The Adventures Of A Solopreneur

Yoga Gym Street Jacket

2008-03-22T12:55:00.001Z

Yoga Gym Street Jacket

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Tag: Clothing & Accessories

Aging prematurely

2007-12-03T19:53:00.000Z

This week I just feel too festive to write anything.

What ever is going on in my world, one thing is for sure, I don't feel like I have aged beyond my years. That is, not until today.

50Plus, an insurance company that specialize in insurance solutions for the aged sent me a letter congratulating me on the fact that I am now old enough to qualify for their discounted priced.

I'm only 36 (and a half) so I was a tad surprised that I qualified.

So with that bombshell I went for my afternoon nap.

As for the rest of my week? it went well as I have started to use a planning method I came up with back in 1997/8. I got rid of it quickly as it just seemed too simple. But it still works. Even got over the finish line a day early with the NHA stuff I do for Kim.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Time stealing software

2007-11-26T07:16:00.000Z

I was happily progressing with Butterfly marketing last week, but now I am seriously fed up.

And I am getting paranoid. I mean, why would a perfectly happy installation work fine on one day and then for some reason a few days later the sign up form will stop working?

Everything else works and I can add members manually, but that kind of defeats the object of installing a fully functional membership script. And the support has been non-existent.

And the problem with my other membership script, easymemberpro is that it does not support multiple memberships in one installation.

So I am STILL not getting anything done - simply because I am fed up with having to troubleshoot stuff that should work out of the box. The biggest time stealer for me is software that doesn't work like it should. And I havent installed enough of these memberships to justify paying a technical support person to take care of all of these things for me.

Although that problem is directly related to the fact that I can't get the stupid installations to work

What really annoys me is that this is stopping me from progressing the stuff I want to progress. Every time I do the installations you see it seems to be working fine. I add my design, I add the content and update the membership types and find that everything is working fine.

Then two days later the sign up stops working. It's like someone is turning it off.

I guess the lesson is that even with the best will in the world, sometimes there is just no way of getting things done because the tools let you down.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

It's all there in your head already

2007-11-17T15:24:00.000Z

Friday Progress

What I did this week? well. fixing endless problems with a Butterfly marketing installation that I had done. All of my problems relate to the sign up form that it provides, and for some reason, some times the form just does not let me submit at all.

So I have resorted to leaving the form well alone and concentrated on updating the pages for the memberships.

I am also considering the merits of one of my other projects, as one of the experts I was relying on did not agree to take part. Weird cause it would have helped her put her business and expertise on the map and also helped her spread the word about her parenting methods. She told me she wanted to write a book "one day" when she had more time, and could take more control of what was created. Don't quite understand, because I was only asking her to comment on the tips and ideas that real parents and academics would be coming to me with.

So I have to look at either changing the format of this book process, finding some other expert, or replacing the project with another one. I favour the latter but for what I feel are the wrong reasons.

But considering I haven't got much time every day to work on the internet stuff, I think I've done well this week.

And with John S's business plan questions and Martins "rant" about outsourcing fresh in my mind, I have also experienced serveral "learning moments" this week. ( you know, those moments when something suddenly comes together in your head and you realise you suddenly have a new understanding of how things work )

I never realised how simple internet marketing actually is. The challenge is all in my head really. All it takes is some hard work. Either by you or by someone else who you have outsourced it to! :o)

Well that's it for this week.
Jon

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Rocket up my backside!

2007-11-10T12:37:00.000Z

When I wrote my report last week I mentioned that a video made me wonder how specific I had to be about the problems I wanted to solve for customers.

(like the abundance of landfill material we have- can that material be used up or consumed in some way that generates a benefit for society above and beyond simply removing materials from landfills? Did you for instance know that a landfill site generates a significant amount of heat? Can that be harnessed in some way? yes (follow the link)

I then started thinking about how detailed I am when I plan (and I use the term loosely..) my projects, my business or my life and I remembered a picture I drew when I was 25 or 26 and was working in Dublin as a team leader in a call centre.

Funnily enough, I am the sort of guy that grows with responsibility... throw me in at the bottom and I behave like it, but give me responsibility and I thrive on it - so when I was made team leader I started thinking more about career, self development, motivation and so on. And it resulted in a simple yet ingenious way of mapping out my development.

Yet it took me until this week to realize what was missing from it. And when I adapted and updated the original picture with my new findings it made perfect sense.

So as a result, The 5 hours I had spare on Thursday was spent getting the first 20 steps of my publishing projects completed.

Other than having a PA ( who I must admit no longer works for me ) I have not found anything as effective at getting me to take action! In fact this is equally effective.

And because I have a 60 hour a week work week, the Phil Wiley kitchen timer principle works even without the kitchen timer - simply because I only have x number of minutes in any given day to actually do anything with my online stuff. So I have to cram in what I can in those minutes. And I have to cram in what makes the biggest difference in terms of progressing my projects, my business or my life.

and I find this system of planning central to my future success.

As is the fact I have about 4 hours a week to work.

I guess it is a bit like "the 4 hour work week" meets "How to get from where you are to where you want to be" - neither books I have read by the way.

Oh, I have said somewhere that I never finish self development books - that is not entirely true. I have read one from cover to cover.

Synchronicity.

I did not even finish the "booklet" by Jim Rohn called 7 strategies for wealth and happiness because it so obviously did not deliver the whole message.

These books bore me because they always tell you what to do, but never HOW to do it.

Anyway, the way I am going at the moment, I'm sure I'll have enough material for my own self help book before long!

Not that anyone would be interested in what systems I use, as they haven't resulted in anything in all the years I have tried.

But carving away all the BS and useless stuff from my to do lists I certainly have more clarity about my business direction.

So in summary - to succeed as an online entrepreneur, I need to work 60 hours a week and then follow my own system in the 4 hours I have available every week.

Easy! And not entirely obvious!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

What about the environment?

2007-11-04T23:35:00.000Z

Yeah, I didn't do one last week. I had other things to get on with, and time is at a premium these days.

I do actually spend just over 65 hours a week working and commuting.

But there is actually quite a chunk of time that I am currently dedicating to family time that I could eat into for a bit when required just to get things done. Why I choose not to last week? Who knows. I know a small sacrifice now could yield quite a good return. I've done it before.

This time however I think I am waiting until I am clear in my strategic thinking before I leap in. I also have some constraints which means I have to adjust my game to that.

For some reason they look like excuses to me, so maybe they are. I did achieve quite alot actually over the last few weeks, and I should also thank John F for posting that video on Martins forum because it provided me with some clarity.

One of the things it made me wonder was... do the problems that you want to solve with marketing have to be very specific in its nature or can it be a bit more lofty and unspecified? The reason I am wondering this, is that I keep on seeing these problems that obviously wants solving, but I can't seem to find a solution to those problems. Unless the problem is a very specific one.

can you tell I over complicate things?

Anyway. Enough about my ramblings. I am ment to be asleep as I am getting up at 4:50am to go to work...

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Math problem

2007-10-22T06:10:00.000+01:00

I've got a problem with my maths at the moment.

I got some more details from the SME on my book, and also I updated the server where the various membership sites for my publishing business will go, but I honestly ran out of time...

and this is where my maths problem appears.

I only work 60 hours a week. I guess I get about 45 hours sleep. That leaves 63 hours for other things.

I drive to and from work. That easily takes up 4 and a half hours. I have to eat, which is another 7 hours. Other incidentals I would presume to take up another 7 hours.

Then there is the walk to my sons school, wait for him, and take him back home. There's another 3 and a half hours gone.

That leaves 41 hours. Housework? I don't do enough of it to make up 41 hours!

I am partial to a bit of Heroes and Ugly Betty, so that's 2 hours a week gone.

Dealing with spam on the uk forum, I can easily waste an hour a day on that.

That takes me down to 32 spare hours a week.

So my maths problem is this - where does the time go?!??

Some of it IS going on progressing my projects though, albeit slower than what it would be for normal people...

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

How do you know if you are moving forward?

2007-10-15T08:46:00.000+01:00

After a week where I have spent more than 60 hours doing my new job I feel very much like I haven't achieved anything else. Sitting in front of the computer at home has certainly not appealed when the pile of administrative headaches created by a crummy web hosting company with terrible customer service.

You see because I cancelled one of my hosting plans with 1&1, they detagged all the domains I hosted on that plan - and the only way I can get them re-tagged is to pay nominet £15 per .co.uk domain. Nice. Retagging them will cost me over 3 years worth of hosting... Thankfully they were not big earners.

The thing is, these things have nothing to do with the projects I have planned for. In my head there is a voice that sounds like Andys asking me if they have nothing to do with my plan, why am I wasting time figuring out how to do it? As I am spending over £50 on hosting every month and I could cut my hosting down to £17 without it impacting my earnings, I see no reason not to cut those costs.

The thing is my plans do not create the immediate boost in income that is required, so I do need to cut my costs.

But for this week, as I am only working about 55 hours... I will focus on completing more of my tasks that are on plan ... and on my sons birthday.

Now all I have to do is find a place to get rid of all these weird and wacky business ideas that keep on popping into my head.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Who needs consultants?

2007-10-07T22:42:00.001+01:00

I was going to write a whole bunch about the challenges of picking business ideas, but then I had a reminder from two places, that these ideas of mine, are not for me, but for someone else to enjoy.

First of all, Andy would kill me if I drifted off plan. Well, not literally, but.. well - I imply it means something to him then and I am not sure it does so I will modify what I am going to say...

First of all, the plan I made when Andy was here still makes sense, so there is no need to change anything and certainly not add anything to it. With only about 2 hours a day spare, there is no way I can take on or consider anything else at this moment in time.

I just need to find a place to put these ideas so that others can benefit from them.

Second of all the oracle that is my son explained the nature of business to me in the most amazing way today.

He wants a rock tumbler for his 5th birthday.
Why?
(spoken like only a "almost-5" can talk)
because when I go to the beach I can pick rocks and not throw them in the sea but take them home and look what the bird is doing to that apple daddy she is eating it to feed it to the baby birds and then I can take the stones home.

And what will you do with them when you get home?

Put them in the machime (not a typo) and make them pretty and then mummy has the chain things to glue them on so that we can wear the pretty rocks ad then I will go to a shop and sell them to them and make business.

See? Who needs consultants?

Jon

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Am I bothered?

2007-10-07T09:51:00.001+01:00

With my new job taking up so much time at the moment, it is a true miracle that I get time to do anything else.

So this week, I am going to finish what I should have finished 7 days ago before I am posting my weekly update.

Bear with me and I aim to talk to you again later tonight.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

The beginning of a new era

2007-09-30T10:59:00.001+01:00

I've done my first week as a full time employee in over two years and I absolutely loved it.

If someone had told me that only 3-4 months ago I would have laughed at them, but as circumstances change, the same situations can quite suddenly have a very different feel to them.

Return to work. Have the same salary you had when you started 11 years ago. Be happy about it.

Those statements above don't look like seeds that can grow into happiness, but for me they did. It is almost as if I feel like I should have done this a long time ago, but I wouldn't have been ready for anything like this until just recently.

If there is anything I have learned this week it is that things change, and our attitudes to a specific proposition changes when outside influences changes. I can see why someone with their back against the wall make great success stories, to put it that way.

Reframing can come from so many different things and it can happen at varying speeds. The reframing of "work" as the worst possible thing for me took time and MLM indoctrination. The controversial opinion, at least in IM circles, that a paid job is in deed a good thing came to me rather suddenly. I suppose it took me about 3 seconds to snap out of the "Jobs are for losers" attitude when it became apparent that google ads was not a reliable way to make a living.

Can I put a disclaimer on here? I'm not like everybody. What currently works for me is unlikely to work for anyone else because you guys think differently from me, but also because you are in a different situation from me. So what is right for you has very little to do for what is right for me.

Can you think of a time when your opinion of something or someone has changed VERY suddenly?

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Don't Think Happy Thoughts

2007-09-22T20:54:00.000+01:00

Or at least, what ever you do - don't think about a blue tree.

Can't help yourself can you? ;o)

In case your wondering, my very own personal NLP coach dropped by this week for a one to one. I say that, but he's not really my coach as such. He is a friend that just so happens to know a whole lot about the power of thinking.

The conversation I had with Andy fits right in with my comments last week ( and Gary's reply) and that conversation really made a difference.

- if it wasn't for me, Andy would not have gone to the London Lunch. He would not have known that it was on otherwise. So I know HE got something out of the chat.

- if it wasn't for Andy I wouldn't have been able to find out why I don't like buying cut flowers ( hate is a word that is almost good enough to describe my feelings towards buying flowers, but it is not quite strong enough. . . ) and I also found out why it is that being around some people we have known for a while, always seem to cause us to feel a certain way.

Oh and I managed to identify my only two priorities for the rest of the year; my publishing business and the pursuit of an opportunity related to parenting. I'm deliberately vague.

Another thing that was discussed relates to my management and coaching experience, but I am not going to let it take up too much of my thoughts. That idea / opportunity doesn't need to manifest itself until January.

