By Valerie Young

Valerie Young

You love the idea of being your own boss. The ability to control your time and life, getting to do work you’re passionate about, perhaps making a difference in the world.

It’s a wonderful goal and frankly I can’t imagine living any other way. The big question is what are you willing to do to make that dream happen? Here are 4 questions that require an honest reply:

“Am I Willing to Put in the Time?”

When most six year olds were dreaming of being ball players or astronauts, James King already announced he was going to be a novelist. Like most though, James grew up and followed the traditional path: Marriage, kids, and a “real job” writing corporate training materials.

However, unlike the vast majority of people who abandon their childhood dreams entirely, James stuck with his. Every morning at 5:00 am he faithfully wrote for a few hours before heading off to work. His dedication to his dream was impressive. After all nothing in life comes with a guarantee of success — which makes the real question, “Am I willing to put in the time regardless of the outcome?”

Fortunately James was, which is a good thing because for him all that time spent honing his craft paid off. In 2009 his debut novel beat out some 6,500 writers in 22 countries to win the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition.

His book, Bill Warrington’s Last Chance was published by Viking who set him up with a nice advance and a 10 city book tour.

True, James did not achieve his dream of being a novelists until he was 55. Nor has he made enough quite yet to quit his day job. But James is on his way and it’s all because he put in the time to keep working at what he loved, regardless of the outcome.

“Am I Willing to Fail?”

How many rejections or out right failures do you think it would take before you gave up? Five? Ten? One? (Don’t laugh. I know incredibly talented people who’ve stopped altogether after receiving a single lukewarm response.) How about 54? That’s how many book agents passed on James King’s fourth unpublished novel before he won the Amazon contest.

If you really want to be your own boss, you must be willing to put yourself and your work out there. That also means being willing to be suffer rejection, disappointment, and failure and still keep going. How many would it have taken for you to give up?

In the 15 years I’ve been in business, I’ve tried many things that have flopped. Am I disappointed when I spend days, weeks or even months on something and it doesn’t earn a dime? Yup. But the key is I always learn something too. Putting something out there is the only way to find out what the majority of your customers, clients, or audience want — or should I say, want enough to pay for, which can be two different things.

No entrepreneur gets it right every time — and almost never the first time. If things don’t work out immediately, then use it as an opportunity to figure out what went wrong — and then tinker with it until it works. In engineering it’s known as failure analysis. In sports it’s called watching the game tapes.

If what you have to offer isn’t making any money, adjust the price, your marketing strategy, your product, your writing style….  But whatever you do, don’t change your plan to make a living doing what you love.

“Am I Willing to Seek Out Inspiration?”

Everyone wants to be inspired. But being open to inspiration and actively seeking it out are two different things. When was the last time you actually carved out time to go looking for entrepreneurial inspiration?

Ideally, you want to seek out inspiration from people who are already doing the thing you want to do. But it’s not necessary. For instance, you don’t have to be the least bit interested in writing to be inspired by these videos of Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award winners, finalists, and editors discussing what it takes to write a breakthrough novel.

You don’t even have to stop watching television to be inspired — but you might need to change the channel. Some of the most inspiring shows on entrepreneurship come from young people. My local PBS station WGBY produces a wonderful show called Making It Here Teen Style. One of my favorite segments was about teen mother Anna Sullivan who started a successful jewelry business while finishing high school and raising her daughter.

Another fabulous PBS show is Biz Kids. Each episode of this slickly produced show features young entrepreneurs telling their start up story. You definitely don’t have to be a kid to benefit from their hard won lessons about the importance of business planning, marketing, money management, and much more.

If you don’t get this program in your area you can watch previous episodes online. Plus, there’s a downloadable curriculum you can use to inspire your own kids or other youth in your community — something I’ve volunteered to do at a local teen center called the Brick House.

One of my own more recent inspiring moments was getting to be a part of the Mutual of Omaha Aha Moment series. It’s been a longtime dream of mine to travel the country filming inspiring entrepreneurs, so it was fun to experience what it was like on the other side of the camera.

What was even more fun was turning the tables on Jessica and Dave, the young people in charge of the production. I figured when you spend four months traveling to 25 states listening to hundreds of people talk about their life changing moments, it has to change you as well. I was right.

There are valuable lessons to be learned anywhere and everywhere. You just have to be willing to seek them out.

If you’d like, you can watch my Aha Moment…

Or better yet take a few moments each day to listen to and be inspired by all of the Aha Moments. You never know who you’ll meet there!

“Am I Willing to Spend Money?”

After sitting in on one of his daughter’s college classes (also an aspiring writer), James King enjoyed it so much that he enrolled in an MFA program at Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. He didn’t spend all that money because he wanted a degree he said. Instead James wanted something far more valuable — feedback.

James’ investment was in his education (always wise). For Anna Sullivan it was in materials. Either way, you invest money because you expect to make that money back and then some. For James, the financial investment paid off in the form of a book deal. For Anna it’s profit. “The money is definitely the best part,” said Anna. “I was shocked at how much I could actually make off this stuff — I was shocked.”

Building a business is like building a house. You can build it quickly or you can build it slowly over time. If you want to go super fast, you can buy a business from someone else. Or you can hire someone to help you grow. That could be a coach or someone who can handle the marketing, or both. But like a house, you do need to invest in raw materials and the skill sets required to get the job done right.

So what are you willing to do to move your dream to the next level? Life is short and trust me, this dream of yours is not going to happen without you. Once you start experiencing the joy of progress, the time, money, lessons learned will be well worth the effort.

Note from Valerie: Discover the “3 Essential Secrets to Changing Course to Work at What You Love” in my new video available at the Changing Course home page. (I’d love your feedback!)

And while you’re there, sign up for a FREE session with a trained Profiting from Your Passions Career Coach and discover how to use the 5-Step Changing Course Formula to create a clear vision of the work you were born to do (hint: it won’t even feel like work) There are only a limited number of free spots available. Learn more here.

Before I answer the question, “Can you really fire your boss in 90 days or less?” I need *you* to answer a question for me:

QUESTION: Do you work in a high stress job you don’t enjoy… or for a boss you don’t respect… do you often pray for a snow day, a sick day, Friday or any day but Monday?

At one time or another we’ve all stayed in toxic jobs. Are we masochists? No.

The reason we squander our gifts, and sometimes even our health, comes down to one word: MONEY.

Obviously we all need money. Yet our attitudes about money — where it comes from and what to do with it vary tremendously. Working for a salary is one way.

But even if you make a very good salary, it’s not the path to wealth and it’s certainly not your ticket to freedom.

Demystifying Financial Freedom

In his best-selling book Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!, Robert Kiyosaki says there are two different approaches to money.

He uses the metaphor of his two dads to explain the differences — one of which will allow you to fire your boss in 90 days or less… the other pretty much ensures a life time sentence in job jail.

Poor Dad

• Whenever you work for a salary you are unwittingly demonstrating the money mentality of a “poor dad.”
• The poor dad is preoccupied with things like job security, Social Security, vacation and sick leaves, company insurance and salary raises and promotions.
• The thinking here is that you need to work hard to have enough money to pay the bills.

In other words, if you approach money from the mentality of the poor dad, you will never fire your boss, because you need him or her for security. You will also never be free.

Rich Dad

• Rich dads do not approach money from the perspective of security. Rather they approach money from the mindset of “opportunity.”
• The goal of the rich dad is not to pay the bills but to be financially self-sufficient.
• If you really want to achieve true wealth, Kiyosaki says you must strive for ways to become your own boss and nurture your own businesses or in his words, you need to “mind your own business” and not your employers.
• The Rich Dad’s approach is not to “make” money. It’s to make one’s money work for him.
• One of the best ways to make your money work for you is to accumulate assets in the form of real estate. In Kiyosaki’s case that meant starting small, gradually trading his properties for bigger ones and then delaying paying taxes on capital gains by using the tax code to his advantage.

If that sounds either intimidating, or given your current financial situation “impossible,” hang with me.

Move Over Donald Trump

This notion of there being a Rich Dad approach to money came alive to me two years ago when I ponied up $18,000 to be in one of Yanik Silver’s Mastermind groups. It was a lot of money.

But, I also knew from my previous experience being in a Mastermind group with Jeff Walker that being in the company of successful entrepreneurs really ups your game… mentally and financially.

It was hard not to notice that a quarter of the members in Yanik’s Mastermind — and the most financially successful ones — were all in the real estate investment business. I was inspired.

