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You probably want to know when new stuff comes out, right? Do yourself a favor and subscribe to the RSS feed here and automatically get updated with new posts. Consider it VIP access to some of the best and baddest writing on the web. </feedburner:browserFriendly><item><title>I Have a Job</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lifewithoutpants/~3/VpntiL4npWo/</link> <comments>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/entrepreneurship/i-have-a-job/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:56:13 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Matt Cheuvront</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[entrepreneurship]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Gen Y]]></category> <category><![CDATA[millennials]]></category> <category><![CDATA[running a business]]></category> <category><![CDATA[young entrepreneurs]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/?p=6080</guid> <description><![CDATA[How is entrepreneurship changing dinner table conversation? How do you explain to others that you do have a job. One you created for yourself?]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/entrepreneurship/i-have-a-job/" title="Permanent link to I Have a Job"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/shattertheladder.png" width="587" height="324" alt="Shatter the Ladder" /></a></p><p>You may say that the opinion and support of others doesn&#8217;t matter. <em><strong>Stop kidding yourself.</strong></em></p><p><em>&#8220;I have a job&#8221;.</em> It&#8217;s something I&#8217;ve proclaimed to family and friends many times. No, I don&#8217;t wake up and go into an office. No, I don&#8217;t have a 401k and pension. And no, there&#8217;s no ten-year plan <em>(as entrepreneurs, we like to call it the &#8220;next month&#8221; plan).</em> But yes, I do have a real, bona-fide big-boy job.</p><p>I get it. Running a <a title="Proof Branding" href="http://proofbranding.com" target="_blank">primarily web-based company</a>, making close to six figures, working from my couch while watching Boy Meets World reruns can be hard to fathom. But believe it or not, I work hard. In fact,<strong> </strong><em><strong>harder than I&#8217;ve ever worked before.</strong></em></p><p>But it&#8217;s still a relatively &#8220;new&#8221; concept. Being a twenty-something entrepreneur who has (thus far) been very successful is hard for mom and dad to &#8220;get&#8221;. I&#8217;m not following the path I was supposed to. I didn&#8217;t put in years of effort to get where I am. I didn&#8217;t pay my dues, scratching and clawing my way to the top.</p><p>And that&#8217;s because <a title="Occupy Opportunity" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/entrepreneurship/occupy-opportunity/" target="_blank">the American Dream is changing</a>. Leave it to Newt Gingrich of all people to inspire me when he said recently that we, as Americans, and even worldwide, should be focused on not only finding work, <em><strong>but OWNING our work.</strong></em> Paving our own road. Climbing our own ladder. <a title="Purpose. Passion. Plan." href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/purpose-passion-plan/#disqus_thread" target="_blank">Defining our own purpose.</a> Living our own American Dream.</p><p><span id="more-6080"></span></p><p>From my conversations with fellow entrepreneurs, I know you know where I&#8217;m coming from. It&#8217;s tough to sit around the dinner table while your family talks about all the paperwork they&#8217;re dealing with at work. The one new patient my cousin, who&#8217;s a doctor, started seeing last week. Showing grandma my laptop and explaining to her that almost everything I do happens through that 15&#8243; screen.</p><p>We talk so much about how you don&#8217;t have to prove anything to anyone but yourself. But let&#8217;s face it &#8211; <em><strong>what the people closest to you think does matter</strong></em> &#8211; your family, your friends, you want them to understand, and more importantly, you want that support from the people you love.</p><p>In the immortal words of Will Smith, <em>&#8220;Parents just don&#8217;t understand&#8221;.</em> But I think they&#8217;re starting to come around. They&#8217;re starting to understand the possibilities we have, even at a very young age.</p><p>Remember when your parents used to tell you that the sky is the limit? <em><strong>Now they actually believe it.</strong></em> They believe, we believe, I believe, that the <a title="How I stopped holding myself back" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/personalprofessional-growth/on-how-i-stopped-holding-myself-back-and-where-i-am-today/">only thing holding you back</a> from doing anything you want to be doing is yourself.</p><p>In the early going, it was tough. <strong>Incredibly tough.</strong> I honestly felt like every day I had to prove to everyone that I could run my own business. That I could actually get clients and make money. That I wouldn&#8217;t be packing my things and moving home so I could live for free and mow the lawn for a few bucks.</p><p>But instead of resenting the people who believed what I was doing wasn&#8217;t a viable career option, I used it as motivation. Not to prove anything to them, <strong>but to prove something, everything, to myself.</strong></p><p>Let this be a lesson, to anyone out there who is considering starting a business after graduating. To anyone who&#8217;s thinking about taking the leap from the corporate nine to five to the life of an entrepreneur. To anyone who&#8217;s seeking funding for their big idea&#8230;</p><p>Haters gonna&#8217; hate. Lovers gonna&#8217; love. Disbelievers will disbelieve. Supporters will support. But at the end of the day, the only assurance and the only validation you have to provide is to yourself. <strong>Prove something to yourself, every single day.</strong></p><p>Because now, <a title="No Better Time than Now" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/now/">more than ever</a>, in this country and around the world, what can be done, <em><strong>will be done.</strong></em></p><p><strong>What about you?</strong> Is it tough explaining to your family what you do? Are you worried about the support of friends and family? Has a lack of acceptance and understanding from others held you back? <em><strong><a href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/entrepreneurship/i-have-a-job/#disqus_thread">Share in the comments.</a></strong></em></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/coolmcflash/6542596429/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_blank"><em>(Photo credit)</em></a></p> <div class="feedflare">
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</div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/entrepreneurship/i-have-a-job/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> <feedburner:origLink>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/entrepreneurship/i-have-a-job/</feedburner:origLink></item> <item><title>Purpose. Passion. Plan.</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lifewithoutpants/~3/XMr3m0vcEHc/</link> <comments>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/purpose-passion-plan/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:01:28 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Matt Cheuvront</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[defining your purpose]]></category> <category><![CDATA[entrepreneurship]]></category> <category><![CDATA[motivation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Think and Grow Rich]]></category> <category><![CDATA[what's my purpose?]]></category> <category><![CDATA[what's your purpose? Napoleon Hill]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/?p=8600</guid> <description><![CDATA[A defined purpose. A burning desire. A definite plan. Napoleon Hill's three ingredients to success. And why we typically get stuck on step one.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/purpose-passion-plan/" title="Permanent link to Purpose. Passion. Plan."