This weekend is the last weekend of my "retired" life. Come Tuesday I am coming out of retirement and will be back in "normal" employment. I say normal but I will be working in a call centre with 38 women and 4 other men. The last time I spent time with a group this dominated by women I lasted 2 weeks and had to quit the job. Thankfully this time the women are good looking ;o)

So I am off to enjoy my last weekend as.. well technically unemployed.. and We'll speak together again next week.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Feelings VS. your comfort zone

2007-09-17T09:39:00.000+01:00

A friend of mine publishes a printed monthly newsletter about self improvement.

I find it an interesting read because it makes me think about how I think about things. And I find that I am increasingly disagreeing with some of the things he says. Or at least find that there are additional points that needs to be made.

There are two main things that I have gathered from Gary Vurnums www.obviousstupid.com newsletters;

Feelings reveal how you think and is therefor the best way to find out if you are doing what is right for you. If you feel bad about it, my understanding is that the decision or action may not be the best one for you.
Challenge your comfort zone in order to grow. You have to do the uncomfortable to have a chance to grow.

Now, look at those two statements. I read them to mean "make decisions that make you feel comfortable but you must also make decisions that make you uncomfortable".

See the oxymoron? It seems completely contradictory doesn't it? does to me. Or at least it did when I started to write this blog post.

Are there situations you could do both? Or am I mis-reading what Gary is saying? Knowing how I think, chances are I misunderstand. I'm thick like that.

Or are there simply a collection of fundamental flaws in Gary's thinking? Possibly. at worst. At best it is simply missing a few bits.

Ok, taking the "feeling as a compass" point first.

The paradox, to me, is that your feeling "compass" is completely dependent on the "magnetic pole" of your thoughts. The needle of a compass always points to the magnetic north, which is slightly to the east of the actual North pole.

The problem with using our feelings to indicate if our direction is the correct choice for us, is that our thought patters are not a fixed magnetic point. We can think in both a negative way and in a positive way. There are always at least two views you can take on any given event that happens to you. If you decide to feel good about a situation, the different choices you have in front of you will feel different to you than if you decide to let your less desirable thought patterns dominate.

I never know if this makes any sense to anyone other than me, or if I am simply stating the obvious (!), but this to me makes it crucial to recognize how I am thinking before I let my feelings make my decisions for me. Simply "decide on the thing that feels best" is not good enough. It is more complex than that. Or at least it can be.

Just look at the oxymoron I started with. From a positive point of view, challenging your comfort zone is a good thing, but by its very definition it is going to be uncomfortable to do so. So how can you possibly use your feelings in this situation to decide if the decision is the right one or not?

Does this mean that the thinking-feeling-decision theory only works while you are inside your comfort zone? I'm sure someone smarter than me knows. I'm still too unsure about the "feeling compass" theory.

Clearly your emotions play a part, but I don't agree for a second that it is the most important guide.

Here is a case in point.

You have two options in front of you. They both have things you like and dislike about them and you are unable to decide which way to turn. One of them feels uncomfortable because it is out of your comfort zone and the other "feels" better because it is INSIDE your comfort zone.

You are absolutely and completely split down the middle about which way to go. There is NO preference of one over the other when it comes to how you feel about them. The thought of walking down either path makes you both excited and apprehensive at once.

How would you decide?

How do you know without long and detailed analysis, that you are thinking right, or feeling right?

My feeling about the thinking - feeling - deciding theory is that if you think wrong, your feelings will identify to the wrong decision as the right one. And you may not be able to know exactly if your thinking is coming from a point of lack or from a point of abundance.

Personally, and I think Gary agrees, this whole decision making process is a whole lot easier if you know your purpose. If your goals and ambitions have a "higher purpose" and you know what that purpose is, then the paradox goes away.

And the "feeling compass" has been relegated from the top spot.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

P.s - I only found my higher purpose as a result of thinking about this paradox, and a particular decision making process / situation that has arisen in my personal life lately.

and my purpose is to help those that want to be helped. This should apply to everything I do. and it made my decision pretty easy.

Facebook violence

2007-09-14T20:48:00.000+01:00

I think the fairest assessment of this week is that it was completely filled with the school start of my son.

Funny how getting him out of the house has slowed down my progress so much, but I think it had more to do with the fact that I took time out to clear some of the clutter that has built up around the house lately. Besides my mother was visiting from Norway so that she could be here on his first day of school.

Other than that I have been wasting time trying to figure out why facebook is so popular. sod knows it's hardly a place to make money.

I think I might get bored with sitting at home, doing research, writing articles and browsing facebook now that my son is off to school every day.

I might just take a part time job or something just to get out of the house.

Although I should really get cracking on those sodded xsitepro templates.

I re-read that sentence and know full well that unless I put checks in place to make sure that those templates are my focus there is no way that it will get done.

So do you want a tips that I am learning to apply? (a thank you goes out to my PA, who I shall be calling ET from now on. )

I can't believe it took a simple instruction from ET to get me to apply this, because it is so incredibly obvious. Actually you may think it is so obvious it won't work, but it actually does.

The most powerful element in any kind of adventure, business or otherwise is focus. I think someone smarter than me once described it as "focused and determined action", but I will just call it focus.

The second element is time. As long as you give any given length of time a specific focus point you will progress towards it with the help of taking determined action to take you in the direction of what you are focusing on.

I have always had a problem with setting long term goals. I think I have just had a light bulb moment when I wrote "give any given length of time..." because it dawned on me that I can use the same principle on long term goals; what is the ONE thing I want to achieve this month, year, 3- year period? At the moment I am only using it on a daily or weekly basis, but there is no reason why it can't work on longer periods of time. In fact I know it does, because I can think of two people who every year decide to learn ONE new thing, and decide to learn it well.

I've digressed a little bit from what I wanted to share, and that was this lesson;
give every single day ONE overriding topic/focus/action point. Or in other words ask yourself:

If I can only achieve ONE thing tomorrow, which thing should it be?

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

PS - Oh, and make sure you write that ONE thing down in your diary! that is what ET told me to do!

It's not an easy thing to "just do it" when you think about it.

2007-09-08T09:36:00.000+01:00

After a rather unusual week I didn't feel like posting anything about my progress yesterday.

I'm not going to go on about it, but rather get on with the task in hand; my weekly update.

The coolest thing that happened to me this week was that i found out Kirt Christensen agrees with me when it comes to focusing on one thing. Try for more than one and it won't work.

Easily said.

The challenge for me is that I really don't have a proper plan with what I do. When I do focus on a project like the success interviews, then things do get done, but I never know if what I do is good enough, or if people are satisfied with it.

Apparently though this blog is a good thing. At least two people ( who I am not related to) have told me they like it.

Anyway, back to this focus thing. Kirt was answering a post on an internet marketing forum where the poster "Rob S." was asking for opinions on his own blog. I didn't read the post to be honest because I've got Rob on my twitter so I kinda knew what he was up to.

I'm sure he won't mind me saying this but Rob has a habit of asking people what he should do.

He's had a bundle of suggestions and considering he has a natural talent for writing and photography, there are a number of ways he could make a living off those two things alone.

Yet he doesn't seem to think so.

I ask the same questions Rob asks. ALL the time. I'm 36 and I STILL don't know what I want to be when I grow up. Worse yet, I can't think of a single talent any right minded person would pay me to share it with them.

To me this constant need of approval and confirmation that I am doing the right thing is a lack of confidence. It is a lack of confidence in my abilities. It is a lack of confidence in my proficiency or mastery of any particular "talent" and it is a lack of confidence in the "systems" I try.

Which in turn could be coming back to a lack of planning. I'm beginning to see the outline of a vicious circle here which could explain why I can't quite decide what the core cause is.

it might be obvious to everyone else, and THAT is frustrating.

Almost as frustrating as someone telling me I have the talent and the knowledge, and that I should just DO IT. If I was confident that I knew what I was doing then yeah, I would.

But most of the time I can see so many different ways of realizing a product or service that I have no idea which one is the best one to go for.

The "reverse Migrant" (aka AndyH) has told me before that I have to find out which solution is most likely to be enjoyed the most by my target audience.

I know that part. Then I start to doubt myself as to where I could find out those things. Which is weird because I have a mind map that Andy, Paul and I worked out a couple of years ago and it is still true that in order to find out how to deliver a product to a market, you need to know the market, and in order to know the market you need to know where they hang out and you need to go there and find out as much as you possibly can about them.

but I never / rarely do. I do wonder how much time people actually spend learning their market. I certainly don't do enough of those things.

There is a whole bunch of stuff that I know how to do, but don't do enough of, and I think that contributes to my lack of confidence. And maybe the same problem is causing Robs eternal questioning of his direction and his choice of projects. or maybe I am projecting my problems onto him.

I'm not completely useless though. I have one talent I am absolutely 900 per cent confident in; If I put my mind to it I can motivate a boulder to go for a run! As a coach and team leader in IBM I seemed to do a good job of it - the reviews on linkedin certainly seem to suggest so.
When I was doing my MR accountability part in the niche service station back in 2005 the feedback was also good.

It is something that no one else is doing in the IM arena, or at least not making it as available as we did, but other than Phil Wiley, no one has ever thought it was a good idea to offer this as a service.

Maybe I have been asking the wrong people.

So those are my thoughts for this week. Online projects are being left alone at the moment. I still need to restore the templates for my xsitepro based websites, but I am also reviewing my plans, my goals and my direction. I think it is about high time I give my planning some focus.

Any thoughts, just send me a comment.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

a new way to earn from your blog.

2007-08-31T11:08:00.000+01:00

Someone told me the other day that I should consider putting advertising on my blog. To be perfectly honest it is something I hadn't thought about - and may put my merit as an internet marketer in question I know! - as this blog was mainly for me to put information across to others in a similar situation to me.

Well I had a look around, and as I write quite a lot, I decided to have a closer look at Bloggerwave

The principle is that they have companies come to them and ask them if they can help them create buzz about the company or the product that is being promoted, and bloggerwave then asks its bloggers if they would like to post about the company or product. A great idea and a novel way to earn a little bit for doing more of what I am already doing.

So from now on, if I see a campaign I like and if I think it is of use to you as well, then I am going to let you know about it.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Time for revival

2007-08-31T11:00:00.000+01:00

I haven't been positng to this blog regularly for quite a while now, but I have a valid excuse!

When I stopped, I said that my progress now demanded another form of accountability. Which it did. I still pay someone to check up on my progress and help me plan my next month and week with me but after having kept this blog alive for nearly two years I still feel the instinct every Friday to let you guys know how I am doing.

So as an early Christmas present or what ever, I will now post to this blog a couple of times a week at least. They won't be long posts, but they will cover specific points that I want to share about the topics that I focus on for that week.

This week it is twitter and blogging.

If you don't know what twitter is, it is basically a way for me to very briefly write what I am doing at that exact moment in time. (I only get 140 characters to say what I want to say. )

http://www.twitter.com/jonanders

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

bonfire night - again

2006-11-11T10:02:00.000Z

fireworks - bonfirenight 2006

2006-11-11T09:55:00.000Z

Have I abandoned you?

2005-12-06T20:52:00.000Z

you might think so but i THINK abouyt what to write in you mydear blog, every day. Well, once in a while I do anyway.

And today I had one of those weird experiences I just HAD to share with you.

U know Paul McKenna? Of course you don't you're a blog - but he's a well known hypnotist here in the UK and has loads of books and TV programs under his belt where he either does things for entertainemtn value or most recently a raft of self help & hypnosis books and audio products.

My wife bought his latest book when it came about about 5 months ago and it was on making yourself successful. It had a CD with it which I copied onto my mp3 player ( for personal use! )

I forgot all about it of course. It's one fo those "don't listen to this tape while driving" warnings on it, and that sort of woke me up when I was walking home from my stint in the office ( aka Starbucks ) but the strange thing is that I remember only about 2 minutes of the audio file, and I have no idea which way I walked home! freaky

And what is even stranger is that a 50 minute walk took 36 minutes ( I know because I rang my wife to tell her I was coming home, just as I set out - and the tape ended about 3 seconds before I got to my front door. Which is even freakier.

I know I walked as I was drenched even though it was near freezing outside. I also seem to remember how easy it was to walk. Although goodness knows where I went!

What bugs me though is this - did I find a shortcut?? - and if so where the heck is it - because damend if I can remember where it was!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Passing Up A Lemon

2005-09-23T10:05:00.000+01:00

Not that this has anything to do with being a solo-preneur, but in my efforts to make the break from employment I decided to have a look at a car this morning. It turned out to be a real lemon

Thankfully I brought someone who knows more about cars than I do and as soon as we figured that BOTh rear doors were

1. unusually smooth to open but nearly impossible to shut
2. when we finally managed to get the doors shut they were not even. There was a bigger gap at the back between the door and the door frame than on the front. But it wasn't as bad on the other side.

What I mean is that there was every evidence that the car fram was bent, or from two cars welded together. So not only did I avoid buying a Lemon,

I still have a car that is safe to drive!

As for my personal progress.

I will need to pick up on writing this blog again as I am failing miserably to do what I need to do to make moeny at the moment.

