So creating a very general outline isn't terribly hard (unless you're positively swamped with school and life in general), so thankfully I'm able to report that I have made my goal :).
However, it still needs to be fleshed out, so here's my next goal:
Goal: Have completed outline finished by midnight, November 5.
And looking at the rest of the month and how much time I have left to complete this project (48 days), I'm also going to try and set some goals for my next few steps. I'll have to be a bit flexible about this, because I can't tell how much time these steps are actually going to take (in most cases), but it's good to go ahead and have a general idea. But I'm really going to try and make these happen by the specified times and dates!
Goal: Confirm sufficient market size (pg. 174) by noon, November 9.
Goal: Research Google Adwords (pg. 182) by 11:30 p.m., November 11.
Goal: Follow advice on pg. 199 (or steps on page 184) to set up a shop by 12m, November 12.
Goal: Begin running Google Ads and posting news about my product via Facebook and other online forums (see pg. 222) by 12m, November 14.
Goal: Decide whether to make it a real book or e-book by 1:00 p.m., November 17.
Goal: Write intro by 2:00 p.m., November 21.
I should probably stop there, because I'm really stretching to plan that far out. Really, if the Google Ads don't turn up any positive response, I don't have any reason to keep planning or going. Why invest time in a product no one wants? Which is another reason I'm waiting to even write the intro until the ads have run for 5 days (November 14-19).
Fingers crossed!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Day 20: Goal failed :(
Yes, as the title implies, I didn't make my goal to finish the general outline for the book. Halloween, a football game and three tests and a project kinda sucked up all my time, and I'm still not even done with the project and last test. Not until 5:25 tomorrow, at least!
I knew I was possibly setting myself up for failure when I put the deadline where I did, but I didn't want to give myself too much leeway for completing it.
Anyway, new goal:
Finish the general outline for the book by Wednesday, November 2 at midnight.
I knew I was possibly setting myself up for failure when I put the deadline where I did, but I didn't want to give myself too much leeway for completing it.
Anyway, new goal:
Finish the general outline for the book by Wednesday, November 2 at midnight.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Day 10: I'm glad I'm numbering these things now
T-minus 62 days until I've got a business....
A brief recap of my day to keep myself on target:
- Called both parents to ask for further ideas. Both very enthusiastic about the idea (which is a good sign when both parents think it's a good idea), and I sent them a general overview of the topics I've already come up with to cover in the book, and asked for more ideas.
- Began researching Weebly and Lulu to see if they're good resources for my purposes. I'm on a time schedule right now, so I wasn't able to investigate as much as I want. Will have to come back later.
- A an entrepreneur came and spoke to one of my classes today, and I made a point to go up and talk with him afterwards. He immediately struck me as the kind of person who could make a great mentor, but I kind of had an epic fail.
Things I learned from that interaction:
- Go into those kind of conversations with a short, rehearsed intro!
- Speak up. I had no idea I was such a soft speaker.....geez.....
- Fake confidence, even if you're intimidated.
- Say something like, "Hi, my name is ___(full name)____, and I'm really interested to talk with you about some of the things you mentioned during class, but I've got to be somewhere. Can I get your information so maybe I can e-mail you later?" Even if you have nowhere to be, this makes you sound sincerely interested, limits the conversation (because there are likely many other people who want to talk with that person, too), and gives them a chance to respond to whatever you want to talk about via E-MAIL, which is a lot more relaxed.
- Make SURE you have their information before you leave. *sigh*
It's tempting to curl up in a dark hole and never even attempt to get a mentor ever again, but look what all I just learned! Not fruitless, just slightly disappointing.
A brief recap of my day to keep myself on target:
- Called both parents to ask for further ideas. Both very enthusiastic about the idea (which is a good sign when both parents think it's a good idea), and I sent them a general overview of the topics I've already come up with to cover in the book, and asked for more ideas.
- Began researching Weebly and Lulu to see if they're good resources for my purposes. I'm on a time schedule right now, so I wasn't able to investigate as much as I want. Will have to come back later.
- A an entrepreneur came and spoke to one of my classes today, and I made a point to go up and talk with him afterwards. He immediately struck me as the kind of person who could make a great mentor, but I kind of had an epic fail.
