined the following about myself (in relation to productivity):

• I’ve developed a habit of being busy, not always because I have to–but because I’ve associated not being busy with being lazy.
• I want nothing to do with the word average, so I work-work-work in order to keep myself disassociated with the idea of mediocrity.
• My level of focus is low when my discipline to focus is low.
• I allow myself to be distracted far too easy and it happens way too much.
• My issue isn’t taking ACTIONS (I do that well); the issue is taking ACTION (one thing at a time).
• I’ve allowed myself to be driven by past failures.

I initially felt a bit frustrated and unsure about this realization. But in no time, I felt a release of burden. I knew this was a lesson that I needed. It was the key allowing me to move further up the steps of personal development; a requirement to reach the massive goals that I have. I haven’t moved up those steps yet…but I’m in process.

Multitasking Creeps In

This is how multitasking sneaks its way into my life:

I start the day off on the right foot; a clean slate. However, slowly, sometimes quickly, things start flashing in my mind–things that I need to get done. So, I stop what I’m doing and begin the process of 3-4 other things. As I piecemeal those tasks, something else may come to mind and I start that task too. Before I know it, I’m flat out confused and poorly juggling all kinds of stuff with very little focus to each. Rarely do I execute optimally when I multitask. I end up spending much more time than I should re-doing things because I didn’t do it right the first time.

Concentration and Efficiency

Imagine a concentrated cleaning agent. The more concentrated the chemicals, the more effective the agent is when cleaning. The more diluted the chemicals, the less effective the cleaning agent is. I used to see the diluted mixture as a better bang for my buck because it yields more uses (quantity). But in reality, it just takes more attempts (because it lacks quality).

Here’s the crazy thing…the amount of concentrated solution needed to clean a given spill doesn’t change whether it’s diluted or not. So the question is why in the world do we opt to dilute our concentration in the name of getting more stuff done? Diluting our focus lowers our performance quality.

Next Steps

I’m taking this seriously. Rob’s Atomic Action blog post was life changing for me. Once total focus becomes my default method in getting things done, I believe that some of the things I currently dream about will start being things I experience daily.

[I believe] the following are [some] critical considerations to combat multitasking:

Overcome Lazy Thinking. Not having the discipline to focus on one thing at a time is an outcome of lazy thinking. I’m guilty as personally charged. It’s lazy because working on multiple things at once creates idleness and wastes energy. I’m going to become a more disciplined thinker by not just going with the flow. Instead, I’m going to ensure that I’m inflow with whatever I’m working on.

Push Through Resistance. Multitasking creeps in most often when we resist something that we’re working on. Instead of pushing through the resistance and overcoming it, multitaskers take the easy, yet ineffective route of believing that we have something equally important to work on. Resistance hits again and the process continues until we have way too many things to focus on at once.

Get Organized. I work best when organized. Having an organized Action/Task List in place frees my mind from having to remember each and every thing I have to do. I can simply dump and dive in when I’ve finished with one thing and ready to execute the next, instead of the contrary: relying on memory. Relying on my memory to recall 20 different things has proven to be disastrous and always leads to multitasking.

Improving the Hustle

As I develop in the area of optimized productivity, I expect my ‘hustle’ to become ten times more productive. I expect to get more done in far less attempts, and have more free time left over.

In time, as I become more efficient, I believe that I’ll weed out stuff that isn’t worthy of my attention; freeing me to take on bigger things, with complete focus, yielding grander results.

DISCUSSION -Please share your experience with multitasking and how it affects your productivity? I assume that most people (not all) multitask to some degree…please share your experience in dealing with and overcoming the incredibly ineffective, terrible bad habit of multitasking. I’m looking to learn from you, as I’m sure others are as well.

If this is an area that you plan on committing change to, let’s not be strangers and support each other during the process. We can hold each other accountable. 

Not long ago I had a conversation with an older group of friends who asked me about my latest job. Their question came across as a bit condescending because they know my philosophy is much different than theirs. See, every couple of years for the past several years I’ve taken a new job. To them, a much older generation, it’s taboo to take on new opportunities outside of your current organization of employment–they see it as a sign of disloyalty and lack of commitment. However, this is the reality of our day and age. I see it as being loyal to what’s best for me and being committed to progression.

It’s an old school world view versus a current one. Neither one is right or wrong, or better than the other, in general. However, I think it’s important to understand the differences between the two.

