Some Parting Thoughts on 2008
Yes, I’m a bit inspired by Paul’s post over at uberaffiliate.com, but I’ve also been doing a lot of thinking about life, work, the whole schmear. So here we go, some personal thoughts on 2008. To make it abundantly clear, yes 2008 sucked the big one, but a lot of what happened to me personally was all my fault. If I get to take credit for the good years, I have to own the bad years too:
- Not making a decision is the worst decision you can make. Period. End of story. If you stand still trying to figure something out, you’re gonna get creamed. I had that happen on a few projects this past year, and in general, getting creamed sucks. I don’t suggest it as a past time.
- Don’t listen to the people who say it can’t be done. I’m usually the guy who is too busy doing things to listen to the naysayers. This year, I let myself get undisciplined, and for that, I’m pretty pissed at myself. Eight years ago, everyone told me that starting a consulting practice was sheer madness (madness I tell you!) but I did it anyway. Now I’m going to be launching a few side projects (more on this later) and I’m hearing some of the same naysayers. Time to shut off the noise.
- There’s a difference between being a consultant and being a business owner. A business eventually makes money independent of your efforts. You go on vacation, you sleep, you have a life, and it continues to make money. It continues to nurture your life, making it all possible. Consultants don’t get any of that. They just work. And work. And work. If they stop working, for any reason (like a much-needed two week trip to Ohio to visit family) then the money stops.
- Being smart is not as good as being decisive. Smart people over think things. They agonize. They weigh all the alternatives, until weighing alternatives is all that you do. Just strap it on and go! For crying out loud. Why did I forget that?
- Most people aren’t aggressively stupid or malicious, just super busy and super focused on whatever little thing they’re chasing. Unfortunately for you, it’s really hard to tell the difference between a selfish destructive person and someone who is just super busy. My advice? Build your life and business without relying 100% on others. Relying on others is a sure way to make things unbearable–if you rely too much on others, you will always get burned. Doesn’t matter if your success hinges on the dry cleaner not destroying your best suit or your sister-in-law picking up the kids so you can finish writing your ebook.
- Take time out for friends and family. They love you. They want you to succeed. Some of you are lucky enough to have a wife as beautiful, supportive, and smart as my wife Hope is. Don’t push these people away. Be humble enough to accept that hug, that coffee outing, that lending ear. Then thank them for the refreshing pit stop. Then get back in the game.
- I don’t have time for the blues. I’m done running. I’m done feeling like a kicked dog. I’m gonna storm the castle, take some names, kick some ass, split some wigs, and in general, get jiggy all up in there.
- The Blues, on the other hand, is the highest art form known to man.