><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/napoleonhill.png" width="587" height="304" alt="Napoleon Hill" /></a></p><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;Every person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to <strong>burn his ships and cut all sources of retreat.</strong> Only by so doing can one be sure of maintaining that state of mind known as a <strong>BURNING DESIRE TO WIN</strong>, essential to success.&#8221;</em></p></blockquote><p>If you haven&#8217;t Napoleon Hill’s, <em>“<a title="Think and Grow Rich" href="http://www.amazon.com/Think-Grow-Rich-Napoleon-Hill/dp/0449214923" target="_blank">Think and Grow Rich</a>”, </em>go read it. <strong>Now</strong>. It&#8217;s an essential read for any entrepreneur or anyone looking to do big things in their life. In his book, Hill highlights three clear ingredients necessary for success:</p><ol><li><strong>A defined purpose.</strong></li><li><strong>A burning desire.</strong></li><li><strong>A definite plan.</strong></li></ol><p>Most of us can <a title="What Passion is Really All About" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/greater-good/">define what our passions</a> are. What we love doing. What inspires us and excites us. And most of us can make plans.</p><p>But we get hung up at step one. <strong>Defining our purpose.</strong> What do you want to do? <a title="Contributing to the Greater Good" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/greater-good/">How do you want to contribute? </a>What story do you want to tell? <a title="What's Your Legacy?" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/whats-your-legacy/">What legacy do you want to leave behind?</a></p><p><span id="more-8600"></span></p><p>Answering these questions requires you to really know yourself. It demands <a title="My Year of Living Deliberately" href="http://samdavidson.net/my-year-of-living-deliberately/" target="_blank">deliberate decision-making</a>. It takes guts and unwavering courage. Defining your purpose is nowhere near as easy as it sounds.</p><p>It&#8217;s easy to know what you don&#8217;t want. It&#8217;s much, much more difficult to <a title="The Most Important Things in Life" href="http://nicholasreese.com/the-most-important-things-in-life/" target="_blank">decide what really matters</a>.</p><p>But if you&#8217;re walking through life only knowing that you don&#8217;t want what you have, <em><strong>you&#8217;ll end up never arriving at the destination of getting what you want.</strong></em></p><p>Hill lists the following obstacles as the primary causes of failure:</p><ul><li>Lack of a well-defined purpose in life.</li><li>Procrastination.</li><li>Lack of persistence (not finishing what you start)</li><li>Lack of power to make and stick to a decision.</li><li>Overwhelming fear</li><li>Wrong selection in a spouse/relationship</li><li>Being over-cautious</li><li>Wrong selection of vocation/career</li><li>Indiscriminate spending due to fear of poverty.</li><li>Guessing instead of thinking (acting on opinion rather than fact)</li></ul><p>All of these, every one, points back to <strong>purpose</strong>. Once you&#8217;re confident in what you want to accomplish; <strong>What you will accomplish,</strong> nothing, absolutely nothing will stand in your way.</p><p>When I chat with folks about how I arrived to where I am today as a business-owner, I share with them how I defined my purpose. My purpose isn&#8217;t to code websites or consult with businesses about their brands. It isn&#8217;t to send invoices or answer emails.</p><p><a title="Create. Learn. Improve. Repeat." href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/create/" target="_blank">My purpose is to create</a>. My purpose is to inspire and motivate anyone and everyone who will listen to achieve what they want, personally or professionally. I believe I can make a difference. I believe that the only way to be truly fulfilled is to contribute to something bigger than yourself.</p><p>Once I established my purpose, I worked backwards to turn that purpose into profit.</p><p>So today, if you&#8217;re wondering what your purpose is, I ask you to take a step back and think about the big picture. Don&#8217;t think on a micro &#8220;what-my-day-to-day-tasks-should-be&#8221; level &#8211; think more holistically about the <a title="What's Your Legacy?" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/whats-your-legacy/">life and legacy you want to build</a>. Don&#8217;t hold back. Think big. <strong>Dream bigger.</strong> As Hill says:</p><blockquote><p><em>“If you do not see great riches in your imagination, you will never see them in your bank balance.”</em></p></blockquote><p>Purpose. Passion. Plan. The three keys to success. Start with step one. <strong>The only thing holding you back is yourself. </strong>And there&#8217;s <a title="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/now/" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/whats-your-legacy/">no better time than now</a>.</p><p><em><strong>What&#8217;s your purpose?</strong></em></p> <div class="feedflare">
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</div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/purpose-passion-plan/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>6</slash:comments> <feedburner:origLink>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/purpose-passion-plan/</feedburner:origLink></item> <item><title>What’s Your Legacy?</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lifewithoutpants/~3/QARAyaTgkGA/</link> <comments>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/whats-your-legacy/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:01:23 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Matt Cheuvront</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[doing work that matters.]]></category> <category><![CDATA[getting the most out of life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[having an impact]]></category> <category><![CDATA[legacy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[what is your greatest accomplishment? what's your legacy?]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/?p=8583</guid> <description><![CDATA[What's your legacy? What is your greatest accomplishment? What matters most? Let the answers to these questions drive you, inspire you, and define you]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/whats-your-legacy/" title="Permanent link to What&#8217;s Your Legacy?"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/legacy-copy.png" width="587" height="300" alt="What's Your Legacy?" /></a></p><p><em><strong>What is the most important thing in your life?</strong></em> What do you value more than anything else? Your relationship? Your career? Your health? Faith? What&#8217;s at the very top of the list?</p><p>It may sound selfish, but for me, there&#8217;s been one thing that&#8217;s always lingered near the top of my list. It&#8217;s not my family, friends, or career. It&#8217;s not about money or fame.</p><p><strong>It&#8217;s about leaving a legacy.</strong></p><p>At my core, at the very deepest part of who I am, I have a passion that cannot be denied to do shit that matters. Experience things that entice indescribable passion. Work with people who ignite creativity that cannot be explained. Say &#8220;fuck you&#8221; to fear. Make mistakes. <a title="Create. Learn. Improve. Repeat." href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/create/">Learn. Create.</a> And when it&#8217;s all said and done, <strong>make a difference.</strong></p><p>All so I can leave this place saying, <em>&#8220;Damnit, I lived. And I had an impact. I contributed. I tried. I improved. <strong>I did.</strong>&#8220;</em></p><p><span id="more-8583"></span></p><p>I&#8217;ve been thinking about this a lot lately. About what I&#8217;m doing, where I&#8217;m going, where I want to be, and how to get there. And while I&#8217;m incredibly humbled by everything I&#8217;ve accomplished in 26 short years, I know that there&#8217;s much, much, more to be had. That I&#8217;ve barely scratched the surface.