I’m not advocating that anyone else take my stance or mimic the way I manage my career like a business; taking on new clients/opportunities (employment) that put my business (myself) in the best situation possible.

The Company Man

The company man is either a man or woman. I couldn’t think of a non-gender specific name for what a company man is.

The company man’s allegiance is to his employer.  His career goals are centered on working for one company until retirement, *hoping* to move up the ladder as his time progresses. His golden nugget is part job security and part comfort.

The company man’s career philosophy is a by-product of Generation X (post WWII era) where an economy on the climb provided job security with ample room for growth. There was no reason to leave an organization, for even those who worked in the same position their entire career were able to afford their lifestyle. As a result, the company man didn’t proactively seek advancement outside of his current situation because they didn’t have to. He was loyal to his employer and expected be rewarded for his loyalty.

The company man’s way of managing a career was conducive to the times of the past. But a new ‘way’ has been birthed because times have changed.

Birth of the Opportunist

Naturally, causes create effects. The birth of the opportunist is an effect of the times of Generation Y. Here’s a sprinkle of some of the ingredients to the cocktail responsible for birthing the opportunist (U.S. based):

• multiple stock market crashes and mortgage meltdowns
• industrial-size robots have taken away the need for manpower
• ancient organizations have collapsed before us
• we’ve witnessed government involvement in non-government business dealings (General Motors)
• education has tanked–we now rank amongst third world nations in many categories.
• college degrees are at an all-time high, per capita–but at an all-time low in career effectiveness
• we have very little to no expectation that we’ll ever get back the Social Security tax that we pay out of each paycheck (…and what is a pension?)
• we’ve witnessed huge organizations get bailed out of debt by the government while watching our neighbors loose their homes right before us.

What is an Opportunist?

Like the word hustler, the word opportunist has negative connotations that I don’t recognize. A Google search will tell you that an opportunist is a person who exploits circumstances to gain immediate advantage rather than being guided by principles or plans. I define an opportunist as someone that takes advantage of opportunities for her benefit first, completely within principle and with no intention to harm others. Her loyalty is not to a company, it’s to herself. She’s responsible.

Unlike the old school company man philosophy, the new school opportunists haven’t had the luxury of job security. At the time when jobs seemed to be the most stable, unemployment rates reached an all-time high shortly thereafter. In a business economy that mandates optimization, or trimming of the fat in order to be profitable, employees are always on the edge of the lay-off cliff. It’s a Lean economy where excess must be discarded.

Economy Stimulation

Anyone who seeks the next best opportunity knows that the average Joe rarely finds that opportunity. It’s the ambitious, dynamic, creative and strategic minded people that get the most abundant opportunities. Mindful opportunists have an understanding that their next opportunity isn’t a thing of chance, rather a creation from their effort; they must manufacture their own luck.

Opportunists are game changers. They’re the folks that revamp old business practices into new ones–helping an old rigid organization become a more agile one.

It’s All Risky Business

Companies have very little loyalty to employees. It’s not that organizations are bad; it’s just the nature of the beast. In order for them to stay afloat and to remain viable, they must shave poorer performing employees as well as unneeded positions. In today’s climate, employers are demanding more hours while paying less.

I didn’t write this in hopes for people to adopt the opportunist way of managing their career. I wrote this to debunk the old school ideology that society calls ’the right way’. There is no global right or wrong way. There’s only a right or wrong way specific to you and your situation.

Being a company man has NEVER been something that I’ve considered. I’m a product of the socioeconomic climate.  My road map has been to get a promotion within one year and move on to bigger and better opportunity at the 2nd year mark. I’ve learned that this is the best way [for me] to get 15-25% salary increases each year and not be stuck with the 2.5% average (US, intra-company salary increase, 2010–which is in decline).

It’s all risky business!

DISCUSSION: Soooo, of course I’m curious to know if you consider yourself to be a company man…and if you are your, why so and what’s been your experience? And if you happen to be on that smaller island of career managers–the opportunist, how has that hurt or harmed your career? Remember, there’s no right or wrong way how to manage a career. I realize that I wrote this very one-sided, that’s because being an opportunist is all I know.

This week we conclude the series. If you haven’t checked out part one and two, make sure you catch up on the conversation and to learn more about Rob White of MindAdventure.com.

Rob

Hi Jk - I’ve enjoyed this joint-venture very much.  I always receive accurate direction when I listen to the truth.  Truth speaks a language that is natural to success.  You speak a language that is natural to success.  Thank you, Jk.

