4 Things I Wish I’d Known When I Was Struggling To Pay My Bills
Can I ask you something kind of personal?
Why do you want to build an online business?
Is it for the money?
The impact you can have on others?
The freedom and flexibility of being your own boss?
Or… something else?
For me, those three reasons above were ALL quite important. But, honestly, money was my #1. Not my #1 priority in life (that's Jesus!), but my #1 reason WHY I wanted to build a successful online business.
How come? Well, because the lack of money was my biggest stressor.
It wasn't so much about having more or nicer things… but simply about being able to relax and know that I could easily pay my bills.
Unfortunately… trying to build a business from a place of scarcity is really tough.
When you're focused on the “have not” it's tough to let your mind relax and come up with good, creative ideas.
The result? I failed at building a truly successful, profitable, scalablebusiness for the first 6+ years.
I hope you aren't in the situation I was in back then, but here are four things I'd tell myself if I could go back to that time when I was struggling. And… I think they apply no matter where we are in our journey towards our goals:
1. Take advantage of the best opportunity you have TODAY.
I was wasting time waiting for a big break or an amazing opportunity. I felt like I didn't have any options. What I wish I'd done a lot sooner was to start LOOKING for opportunities; start considering what options I DID have.
They're there if you look for them. 🙂 They might not be what you're dreaming of or hoping for — yet — but they're the *stepping stones* to get you closer to bigger, better opportunities of the future.
2. What's working? Do more of that.
Chances are, you're doing a lot right now, throwing a lot at the wall, just trying to get something to stick.
It's good to put in the effort, but it's bad to spread yourself too thin.
The wider you go, the more difficult it is to make progress with anything in particular.
Take a look at everything you're doing: what ONE thing is having the biggest impact? Do more of that.
3. Create things worth sharing.
Having trouble getting anyone to pay attention to you? Whether you're trying to find clients, grow your audience, make sales, or even just have an impact on the world, it can be tough if nobody is listening to you.
Don't just make more noise. Don't just post daily on social media. Don't stay stuck in “learning” mode at the cost of DOING.
Get out there and MAKE something worth talking about. Something worth sharing. Something so good, people can't ignore it.
4. Keep going, because things will get better.
When you're not seeing any progress, it can feel like you aren't making any — and like you'll never reach your goals.
This too shall pass. Today is not forever. Keep going, because things change. So long as you're heading in the *right direction,* you will eventually see the growth, change, and success you're looking for.
And finally, just coming back to my original question: what's your why? When you're clear about the REASON you're working, you can enjoy the journey much more, and you're also much more likely to be headed in the right direction.
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