Trust me, I am no real estate mogul. But after happily pouring over real estate listings for years I finally took the plunge last December and got my first investment property.

The house had sat vacant for two years. The pipes burst (along with one toilet). It had hideous gold shag carpet. The kitchen ceiling had caved in. The vinyl siding was chipped. There was a bizarre “walk through” closet where a wall was smashed. The place was a mess.

BEFORE

But where others saw disaster, I saw opportunity.

A five bedroom, three bath house with a fenced in yard in a decent neighborhood. I watched the price drop three times in six months before it went to $99,000.

I figured most people would come in low. So I offered $101,000… and I got it!

It took two months, a lot of sweat equity, and about $35,000, but today it looks great! I had all the carpets taken out and refinished the floors. I created a laundry room. I landscaped. And, you can’t tell from this photo, but I stripped the mahogany banister.

Not only did I love the design aspect of picking out paint colors and fixtures, but I discovered I’m a pretty good general contractor! (Tip: Always get three estimates for everything and, whenever possible, pay based on time and materials vs. hard estimates).

If I don’t rent it to photography students at the nearby Hallmark Institute next year, I may try my hand at furnishing the place and creating a short-term stay “hotel” type rental. I love thinking creatively about how to monetize the place!

I also admit that the working class, re-use/environmentalist, “love a good deal” part of me is far more energized at finding and fixing up a fabulous $10 bureau at a tag sale (or better yet plucking “free” stuff homeowners leave on the side of the road!) than going to Ikea and buying everything new.

AFTER

For now, the house is rented it to a wonderful family who’d been burned out of their home two days after Christmas. The couple, the mother-in-law, and three kids are thrilled because the kids can stay in the same school system while their home is being rebuilt.

Positive cash flow is $600 a month. Come January, I expect that to be $800.

Honestly, there are a lot easier ways I could make $600-$800 a month. But when you consider this is on top of other people paying off the mortgage for me… it’s a great retirement vehicle and one that feels a whole lot more stable right now than the stock market.

You Don’t Have to Be “Rich” or Savvy to Invest in Real Estate

With the exception of my friend Ange (who was my inspiration for jumping into real estate), everyone else I know who are savvy about real estate investing are men.

Not surprisingly, they’re also all quite wealthy. Every one of them have second homes in very cool places and take a lot of time off for vacations.

I’m tired of seeing women especially struggling to make money. Actually, let me rephrase that. I’m tired of seeing bright women shy away from making money out of fear.

I get the fear part. I come from a very long line of “play it safe in your job” people. No one in my family was exactly “encouraging” about me buying this house.

But again, where they saw danger, I saw opportunity.

And if you want to change course to be your own boss, then you have to start stretching yourself to think like an entrepreneur. And entrepreneurs (like rich dads) are all about seeing and seizing opportunity.

It doesn’t take guts to invest in real estate. What it take is information. For example, you may be thinking, “I don’t have a down payment for a house!” Maybe not. But you may have money sitting in a 401k. And did you know that you can use that money to invest in real estate just as you would in a mutual fund?

The more you know the less scary anything is – and that includes investing in real estate.

That’s why I asked my friend and former Mastermind buddy Terry Wygal to lead a Webinar to educate you on what it takes to get into real estate investing and how to start earning money fast. Terry would know.

Me with my Mastermind buddies in 2008.
That’s the always smiling Terry in the blue shirt to my left.

In April 2000 Terry took a bold leap of faith and quit his high-paying, high-stress corporate job to become a full-time real estate investor.

Since then he has bought and sold over 150 houses, establishing himself as an expert in the real estate field and earning him a solid reputation in the real estate investment community.

He’s also helped free a whole lot of people from job jail. Or as Terry likes to say, “Fire your boss in 90 days or less!”

I’m a big fan of learning my example. So, in addition to walking you through the various systems he uses to make money in real estate, I’ve asked Terry to tell you about the single mother of three who he showed how to not only fire her boss in less than three months but come close to earning six-figures in less than 4 months of investing in real estate.

Hey if she can do it, so can you!

“But I Don’t Have Enough Money”

When you’re working for a salary, it’s easy to let opportunity pass you by with the excuse, “But I can’t afford it.” Maybe you can and maybe you can’t.

However, I was really struck by the part in Kiyosaki’s book when he talks about being younger and complaining to his rich dad that he could hardly afford to buy anything on his then salary. Instead of dwelling on how low his wages were, his rich dad tells him that he should ask, “How can I make more money?”

Asking yourself “How can I make more money,” he says, stimulates the brain to take action. When someone says, “I can’t afford it,” his or her brain stops working. It therefore kills initiative and promotes passivity.

I couldn’t “afford” to invest $18,000 in Yanik’s Mastermind — or for that matter the $27,000 (gulp) I recently invested to be in another Mastermind. But I’ve learned that investing in your education, is really investing in a better financial future.

So, instead of saying, “I can’t afford to invest in real estate” ask instead, “What can I do to afford to invest in real estate.” Then listen and learn to see how even you just may be able to fire your boss in 90 days or less!

Join Terry Wygal and I on Monday, July 19th at 8:30pm Eastern for

How to Fire Your Boss in 90 Days or Less:
Demystifying Real Estate Investing with
Real Estate Expert Terry Wygal

We only have 500 lines for the Webinar and I fully expect these to fill.

Has the school calendar of your youth hardwired you into seeing September as the time for new beginnings? If you yearn for a new job, a career change or maybe even a total life makeover – summertime is by far the best time to act.

Summer is synonymous with fun. It’s possible to make a change and still have time for recreation. In fact, the word recreation literally means to “re-create.” And what better way to spend your summer than recreating your life! Here are six ways you can use the rest of the summer to grow a dream:

1. Catch a falling star.

When my best friend, Elaine, and I weren’t building forts or skipping rope we could be found lying beneath a shady tree or a star-filled sky. These weren’t idle pursuits. We were flexing our imaginations. As the most carefree of the four seasons, summers are made for dreaming. It’s the perfect time to gaze upward, to look inward and to imagine what could be.

2. Grow a dream garden.

Look within and you may find the seeds of a dream planted long ago. Left untended though, dreams will fail to sprout. Summer is the ideal time to cultivate our dreams both old and new. Start with good soil. What is it you care deeply about? What makes you happy? What do you want your life to look like? Now get rid of the weeds – the lame excuses, apathy, self-doubt, and fear born from lack of information. Tend to your dreams and watch them grow.

3. Take advantage of the longer days.

Even though those so-called lazy days of summer have gotten a lot busier of late, the additional hours of daylight do seem to add a bit more time to our lives. Once you’ve engaged in some active reflection, use some of this “found time” to start working toward your goals. Even if it’s only 20 minutes a day, it’s all forward motion!

4. Read a real thriller.

As you’re packing for the beach leave the romance novel or who-done-it at home. Instead treat your life like the adventure that it is by picking up a real thriller like Paul and Sarah Edwards’ The Practical Dreamers Handbook or Create a Life That Tickles Your Soul by Suzanne Willis Zoglio.

Still looking for your calling? Bury your nose in Finding Your True Calling: The Handbook for People Who Still Don’t Know What They Want to Be When They Grow Up — But Can’t Wait to Find Out.

Maybe you already have a new direction in mind. Then take this time to read up on it. Fab Jobs has “how to” books on just about any small business niche you can think of from cake decorator to make up artist to tea room owner. They even have books on how to be a psychic or a pop star. Or, for you scanners, how about psychic pop star.

5. Invest in your dream.

Save both money and time by spending your vacation at home. Make it a real vacation by doing the kinds of things a tourist on a budget might do – go on a picnic, head to a museum, take a day trip. Stash the money you would have spent on a more costly vacation into a “dream fund.” Use your savings to take career-expanding classes, buy some snappy new interview outfit or even start your own business. If your dream includes relocating, do hit the road by using your vacation as an exciting research expedition.

Recreating your life is about making choices. What choices are you willing to make to grow your dream? Whatever you decide to do, have a safe, relaxing, and inspired rest of the summer!

I realize that coming from me what I am about to say will sound like heresy. After all, for 15 years I’ve built my reputation on being all about working at what you “love.” Turning your “interests” into income. Finding your “calling.” Profiting from your “passion.”

But what if you just want (or really, really need) to make money NOW?

…Or what if you’re actively building your dream business but the money just isn’t coming in fast enough?

…Or what if THE most important thing right now is to get the heck out of a toxic work environment?

….Or what if you are desperate to find a way to spend more time with your kids before they’re old enough to start changing <ul>your</ul> diapers?

