How can you turn an idea into a business:
That’s what Jon Nastor, ex-punk rocker turned entrepreneur and founder of Velocitypage.com, wanted to know.
And for the past 12 years, Jon has been actively answering this question.
Here’s a direct quote from Jon’s Clarity.fm consulting page:
I have been an entrepreneur for 12 years and full-time online for 3. I have built, from the ground up, 6 different SaaS products --- all with zero technical ability. I have built multiple businesses from zero to $45k/month+ recurring revenues, with no debt and no financing.
How is this possible, though?
Conventional wisdom tells us we need to master the skill or trade we want to make a profession out of, or that we need lots of money or financing to build something profitably.
But here’s Jon, a person who self admits to having “zero” technical ability, yet he’s started multiple businesses with no debt or financing.
What is Jon doing differently that allows him to succeed where so many others fail? (more…)
This past June, my wife and I spent 15 days exploring Ecuador.
Unlike the other countries we visited this past year, our Ecuador adventure involved a lot of bus travel.
On the plus side, Ecuadorian bus travel is cheap. We traveled by bus from the Pacific Ocean to the Amazon jungle, with a couple stops in between for good measure, all for less than $100 USD.
On the not-quite-plus-side, the bus system is entirely unpredictable and you never know how many buses you’ll need to change to get to a particular destination.
On one such night, after about 6 hours of travel (with a few more hours to go), we found ourselves stopped at a standard Ecuadorian bus stop:
As we waited for our next bus, we came in contact with two other gringos; a couple taking a 2 week vacation in Ecuador. They had spent the past few days in the Galapagos and were now headed to the Amazon jungle.
“Perfect,” I thought, as we were also on our way to the Amazon (and if there’s one thing my Human Geography studies have taught, it’s that foreign travel is safer in packs).
So we got to talking the usual traveler’s talk:
And of course, once these questions come to an end:
Our new acquaintances were grade school teachers. They spent the past year saving up for this trip and in about a week they were headed back to the States to teach and start saving again for another trip.
When it was my turn to answer, I told them I do a little teaching myself – on topics like pricing, product launches, and marketing / growth hacking – and that I basically collaborate on various projects and publish books for a living (my own and others).
“What school do you teach at?” she asked.
I don’t – I teach from a platform I created. It’s entirely online.
“So who do you work for?”
No one. I created the platform myself. I’m my own boss.
“Well, what books have you written?”
I mentioned one of my books, The Complete Guide to Pay What You Want Pricing, and told her it’s all about an unconventional pricing technique that helps people increase their reach, impact, and sales.
“What makes you the expert?”
I paused.
What makes you the expert?
I thought about the answer she probably expected to hear:
As I thought about these socially acceptable answers, I realized something: none applied to me.
I teach what I know, and I share what I learn. Some people find that valuable. Because of that, I have the opportunity to make a good living with the flexibility to travel around the world.
So I answered here:
"The better question is: why aren’t you?"
I went on to explain what I meant.
Fundamentally, it comes down to:
What is stopping you from being the expert?
What's keeping you from being the go-to, subject matter expert in your field?
What's holding you back from shipping that book or blog or business?
Because the answer certainly isn't "I don't have a degree" or "I haven't won an award" or "I am still paying my dues..."
More than likely, it has to do with your actions; the action you take when you start, even if you're not ready, or feel under-qualified, or would rather concoct some other excuse instead of doing the work...
Once you decide to take action, the only question after that is: when?
I hope the answer is today.
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Started, finished, and shipped in Denver, Colorado.
Total writing time: 3:41 hours
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Last week, we wrapped up the The Flight Formula LIVE – an intensive, in-person, heart-centered business incubator program.
For 7 days, a small group of motivated entrepreneurs met in the mountains of Asheville to discover their gifts, activate their purpose, and build heart-centered businesses from scratch.
Jason and Asher led the way (with me providing a virtual support role from Peru) providing a truly transformative experience for all attendees.
It’s only been a few days, but the reviews are starting to roll in…
"I spent $380,000+ over 5 years and got 10% of what I needed to build a heart-centered business. I attended The Flight Formula LIVE and got the other 90%.”
- Samuel Nazar Walsh, The Flight Formula LIVE 2014 TRIBE #3
“Words fail - one of the most truly transformative, powerful and meaningful events I've ever been a part of....”
- Bruce Brodeen, The Flight Formula LIVE 2014 TRIBE #3
“There are so many people who I think would benefit from this work...I am totally inspired and grateful for the experience. All my clients and colleagues want to know about it and I tell them it totally exceeded all my expectations - WOW!”
- Ciel Walko, The Flight Formula LIVE 2014 TRIBE #3
“Wow. Just... blown away by the content of this retreat... and by the compassion-filled spirits that are joining me for the experience.”
- Lehua Kauhane, The Flight Formula LIVE 2014 TRIBE #3
These are just a few of many reviews and testimonials that are coming in.
Truly humbling to say the least.
Good question.
In a nutshell, we focus on:
Inside to out; Gift to service.
Not many business incubator programs work this way….actually, none do (that I know of).
All other business incubator programs start with an unmet need in the market.
This is great.
It helps focus our solutions on a real problem (not something we created in our own heads that doesn’t really exist).
But it also misses a fundamental piece of the pie…
Your gift.
What you can give and how you can serve best.
That’s what’s different about The Flight Formula:
We start with the person, his or her gift, and design and implement a way for that gift to serve others in the marketplace.
And today, I want to share with you the 11 step formula we built for The Flight Formula to create transformational change in our students and help them launch heart-centered businesses.
My hope is that these 11 steps will help you create the same transformation in your own life and business.
*note: if you like this post, shoot me a tweet and let me know [click to tweet me!!]
Let’s get to it:
There’s no such thing as a heart-centered business if the founder doesn’t understand his or her gift, purpose, and story.
Every heart-centered business starts with a powerful purpose explained through an equally powerful story. And the founders of heart-centered businesses are people who lean into their gifts.
The discovery of your gift, purpose, and story is something that takes quite a bit of time if you’re doing it on your own.
But if you create a safe container or safe space – a tight-knit group of people with shared core values, in an equally safe environment free of criticism – you can multiply and magnify your results in a fraction of the time.
We built this safe space into The Flight Formula as a core, foundational component of our program.