Accurate direction does not come from parroting good advice.  It requires letting go of cherished opinions and theories that limited your outlook in the past; now there is truth (combined with feeling), in what you share.  Real goodness comes from this kind of sharing.

Some members of your internet community were able to get involved in our conversation, really involved, Jk.   And some stood on the corner, casually listening, like you and I are passerby’s chatting.  Those who really get involved are willing to give up their cherished opinions and theories in the name of personal Growth and Development.  You can feeeel the difference in their comments.   They are a gift to us, to themselves, and to the world.

I’ve reviewed our last two blog posts together, Jk,  and would like to wrap this series up with the following:  There was a time when I had too much to do with others and too little to do with myself.  I read dozens of self-help books and had become a know-it-all.  I thought my job was to fix everyone else, but not apply the knowledge to my own life.  I’ll share how I fixed this ‘not really getting involved pickle‘ that I’d put myself in.

1. I stopped quoting popular sayings.
2. I had the courage to say, “I don’t know” rather than parrot advice I’d read, but had never actualized in my life.
3. I accepted that I couldn’t reach the rich harbor I dreamt of reaching until I stopped preaching and admit that I, too, was lost at sea.
4. I began using what I considered a crisis in my life to gain empowering insights about myself. 
5. I was now ready to learn what I needed to know to get my life back … this is really getting involved.

Student: I wish to escape my bad habits.
Teacher: Can you escape your ailing body?
Student; NO!
Teacher: Neither can you escape your bad habits.
Student:  Then I’m lost forever.
Teacher: Not at all.  Bad habits cannot be escaped but they can be transformed.
Student: HOW?
Teacher: Stop being a know-it-all, and start being a sincere student of life.

You are a sincere student, Jk.  Though I’ve had some amazing breakthroughs in some domains of my life, I am still a sincere student.  I acknowledge and appreciate all of the sincere students that you share your website with.  The human race depends on sincere students.

Blessings, rob

Jk

Thank you for the valuable lesson, Rob. I’m honored that you took the time to share your insights here. By taking on your questions with honesty, I’ve acquired new insights into my world. I can only imagine that those who are seriously interested in reaching new heights of potential also gained new life impacting insights as well.

Above, you made the following statement that I would like to comment on:

“There was a time when I had too much to do with others and too little to do with myself.  I read dozens of self-help books and had become a know-it-all.  I thought my job was to fix everyone else, but not apply the knowledge to my own life.”

For me, learning had always been more about knowledge acquisition than anything else. It was about getting all the information I could–but with very little intention of personal use. I would read a book for the sake of reading it and never ask myself “how the information applies to me”, or “how can it apply to my life”. I was a check-in-the-box student more worried about the process of learning than comprehending and applying what I had learned.

As a result of being a “quasi” student, I did pick up some great lessons along the way–but always at my discretion and my convenience, and always based on what felt good to me–not what challenged me. This meant that my growth was based on my comfort. And that’s the issue–I wasn’t willing to exit my comfort-zone.

This reminds me of when I first started working out in high school. I only did the exercises that were easiest for me to perform. As a result, my strength grew in those areas only. This created created lopsided deficiencies. I thought I knew what I was doing and didn’t need to follow the advice of anyone who was telling me differently. In fact, I told others that they could take my approach and omit the ‘other stuff’ (horrible advice).

I eventually realized that I was stunting my physical potential by doing it ‘my way’, so I changed. Before long, all aspects of working out became a comfortable endeavor; no matter the muscle group or exercise. I was only able to expand my comfort-zone by stepping outside of it first. I had to dismiss the worry of being wrong; and accept the idea that I really don’t know it all.

Let’s keep it real, there are enough [fake] self-appointed gurus that talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. I’m a student of life. I know that I stand to learn the most from the things that challenge my own cherished opinions or values, or the situations that take me out of the shade of protection (comfort). It’s becoming easier for me to be a sincere student because I’ve accepted that I’m not here to create the curriculum–I’m here to absorb it and share it. 

DISCUSSION …and the series concludes. Do you find that you may spend too much time trying to help others and maybe not enough time truthfully helping yourself? Do you find that in order to teach, you must be a sincere student too? Please share your thoughts–for what you have to say just may be the link that someone else needs to elevate to the next level.