It is as if I am sitting here expecting the sites I already have up to suddenly start making me lots of money. It's worked like that before, and although I am working - I am not working as much as I should do.

I have for instance launched one website lately with a chap called Will.

http://www.somethingaboutmoney.co.uk/

We have big plans for it and intend it to be a site where you can get great books, news and articles about saving money.

For now it's selling a single book. Well. So we'll see what else we can come up with.

Speak to you tomorrow.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

The story so far.

2005-08-23T14:40:00.000+01:00

I'll have to cheat and have a look at when I posted a real post last so that I can fill you in on what has been happening since.

Well. Since May I have actually left full time employment. It is almost as if my post in May was telepathic, as I actually did not know at the time that I was going to be out of a job 6 weeks later.

I got a redundancy package for it, so I am happy. I now have time to focus on my websites and my publishing business. So it's all good fun!

At the moment my main project is to launch a book by November and to support my members of the site I am co-owning with two others. In addition I am also working on a number of adwords & adsense projects for the same site.

So I am what you would call busier than ever. Hope that was informative for you.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )
http://www.nicheservicestation.com

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Haven't been here for a while.

2005-08-12T15:05:00.000+01:00

But I'll be picking it up again shortly as I have a great deal to tell you and a great deal of stuff has happened since the last post.

Like I have left full time employment to become a full time internet entrepreneur.

erk!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

What the Future Could hold

2005-05-24T20:37:00.000+01:00

It really depends.

What i need is something that can replace the income - and more. There isn't really an issue of knowing sorry of not knowing what to do, or even not knowing what the options are. The thing is there are som any options, but I don't know enough about how to operate any of them to know which one works. The phil gosling method seems to eb the best bet, anfd andy agrees on that. I also think my wedding palnning website to harvest research invo is wquite a good idea.

i know there is a lot of searching out there for that informtion. Am I however able to find markets that already have lists on or in that market rather? to be sure I can!

I would like to have a chat with jakki again about what she does.

Not sure about creating content sites anymore, but even if I invest a LITTLE time every week generating REAL content, surely that will help me a little? I need to make sure the content is generated automatically though. my instinct is to create yet another map of the things I need to do. That is not really needed. I think what I need to do, is think of a project, then decide to pick ONE thing I can fo on that project to move it forward. Obey the rule of Vurnum!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

yeah yeah.... I know!

2005-03-25T20:00:00.000Z

I know I said daily, sO i will make plans to summarise my day every evening.

I have made great inroads into the website I am working on. Although I would prefer to have an easier way of doing it. but hey - it's progress.

heers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

A Promise.

2005-03-21T22:31:00.000Z

Hi,

I will post a short daily summary here from now on until further notice.

I have found that not posting to this blog has freed up time, but it has not been put to productive use, so in order to regain some focus, I will now add a daily comment, like a diary, to this blog, every night.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Special Erotic Offer.

2005-02-27T18:43:00.000Z

http://www.collectivepublishing.co.uk/html/special_offers.html

Well let the cat out of the bag:

My company publishes erotic books!
Look here

This is an offer we are testing out, and it's been performing as you would expect. For march - we'll do something different, so keep any eye out!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

My City Break Central

2005-02-14T22:19:00.000Z

I've just created http://www.citybreakcentral.co.uk with a niche portal tool that I got as a late Christmas present.

I should be in bed celebrating Valentines day but my sons MMR jab has triggered off a fever and the mood is as such not in that frame of mind.

Anyway. This city breaks website has revealed a slightly annoying problem - the automatic articles that are imported into the newsletter directory have absolutely nothing to do with my subject - it was supposed to be an easy thing to do, but now I have to find a way to write articles that are ON subject...

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

How To Double Your Comprehension Reading Speed

2005-02-06T19:38:00.000Z

Today, I managed to double my fastest comprehension reading speed by listening to 5 mp3 files!

My reading speed was already at 241 before hand, but I did my eyeq speed reading a while ago. But after one hour of listening to these files, my fastest comprehension reading speed was already up to 522. 4 hours later it was up to 802.

I don't normally recommend things, certainly not reading speed tests or a reading speed course , but this one actually worked for me!

www.bestspeedreadingcourse.com

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

The End is near

2005-01-24T22:22:00.000Z

As you may have noticed, my posts are no longer as frequent as they should be.

This is because I am dedicating time to other projects, and something has to give.

The thing is, I have discovered that writing on a particular subject, or even the simple act of making a specific commitment to write in this blog every day has focussed my mind on this as well as other issues.

However, this blog seems to have served it's purpose.

But I am not abandoning it until I have figured out what daily commitments I will replace it with.

I am happy to say I have 3 websites to write for already, in addition to my other commitments. That leaves pertty much only one day free as Fridays and the weekend is already taken up with other writing nad family engagements.

So there.

On a different note, scientists with too much time on their hand had calculated that today is the most depressing day of hte year. mainly because people have too much debt and have given up on most of their new years resolutions already

me? I haven't even had time to formulate them properly yet! Well, that's not entirely true. I've written down the goals, and I am taking action to complete them. But it's forever a work in progress.

Don't like the goal you've set yourself for this new year?

Then replace it with another one!

the trick is to have at least THREE on the go at any one time! Get bored with one, do one of the other two - and if it gets you down thinking about it, replace it with another one that is more inspiring!

Cheers,
Jon

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Weight WAtchers, Atkins Diet and the effects of local gravity anomalies

2005-01-18T21:16:00.000Z

The battle of the bulging waste line is not going well in the solopreneur house hold and it is time to try those diets. Atkinsons, Mr Weigh-a-little - the miracle diet doctor who allegedly died of a heart attack while clinically obese. Sounds right up my street. Or Weight Watchers. I can eat what I want & count points.

Although I will need to remind myself that the object of the weight watchers game is NOT to get as many points as POSSIBLE in a day.

After A very expansive Christmas I went to America for a week.

The land of the large dinner plates and huge servings! I've never eaten so much fruit in my life in a week just to try to fill up on something before trying to eat a whole cow with a burger bun strapped around its waist. ( I exaggerate a little )

My chocolate addiction, which was under control until the 23rd of December has also spiralled out of control to the point where I wake up at night screaming for M&M's

Or being chased by miniature Hershey Milk Chocolate bars - Officially the sickest chocolate in the world. If you haven't thrown up BEFORE eating them, someone will think you HAVE after eating one. Yuk. I do NOT exaggerate on this one. The Cow was a little over the top, but I can confirm that Hersheys Milk Chocolate bars taste like Sick!

Although this thought may temporarily halt my chocolate addiction it is no match for the local gravity anomalies I am experiencing in my house.

I need to confirm this with a barometer when it arrives in the post in the next few days, but the preliminary findings are as follows:

Bathroom: tile just inside the door: 259lb or 116kg
Office: One foot inside the door on wooden floor boards: 258lb or 115.5 kg
Landing: two feet stright outside the bathroom door, on short carpet: 265lb or 119kg

This leads me to believe that there are gravity anomalies in that area.
I have also tested the anti directional gravity by JUMPING in the same spots showing that I am indeed able to jump the highest when standing in the office.

I will find out what is going on.

My wife says I need to get a new bathroom scale and then get a life, but what does she know!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

OK, I'm Panicing Slightly!

2004-12-30T23:17:00.000Z

The website is pretty much ready, largely because of my wifes efforts and I have an ebook I can flog soon. The question remains however - how to sell it? I don't have a website or anything set up, so I am assuming that ebay might be a good outlet.

Or I might partner up with someone else and let them do the efforts on my behalf.

But right now, I am pretty confident I know what I'll be doing New Years Eve!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Busy Getting Ready

2004-12-29T21:50:00.000Z

I'm cutting things VERY fine with my product creation and not to mention the website I am about to launch in 3 days,

But I am still working very hard to get things done in time.

Which is why updates to this feed is not happening much.

Besides, the holidays are a time to get away from computers and enjoy the time with the family.

I'll let you know when my alter ego, Johnnie Joe, launches his ebook and when my publishing business launches the website for our main author.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Mad with Merry

2004-12-23T22:11:00.000Z

Presents to pack, Food to cook and cards to exchange at the last day at work before Christmas. I am so tired and worn out I can't keep up anymore.

I wonder how many people will check if I do my Friday blog tomorrow??

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Sales School

2004-12-20T19:58:00.000Z

Had my first day at sales school today.

Disturbingly, I enjoyed it. And at the same time - it was exactly as I expected it to be. The language used is unsurprisingly gung-ho and I just find it everyway as disturbing as I thought I would.

but at the same time I find it facinating that the sales school information is meaningful to me. No, USEFUL in fact.

I am not questioning it at all, but a change from the normal daily routine is certainly a positive experience.

I still find myself asking "how long do I have to hang on in there with this job?"

just makes it even more important to enjoy it while I can.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

How My Traffic Increased with Instant Buzz (short)

2004-12-19T19:52:00.000Z

Hi,

if you have a website or an affiliate program that pays you per clickthrough then this little traffic generation program should do the trick.

While this was in trial it got me 5000 impressions, and in spite of my lack of effort in getting a powerful ad together, it still earned me over 30 signups to the program I am promoting.

http://www.InstantBuzz.com/jonanders

message me if you try the link and it doesn't work.

THERE IS A TIME LIMIT YOU SEE!

The link should expire on midnight Monday the 21st of December...

So hurry if you want to generate traffic for free!

http://www.InstantBuzz.com/jonanders

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Recording My Research

2004-12-15T23:56:00.000Z

This will dramatically reduce the amount of free diskspace on my machine, but I have started to record the research I am carrying out on my pc with Camtasia.

Makes it so much easier on me for a number of reasons:

it makes me focus on what I have aimed to achieve in the next 30 minutes.

it gives me a chance to listen to what I discover over and over again.

I make better notes.

I remember what I found!

I don't profress to know anything important. All I do is TRY out new things to help me progress. It's a constant state of innovation and re-invention for me.

So if I were to speculate on the impact of the video and why, on the face of it, it seems to be better for me, it would be a layman that declares the following:

I think it is because it appeals to all my other senses in a way that hand written notes can not. But maybe even more, because I get the chance to not only hear the information again, I get to hear myself narrate a rather interesting story.

The story is best when it unfolds for me while I speak. The enthusiasm is conveyed so much better!

Simply because I am!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Back To Work

2004-12-14T21:31:00.000Z

I am back in the office again tomorrow.

I'm actually looking forward to getting back into it again. I do have so much to learn it's not even funny.

But it also means that I am back to one hour stints on the computer every evening. And this last two and a half weeks have been frustrating to say the least as I have not been as productive as I would have wanted to be.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Money And Motivation

2004-12-13T21:45:00.000Z

My progress today was limited to researching 2 niches that I am exploring.

I have a list as long as my arm of actions for my business ventures, yet I am am researching valuable new ground - why?

Because they can be very profitable. Both niches seem to be popular so far, and I have no opinion of what the competition is like, but one can but try to find out as much as possible.

So what does this have to do with money or motivation?

Well, getting money for something is nice, but it is far easier to have the motivation to do something if the interest is there.

So to speak.

and that was the end of my 20 minutes

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Camtasia

2004-12-10T23:07:00.000Z

Sorted out camtasia yesterday between the bouts of dizziness and nausea.

At least it is unlikely to be anything other tha tension related but the mentioning of glaucoma worries me a little as it can potentially cause blindness. And If it is damaging the nerve the impact on the eyesight is not reversible.

But the video came out good!

Now all I need is half decent way to put it online.

I am sure the 12 days of christmas promotion and the grinch deal has something to offer!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Instant Buzz

2004-12-09T20:16:00.000Z

In my feeble attempts to stay focused this week I have gone and installed camtasia video software that I got from a pc mag here in the UK and recorded a video for a program that I am a member of.

It was fun but an absolutely feeble thing to do considering the amount of work I have left to do between now and the end of the year!

google adwords in it's typical December fashion have gone completely dead. ho hum

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Happiness is...

2004-12-08T21:47:00.000Z

As I was laying in bed this afternoon trying to make the room slow down its rotation I decided to think about the nicest things I have ever experienced. getting dizzy over nothing this last week you see.

Anything to keep the nausia from getting so bad I needed to throw up again.

I tried to think back to when I was in Norway and nothing really came to mind. We had some cracking family Christmases when I lived there.

I tried to think about when I was in Holland, and nothing much came to mind. It gave me a really good friend, that I will consider a true friend for many years to come, even though we may only speak once or twice per year over email. I know that when I have a tough time, she was always there for me and guiding me the way I needed to be guided in the same way my dad used to.

Oh no. Melancoly here we come. I lost my dad to Cancer. Medical neglect rather as it wasn't the cancer that killed him but the side effects of the treatment. That's usually the way it is with cancer. bastards. But anyway - he was very good for me. And even though he passed away nearly two years ago I still talk to him. I've had enough conversations with him to know what sort of advice he'd give! In times like these when I have security on one side and opportunity on the other, he'd help me find a way to join the two.

