Archives for the '4 Hour Workweek' Category
Dodging Bullets
Following is a series dedicated to the capture of my answers to end of section questions asked in the book, 4 Hour Workweek 
Page 46, Questions & Actions:
- Define your nightmare, worst case scenario if you do what you’re thinking of doing
- What could you do to fix things, even if temporarily?
- Describe outcomes/benefits, temp and perm, of probable scenarios
- If fired today, how would you regain financial control?
- What is fear causing you to put off?
- Postponing action is costing what: financially, emotionally & physically?
- What are you waiting for?
Seems to me that as I’ve set up this post, thinking on it all the way, I’m realizing that the absolute “worst case scenario” for me to continue pursuing the start-up of The Fight Channel is the (now moving into “years”) loss of all that time devoted to trying to make it happen. What if we don’t find funding (all indicators seem to point to the opposite at this time). What if we do find funding? How is that going to impact my life? Will I be happier or not so much if I suddenly find myself in the position of leading a group of fight fanatic web developers and marketing folks? Ironically, it feels as though there may be some fear of failure and fear of success all at the same time!
Either way, however, nothing that could happen, would even begin to approach “permanence”, right? I mean, I’m not getting into the cage with a Frank Shamrock only to leave on a stretcher! I’ve not got my entire personal “fortune” (in quotes for a reason 
) on the line (nor the investments of friends or family. Should probably put them in quotes as well!) so I’ll not be permanently doing away with anyones nest eggs.
Most likely, we’ll either find the financial support and move on, or we won’t, and the next chapter of life will begin: starting the process of looking for immediate income as I contemplate the next entrepreneurial adventure (and there are already several in the works!)
Obviously, upon successful funding of the current start up, we move into another chapter of that life. Great things will be closer to happening. Confidence in ones ideas and capabilities to implement, lead (and then get out of the way!) would be very high indeed. And if that chapter ends the story prematurely, there’s the entrepreneurial experience of “failing fast forward” that leads to character building, and (hopefully) producing new and different sets of failures in the future (not to be pessimistic, but they say that you fail many times before you end up at success.)
This one is a bit trickier considering that my “job” right now is pretty much pouring all of my time and effort into getting the start up to the funding point. The comparison here is that we run out of our current seed capital budget, and decide we can no longer move forward. IF that were to happen, THEN I would simply start looking around locally for whatever work might be available. I’ve structured my needs to be shockingly minimal for this current start up run, so I wouldn’t need to secure a 6 figure income immediately.
Just having typed that out allows me the opportunity to realize I’m actually in as nice a place as I can be for the moment.
Since there are seemingly non-stop lists of items to be worked on relating to investor presentations, business plan research, et al, I don’t believe I “fear” doing any of that work (sans the graphics work I need to do soon, but I understand that is more about being unfamiliar with all the capabilities of using graphics programs and being “creative” than anything else). I have been a little more resistant (fearful?) of getting myself back into the ongoing habit of a healthy lifestyle to include regular working out. The past couple of months have seen me catch some sort of flu bug, and then a decent case of some bronchitis. Prior to that I was actively getting to the point of habitualizing working out several times a week. Add to that the concepts of healthy eating (what to eat, how much to eat, when to eat it) that seem to come in and out of my disciplined control. Until now, that is! And I know what I’ve been putting off.
Again, fortunately, I feel very confident that there is no inaction regarding the positive movement of TFC.com. Up until now, however, the physical inaction (literally!) does present some very serious costs if allowed to continue for an indefinite period. Spiraling health, lacking of energy, increased risks of disease and mental/physical disorders really are not that compelling. It really does come down to mental motivation kicking off physical motivations. We’ve all had that great “burn” after working out, sweating a good bit, feeling strong. The challenge to overcome is continuing past the inevitable soreness (mental and physical) in order to make it a habit, a lifestyle. The alternatives are severely depressing however. Going to ponder on them for a while for sure.
What am I waiting for, indeed?! TF hits the nail on the head with his “…the answer is simple: You’re afraid.” He’s correct. Nothing comes easy. Nothing should. I can’t simply push a button and get from where I’m at today to where I want to be tomorrow, instantly. And I think the realization of success being the journey does have to apply to this trip of mapping out what one wants to get from all aspects of life. My friend Wallace says it best when he tells of, “having a clear mental image of what you want [from life] and with gratitude and doing things in a certain way, you’ll find all the riches the Universe has to offer” (and most likely much, much more, I believe!)
Rules that change the rules
Following is a series dedicated to the capture of my answers to end of section questions asked in the book, 4 Hour Workweek
Page 37, Questions & Actions:
- How has being “realistic” or “responsible” kept you from the life you want?
- How has doing what you “should” resulted in subpar experiences or regret for not having done something else?
- Look at what you’re currently doing and ask yourself, “What would happen if I did the opposite of the people around me? What will I sacrifice if I continue on this track for 5, 10, or 20 years?
Because I’ve tended to be overly loyal to friends and “potential” rewarding situations in life, I believe I’ve created a haven for waiting just a little longer for the life I truly desire to be living. Whether it be continually helping friends in need, or committing long periods of time, energy, and life force to working at a situation that does nothing to get me closer to the desired outcome, the long term results have clearly been the same: my feelings of loyalty and responsibility to family and friends has done very little in getting me where I need to be.
Again, going back to making family commitments, choosing to do what seemed right and “honorable” in the end seemed much more wrong and detrimental to my progress in life. Too often, I’ve found myself expressing regret in ways none too positive. And while I’ve been fortunate to stay (mostly!) on the right side of the law, it becomes so incredibly easy to understand how lives of crime are perpetrated. By continually living the subpar experience of life, I’d tended to look for the excuses rather than the solutions.
Fortunately, and with a very real amount of ongoing, smart work, I’m at the very beginning stages of building a number of startups that should have me very much in the drivers seat of my life. I have asked myself this question in the past, and have taken more than 5 or 10 years to get to this point. Nothing is as clear to me as my personal hindsight.
Apparently, this is something that you only really comprehend when you are ready to learn. Not before!
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