You can develop the same “safe space” into your group, organization, or program. All it takes is a cooperative group to sit down and set expectations from day one and hold everyone accountable to the same standards (no criticism, no judgement; just pure focus on gift, purpose, and story).
Like clockwork, once someone has discovered his or her unique gift, purpose, and story, a set of mental roadblocks emerge from who-knows-where.
And so on.
These limiting beliefs are deep-rooted and generally only expose themselves when under attack (I’ve written about this a few times before).
This is the enemy, of course, and while we rationally understand why the enemy is wrong…the excuses can seem so real.
Like discovering your gifts, purpose, and story, breaking through limiting beliefs is hard to do by yourself.
It’s much more effective when you have unconditional support from a tight-knit group who share the same values (and are at a similar stage). Coaches and mentors at this stage are invaluable and can speed up the process dramatically.
Once you’ve overcome the mental hurdles of why you can’t succeed (be honest, we all experience this), it’s time to focus on who you’ll serve.
The people you decide to serve are your target market or target audience.
I personally prefer the term “who am I serving” versus target market or target audience simply because it is much more tangible and visceral for me to think of the people and individuals I can directly serve…it’s just much more human for me than target market or target audience.
That said: different strokes for different folks, so think of it whichever way you prefer.
Regardless, the people you serve or your target market are the people that need your gift and who, if presented and approached the right way, will happily pay you for it.
Step 4 is all about clarifying your offer to the people you’re serving.
This is the part people mess up on…a lot.
Just because you have a gift for playing Halo or drinking craft beer or playing dodgeball (guilty on all accounts) doesn’t mean that it’s something that can serve others…
Whatever your gift, you need to set it in the context of a need that must be met.
In other words: what is the transformation your gift is making in another person’s life?
This transformation must be specific, applicable, believable, and something the person wants and would pay money for.
How do we frame the transformation?
It’s all about outcomes.
Here’s a quote from James Gibson of The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception that helped me better understand the transformation process (and how to frame it):
“What we perceive when we look at objects are their affordances, not their qualities. We can discriminate the dimensions of difference if required to do so in an experiment, but what the object affords us is what we normally pay attention to.”
We don’t look at grass and think about color, saturation, length, whatever.
We think: that’s a nice spot to lay (because it looks soft), or: that’s a nice spot to grow something (because it looks fertile)…
Affordances NOT qualities…
Or to translate:
OUTCOMES (benefits) not features…
At this point, you’ve got to bring your gifts in alignment with those you’re serving. The fastest, most effective way is to start with a mini-transformation.
What is a mini-transformation?
It’s a simple solution to a problem that positively changes the person you’re serving (your target audience).
The point of a mini-transformation isn’t to be groundbreaking, but to build trust with the people you intend to serve.
After all, who do we follow / believe in / want to be like?
Those people who demonstrate they are capable of doing (or being) what we want to do (or be).
Can you fix just one small problem your target audience has? Of course you can.
(and if the answer is: I’m not sure what problems they have, engage with them: they’ll be happy to tell you)
This step is all about connecting your gift, the most beautiful part of YOU, to the offer and how you can best serve others.
Simple – not easy.
What do the people you intend to serve want?
What are they willing to pay for?
It’s not good enough to say “I have this problem, so I’m going to build a solution for it.”
I interviewed Andrew Warner of Mixergy for the next issue of Bootstrapped (the magazine formerly known as The Creative Entrepreneur) coming out this July, and one of the most powerful things he said was to NOT try to solve our own problems. Andrew has interviewed over 1,000 entrepreneurs, CEO’s, and business owners from across the world. He’s had access to some of the sharpest minds in the world.
So when he gives business advice, it’s best to listen up.
Don’t try to solve your own problem. Get to know the audience you want to serve, find out THEIR problems, and find out what solutions they would pay for. This is called product/market fit.
Identifying product/market fit isn’t rocket science, but it can be uncomfortable.
*note: if you’re an entrepreneur / artist / writer (or aspiring to be any of those): get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
At this point, you do not want to build anything. You simply want to wireframe a solution to a particular problem that your target audience said they would pay for.
In order to build out the wireframe (and, for the record, that is the ONLY thing you’re building at this stage – just a rough draft / outline / wireframe), we need to take the feedback from our target audience and mold it into the product or service they said they would pay for.
Wireframing your flagship product is not done in isolation.
You must continue to go back to the people you’ve initiated contact with (the people in your target audience who you listened to and engaged with in step 6) to develop the idea into something worthwhile.
Remember: Creation does not exist in a vacuum.
Use your potential and future customers for help in building what will be a solution to their problems (I promise they will help).
Once you’ve gone through a few iterations with your target audience to develop the product or service wireframe, it’s time to sell.
If you’ve been communicating with the people you intend to serve throughout this entire process, getting presales will be easier than you think.
Why?
Because you’ve built trust with them and you’re providing a solution to a problem they said they would pay you for.
Simple, right??
These are the people that will buy your product or service on proof of concept alone (in other words: they are your early adopters).
*p.s. you have to actually sell your product or service at this stage – that means real money in your pocket (doesn’t matter what your mom thinks of your product at this stage unless she’s putting money down for the first version)
This is an ongoing process and if you want to build a business that sticks around, you must continually learn, improve, and evolve.
Remember what I said about antifragile businesses – business success isn’t about the best products or the greatest profit. Success in business = survival.
By continuing to grow from the feedback you receive from your target audience, by continuing to build better versions of what they ask for, and by being able to pivot or change direction if necessary, you increase your chances of survival (and this is all that counts).
By now, you’ve connected with and built trust with your target audience, you’ve built out a wireframe that your audience is willing to pay you for, and you’ve taken additional feedback to develop and improve the initial concept.
Now it’s time to launch.
Launching isn’t the simplest process – there are quite a number of variables to launch a product the right way, especially if you use an upside-down sales funnel like we did with The Flight Formula.
That said, by the time you get to this point, if you’ve done everything else right, you’ll be able to leverage your early adopters (the ones that bought on proof of concept, remember?) to be your most effective promoters and marketers of your product.
While not recommended, if this small group is all you can leverage to expand distribution of your product or service, it will suffice for now.
*note: I’m writing a book on how to validate a business idea, assemble a team, and ship a collaborative project to market (complete with how to nail a big launch for your product or service).
Get Early Access to My New Book: COMMAND
For The Flight Formula, we started with a very expensive, premium product.