But as for happiness, I can think of the feeling I had walking around Glendalock in Ireland. Peace. I can think of the feeling I had when I was asked by my wife if she could have my hand in marriage. ( I kinda saw it comming as it was the 29th of February and she organisesd this very elaborate set up for a very romantic proposal.

I remember the day my wife told me she was pregnant, and I remember my sons birth. ( although I have to concentrate for a minute to remember the birth date )

And I love the hugs he gives me when he's sad about something, when he's hurt himself, and also when he's proud of something and when he feels he needs to share some of HIS happiness with the world.

And that usually does it for me.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Day Sick

2004-12-07T14:04:00.000Z

Been throwing up and suffering vertigo the last going on 3 days now.

I wonder what it is that I am supposed to learn from this?

1. That the home office set up desk wise isn't suitable to me?
2. That I should really reconsider my job if this turns out to be psychosomatic?
3. That I shouldn't under-estimate the consequences of skipping osteopath and massage sessions? ( for the last 2 years )
4. That there is some other reason I should be at home throwing up?

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Limits & Time keeping

2004-12-02T20:45:00.000Z

Got chatting with someone today about my future, my aspirations and so forth and it seems I have to make a decision one way or another pretty soon.

There are things I enjoy about my job, but there are also things that do not sit so well with me.

I am learning great things that will be of great use to me in the future. But I don't like what I am learning.

I have a fantastic learning experience to go to in January that will be tremendously valuable for me in the future. But I struggle to get enthused by the location.

He suggested I toss a coin to decide between the two choices I have, and then let my reaction to the outcome be my guide.

I did.

Now, on to another matter. I have decided to give myself time limits on my posts here. no more than 15 minutes. When the time is up I stop. No more.

I have to do this to limit the time I spend blogging as I have other business matters to attend to.

Hey. this only took me 12 minutes to write...

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

I got Recognised!

2004-12-01T21:54:00.000Z

Something happened today that has only ever happened once before in my entire 8 year career with my company, but the first time it was in private with my manager.

This afternoon, during the daily competition winners seremony, I got recognised for finding my first sales lead, on the second day of calling customers. Which apparently is a bit of an achievement.

And tomorrow I will be getting a bottle of champagne for it! Which will certainly make it easier to go in to the office in the morning.

But it doesn't hide the fact I am absolutely shattered these days.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Project Warrior Proves an Inspiration

2004-11-30T20:23:00.000Z

After having what I can only describe as a shitty morning at work I decided to splash out for a posh lunch and drove over to the McDonalds up the road.

The usual types hung out there. Tracksuits, bulging wastelines and untidy in every sense, but I knew I needed to get away from some of the suits that smile at everyone and have their high five sessions every 10 minutes. Not that they have anything to celebrate - they just do it to stay motivated. This isn't my team by the way, or even those sitting enxt to me, but a group of upstarts on the other side of this open plan office. I digress.

Anyway - I sat down with my hot Chicken Pita and latte and the proper fluffy stuff, not the stuff that could clean the insides of a car engine.

Munching away at this surprisingly chicken like piece of meat I stared at the two-kid family sitting in front of me slowly filling themselves on their staple diet, I heard a word I never expected to hear in McDonalds:

"Accountable"

I perked up and turned around to see who else looked like me and would be within earshot.

The only people that I could see talking was a kid around 14 and a nice looking roubenesque blonde lady around my age. Couldn't be them as they spoke like people do when they come from the gutter.

"Your Goals"

Ok. Stop joking with me - who's taking the piss? I looked around and now these two who I had assumed were mother and son were suddenly talking about what he wanted to set himself as goals. I only caught faint parts of the conversations, but they were talking about what he wanted to do, what his dreams were, about the feedback he was getting from someone I assumed he was working or doing things for.

"Time Keeping"...."But you are reliable, so they know that even if you DO come in late, you work well and do a great job"

What on EARTH?

Here is a 14 year old KID getting the same sort of performance review I am getting as a 33 year old!

The conversation drifted onto the things he wanted to achieve before Christmas. I don't know what they were, but what struck me the most was when he was asked what he wanted for a reward when he achieved what he had set out to do:

"I've always wanted to try Pitch And Put"

He was looking forward to a game of Crazy golf - WHEN he had achieved his goals for December!! That was ALL he wanted...

They basically had an accountability meeting right there, to help him focus on what he wanted to achieve. The, by now very sexy looking voloptous blonde bombshell, had a n individual development performance plan that she was filling in and when he signed it I caught a glimpse of the words " Project Warrior" and the council logo.

Great name for a project helping dis-advantaged kids take responsibility for their own futures - especially as HMS Warrior, the oldest Warship in the world, is docked in our harbours. ( it's a couple of hundred years old - Henry the 8th built it I think - I may be wrong - i'm really bad at British History as I am not a brit )

Anyway.

I was hoping they taught these kids how important it is to keep those sorts of reviews going and that making yourself accountable to someone regularly is THE KEY to achieving ANYTHING. There are enough adults that don't know it.

I was SO tempted to say something, but as per usual i chickened out ( pardon the pun ) and left feeling incredibly inspired by the appraisal and accountability session that had taken place.

To my luck ( or not ) I noticed that they left just after me, and followed me to the car parked right next to mine.

It MUST have been a sign - I tell you, and I just could not help myself:

"Excuse me, can I ask you something" I stuttered.
"Yes, sure", the blonde lady madonna said to me and smiled her lovely smile - I swear she melted my heart there and then! She just looked so increadibly happy and content. Imagine yourself having a job where you KNOW that what you're doing is making a difference to someone elses life!

I glanced over at the boy, who looked at me with curious but curteous interest. The attention they both gave me was a positive one. It was as if they were expecting a request for help paired with their DESIRE to help if it was needed.

I cocked my head like I do when I get nervous and stuttered a few words about how I over heard some of what they were saying.

"not that meant to over hear anythingbutIcouldn'thelpitandionlyhearafew wordsanyway but i - I, Id." I took a deap breath to calm myself down And looked at them both.

"What you two just did in there was one of the most inspirational things I have ever seen. It's great to see you being accountable. Making yourself accountable is the KEY to everything, and I'd just like to thank you for making my day"

I made them both smile from ear to ear by saying that.

It might be cheesy. But I would have regretted NOT saying anything. And hopefully, if he ever has bad days, I hope he remembers the day when a complete stranger came up to him and told him he had been an inspiration.

And if either of you read this, thanks again from the strange stuttering bloke who made no sense and looked like he was crying. I wasn't tearful at all by the way - it was the wind!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

PS. I did a search on google and found some basic information about project Warrior.

Search on the following term on google and you'll only find about 10 results ( 11 when this page gets indexed I presume! )

=> "project warrior" education portsmouth

Idea tracking

2004-11-29T21:21:00.000Z

Last week I added 3 ideas to my mind map I have to track these ideas. Others rely on books, but whatever method you use, NOT writing it down is the surest way to forget that GOOD idea.

One day in and I have already written down an idea again.

But as a fellow poster said in a comment on one forum - the value in writing them down when you read a 3-4 week old idea and thing - whooa, that's a GOOD one.

And that will be a rare experience - trust me!

But it won't happen at all - and certainly not with the sort of progress you see others make that DO write things down.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

A swell Idea

2004-11-23T21:50:00.000Z

I have so many possibilities ahead of me when it comes to picking a way to make a living from an online method that I really don't understand why I am still holding on to my regular job.

If pushed on the matter I am sure I could come up with at least 10 different strategies. And all of them legal useful products.

So sitting at work today doing yet another day of computer based training, it dawned on me that there are some very easy ways we could expand out publishing business into more of an electronic publisher.

Looking at how much I am managing to earn simply from a few simple google campaigns, the opportunities out there are endless, if you know where to start.

Maybe I should try to get this blog syndicated to a newspaper or something, so REAL people could find out what it is that I am doing.

Worth a thought.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Learning from unexpected places

2004-11-22T21:17:00.000Z

Today I actually learnt something useful at work.

As per usual, these aha moments of mine never appear as a result of new knowledge, but from knowledge I had already aquired being explained in a new way, or at a time when I need to hear it explained.

I've got a problem though.

At the moment I can't remember what the lesson was, but I know that first sunday of January 1999 was the 3rd, and that mount fujiyama (?) is 12365 feet tall and that the mnemonic to remember the great lakes is "HOMES".

I also remember that I was going to write down my goals, hand my wife a letter I wrote at work and that I was going to write down the vision for what our business will look like in a couple of years. or at the end of 2005 even.

I did write down what I envisaged my employee review for 2005 would be, which was a surreal but motivating experience!

How can this be of any use to you? well. Do you write christmas "newsletters" to all your friends and family? In that case, write it a year in advance detailing all the positive things that happened to you in the year ahead.

See, even writing it, it looks wrong! :o)

But does it make sense?
You will obviously have to alter the letter a year later before you send it, but my hope is that I won't have to change much of it. And it doesn't really matter anyway, because it was fun writing it :)

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

As I forgot to tell you this yesterday but

2004-11-19T22:03:00.000Z

I was busy preparing for my wife's eventful day for business and getting things out of the way at work so I could spend the day at home with my sick son.

So I was busy. I am busy now as I should be writing a Friday Progress report, but I am still backing up this blog!

But I think this has been a very productive week. We've progressed on a number of things that had to be done, and I have also managed to progress a number of things that were never on the agenda until half way through the week!

But thanks for reading ;)

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Fingers Crossed - Our books are selling...

2004-11-17T22:20:00.000Z

Tallied up the invoices we have sent since we took over and it is only about £25 shy of the loan payment. And that is only 3 weeks of trading.

I am keeping everything crossed to hope that this success continues.

So if you are in the UK and want to help me promote the book, buy book number 3 in the series written by bettina varese from amazon.co.uk

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

May I remind you: In Sickness

2004-11-15T21:12:00.000Z

I have had the obligatory autumn "flu" this weekend. It started on Thursday really with the usual cough and tickly throat. Being in a new job I didn't think it would be a good idea to have a sick day on a Friday, so against better judgement I went in. So THAT ruined the weekend. Absolute torture. I was almost dead I think at one point. Monday morning and I felt better but by no means well. I was worse than on Friday.

Now though I am pretty much as I was on Thursday. The tickle is still there which means the REAL flu is still biding it's time.

Business has therefor suffered on my part. I haven't been able to make as much progress as I would have hoped anyway.

But I blame my wife for that ;o)

You see, I think my wife is obliged to take care of me when I am ill. Although I have a hard time convincing her this actually means that she has to give me more than the usual attention and affection.

She argues that she is already cooking for me, cleaning for me, ironing my shirts for me, bringing up our son when I am at work, working 3 different part time jobs in addition to being the CEO of our newly purchased company - http://www.collectivepublishing.com/

.. so how could she possibly do more?!?

Note to other men with a manflu:
the above question is NEVER well answered if you say

"How about taking out the rubbish? "

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing (from the rubbish bin))

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Tempting Websites

2004-11-10T20:49:00.000Z

I've been shown some "pre-made" websites that are for sale covering some reasonably popular niches and I am tempted to shell out the $50 to see what I can do with one of them - or $120 for all three.

I am also tempted to run a diary on the progress of them, to see if I can make it work.

I must admit this is far more interesting than going to my J.O.B - although all accounts indicate I could be good at it.

Decisions decisions...

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Bend Over And AdSense it.

2004-11-09T19:53:00.000Z

Go figure this one out - my adsense ads always show up as public service ads on another website I've put it on.

I wonder if it has anything to do with the URL it is on - surely that shouldn't matter?

While I wonder, I will have to get on with my business bits. Tara!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Any AdSense?

2004-11-04T20:37:00.000Z

Adsense is so far on track to match the performance that should be expected at this time of the year for my keywords.

I'm trying a new campaign out today, so we'll see how that fares.

It's time to go to sleep. I've been hard at work for so long these days I am absolutely shattered by the time it's time for Friday....

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

My Achievements Today

2004-11-03T21:59:00.000Z

Took the day off work today to meet my book industry expert / mentor in London and we all had a GREAT time!

I studied with him in Norway aaages ago so we go WAY back.

He was genuinely surprised at the print quality of the books and gave us some really good ideas for how to build our contacts among the buyers in the industry.

And I think we actually gave him a tip for saving some money on the printing costs as well! Pending freight and currency costs of course.

After our luncheon meeting we visited 3 mega huge bookstores to check out their stocks. We even replaced a book for one of them as the one they had on the shelf was not in a sellable condition. Which must have been a bit of a shock to them. I am presuming it isn't normal for a publisher to check up on the bookstores.

But anyway, we got lots of ideas A copule of action items and a whole laod of inspiration from it.

And I didn't speak to an internet marketing guru all day!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Alien Vs Predator

2004-11-03T09:54:00.000Z

Went to a Sales team meeting in London yesterday.

Boy did it bring back memories. No, I have never had a sales job in my life. At all. My degree was a business degree in international management and had a lot of "wannabe consultants" in the course.
The conversations we used to have in the student bar were EXACTLY like the one's I listened to last night. And they were seriously alien to me, but familiar at the same time.

8 years in a techie environment had me forget my heady days of business studies, but last nights even brought it back home again.