Things I learned from that interaction:
- Go into those kind of conversations with a short, rehearsed intro!
- Speak up. I had no idea I was such a soft speaker.....geez.....
- Fake confidence, even if you're intimidated.
- Say something like, "Hi, my name is ___(full name)____, and I'm really interested to talk with you about some of the things you mentioned during class, but I've got to be somewhere. Can I get your information so maybe I can e-mail you later?" Even if you have nowhere to be, this makes you sound sincerely interested, limits the conversation (because there are likely many other people who want to talk with that person, too), and gives them a chance to respond to whatever you want to talk about via E-MAIL, which is a lot more relaxed.
- Make SURE you have their information before you leave. *sigh*
It's tempting to curl up in a dark hole and never even attempt to get a mentor ever again, but look what all I just learned! Not fruitless, just slightly disappointing.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
As promised...
Hurrah! I finished it!
I was a little intimidated and unsure where to start, but I figured the best place to start would be (who would've thought) the beginning. And by "beginning" I mean Chapter 9: "Income Autopilot I," since that's really where the "meat" of the book begins.
I began to think about what demand I can fill instead of what demand I can create, and I think I may (this is a lot of italics) have found my muse. I'm in a unique position as a college student who, like many other soon-to-be-grads, is about to step into a job market that has too much demand and not enough supply. Yet somehow, I've always been able to find unique opportunities, and if I couldn't find them, I've figured out how to make them. Thus, I think my muse is going to be creating a book telling others how to do the same.
Including the right resources, information, easy-to-follow templates and what have you, I could really make this into something worth quite a bit. I'd have to remember my market is college stu---
WAIT.
No, this is where I'm going to make my money. My targeted ads aren't going to appeal to college students; they're going to primarily appeal to parents and grandparents who have the money to spend $30-$45 for quality information that will help their child or grandchild. What I will be offering will be quality information, but college students don't have the money to buy it (and let's face it, will probably make copies of the book and give it to their friends because "the stupid author asks too much money! It's her fault!").
But I'm getting ahead of myself a bit. Right now, I need to set up my next goal, which is putting all of this together: Brainstorming and generating everything I want to put into this book.
Unfortunately, wouldn't you know next week is absolutely packed with tests--ones I need to do well on, too--so the deadlines for my next goal are going to be a little more generous than I would like to give myself, but regardless, at least I'm going to attempt to move forward.
Goal 1: Contact parents (best source for this kind of stuff) for further ideas. Complete by Friday, Oct. 21 @ 12:00m.
Goal 2: Complete general outline. Begin and finish Friday, Oct. 28 @ 10:00am.
I'd hate to feel like I wasn't doing anything while I had to wait all next week to get started, so I think I'm going to start Stephen Keys One Simple Idea, because it's next on my reading list and plays into this, as well.
Goal: Finish One Simple Idea. Finish by Oct. 26
I'll report back with the successes of my goals!
I was a little intimidated and unsure where to start, but I figured the best place to start would be (who would've thought) the beginning. And by "beginning" I mean Chapter 9: "Income Autopilot I," since that's really where the "meat" of the book begins.
I began to think about what demand I can fill instead of what demand I can create, and I think I may (this is a lot of italics) have found my muse. I'm in a unique position as a college student who, like many other soon-to-be-grads, is about to step into a job market that has too much demand and not enough supply. Yet somehow, I've always been able to find unique opportunities, and if I couldn't find them, I've figured out how to make them. Thus, I think my muse is going to be creating a book telling others how to do the same.
Including the right resources, information, easy-to-follow templates and what have you, I could really make this into something worth quite a bit. I'd have to remember my market is college stu---
WAIT.
No, this is where I'm going to make my money. My targeted ads aren't going to appeal to college students; they're going to primarily appeal to parents and grandparents who have the money to spend $30-$45 for quality information that will help their child or grandchild. What I will be offering will be quality information, but college students don't have the money to buy it (and let's face it, will probably make copies of the book and give it to their friends because "the stupid author asks too much money! It's her fault!").
But I'm getting ahead of myself a bit. Right now, I need to set up my next goal, which is putting all of this together: Brainstorming and generating everything I want to put into this book.