</p><p>Where I may lack in skill and talent, I more than make up for in determination, drive, and <a title="The Hustle" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/business/hustle/" target="_blank">hustle</a>. It&#8217;s why I&#8217;m crazy enough to <a title="Wake Up Earlier" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/blogging/five-ways-to-immediately-enhance-your-online-productivity/">wake up at 5am every morning</a>. It&#8217;s why I (at times) wear myself thin taking on too much and biting more than I can chew.</p><p>It&#8217;s not because I can&#8217;t stop. <strong>It&#8217;s because I don&#8217;t want to.</strong> Because I possess the need and desire to make great things happen. And even though I haven&#8217;t tapped into what my legacy will be, I&#8217;m going to do everything I can to continue working toward it.</p><p>Nick Reese <a title="The Most Important Thing in Life" href="http://nicholasreese.com/the-most-important-things-in-life/" target="_blank">recently posted something</a> that was extremely timely to my line of thinking. In his post, he answered the question, <em>&#8220;What are the most important things in life?&#8221;</em></p><ul><li>Deep Connections with Family and Friends</li><li>Unique Experiences</li><li>Continuous Growth</li><li>Leaving a Legacy</li></ul><p>Amen Nick. <em><strong>Amen.</strong></em> I can&#8217;t imagine summing it up much better. And I think he&#8217;s successfully tapped into <a title="What Passion is Really All About" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/greater-good/">what passion is really all about</a>.</p><p>It&#8217;s not about me. <strong>It&#8217;s about we.</strong> It&#8217;s about <a title="The Greater Good" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/greater-good/">contributing to the greater good</a> and having an impact. It&#8217;s about making a difference. <strong>It&#8217;s about living, damnit</strong>, and leaving a legacy.</p><p>What resonated most about Nick&#8217;s post was his reflection in the shift toward what&#8217;s most important.</p><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;&#8230;There may be some turbulence and some times of doubt but deep down I think a shift has happened. Just as the years after the first list where focused on happiness, I can see that the years to come will be focused on the important things in life such as legacy&#8230;&#8221;</em></p></blockquote><p>The point? What&#8217;s important might change and it&#8217;s going to be reflective of the present, but at the end of the day, maintain your short list of what really matters.</p><p>Family. Friends. <strong>Experiences.</strong> Learning. Growth. <a title="Create. Learn. Improve. Repeat." href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/create/">Creating</a>. Relaxing. Laughter. Tears. <strong>Happiness.</strong> <a title="What is your greatest accomplishment?" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/words-of-wisdom/defining-success-what-is-your-greatest-accomplishment/">Success</a>. Failure. <strong>Love.</strong> Passion.</p><p>Maybe most importantly? <strong>Your legacy.</strong></p><p>And so I turn the question back to you:</p><p>What&#8217;s most important? What really matters? What story are you telling? What story do you want people to tell after you&#8217;re gone? What impact will you leave behind?</p><p><em><strong>What&#8217;s your legacy?</strong></em></p><p><a title="Rob Williams Design" href="http://www.robwilliamsdesign.com/" target="_blank"><em>(Photo credit)</em></a></p> <div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/lifewithoutpants?a=QARAyaTgkGA:uXgGMUF_Dhc:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/lifewithoutpants?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/lifewithoutpants?a=QARAyaTgkGA:uXgGMUF_Dhc:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/lifewithoutpants?i=QARAyaTgkGA:uXgGMUF_Dhc:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a>
</div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/whats-your-legacy/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>10</slash:comments> <feedburner:origLink>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/whats-your-legacy/</feedburner:origLink></item> <item><title>The Customer Is (Not) Always Right</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lifewithoutpants/~3/3SF4X4MqIdA/</link> <comments>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/business/customer-is-not-always-right/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:01:16 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Matt Cheuvront</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category> <category><![CDATA[clients]]></category> <category><![CDATA[customer relationships]]></category> <category><![CDATA[entrepreneurship]]></category> <category><![CDATA[life]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/?p=8564</guid> <description><![CDATA[The customer is not always right. They're human, just like you. And just like you, they want to be heard. Are you listening?]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/business/customer-is-not-always-right/" title="Permanent link to The Customer Is (Not) Always Right"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/shoppingcarts.jpg" width="587" height="297" alt="Shopping Carts" /></a></p><p>When I was 15 I picked up my first job. I was a bagger at Kroger, a local grocery chain. It wasn&#8217;t glamorous. It wasn&#8217;t anything, really, other than a paycheck. That job, and the other retail jobs I had through high-school and my early college years, always started with one of those cheesy customer service training videos.</p><p>You know the one: It&#8217;s over-acted, usually contains some MIDI background music, and of course, was filmed in 1986.</p><p>And one message is driven home more than any other. No, not that you should have <a title="Blockbuster Training Video ala 1990" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc_yHON1oiQ&amp;feature=related" target="_blank">offered Mrs. Thomas a Blockbuster VIP card</a>.</p><p>It&#8217;s the message that <em><strong>the customer is always right</strong></em>.</p><p>But having run my own business for a couple years now, <strong>that message couldn&#8217;t be further from the truth.</strong></p><p><span id="more-8564"></span></p><p>The customer isn&#8217;t always right. In fact, <strong>sometimes they&#8217;re wrong</strong>, and sometimes you have to tell them that.</p><p>Any entrepreneur or business owner will tell you that business is a partnership. With customers, clients, suppliers, agencies, and staff. Successful businesses establish, build, and nurture relationships.</p><p>Clients and customers may claim to be right. All the time. <strong>They&#8217;re not.</strong> Keep in mind that they&#8217;re human, too. And that none of us, not even the one&#8217;s writing your paycheck, always know best.</p><p>The trick is to keep an open mind, but remain confident in your expertise. That may involve disagreement. That may mean saying <em>&#8220;no&#8221;</em> when someone expects you to say <em>&#8220;yes&#8221;</em>. But when you start compromising yourself for the sake of appeasing someone else, <strong>you&#8217;ll only lose your own identity in the end.</strong></p><p><strong>Listen.</strong> Don&#8217;t get emotional. Know when to say &#8220;no&#8221;. Be willing to compromise, while unafraid to stand your ground. And above all, <strong>listen.</strong></p><p>You&#8217;ll find that customers don&#8217;t always want to be right. <em><strong>They just want to be heard.</strong></em></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/universalpops/4527881563/sizes/o/in/photostream/" target="_blank"><em>(Photo credit)</em></a></p> <div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/lifewithoutpants?a=3SF4X4MqIdA:9-snrSuixS4:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/lifewithoutpants?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/lifewithoutpants?a=3SF4X4MqIdA:9-snrSuixS4:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/lifewithoutpants?i=3SF4X4MqIdA:9-snrSuixS4:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a>