And the predatorial attitudes still prevail.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Scary weekend

2004-11-01T20:18:00.000Z

Halloween over and I have a plan.

In fact, my life seems to have a purpose. Which is a worry. I'm increasingly weary of busses, lorries and other cars on the road, as things are just too good.

Oh, right. There is the money issue. I will be on commission from the first of January. For two months, I will not be paid anything but my base salary. Which is 15 per cent lower than my current fixed salary.

We have a massive business loan to maintain the payments for, without exactly knowing where the money will come from.

So maybe I shouldn't worry so much.

It's just that it's a little scary and a little surreal to think that we are now actually business owners. But owing the equivalent of an annual salary is giving us a far stronger focus on what we do for our business. We simply HAVE no choice but to make this work.

It's not rocket science. It's perspiration and persistence. The previous owners have laid pretty decent foundations and it is up to us to build upon those foundations.

We need to increase the number of outlets we sell our books from - how?
1) Find outlets that already sell similar products & target our audience
2) Call them and ask if they would like to sell our books too

We need to get the books better known in the public - how?
1) Find someone that are already communicating to our audience
2) Ask them if they would tell our audience about us.

We need material for our next books in the series - how?
1) Ask writers to send us stories.
2) Repeat number 1.

What we have found as well is that we are actually dealing with 3 "customers" and we have even classified them in our business plan.

Do you know what else I have learnt?

I have mentioned this before, but it wasn't until this weekend that I knew I was right for saying this, but

Having had experience from an MLM organisation has been essential in our education to become entrepreneurs. The mindset they drum into you - if they are good ( and those are few and far between ) - is absolutely critical if you plan to succeed in business.

and success isn't easy. Not only because it is difficult to succeed financially if you start a business, but also because success can become it's own punishment if it does not give you what you wanted in the first place.

If you want more free time to spend with your kids, don't quit your job to start a retail store. In fact, don't start something that requires you to define opening hours.

If you want to enjoy working for yourself, don't start up something you're not completely in love with.

It's not failing you should be afraid of if you jump in head first - it is succeeding!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

How To Change

2004-10-29T15:53:00.000+01:00

I've had a chance to contemplate quite a lot these last weeks.

I have come to realise that in order to change you either need a big life event to jump start your efforts OR it needs to be drip fed to you.

Drip feed: Why? My logic is simple - My perceptions and beliefs have been created by the sum of all those tiny little experiences that I have had over my life time. Small, insignificant on their own, but unmovable together. So how change it? My dealing with it on the SMALL level.

By tiny little insights, events or experiences that contradict those tiny little perceptions. over a little time, then the foundations of the whole immovable sum of perceptions become weaker. The bond waekens. Suddenly it becomes easier to tackle bigger parts of the perceptions. The momentum builds as it becomes easier and easier to cancel out the effects of the "old" perceptions you need to change to succeed.

For me, the "MASSIVE ACTION" is counter productive. You don't need MASSIVE ACTION. All you need is targeted action. Tiny Targeted Action. Focus. And then just chip away at it.

Feel fat? ( I'm 18 stone - 115kg) focussing on loosing 6 stone is meaningless to me. So is focussing on loosing weight. Weightloss is not the issue. Health is. The things I no longer am able to do is an issue. The things I would like to do, but can't is an issue.

My targets then have to reflect that.

How do I measure health? Ability to walk stairs is one measure. But it isn't very accurate. An accurate measure is the pulse I have when I wake up in the morning. Or the CHANGE in heart rate from immediately after a 10 minutes of exercise at 60% of my max heart rate and the heartrate 5 minutes & 30 minutes later.
My heart rate when I stop should be above 111.
If after 5 minutes it is down to 95, the reduction is 16 beats.

If the reduction two weeks later is 32, then there is irrefutable evidence that I am getting fitter. So with that evidence, my perception that it is impossible for me to get fitter has to be adjusted. And it becomes easier for me to take on other goals.

And that concludes todays brain dump

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Slackers Week!

2004-10-27T21:54:00.000+01:00

Can you see the headline up the top there?

Every day it says.

Hm. Well. I've been busy doing other things.

Like buying a business, sorting out my new campaigns on google and trying to get my money website sorted.

My plate is also filled by the sudden appearance of an office based job that is taking up 10 - 11 hours of my day 5 days a week. Not good. But the money could be, so I'll stick with it until I get on the sales incentives plan and see how it goes.

I have the benefit that I can talk to customers with confidence about business processes and process re-engineering, but I couldn't sell them anything even if I tried. Nor is it my job to sell them anything. Well some times it will be.

But I digress.

How's my internet bits going?

Well my website is staggering along. My google is going on Autopilot & the business is moving forward!

But I'll make an effort to keep you posted.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Google Adwords Vs Adsense

2004-10-19T21:57:00.000+01:00

I am running Adsense on this website and on another website as well, and It's not doing badly at all. As money for nothing goes, it's quite good in fact. Nothing to get rich by, for sure, but once the adsense bit is there, it can remain there for as long as I care to leave it there.

Adwords however requires a little more attention. In spite of increased competition on one campaign, it ticks over with surprising regularity. Another campaign needs closer attention to keep the clicks rolling in, but it works. Each click is worth £0.39 to me, which is good as I only pay about 2 thirds of that to get into the top 8 adverts.

So as commission based income, Adwords is far bigger than Adsense in my world, but it also takes more work to keep it coming in...

Short one today as we are full up with getting the house ready to take our new stock plus my new job is taking the energy out of me. Hard sitting there doing nothing while waiting for the induction training to start. ..

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Phew! And more books!

2004-10-18T20:01:00.000+01:00

First day in a new job and my brain is fried. And it's only Monday!

We're one step closer to the handing over of the business. We transferred some money electronically this morning to the current owners, just to test the speed of transfer, and it was instant.

electronic banking is a blessing!

So now, all that is left is the remaining 90 %, taking hold of the stock, equpment etc, and get some training!

Then the fun starts!

Starting a business is EASY! running it is the hard bit!

Thankfully my wife is the master of doing difficult things. Like doing more than one thing at a time.

I have to do SO many things this week it's mad!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

A Working Man

2004-10-12T21:20:00.000+01:00

Well I have a job offer. Two in fact. Neither in Sales.

There is a third position my manager think I should go for which IS in sales, but we'll see. I guess I should go, just to test my stereotype.

Then there is the 4th one which I mentioned in a previous post ( and thanks for the kind comments Camille ) and I seem to be jumping through quite a number of hoops to get through to the person who's actually got a position to offer me. Maybe there's a lesson they are trying to teach me there.

So when I got home from the office today, I mentioned this to my wife. The above issue with multiple job opportunities. And I don't know which way to turn. So she said - Do what you want.

I wish I knew!

So I have spent most of this evening clearing out the office upstairs.

Well, we're moving the "library" to make space for some of the equipment and the books that will be held in this part of the house.

Taking advice from someone online, we checked out our space options out in the utility rooms, and with some clever re-arranging and clearing out of e-bay stock ( aka rubbish ) we'll be able to fit 3 quarters of the stock down there on a concrete floor. and not up here on wooden joists.

the whole stock weighs about 1.5 metric tons ( 3000 pounds?) so by spreading the stock between 4 locations it should be fine.

My wife is one amazing cookie.

I think the best thing I can do for this business is to do what she tells me to do;

= design the marketing plans

= do "support tasks" (house work, gardening and anything that doesn't add value)

The further away I am from the customers and distributors the better I think.

Now on to the business processes.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

My 48 hour Plan

2004-10-11T22:55:00.000+01:00

Started up two new google campaigns over the weekend. They will attract low number of clicks, but they are pretty much free of competition so we'll see how they convert.

I have also spent most of my free time either reading, listening to the seminar DVD's and working on progressing the things that need progressing before we take over the publishing company.

And then planning what to do next.

In the next 48 hours I will publish new content on the money tips review, I will send out a newsletter, and I will start work on my 101 money tips ebook. I will also do some mind maps to explain the various processes that exist in the publishing business.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Good times

2004-10-07T20:36:00.000+01:00

I've been back to the grind stone for two full days now.

Nothing has changed and it's the same people making the same complaints and confusing themselves even further by not thinking clearly.

Although now it doesn't seem to get me worked up.

They can't help it that they don't know what's going on.

Not that I know much more, but I know that stressing about something that I don't understand, don't know anything about or can't do anything about makes it even more difficult to TRY.

So when they talk, I listen. I help them see the light when I can. If I stay calm, they calm down.

Call me the Software Paramedic.

So why the good times subject?

Well, I had a chat with a very nice lady this afternoon about a new position that might be available to me, and she wants to talk to me again next week. It's very similar to the job that I am doing now, in the sense that that role is also a HUB for many spokes in a fast spinning wheel.
And tomorrow morning I am on my way to another interview in London

for a SALES job of all things.

I say that because I do not have much respect for sales people.

And I told the guy who is interviewing me that when I first spoke to him. And he agreed with me!

Now there is a high risk strategy I wouldn't suggest to ANYONE!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Newbie Upgrades to Amateur

2004-10-05T22:05:00.000+01:00

Just realised that my one year anniversary as a google advertiser has come and gone.

So I am officially upgrading myself to an amateur.

Apparently I am seen as someone who is so organised, dedicated and knowledgeable, but where that notion comes from I don't know:

my office has a sofa bed permanently open as a bed. However, you can't sleep in it as it is full of bags, books, a rubbish bin, coat hangers and some computer bits.

there are 4 chairs in my office, two of which are broken. They have been here now for so long I consider them part of the family and I can't really get myself to throw them out.

there are 4 printers, 4 computers ( two dead ones, but remain for historical and sentimental purposes )two book cases sagging under the strain of all the books and other rubbish on them. and then there is also my wifes desk.

in 3 weeks there must also be room in here for another printing machine, a book binding machine ( ring bound ) and 15000 paperbacks and 3000 hardback books.

how this will happen I don't know.

what I DO know is that:

-all it takes to move forward is ONE step at a time.

so I set myself 3 goals a week, one for every other day. Unlike Gary for instance, I don't even challenge myself to do one thing per DAY, just one thing every OTHER day.

-for me, MASSIVE ACTION, means PAIN IN BACKSIDE.

I have a job. I don't need MORE work, but less of it. I realise I am not exactly going about it the right way when I buy 18 000 books on a hunch ( and 3-4 weeks of reseach ), which leads me on to the NEXT point I have learned this last year:

- stop yourself from doing nothing.

I am not a man of big efforts. I have said to others before you; there are two kinds of people - those that forever keep themselves busy, just to avoid being idle. they will do ANYTHING to avoid it. Their problems are often manifested by too many ideas and never acting ENOUGH on any of them.

I belong to the other group. I strive for idleness. It is in my soul to achieve a state of absolute nothingness. So in order for me to be able to achieve anything, I need a regularly maintained barrier to keep me from being idle, and for me that is my blog, and my friday progress reports.

- Do what's right for YOU

focus, focus focus. if you don't know what you want, anything you do will get you closer to where you want to be. If you're here, but didn't get here becuase you have a dream, then you got here because you are trying to get away from something, and the only way to get away from something you don't like is to leave it behind.

and you know how to leave something behind don't you? walk away from it!

- if you have your own dream, focus on it and focus on getting it at your own speed, and enjoy the fact that other people are achieving their success.

This one I strictly speaking didn't learn in a year. It was drummed into me during my MLM days that dreaming was importand and focusing on your own dream was important, but not as important as being happy for other peoples successes. Other peoples success can be disheartening. They were for me, and some times still are, so I try to stop comparing my progress with other peoples.

The "jealousy" I speak of above is a significant barrier for me, but the more I train my focus on the dreams I have and the tasks I need to complete, the easier it becomes for me to take a genuinely positive attitude to other peoples success stories - because it reaffirms that MY dream is achievable too. So the barrier crumbles and becomes a stepping stone.

If you already get that feeling of "hey, thins thing could work for me too!" from the success stories on this forum, then you have one less barrier to deal with. Pick an idea and just COMPLETE it. Sod if it works or not. MY first idea that I launched still hasn't earnt me any money, but it got me into the entrepreneur mindset. ( one good idea is not enough, put many ideas into action, one at a time, and one day, a good one will work )

If you still struggle with the self doubt, like" but I don't know what it takes, I don't know if I will succeed, all I have to say to you is the following two things:

get over youself, any moron is making money online. You're NOT special enough to mess this up. all it takes is work.

and about 80 per cent of your attempts will not work. That is just the way it is.
They key is to learn from the mistakes and keep on going until you hit the 20 per cent that works.

you don't know what it takes? count yourself lucky! the less you know about it the better, because then you'll be more ready to take on board good advice. Do you think I know anything about making, publishing and selling books? not on your life! but I know people that do! lots of them. And I ask them for advice on how to proceed.

thirdly, just PICK one of your ideas and get started!
if someone else have thought of it, or if someone else thinks it's a bad idea, so what? it's gotten you on the internet property ladder! So what if it's in a "bad neighbourhood" or the colour of the roof looks strange? at least it's YOURS.

forthly?
I said I had two things to mention and I am already on point four. in THAT lies the following lesson:

There's usually twice as much left to do, than you thought there would be when you started.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

In Malta

2004-09-22T18:37:00.000+01:00

Not much to say other than that it is sunny!!