Well, then you have a decision to make don’t you?

You can wait until… divine inspiration hits you over the head …or your current passion-driven enterprise generates the money you need to quit your job …or you win the lottery …or you suddenly get a huge inheritance.

OR you can find the business equivalent of what Barbara Sher calls the “good enough job.”

In other words, loving what you do is but one path to self-employment and/or money.

The Good Enough Business

After I quit my corporate I still had bills to pay like everyone else. So I spent many years working for my former employer as a freelance workshop leader while building Changing Course on the side.

Did I love traveling around the country standing on my feet all day delivering time management workshops to corporate audiences, a good portion of whom were what we refer to in the training business as seminar “hostages?” Nope.

I kept this “good enough income stream” because I needed to a) pay my mortgage and b) fund my business. I could have gotten a job-job. But then I would have been really miserable.

Instead I opted to do something that was not my first love so I could realize two out of three of my goals: 1) Working for myself and 2) working from home. Sacrificing my third goal, which was of course to working at something I love, was a temporarily strategy. It was what allowed me to build Changing Course — which I *do* love — and ultimately do that full time.

As much as I am in the profiting from your passion business, I realize there are either situations or in some cases, personality types for whom “loving” your work is secondary. People for whom making a lot of money or working from home trumps passion.

And that’s okay.

The message that not everything you do to earn money has to be your first love is especially important for women for whom the passion part tends to overshadow the financial part. There are men who fit this category too. But generally speaking men’s self-esteem is more driven by how much they earn.

Which is why you’ll find lot more men opening Subway franchises or diving into internet businesses that are purely about making money. For them the passion IS making money. The business is a means to an end. With the end being the ability to control one’s time and life… in other words, to be your own boss.

Three Examples

Gelato Shop Owner

A few days ago ABC News did a story about career changers from around the world traipsing to Italy to learn how to start a gelato business. There were a number of Americans in the group including a 74 year old, which was pretty cool (pun intended). (You can watch the video here http://tinyurl.com/2flyyyj).

Business is booming for Gelato University Carpigiani in Bologna which offers both on-site and online courses on how to make the Italian ice cream gelato. The equipment alone costs $70,000 which makes me think that for some, owning a gelato shop is not as much a labor of love but a way to money providing a product that their future customers love.

That’s not to say that making ice cream can’t be fun. And it’s definitely more romantic than making Big Macs. But in reality it’s probably not substantially more fun than making submarine sandwiches or burgers. And like any restaurant or food vending business it comes with its share of challenges.

Affiliate Marketer

While women especially are sitting around trying to come up with the perfect passion-driven product, there are plenty of guys (and I do mean guys) who are making a killing selling other people’s products via sites like Clickbank.com.

It’s called affiliate marketing. Basically it means you promote someone else’s product. When someone buys, you earn an affiliate commission. I earn about between $20,000-$30,000 a year as an affiliate.

This is peanuts to those who are known as “super affiliates.” Basically they spend their days at their computer earning thousands of dollars a day driving traffic via affiliate links. Personally I would be bored out of my mind.

Another difference is I carefully vet all of my affiliates and in most cases know the person behind the product personally. Super affiliates are interested in selling which ever product earns the biggest commissions.

But I don’t want to be a passion snob. Even though its not my “thing” I know there are plenty of people who based on the earnings potential alone would be all over this.

Will you make wads of money? I have no idea. I have no personal experience as a super affiliate so all I can do is tell you what I’ve seen other people do — including two 30-something guys who are in the Maverick Business Adventures group with me who are now in the millionaire club as well.

Another is a young Indian-American named Anik Singal who I met maybe six years ago when I was speaking at an American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI) copywriting bootcamp in Del Ray Beach, Florida. At the time Anik was still in college majoring in engineering. Being an engineer was what Anik’s immigrant dad wanted him to be. But Anik wanted to become a successful entrepreneur. Happily Anik won.

I’m not sure if Anik ever did try his hand at freelance copywriting. I do know he used what he learned about persuasive writing to successfully sell an eBook he created to teach other students ace exams with minimal effort. (Like they say, “teach what you know!”)

With that success Anik moved into learning about and then teaching about affiliate marketing. Soon he was the undisputed king of affiliate marketing training. At one point his company was training internal affiliate managers for major corporations.

Anik wrote me last week to say that he and his business partner Saj (who I do not know) are selling some kind of system for making money via Clickbank. Like I said, this is not my thing, so I have not tried it and as such can’t vouch for it. What I can vouch for Anik and the fact that he is a very well-known and respected person in the internet marketing world.

If you can get past this not being your passion, it may be something you — or perhaps someone else in your family considers. For example, I can totally see my two nephews doing it.

The thing is Anik and Saj are only offering their Clickbank affiliate marketing program today and tomorrow (July 5-6). I just sent the link to my nephew. If you are curious, you can check it out at http://www.changingcourse.com/recommends/cbwformula

And speaking of the American Writers and Artists Institute…

Freelance Copywriter

Last week I invited AWAI Executive Director and long-time friend Katie Yeakle to host a teleseminar to talk about the field of copywriting. Joining us on the call was college administrator turned freelance copywriter Mindy Tyson McHorse from New Mexico.

If you were on the call, you learned among other things that copywriters are the people who write the direct mail letters you receive in your home mail box, fundraising letters, web site copy selling a product or service or any kind of writing intended to persuade the reader to take action — buy, donate, subscribe, etc.

You also learned that anyone who can write a simple letter can learn the basic formula of copywriting. In my experience most copywriters make about $50,000-$60,000 a year. Some, who work hard at their craft, can get to the six figure mark. Mindy is in her second year and rapidly approaching these earnings.

I have personally used AWAI trained copywriters six or seven times and typically paying in the $2,000-$3,000 range for a sales page (a good example being www.changingcourse.com/makingdreamshappen.htm).

I never got around to asking Mindy if she “loved” writing marketing copy. It’s safe to assume that for more people this kind of work is first and foremost a “life style” business — AKA the good enough business. Meaning, the vast majority of people who do copywriting do not have a burning passion to write marketing copy. Rather they are drawn to the flexibility that freelance copywriting affords. Given that Mindy was a new mom when she started down this path I assume that was the main draw for her as well.

If you missed the call and want to listen in here is the link to the recording:
http://changingcourse.com/copywriting/audio.html

FYI after the call Katie threw in an additional bonus called Getting Your First Client (a $99 value). That offer ends this Wednesday, July 7th.

Finally, you may wonder if this is a “scam.” If you don’t feel confident in my opinion then it may help to know that a vice president of marketing for a respected company like Nightingale-Conant would not agree to a) hire AWAI graduates to write copy for them or b) to address their annual training event if it were a scam. I know because I was there and invited her to lunch later that day.

There are no guarantees that you or anyone else will make money at this or anything. Whether it’s copywriting or affiliate marketing or gelato making success all comes down to effort. What I can guarantee is that AWAI has been in business for 13 years and is in no way shape or form a “scam,” there really is a need for copywriters, and that once established you can make good money writing marketing copy.

Unlike gelato making, there is also a money back guarantee so there really is nothing to lose.

Bottom line: If your number one goal is to make money doing what you love — and nothing short of that will do — then stay the course. But if you are open to other ways of generating income that may not be your first love, but allows you to be your own boss, then the good enough business may be something to consider.

Jeff Walker & Valerie at a Product Launch Formula Workshop

Last week I sent you a super short email inviting you to watch a video. After I sent it, I realized I should have explained exactly *why* I am so jazzed about both the content of the video AND the guy behind it.

Simply said, if you are really serious about wanting to look in the mirror and see the boss, then you must meet marketing guru (and I’m happy to say my friend) Jeff Walker.

Jeff not only introduced me to marketing techniques that have – and I am NOT exaggerating here – literally *doubled* my income, he also happens to be one of the friendliest and most down to earth guys you’ll ever meet.

In the online world, Jeff Walker is famous for being the master mind behind the big internet marketing guys regularly making more money in a week than most people see in their entire lives. But you don’t need to be a Tony Robbins to benefit from Jeff’s stuff.

Because Jeff is one of the few big internet marketing “gurus” I know who *genuinely* cares about the “little guy.”

Over the years, Jeff has shown hundreds of regular people how to launch small businesses in such diverse niches as health food, knitting, horse training… even business coaching in Poland. I’ve met dozens myself. And the overwhelming majority started out with no previous marketing experience… and I do mean NONE.