Illustrations by nick

This week we continue with part 2 of the series: My Conversations with Rob. If you haven’t checked out part one, make sure you do so to learn more about the series and also about Rob White of mindadventure.com.

The conversation below is a display of Rob asking me several questions (in black bold) and my answers (in blue). I ask that you also answer these questions for yourself to unmask your understanding on how you think about certain things and how they may affect you. Who knows…you may develop a millionaire’s mindset!

Hi Jk,

I like the community that you’ve attracted to you on the internet.  The Force of Harmonious Attraction, which is always in action and never in error, has proven its power once again.  This Universal Force tells us the kinds of thoughts we entertain (it shows up in our lives as the kind of company we keep). There is just no denying it.  This Force is omniscient, as well as omnipotent and omnipresent (you cannot outsmart it, you cannot overpower it, and you cannot hide from it).   The Force is with you, Jk.

You, Jk, have learned to break from vagabond thoughts that lead man into dark alleys where troublesome individuals lurch.   Take the time to acknowledge and appreciate this about yourself.

Okay, now it’s time to take our conversation deeper.   How else am I to take my knowledge deeper than to share it with you?  It’s a win for me.   When you add your intelligent insights, you gain mental maturity.  That’s a win for you.  You also spread the conversation to others and help lift your internet community.   Now it’s a win/win/win!

In the first conversation, You mention that you practice self-discipline so that you may be the commander of that inner world of thoughts and feelings.  You said that you work your body and your mind by exercising daily and being a student of life.  You also mentioned that you don’t ‘go with the crowd-view’ just to go along with the crowd; you take pride in thinking for yourself.

When I purchased my first piece of real estate, my schoolteacher colleagues all warned me that it was a big mistake.  That was the crowd-view.  They said I was foolish to give up my secure job and take such a risk.  Some even suggested that I was going through a mid-life crisis and should see someone for help.

The fuel of wrong action is wrong thinking, Jk.  I knew I was thinking right.  I knew that quitting my teaching job to seek my own life-adventure was right for me.  It was clear to me that I had to do what I knew was best for me, not what others thought was best for me (even if they had my best interest at heart).

It was my time to go to the edge of the branch, spread my wings and fly.  I could feeeeel it!  Never deny that feeeeling, Jk. Here is what I see:

• You are setting high aspirations and aims for yourself.
• You’ve learned the art of self-discipline.
• You are willing to think for yourself, and you refuse to allow howling voices of past NO’s to interfere  with you.

What you are seeking is independent stability, Jk.   This sets you apart from most folks because most folks seek to gain the feeling of stability from their community.  This is why there are so many ‘sheep-grazing beings’ in the human community, and so few eagles soaring.

Here are my next set of questions to you:

(1)   What is the experience of standing alone, having complete faith in yourself?

In the times that I have complete faith in myself I have the confidence to do anything in the world. My aspirations rise; everything that’s good becomes better and the lessons behind each challenge becomes more clear. 

(2)   What is different now, when echoes of old howling NO’s haunt you (which I know they do; they haunt anyone who chooses freedom over flockdom)?

Awareness is the key difference, Rob. Accepting that the NO’s exist has made the difference. In the past when I felt insecure at any time I tried to ignore the feeling and act as if it didn’t exist, which only created more insecure feelings. I know the NO’s exist – I’m trying to figure out the best way to live along side them without negative interference.

(3)   How is the experience of standing alone, as you climb to the summit of success, working for you?

At times it feels very empowering, as if I can’t be stopped. And alternatively, there are times when it feels lonely. I see both as a win because I really feel what I feel. I don’t try to hide from the bad feelings. This has brought about clarity in realizing more of my strengths and weaknesses.

Here’s a little bit more about me.  After purchasing my first piece of real estate, I got caught in ‘whirlwind fears-of-failing’.  What did I fear?  I couldn’t bear to hear another, “NO, I told you so!”  This could come in many forms: fear of looking foolish, fear of letting others down, fear of criticism and ridicule, blah, blah, blah.

I had to remind myself of what Churchill said, “success is going from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”  I have to remind myself of this fact at least ten thousand times over the next six months.  That 3X5 card was completely worn out.

I realized that if I was to fail forward toward my goals, I had to get beyond my usual thinking and acting channels.   It was clear to me that if I wasn’t going to lift the quality of my life until I worked more on lifting the quality of my mind.

