In the last two weeks since I publicly announced my resignation from my day job, I’ve taken significant steps toward starting a business. Specifically, I’ve dedicated myself to learning, networking, providing value, and building momentum. I’ll share what I’ve done and what I’ve learned so far, but first let’s catch up on some other important stuff!
We haven’t set a specific start date for our backpacking trip yet, but we will buy one-way tickets to Kathmandu this week. Our friends Jorge and Hitomi have been traveling around the world for almost a year, and they’ve found ways to earn money as they go through various traveler-friendly apps and websites. They are a huge inspiration for us, and have given us many helpful travel tips. (You can follow Jorge and Hitomi on their “Round the World” trip on Jorge’s Blog, Kettlebud) We’ll keep you posted on our travel plans once they’re finalized. Meanwhile- we have some business at home to take care of.
Valerie has been traveling to Texas for work almost every week, and also marched in the “Women’s March on Washington” in Washington D.C. Meanwhile, I found myself spending a lot of time holding my caulking gun… renovating the house. We’re planning to put our house on the market before we leave for Asia, so while the “honey do” list isn’t necessarily my top priority, it is definitely time-sensitive so I’ve been balancing it with time spent working toward my professional goals.
Learning
After my first week of self-employment, my productivity wasn’t as efficient as I hoped it would be. I was staying busy but I wasn’t progressing. I thought I should be moving toward my goals more quickly, considering how much freedom I had in scheduling and using my time. In order to figure out how to better allocate my time, I needed to determine what my time was being spent on so I could use that information to make better decisions the upcoming week. I discovered a solution I heard on James Altucher’s podcast. He interviewed Jairek Robbins, who recommended using the A-tracker time tracking app to analyze how you spend your time. The app provides a user-friendly interface for entering and aggregating time tracking data. I’ve been using the app for about a week, and it’s been phenomenal in helping me balance my priorities and achieve my goals quicker. You can’t change what you can’t measure.
For the record, my time tracking data from last week showed I spent 12% of my waking hours creating my blog and vlog content. One of my goals for the coming weeks is to become more efficient in the blog and vlog creation process, and produce the same (or better) quality content in less time. Please give me your opinion so I can share what’s most relevant to you.
value (not money!) is the currency of great people. The most accomplished people are brokers of value
Networking
The time tracking app confirmed I’m spending a majority of my time on building my client base through interactions with new and existing contacts. I’d like some clients already in place before we leave the States so I’ll have assignments to work on as we travel. For me, this trip is not just a vacation; it’s a proof-of-concept that I can deliver high value working remotely from my laptop. I’ve been framing discussions around the unique value I can provide.
If you want to learn more about how to build a powerful network through providing value, read Social Wealth by Jason Treu.
Providing Value
In my 8+ years of professional experience, one of the most important concepts I’ve learned is that value (not money!) is the currency of great people. The most accomplished people are brokers of value; their’s and others’ value. Thus, understanding my value to others and communicating how to provide it has been my main focus over these past two weeks.
I’ve also completed some work for an early-stage non-profit business accelerator based out of San Diego. The accelerator is run by accomplished businessmen with an extensive network, and most of these executives share the same philosophy: “Give First.” Embracing that philosophy, I’ve asked for no compensation for the work I’m doing except for a testimonial once my work is completed.
“Give First” is another way of saying “Lead with Value.” I talk about this concept and more in the video attached to this blog post.
This blog and video project is also part of my effort to be more giving. I want to help you by inspiring you, offering insights, or entertaining you.
Momentum
When I announced my resignation, the emotional support from friends, family, and colleagues helped sustain my spirits and work ethic. Like most people, I have a tendency to work less when I lose passion. Knowing this, I built up good habits long before I announced my resignation in hopes that they would “carry me” through the hard times. My daily routine has definitely helped me keep my momentum. I define momentum as the change in cognition resulting from a series of events, namely, daily hard work and daily victory. Watch the video that accompanies this blog to learn some of my tricks to building momentum and crafting new habits. If you’d like more details on my daily routine and how it helps me sustain my work ethic, contact me and I’d be happy to explain.
momentum is the change in cognition resulting from a series of events, namely, daily hard work and daily victory
Green Smoothies
Part of my daily routine lately has included coming up with creative smoothies to eat as meal replacements. A few people have asked me to publish my recipes for “green smoothies” that help my body and mind perform at its best. I’ve been posting pictures on social media, but haven’t posted any recipes yet- so I recorded a video for one recipe, and included commentary on how I make it and why I chose the ingredients. Instead of releasing the smoothie video separately, I added it to the end of the vlog accompanying this blog post. If you’re in to personal development and health, check out the video on this blog post. If you want to learn more about the health benefits of making smoothies, and for other diet/health tips, check out the inspiring Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s website, www.foundmyfitness.com.
Thanks for reading and listening to our story. We hope you’re getting something of value. If you have questions or comments, feel free to reach out to me any time. This takes time to put together and we want it to be relevant to you, so any feedback is appreciated! You can email me here.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.