There’s something else Jeff is known for — and that’s packing his videos with solid training without a lot a fluff or hype. For example in the new video that just went up today Jeff exposes some huge marketing blunders by people everyone “assumes” have it all together…

But this is not all about the big marketers… in the second half of the video, Jeff profiles how someone who did incredibly well started from scratch — and I do mean from SCRATCH!

Go watch Jeff’s video now:

ChangingCourse.com/recommends/jeff

You don’t need to enter your email address to watch the video. It’s free to watch.

But you DO NEED to sign up to get the behind the scenes case studies based on true stories of highly successful people.

I encourage you to pay attention to how you can put these simple but incredibly powerful strategies to work in your current — or future — business, including what to AVOID when launching your business or product, no matter what your niche is.

Here is the link again: ChangingCourse.com/recommends/jeff

To your dreams,

HTML clipboard

Valerie Young
Dreamer in Residence
ChangingCourse.com

P.S. If you want to be an entrepreneur yourself, then you *must* start learning from them. I know Jeff Walker, I know his program, and I see the results everyday in my own business and life. I can’t recommend him or his videos highly enough.

If you like what you see, than make sure you sign up to watch the entire video series before they take them down:

Click here now http://ChangingCourse.com/recommends/jeff

By Valerie Young

We all know what it’s like to desperately want to make a change and at the same time be hopelessly stuck. Getting stuck is easy. Fortunately, getting unstuck is a lot easier than you think as well.

And I’m not just going to tell you how – I’m going to “show” you. Well, actually four of your fellow change seekers are going to show you.

You see, I finally got around to downloading some client testimonials. What I realized is that while each of the people you are about to meet went on camera to share their experience from my March Work at What You Love workshop – in fact each, in their own way, offered a tiny clue about how to get unstuck.

For starters, all Alison Talbert knew when she arrived on my doorstep was that she’d had enough.

Enough confusion… Enough waiting and hoping that her dream job would simply materialize before her eyes… Enough settling when what she really wanted to do was to soar – which leads me to secret #1.

Getting Unstuck Secret #1:
Turn the Thing You Love To Do Into Your Livelihood

After two years of being stuck in indecision, Alison saw her chance to get unstuck and she took it. She can tell you herself what moved her to get on a plane to spend three days brainstorming interesting ways she could work at what she loves.

As importantly, I want you to hear how out of confusion comes great clarity. Alison has an exciting plan to run women’s relaxation and renewal retreats to Ecuador. How does breathtaking scenery, a bit of spiritual wisdom from a local shaman, and all the $20 therapeutic massages you want sound?

There’s more to Alison’s story that can help you get unstuck, but let’s look first at another common sticking point.

Getting Unstuck Secret #2:
You Don’t Have to Do Pick Just One Thing

Lynn Cassidy’s school and work history reads like this: Two years doing intensive right brain work followed by a few years doing left brain work. It goes on like this for years.

If you are what Barbara Sher calls a “scanner,” then you may be stuck thinking you have to pick one thing. Nonsense. Like Lynn, you can learn how to take your dilemma and turn it into a business.

What do you see as your “problem?” Are you in the midst of a painful divorce? Have you trained for a career only to realize it’s not what you want to do? Whatever it is, I bet there is a way you can, as Suzanne Evan’s says, “make your mess your message.” Find a way to get paid to help others with the same challenge.

Getting Unstuck Secret #3
Get — and Give — Support

It’s true, misery does love company. Fortunately for you, dreams absolutely thrive on the company of enthusiastic supporters.

For one, dreams are contagious. When you hear about someone else’s dream, you can’t help but cheer them on. You remind them of how smart they are, how talented they are, how perfectly suited they are for their dream. And they believe you!

There’s another reason why it’s important for you to be a part of any small gathering of change seekers. Other people often see your gifts before you do. Where you see only obstacles, others see opportunity. Their belief in you is so unshakable that you can’t help but start believing in yourself.

There’s another benefit, too. When you are in the company of other people who are pursuing their heart’s desire it makes you more confident in your ability to go after your own. Suddenly you realize, “I really can do this!”

That’s why I intentionally keep my workshop/retreat small. It’s amazing how close you can get to people in such a short period of time. And the weekend is just the beginning. All of the people featured here are now engaged in weekly brainstorming and accountability sessions with their fellow participants. That way, they are sure to get the kind of ongoing support they (and you) need to nudge a dream along to action.

If you don’t have an accountability partner – get one. Meet once a week in person or by phone. You will be amazed how fast you get unstuck simply by getting and giving support.

Getting Unstuck Secret #4:
Stop Saying “I Don’t Know How”

We all walk around with these falsehoods in our minds: I don’t know enough. I don’t know how. No one would pay me to do that.

This kind of faulty thinking almost derailed Alison’s dream. You can get away with telling yourself you “don’t know enough” in the privacy of your own home. But that’s not going to fly in a room full of cheerleaders. In this case, a group who happened to know that Alison had made eight trips to Ecuador including once to attend an intensive import-export class and, in a previous life, had been a travel agent.

Frankly, if Alison had made only read trip, just read a book on import-export, and had zero travel industry experience, I’d still say she was qualified. Why? Because you don’t need to know everything before you begin. You just need to be resourceful enough to figure out what you don’t know and be willing to learn as you go.

Getting Unstuck Lesson #5:
Focus on the Parts You DO Know

Maybe you, too, have been stuck in a perpetual state of confusion and indecision. You don’t know what your passion is, you don’t know how to monetize it, you don’t know how to find the money or the time or the courage to change course. All these things may be true.

But what if you spent your energy focusing how much you already DO know? For instance you know…

…you want to experience the joy of doing work you truly love…

…you want to enjoy far more control over your time and your life…

…you want to do work that matters somehow…

Okay, so now what do you need to do to get more clarity? Is it read a book? Listen to an audio? Talk to someone who is doing work that intrigues you? Taking action on the things you do know will not only get you unstuck a lot faster than wallowing in what you don’t know, but action is the only thing that will give you the answers.

Get Unstuck Lesson #6:
Do What You Can – But Do SOMETHING

Before I try to convince you to grab one of the extremely limited spots in what I can honestly say is a life-changing workshop, I need to say something: I really do get that not everyone can travel to attend a live event. Maybe money is tight or there’s no one to watch the kids.

If you really can’t join me, then I totally understand. I also feel good knowing how much totally free information and advice I’ve made available to you right at ChangingCourse.com/cooljobs.htm to say nothing of the 228 free newsletters I’ve put out over the years.

If you can’t afford to attend this particular workshop, then promise me you will do something – ANYTHING – to honor your dream of changing course. If I can’t convince you that taking action feels great, then maybe Ashley Hain’s enthusiasm will…

Getting Unstuck Lesson #7:
Understand That Sacrifice is Not a Dirty Word

I also know that there are plenty of people who really can afford to come to this or other workshops but because they are “stuck” they do nothing. Then there are others, like Jill Scott who “think” they can’t afford to make a change:

The point is anything worth having involves a certain amount of sacrifice. No time to work on your business idea? Make the sacrifice of missing your favorite TV show once in a while. Take money you would have spent at Starbucks or a manicure and stash it away in a dream fund instead.

If you aren’t willing to give anything up in the present to get something better in the future, then you really don’t want it badly enough.

BONUS LESSON:
Stop Being a Spectator Of Other People’s Dreams

If you really want to get unstuck, then you have to stop watching others realize their dreams and take action on your own. You know what I’m talking about…

You follow all the gurus, but you never take their advice. You read all the books, but you skip the exercises. You watch all the cooking or gardening or travel or antiquing shows… but always as an observer.

I’ve recently spoken to three different people who have been on this journey with me for the entire 15 years Changing Course has been in business! That amazes me. It also makes me incredibly sad because while they love watching my dreams unfold – they have done relatively little to launch their own.

If any of this rings a bell, then with great love and compassion I have to tell you this: If you could have done it on your own, then you would have done it by now. So let me help you.

On June 25, 26, and 27^th I will be conducting what may very well be my last Work at What You Love Workshop & Retreat here at my home in the rolling hills of western Massachusetts. Even I do something like this again, it will definitely be the last one I do at this price. And I want you to be there.

Obviously, I know not all 23,000 of my readers can’t come. In fact, because the workshop portion is being held right in my home I can only accommodate around eight people. That way you get plenty of attention from me – and the chance to really connect with one another.

The Early Bird Registration price for the last Work at What You Love Workshop & Retreat ends on Tuesday May 31^st – and with it, your chance to SAVE $500.