I made plenty of mistakes in the next six months, but I conditioned my mind to see my mistakes as simply miss-takes waiting for a refined re-take (so that eventually I could get it right and be able to rejoice, “That’s a take!”)  Each time I acted on this idea, I accessed a little bit more of my unlimited potential.

A few more questions for you, Jk.

(1)   Can you tell me a time when you turned a miss-take (a stumbling block) into a re-take (a stepping stone)?

In my last semester of college I was desperate to find a job that I could start immediately after graduation. I spent 100′s of hours refing my resume and studying the art of interviewing. I completely bombed my first interview over the phone. I was bummed out and my fragile emotions turned pessimistic. But the goal to get a job was still first in my sites. I realized that the interview was a stepping-stone arming me with experience which I then used to better my approach in my next interview which went over well.  The stumbling block was a blessing in disguise…the job I got was far better than the one I originally applied for!

(2)   What error did you remove from your thinking in order to transform this stumbling block into a stepping stone?

I had to remove the expectation that things will not always go according the map that I layout in my mind. I believe I can always make it to the final destination, but I can’t pinpoint each coordinate along the. I simply can’t control all of the variables, only my own. 

(3)   Oftentimes learning something new requires unlearning something old; what did you have to unlearn in order to learn something new?

 I had to unlearn the fact that my preparation didn’t mean an immediate victory. Just because I prepared didn’t mean that I was fully prepared. I learned that preparation was the entire process; including the mistakes and re-takes.

A dash more about me.  It took me five years to make my first million, Jk.    It would not have taken nearly that long had I not taken so long to see the difference between harmful thoughts and emotions coming from my past insecurities and helpful thoughts and emotions coming from the authentic me.   Remember, the sighting of a bad habit often must precede the making of a good habit.

I missed a couple of fabulous real estate opportunities because insecure feelings (coming from harmful thoughts) had me looking from a discouraging viewpoint.  When your viewpoint is low, Jk … your Do-Point is low.  When you lift your viewpoint, you are able to lift your Do-Point (the point from which you spring into action).  Study this truth for a moment.  Truth is the only power capable of guiding us to better judgments.

Okay, one last set of questions to you, Jk.

(1)   You mention ‘wanting your goals bad enough that you won’t quit’; can you share a time when you heard a howling NO, but kept going?

A few months ago I took a new job in a industry. I was in a good space with my last job; it was easy and I had just received a promotion a few months earlier. When I was recruited to move into my current job, I was somewhat hesitant to leave the comforts I had established. I had this opportunity right in front of me but wanted to stop pursuing it because of the discomfort it caused. The howling NO’s wanted me to stay comfortable. I wanted to continue to advance my career. I chose to advance.

(2)   What thought did you have to abandon (the thought that was trying to take you away from the task at hand)?

I had to abandon the idea of safety and take a calculated risk. I tend to be conservative at times because I have a family to support. But I know that if I allow the comfort of safety to be on the lip of every move I make, I face the tendency of becoming complacent – which will keep me from supporting my family the way I plan on doing in the future.

(3)   You also mentioned ‘proving to yourself how badly you wanted your dream to come true’.  The proof of the truth is always in you, isn’t it Jk.   When you accomplished your goal, what had you proven that gave you more inner strength than you had before?

 I proved to myself that I’m becoming more willing to take on the right types of challenges. I suspect that I have much larger challenges ahead and I feel like overcoming this one, better prepares me for the larger challenges that I’ll face in the future. 

It is highly intelligent to study our failures as much as our successes, isn’t it Jk.  Study both, with an aim to understand the differences in you that caused one endeavor to fail and the other to succeed.  Noting these differences offers pearls of knowledge that are incredibly valuable.

Thank you, Jk.  for sharing the truth, at the risk of shaking up your old identity as much as the truth will do that. You are contributing to the betterment of humanity.  How great is that?

Blessings,  rob

DISCUSSION - So what do you think about this exercise/conversation? How do you deal with the fear of looking foolish or the thought of having to hear: “I told you so”? How do you overcome thoughts of insecurity? I’m looking forward to your participation in this discussion. Thank you.

Rob – Thanks f0r another great conversation!

I always thought if I had the opportunity to learn from a multi-millionaire, I would ask them all the questions in the world about making my bank account look like theirs. But what I’ve learned from Rob White is that financial prosperity is an effect, not a destination. It’s an effect of living the truth.

