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The Right Tools & Mindset For Success

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Three Hard Truths About Self Employment

The reality of life is more helpful than the perceptions we carry. The reality of self employment is far different than your perception of it. These three truths aren’t meant to discourage you. Expectations are important. Realistic expectations are vital.

The truth brings freedom, even when the truth hurts.

Here are three realities of self employment, and specifically of being a solopreneur.

1. You Create Your Own Momentum

There’s no one telling you when to start. There’s no one telling you that you have to finish.

It sounds like freedom if you’re tired of unrealistic expectations but the lack of designated start and finish lines creates inefficiency.

Deadlines help us move forward. Deadlines create urgency. They are imperative to finishing. When you’re self employed it’s up to you, the start and the finish.

2. You’re Lonely By Default

If you want community you’ll need to go find it. Chatty workplace aren’t always inefficient. Talking shop keeps us sharp. Community gives us a sense of belonging. That doesn’t happen in your home office or at the coffee shop while you wear your headphones.

Community is constructed and nothing is built well without intention, so build community.

3. It’s Difficult By Design

Self employment is difficult for the same reason marriage, weight lifting, childbirth, paying your taxes on time, and eating lots of veggies are difficult. Things that are worth it are difficult. There is no gain without work, not if what you’re working for is worth something.

A great marriage is work, it’s worth it. Paying your taxes on time takes discipline, is worth it. Self employment isn’t always difficult but when it’s not difficult it’s because you’ve already worked hard to get to where you are.

Romance + Reality

Romance is vital in relationships and if you’re courting the idea of self employment then you deserve to be realistic. Romance puts you close to an idea, hard work helps your idea reach its potential.

Self employment has tremendous benefits. Taking a job is virtually impossible for me to consider. The reality of self employment is still very different than the perception. Proceed, but proceed with realistic expectations.

This may not have been much fun to read but it’s the truth. The truth brings freedom, even when the truth hurts.

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Why We Struggle To Publish What We Really Think

There’s a difference between what we think and what we say. We filter everything.

The moment you know your writing is going to be read by others your writing changes. That’s why you can’t journal on Facebook. That’s not journaling. Journaling is a private conversation.

[Tweet “The moment you know your writing is going to be read by others your writing changes”]

When we know we have an audience it changes what you say. We’re less honest. We’re more safe.
[Read more…]

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$100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau – Books For a Better You 002

Running Time: 9:37
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Entrepreneur and all around great guy Chris Guillebeau has created a book that every person who wants to love their work needs to read. Filled with practical advice on starting a “micro-business”, it’s in my top 10 business books now. Listen to the episode to hear how you can get a free copy!

Click here to learn how to get your FREE copy

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How to improve your business

I’m all for bootstrapping but at some point you need to open your wallet if you want you and then your business to grow.   A danger of experiencing success is the temptation to stop learning. My business has grown tremendously in the past two years and the more success I’ve experienced the more I have invested in my business. They’re not expenses. They’re investments. Here are a few.

Build a Better Blog in 31 Days
This product by Darren Rowse (@ProBlogger) improved my blog tremendously. It’s more a reference tool than a quick read. I even spent another $20 to get it printed in a special binder so it ended up costing more.  If you blog then buy it.

Blog Coaching
Jonathan Milligan (@CPACareerCoach) gives away A TON of helpful info on blogging in his group on 48days.net. I’ve hired him to help me with my blogging.

World Domination Summit
Chris Guillebeau (@ChrisGuillebeau) is hosting this event in June in Portland, Oregon. It’s a really random group of people who want to dominate the world (in a good way, if that’s possible). It’s sold out, sorry.   [Read more…]

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My journey to self-employment interview

This week I sat down to talk about my journey with my good friend Kevin Miller, founder of the Free Agent Academy. It’s not every day that someone asks me to talk about how I’ve found success advising companies on how to use social media to grow their customer base and deliver better service.  It was perhaps my favorite interview of all time and at the same time a very humbling experience.  In the first 60 seconds of the interview I tell Kevin what percentage of my success I am responsible for.  Hint: it’s a small percentage.

If you’d like to hear some strong opinions then hit play. If you have disagreements or questions about stuff I’ve said then this is the place to voice them (in the comments below). I welcome the opportunity. Thanks for listening.

[audio:http://www.traubhosting.com/andytraub/audio/KevinMillerFreeAgentAcademy7.23.2010.mp3]
Right click to download Andy’s Story with Kevin Miller