From a marketing perspective, there are lots of opportunities to improve the savvie ness of the businesses here!

On to the bar!

( on an expensive perminute charged internet cafe. )

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Partial success - sort of.

2004-09-16T20:13:00.000+01:00

Doesn't this get booring for you?

I mean, my life is quite tedious from where I am sitting. The evenings are pretty much the same:
I get home from work, have dinner, play with my son, get him to bed and then sit in front of the computer for at least 2 hours - usually four - and I spend a lot of time "researching".

Well I have done SOME of the actions I set out to do:

I got the newsletter out!!!!
I have finished the design of the site - well for now anyway. It should not be a priority for a long time
I had one trip on my bike and a long walk yesterday. I need to up this a bit more as my resting pulse is a massive 68bpm
The business plan - WELL. We did one. We sorted out a bank account for the business. We sorted out the business loan and business payment card. We got the contract vetted by a solicitor, I found eve more industry statistics, I had a call with my publishing mentor and sorted out overall business strategies for a number of different areas, and organised the vans for relocating the business stock & equipment.

As I said two days ago - the rest of them couldn't have been important enough.

For the next 48 hours I will only commit to go to the seminar, get ready for holiday and then prepare for the business take over.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Nottalottadone

2004-09-14T20:42:00.000+01:00

Didn't get MUCH done, but got a LITTLE done.

Did 3 of them:

Exercise
shopping category
Brainstorming

The other 3 can't have been important enough!

Anyway,

I MUST get out the newsletter before thursday, assuming the website is back up again. It is still not an excuse though ( although it is!! How am I supposed to get things done when the admin site of my autoresponder goes down!?? They don't tell you about that in the sales pages do they? B##tards! They won't beat me! )
Migrate the insurance reviews. There's only about 4
Business Plan (!)
Finish the design of the site: font size & font colour.
Write a new article
2 trips on my bike ( or alternative fitness method )( Taibo)

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

48 Hour Marathon

2004-09-12T16:51:00.000+01:00

Before the end of Tuesday evening I will:

Complete the shopping category on my site

Write a newsletter for the site, letting everyone know it's moved & letting them know that we are seeking writers for the articles

Send out the newsletter

Go on my bike, or at least exercise for the same time & intensity
Add one article & 2 reviews
Brainstorm with Pauline 4 the new business

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

24 hour Mad rush!

2004-09-09T22:00:00.000+01:00

With around 24 hours to go I look set to have alot of work on for tomorrow.

Tomorrow morning I am riding my bike for the 3rd time this week.

My Spreadsheets for google are now up to date.

But I have 4 reviews to migrate before the Shopping section is completely migrated. There were 11 of them to move in this the biggest section, so i haven't done too badly. Now all I need to do is move the rest of them

and start to think about what to aim for next week.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

I got on My bike!

2004-09-08T20:06:00.000+01:00

This morning I was absolutley shattered when my sons cold wet hands pulled on my big toe. So when I realised he had actually "overslept" and wandered in almost an hour and a half after he normally does, I had every excuse NOT to go out on my bikeride. Too many people were already up, the traffic would be bad, I'd look stupid infront of lots of people, I wouldn't have time to get around my route and have a shower and have a nice breakfast without being late for work.

Well my old self had anyway.

Come to think of it I am still my old self. Only now I have reasons to do what I do. And I have the accountability that I want to help me do it. And I have the right attitude to just go ahead and do it.

To be honest, at my current fitness level, the trip doesn't last long before I struggle, and so it is a short trip. But it is getting me out there. And the whole idea is to do this because my fitness level is a busines risk should I become a business owner. So I keep the end in mind: I am doing this so I can become a self employed success that will have the time and money to see machu pichu under my own steam.

And I'm too heavy to go go-cart racing!

So I got up, got dressed, fixed my hair ( if I am going to be looked at then at least I have to make sure my hair looks good!) and got on my bike.

Did you get on your bike today?

My to-do list for this evening:

Collate and add the Marketing research findings to the business plan
Help Pauline with the bid proposal for the business
Download the google spreadsheet with my results in it.
Transfer at least on review to the new site.
work more on the business plan
walk in my customers shoes

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Half Way Without moving

2004-09-07T21:21:00.000+01:00

my friday progress report this week included 3 goals:

=> On my bike 3 mornings before next Friday. (while it is moving at speed)
=> Get one more review categories relocated to the new server by Friday
=> No goal for google. Other than to keep the spreadsheet current.

I have been out once on the bike this week. I am going out tomorrow morning and Thursday as well.

I have started work on the next review category. Deadboring but a great lesson in that if you start off wrong, you'll pay for it later!

Google spreadsheet? Yikes!

I'd better go and dig it out!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Centennial Post - On A Friday!

2004-09-03T22:28:00.000+01:00

I would not expect to post here on a Friday as my Friday Progress reports have moved to fridayprogress.blogspot.com

But I thought it would be cool to congratulate myself with the 100th post in this blog.

So congratulations Jon.

For the weekend, my main goals are to:

- go for a bike ride.
- Attend accountability call on Saturday morning.
- Visit the current owners of a business I am considering buying.

to support the 3rd goal I will spend some time researching, and most of my time traveling to where they are.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Enough is Enough

2004-09-01T21:10:00.000+01:00

There is obviously some sort of terrorist agenda that needs the Russians to enter the world wide stage in a war against terrorism.

This blog is normally about business on the internet, by a pasifist.

But after the latest news from Russia, I will have no reservations against Mr Putin if he chose to blow Chechnya (?) to kingdom come.

I know it's wrong to think that, but when animals like these people are such cowards to hide themselves behind children they will never become martyrs. Murderers of children, no matter WHAT objective, are condemned by God to eternal torment and dishonour.

Killing children is not honourable. I can see the point of defending a country against occupying powers, but if you can't fight their soldiers then you are a coward for taking on children and civilians.

And cowards are a disgrace to themselves, their family and their cause. And they, their families and their country deserves any wrath that comes their way, no matter if this wrath is delivered by God or by man.

Cheers,
Jon

Working Away

2004-08-25T18:03:00.000+01:00

You may notice that the posts this week are not here or really short.

This is because I am dividing my efforts into migrating my money tips bits over to another website and at the same time cracking on with the research that is required for the business venture that I mentioned earlier.

It is looking more and more likely that I am moving into the area of Niche publishing. Both hard copy physical books as well as ebooks specific to this niche.

This does not mean that we will definately buy this publisher. It just means that we are very likely to either buy or start one from anew.

You'll be among the first to know what we decide as we are meeting them next weekend. ( 5th of September.) Between then and now I have my Mom visiting for a week.

So I'm progressing!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Not missing

2004-08-23T22:06:00.000+01:00

You may have noticed that there was no Firday progress report in this blog on Friday, but it is not missing.

From Now on I will post them here

http://fridayprogress.blogspot.com

but my daily updates will still end up in this blog. I've decided to separete them out to make them stand out a bit more.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Passive Income - I love you!

2004-08-19T19:22:00.000+01:00

Just read a post on a forum where the poster had been ill over the last few weeks and how he still made a steady "trickle" of an income from his websites.

That's what I want!

I have it from google adwords, to a degree, but it requires a little more interaction than adsense might do.

Although I think the chap in question has picked a very nice niche traffic wise.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Starting Up The Right way

2004-08-17T21:32:00.000+01:00

I think I committed to posting my next days actions on this blog.

Ah well.

Regardless of that, this morning I spoke to a business startup coach and it was a revelation.

If I thought I would be short of things to put on my list this evening I was mistaken. Very!

There is market research, there is business research, there are now TWO business plans to write. There are forcasts to calculate. And one I can do tonight, which is the one that involves changing nothing about the business.

There is far more on the list, but I'm in a hurry so you'll have to wait!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Buying A Business

2004-08-16T20:47:00.000+01:00

At the moment, most of my online time is spent on one thing - investigating if a business we have identified is a good business to buy.

Goodness me there are lots of stuff to think about - but it's a great exercise!

My mind is getting such a juicy massage thinking about strategic alternatives, looking at the accounts ( or in this case - the one sheet of paper ), investigating the market niche, investigating the products relative position in this niche as well as looking at operational and tactical alternatives for the business.

and of course number crunching. For instance, one little test I did showed that by carrying out one activity for one hour, the turn over would on average improve by £53.86 for every hour we did this. I have however not tested if this hourly rate goes down at any particular point.

It's a bit like debts I suppose - always do the one that gives you the highest return.

It's been an interesting lesson, and one that has made my money website suffer tragically.

the three actions I listed on Friday that related to that website has remained not done.

The one that will have the biggest impact is submitting my articles and my articles directory to other websites & search engines.

I guess you know what that means.

I also have committed to send out a newsletter, which means I must write an article about money and come up with a money tips review as well as writing the article.

On we go!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

FP - 6 Steps Forward & Google Going backwards

2004-08-13T22:11:00.000+01:00

How I'm Doing This week?

Funny you should ask. My google adwords are being clicked on like mad. Anyone buying more though? nope. Sales are holding steady, but the clicks have gone up. No idea why.

In my "real life" I am still employed but have no actual "job" to do. It is a bizzarre situation to be in I tell you. I log on to my broadband in the morning and all I have to do is browse my companys internal job noitce board, speak to people in my network and pick up the odd problem from my old "job". Will they let me go? no. Can I pick and choose what roles to apply for? yes? Do I have to get interviewed every week? yes. Are there any consequences if I don't? not for a while.

But anyway. In the evenings I crack on with the possible business venture. Which basically means I am back to my a set of 3 projects again:
- google adwords
- money website
- offline business venture

New things I will do:

I haven't mentioned it before, but as I am doing it already, I might just as well tell you these two things now -
I am concentrating alot of my effort on getting the money tips website content management problem sorted.

The rest of my time is now being spent on investigating buying a business.

Although I have just realised I could launch a paid membership website to the marketplace, without buying the business, and at far less setup cost.

This weeks lessons:

Mark Litman's Greatness held hostage has made me realise I am better at listening to stuff than at reading about it. But he is so annoyingly enthusiastic I have yet to get through the whole hour long cd.

I did pick up a system for making progress though, which involves writing down 6 things I could do tomorrow to progress my business.

For tomorrow I have written down:

1. Write up the market reseach findings I have so far & identify gaps

2. write a money article

3. Submit a money article

4. I need to decide on what to do with my domain / hosting of my money website as the current plan doesn't support the content management tool I prefer.

5. If I receive the accounts from the business we are reviewing, copy them and send a copy off to our accountant.

5a - If i don't get them, then I need to sit down with pauline and write down all our findings in our mind map, so the plan gets written down at least.

6. Write a background or summary for the business startup coach I am hopefully speaking to on Tuesday ( hopefully as I haven't had the call confirmed yet )

I think I'll use my blog to publish my 6-list. Although I might shorten it if I can't get it all done in a day.

Anyone any good at business planning? drop me a line if that's the case!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Yet another system to manage my progress

2004-08-12T20:10:00.000+01:00

I'm trying a new system ( again )

This time I am writing down the 6 most important things I can do tomorrow to bring my business forward. I am on my second day.

So far I have done 3 of them.

and come 10 to 10 this evening, I will stop working, think about and write down 6 things that I will do tomorrow to bring my business & life forward.

And for 5 minutes after ten, I will think about how I will benefit from it, and try to focus on the reward.

When I know how well this system works, I'll let you know.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

What am I doing?

2004-08-11T22:44:00.000+01:00

You could wonder, as much as I am. It seems I am all over the place these days.

I am taking action on a "realworld" project at the moment, as well as making sure I remain in employment for at least a little longer.

But I can not for the life of me figure out what it is that I am doing every evening these days. Because of my current RSI issues I need to limit the time I spend on the machine, but I am not even remotely efficient.

Am I progressing? Well the google bits are earning me a little bit of profit. the money website? Well I am still evaluating the application to use to manage my site.

I have found a tool that I like, but it will not run on the hosting platform I am using.
Ok, time to write down that action
- I will ask my current host what it would cost to transfer / release the domain.

Now to find 5 more...

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Mike Litman is LOUD!

2004-08-10T22:32:00.000+01:00

I guess it was a little over a week ago that my mentor sent me an email telling me about Mike Litman and his free Audio Cd.

Well, it wasn't free as I had to pay for postage, but there you go.

Anyway, I have listened thorough about half the CD so far, and once I stopped laughing out loud at the gusto, enthusiasm and sheer american flamboyance there were in truth some nice nuggets of information in there.

He talks about how time is the most valuable asset or currency you've got. That is also why it is important to spend it wisely. He also mentions some time management system that seems quite ingenious.

This isn't a review! I'll tell you what I did instead.

I got down to business and sorted not one, not two, but 3 problems I've been struggling with.