</div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/business/customer-is-not-always-right/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>13</slash:comments> <feedburner:origLink>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/business/customer-is-not-always-right/</feedburner:origLink></item> <item><title>No Better Time Than Now</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lifewithoutpants/~3/edlg4xX8N58/</link> <comments>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/now/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:01:33 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Matt Cheuvront</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[entrepreneurship]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fate vs. free will]]></category> <category><![CDATA[power of choice]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Seth Godin]]></category> <category><![CDATA[starting a business]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/?p=8436</guid> <description><![CDATA[In life and in your career, you have a choice. It's completely up to you. Today is the new tomorrow. There's no better time than now.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/now/" title="Permanent link to No Better Time Than Now"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/now1.jpg" width="587" height="300" alt="Now" /></a></p><p>The mark of an entrepreneur? <strong>The ability to <a title="Occupy Opportunity" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/entrepreneurship/occupy-opportunity/">see opportunity</a></strong>, when others see challenge, obstacle, and impossibility.</p><p>As I <a title="Entrepreneurship: The Beauty in Ugly" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/entrepreneurship-the-beauty-in-ugly/">shared last week</a>, a <a title="The Best Definition of Entrepreneurship" href="http://www.inc.com/eric-schurenberg/the-best-definition-of-entepreneurship.html" target="_blank">recent Inc Magazine article</a> offered up one of the best definitions of &#8220;entrepreneur&#8221; that I&#8217;ve ever seen:</p><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;Entrepreneurship is the pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled.&#8221;</em></p></blockquote><p>Which means, if you <a title="Entrepreneurship: Year One" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/entrepreneurship/entrepreneurship-year-one/">want to start a business</a>. If you&#8217;re dying to take the leap from your nine to five. If you&#8217;ve always wanted to test the entrepreneurial waters, <strong>there&#8217;s no better time than now.</strong></p><p>The resources at your disposal may not be ideal. Money will be tight. Finding clients isn&#8217;t going to be easy. But, even in our challenging economic state, business-owners are growing and thriving in their ventures. For many reasons, of course, but maybe above all, because they take action. They&#8217;re <a title="The First Step is Taking the First Step" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/create/">willing to take the first step</a>. They&#8217;re willing to try.</p><p><span id="more-8436"></span></p><p>While others are stuck saying, <em>&#8220;I can&#8217;t&#8221;</em>, they&#8217;re saying, <em>&#8220;I can&#8221;</em> and <em>&#8220;I will&#8221;.</em> Rather than allowing the doubt and fear to consume them, they used and use that unknown and uncertainty as motivation. <strong>Then they go make shit happen.</strong></p><p>The Inc article goes on to say:</p><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;Every time you want to make any important decision, there are two possible courses of action. You can look at the array of choices that present themselves, pick the best available option and try to make it fit. Or, you can do what the true entrepreneur does: Figure out the best conceivable option and then make it available.&#8221;</em></p></blockquote><p>This has much less to do with entrepreneurship, <strong>and much more to do with life.</strong></p><p>As <a title="It's Completely Up To You" href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2012/01/its-completely-up-to-you.html" target="_blank">Seth Godin so aptly puts</a>, <em>&#8220;It&#8217;s completely up to you&#8221;</em>:</p><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;&#8230;So many things are now completely up to us, <strong>more than ever before.</strong> Where and how and when we work and invest and interact and instruct and learn.</em></p><p><em>If you think you have no choice but to do what you do now, you&#8217;ve already made a serious error.</em></p><p><em>It seems to me that passing the buck on this merely because it&#8217;s easier than choosing is precisely the wrong strategy. It enables an abdication of power that will be very hard to reverse. <strong>It&#8217;s up to you, and that&#8217;s part of the power that you&#8217;ve got</strong>&#8230;&#8221;</em></p></blockquote><p><strong>You have a choice</strong>. And whether you&#8217;re starting a business or waiting tables, don&#8217;t let anything, or anyone, stop you from making that choice. Let it be yours, and yours alone.</p><p>The choice to do more. The choice to do less. The choice to be better. The choice to be best. <strong>The choice to live the life you&#8217;ve always imagined.</strong></p><p>I leave you with one profoundly simple and complex question: <em><strong>What will you choose?</strong></em></p><p><a title="Entrepreneurship: The Beauty in the Ugly" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/entrepreneurship-the-beauty-in-ugly/">Today is the new tomorrow</a>. <strong>There&#8217;s no better time than now.</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/annp/1397151136/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_blank"><em>(Photo credit)</em></a></p> <div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/lifewithoutpants?a=edlg4xX8N58:vSv8FGF9Bw8:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/lifewithoutpants?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/lifewithoutpants?a=edlg4xX8N58:vSv8FGF9Bw8:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/lifewithoutpants?i=edlg4xX8N58:vSv8FGF9Bw8:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a>
</div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/now/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>14</slash:comments> <feedburner:origLink>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/now/</feedburner:origLink></item> <item><title>The Friday Response: How to Build a Badass Blog</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lifewithoutpants/~3/g4qFCsX7Bm8/</link> <comments>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/friday/how-to-build-a-badass-blog/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:23:30 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Matt Cheuvront</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Friday]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Benny Hsu]]></category> <category><![CDATA[blogging]]></category> <category><![CDATA[blogging 101]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to blog]]></category> <category><![CDATA[how to build a blog]]></category> <category><![CDATA[starting a blog]]></category> <category><![CDATA[why blogging matters]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/?p=8524</guid> <description><![CDATA[How to build a blog that people will not only read, but that matters, citing Benny Hsu's "9 tips to building a blog that matters". ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/friday/how-to-build-a-badass-blog/" title="Permanent link to The Friday Response: How to Build a Badass Blog"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/legoman.png" width="586" height="286" alt="Lego Man" /></a></p><blockquote><p><em>Every Friday I break down and comment on an article I&#8217;ve read recently that inspired me, enlightened me, challenged me, or otherwise made me think. I also share some of my favorite links from the week that was. This is: <strong>The Friday Response.