While Pay What You Want, the nature of the program being at a particular place and time meant it was inaccessible to some people.
Once we successfully launched the in-person incubator, the next step was to build out another solution that was accessible to a wider audience.
A lot of businesses start with a small sale and upsell from there (like a $39 eBook to a $399 course to a $2000 whatever).
We decided to go the opposite way, starting at the top and working our way down. This gave us more working capital and validated that what we were creating was a true need in the market.
At this point, we’re developing an online incubator program which we’re getting ready to launch in a couple days (a couple spots are available but we close up shop Monday night – if you’re interested, go here).
In the future, we can continue to build out even simpler and less expensive options for those interested in the same transformation but with limited time or funds (for example: a DIY course with all the core elements, but completely self-guided and self-paced).
The key here is to continue to find and fill unserved needs in the marketplace. You can do this by looking at income level (less expensive or more expensive products or services will attract different audiences), time (people with more or less time on their hands want different solutions), or any other number of variables.
So that’s The Flight Formula in summary form.
Of course, there’s a lot more that goes into anything that creates real transformation (like people, mentorship, one-on-one time, space, access to the tools, strategies, techniques of the best in the industry, etc.), but I hope this gives you a new way to approach building a business.
You don’t have to do things the conventional way:
But it all starts with you:
Will you take the plunge to build a heart-centered business?
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Started, Finished and Shipped in Huaraz, Peru
Writing time: 6:34 hours
Myrmidons! My brothers of the sword! I would rather fight beside you than any army of thousands! Let no man forget how menacing we are, we are lions! Do you know what's waiting beyond that beach? Immortality! Take it! It's yours!
Troy
We want the freedom to create whatever, whenever we want...
But the market will only compensate us for what IT wants.
This leaves your average creator (whether entrepreneur, writer, or artist) in a particularly uncomfortable position, with only two real options.
Many creators do just that. They build for themselves and completely ignore the rest of the world.
There’s only one problem with this: it rarely pays off.
Yes, there are outliers. But that’s exactly the point: they’re outliers.
If the market doesn’t like what you create, you bear the burden.
‘Do what you love’ sounds fun and sexy, until you realize you’ve been living on your mom’s couch for 3 years.
Many other creators (probably the vast majority) choose this route.
They ignore their curiosities, inspirations, and passions, and build widgets instead.
There’s only one problem with this: it comes at a cost.
How long can we supply the demand for something we don’t care about? How long can we commit to creating something personally valueless? How long until the money’s not worth being a robot in the robot factory?
Of course, this is a false dichotomy.
It doesn’t take a human geographer to realize there are other options besides ‘starving artist’ and ‘miserable cog’ when it comes to the life we choose for ourselves.
Just look at how many starving cogs and miserable artists there are in the world…
I kid (sort of…).
So why do we do it?
Simple:
We create this dichotomy, first and foremost, because it’s easier to process the world this way. The brain can only process so many things at one time, so simplifying things makes the brain happy (we avoid sensory overload).
Second – and much more insidiously – we create this dichotomy to create an out.
The Enemy wants to keep us stagnate. An ‘either / or’ dichotomy with seemingly brutal consequences is the perfect weapon to make this happen.
If the world is a zero-sum game, if it’s either win or lose, if it’s either me or him…well, better reason to just stay put, keep your heads down, and blend into the rest of the tribe…
Now that we have a good, rational reason to sit still, we are off the hook for not taking action. We have our out.
But of course, this out isn’t really an out.
It’s submitting for comfort and safety (or so we think…).
The real dilemma isn’t: do I do what I love, or do I do what makes me money?
This dichotomy doesn’t exist – it never did.
The real dilemma is: do we acquiesce to a life and lifestyle undesired because it’s comfortable and safe?
Or…
Or do we take the uncomfortable, uncertain, and difficult path…the one we know won’t be easy, clear, or guranteed…the one fraught with hardship, setbacks and failure…
Because we know it will be worth it?
You can do important work and make money from it.
It’s possible, I promise you this.
I meet new people doing it every day.
More importantly, they’re doing it their way: they’re picking the route, choosing their packing list, and drawing the map as they go along. No, it’s not easy - but it was never supposed to be.
The same reality can be yours.
It’s waiting for you, just beyond that beach…
The question is: will you take it?
p.s. interested in taking the beach, but rather do it with an army? I'm writing a new book that will teach you how to assemble and lead a team to take the beach (and own your market). Sign up here.
Start, finished, and shipped in Cape Town, S. Africa (after hanging out with penguins!)
Total writing time: 5:30 hrs
“Once you decide on your occupation... you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That's the secret of success...” – Jiro Ono (Jiro Dreams of Sushi)
* * *
For the past two months, my wife and I have been traveling around South East Asia.
We’ve spent the majority of our time in Indonesia, with a one-off stop in Singapore for a long weekend (flights were $9 and we needed to renew our Indonesian visas, so it was a no-brainer).
Toward the end of our time in Indonesia, we made a trip to the Gili Islands, just off the coast of Lombok.
There are three Gili Islands – Gili Trawangan (Gili T for short), Gili Mano and Gili Air.
Each island has its own unique atmosphere (Gili T is more party, Gili Mano is basically undeveloped, and Gili Air is that quiet middle ground, more suited for honeymooners or people who prefer less crowded locations but all the essential amenities one might need while visiting an island paradise - like Wi-Fi).
We decided to spend the majority of our time on Gili Air.
I knew this place was different the moment our wooden boat floated up to its sand and coral beaches.
Unlike most Indonesian cities (and most SE Asian cities for that matter), instead of being greeted by hundreds of taxi cab drivers looking to take all our money (we stand out here), we saw a dozen horse drawn carriages lining the street with not a single moped in sight (again, for SE Asia, this is bizarre).
Courtney and I had done our research, though – Gili Air is only a few square kilometers, meaning everything is in walking distance.
So we started walking.
We had no set plans or booked reservations – we normally wing our travel and this was no exception.
As we walked along the half-cobble, half-sand roads, we were greeted with the standard set of Indonesian idiosyncrasies (smiles, laughter, offers for a place to stay or eat, and lots of ‘mista’ and ‘boss’ thrown into their sentences for good measure), and passed by dozens of independently owned and operated shops.
One shop in particular caught my attention.