The new website management software is now installed on the test server, and I will be running it for a little while to see if I can put up with it or if I need to bite the bullet and manage my content with another tool. Which means I have to consider getting another domain name for my service. Hmmm. By writing the ebook(s) and setting up a sales page for that, I could in fact migrate the whole money tips idea to that domain... hmmm - worth a thought.

I managed to grit my teeth and actually publish the content I had sitting on my machine, as well as the newsletter. Not that it actually gets delivered anymore - but that's another story.

And I sat down and wrote another article for the ebook. Or rather restructured one I had already. plus I got to test ViaVoices ability to transcribe audio.

And now I know it's a waste of time to try, as I have to retype it anyway!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

I HATE Software!!

2004-08-09T21:59:00.000+01:00

You may have noticed that I haven't been posting as regularly as I have promised to do.

It happens.

I just didn't feel like it, and so I didn't.

And to be honest, my internet progress has suffered as a consequence. Well the rate of progress at least. My focus has gone towards trying to find a software solution that will work with my hosting provider while at the same time being user friendly from 3 angles:

1. From the visitors point of view, there should be a nice and uncluttered website, great to navigate.

2. From the Administrators point of view it should be easy to manage NEW content, as well as settings and site elements.

3. From the Content contributors point of view, it should simply be a question of submitting it and be done with it.

And why do I hate software? Because they insist on some dork called a "designer" being involved in the process!

All I want, is something that does exactly what I want it to do, not something that asks me to do what IT wants me to do!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

FP- Sideways Is Also Progress

2004-08-06T22:20:00.000+01:00

Hello and let's get cracking. There's not much to say this week so I might just get it over with.

How I'm Doing This week:

Well I have sent off one as yet unpublished article to hitched.co.uk as they were looking for stories on honeymoons.

My website is targeting the UK market place so other than trying to get a foothold on some of the money forums and searching in vain for uk specific article directories, there isn't much else I have done.

I have signed up to the Adwords Mentor website and by tweaking a campaign that was suffering a little I have now twice as many sales this week compared to last week.

I haven't mentioned adwords since about April as I vowed to keep it running as was until August. August is now here and I am ramping up for the Christmas show down.

The merchants are touting the back to school offerings but I have yet to find many positive looking keywords for that market so I am inclined to not bother, unless a particular product offering leaps out at me.

I am looking actively to buy a business with a positive cashflow to replace my salary. That way I would in theory be able to "retire" from the corporate world sooner rather than later. We have so far rejected about 25 possibles, but think we have found one that suit our interests, that has a market with high demand and has run successfully since 1999. Just need to make sure the numbers add up I suppose.

And that we have a clear idea of what we can do to improve it.

I have also finally established a test website for a PHP and Mysql managed content website. Now all I need to figure out is how to change the design!

New things I will do:

None. I have too many outstanding current "actions" as it is! although I have bought a software development package as I have two product ideas for the money website.Â

Things I am Dropping:
None.

This weeks lessons:
I feel that I have not contributed as much as I hoped on my "main project" this week as I should, but I think some times, I need to remember that it isn't the PROJECTS that are important but what I am trying to achive with my life that is important.

So when I have dedicated as much time as I have to investigate the market, the suppliers, the customers and the rest, then that is because I think that will bring me closer to my goals.

I know this is an excuse, but I do this for the lifestyle that I want. Too lofty a goal Gary tells me, but it is the reason I do it. The vision of being able to go to Machu Pichu when I want to, is better I suppose, but the over riding factor for me is:

I will not do anything that will take over my life, unless it is enjoyable, and give me the freedom to work it from anywhere in the world.

And my biggest problem is that I don't know what I enjoy! :o)

This weeks audience question:

Anyone know how to modify PHP pages?

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If You use adwords you MUST check out AdwordsMentor!

2004-08-03T21:10:00.000+01:00

Adwords Mentor is the latest venture from the inventor of googlecash, Chris Carpenter, and his protege, Jeremy Wilson.

I've just signed up and have so far browsed through the Q&A section and the forum and listened to a couple of the teleseminars.

I have also a copy of the audio interview with Chris, Jeremy and gordon and if you take action to listen or read to nothing else, that WILL offer you new insights into how to make adwords work.

The trick you see is not to get the top spot in a competitive and really popular keyword. The TRICK is to get in the top 8 as cheaply as possible on a keyword where people are happy to take the action that you want them to take. And THAT is what this website is ALL about.

You need to get in NOW to get the $2.95 7 Day trial and the discounted monthly membership fee.

Adwordsmentor.com

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Can't Be bothered! Who's loss is that then?

2004-07-30T21:19:00.000+01:00

Do you mind if I don't bother today? I'm not feeling to good.
If I really were to ask that of YOU, I would have missed the point of doing these posts every Friday since March.
I was asking it of myself this morning. And no, I didn't read Gary's post on "can not be bothered" until only a few minutes ago. So here goes, but shorter than usual for various health reasons. ( sitting in front of the computer for 14-16 hours a day is taking its toll

How I'm Doing This week:

Having a great time learning the meaning of migraine. Must have been something I said the other week to kimi about me never having any headaches! been really rough so I have keept away from the computers as much as possible. And that will have to continue for a little bit longer.

New things I will do:

Nothing. Not deliberately anyway. I am still looking for somewhere to send my articles to!

Things I am Dropping:

Plates and shopping. I can't seem to hold on to anything properly this week, so I am guessing it will carry on and I will smash yet another Woolies mug or a pint of milk by letting it slip out of my hand and onto the tiled kitchen floor!

This weeks lessons:

a pint of milk is heavier than you think!
Even though I had a week OFF computers through simple neccessity, I still managed to get some things done. I even have an article in mind for this weekend, and some good reviews lined up.

The value of this post to anyone else might be minimal. If any value at all can be gleaned from this post it is this:
You will have "uphill" weeks where everything is harder than usual. That's just the way it is. The fact that you are having one doesn't make you special, a victim or someone that should be pitied. It just shows you you're alive.

This weeks audience question:

if you know of any , ANY, UK orientated article submission directories then let me know, as I can't find them!

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The Solopreneur is ill

2004-07-29T20:54:00.000+01:00

Jon has been ill for the last few days and may not be posting here for a while.

I'll get back to you when we have more news.

Don't worry - it's nothing life threatening! :)

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

FP- Doing Nothing On My To-Do List Was Good For Me

2004-07-23T22:49:00.000+01:00

Yet another installment of my Friday Progress I am afraid. Thank you by the way to those of you that have told me on this forum and in person how much you appreciate me posting these updates.
It's a strange experience for me I tell you to have people I hardly know tell me they enjoy something that I do for my own benefit.
So thank you very much.
How I'm Doing This week:

On my blog I posted yesterday that this was a week for re-balancing myself.

Which means I didn't do any of the things I said I was going to do! I hope we all have weeks like this!
I also mentioned in the post that not doing what I set out to do made me feel uncomfortable. Maybe even a little guilty. To be honest I was really fed up with everything and everyone. But it was possible that this discomfort was trying to teach me something. I'm still not sure what it was, but it also made me conviced that I can't avoid discomfort.

If there is something I don't like, I might need to spend some time looking at why it is making me uncomfortable. If I don't like dealing with hassle that might happen on a forum like this, maybe my brain is trying to tell me that I am going about it the wrong way. Maybe it isn't trying to tell me to stay away from this sort of hassle, but asking me to consider other ways of dealing with it.

Either way, my re-balancing act gave me a chance to reflect on the old and ask about the new. and a good few people took the time to respond to my forum posts. I was particularly grateful for Andy Henrys response on a thread on this forum as it came at a time where I needed to read what he wrote. Thanks.
Other people offered words of encouragement and even gave me an ebook so I could read up and find some of the answers that I was looking for on Martins Forum. That was of tremendous help in getting me out of the midset I was drifting into.

On the day that Martin mentioned my post, I was having a dreadful day and at the end of the day, I sat down and wrote in my blog. And I had to reflect on what had happened that day. And because of the nice people that responded to me, I had to concede that the day hadn't been a total waste. In fact, as I read my post back, I had to find it quite an inspiration that people can be this nice.

New things I will do:

Well, I have yet to apply the marketing tactics of actually submitting my articles to any directories. So I will, come hell or high water, submit at least ONE article this week to a directory.
and the ebook. well. I will spend 4 hours on it this weekend.

Things I am Dropping:

The early morning writing "sessions". At least for the time being as I am as dead as a dodo before 9am - which makes me a bit of a road hazard! Shame really as the days where I start to work before 8 usually turn out to be very productive days.

This weeks lessons:
I think you'll find most of my lessons mentiond at the top of this post!

But. Maybe. Sometimes, not doing what I set out to do can be a good thing. Sometimes you just don't feel like doing what you're supposed to be doing, so should I still do it? Should I bother?
I had a week like that this week, but in spite me completing absolutely no tasks that I had set out to complete, I still managed to move forward, but in a different direction than I anticipated. I don't think it's very productive to act like that very often, but I also found it to be quite depressing to feel guilty about not doing something I should be doing because I enjoy it.

It is so easy to dwell in this guilt, and to be honest I pretty much was for most of the week. But sod it, if I need a week of rest, then I'll take a week of rest! It has also made it quite clear that the format is far more work than I anticipated, and maybe I should consider opening it up to others writing some of the reviews and articles. Or turn them into a email course, or ebook.

And I also learnt masses about myself. For instance, I am getting increasingly better at talking myself UP. These Friday Progress Reports help tremendously, but so do the daily posts on my blog. Like a diary, they make me reflect on the days events, and because I focus on the positive lessons I can extract from the days events, it makes me feel good.

Which can't be bad ;o)

This weeks audience question:
Would it be useful to have a website with all these little reports collected in one place? I have a fair few by now, and the philosophy is getting clearer in my head

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

A Re-balancing week

2004-07-22T23:23:00.000+01:00

While contemplating this weeks Friday Progress report that I will be writing tomorrow, I can't think of anything that I have done to bring my business forward this week.

though if pushed, I would admit that having found a public domain book on money savings was a great help, and I have also spent the week reflecting.

The week has without a doubt felt uncomfortable, which must mean that I am stretching a boundary somewhere. Or I am coping with a new challenge or something.

Politeness out of the way, had I not had this blog to write, which I haven't done every day, This week would have turned into a right crappy one.

But I asked some questions on various fora and I got responses. And the fact that people were willing to answer my plea, was an inspiration. I can safely say THAT was the single most important factor that kept me out of the abyss. Because this blog made me reflect on the magnitude of their actions.

That sounded rather pompous. What I mean is that this blog allows me, at the end of every night, to contemplate on the positive things that have happened in my life on this day, and because i do that, any "bad moods" don't linger as long as they used to.

I think tomorrow some people need to be thanked.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Words Fail Me!

2004-07-21T23:47:00.000+01:00

Energy has now been missing from my life for well over a week.

Burnout or what ever it is, I needed a day off from work today, and it made a little improvement.

I should consider myself lucky that I have a choice I suppose, but there you go.

At least, I still remember the YEAR I first met my wife - My wife doesn't! :o)

She had to ask me today when it was we met. I presume it is for her blog entry. Should be a nice long read when she's done.

I have received so much help and advice from so many people over the last few days, showing me where I can find answers to my questions about what to do with my future.

I must admit I find this quite inspirational, as most of these people don't know me from Adam, but are still very willing to offer understanding, guidance and answers with no particular self interest in mind. Not that I could notice anyway.

This new "idea" in my head is one that has cause a lot of havoc in my world lately. Like most new ideas do to me. Which is why I told myself to avoid those sorts of experiences back in March. I guess it's time to refocus.

But I thank my dreams for showing me what to do ( I hope!) and I am sure I will be able to answer the question:

How can I solve this problem of mine?

Thanks,

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Meeting Of Minds

2004-07-19T21:47:00.000+01:00

The seminar on Sunday was good. Tiring, like anything challenging, but very interesting and very inspirational.

There were a lot of eye opening moments there for me. I knew the speaker very well and I also know his philosophy quite well, but I am not an avid believer in self development.

I do in fact think too much of it can be a bad thing because developing the self can get in the way of actually doing anything. There is only so much time in the world, and for me, self development rarely invades productive time. Well, that is the excuse I give anyway.

Having said that, I can hand on heart say I believe in working on improving myself. And I DO suspect I am not feeding my brain with enough self development material, but books are not it for me. I need interaction with others to learn more about myself. Or listening to an e course or audio with work activities that force me to act on what I hear - as I hear it.

And there was alot of interactivity on this seminar. And even though I thought I knew WHY I was doing what I am doing, it became painfully clear to me that it wasn't specific enough. I know that now, because I was TOLD it wasn't specific enough!

And I have lots to learn about myself, even though I have learnt so much about myself and the world in the last 5 months.

Now I just need some signal to help clear my mind. I think the fog is lifting a little but it's as if I can not believe what I see.

But thank you for showing me how I can become a successful solopreneur.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

FP - Worn out, tired, chewed up, drained and drowsy.

2004-07-16T20:52:00.000+01:00

Worn out, tired, chewed up, drained and drowsy. I could do with an energy boost. But I am still keeping going. This week out of sheer stubbornness rather than pleasure. Although it is quite pleasing to learn that I can push myself.