Unfortunately, wouldn't you know next week is absolutely packed with tests--ones I need to do well on, too--so the deadlines for my next goal are going to be a little more generous than I would like to give myself, but regardless, at least I'm going to attempt to move forward.
Goal 1: Contact parents (best source for this kind of stuff) for further ideas. Complete by Friday, Oct. 21 @ 12:00m.
Goal 2: Complete general outline. Begin and finish Friday, Oct. 28 @ 10:00am.
I'd hate to feel like I wasn't doing anything while I had to wait all next week to get started, so I think I'm going to start Stephen Keys One Simple Idea, because it's next on my reading list and plays into this, as well.
Goal: Finish One Simple Idea. Finish by Oct. 26
I'll report back with the successes of my goals!
Ehhh.....
So I decided to scrap the idea of collecting all of my thoughts and ideas about the 4HWW as I read. I realized I started avoiding reading because reading AND writing was taking way too long, and I wasn't making enough notes that would really be important to remember later, anyway.
This blog should be working for me and not the other way around, right?
Thankfully I got back on track and am only a few pages away from finishing the book, which only makes me a day late from my original goal (I wanted to finish the book by yesterday, but life intervened).
I intend to update later today with my next goal. I have to hurry off to class here in a bit, so I'm going to finish the book and be thinking about what my next actionable step should be. This is where the fun part starts :).
This blog should be working for me and not the other way around, right?
Thankfully I got back on track and am only a few pages away from finishing the book, which only makes me a day late from my original goal (I wanted to finish the book by yesterday, but life intervened).
I intend to update later today with my next goal. I have to hurry off to class here in a bit, so I'm going to finish the book and be thinking about what my next actionable step should be. This is where the fun part starts :).
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Day 3: Pages 86-150
- "Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking." - Albert Einstein (pg. 86)
Never thought of that before, but it's true. Sometimes it's just time to get up and do.
- "Focus on what digerati Kathy Sierra calls "just-in-time" information instead of "just-in-case information." (pg. 92)
There are some things that I like keeping up with because I like stretching my mind and keeping abreast of that topic, but I'm glad I decided to cut down on the number of home pages my browser opens up to each day, and that I "Hid" a ton of people and activity from my FB Feed!
- "Meetings should only be held to make decisions about a pre-defined situation, not to define the problem." (pg. 102)
- "The cost- and time-effective solution, therefore, is to wait until you have a larger order, an approach called 'batching.'" (pg. 106)
This doesn't just apply to things like orders, in my mind. This also applies to little "errands" and other time-wasters. It would be a more effective use of my time if I would "batch" my homework, the housework, and errands instead of using my typical "scattershot" method: Work on some homework, do my laundry, go get groceries, all in the same day, when it would've been more effective to say, "Monday is homework day, Tuesday is housework day, Wednesday is errands day," etc. I'm going to see how well this works.....
- Use Evernote to keep track of all important papers, pictures, etc. Definitely going to scan in some things to get rid of this paper clutter! (pg. 114)
- "Brickwork" is one of the outsourcing companies mentioned in the book, as is "Your Man in India." (pg. 122)
- "Remember--unless something is well-defined and important, no one should do it. Eliminate before you delegate." (pg. 130)
- I think I want a VA :). AskSunday has a free 1-week trial......this might need to happen....
- I love the flowchart on pg. 144!
Never thought of that before, but it's true. Sometimes it's just time to get up and do.
- "Focus on what digerati Kathy Sierra calls "just-in-time" information instead of "just-in-case information." (pg. 92)
There are some things that I like keeping up with because I like stretching my mind and keeping abreast of that topic, but I'm glad I decided to cut down on the number of home pages my browser opens up to each day, and that I "Hid" a ton of people and activity from my FB Feed!
- "Meetings should only be held to make decisions about a pre-defined situation, not to define the problem." (pg. 102)
- "The cost- and time-effective solution, therefore, is to wait until you have a larger order, an approach called 'batching.'" (pg. 106)
This doesn't just apply to things like orders, in my mind. This also applies to little "errands" and other time-wasters. It would be a more effective use of my time if I would "batch" my homework, the housework, and errands instead of using my typical "scattershot" method: Work on some homework, do my laundry, go get groceries, all in the same day, when it would've been more effective to say, "Monday is homework day, Tuesday is housework day, Wednesday is errands day," etc. I'm going to see how well this works.....