Before we begin, here are a few bullets sharing some of Rob’s accomplishments:

• He left home at age 16 and paid his way through college by working on campus (no financial aid or loans).
• Quit his teaching job after 17 years to become a multi-millionaire in real estate.
• After proving to himself that he can win at whatever he set his mind to, he got into the restaurant business and owned three of Boston’s most successful restaurants within seven years.
• He owns homes on the ocean on the east and west coast, as well as homes in the city.
• Rob is an accomplished book author and blogs at MindAdventure.com

I’ve been in contact with Rob for just shy of a year. My conversations with him have helped me grow immensely, which has directly translated into growth in other areas of my life.

I share this conversation with you in partnership with Rob because I suspect that most people contemplate how to become wealthy.  I also suspect that the traditional focus in successfully achieving financial prosperity is ‘business’ and not so much on self-improvement. I believe that without improving ourselves, the battle to improve anything else is highly unlikely.

The conversation below is a display of Rob asking me several questions and my answers (in blue). I ask that you also answer these questions for yourself to unmask your understanding on how you think about certain things and how they may affect you.

Hi Jk,

I am looking forward to our conversations together.  I’ve learned that every great idea can be explained in a single sentence.  Let’s strive for simplicity when communicating.  OK?

One clear and true communication can be worth a volume of books, both to the readers of this blog, and to you and me.  I am looking forward to your responses with an alert mind.  I have no anticipation of what you may say.  I will read your responses with relaxed curiosity.  Therefore, there’s no pressure on you.  OK?

My aspiration is to help us see how we can practically apply the ideas our conversation into our daily life.  This will be a spiritual adventure, and may I remind you: ‘if it ain’t practical, it ain’t spiritual’.   If we cannot test the higher principles that we explore, then it is just a lot of intellectual fluff (much ado about nothing).  We test the principles by actualizing them in our daily affairs, and noticing the results we get.

I would like to begin with the following questions:

Let’s get right down to the point of living.  What is the point?  I believe the point is to become a new kind of person, someone other than the ‘I AM’  that we created ourselves to be during the experiences of  60,000 NO’s between age two and six.

1. What do you do right now, Jk, to take inner command of your mind so you can take outer command of your life?

Please share with me the three things that immediately come to mind.  Please don’t take much time.  Let the answers flow naturally from you.

I practice self-discipline by doing things such as working out. If I didn’t have discipline I’d be as good as a spine without vertebrae.

I remain a student. I try to find the valuable lesson in everything.

I dispel society and media based ideologies. I figure since I’m always in front of some type of challenge I will also challenge the ideologies of our society, and not just go with the flow because everyone else does. I elect to have my own way of thinking and approaching things. I don’t do it to be different; I do it because I can’t control the fact that I am different…as we all are.

2. How do you declare mental independence from limiting thoughts of NO that try to stop you from taking chances?

What’s one such thought, and what do you do to strip it of its power over you.

The biggest thing that holds me back from taking chances is the fact that I don’t want to fail. I don’t want to lose what I’ve accomplished or suffer from the anguish of not achieving what I’ve set my heart to achieve.

The way I’ve declared mental independence of this fear is by stripping the power of ‘what failure is’ and associating it as a steppingstone in the process of achievement. This means that I don’t see failure as an end-all scenario. Rather, I see it as a steppingstone moving me closer to point-z. Failure might slow me down; take me on a path that I didn’t’ plan; and even challenge my faith; but it comes with a lesson that unlocks the door to the next milestone in the journey.

3. When we choose freedom over enslavement to echoes of howling NO’s, we express affection for our true health and wellbeing. Choosing freedom requires raising one’s consciousness above the echoes of howling NO’s. What is one way that you raise your consciousness above the echoes?

To help you with this one, I am going to tell you what I do.  I pretend that I am standing on the side, like an objective observer, simply watching the parade of howling NO’s go by.  Just imagining myself this way helps free me from getting emotionally involved with the NO’s.  It’s your turn.

I believe that we are created to rise above any challenges that are placed in front of us. I believe that there’s no experience too challenging to be conquered.

I look at each challenge that I face as a test; a test to see how bad I want whatever I’m after. If I give up, then that means I didn’t want it very bad. If I fight through, I’m proving to myself how bad I want it.

Thank you for your courage to look at your life in this way. You are stepping forward with conscious effort to understand your life in order to improve your life. What a great way to help yourself.