</strong></em></p></blockquote><p><em><strong><a title="9 ways to build a blog that matters" href="http://getbusylivingblog.com/9-ways-you-can-build-a-blog-that-matters/" target="_blank">9 Ways You Can Build a Blog That Matters</a> by Benny Hsu on Get Busy Living</strong></em></p><p>Benny recently wrote an article that will without a doubt inspire you to either 1) start blogging or 2) make your blog better. I&#8217;ve shared before that I believe starting and maintaining a blog <a title="Blogging Will Completely Change Your Life" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/blogging/one-thing-that-will-completely-change-your-life/">can completely change your life</a>. It will introduce you to people you would&#8217;ve never met. It will open the door to business opportunities. It will make you smarter. It will change your perspective. It will open your mind to new ideas. It will give you solace. It will spark conversation. It can inspire change. And overall, it feels damn good to write about something you care about.</p><p>Benny hits the nail on the head in a very real and tangible way with these nine tips:</p><p><strong>(1) Write epic shit:</strong> Without good content, the other 8 steps won&#8217;t make a difference. My biggest piece of advice? Don&#8217;t worry about narrowing your focus TOO much. Don&#8217;t over-think things. Allow yourself to be a bit random, but above all, <a title="Write with Passion: The Rest Will Fall Into Place" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/blogging/write-with-passion-the-rest-will-fall-into-place/">write with passion</a>. Passion is relatable, interesting, and compelling.</p><p><span id="more-8524"></span></p><p><strong>(2) Have a nice blog design:</strong> It matters. Trust me. If you pull up a blog that&#8217;s still sitting on Blogger, it could have the best writing in the world, but I may never pay attention because I&#8217;m automatically de-legitimizing simply based on the look and feel of the site. I know, it&#8217;s judgmental, but it&#8217;s the way our mind works. It doesn&#8217;t have to involve a huge investment, but it&#8217;s very much important to have a nice place to house your great writing. <em>(Also, <a title="Proof Branding" href="http://proofbranding.com" target="_blank">I can help with that</a>)</em></p><p><strong>(3) Leave comments:</strong> Leaving comments not only allows you to build conversation with other bloggers, colleagues, and peers, it&#8217;s excellent for building links back to your site, which is huge for SEO.</p><p><strong>(4) Reply to comments:</strong> Want to spark and <a title="You're Only As Good As Your Community" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/personalprofessional-growth/youre-only-as-good-as-your-community/">build conversation</a> on your site? Make time to reply to those who have made time for you. Plain and simple.</p><p><strong>(5) Make it easy to share posts:</strong> Self explanatory. If I can&#8217;t share your post with the world, at least on Twitter and Facebook, it&#8217;s not going to get shared. Even piece of great content <a title="If You Build It, They Might Come" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/blogging/if-you-build-it-they-might-come/">needs to be marketed and shared</a>, it&#8217;s (very rarely) going to share itself.</p><p><strong>(6) Show some of your personal side:</strong> One of the most important points Benny makes: Be personal. This is what people want. You&#8217;re not going to be the first to write about Apple&#8217;s innovative approach, but your unique perspective makes it interesting. Be yourself.</p><p><strong>(7) Share other people&#8217;s content and expect nothing in return:</strong> Part of building recognition for yourself is in being a thought leader and information sharer. It&#8217;s not always a &#8220;I scratch your back you scratch mine&#8221; approach, instead, it&#8217;s about being relevant and present in the community you&#8217;re focused on.</p><p><strong>(8) Build your tribe:</strong> Your &#8220;tribe&#8221; are those who are closest to you &#8211; the one&#8217;s you can count on to help you promote and share things you need shared. The one&#8217;s who are always there for feedback and creative brainstorming. Above all, they&#8217;re your friends. The blogging game is filled with ups and downs, mostly fueled by self-doubt and second-guessing &#8211; build a tribe that will be there when you need the nudge to keep going.</p><p><strong>(9) Always keep learning and improving:</strong> In other words, don&#8217;t get too comfortable. Keep learning. Keep trying new things. Expand your niche. Don&#8217;t worry about writing about something that is out of the realm of what people expect. The beauty of blogging is it&#8217;s <a title="How to Maintain Your Blogging Focus" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/blogging/how-to-maintain-your-blogging-focus/">value in self-discovery</a> and finding out things about yourself you never knew existed. Discovering new passions, and sharing them with the world.</p><p>I highly encourage you to <a title="9 ways to build a blog that matters" href="http://getbusylivingblog.com/9-ways-you-can-build-a-blog-that-matters/" target="_blank">check out Benny&#8217;s full article</a>, and his site, <em><a title="Get Busy Living" href="http://getbusylivingblog.com/" target="_blank">Get Buy Living</a></em>. Great stuff.</p><h2>Some other links I enjoyed this week</h2><ul><li><a title="Build It. Create It. Launch It." href="http://fearlessstories.com/magazine/build-it-create-it-launch-it/?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=build-it-create-it-launch-it" target="_blank">Build It. Create It. Launch It.</a></li><li><a title="10 Great Alternatives to Lorem Ipsum" href="http://www.awwwards.com/10-great-alternatives-to-lorem-ipsum.html?utm_source=24-01-2012&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=24-01-2012" target="_blank">10 Great Alternatives to Lorem Ipsum</a> (my favorite: Samuel L. Ipsum)</li><li><a title="Best Books of 2011 for Entrepreneurs" href="http://itstartswith.com/2012/01/best-books-2011/" target="_blank">Best Books of 2011: For every entrepreneur and intra-preneur</a></li><li><a title="At the risk of sounding like a hippy, be inspired by yourself." href="http://www.amantofish.com/2012/01/23/at-the-risk-of-sounding-like-a-hippy-be-inspired-by-yourself/" target="_blank">At the risk of sounding like a hippy, be inspired by yourself.</a></li><li><a title="10,000 Sales Later: Lessons Learned from Selling Evernote Essentials" href="http://nerdgap.com/10000-sales-later-lessons-learned-from-selling-evernote-essentials/" target="_blank">10,000 Sales Later: Lessons Learned from Selling Evernote Essentials</a></li><li><a title="Hope vs. Anger: How Obama's SOTU Set the Tone for 2012" href="http://www.good.is/post/hope-vs-anger-how-obama-s-sotu-set-the-tone-for-2012/" target="_blank">Hope Vs. Anger: How Obama&#8217;s SOTU Set the Tone for 2012</a></li></ul><p>What were the best things you found this week? <em><strong>Share them in the comments below!</strong></em></p> <div class="feedflare">
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</div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/friday/how-to-build-a-badass-blog/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>8</slash:comments> <feedburner:origLink>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/friday/how-to-build-a-badass-blog/</feedburner:origLink></item> <item><title>Innovation is Recession-Proof (And Why Likability is Important, Too)</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lifewithoutpants/~3/FojzIrIA0_Y/</link> <comments>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/business/innovation-is-recession-proof/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:44:57 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Matt Cheuvront</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Apple]]></category> <category><![CDATA[apple IIe]]></category> <category><![CDATA[branding]]></category> <category><![CDATA[innovation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mac]]></category> <category><![CDATA[marketing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[recession proof through innovation]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/?p=8484</guid> <description><![CDATA[Apple is proving that innovation is truly recession-proof. Make the best damn product out there, charge a profitable price, and win the world.