- How do you NOT stop here? -
A little hut, just off the side of the main road (there’s really only one main road in Gili Air), with a sign that read:
Gili Air Artshop Made to Order. Looking is for Free, Smile Included.
But it wasn’t the warm, inviting sign that drew me in; it was the man sitting outside the shop, hacking away at a coconut that did.
His name is Nin.
Nin is an artist. He carves, paints, and constructs things from wood and other natural materials. Today, he is carving a necklace out of a coconut.
Watch him work for just a few minutes and you realize a few things:
1. Nin is a professional. This is his life. It’s what he does every day for hours a day. His craftsmanship shows.
2. Nin is an artisan. He works with his hands to bring his vision to life. And he’s skilled at it.
3. Nin’s workshop is sustainable in the perfect sense of the word. He uses discarded wood and coconuts to make his art. This isn’t for marketing purposes – it’s out of necessity.
Naturally, I had to buy something from Nin.
- Nin hard at work -
He charged me 200,000 Rupiah for a coconut necklace.
As a point of reference, that’s less than $20 US. As another point of reference, that’s more than it cost for one night on our beach front bungalow, and about 2 times as much as dinner for two at a high end restaurant on the island.
Depending on how you view it, it might seem like I got ripped off. Relative to prices on the island, 200,000 Rupiah is quite a bit of money. And I never bartered (something you’re supposed to do in Indonesia).
Of course, after watching him work, I didn’t want to.
He spent three days carving this necklace from a coconut shell. Every day, I watched his progress, forming something from (essentially) nothing.
When it was finished, I wondered if 200,000 Rupiah was too little.
I tell this story for a reason.
First, to point out that artisanship still exists. All over the world. And many people just like me are willing to pay a premium for it.
And second, to beg the question:
In the beginning of this essay, I quoted Jiro Ono, a sushi chef made famous from a little documentary called Jiro Dreams of Sushi.
Jiro’s an artisan.
He lives and breathes the perfect sushi dish. He’s been doing it every day for over 70 years and will continue until he physically can’t.
Jiro charges over $300 a meal.
He does because he can - because people want to see a master artist at work.
We’re naturally drawn toward those who perfect their craft, who’ve weathered the inner creative battle for decades and come out on top. And we’re happy to pay a premium just to be in their presence (Jiro’s sushi shop is booked months in advance).
Again, this might solidify the idea that artisanship only exists in the physical realm…
Until I think about how I heard of Jiro.
I’ve never met Jiro in person, nor been to his sushi restaurant.
It was a documentary – a digital download - that brought his work to my attention. It was this medley of pixels, gigabytes and high resolution that shined a light on his work and his philosophy.
The digital world made this message possible to spread.
And no other medium could have delivered the message with more impact.
As entrepreneurs, creators and instigators in the 21st century, a very big part of what we do is online.
Yet instead of killing off what is left of artisanship, I honestly believe it’s helping to grow and expand the roll of the artisan (just listen to some of the interviews I've done with true digital artisans like AJ Leon and Dan Adams, among others) .
The artisan storyteller; the artisan craftsman (online and off); the artisan message spreader...
The roll of the artisan is expanding.
The question isn’t one of accessibility or ‘how’ – anyone can be one if they choose.
The question is: are you willing to put in the hours, days, and years (and the sweat, blood, and tears) to create the perfect product or service for the people who matter - the ones who want to hear from you?
My advice?
Start today - before you're ready.
Because we’re waiting.
And we’re willing to pay a premium.
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Started in Gili Air; thrashed in Sydney; finished and shipped in Perth, Australia (while listening to the song Perth by Bon Iver)
Total Writing Time: 3 hours and 8 minutes
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Want to support Artisanship in the 21st century? Subscribe to The Creative Entrepreneur and support an artisanal publication while helping fund entrepreneurs in developing countries.
I got a thought provoking email the other day from Resistance member Tom Owens.
With his permission, I wanted to share part of it with you:
You've done bang-up work on your two blog posts explaining PWYW and how it's helped you.
However...I think more than one person might pause. "If he's still doing so well with this business model, why is he letting others know? Why not a trade secret?"
...In other words, why are you sharing this?
I clicked the reply button in Gmail and thought about the question before responding.
Why not? Why WOULND’T I share this info?... I thought to myself.
To me, it went without saying why I was doing it. It seemed like something that spoke for itself.
But then I thought about that response (‘why not’) and realized it was a cop-out – it didn’t actually explain why I was doing what I was doing.
By responding with ‘why not,’ I wasn’t really answering his question. Instead, I was purposefully avoiding it.
Before I hit the send button, I deleted the few short lines I’d compiled and started from scratch.
When I finished, I hit the send button and didn’t think much more about it.
To be honest with you, I was shocked by his response.
Not because it was offensive – it was the opposite, actually. I guess I just didn’t expect my thoughts to be received this way…
With his permission, I’m sharing with you a portion of his response:
“you should use ALL OF THAT in your next blog post. That's a perfect response. I have not seen anyone spell this out so well…”
Because of his urging, and because I believe sharing my 'why' with you is important, I decided to share the email I sent him with all of you today.
*note: this is basically the same email, although I did elaborate a little bit more on some topics to give additional clarification to those who are new to me, this blog and my writing.
I started this blog a little over a year ago.
In that time, I’ve written over 100 essays, published 15+ podcasts, written several guides, and published 2 books – everything is free + Pay What You Want to support my creative work.
If you’ve been following along for a while, you know I write about the war of art, the conflict of creation, and why it’s important we fight the inner creative enemy every day to create our life’s work.
Life’s work…
Your life’s work is the cumulative results of all the things you’ve done in this life (creative or otherwise). It’s the compilation of all the projects you’ve ever started, finished and shipped. It’s your impact, your legacy, your story…
Life’s work...
That’s what it’s all about for me.
And I believe, deep down in my heart, that on the last day of our existence here on Earth, when we breathe our last breath, that’s what it’s all about for ALL of us. We’ll be judged accordingly.
I hope this doesn’t come off melodramatic – it’s not supposed to. If it sounds a bit intense, it’s because it is.
I believe everyone has creative work they'd love to do, that they OUGHT to do (because they want to), but life gets in the way. Can’t start today, today’s the football game, or I need to pick up dinner, or I’m so tired – I’ll start tomorrow.
Years pass and the ideas that were so inspiring once upon a time are now regret inducing memories.
What a shame.