- Use Evernote to keep track of all important papers, pictures, etc. Definitely going to scan in some things to get rid of this paper clutter! (pg. 114)
- "Brickwork" is one of the outsourcing companies mentioned in the book, as is "Your Man in India." (pg. 122)
- "Remember--unless something is well-defined and important, no one should do it. Eliminate before you delegate." (pg. 130)
- I think I want a VA :). AskSunday has a free 1-week trial......this might need to happen....
- I love the flowchart on pg. 144!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Day 2: Pages 52-86
Formatting these posts takes too long, so goodbye to that!
- "The worst that could happen wasn't crashing and burning, it was accepting terminal boredom as a tolerable status quo. Remember--boredom is the enemy, not some abstract 'failure.'" (pg. 53)
When I really think about it, do I think my "humiliation" for trying something new will outlast my terror of being stuck in some dead-end job? Do I think I will ever be happy doing the typical grind most people do? No, I can't ever see being happy or content with that. I think that's my answer right there.
- [On creating goals] "It focuses on activities that will fill the vacuum when work is removed. Living like a millionaire requires doing interesting things and not just owning enviable things." (pg. 54)
On a side note, I kind of like the idea of figuring out exactly how much I need to live on a year (making sure to set aside a certain amount for emergencies and savings, of course), then how much my next "goal" will cost, and working hard toward making that amount. So if I decided I could live happily on $50,000/year, but my yearly take-home pay was $300,000, and I know my next goal is going to cost $10,000, that leaves $240,000/year for donations and such. I'll likely have more goals than just one per year, but the point is to figure out how much I need to live on, and use the remaining for goals and donations. Maybe 60/40 (donations and goals) each year? And as my income grows, I can bump it down further.
"I deal with rejection by persisting, not taking my business elsewhere." (pg. 56)
- I'm going to dreamline on a physical piece of paper :). (pg. 57)
- "1. Which 20% of sources are causing 80% of my problems and unhappiness?
2. Which 20% of sources are resulting in 80% of my desired outcomes and happiness?" (pg. 71)
When I think about it, Pareto's Law can be applied to just about every area of life. Maybe the next time I'm feeling overwhelmed by minutiae or life in general, I should apply the 80/20 principle to things and see if I feel any better.
- "Being busy is a form of laziness--lazy thinking and indiscriminate action." (pg. 75)
I had never thought of this before, but it's true!
"1. Limit tasks to the important to shorten work time (80/20).
2. Shorten work time to limit tasks to the important (Parkinson's Law)." (pg. 77)
I'm going to try this tomorrow :).
- "What are the top-three activities that I use to fill time to feel as though I've been productive?" (pg. 81)
1. Cleaning/Organizing!
2. Completing tiny errands
3. Fussing over SA TASTE
"Learn to ask, 'If this is the only thing I accomplish today, will I be satisfied with my day?"
and--
"There should never be more than two mission-critical items to complete each day. Never." (pg. 82)
- "The worst that could happen wasn't crashing and burning, it was accepting terminal boredom as a tolerable status quo. Remember--boredom is the enemy, not some abstract 'failure.'" (pg. 53)
When I really think about it, do I think my "humiliation" for trying something new will outlast my terror of being stuck in some dead-end job? Do I think I will ever be happy doing the typical grind most people do? No, I can't ever see being happy or content with that. I think that's my answer right there.
- [On creating goals] "It focuses on activities that will fill the vacuum when work is removed. Living like a millionaire requires doing interesting things and not just owning enviable things." (pg. 54)
On a side note, I kind of like the idea of figuring out exactly how much I need to live on a year (making sure to set aside a certain amount for emergencies and savings, of course), then how much my next "goal" will cost, and working hard toward making that amount. So if I decided I could live happily on $50,000/year, but my yearly take-home pay was $300,000, and I know my next goal is going to cost $10,000, that leaves $240,000/year for donations and such. I'll likely have more goals than just one per year, but the point is to figure out how much I need to live on, and use the remaining for goals and donations. Maybe 60/40 (donations and goals) each year? And as my income grows, I can bump it down further.
