Entries Tagged 'motivation' ↓

If you have been following any part of my make money online challenge series you will know that I have been trying to come up with some ways to become a full-fledged lifestyle entrepreneur by either creating some niche websites, or via affiliate marketing.

This post today is really written as a kick in the ass for myself because I have regressed from the research and action stage back to inaction.

Inaction - the lack or absence of action.

As I sit here not taking action towards my goal to generate income online, I thought that maybe there are other folks out there having similar issues even if their objectives are different.

Perhaps YOU are trying to grow personally, or maybe you would like to open a business? At some point we have all been stonewalled with one of the infinite possibilities that we are faced with on a daily basis.

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If I had a quarter for every time I heard the statement, “You Can’t Do That“…well I would still be stuck in the same dead end job packing boxes in a warehouse.

Photo by Luciano Meirelles

When I first decided to start chasing personal freedom back in the 1990’s (and including all the way up to today) I distinctly remember all of the typical responses that people would have when I explained what I was planning to do.

However, one response in particular stands out. Below I have listed abbreviated versions of conversations so you can get the gist of what I think a lot of people face when they decide to pursue a path that is slightly different than the norm.

Here is how the discussions have typically gone:

I am going to go back to school and finish off my degree - YOU CAN”T DO THAT

I am going to quit my job and go to South America for three months of independent travel - YOU CAN’T DO THAT

I am going to join the Peace Corps and volunteer in Papua New Guinea for two years - YOU CAN’T DO THAT

I am going to get a Masters degree and finish in one year - YOU CAN’T DO THAT

I am going to move to the South Pacific and get a job - YOU CAN’T DO THAT

I am going to leave the South Pacific and get a job in the Caribbean - YOU CAN’T DO THAT.

I am going to quit my job and open my own business - YOU CAN’T DO THAT

* Coming up for 2008 - I am hoping to start a successful blog network - YOU CAN’T DO THAT - you don’t think so huh?

My 2008 Mission Statement, pretty simple - I will continue to quiet the detractors and non-believers!!

What is your 2008 mission statement? Are you interested in changing jobs, traveling the globe, owning your own business, or starting your own website? How do you quiet your detractors?

Editor’s note: speaking of someone who has quieted his detractors, tomorrow I will be posting my ‘Ten Questions With’ interview with Yaro Starak of Entrepreneurs-Journey.

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The year 2007 is just about done and in the books, which means we will all get to start over in 2008 with a clean slate and a new set of goals. This is truly fantastic because a lot of times goals can be like fresh produce! For the first couple of days they are all sweet smelling and perfect, with no flaws or blemishes. But, as time moves on the fruit (like some goals) becomes spoiled and eventually goes rotten. Only to be thrown in the dumpster, or tossed in the trash.

image source: twenty5pics

How many plans have you tossed in the trash?

I read some really great articles this year about ‘how to achieve success’ and almost every author stated that you have to create a viable and executable plan. However, most did not elaborate on what constitutes a good plan, so I am going to describe my general planning process here.

Really, this is the next evolution in my continuing series of articles as you work to seek personal freedom and remove yourself from a negative situation.

For some, a viable plan needs to be an actual written set of suggested activities with definable dates, milestones, and a predetermined project life cycle. While I do agree with this technique I have never really written down my plans, instead I prefer to visualize success.

Using visualization as a tool for achieving successful plan

Whether I am looking to make a life change (like escaping the cubicle ), improve my blog, or even lose some weight I believe that I have more success if I concentrate my energy on visualizing the steps that are required to see my plans through to fruition.

As opposed to the standard recommendation of writing down every minute detail. Specifically, I find if I can navigate the plan visually in my mind then I don’t necessarily need to have all of the steps to success written down, which can also lead to great flexibility.

In most cases, plans are long term beasts and not short term animals . Successful completion of plans, on any level, require:

• Hard work
• Persistence
• Dedication

Here is my blueprint for a successful plan.

When I was just about ready to complete my term of service in the Peace Corps I realized that if I did not acquire appropriate technical skills I would most likely suffer in the job market when it came time to look for employment. Listed below is my typical ‘plan creating process’ which should go hand in hand with the three items listed above.