What a waste…
But if I can help more people take action today to start building / creating / designing whatever it is they care about, and I can walk with them over the finish line to actually ship it to market...
Well I feel like that's MY life's work. I get honest joy out of it. In a way, it validates my existence.
And I think the best way to help people is by being on the ground with them, slugging it out in the trenches right beside them.
As a platoon leader in Iraq, I did that on a daily basis, training my platoon and taking them on mission every day. I was a convoy security platoon leader. My job was to take a group of non-infantry cooks, warehouse clerks, and mechanics, and train and lead them in security operations for our daily logistical resupplies to neighboring bases.
I was responsible not only for them (a task in and of itself), but as the convoy commander, I was responsible for everyone and everything moving from point A to point B.
What’s important to realize is that I was always there with them, for the training and for the missions themselves. And since I was one of them, the more 'secrets' I shared (tactics, techniques and procedures) the better off I was and the better off we all were.
I treat entrepreneurship and art the same way.
We ought to help one another out. Share our work. And share our secrets...
At least if we care about great work.
And not just creating the great work ourselves so we get credit, but so there’s more great work in the world, period.
***
So yeah, that’s why I’m sharing this info.
That’s why I’m writing this book.
And that’s why I give it all away.
I hope that answers the question. And I hope my work helps you start, finish and ship your great work.
If it does, let me know: your success is my success.
Take care.
- Tom
___
Started, finished and shipped in Dunedin, New Zealand. Fuel: 2 double espresso's. Soundtrack: Yeasayer.
Writing Time: 3 hours
Finally, it was over.
For the past four years, John fought the inner creative war…
Four years of writing, editing, cutting, scrapping and starting from scratch…
Four years of uncertainty, doubt and fear…
Four years of painful creative struggle – the kind only a fiction author can truly appreciate…
But in February, the war was over – John had finished his manuscript. He had won. He could relax and breathe a sigh of relief.
All that remained was sending it to a publisher.
That’s the easy part, though, right?
John packed up the manuscript and sent it to a publisher – Simon and Shuster.
The manuscript eventually made its way to a senior editor - Robert Gottlieb. This was a big deal. Robert was responsible for discovering and editing then-unknown Joseph Heller’s Catch 22. He obviously recognized talent and knew how to edit a book.
If John’s manuscript had even a hint of value, Robert would find it.
John’s manuscript didn’t make the cut.
At least not the first iteration.
Robert asked John to try again.
John tried again.
Again, his manuscript was returned.
Robert admitted John had talent – he was certainly a capable author…but his book didn’t have a point. And you can’t publish a book that doesn’t have a point. Robert asked John to submit another rewrite.
Over the next two years, John struggled to rewrite a book he had poured his heart and soul into.
Yet no matter what he did, the book never made the cut.
John threw the manuscript aside and tried working on a new novel, but his heart wasn’t in it.
At the encouragement of his mother, John attempted to submit his manuscript to a new publisher. It had now been close to three years since he had finished the original manuscript. With renewed optimism, John tried again.
His manuscript was rejected.
John had put everything into this novel. The characters were pieces of himself. When publishers rejected his manuscript, they were, in effect, rejecting John.
The personal rejection was devastating.
This final rejection set into motion a downward spiral of depression – a hopeless and miserable depression that lasted for two years before John couldn’t take it anymore.
In March 1969, John Kennedy Toole took his own life.
As some of you may know, this is the heartbreaking true story of author John Kennedy Toole and the ill-fated tail of his posthumously awarded, Pulitzer Prize-winning book A Confederacy of Dunces.
During his lifetime, John’s manuscript wasn’t given the time of day. Publishers didn’t like it. It was a book that was seemingly about nothing.
A book like that can’t be published, can it?
It wasn’t until years later, after John’s mom went on a personal crusade to get the manuscript published, that it caught the attention of Walker Percy and, in 1980 - 15 year (!) after John had finished the original manuscript - the book was published.
Think about that.
15 YEARS.
It took 15 years before a big publisher recognized the value in this book. 15 years before John’s incredible story was brought to the masses. 15 years before the rest of us got to experience the brilliance that was Ignatius Reilly’s misadventures in New Orleans…
15 years…
11 too late to save John’s life.
This story isn’t meant to point out the failure of traditional publishers – we already know the model is broken.
No one can see value in what a creator "creates" quite like the creator himself (or his happy readers). This is a given.
Nor is this story meant to vilify traditional publishing – we already know their job is to make money.
If a book doesn’t have a point, how do you market it? If it can’t be marketed, how do you sell it? If you can’t sell it, and that's your job, you move onto a book you can sell.
This story is meant simply to consider one question: if an author like John Kennedy Toole was living today, what would stop him from choosing himself?
Time and time again John was rejected…
A thousand times a day, creators – artists, inventors, and authors just like John 50 years ago - are being rejected by gatekeepers: publishers, producers, angel investors, whatever.
This made sense 50 years ago…but today?
Today, every single one of us has the means to be the publisher, the producer, and even the manufacturer.
We are the gatekeepers now. Not the film studio, not the publishing house, not the hedge fund – YOU. The only one stopping you from saying ‘go’ is yourself.
So tell me – what’s stopping you?
What’s keeping your manuscript from seeing the light of day? What’s keeping your movie from being created and distributed? What’s stopping your product from going into production?
I wish John was alive today – not only for his family and friend's sake but for the world’s sake.
He created great art. He wrote stories that mattered. I have no doubt he had more to give…
Today, there are thousands of talented creators just like John all around the world. People with talent, with value to add to others, with a story, product, or idea that deserves to see the light of day. They’ve probably been rejected a thousand times. And they may be rejected a thousand more.
My plea to those authors, designers, writers, entrepreneurs, warriors, and leaders:
1. Don’t give up. No matter how hard it gets, there’s a reason you’re here. There’s light at the end of every tunnel – if you can’t see it, it means you haven’t walked far enough. KEEP GOING!
2. Pick yourself. It feels good to get chosen by others. Getting picked is like a drug - and like a drug, it’s superficial, addictive, and fleeting. The "high" is destructive and anything but real. Be your own catalyst: pick yourself instead.
And if you need help with either of the above, leave a comment below.
You are NOT alone, no matter how dark things get.
I know it sounds clichéd or rehashed at this point, but please: don't give up and pick yourself...
You've probably heard it a dozen times and read the same points a thousand times in a thousand different varieties...