"I deal with rejection by persisting, not taking my business elsewhere." (pg. 56)
- I'm going to dreamline on a physical piece of paper :). (pg. 57)
- "1. Which 20% of sources are causing 80% of my problems and unhappiness?
2. Which 20% of sources are resulting in 80% of my desired outcomes and happiness?" (pg. 71)
When I think about it, Pareto's Law can be applied to just about every area of life. Maybe the next time I'm feeling overwhelmed by minutiae or life in general, I should apply the 80/20 principle to things and see if I feel any better.
- "Being busy is a form of laziness--lazy thinking and indiscriminate action." (pg. 75)
I had never thought of this before, but it's true!
"1. Limit tasks to the important to shorten work time (80/20).
2. Shorten work time to limit tasks to the important (Parkinson's Law)." (pg. 77)
I'm going to try this tomorrow :).
- "What are the top-three activities that I use to fill time to feel as though I've been productive?" (pg. 81)
1. Cleaning/Organizing!
2. Completing tiny errands
3. Fussing over SA TASTE
"Learn to ask, 'If this is the only thing I accomplish today, will I be satisfied with my day?"
and--
"There should never be more than two mission-critical items to complete each day. Never." (pg. 82)
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Day 1: Pages 1-52
What if you could use a mini-retirement to sample your deferred-life plan reward before working 40 years for it? (pg. 9)
This is a good point. Do I really want to live like this? Wait, what is "this"? What's the lifestyle I'm aiming for? To what purpose do I want to have this free time and this income? How much income, and how much time? I don't do well with unlimited amounts of free time--it stresses me out--and there's an amount at which money is just pointless and tacky. Maybe I need to figure out how much I'm aiming for, and how much time I want to spend working.
Differences between Deferrers and New Rich (pg. 20)
Defferers (D) To retire early or young.
New Rich (NR) To distribute recovery periods and adventures (mini-retirements) throughout life on a regular basis and recognize that inactivity is not the goal. Doing what excites you is.
OK, this I can handle. Ferriss isn't saying you'll NEVER work; you'll still work, but you'll be able to take mini-vacations when needed. I can appreciate that :).
D: To make a lot of money.
NR: To make a ton of money with specific reasons and defined dreams to chase, timelines and steps included. What are you working for?
I like the idea of deciding on something I want to do, then maybe working extra hard for a time to ensure I have the money and time to do it. Aside from that, just maybe sitting back and being content with the normal cash flow (the kind that'll keep me in a comfortable but not necessarily opulent lifestyle).
Alternating periods of activity and rest is necessary to survive, let alone thrive. Capacity, interest, and mental endurance all wax and wane...By working only when you are most effective, life is both more productive and more enjoyable. (pg. 32)
I feel like this would be the solution to my problem even now with the job I have. I actually really like it; I'm just burned out on it right now, and my productivity has decreased as a result. A vacation to recharge would really help!
Look at what you're doing [or about to do, in my case] 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?" (pg. 37)
"Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action." - Benjamin Disraeli (pg. 40)
The question you should be asking isn't, "What do I want?" or "What are my goals?" but "What would excite me?" (pg. 51-52)
I think at this point in my life, the best thing I could ask myself is "What would excite me next?" There's just so much for me to explore and discover, and I don't feel like God is calling me to anything in particular right now. I think His will for my life right now is just to explore. Go on that trip where we just spend quality time together, meet new people, have different experiences, and learn about things. Yes, I think this is it! I think I'm supposed to go find out more about....everything....until He calls me to a specific task. He knows I want to serve Him and others, but I haven't felt a particular calling to anywhere, so I would guess it's because He doesn't want to show me just yet, which makes me feel better about doing all of this; suddenly it doesn't seem so selfish.
This is a good point. Do I really want to live like this? Wait, what is "this"? What's the lifestyle I'm aiming for? To what purpose do I want to have this free time and this income? How much income, and how much time? I don't do well with unlimited amounts of free time--it stresses me out--and there's an amount at which money is just pointless and tacky. Maybe I need to figure out how much I'm aiming for, and how much time I want to spend working.