Blueprint for planning success STEP 1: Define your problem
You cannot create a viable plan if you have not accurately defined your problem. For me, it was a lack of technical skills, but for others, especially during this time of year, it might be weight loss, or to quit a dead end job.

Once I defined the problem it was easy for me to create the goal, which when completed would allow me to overcome my technical shortcomings.

Blueprint for planning success STEP 2: Identify your goal
With my problem now defined it was rather easy to create the goal. To overcome my technical deficiency I decided to pursue a Masters degree in a technical field (Geographic Information Systems) while undertaking studies in an academic field (Geography and International Development) that I would be passionate about.

If you prefer the weight loss example here is where you would determine how many pounds (or kilos) you would like to lose (e.g. 50 pounds).

Blueprint for planning success STEP 3: Formulate the process
For me, once I have a problem and a goal identified I begin to formulate the processes and steps that will be required for me to achieve success. In the case of graduate school (for the Masters degree) I started to analyze whether my grades were good enough for acceptance, if I needed to take any standardized tests, and how much this was going to cost me (i.e. financial analysis)?

If you are following the weight loss example now is when you would start thinking about how you will reduce caloric intake and what type of exercise routine you might enjoy.

Blueprint for planning success STEP 4: Take action
OK - After you have defined your problem, identified your goal, and formulated your process, it is now time to take action . Now was the time when I started applying to graduate schools, attending interviews, and of course, getting accepted into various programs.

As far as weight loss plan and goal is concerned, now is the time to make the commitment and get out there and exercise more and eat less (the only true way to lose weight!).

Have I missed anything? What do you do to ensure that a plan is completed successfully?

Have you been inspired by someone this past year? For me, 2007 has been GREAT! I quit my job, bought a small business in the Caribbean, and have gone down the path of entrepreneurship after more than ten years of planning and working toward these goals.

Personally, I started out blogging last year as a way to keep people informed of my life overseas, and to hopefully inspire people to get off their butts and pursue their dreams, goals, and aspirations. After a long year the site has taken a slight turn to include more topics but it still remains quite true to its original purpose.

Many people have had an impact on my life this past year and since the holiday season is upon us I would like to highlight Ten People who have truly inspired me during 2007 through their blog or website.

image source: Lush.i.ous

Without further adieu, here are my selections for the Ten Most Inspirational Bloggers of 2007:

First, I would like to highlight three amazing people, two of whom are athletes and one who is an online entrepreneur, all of them also happen to be bloggers. By virtue of how they conduct themselves and live their lives, they have been inspirational to me.

Specifically, they do not let physical setbacks get in their way and they face fear and everyday challenges in ways that most of us should aspire to. These people are truly inspirational and are listed in no particular order.

1. Scott Rigsby - Scott’s Website or Scott’s Blog

Do you have a hard time getting off the couch just to go for a walk or a bike ride? If you have not heard of him, I would like to introduce you to Hawaii Ironman competitor Scott Rigsby. Next year, let Scott Rigsby’s story inspire you to do better. He is the first person to complete the grueling Hawaii Ironman Triathlon as a double amputee. Reading an article on his life story in Runner’s World magazine recently two of his statements really stood out. When it comes to facing challenges Rigsby states, “If you tell me I can’t do something I am going to find a way to do it.” Additionally, Rigsby’s view on life is equally inspiring:

“I want to stay the course and show people that you can take the life that you have been given and you can use it to do something extraordinary.”

2. Sarah Reinertsen – Sarah’s website or her blog

Another world-class athlete, I initially saw Sarah Reinertsen competing in the 2005 Hawaii Ironman Triathlon as the first female amputee to enter the race. I happened to turn on the TV late into the telecast and she was already well into the bike riding stage. For the first five or ten minutes while I was watching the race they did not show her from the waist down, only from the shoulders and up. The commentators up to this point had made no mention of any disability so I continued watching and assumed that she was in the spotlight because she was a frontrunner in the race. However, a few minutes later the camera panned down and I saw that she had one artificial leg. Amazing, I thought. Most of us put mental blocks on what WE think we can achieve and here was this woman, who was missing one leg, competing in an Ironman Triathlon and she was even smiling. Sarah continues to race and train and she is a shining example of what we can do!