What I am charging for these 3 days is actually less than what my hourly rate is about to go to. Plus, your registration includes most meals, $159 worth of change enhancing resources, and a one-hour “Profiting From Your Passions” discovery and brainstorming session with me prior to ever arriving at the Work at What You Love Workshop & Retreat. Like Jill said, you can’t afford not to come.

Listen, I know what it’s like to be stuck. I’ve not only been there, but at times, I still get stuck myself. The difference is I know the secrets to getting unstuck. And now you do too. You’ll find all the details at ChangingCourse.com/retreat.htm

P.S. I realize you may not be 100 percent certain if this workshop/retreat is right for you. So here’s what I’m willing to do. Book editing wise, this is total crunch time for me. Which means I plan to be here working for the better part of Sunday and Monday.

If you email me at Valerie@ChangingCourse.com to let me know you want to talk on either day, or anytime next week, assuming there are still spaces, then I will hold the early bird price for you until we talk.

It’s obviously important to me to have the right mix of people at the workshop. If I don’t think it’s the right workshop – or the right time for you – I will definitely tell you.

Even Cokie had a good time as you’ll see in this fun clip…

Sometimes I have to pinch myself.

I actually went from commuting 90 miles a day to a cubicle job to doing work that feeds my soul… that more than pays the bills… that I get to do in a place I love AND that makes a difference in people’s lives.

Changing lives by showing people like you how to 1) discover and 2) turn your passions into a viable way to earn money is my work. It’s also my gift.

I don’t mean to brag. But I’m very good at what I do. Still it’s humbling to hear clients say in their own words, how I have made a difference in their lives…

Join me for intimate gathering
of change seekers who share
a burning desire to work at what they love
and the determination to
finally make it happen

“Work at What You Love”
Workshop & Retreat

June 25-27th, 2010
Montague, Massachusetts

8-10 People Maximum

(If you’ve told yourself: “I’ll go next time” be sure you read this entire letter.)

A Priceless Experience That’s
Too Important to Miss

Whether you dream of starting your own import-export business… writing a best-selling novel… owning a dude ranch… working with kids… living in the south of France… whatever your passion… deep inside you know what you really love to do, the life you dream of having…

And this June 25-27th, 2010 at the Work at What You Love workshop and retreat at my home in Montague, Massachusetts, you’ll learn how to harness that vision… and build a life around it that not only provides you a living… but feeds your spirit, too.

There’s more to say about the workshop but mostly I want you to know this:

Your Chance to Discover How to
Work at What You Love
AND SAVE $500 Ends Soon

Fair warning — the $500 Off Early Bird Savings is days away…

The only thing worse than you squandering your chance to save $500 is you throwing away your big chance to…

• Get personalized coaching from an internationally renowned expert who has helped people from around the world see viable ways to make a living without a job…
• Figure out what it is that you truly love to do… what makes you happy… the work that feeds your soul… the work that makes full use of your unique gifts and inner genius…
• Make a realistic action plan for actually going from “wishing” to doing…
• Get an ongoing support team ready made to cheer you on for weeks and even months or years to come.

The Ideal Place to
Start Simplifying and Slowing Down

Rather than sit in some windowless uninspiring hotel meeting room, you will explore your inner calling while you relax in my living room with a cup of tea, enjoy the view, and converse with a very small group of like-minded souls.

I’ll be hosting the workshop portion of this retreat in my uniquely designed “Greek-style” home here in Montague, Massachusetts. Montague is at the foothills of the Berkshires. Just 60 minutes from the Hartford CT airport, 90 minutes from Boston, and three hours from New York.

Though close to civilization (and some fabulous restaurants), it feels a world apart. I’m certain you’ll find it one of the most memorable places you’ll ever have the pleasure of enjoying.

“I can’t tell you how much I benefited from this last weekend. Certainly my life would have been far smaller if I hadn’t attended. I was ready and I got what I needed and far more than I could have hoped. Your gracious hospitality and gourmet food fest added the finishing touches. And this Success Team for the journey yet to come is priceless.” ~ Gail B. Alaska

What about you? Are you ready to stop “wishing” you could make your life different and just do it? Life is short. You have gifts the world needs. Gifts that are simply too precious to waste.

Before he died, Michael Landon reminded us, “Whatever you want to do, do it now. There are only so many tomorrows.”

If You Are Ready To Work At What You Love, Then I Urge You Not To Miss This Chance

Many people have called or written to ask when the next seminar will be. I honestly do not know if I will run this workshop in this manner again. I DO know that I will not offer it again at this price.

Currently your registration fee includes the chance to experience a 60 minute one-to-one laser “Profiting From Your Passions” brainstorming session with me over the phone — prior to the actual workshop. That way you get to arrive at the retreat armed with some great ideas ready to be put into action.

Presently I charge $250 for these kinds of individualized brainstorming sessions. Like I said, I am very good at what I do.

I am SO good at helping people monetize their interests that a dozen people I worked with in California recently all insisted that what I am charging for these 3 days is what I should be charging for a single hour of my time. In the future that’s exactly what I will do.

I am not telling you this to impress you, to brag. or to scare you. I am telling you this because I know for a fact that my Work at What You Love Workshop & Retreat truly IS a life changing experience.

As things get busier with my big book deal, I also know that in the very near future I will probably move to offering these kind of private one-to-one full day laser coaching sessions only.

Obviously since you will have me all to yourself for an entire day, you will get a lot out of the experience. But it will also be a significantly higher investment for you.

Frankly I would feel terrible if you told yourself, “I’ll go next time” — only to find out that a) there is no next time or b) you are simply priced out.

That said, I really hope you can find a way to get here for the Work at What You Love Workshop & Retreat. Cokie has positively exhausted himself getting ready for this intimate June 25-27th weekend event!

If you think this might be the right time for you to tune out the noise of the outside world and tune into all the fabulous ways you can make a living doing what you love… click here to learn more about the Work at What You Love Workshop & Retreat

The great Joe Louis got it right when he said, “You only live once. But if you work it right, once is enough.”

To your dreams,

Valerie Young
Dreamer in Residence
http://ChangingCourse.com

P.S. The $500 SAVINGS ENDS May 31st. I hope you can take advantage of this chance to reserve one of ONLY 8 SEATS available at the June 25-27th Work at What You Love Workshop & Retreat… and SAVE $500.

By Valerie Young

I’ve been an entrepreneur on and off for the last 25 years and worked with women entrepreneurs for some 15 years now. So I was not the least bit surprised by the findings of a recent Kauffman Foundation study called “Are Women Entrepreneurs Different From Men?” As is the case with most things human, the study found male and female entrepreneurs to be more alike than different. But there are differences.

Before getting into some of the key differences and the lessons they offer you as you journey on your own entrepreneurial path I need to make one thing clear: Not all women act or think the same and the same is true of men. Whenever you talk about gender differences you are to some extent “genderalizing.” So with your permission, I’ll will use “women” and “men” here as shorthand but know that when it comes to gender, race, age, and the like, there are never absolutes.

Provider Pressure

The Kauffman study confirmed what I’ve been saying for 15 years. Namely, men feel a lot more family or financial pressure to keep a steady, traditional job. Even though I have plenty of male followers, it’s also no secret that more women read my newsletter, show up at my seminars, and sign on to work or study with me than men.

There are a couple of reasons for this, including the fact that women tend to focus more on meaning than money. Men’s self-esteem is more connected to making money. So it only makes sense that my message of “work at what you love” and The Life First-Work Second Approach to Career Change^® is going to resonate more with more women while the “get rich quick” gurus are going to draw more men.

But it’s also more complicated than that.

Even those men who desperately want to follow their own road, to pursue both passion and profit, don’t always get the support they need. Families in specific and society in general are more tolerant of women leaving a well-paid job to pursue a passion. But a man, even one stuck in a truly miserable job situation, is often expected to just “suck it up” for the sake of his family. And that sucks.

Networking and Support

Another no-surprise study finding is that women entrepreneurs tend to value professional and personal networks much more highly then men. You certainly didn’t have to convince the 60+ attendees at last week’s Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan, Inc conference in Regina.

I was lucky enough to be asked to speak at what was not only the organization’s annual conference but its 15 year celebration bash as well. It was a time to learn from – and with – each other, to celebrate member milestones, to network, and to inspire one another to grow and prosper both as individuals and collectively as women entrepreneurs.