(But when life hangs in the balance - and, many times, it quite literally does - I’m not sure the point can ever be emphasized enough)
So here’s to John Kennedy Toole – a remarkable artist who was overlooked and who left us too soon.
And here’s to the unknown artist, in the trenches, day in and day out, creating work that matters – we look forward to seeing what you create when you choose yourself.
Sooner, rather than later.
Today I want to talk about why the articles you read, the people you hang out with, and the media you consume directly shapes your life, for better or worse (and how you organize your environment to create your best life possible).
It was Fall of 1997, and my oldest brother was finishing up applications to a couple colleges.
I didn’t know much about them, except that they were military schools. I knew even less what that meant, but I was curious like a cat. So when my brother was invited to spend a couple days at West Point, NY, I tagged along.
So my dad, my oldest brother and I took a plane (my first plane ride ever!) to New York.
I spent a couple days walking around the most bizarre place I’d ever been to in my life: everyone dressed up like they were in a perpetual state of groundhogs day from 1850; students were always in a hurry, running from barracks room to classroom to everywhere in between (and they’d get yelled at if they weren’t doing it fast enough); and after classes, they’d have to walk in formations with their rifles for hours, or play some kind of sport (intramural or core/club squad sports were mandatory for all cadets).
It looked demanding. It looked uncompromising. It looked hard as hell.
I was hooked. I wanted in.
And so it happened that a rotund 11 year old set his sights on gaining acceptance into the United States Military Academy at West Point.
7 years later, I got accepted.
All freshmen had to – it was mandatory.
While most people looked at it like a haze (and it certainly was that), I loved it.
There was something about the adrenaline I got from entering the ring, the surge of excitement I got from standing toe to toe with a competitor with nothing but my fists to protect me, and the raw intensity of dishing out (or the threat of receiving receiving) a beating…I couldn’t shake it. I had to get better; I had to keep fighting; I had to make the team.
So a scrawny 18 year old set his sights on competing for a spot on a nationally ranked boxing team.
A year later, I made the team.
As a logistics guy, I figured I’d do some “Fobbit” job (forward operating base + hobbit…get it?).
Maybe I’d coordinate some transportation movements. I’d probably do a lot of paperwork. I’m sure there would be some danger, but mostly I’d be safe.
At the end of the day, I figured it would be a really long, hot, boring experience.
When I got on ground, our Battalion was responsible for not only the logistics of the Brigade, but making sure those supplies got where they needed to go safely. This meant securing the convoys that went out every night.
I immediately volunteered to stand up and lead the convoy security platoon.
Over a hundred missions later, and after getting called a “cowboy” more than once, my gun truck platoon of cooks, drivers and warehouse workers returned home without a single combat related casualty (for the record, I think this had more to do with luck / Divine Providence / the Soldiers I worked with than my own skills).
I share these stories to point out that it's easy to make any story into a story of "success."
But the reality is, these events weren't successes. They were just moments in time where I took responsibility, and then I did the work.
I spent thousands of hours hustling academics, sports and extracurricular leadership activities to get into the Academy (not to mention another 4 years hustling to survive and graduate the Academy on time). I got battered and bruised competing for a spot on the boxing team (and took my fare share of blows trying to keep my position on the team). In Iraq, I rode outside the wire almost every night of the week. My brain was in a perpetual state of alert, practicing in my mind what would happen if one (or many) of my vehicles got hit by IEDs, and how I and the rest of my crew would respond. It was exhausting.
This is the reality of victory. It’s also the reality of failure. And it’s most certainly the reality of life.
Life is hard.
We all experience our fair share of bruises, setbacks and failures.
The question isn’t: how do we avoid these trials and tribulations – how do we avoid the pain? That’s foolish and naïve (not to mention impossible).
The question is: how do you overcome the struggles you will inevitably face? How do you push through fear, pain and uncertainty? How do you conquer your wolf?
But most importantly, how do we do all of these things in order to create and live the life we want to live.
There are 2 techniques I personally used (and continue to use) that helped me get through the darkest, most painful parts of my life.
They may or may not apply to you, but for what it’s worth, here they are:
When I set a goal, I etch it into my brain (a lot like Edmond Dantes etched words of encouragement into his cell wall). There is no other option than achieving what I set out to achieve (or die trying).
No, this is not always pleasant. Yes, sometimes I commit to the wrong things and regret the decision.
Inevitably, however, I make it to the end (bruised and battered, maybe, but still standing).
It’s not a technique for everyone, but if you must achieve something, I highly recommend it…
This is essentially an extension of the first technique, but it’s so important it deserves individual attention.
The person who sets a goal but doesn’t change his behavior is done before he starts.
Setting a goal, by its nature, REQUIRES change. And it requires the right sort of change if we hope to find success. But to create the right kind of change, we need to immerse ourselves into the subject/topic/activity we hope to achieve success in.
Just like the fastest way to learn a new language is through immersion into the environment and culture of the language you want to learn, the fastest way to achieve a goal is through immersing yourself into the goal itself.
I immersed myself in the application process for West Point by reading books, strategically creating my resume, and learning from cadets who had recently been accepted. I immersed myself in the boxing world by jump-roping every morning, hitting the heavy-bag every night, and by watching “Gladiator” way too many times. When I became the Battalion’s Convoy Security Platoon Leader, I immersed myself in small unit tactics, mobilized and dismounted infantry strategies, and enemy techniques.
At the end of the day, immersion, more than anything else, helped me achieve my goals by forcing me to live and act as the person I hoped to become.
“You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.” - James Allen
If you’re hoping to find success in any endeavor, the right mindset will be your greatest ally.
Conversely, the wrong mindset will be your greatest enemy.
Changing your mindset takes unreasonable commitment and immersion into the philosophy you want to live.
Which is why it’s essential you:
For the former: this isn’t something I can help you with directly. You decide the people you let into (and keep out of) your life. If you’re not sure who to keep in your life and who to avoid, my best advice: examine their character.
As for the latter, well, that’s the point of this blog, my books and my podcast: to immerse you in a mindset that could change your life for the better.
A few weeks ago someone expressed interest in having other ways to consume the material I create, in particular, by recording audio versions of my articles. I
figured I’d give it a shot, so here it is.
Below (or by clicking the image to the left) you’ll find my first ever Resistance Broadcast Audio Session’s CD. I took 8 of my favorite articles and recorded them into high quality MP3’s you can listen to on your phone, MP3 player, computer, or burn to disk and listen to them in your car or on your boombox at the beach.