Sarah’s motto is “fear less and live more” which is a statement that we should all strive to live by in 2008.

3. Jon Morrow - blog On Moneymaking

Jon is not an athlete but the example he sets with how he chooses to live his life is just as inspirational. I first came across Jon’s blog, On Moneymaking, about a month ago and I have been fascinated with his story and success ever since.

According to his website, Jon has Spinal Muscular Atrophy. As stated on his ‘About’ page, “it’s a degenerative neuromuscular disease, meaning I’m supposed to get weaker and weaker until I’m finally dead.” Jon is inspiring because he refuses to let his disease define him, rather he is defining his disease and LIVING EVERYDAY. He retired at 25 to become a fulltime philanthropist and he fully expects to walk again within the next ten years.

Editor’s note: Next up I would like to highlight two bloggers who have experienced a meteoric rise to the top of the blogosphere this past year by providing well-written content and easy to digest posts which add tremendous value to the lives of their blog readers.

4. Leo Babauta – blog Zen Habits (read Leo’s recent interview on MyTropicalEscape)

The blogging success that Leo has accomplished this past year is truly amazing. Back in January he started a little site with a killer title, Zen Habits. Well, since then the blog, which is listed in the Technorati Top 100, has dispensed a daily dose of ‘simple inspiration and motivation’ that has some 25,000 subscribers (and growing) coming back every day. Recently, Leo released his first ebook, “Zen to Done – The Ultimate Simple Productivity System” and it has received great reviews.

5. Skellie – blog Skelliewag.org

The second upstart “Problogger” that I would like recognize and who has had remarkable recent success with her blog is Skellie, of Skelliewag.org.

Unbelievably she did not launch her blog until the end of July, which is only a little over four months ago. Skellie’s straightforward posts about how to be a better, more productive blogger have made her a great success in a relatively short period of time. She has become a fantastic inspiration for many bloggers. Some of Skellie’s keystone posts over the past couple of months include 110 Resources for Creative Minds, 50 Tips to Unclutter Your Blog, and 25 Headline Formulas That Have Plagued and Blessed Web 2.0. Editor’s note: If you would like to learn more about Skellie, I will be posting a recent interview that I conducted with her for the ‘Ten Questions With’ series tomorrow.

The next three blogs (and bloggers) have been around the internet for a while and each one has inspired me during 2007. With the millions of blogs that are out there these days, each of these sites below has managed to teach me a tremendous amount about personal finance, blogging in general, and how to make money online. Like the other blogs above, they are listed in no particular order.

6. J.D. Roth – blog Get Rich Slowly

Roth’s no nonsense website ‘personal finance that makes cents’ currently has almost 40,000 subscribers, and provides daily information about personal finance and related topics. Personally, I find his posts about removing debt most inspiring. As someone who has accumulated higher education debt (loans from undergrad and graduate school) I found his post “Free at Last! Saying Good-Bye to 20 Years of Debt” particularly uplifting. Recently, J.D. has been able to pay down all of his debt except a home mortgage, which is a goal that I am aiming for myself. One reason I believe his blog has mass inspirational appeal is because of his philosophy, “that personal growth is systemic, that in order to improve financially, you have to improve in other areas of your life.”

7. Darren Rowse - blog ProBlogger

Darren is the man who has inspired legions of bloggers to quit hacking around and get serious. His posts and articles are always stimulating and I remain in awe at the number of daily updates he does. Of course, he is a fulltime ‘Problogger’ but he posts multiple times a day on his site and the consistency and quality are always of the highest caliber. According to his about page, Darren’s site “is dedicated to helping other bloggers learn the skills of blogging, share their own experiences and promote the blogging medium.” If you are looking to start blogging, or to bring your skills to the next level, there is no greater inspiration than this site. Just remember to check back often for his insights because he is always posting new articles.