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/business/innovation-is-recession-proof/" title="Permanent link to Innovation is Recession-Proof (And Why Likability is Important, Too)"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/aaple2e-copy.png" width="587" height="310" alt="We've come a long way since the days of Number Munchers and Oregon Trail" /></a></p><p>In case you didn&#8217;t know, Apple&#8217;s kind of a big deal. Over it&#8217;s <a title="Apple First Quarter Report" href="http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2012/01/24Apple-Reports-First-Quarter-Results.html" target="_blank">last quarter</a>, Apple&#8217;s sales skyrocketed. Selling 37 million iPhones and 15 million iPads, Apple is selling hundreds of thousands of phones and tablets every day, and is far from slowing down.</p><p>It was the <strong>second-most profitable quarter of any company ever in US history</strong>. Second only to ExxonMobile in 2008, when oil prices were through the roof <em>(I remember that summer-of-not-driving vividly)</em>.</p><p>Ladies and gentlemen, there&#8217;s a lesson to be learned from Apple&#8217;s ridiculous success:</p><p><em><strong>Innovation is recession-proof.</strong></em></p><p><span id="more-8484"></span></p><p>Even in one of the worst economic environments we&#8217;ve ever been in, Apple is going gang-busters and is showing no signs of stopping. Why? Well, there&#8217;s a few reasons:</p><h2>(1) Outstanding Products</h2><p>If you&#8217;re an iPhone or Macbook user, can you honestly imagine going back to a Dell or heck, your old Razr flip phone? <em>Of course not.</em> And this is coming from someone who <a title="The last person alive without an iPhone" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/marketing/the-last-person-alive-without-an-iphone-the-future-of-social-mobile-marketing/">used to swear against the iPhone</a>. Apple products are simply better, more intuitive, and not to mention, sexier.</p><p><strong>The foundation of any successful business is a great product or service.</strong> Apple has this one in the bag. Anything and everything they release is swooned over by the masses. I mean, honestly, we haven&#8217;t waited in line like we do for the latest iPhone since the days of Beanie Babies, Tamagotchis, and Tickle-Me-Elmos.</p><h2>(2) Likability</h2><p>Apple has a mystique that cannot be denied. Admit it, you feel cooler when your taking pictures of sunsets with your iPhone and posting them to Instagram. We love bringing our Macbooks to the local coffee shop to work on a project while sipping a latte. Apple has become a part of our generation&#8217;s culture. It&#8217;s bigger than a product. It&#8217;s an <a title="What is a Brand?" href="http://www.proofbranding.com/branding/what-is-a-brand/" target="_blank">experience and an idea</a>.</p><p>A <a title="Watching Apple Win The World" href="http://37signals.com/svn/posts/3084-watching-apple-win-the-world" target="_blank">recent article on 37Signals</a>  says it best:</p><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;&#8230;Macs were (and are) just better. Not just because they were better built or put together, <strong>but because Apple was a better company.</strong> A braver company. A company that stood for higher ideals. When compared to the empire of Microsoft and the Dells, Sonys of the time, it simply felt like they were more right&#8230;&#8221;</em></p></blockquote><p>The mark of any truly successful brand? It&#8217;s ability to <a title="What Your Brand Isn't" href="http://www.proofbranding.com/branding/what-your-brand-isnt/" target="_blank">create an experience</a> and an emotion that&#8217;s bigger than itself. Apple knocks this out of the park.</p><h2>(3) Innovation</h2><p>Apple has proven the value in innovation, time and time again. They&#8217;re not ahead of the curve, <strong>they&#8217;re setting the curve.</strong> The Nooks, Kindles, and PCs of the word are doing everything they can to keep up, but keeping up is about all they can do.</p><p>Above all, Apple is driven by one principle that defines their business model: <strong>Superior products through superior design.</strong> It&#8217;s an ideal that can be seen in everything they do. From the design of their products to the design of their stores. The sleek, subtle features you notice when browsing on a Mac, to the customer service interaction with the blue-shirt-wearing hipsters holding credit-card scanners.</p><p>We&#8217;re fascinated by &#8220;new&#8221;. We live in a world that demands something different, something unique, something fresh, and something innovative. Now. <a title="Breaking Away From Generation Now" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/breaking-away-from-generation-now/">Right now</a>. Apple delivers, above and beyond our expectations,<strong> and delivers with authority.</strong></p><p>There&#8217;s a very simple lesson to be learned from Apple&#8217;s continued path toward world domination (that is, if Facebook doesn&#8217;t beat them there):</p><p>Don&#8217;t worry about someone else stealing your idea. <a title="The World is a Lot Bigger Than You Think" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/words-of-wisdom/big-world/">Don&#8217;t focus on the competition</a>. Focus on your own business and how you can offer the absolute best product. Experiment. Try. Fail. Learn. Grow. Evolve. Don&#8217;t get comfortable. Be daring. Take risks. <a title="Create. Learn. Improve. Repeat." href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/create/">Create</a>. Execute. Innovate.</p><p>Or, as David of 37 Signals so aptly puts, <em><strong>&#8220;Make the best damn product out there, charge a profitable price, and win the world.&#8221;</strong></em></p> <div class="feedflare">
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</div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/business/innovation-is-recession-proof/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>6</slash:comments> <feedburner:origLink>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/business/innovation-is-recession-proof/</feedburner:origLink></item> <item><title>Don’t Get Old</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lifewithoutpants/~3/iaqF6GlIjAE/</link> <comments>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/dont-get-old/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:46:25 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Matt Cheuvront</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[life]]></category> <category><![CDATA["Don't get old". Which is less about actually getting old and more about enjoying today. The present. Right now.]]></category> <category><![CDATA[My grandpa always tells me]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/?p=8476</guid> <description><![CDATA[My grandpa always tells me, don't get old. Which is less about actually getting old and more about enjoying today. The present. Right now.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/dont-get-old/" title="Permanent link to Don&#8217;t Get Old"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/oldhands.jpg" width="587" height="300" alt="Don't Get Old" /></a></p><p><strong><em>&#8220;Don&#8217;t get old&#8221;</em>.</strong> It&#8217;s a piece of advice my grandparents share with me almost every time I see them. As my grandpa takes my hand, he tells me that <em>&#8220;Getting old is hell&#8221;</em>. An former marine, now in his mid 80s, having the drive to do it all, but knowing that no matter how hard he tries, no matter how much his mind says &#8220;yes&#8221;, his body argues with a definitive &#8220;no&#8221;.</p><p>As we grow up, we&#8217;re enticed by the idea that after 30 or 40 years of hard work, we get to retire and enjoy our &#8220;golden years&#8221; traveling, playing golf, watching old John Wayne reruns, whatever we want.</p><p>Basically, it&#8217;s ingrained in our psyche, from an early age, that we have to work hard now to work less later. Save our money today to have money tomorrow. <strong>All in preparation for the future, at the expense of the present.