In addition to proudly touting the organization’s impressive history of supporting women entrepreneurs financially and otherwise, CEO Laura Small was not above a bit of clowning around – nose and all!

The urge to merge with others may also explain another Kauffman study finding. When recruited by a co-founder, nearly twice as many women (56%) than men (31%) were motivated to become an entrepreneur.

I’ve seen women’s hunger for community firsthand in my own business. Last week I once again opened the doors to the Profiting from Your Passion Career Coach Training program. This time around I gave people a choice. Purchase the complete program or get the complete system plus the opportunity to network and get and give support to other aspiring coaches on this same path. Even I was surprised when 7 out of 10 people opted to upgrade to the Coaches Inner Circle.

Granted, we’re talking here about a lifetime membership with numerous ways to connect with me and other coaches in training literally around the world – online, on the phone, and at in-person meet ups. But perhaps the reason why so many women – and indeed men – find the chance to connect, collaborate, and brainstorm with other like-minded souls so important that we’re willing to pay for it is that, as entrepreneurs, we understand there is a return on our investment.

It’s been found, for example, that people who are “lucky” in business tend to put themselves in more social situations. This in turn positions them for fortuitous events and opportunities to enter their lives. People who reach out and connect with others also experience less depression and fewer health problems.

A Matter of Experience

If you read between the lines, there’s another key difference to extract from the Kauffman study – namely, that generally speaking, women view competence differently from men. Females in the study, for example, rated experience as more important than their male counterparts.

I’ve long observed that same phenomenon with my coaching clients and workshop attendees here at Changing Course as well as in my work on the Impostor Syndrome. Men are generally a lot more comfortable with the idea of figuring things out as they go along. They recognize they don’t need to know everything before they can launch their business. Instead, they understand that they can earn while they learn. If things don’t go perfectly the first time (and they never do) they know they can correct course as they go.

Women on the other hand feel like we need to have a fancy degree and years of experience before we dare hang out our shingle or start charging for our services. Those who fall into the expert trap always have one more book to read, one more course to take, one more practice client or volunteer stint before we can “legitimately” call ourselves a an expert. This elusive quest for the end of knowledge, this expectation that one day we will wake up and declare, “Now, I am an expert!” keeps far too many women from ever leaving the gate, never mind getting close to the finish line

In a similar vein, the women business owners in the study were more likely to cite “protecting intellectual property” as a key entrepreneurial challenge. Again, no surprise here. There are men, of course, who like to keep their entrepreneurial cards close to their chest. But as a rule, I find it’s women who are most fearful that someone is going to steal their idea or rip off their digital content without paying for it. Many are so afraid that they never take action. Sadly, it also means their brilliant idea or product will go to the grave with them.

Lessons for the Aspiring Self-Bosser

Whether you are a man or a woman is not what’s important here. What is important is that if you really want to be your own boss, you learn from others’ experience. Here are four things I took away from the “Are Women Entrepreneurs Different From Men?” Kauffman study:

1. Actively seek out ways to get – and give – support. Start or join a Mastermind group (as I write this I am sitting on the patio outside my room in San Diego on the eve of just such a group). Find a business buddy you can work with. And remember, support goes both ways. Support any men in your life who, like you, want to step away from the demands of the job world and into entrepreneurship.

2. When you start a business – or you do anything new for that matter – expect to hit some road bumps along the way. But instead of focusing solely on the challenges find ways to celebrate your own milestones both big and small. This year also marks the 15^th year for Changing Course. It is amazing to think that I started this business when I was 40 and I am now 55. Time to plan the party!

3. Stop endlessly tinkering with your website, endlessly editing your book, or waiting until you complete one more course. You already know more than you think you do, so just get on with it and trust that you’ll learn as you go.

4. Finally, if the female entrepreneurs in this study are any indication, it’s pretty clear that a lot more women would venture into self-employment if they could do it in partnership rather than alone. Hmm, sounds like a great opportunity for someone to start a business partner matching service!

What do you think? Are women entrepreneurs different from men? What lessons do you take away from the Kauffman study findings?

By Valerie Young

Last week I delivered a keynote presentation to 250 university and corporate professionals in Baltimore. They were there for a conference on how to encourage more women and people of color to enter and then succeed in the field of engineering.

My presentation was titled, “How to Help Students Overcome the Impostor Syndrome.” I was not the least bit surprised that the people I helped most were the adults in the room — most of whom have PhDs!

Sheila Edwards Lange, Vice President and Vice Provost for Minority Affairs and Diversity at the University of Washington and keynote corporate sponsor rep Wayne Robinson, Talent and Recruiting Manager for Nucor. Sheila is getting ready to introduce Wayne who is getting ready to introduce me. Gotta love conferences!

The Impostor Phenomenon (more commonly known as the Impostor Syndrome) was first identified by psychologists Dr. Pauline Clance and Dr. Suzanne Imes in the 1980s. Impostor feelings involve more than a simple lack of confidence. After all, everyone experiences bouts of self-doubt from time to time and especially when attempting something new. But for impostors, self-doubt is chronic. It’s normal to be upset by a bad performance. The impostor experiences shame.

It’s also possible to doubt your abilities without believing that you ultimately succeeded because of some sleight of hand or that you’re fooling others. For instance, you could have normal jitters before getting up to give your first speech. If you do well, this in turn makes you feel more confident about speaking in public the next time.

But the impostor doesn’t think this way. Because no matter how well you did or how loud the applause, you always think you could have done better. Or you dismiss the success all together thinking, “Oh, I just had a good audience.” In other words, doing well does not result in any real bump in confidence because you don’t feel you earned the success in the first place.

Your perceptions of what it takes to be competent, has a powerful impact on how you measure yourself and therefore how you approach achievement itself. And if you feel like an intellectual fraud, then there is an excellent chance that you have been operating from a definition of competence that is so grandiose that not even a certifiable genius could ever hope to attain. And it’s time to change that.

The first step is to determine your dominant “Competence Type.” Are you…

• The Perfectionist. For you everything must be flawless. To be less than perfect or to have an off day, an off-presentation, an off-anything, is simply unacceptable. For you, the competence equation is Success = Perfection.
• The Rugged Individualist. For your achievements to be legitimate you believe you have to do and figure out everything yourself. If someone helped you get the job or if you were part of a team, in your mind your contribution no longer “counts.” For you, the competence equation is Success = Solo Achievement.
• The Expert. You measure your competence on how much you know. And there in lies the rub. You will never “know it all.” So you will never see yourself as fully competent. For you, the competence equation is Success = Knowing Everything.
• The Natural Genius. Competence is measured in terms of ease and speed. The fact that you have to apply yourself or that some things come more easily than others “proves” you are not a bright as others. For you, the competence equation is Success = Innate and Effortless Genius.
• The Extremist. You know you are capable of greatness because, like all of us, you’ve experienced those flashes of brilliance. As such you expect to maintain that level of thought and action all day, every day. So when you have those “I felt so stupid” moments you are very unforgiving. For you, the competence equation is Success = 24/7 Genius.
• Superwoman/Super Student. You measure yourself based on being able to juggle and excel in multiple roles. In addition to over-achieving in your work, you hold yourself to impossibly high standards in all aspects of your life… home, parenting, relationships, physical appearance, academics, community service. For you, the competence equation is Success = Doing it all.

Any one of these Competence Types can sabotage your dream of profiting from your passion. Why? Because working on a dream, any dream, means being willing to:

• Ask for help and advice (a lot)
• Not know all the answers (ever!)
• Make mistakes (constantly!) and learn from them
• Experience the highs and lows of feeling super smart and super dumb (get used to it!)
• Recognize that perfection is often impossible and rarely necessary (to say nothing of over-rated!)
• Know that no one — including you — can do it all (nor should you try!)

Jennifer White wrote, “Perfectionism is a refusal to let yourself move ahead.” Woodrow Wilson said, “I not only use all the brains I have, but all that I can borrow.” And Will Rogers reminds us that, “Everyone is ignorant, only on different subjects.” If your definition of competence is holding you back, then make today the day you begin to foster a healthier, more realistic definition.

If you’d like to learn more about the Impostor Syndrome and how you can feel as bright and capable as you really are, click here. You and your dream of profiting from your passion will be glad you did!

My Year in Pictures and What It Taught Me That Can Help You Too

By Valerie Young

I talked to a friend recently who, despite starting out the year with the best of intentions, feels really discouraged about how little she’s accomplished on her goal of bringing a product idea she has to market. “I had such great hopes that this year would be different,” she said with a sigh. I knew how she felt.