How I'm Doing This week:
I'm ahead of myself again with the reviews this week, although I doubt I'll have everything ready for Sunday as I will be spending all of the weekend away. But we'll see what I get done tonight and tomorrow morning.
I've also started hanging out in a UK money forum, but they all seem to frown on anyone other than the site owner posting affiliate links.
Which is a bit greedy of them I find.
Maybe that's an opportunity there for me, as I am sure I'm not the only one wanting or needing to make a buck.
And I have promised my subscribers that I will create a forum for them. So maybe I will let that be the USP of my site then ; affiliate links allowed after you have posted a few times, added value, no blatant advertising or spam, and clearly mark the links as affiliate links.
There is one web site that does something similar, only he only allows affiliate links in one thread, and you then have to link back to that thread if people think you deserve the commission, and you have to post an affiliate free link too.
Anyway. I have also as you may have seen started to distract myself by looking at buying a business that is already up and running. It seems like such a fantastically easy thing to do, this buying a business, improve its efficiency, let someone else manage it, or sell it, and then move on to the next business. I am experiencing illusions of grandeur as I think I should consider going into Business Development. As property development is not my thing. yet. But obviously I am not ready yet as I am thinking that it is easy.

New things I will do:
Not so much a new thing, but I have yet to submit any articles anywhere. So I must do that.
As I am now woken up every morning between 5am and 6:30 by a little toddler who has found out how to open doors, I might as well start using half an hour every morning working on the following weeks money reviews.
That way it will free up time in the evenings to work on articles and on my WHY. Ad writing more of the articles to go in my ebook (-let)

Things I am Dropping:
Nothing is getting dumped this week. Although I am hoping the seminar won't cause too much havoc. Wen I learn new things havoc has had a tendency to follow.
And the blog is nearing the risk threshold. It is likely at least that I will drop it down to 3 days a week instead of daily. But for now I will keep at it so I can continue to get to know my dicipline guide that tries to show me the right thing to do. ( who posted that comment somewhere? It was a quote from Jim Rohn any way and it made great sense to me! )
And the web site publishing method I am using is still at risk.

This weeks lessons:
For a section starting with "nothing is getting dumped this week" there was a lot I needed to say!

Rubbish isn't always rubbish.
As I left the office this afternoon I spotted a little rabbit doing something that triggered a "light bulb moment" for me.
I must tell you that the location I work in is actually smack bang in the middle of a protected wildlife area. It is actually on what used to be the sea, but after a lot of work the area was turned from a sea bird haven into the 6 buildings that are there. But as part of the deal with the council, the company I work for had to create a massive lake and water canal system to recreate the environment some of the wild life that was there was used to.
It works. There are stork like creatures there, Cranes I think they are called? Huge solitary creatures they are, mainly hated by gardeners with ponds because they come and pinch the really expensive karps. We have loads of various ducks, massive pigeons, and lots more that I have no idea what is. And Canada Geese. Tons of them. They eat grass like there is no tomorrow. Only it comes out like grass as well. Everywhere. But some how, by the next morning the Canada droppings have vanished.
I was assuming it was the cleaners and janitors that cleaned this up, and maybe it is, but this little rabbit I saw was nibbling away on the Canadian "deposits" with as much gusto as the Geese ate it. and it makes sense. The grass must come out as fast as it is being put in, so a lot of the nutrition might be left in it. And it saves the rabbit a lot of work if he only has to find a ready made grass pellet a la goose to get a wholesome meal.
So maybe that's how it all vanishes in the night. As the site has vermin like levels of rabbits right by the buildings.
So I got a lesson in reuse. What is no longer required by some - to put it delicately - can be life saving for someone else. Or indeed a delicacy! To me it was a reminder that opportunities are can be found in the unlikeliest, and sometimes unpleasant, places.
So next time you step in some Goose pooh, feel sorry for the rabbit whose meal you just ruined.

This weeks audience question:
If a tree falls in the forest, onto a little cabin, was it the trees fault or the cabins fault that the roof caved in?
Can think of anything important to ask. If you want to tell me something feel free! :o)

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Weekend Break

2004-07-15T20:57:00.000+01:00

I'm away this weekend on a seminar for the mind so I am hard at work with my money website, trying to get my article written, trying to write the newsletter, trying to get some more written on my ebook ( I seem to contantly change my mind about how to structure it, and I think I have found it this time, and in addition to twelve ( or 9 ) quick ways to improve your personal finances fast, there are 9 ( or 12 ) articles to be written on each of those subjects as well.

So keep your eyes out for it when it is ready.

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Entrepreneur Or Just Pretending?

2004-07-14T22:47:00.000+01:00

As you may have gathered, I have this week managed to distract myself a bit by looking at the possibilities of buying a running business, or a going concern I thing the expression is.

I asked the question on a couple of forums and I got some answers, which is great.

It is also a bit worrying as it has firstly made me aware that I knew very little about this, and secondly, it is more interesting thinking about this than it is to do what I know I need to do to run my other website well.

So off to contemplate some more!

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Lifes Little Cross Roads

2004-07-13T20:50:00.000+01:00

I have been in the interesting position of knowing my job was going, for a few months now.

I already know that I won't be made redundant but rather redistributed to other tasks.

I think I am getting more stressed about this than I first realised, but my biggest issue is that this deal I am getting makes me feel like I am being paraded along this vast panorama window showing this fantastically lush green field on the other side, only there is no way I can get there without smashing the glass.

With a settlement package I would at least have a buffer for a few months where part time jobs earning me 30 % of what I am making now would be sufficient to keep us going a little longer, while I try to build my empire.

I do not cope well with money worries. I shouldn't say this i suppose as I co-founded a website with my wife on the subject of money. The truth of it though is that I need to feel in control, and creating that website makes me feel like I am taking a little control. When Pauline was made redundant I was perfectly happy with the situation as we had enough to live on for quite some time, because she had a package.

But I got picky about things like her spending £1100 on a "new" older and cheaper car. Especially since she hadn't sold the old car. And I take no satisfaction in the fact that she never sold her old car she was supposed to replace, and now the old heap she bought is sitting in front of our garage rusting away, Sorn'ed off the road, not tax, no MOT and no Insurance - and we'd be lucky to get £50 for it. Those sorts of thigs stress me out.

And if I had no job I think I'd be even worse. I'd certainly want to have full control, and that is not something Pauline would be comfortable with, as she wants independence. if you've read her money articels you'd know part of the reason why!

You'd have to register on =The Money Tips Review.co.uk to find out.

I have logically no problem with her desire to be independent with her money, but she spends her money like I spend my time - it could have been spent wiser!

My dad would have told me to hold fire until at least I know what sort of offers are available from the redeployment office, and I can almost hear him speak to me.

What he would have told me? Think of the money! You will have some days that are horrible, and some that are worse. Once in a while it's fun too. But on the bad days just grit your teeth and get on with it. I think this piece of advice is the one piece of advice that I recite to myself over and over again. I could almost say it is the best piece of advice he's given me.

Almost, because the best piece of advice he gave me was during his speech at our wedding, before the cancer in his brain got too bad. It was worse than we realised obviously, but even in a foreign language, he never faltered and had the guests laughing singing and welcoming Pauline in unison into our family.

As a public speaker, it is him I will always strive to become like, and it is in his memory I want to achieve my potential.

With that perspective in mind, it seems so daft to spend my days doing a job that is damaging my health, simply because of the money.

His advice?

"Make sure you always get the final word in any argument with Pauline. And make sure those words are:

yes love"

:)

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better

How Taking An Evening Off Was A GREAT idea!

2004-07-12T22:10:00.000+01:00

It took me a fortnight to get around to it, but this weekend I have by any measures had a good weekend, Simply because I had a "holiday" Deadline. or more importantly a DATE!

Usually I spend my Sundays frantcally trying to finish everything I need to finish for my Money websites Newsletter. And I manage to get it out there around 11 pm - if I am lucky. I am lazy you see and have been working on trying to remove the bad habbit of doing everything last minute.

Although I published it around midnight last night, it was by far the internet accomplishment I will cherish the most for a long while.

The reason was that for the first time in the 5 issue old life of my weekly newsletter, (creativity was in short supply when I gave it the cunning name of "Newsletter". Note the Capital N. Business Consultants would have charged me thousands for that!)

now where was i?

Ah. Yes, we published a full set of articles AND Reviews. Plus I had a great time at the cinema suffering through a dreadful Harry Potter film. The reason it was great in spite of the film was that we had accomplished what we set out to do by the time we had to leave to get to the cinema in time for the film.

The website was updated and it was only a question of sending the emails, but the autoresponder website was slow to, well, respond.

Had I known how dreadful the film was I would have made Pauline wait until I had published the newsletter, but we were running short of time so I decided to leave it until we came back.

Shrek 2 Started 10 minutes after Harry Potter you see...

Cheers,
Jon

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Pizza, Popcorn & Pepsi

2004-07-11T16:09:00.000+01:00

Our weekends are pretty much a fixed routine:

We have a lazy day on Saturday, and I make the Saturday family treat. As my mothers secret pizza recipe comes out it strikes me that I should remember it by now, but I never do. Not that it's complicated, but get the measuremetns wrong and the end result isn't the perfect pizza.

Sunday comes around as early as 6am when my son, who now has figured out how to open doors, comes out of from behind his, walks into the bathroom. Stays there for a minute or two refreshing himself, and then comes into our room to greet us.

Goodness knows what he does in the bathroom as he's not even two yet and he can't reach to see the mirror, nor is he tall enough to get up to the toilet seat!

Once the breakfast is out of the way we usually have a half day trip out somewhere just to get out of the house and have a break. And then I work like mad in the afternoon and evenings. And to be honest I think my wifes life right now is pretty mundane and booring.

So this evening instead there will be popcorn and pepsi as we go to the cinema while Thomas gets to enjoy a babysitter. A rare treat indeed, which is one of the dangers of running my own internet adventure I suppose.

In the excitement of making money it is easy to forget why I am doing this in the first place. But on the upside, knowing that I had this evening off has also made me focus more on getting things finished and ready for my website sooner. And I am in fact ready to publish now. All I have left to do is write the newsletter, import Paulines article - when I get it from her - modify the html files, all 80 odd them, and publish them to my staging directory for testing before publishing them and the newsletter later.

Subscribers will find out if I make it!

My Money Website

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=

Friday Progress In New Clothes

2004-07-09T23:26:00.000+01:00

Hi, I'm trying a new format this week. let me know if it's any better than what I've done before. The format that is!

How I'm Doing This week:

It feels like a mixed week as I did get my money tips out, although a lot later than I wanted to. I also blatantly forgot to work on my ebook.

I have maximum of 15 hours officially to my disposal every week- but I probably do more like 25. I know I spend maybe 4 to 6 hours on adwords and the rest on blogging, articles, newsletter and reviews. Oh and time wasting. And website issues, learning new things and learning about myself.

The list is longer than I remembered it to be, but at the same time it's not much of an achievement. More than Nothing is better than nothing. Sets me apart from 95 % of people out there aparently. But I am stealing 10 hours of sleep or family time every week which in my book is bad.

New things I will do:
I am not going to mention new goals or anything on Fridays any more. I will do that on my weekend post instead, with an update on progress mid week.

What I will do on Fridays instead is in this section I will mention my weekly Kaizens - my new things that I am going to start doing.

A KAIZEN is a small, insignificant step, but one that brings progress in one way or another. I might mention as few or as many as I feel like.

Things I am Dropping:
This week, that would be to publish my weekly goals on a Friday. I will do that on Sundays most likely, after publishing my newsletter

This weeks lessons:
I always seem to learn a lot every week. This week for instance I have realised that whenever I have to write these Friday progress reports, the list of things I have done and achieved is always longer than I imagined it would be. And it feels nice to discover that every week! I start out writing things like: " It's been a mixed week - I have only done this, that, the other, that bit, the other one, and this one over there and another one too. Plus the two I forget every week. So all in all I've done quite a a lot!" which get a bit contradictory! But it still feels darn nice to discover it!

It has also (finally!! ) begun to sink in that when I don't feel like doing something - I should just go and do it straight away. Not only does that make me "challenge my comfort zone" which supposedly is quite important, but it means I won't be wasting time thinking about doing something that might be uncomfortable.

A third and final lesson is about Gurus. I just had confirmation that they are nothing special. They just got lucky, and some of them forget this and THINK because people come to them with generous JV offers that they ARE special. Someone that started learning what I want to learn a day before me can be my expert. They do after all know what it is like to go through their first day learning the subject. So just like it is among mortals, gurus can be dumb too.

It just strikes me as odd that when they concentrate on building up a reputation, they are more interested in making a fast buck than to protect their brand name. Not that I have one worth protecting yet, but I most certainly wouldn't like to stake my reputation on a bad, illegal or ethically questionable product. But they have revealed themselves to be human after all.

This weeks audience question:
Would it be better to have your newsletter come out on a predictable day and time, or randomly within each week?

Cheers,
Jon ( still progressing )

=Every Day In Every Way, I'm Getting Better And Better=