</strong></p><p><em><strong>I believe something is inherently wrong with this line of thinking. </strong></em></p><p><span id="more-8476"></span></p><p>Saving money for your future? Of course it&#8217;s important. I set aside money each month that goes into a savings account and remains untouched. I&#8217;ve paid off literally all debts<em> (excluding my mortgage &#8211; but that&#8217;s an &#8220;investment&#8221;, right?).</em> I&#8217;m financially stable, two years removed from having less than $1,000 in my bank account. How? Because I&#8217;ve worked hard, been smart about spending, and keep my iPad buying to a minimum.</p><p>As important as financial security may be, if you&#8217;re eyes are constantly on the horizon, looking toward the future, <strong>you&#8217;re neglecting to see what&#8217;s right in front of you.</strong> You&#8217;re missing out on life &#8211; the only life that&#8217;s guaranteed. Today. Right now. <strong>This moment.</strong></p><p>I&#8217;m always reminded of my Grandpa&#8217;s advice: <em>&#8220;Don&#8217;t get old&#8221;</em>. He knows and I know that getting old is something that&#8217;s unavoidable. It&#8217;s going to happen. Every day, every hour, every minute, we get a little bit older. That&#8217;s life.</p><p>But his message isn&#8217;t about turning back the clock or finding the Fountain of Youth. It&#8217;s a message of living in the moment. Taking advantage of what&#8217;s in front of you. Finding time to travel this weekend. Getting out and playing a round of golf tomorrow morning. Creating a life for yourself that allows you the freedom to <strong>enjoy life.</strong></p><p>I doesn&#8217;t mean throwing caution to the wind. It doesn&#8217;t mean being irrational. And doesn&#8217;t mean that planning for your future isn&#8217;t important. But it does urge me, and hopefully you, to be <strong>bold</strong>. To be daring. To take chances.</p><p>I hate to be the barer of bad news, but, yep, you&#8217;re going to get old.</p><p>But instead of planning and preparing for the destination, <strong>enjoy the journey</strong>. Enjoy today. Never trade today for a better tomorrow, because today is the best thing you&#8217;ve got. It&#8217;s the only guarantee.</p><p>That may mean moving shifting and shaking up some things in your life. It may mean it&#8217;s time to pursue a different career. It may mean moving to a new place. Starting a new relationship. Picking up a new hobby. Whatever it is, give some thought today as to what your ideal life would be.</p><p>Then, instead of putting that life on a pedestal, <strong>start taking tangible steps to making that ideality a reality.</strong></p><p>My grandpa&#8217;s been around for a while. He&#8217;s a pretty smart dude. Take his advice to heart. <strong>Don&#8217;t get old.</strong> Spend today, and every day after, staying young. Experiencing life. And above all, <em><strong>enjoying it.</strong></em></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hannahhunt/3720442928/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_blank"><em>(Photo credit)</em></a></p> <div class="feedflare">
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</div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/dont-get-old/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>12</slash:comments> <feedburner:origLink>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/dont-get-old/</feedburner:origLink></item> <item><title>Entrepreneurship. The Beauty in Ugly.</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lifewithoutpants/~3/mtnIdoYaz18/</link> <comments>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/entrepreneurship-the-beauty-in-ugly/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 07:01:55 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Matt Cheuvront</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[entrepreneurship]]></category> <category><![CDATA[hard work pays off]]></category> <category><![CDATA[hustle]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Inc. Magazine]]></category> <category><![CDATA[marketing]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/?p=8425</guid> <description><![CDATA[The beauty of entrepreneurship isn't in the success or it's freedom. It's in the scrappy, resourceful, hard-working hustle.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/entrepreneurship-the-beauty-in-ugly/" title="Permanent link to Entrepreneurship. The Beauty in Ugly."><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/writing-pen.jpg" width="587" height="300" alt="Writing Pen" /></a></p><p>When I was in college, <strong>I looked up to entrepreneurs as if they were deities.</strong> Just ask my partner <a title="Sam Davidson" href="http://samdavidson.net" target="_blank">Sam Davidson</a>, who came and spoke to my Junior-year Marketing Strategy class, back when I was nothing more than a <em>wide-eyed-I-don&#8217;t-know-what-the-heck-I&#8217;m-going-to-do-with-my-life</em> college kid. He walked in thinking he was going to chat about the ups and downs of running a business, and walked out with a new best friend (ehem, that would be me), who couldn&#8217;t wait to grab coffee and soak up any and all knowledge that he, the almighty entrepreneur was willing to share.</p><p>And now, here I am, very much in the position that I looked up to only a few years ago, running <a title="Proof Branding" href="http://proofbranding.com" target="_blank">my own business</a>. Now I&#8217;m the one sharing coffee with college kids who have their own world-conquering plans and want to know everything about what I do, how I&#8217;ve done it, and how they can learn from it.</p><p>I used to think that entrepreneurship was this unattainable status that only happened to people who got really lucky or had a lot of money to throw around. If you think back to when you were in school, you probably thought the same.</p><p>Little did I know, back then, that the beauty of entrepreneurship isn&#8217;t in the success, the accolades, the respect, the money, and no, <a title="Constrained Freedom" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/constrained-freedom/">not even the freedom</a>. But that <strong>the beauty of entrepreneurship is in the ugly</strong>.</p><p><span id="more-8425"></span></p><p><a title="The Hustle" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/business/hustle/">It&#8217;s in the hustle</a>. It&#8217;s in the scrappy. It&#8217;s in the know-how. It&#8217;s in the resourcefulness. <strong>It&#8217;s getting things done when it seems impossible.</strong> It&#8217;s being broke. It&#8217;s overcoming adversity. It&#8217;s ignoring other people who tell you that you won&#8217;t. It&#8217;s ignoring yourself when you say &#8220;I can&#8217;t&#8221;</p><p>A <a title="What's an Entrepreneur? The Best Answer Ever" href="http://www.inc.com/eric-schurenberg/the-best-definition-of-entepreneurship.html" target="_blank">recent Inc Magazine article</a> had one of the most on-point definitions for &#8220;entrepreneurship&#8221; I&#8217;ve ever seen:</p><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;Entrepreneurship is the pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled.&#8221;</em></p></blockquote><p>It&#8217;s making things happen against all odds. It&#8217;s turning problems into solutions. It&#8217;s thinking strategically AND creatively. Above all. <strong>It&#8217;s possible.</strong> It is  becoming <a title="Occupy Opportunity" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/entrepreneurship/occupy-opportunity/">more possible now than it&#8217;s ever been</a>. To anyone out there wondering if starting a business is a viable option, let me go ahead and clear that up for you.</p><p><strong>Yes. It is.</strong></p><p>And no, it won&#8217;t be easy.</p><p><strong>But,  yes, it&#8217;s totally worth it.</strong></p><p>The ability to <a title="Love What You Do" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/loving-what-you-do/">do work you love</a>? The convenience of working from wherever you want? The sky truly being the limit to your career? It&#8217;s not a pipe dream. Those aren&#8217;t false hopes. You&#8217;re not kidding yourself.</p><p>If you&#8217;re willing to hustle, all of it, every little bit,<strong> is within your grasp.</strong></p><p><strong>Stop thinking.</strong> You&#8217;ve already thought about things way too much.</p><p><strong>Stop reading.</strong> You&#8217;ve already read too many posts like this, one&#8217;s that inspire you but have you saying, &#8220;Where do I begin&#8221;?</p><p><strong>Stop wondering.</strong> The answer is <em>yes.</em></p><p>Stop doubting. Start believing. And <strong>start doing.</strong></p><p><em><strong>Today is the new tomorrow.</strong></em></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rumberodesign/2885665029/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_blank"><em>(Photo credit)</em></a></p> <div class="feedflare">