Grab Your Copy of The Resistance Broadcast Audio Session CD 1 Today By Clicking Here
What's the point of it all?
Simple: to provide you an additional resource to immerse yourself into the right mindset to fight and win your inner creative battles and create your life's work.
Will this single CD change your life?
I doubt it - doing something once rarely changes everything...
But could listening to this CD (and others like it) more than once, reading this blog (and others like it) consistently, and earnestly putting into practice the philosophy you learn in this material change your life?
Without a doubt.
So I hope you enjoy today's article and I sincerely hope The Resistance Broadcast Audio Session CD 1 inspires you to keep going, even when things get difficult.
And things will get difficult...
Good luck and keep fighting.
p.s. the CD is free, so you can't lose 🙂
In the Army, soldiers have to zero and qualify with their weapon every six months.
This is a requirement for everyone, regardless of rank or position.
From cooks to pilots, Privates to Captains – everyone qualifies.
Qualifying with a weapon means hitting a certain number of targets from set distances with a certain number of rounds.
The point of qualifying is to validate that you know how to use your weapon and you can use it effectively.
To qualify with the M4, the Army’s standard issue rifle, soldiers are required to hit a minimum of 23 targets (with only 40 rounds of ammo), from 50 to 300 meters out.
To be honest, this isn’t a very difficult number to hit; even the weakest marksman can usually hit in the high 20’s…
If their weapon is zeroed…
Zeroing is the process of confirming your weapon will hit what you aim at.
The general practice for zeroing an M4 involves a process of shooting 3 rounds at a time to judge accuracy (rounds hit where you aim) and “shot group” (i.e. all the rounds hit close to the same area consistently).
A good zero means you’ve got an accurate site picture and a tight shot group.
Sometimes, zeroing a new rifle with a new shooter can take upwards of 50 or 60 rounds. But once the weapon is zeroed to the shooter, it’s possible to zero in six rounds (two tight shot groups of three to confirm your site picture).
You’d think a weapon would come zeroed – that it would automatically hit what you aim at - but that’s not the case. Every weapon is a bit different and you almost always have to adjust the sites if you want to hit your target (when you’re aiming at a target from 300 meters away, the room for error decreases significantly).
There are a multitude of reasons for this, but it ultimately comes down to your build, how you line up the shot, and how you’ve set your sites.
Since every person is slightly different, every person needs to zero their weapon before they qualify.
I’m guessing you can see where I’m going with this analogy…
Zeroing and qualifying applies to more than just rifles.
In the business world, if we hope to qualify an idea, we’d better have our sites adjusted and zeroed. Just as it would be impossible to believe someone could qualify if they’ve never zeroed, it’s impossible to think someone could hit the bull’s-eye with their business plan in one attempt.
Yet people try to make this happen, over, and over, and over again.
Instead of taking the time to zero, people go for bull’s-eye on their first attempt.
Inevitably, they fail.
More often than not, they quit.
These aren’t talentless people. They aren’t passionless or ignorant or unqualified. On the contrary, many of them have years of experience in their sector, some have advanced degrees, and others have even started successful companies before.
But when they get a new idea, they skip the time consuming process of zeroing their idea – who is this product for, what will they pay for it, how do I know they want this, where has this worked before, what are my sales channels, can I do this without going bankrupt, etc. – and they jump right into qualifying – building the product, leasing the space, creating scalable channels, etc.
Their desire is the same desire we all have - we want the win, we want the bull’s-eye, and we want it now.
And therein lies the problem – without taking the time to get a good zero, you’ll never qualify – you’ll never hit the mark.
Even the best marksmen in the world zero their weapons before they qualify or compete.
And they do this each and every time.
If you want to be a great entrepreneur (or author, or anything else for that matter), you need to get used to zeroing before you qualify.
This means progressively getting a better site picture and tighter shot group – understanding who you’re writing to, understanding what they want to hear and how they want to hear it, knowing the best way to deliver the most powerful message, etc.
But of course – and here’s the catch - zeroing means failing.
Every round that doesn’t hit its mark is a small failure. But it’s all for a purpose: with enough failures you can correct your shot group and qualify.
No one brings a single round to zero – that’s foolish. Even if you hit your mark, you can’t validate your site picture or shot group with one round – it could have been pure luck. And just because you miss the mark with one round doesn’t mean you’re completely lost or ruined – you could be a small adjustment away from hitting bulls-eye.
The point is this: you don’t know unless you shoot multiple rounds; you don’t know unless you’re willing to fail more than once.
Business and art are the same way.
You can’t expect to zero in one try. Your ideas need to be progressively validated. You need to take your time and adjust your sites. And if something is off, you need to meticulously correct and adjust until it’s on target again.
Sometimes, this requires many, many rounds.
In the conventional business world, your job is to take and execute orders. Eventually, you’ll be responsible for disseminating orders from above, but at the end of the day, you’ll never have to do too much creative thinking, nor flex your creative brain too much.
Your job is to not fail at taking and executing orders.
On the other hand, if you want to live a life dictated by you and you alone, you need to get used to failing.
Entrepreneurship, art, writing…these things require the creator to fail before he succeeds. It takes time to adjust a site picture and tighten a shot group. It takes a lot of failure to finally find success.
Connecting the dots is never easy. Putting something together from scratch is difficult. Succeeding is, well, rare.
But if you’re the kind of person who gets restless building someone else’s empire, or living on someone else’s terms, then you’ve got to get comfortable missing the mark.
Remember, trying to hit bull’s-eye on your first try is insane without a good zero.
Focus on your shot group and site picture. Focus on consistent, small improvement. Focus on failing closer and closer to your mark.
Failure is inevitable during this process, but stick with it long enough and you’ll discover something incredible:
Winning is also inevitable.
Because at the end of the day, you'll get your good zero.
And if you can get your good zero, you will hit your target.
When’s the last time you made yourself uncomfortable?
This question isn't rhetorical and it's definitely worth answering (at least to yourself).
Why?
Because your answer is indicative of the life you’re currently living – for better or worse.
So many of us instinctively stick to what we know.
We grow up playing certain sports and we stick with them through high school, college and (if we have just the right amount of luck) into our adult years.
The same goes for musical instruments, languages, hobbies and just about everything else in life.