Differences between Deferrers and New Rich (pg. 20)
Defferers (D) To retire early or young.
New Rich (NR) To distribute recovery periods and adventures (mini-retirements) throughout life on a regular basis and recognize that inactivity is not the goal. Doing what excites you is.
OK, this I can handle. Ferriss isn't saying you'll NEVER work; you'll still work, but you'll be able to take mini-vacations when needed. I can appreciate that :).
D: To make a lot of money.
NR: To make a ton of money with specific reasons and defined dreams to chase, timelines and steps included. What are you working for?
I like the idea of deciding on something I want to do, then maybe working extra hard for a time to ensure I have the money and time to do it. Aside from that, just maybe sitting back and being content with the normal cash flow (the kind that'll keep me in a comfortable but not necessarily opulent lifestyle).
Alternating periods of activity and rest is necessary to survive, let alone thrive. Capacity, interest, and mental endurance all wax and wane...By working only when you are most effective, life is both more productive and more enjoyable. (pg. 32)
I feel like this would be the solution to my problem even now with the job I have. I actually really like it; I'm just burned out on it right now, and my productivity has decreased as a result. A vacation to recharge would really help!
Look at what you're doing [or about to do, in my case] 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?" (pg. 37)
"Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action." - Benjamin Disraeli (pg. 40)
The question you should be asking isn't, "What do I want?" or "What are my goals?" but "What would excite me?" (pg. 51-52)
I think at this point in my life, the best thing I could ask myself is "What would excite me next?" There's just so much for me to explore and discover, and I don't feel like God is calling me to anything in particular right now. I think His will for my life right now is just to explore. Go on that trip where we just spend quality time together, meet new people, have different experiences, and learn about things. Yes, I think this is it! I think I'm supposed to go find out more about....everything....until He calls me to a specific task. He knows I want to serve Him and others, but I haven't felt a particular calling to anywhere, so I would guess it's because He doesn't want to show me just yet, which makes me feel better about doing all of this; suddenly it doesn't seem so selfish.
Howdy!
Hey there!
If you've found this blog, congratulations. Aside from following the link on my Facebook, it probably took a lot of effort to find this. I feel like I give you a candy bar or something.....
Anyway, this blog is mostly for my personal use, as I'm trying to work my way through Timothy Ferriss's The 4-Hour Workweek and I need somewhere to write down my notes, but you are absolutely welcome to read it if you're interested! My goal is to build a small, automated business that is either already launched or ready to launch by the time I graduate college in mid-December. Therefore, eventually this blog will turn into a weekly "goals" blog, where I chronicle my successes, failures, and (most importantly) my strides towards making this happen.
Keeping up a blog will help ensure I'm held accountable, too. If I can pretend I have hordes of adoring fans who are languishing until I write my next entry, I'll feel more pressure to keep up with the reading and actually get this dream accomplished.
SO, let's get started!
This week's goal: Finish The 4-Hour Workweek by next Tuesday (Oct. 18).
Overall Goal: Have a small business that is either fully automated or on its way to being fully automated by December 20, 2011.
If you've found this blog, congratulations. Aside from following the link on my Facebook, it probably took a lot of effort to find this. I feel like I give you a candy bar or something.....
Anyway, this blog is mostly for my personal use, as I'm trying to work my way through Timothy Ferriss's The 4-Hour Workweek and I need somewhere to write down my notes, but you are absolutely welcome to read it if you're interested! My goal is to build a small, automated business that is either already launched or ready to launch by the time I graduate college in mid-December. Therefore, eventually this blog will turn into a weekly "goals" blog, where I chronicle my successes, failures, and (most importantly) my strides towards making this happen.
Keeping up a blog will help ensure I'm held accountable, too. If I can pretend I have hordes of adoring fans who are languishing until I write my next entry, I'll feel more pressure to keep up with the reading and actually get this dream accomplished.
SO, let's get started!
This week's goal: Finish The 4-Hour Workweek by next Tuesday (Oct. 18).
Overall Goal: Have a small business that is either fully automated or on its way to being fully automated by December 20, 2011.
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