2012 Here We Come!

As 2011 draws to a close I am in an exotic, undisclosed location with my family and a few very close friends. The sun is high in the sky, the ocean is blue, and I am reflecting on my life as on online author, speaker, and trainer. This is the first year I have been able to find that work/life balance that many of us crave so badly. It took me almost five years to get to this point, and I’d like to share with you what can be done to arrive here much more quickly.

Treat your life like a business – This will be the topic of my next book, and I believe this to be the very best way to approach everything you are doing. My first year online, 2006, was spent with me trying to learn everything at once and dabbling in at least ten different niches. I thought that if I had my finger in lots of pies it would pay off in one way or another. It did not. In 2007 I began to approach what I was doing like a business would; I researched several niches to see what was happening with them online, took an honest look at my passions, experience and training, and where the market was, and then chose the niche of helping people to write and market eBooks on the Internet. I did this for about two years before making the jump into Internet marketing.

Allow for time off to do other things – You may have heard of people who retire from their job after forty years and then die soon after because they just didn’t have anything to do and no people to spend time with regularly. We are much more than our work. Instead of letting work define you, branch out and get involved with people and activities you love. There is a whole world out there waiting for you to jump in and make a difference.

Don’t try to do it all yourself – I spent way too much time during my first year in business trying to wear every hat. Once I began to relinquish control over much of what I was doing, leaving myself room to write and create and train, my business really took off. If you feel like you don’t have the money to do that right now, think about bartering with others so that it’s a win-win.

Connect with other like-minded individuals – This group will change for you over time as your business grows, you begin to earn more money, and your creative ideas begin to take shape. I spend very little time with people whose lives have become stagnant because that isn’t good for my inner growth. Branch out and meet new people who will understand where you are in your success journey.

I hope these tips will make a difference for you as they have for me. I look forward to sharing even more with you during 2012. Stay tuned for lots of new trainings and surprises that will help you to build your own online empire.