Once the euphoria of getting a six-figure book deal with a major publishing house wore off, I realized I’d seriously underestimated how much work this was going to be. After all, I’ve been speaking on the Impostor Syndrome for some 25 years. And I’d long ago self-published my own book, “How to Feel As Bright and Capable As Everyone Seems to Think You Are.” But as I soon discovered, self-help is a particular genre with a particular format — one that was very new to me.

I’d spend days working on a few pages only to discover what I’d written was confusing, redundant, boring or all of the above. So I really do know what it’s like not to be as far along as you’d like. But still, I plugged along.

“What have you done so far?” I asked my friend. Rather sheepishly she replied, “Nothing,” Guess what? When you do nothing, you get nothing. This conversation got me thinking about my own year. I knew I’d accomplished some things, but amazingly I am still working on this book after almost two years!

Where Has the Time Gone?

I’m a visual person. So I thought it would be fun to put together a pictorial review as I have become addicted to taking photos with my iPhone. Along with the photos are some lessons learned along the way — lessons I hope inspire you to take action on your own deferred dreams.

April 2009

When I wasn’t out helping salamanders cross the road so they wouldn’t get squashed I was of course writing my book.

With the stress of the book writing I was actually grateful for all the times I had to jump in to help my neighbor Suzanne coax her very determined bull “Eric” back to his own pasture. No easy task since Eric much preferred the company of Phoebe and Molly, the Scottish Highlander’s temporarily being boarded in the pasture across the street.

April was also the second time I offered open enrollment for the self-paced version of the Profiting From Your Passions Coach Training Program. Over 40 new coaches signed on from as far away as the United Kingdom and Australia! What an honor.

Lessons: I re-learned how easy it is to feel overwhelmed or even discouraged when working on a big project. Besides taking the bull by the horns it helps to take frequent long walks. That’s when those confused thoughts start to come together.

May 2009

I love win-wins. But I love win-win-wins even more!

In May I took a break from writing to bring 15 Profiting From Your Passions graduates to Ryan Lee’s first Continuity Summit in Stamford, Connecticut. I know Ryan, so I was able to get the group in for free in exchange for being on-site “idea joggers.”

Attendees won because they could brainstorm with a team of people trained to help them think outside the box about how to monetize — or in this case to “continuitize” — their interests. Ryan won because he got to offer his 1000+ attendees this cool bonus for free.

And the coaches won because they got a guest pass to the entire three day training on a topic that can only make them better brainstormers for their clients. Plus, they were treated to a private pre-Summit session where Ryan himself taught them how various continuity models can be used to create recurring streams of revenue.

Lesson: When you help others they want to help you in return. Investing in your education is investing in your business.

On the family front, my nephew Thomas graduated high school and is now at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Don’t let the photo fool you. He’s 6 foot 6 inches.

Lessons: When you help others, they want to help you in return. Investing in your education is investing in your business. Make time for the young people in your life… they grow up so very fast.

June 2009

My people don’t do humidity. So Florida in the summer is not my thing. But then I saw Russell Brunson was doing a marketing seminar in Delray Beach. With a September book deadline fast approaching, I really didn’t really have time to go. But I’d seen Russell speak at Ryan’s event and knew I could learn from this guy. The fact that it was Delray Beach gave me an additional incentive to have lunch with AWAI Executive Director and friend Katie Yeakle.

I’m a huge fan of AWAI. Whether it’s training people to make money as a freelance copywriter or how to get paid to travel via travel writing, photography, and import-export, or how to start a resume writing business or break into romance writing — simply put, they do great work. (Feel free to read my complete reviews of these and other self-employment options at ChangingCourse.com/cooljobs.htm)

Lesson: In addition to family and friends, make time to connect with people in your business life as well.

July 2009

After being on calf watch for months, baby Boris finally arrived! No he is not the illegitimate son of Eric the wayward bull. His real father is Vulcan, who went back to his home farm after fulfilling his fathering duties. I spent the summer happily keeping my eye on mother and baby while their owners were off building a new farm 30 miles away.

I also made another quick trip. This time to attend one of Yanik Silver’s Maverick Business Insider meet ups. Profiting From Your Passions Coaches Kate Fessler and Carrie Jeffers were there as well.

The first half of the day Yanik spoke to the group about branding and connecting with your customers. In the afternoon we were bussed to an indoor race track for a little team competition. The squirt guns were Yanik’s idea. You know, in case we got bored riding around a track in little go-carts. One of my team members was Mike Filsaime who, in addition to being a hugely successful information marketer, is also a really nice guy. I’m not exactly the race car driver type. But I did my best to try to win one for the team! I say “try” because we came in second to last.

Lessons: Continually stretch yourself outside of your comfort zone. Be grateful for small pleasures… and cows.

August 2009

With only four weeks to finish the book, August was a blur. I wrote from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. seven days a week. Can you say carpel tunnel?

Lessons: Everything takes twice as long as you think. A book, like any big project is always one step, one word, one sentence, one paragraph, one chapter at a time.

September 2009

The last chapter was rough (understatement), but I hit my September deadline. A 3-day whirlwind trip to Manhattan began with a meeting with Heather Jackson, my editor at Crown. I assumed we’d talk about my book. Instead it was a farewell meeting. Heather told me she’d seen the handwriting on the wall for publishing as we know it and wanted to be ahead of the trend. So she was leaving to pursue a new career — bringing fiction to television.

I was happy for Heather, but, selfishly, sad for me. She’s had lots of best-sellers including Tim Ferris’s The 4 Hour Work Week. It was actually Heather who came up with the title.

I did get to meet my new editor Suzanne O’Neil. Suzanne was busy with other books which gratefully bought me time to go back and rewrite the last chapter.

The main reason I went to New York was to be a part of a fun-filled romp Carrie Wilkerson organized for top affiliates Suzanne Evans and me. In addition to being interviewed for Carrie’s online TV show, we saw Wicked, and took a trip to Vayner Studios to meet and interview social media phenomenon, star of Wine Library TV, and author of the best-seller Crush It Gary Vaynerchuk.

The trip capped off with a quick interview with a producer at WPIX television who’d seen some of my tips in a recent issue of More magazine. She and the videographer asked if I’d ever thought of creating a TV show! I was flattered… and intrigued.

No there were no sheep in New York. These shots are from my fabulous day at The Big E which is a big state fair but for all five New England states. I spent a lot of time in the animal barns and chatting with my very favorite people — entrepreneurs! For a fun read check out the my Big E article at ChangingCourseArchives.com/issue217.html

Lessons: Honor your deadlines, do mix business with pleasure, and talk to and learn from entrepreneurs anywhere and everywhere you find them.

October 2009

More book editing. I did get to a Red Sox game. The Angels were ahead by three runs. It was already close to 11 pm on a “school night.” We had a 90 mile drive ahead of us. So my friend Char and I decided to leave just before the last inning.

Big mistake. The Red Sox came back to tie the game. Then with two outs and the bases loaded, “Big Poppie” hit a home run.

Lesson: Tough it out because, like they say, “it’s never over until it’s over.”

November 2009

The month began with a wonderful birthday dinner compliments of Lisa and Haley. Just getting to hang out with Haley is a gift alone!

After Haley, the highlight of November (okay my entire life) was being a part of a very intimate Q&A session with billionaire adventurer and social entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines, Virgin Records, and countless other companies under the Virgin name.

We only had an hour with Branson. But in that time we could ask him anything we wanted. I decided to pick his brain about my grand plan to train thousands of people around the world to be Profiting From Your Passions coaches. I won’t take the time here to relay the full exchange. What I will say is he thought my idea was, and I quote, “absolutely brilliant!”

That was great of course. But I was really impressed with his answer to Eben Pagan’s question, “What’s the difference between the mindset of a millionaire and a billionaire?” Branson replied there really isn’t one. Rather success always come down to being a good listener and respecting people, adding, there are a lot of people in the world who will never get to be rich through no fault of their own. I knew then I liked him.

Our meeting with Branson was a fundraiser for his non-profit organization Virgin Unite. which was holding their annual Rock the Kasbah star-studded gala later that night. Despite the glare of the television lights, I managed to get some shots of Branson with actors Jenna Elfman and Sharon Stone. Once inside, I chatted briefly with an incredibly nice and surprisingly tiny Paula Abdul. The food was incredible and I had front row seats to Natasha Bedingfield, Estelle, and Gavin Rossdale who rocked the house. What a treat!