8. Maki - blog DoshDosh

Maki’s site, DoshDosh, is what I like to call a ‘thinking man’s blog.’ His typical posts are much longer than most blog articles that you will find about making money online. He writes in a dissertation-esque style with a depth and breadth of topic coverage that always makes you feel like you have learned something new. Additionally, he has a way of investigating money making and marketing topics from viewpoints that I would never think of. Recently, his post, “The Flagship Blog Project: Creating Multiple Blogs for Profit in 30 Day Cycles” really motivated me and made me realize that possibilities for generating income online are almost limitless.

Ok, we are down to the last two but they are certainly not listed here at the bottom because they are any less inspirational than the others! This is just how the list worked out.

9. Seth Godin – blog Seth’s Blog

I believe that any list regarding the year’s most inspirational blogs (and cutting edge marketing) wouldn’t be complete if it did not include Seth Godin’s blog. His website, books, and blog posts pack more value and insightful wisdom than grandma’s stories about the good old days. From what I have discerned as a frequent reader of his articles, Seth has based his career on being ‘remarkable’ and he recommends the same for all who would like to succeed. His blog posts are inspiring because he has a creative way of dissecting corporate marketing, customer service, and entrepreneurship in a very direct and almost matter of fact manner. Many times after reading his blog I feel like Seth sees the same inadequacies that we all see, especially as it pertains to customer service, he is just (MUCH) better at writing about it.

10. Curt Schilling – blog 38 Pitches

Okay, for those of you outside of the United States you might be asking, who the heck is Curt Schilling? He is a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and he has one of the best sport’s blogs around. Unfortunately, I completely disagree with his right-wing politics. But as a native New Englander living outside of the continental US his site provides tremendous insight into the every day lives of a professional baseball players and the baseball team that I have followed my whole life.

Also, the Red Sox won the World Series (again) this year and after their 86-year drought, if that isn’t inspiration then I don’t know what is. Curt also uses his blog to help raise money for his various charities…now if we can just get him to change his political views!

That’s my list. Do you agree with my picks? Who was it that inspired you this year? Let me know in the comments.

Editor’s note: This is the second post in the regularly scheduled Thursday series entitled, ‘Personal Freedom.’ If you would like to start at the beginning you should read last week’s article ‘5 Must Ask Questions On Your Quest For Personal Freedom ’ first.

Are you currently stuck in a rut? In a job you despise? Or, are you just generally unmotivated?

Do you remember the commercial where the old lady falls and she proclaims, “help I’ve fallen and I can’t get up?” I think many people are walking around with a similar sentiment except they would be exclaiming, “help I am caught in a rut and I can’t get out.”

image source: Mr. Flibble

You are definitely not alone. I have been there before myself.

I used to work with a woman who appeared to walk around the office everyday in a gloomy state of unfulfilled expectations and sallow malcontent.

During the whole time that I worked with her I sincerely hoped that she would break through her constantly gloomy ways, or maybe even seek professional medical attention.

Her main problems, she hated her job, she was under compensated, and she desperately wanted to leave, and change her life.

Fortunately, I don’t work for the organization anymore but recently it has made me think, how many of us just are not happy with where we are in life in general, or caught in a rut?

More Importantly - How do we remove ourselves from a negative situation or rut?

Well, who better to use as an example than myself? For two very long years I worked in a warehouse packing boxes and loading trucks. It was miserable, mindless work that was better suited to drones. To this day I can still see the looks of disdain on the faces of the executives and sales staff that used to greet me when I was required to go into the main office for something.

I was not happy and I felt stuck in a major Grand Canyon style rut.

One of the major life lessons that I learned was that when you are stuck in a bad situation no one is going to come along and magically remove you. So, what do you do?

Here are five tips that should help you to begin to deal with the negative situation, and how you can begin the process of removing yourself:

Step 1: Discern whether you are truly in a RUT or if you are in a ‘stepping stone’ situation. I would define ‘being in a rut’ as anytime you feel depressed, suffocated, or miserable with your general existence. Whereas a ‘stepping stone’ situation would be if you are working a job, or living someplace that is not that great, but it is a means to an ends. For example, you might be fresh out of college working in a mindless job but you know it will not be forever.