Blessings, Rob

DISCUSSION – So what do you think about this exercise/conversation? I stated earlier that without improving ourselves first, the battle to improve anything is highly unlikely. Do you find merit in that? Or do you believe differently? I’m looking forward to your participation in this discussion. Thank you.

Rob – Thank you for the conversation!

part two

With such treacherous terrains to maneuver through in life, we have to stay fueled from the right source in order to maintain a balance of motivation. And just as every car manufacturer recommends a certain grade of octane in order to properly power an engine; we have to properly power our motivational level with the right type of fuel. If the recommendation is premium grade, but a lower quality is used overtime, the engine will eventually breakdown. Fuel for motivation works the same way.

The Motivation for this Article

In recent weeks I’ve received a number of emails asking me for tips on maintaining a high level motivation. I find this question challenging to answer because I believe our motivation is driven by personal factors; what is important to me may not be important to someone else.

While I’ve battled with this, I’ve still kept the question fresh in mind to understand how I really feel about it.  I take it seriously when someone asks me such a ‘high-stakes’ question. I figure that I’m being asked specifically for a reason, so I feel some responsibility in providing an answer. I was motivated to create this post as my answer to maintaining a higher level of motivation.

To be motivated is to be driven. To drive (be driven), you have to have fuel. It’s all about the fuel!

Synthetic Motivation: Low Grade Fuel

Synthetic motivation is the most common. There’s an abundant supply all around us and it’s cheap. It certainly wins in the area of quantity but lacks severely in the area of quality. But still, this type of motivation gives us a boost in energy and enthusiasm.

We get synthetic motivation from books and phrases like: “just do it”. We get it from watching ‘rah rah’ motivational speakers that raise our energy, although its lasting effects are minimal. Being falsely optimistic and faking positive thinking are symptoms of low grade fuel. It motivates us but it has no weight; causing it to evaporate shortly after it magically appears.

We sike ourselves out to feel ready for whatever even when we’re not…and temporarily it works. You know when you don’t really feel like doing something – but you push through it anyway? That’s synthetic. Nothing bad, in fact that’s the synthetic stuff at its best.

As a result of its temporary properties and it being the main source of fuel within many of us – most people experience a roller-coaster-like effect of motivation; it constantly fluctuates up and down. This is the most common type of motivation that drives most people. I imagine that everyone uses this stuff; some more than others.

Organic Motivation: Premium Grade Fuel

Organic motivation comes from a source of inspiration that lights a fire in us to change forever, not just for the moment. This type of fuel might not make us throw our hands in the air and holler “yahoo”, but it certainly affects our heart; giving us what we need to drive to wherever we want to go without any “rah rah” festivities.

But here are the challenges: this stuff ain’t cheap, it doesn’t have the same instant gratification-like properties, and its source is far less understood. Organic motivation takes time to set in; it has to marinate before we can feel its effectiveness.

And this is why we gravitate to synthetic forms of motivation…again, because it provides quick (although not lasting) results. In a society where microwaves have become too slow, internet connections are never fast enough and poor cell phone signals make our blood boil – we’re too distracted to have the patience to fully capture what organic motivation has to offer.

We get organic motivation from the things in life that we have an unwavering appreciation for. Things like spirituality, family, love, life goals, serving others, and other life shaping events and realities are the types things that matter most in life. When we keep these types of things at the forefront of our thoughts, we develop a drive fueled from within; from a premium grade fuel source that can last forever.

Get an Octane Boost

The difference between organic and synthetic motivation is like comparing hormone infused cows with free range grass fed cows. Both give us burgers and steaks in the immediate; but we all know which is better for us in the long run.

We’re the culprits that don’t allow organic motivation to flow. Yes, we are to blame for now having a high level of motivation. We find more things to complain about than to praise. We rarely celebrate our wins. We allow the worries of the world to take over our thoughts and interests. These things clog the premium grade fuel line. It can’t pump efficiently when our mindset is in a poor place.

When we honor what matters most to us and live within perspective of our life priorities – not does that give us the power to squeeze the handle of the premium grade fuel, but the auto flow lever engages allowing it to flow on its own.

DISCUSSION – Where would you say the abundance of your motivation comes from – synthetic or organic? Do you find it challenging to maintain a high motivation level? What you have to share my just inspire another. Thanks! -Jk

WAIT!!! If you have an extra moment after leaving a comment below…