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</div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/entrepreneurship-the-beauty-in-ugly/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>8</slash:comments> <feedburner:origLink>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/entrepreneurship-the-beauty-in-ugly/</feedburner:origLink></item> <item><title>Create. Learn. Improve. Repeat. (And Why We Get Hung Up On Step One)</title><link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/lifewithoutpants/~3/FFog5x24F5c/</link> <comments>http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/create/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:31:08 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Matt Cheuvront</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[create learn improve repeat]]></category> <category><![CDATA[entrepreneurship]]></category> <category><![CDATA[finding happiness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[heyamberrae]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Karol Gajda]]></category> <category><![CDATA[live with passion]]></category> <category><![CDATA[motivation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[pursuing your passion]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sam Davidson]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/?p=8402</guid> <description><![CDATA[Create. Learn. Improve. Repeat. A four step process that can be applied to every life decision (and why we often get hung up before step one)]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a class="post_image_link" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/create/" title="Permanent link to Create. Learn. Improve. Repeat. (And Why We Get Hung Up On Step One)"><img class="post_image aligncenter frame" src="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/firststep.png" width="587" height="322" alt="The first step is taking the first step" /></a></p><p><strong>Create. Learn. Improve. Repeat.</strong> This is the &#8220;mantra&#8221; of <a title="Karol Gadja" href="http://karol.gajda.com/" target="_blank">Karol Gajda</a>, a fellow blogger, entrepreneur, and world-traveler. It&#8217;s simple, yet speaks volumes. It&#8217;s a four-step process that can be applied toward nearly every decision in your life. And yet, many of us can&#8217;t seem to make it to step one.</p><p>Learning. Improving. And of course, repeating. None of that can happen if you aren&#8217;t willing to focus on the step one: <strong>Creating.</strong></p><p><strong>Creating is scary.</strong> Creating is daunting. Creating is challenging. Creating is uncomfortable. Creating is a risk. Creating doesn&#8217;t happen overnight. <strong>Creating is broke.</strong> Creating is ambigious. <a title="The Inconvenience of Change" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/the-inconvenience-of-change/">Creating is change</a>. Creating is uknown.</p><p>Creating involves us looking inward and tapping into something previously untapped.</p><p><span id="more-8402"></span></p><p>I had three conversations this week related to this idea:</p><p>One, with a friend who might want to become a personal trainer but isn&#8217;t sure if it&#8217;s really what she wants to do.</p><p>Another, with a friend who desperately wants to write a book but is afraid of being &#8220;wrong&#8221;.</p><p>And lastly, with a friend who simply wants more for his life and career, but doesn&#8217;t know what that means, or where to begin.</p><p><strong>All three are stuck in the limbo before step one.</strong> They aren&#8217;t sure how to begin the <em>Create. Learn. Improve. Repeat.</em> process because they don&#8217;t know what to create. Or how to create it.</p><p><a title="The Greater Good (Or What Passion Is Really All About)" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/life/greater-good/" target="_blank">When we talk about passion</a>, we talk about pursuing those things that light us up. That fulfill us. That excite us and drive us. But the hardest part of passion isn&#8217;t following it, <strong>it&#8217;s figuring out where to begin.</strong></p><h2>Begin with creating. Begin by taking the first step.</h2><p>In <a title="The Revolution of Less - Sam Davidson" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTLrAYcTFFk" target="_blank">his recent TEDx talk</a>, my partner and friend <a title="Sam Davidson" href="http://samdavidson.net" target="_blank">Sam</a> uses an analogy about his daughter learning to walk. Recalling the day she took her first steps, he talks about her teetering along, trying to maintain her balance, but through it all, <strong>moving forward. </strong></p><p>Moving forward is what we need to do. <strong>Putting one foot in front of the other is all that matters. </strong>But first, you must <a title="The Treacherous First Step" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/personalprofessional-growth/the-treacherous-first-step/">take the first step</a>.</p><p>If you&#8217;re not sure about becoming a personal trainer, go talk to someone who does it for a living and volunteer yourself to help and learn.</p><p>Not sure if anyone will read the book you desperately want to write? Well, no one will <strong>(I promise)</strong> if it never gets written. Open up a Word doc. and <a title="Write with Passion: The Rest Will Fall Into Place" href="http://www.lifewithoutpants.com/blogging/write-with-passion-the-rest-will-fall-into-place/">start writing</a>.</p><p>And to those of you, all of you, who want something more but don&#8217;t know what it is, or where to begin. <strong>Start creating.</strong> Something. Anything.</p><p>My friend Amber <a title="No One Cares What You Do: The Importance of Why (and How to Turn Ideas into Movements)" href="http://tumblr.heyamberrae.com/post/16117561536/why" target="_blank">breaks it down</a> into <em><strong>&#8220;Why. How. What&#8221;. </strong>&#8220;Why&#8221;</em> is a belief that drives you. <em>&#8220;How&#8221;</em> are the actions you take to get there. <em>&#8220;What&#8221;</em> are the tangible outcomes that prove your <em>&#8220;why&#8221;</em> and <em>&#8220;how&#8221;</em>.</p><p>More importantly, one of her &#8220;how&#8217;s&#8221; is to <em><strong>&#8220;experiment and see what sticks&#8221;. </strong></em></p><p>That, my friends, is what it all comes down to&#8230;</p><p><strong>Create.</strong> So you can learn, improve, and repeat.</p><p><strong>Move Forward.</strong> Take the first step, and then the next step, and then the next.</p><p><strong>Experiment.</strong> See what sticks.</p><p>No one&#8217;s expecting you to know exactly what to do and how to do it. Don&#8217;t let me, or anyone else fool you into believing that they&#8217;ve got it all figured out. I don&#8217;t. They don&#8217;t.</p><p>The difference between people who want to be doing something and people who are doing what they want? <em><strong>Action. </strong></em></p><p><strong>If you&#8217;re not creating something, you have nothing. </strong>Create. Experiment. Move forward. <strong>You&#8217;ll be amazed at what you&#8217;ll accomplish when you do.</strong></p><p><a title="The first step" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bengoode/2755732217/sizes/l/in/photostream/" target="_blank"><em>(Photo credit)</em></a></p> <div class="feedflare">
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