It’s almost as if after we graduate school and get a job, new experiences vanish.
We become adults and we stick to what we know – to what’s comfortable.
It’s a shame, because sticking to what’s comfortable limits the adventures we’ll have in life.
And adventure is what we need now more than ever in a world where sedentary connectivity is the norm.
The following are 3 life-improving reasons you should go on more adventures.
In an experiment conducted by German researches, 40 mice were put in a large, enriched environment (5 levels of glass chutes, toys, scaffolds, nesting places and more) and monitored over the course of 3 months.
It turns out that the mice who explored more built more new neurons than those who explored less:
“Researchers found that the brains of the most explorative mice were building more new neurons -- a process known as neurogenesis -- in the hippocampus, the center for learning and memory, than the animals that were more passive.” [Article]
Neurons are fundamental for the functioning of the brain and body as a whole.
The more neurons we build, the greater our capacity for motor and sensory development. If we actively build and engage more neurons we can become better at things like reading comprehension, scientific reasoning and mathematics.
Of course, we’re not rats in a cage, so how can we implement this advice?
Simple:
Don’t have the time or means to travel?
The list could go on for days, literally only limited by your creativity (and if you consider yourself lacking creativity, check out my pay-what-you-want guide: Putting On Your Brain Goggles – it will help you invent, design and develop creative ideas)
In any way you can, expose yourself to new experiences.
The more you explore, the smarter you’ll become.
The brain naturally lumps together consistent, similar memories.
This is effective from a storage and functioning standpoint – our brains don’t need superfluous details to function – but it also has drawbacks.
Think about your last year of work or school. What stands out?
How about from middle school or high school? What do you remember?
Chances are the majority of your memories are blurred and dull. The day to day grind fades away over time. What’s left is a general impression of what life was like at the time…an impression that will continue to shift, distort and change over time as you grow older.
So what happened to the details?
The truth is they’re nowhere to be found because most of our days are monotonous, familiar and ordinary.
Under conditions like that, details fade.
Which means if you want to improve your memory – if you want to actually remember the details - you need to change things up.
According to psychology writer Claudia Hammod, you are most likely to remember an event if it is “distinctive, vivid, personally involved and is a tale you have recounted many times since.” [Time Warped: Unlocking the Mysteries of Time Perception]
To create long lasting, detailed memories, focus on these 4 elements of creating a memorable event:
1) Distinctive – how does it differentiate from your day to day grind? Changing up coffee shops is a good start. Taking a day trip to the Bahamas is better. There’s probably a happy medium in there somewhere. Experiment and explore and figure out what’s right for you (but different than you’re used to).
2) Vivid – how many senses are you stimulating? The more senses we can stimulate at one time – and the better we can focus on this stimulation – the more vivid our memories will be. Plus, there’s an added benefit to stimulating things like your sense of smell because it’s directly linked to your memory. And you can make an event vivid without artificial sense stimulants (beer, cigarettes, etc.) – all it takes is awareness and focus. When in doubt, do things that are intense (and pay attention to the details).
3) Personal Involvement– you need to be the protagonist of your story. Watching a rugby game? Cool. Playing fly-half and leading your team to a state championship victory? The latter memory will stay with you longer – much longer. So as much (and as often) as you can – be the person doing stuff: Run from the bulls. Take the wheel. Make the introduction. Get out of the bleachers and get into the arena.
4) Recountable – memories relived are memories remembered (redundant, sure – but still true) . If you had a remarkable time doing something, make sure to actually remark to someone about it. Or at least to yourself. Preferably several times a year. Memories will stay clear and detailed the more you recollect and recount.
Want to create distinctive, vivid, personally involved, recountable events?
You guessed it – go on more adventures.
Exploring, traveling, learning, creating…all these things automatically hit all 4 elements, and what you’re left with is something you can actually remember in detail.
Photographic memory?
Okay, that’s hyperbole, but it’s pretty darn close.
Or at least the perception of it.
Extraordinary things stick in our minds longer and more clearly than merely ordinary things (see above).
The memory of mundane, comfortable, ordinary routine lumps together and fades away in time.
Novelty, on the other hand, is a jolt to the brain system – we not only remember new experiences more vividly, they also seem longer to us when we reflect on them. This is called the “Holiday Paradox” by Hammod: “the contradictory feeling that a good holiday whizzes by, yet feels long when you look back.”
It follows then that the more often we experience change (and the more dramatic the change), the longer our lives will seem.
As a personal anecdote, I remember moving a lot as I grew up. It seemed like every few years my family would move to a new location. Sure, I never had the chance to establish roots anywhere, but I think I got the better end of the bargain: a brain constantly exposed to new people, locations and things.
And because it happened every few years, I remember each location uniquely and vividly.
This is in stark contrast to many people I’ve met who’ve spent their whole lives in the same neighborhood or working the same job. Ask them about the last 5, 10, or 20 years and it’s a blur of sameness.
The question isn’t one of right or wrong, or living a good life or a bad one, or anything like that – the question here is: would you rather have vivid, positive memories throughout your life (and continue to create new, remarkable memories, or would you rather be the person who brings up his high school football highlight reel 20 years later?
So if you want to lengthen your life (or at least the perception of your life), go on more adventures.
If you want to take it one step further and not just lengthen the perception of life, but actually add years to your life, then go on physically strenuous adventures (consistently).
Not only will your life seem longer, you’ll have more years to create new, meaningful memories.
Will going on adventures make you smarter, improve your memory, and increase your lifespan?
The research suggests it will.
But it comes at a price.
There’s something I didn’t mention earlier but would be remiss not to mention at all: going on adventures, traveling, exploring, creating, learning - these things are fun, exhilarating and enlightening in their own right, but they do come at a price.
Discomfort.
Everything new is uncomfortable. It has to be by its nature.
And that’s the rub – if you want to live a life of adventure, you need to get used to discomfort.
Sounds easy enough to deal with, but how many people do you know who’ve avoided taking action, avoided trying something new, avoided starting something that might not work because the prospect of doing any of those things is, well, uncomfortable?
Probably more than you or I’d care to admit…
The silver lining: it’s never too late to start.
It’s never too late to try something new.
It’s never too late to change.
In the end, the choice – and the responsibility – is entirely yours.
Whatever you decide, I hope you make the right choice for you.
Be bold and keep creating.
(p.s. and go on more adventures)
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