At times we must all do jobs, or deal with people that we don’t want to, however, a lot of times it is a temporary circumstance as you prepare for a more fruitful existence.

Step 2: If you discern that you are in a negative situation you must acknowledge that you are actually caught in a rut, and that it is now time to make a change. I know when I have been in a negative situation sometimes you can exist in a zombie like state (for many years) without even realizing it.

Step 3: You have acknowledged the issue at hand, and now you need to create a vision of where you would like to go both literally, and figuratively. This step is imperative because it will determine what you would like to be doing, or where you would like to go.

You can use your vision like a goal, or as something to work towards. The vision step, depending on how long you have been in the rut, usually occurs in incremental steps. No matter how small the steps are you should take joy in your newfound vision/goal every day.

Step 4: Do research – talk to people and network with folks who are doing what you want to be doing. If you want to move overseas get in contact with people who have actually done it. Or, if you want to be an entrepreneur join a networking group and soak in as much information and enthusiasm as possible. It will help you to maintain your motivation when times get tough and you want to give up.

Step 5: If you begin down your new path and self-pity or loathing set in, I recommend that you volunteer, or help out in the community. Nothing, and I MEAN nothing, will help you remove your own self pity quicker than helping those in need.

Strangely enough, that warehouse job that I mentioned above was quite possibly the worst and greatest thing that ever happened to me. It was the worst because it was an absolutely terrible job and I was MISERABLE. However, to this day I consider it the greatest situation because it lit a fire under me once I had cognitively made the decision to change.

Next week we will look at creating a plan to help you as you work on your removal. Many sites recommend ‘creating a plan’ but most never go into detail as to how to do it. So, using a personal example I will discuss how I created a plan to help remove myself from the cubicle.

Would you like to successfully Quit Your Job, Travel The World, Pursue Your Dreams, and truly do your life’s work?

Some of the most popular posts on the internet today seem to be about taking control of your life and removing yourself from the corporate setting to travel the world, become your own boss, and fulfill your dreams.

Really, it is all simply a euphemism for creating and living the life that you want rather than accepting the status quo of the commuter and workaday grind.

image source: jepoirrier

Because the ‘personal freedom’ topic is so broad and entails many aspects which are required to achieve success (unless you are rich) I am going to break this up into a series that will run every Thursday.

Today, I have a short post to kick everything off and I would just like to offer up five questions or thoughts for you to ponder and ask yourself to determine if you are indeed ready to “chase your dreams.”

1 Are you caught in a rut? Whether at work or personally?

2 Are you prepared to be an active participant in your quest personal freedom?

3 What would you ideally like to be doing with your life?

4 Do you have personal or familial obligations that you need to sort out?

5 Would you like to make a change?

Whether you are interested in moving overseas, changing jobs, or starting your own business. All of these goals require one thing, a positive mindset and a plan with room for flexibility. With that you can achieve anything.

Please join me on Thursday of next week for the first post in this series when we will look at “How to Remove Yourself from a Negative Situation.”

Now, I ask you, are there other questions that you ask yourself when thinking about pursuing an aspiration, or change? Let me know in the comments.

Editor’s note: in case you have recently noticed the new tagline above -

Living Overseas | Blogging | Inspiration and Motivation | Entrepreneurship

MyTropicalEscape has taken a slight turn to include more niche topics. For those of you that are interested in my new editorial calendar, every Monday I will have a post on blogging or marketing, on Tuesday’s there is the flagship “Ten Questions With” interview series, Thursday will focus on the new series about personal freedom, and Friday will be a day to give back where I will discuss social or humanitarian issues.

Those who lead a subsistence existence grow only enough food to feed their family, support their animal’s grazing area or farmland, and perhaps to provide a small marketable surplus.

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Nonverbal communication is one of the key components when it comes to conveying confidence and self-assuredness when meeting other people. This post regarding handshakes is the start of an ongoing series to help you project poise in any situation.

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