It was fun being dressed up and hanging out with some really impressive entrepreneurs. People like Q&A session organizer Joe Polish, who’s raised over a million dollars for Virgin Unite, Yanik Silver who has already booked a spot in the Virgin space shuttle, and entrepreneur and thought leader Eban Pagen. I had a wonderful chat on the taxi over to the gala with the very down to earth CEO of Virgin Unite and fellow Massachusetts native Jean Oelwang.

I knew I’d see everyone who’d been at the Branson meeting earlier that day. I never expected to be at a big Hollywood gala and actually run into other people I knew! People like Mike Hill, Ali Brown and Mari Smith, Russell Brunson, and countless other entrepreneurs whose work I know and admire. Oh, and did I mention I wore my grandmother’s gown from the 1930s? She passed five years ago this week. She would have loved to have seen me in that dress!

November ended with a long awaited vacation to Mexico.

What I needed was total R&R. Kind of like Cokie here in his blanket — total chill.

But what I got was a go-go vacation that left me more exhausted than when I arrived. Oh, and did I happen to mention my people don’t do humidity? Still I loved the animals, the spectacular sunsets, the people and the culture.

Lessons: Some millionaires and billionaires are jerks, but most are really decent people — just like anyone else. Be grateful for blessings big and small and work with what you’re given.

December 2009

December 4th I closed on my first investment property — a five bedroom, three bath house for only $103,000. The catch? It needed a ton of work. We’re talking burst pipes, rewiring, an unintentional walk through closet, ripping out filthy shag carpet with my friend Ange.

It was hard work, but after so many months working on the book, it was incredibly satisfying to work with my hands for a change. It’s hard to see the total before and after but this will give you a glimpse.

Speaking of transformations… By the end of fall enrollment period, a total of 27 new people went from wishing they could find a way to get paid to brainstorm cool business ideas to making the commitment to join the expanding Profiting From Your Passions coach community. With students and graduates now from as far away as Singapore, Kenya, Norway, Australia, the UK, Barbados, even Kazakhstan its clear that this trend of making a living doing you love without a j-o-b has gone global.

Boris and the rest of the cow family moved to a new farm. I’m not sure who cried more — me or him. Okay, it was me.

Lesson: Take calculated risks then work hard like heck to make them pay off.

January 2010

I was insanely busy serving as general contractor to get the house ready for the renters. But boy did I learn a lot! The best part was I got to help out a family with three young children who’d been burned out of their home two days after Christmas. They’re rebuilding less than a mile away and needed to find a temporary home so their kids could go to the same school. I feel like this connection was meant to be.

In the middle of all that drove to the other side of the state to speak to packed auditoriums of graduate students at MIT and Harvard. Having gone through the doctoral process myself I know how easy it is to feel like everyone else is brilliant and you’re just a fraud.

I also took a quick overnight trip to Miami to attend the annual Entrepreneur magazine conference. The entire conference was free thanks to sponsor UPS. It was wonderful to be around so many different kind of entrepreneurs with very cool businesses. I’ll introduce you to a number of them in a future issue. For now notice the joy in the faces of people who are doing their own thing. It’s contagious!

The totally cool part was that I got to pitch my business story to Entrepreneur editor Justine Petrucelli, meet editor in chief Amy Cosper, and chat with someone who’s work I’ve admired since he wrote his first best-seller in the 1980s, Guerilla Marketing guru Jay Conrad Levinson.

But wait! It gets better! I was also interviewed by the MSNBC show Your Business. Before you get too impressed, they interviewed anyone willing to stand in line. Here’s the clip if you want to see it http://tinyurl.com/ycoz6fn Expert panelist Michael Port totally didn’t get my question (in his defense I could have been more clear.) Gratefully host JJ Ramberg did. I don’t think it’s my ticket onto Oprah or anything but it was fun to see myself on national television.

Another fast trip to New York for an amazing personal business coaching with Gary Vaynerchuk. Given that he charges corporations $50,000 a day I felt incredibly honored. What a brain that guy has! While I was there I met up with my agent and my editor at Crown where we (finally) set a publishing date for the book — August 2011!

Lessons: Invest in your education. Hang out with the people you want to be. Step up to the mike. Small steps really do add up. Be patient. Be grateful.

February 2010

Ah winter in New England. I for one find it beautiful.

It’s also nice to get away and Suzanne Evan’s Be The Change event in Fort Lauderdale was the perfect excuse to follow the sun. It was also a chance for another meet up with a group of the Profiting From Your Passion coaches. Some came as part of a special four-month marketing coaching program I’d arranged for Suzanne to lead specifically for my coaches. Others came as a guest of me and Suzanne. A few coaches missed the group shot but I tracked them down for solo ones.

Other than the one live training I held in 2008, all of the other Profiting From Your Passion coach trainings have either been conducted as a Teleclass or offered as a self-paced program. Even with all the additional support — the monthly calls, active forum, and the chance to team up in small study groups, I miss not meeting people in person. That’s why I love being able to provide these kinds of additional support, networking, and educational opportunities. The coaches get to connect with each other and I finally get to meet them!

Not everyone who wants to turn their interests into income wants to be a coach. So I decided to hold a workshop for people who are ready once and for all, to decide what they love to do, figure out how to make money doing it, and make a plan. But I was also tired of all the travel. So I held the first of two Profiting From Your Passions Retreat & Workshop right in my own home. I got to work more deeply with them and they formed a tight support team to stay on track after the seminar.

Lessons: Keep learning and growing. Go, do, give as much as you can. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

March 2010

One more Profiting From Your Passion workshop and retreat here at my home. This time we stopped by to meet and learn from a neighbor — executive coach and seminar leader Neil Yeager author of The Seventh Prism. Each group has its own personality!

And yet another chance to connect with even more Profiting From Your Passion coaches when I once again arranged for a group to attend Ryan Lee’s 2010 Continuity Summit. They had a blast and I got to show off the fancy new table display!

The next week, three of the coaches served as onsite “Idea Detectives” at Yanik Silver’s Underground Marketing 6 seminar. I was able to get them a free pass to what is normally a $2500 event and the attendees got some great laser coaching for free. The coaches totally rolled with the 007 theme of the Underground doing their thing in trench coats!

At the 11th hour I forfeited my seat at the Underground to attend Brendon Burchard’s seminar on building partnerships with non-profits and corporations. It was an outstanding seminar with lots of great information I can use when I launch my book. Sometime this year or next I also envision a national “Profiting From Your Passion Seminar Tour” with dream sponsors like Entrepreneur magazine, Staples, the Kaufman Foundation and other organizations interested in supporting entrepreneurs. Wish me luck!

Lessons: Go out of your way to meet up with old friends and make new ones. Entrepreneurs rock — if you aren’t hanging out with them now, make it your business to start now. Think big!

April 2010

One year later. Another spring and I am still editing my book and prepping for a series of speaking engagements. A keynote to university administrators next week in Baltimore, two for women entrepreneurs and accountants in Canada in May, and a potential series of workshops for several hundred women scientists and engineers in June in Germany.

I’m also continuing to find ways to build on my Profiting From Your Passions Coach Training Program. The changes in the economy has convinced me that this work is needed now more than ever. People finally get that there’s no such thing as job “security.” And with that understanding they’re more open to the idea of taking a chance on themselves.

Meeting so many coaches this year has given me some great ideas about how to make the training even better. So I’ve also been busily working on that. The last time I held an open registration period for the coach training was last November. So right now I’m taking names of people who want to be on a list to get advance notification of when the program opens up again later this month.

If you like the idea of getting paid to brainstorm, add your name and primary email address and I’ll be in touch soon when I have more details. ChangingCourse.com/first-in-line.htm

After a whirlwind year I’m also at an interesting turning point in my life. No I’m not leaving Changing Course. But after 15 years I am seriously looking for ways to do things differently.

And I need your help. I put together a super short survey to get your input on what you need to take the leap from having a boss to being your own boss — how I can best help you get there.

I would be honored and grateful if you’d take three minutes now to share your thoughts. All you have to do is click here.

Lessons: Constantly look for ways to improve your products and services. And don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

Your Turn

How often do you look back to track your progress? I’m not talking about the obligatory New Year review. I mean really go back and month-by-month to see where your time and energy really went. What has your last year been like? What strides have you made in pursuit of your dreams? What lessons have you learned or relearned? How can you use these lessons in the service of your dream?

If you don’t like what you see, remember — spring is the time to break out and really mooooove your dream along. And for my friends down under, fall is a great time too!