If you can't tell, so far none of the things I have posted about are really action based. Most of them are mindset based. The craziest part of about being an entrepreneur is how much my mindset has had to shift through this process. It's been a year and I am still hearing new things and learning new things. Even if I have heard it before, it's helpful. That's why I follow so many different people and have different mentors. Sometimes when something is said just slightly different, it resonates with me more. It's crazy.

So mindset is really important! Podcasts, audiobooks, courses, challenges, anything you can find to help you get in the right mindset to go down this path will help.

Here are some of my favorites right now:

You are a Badass by Jen Sincero

Mind Your Business Podcast by James Wedmore

7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

The 4 Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. I haven't actually read this one, but heard great thing and it's on my list.

The E Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber. I haven't actually read this one, but heard great thing and it's on my list.

Do you have any favorites? Comment on this if you do!

There are lots of reasons that you might want to create an online business. But...what kind of lifestyle and what kind of business do you want?

I got off the phone with a fellow Physical Therapist Entrepreneur the other day who wants to have an online business, but she isn't sure what yet. Right now she is so stuck being in a brick and mortar and burnt out that she can't even focus. However, recently she took some time off and realized her time off wasn't even super helpful. At the end of our conversation, she mentioned that she wants to travel and be able to work when traveling. BAM...that is the lifestyle she wants. So now she needs to divide what she wants to do in order to make that possible.

For me, I have always known...I want to be able to travel for months at a time with my hubby and work. For me, that means making an online course. I could also do 1 on 1 coaching, but that requires more time demand for me that might be more difficult. So I want that to be a component, but not everything I offer. So think about the lifestyle you want, and let's create something that makes that possible.

It's funny because in the healthcare world, I have always thought the opposite. I would barely get any time off for holidays. I could never travel for more than a week at a time. Things like that. It's funny because now, I don't think that way. There has to be a way for me to have a real life like I want, and make a living. So...that's what I am trying to do. 

So change your mindset. Instead of work creating your lifestyle, choose your lifestyle and create your work around it!

Niche...really nail down your niche!

There are so many people in the world and there are other people that like what you like. The goal isn't to really sell something to EVERYONE, it's to find your people.

For instance, I made a post on Instagram (IG) last week that got a few mean comments on it. Now, if I wasn't in the mindset that I am in now, this would have really bugged me at the beginning. But guess what...it got to me a little, but then I moved on. Instagram only allows for a small one minute video. I took a snippet of a longer video and put it up on IG. In that snippet, I was trying to do something that proved a point and three different people decided to not really watch the video, but instead see a snippet and say I stunk. Well, guess what...those aren't MY people! They aren't my target. First, they didn't listen or watch. Second, they jumped to conclusions. Three, they aren't open to other opinions or help. So...not my people. That's okay. In all honesty, this really helped me. While I have known that when people object to me, I am doing something right. That's a motto we have in a business group I am in. It means I am putting myself out there, and that is a good thing. But, it still hurts a little. The reason it was great is because now I'm not as scared. I want to keep putting stuff out. It doesn't matter if those mean people keep commenting, because there are still some people I can help. I

So maybe I am moving slower because I have been scared of making waves and getting mean comments. Well, it's out of the way now, so I am ready to go!

You are where you are for a reason, and it's okay!

This is something that was said on a welcome call that really resonated with me. 

So honesty here. I have been working on this business since March of 2019. I still have nothing to show for it. That stinks...but I can't compare myself to others and think, oh I am behind, why are they further along than me?, etc...

I haven't gotten very far. I have done a month long challenge, which was like live coaching in a FB group. I have sold a small group coaching in another FB group, but other than that, not much. So I need to move forward, but I have learned a lot and moved forward at the pace that I needed. I am where I am for a reason. Yes, I want to be further along, but it will come and now I have that motivation to move forward again.

​So...let's go!

I know this seems like a weird question and first off let me say, I am NOT religious. So I am not talking about this in a religious way, however you might have some in those regards, and that's cool. When I say this, I mean, what do you believe and why?

When I was a kid, my mom and dad told me that I could be anything I wanted to be and anything was possible. As a kid, you believe it. As an adult, doubts start to pop into your head. I think, well, I don't have perfect eye sight so I can't be a pilot for the air-force...by the way, no idea where that came from since I never wanted to do that. But hey....someone probably thought that. Or maybe...I can't be a gymnast, I am overweight and have poor balance. How about business...selling is evil. Selling is my downfall, but the more I believe it is evil, then the likelihood of me doing it, significantly decreases because I have a negative association with selling. 

Instead of holding onto that negative belief, what if I thought about it differently. Is it really evil and hard? If so, how come sooooooo many other people are doing it. Both in a good way and a bad way. Why can they do it, but I can't. Well, it must not be THAT evil, but I think it is. So, in order for me to make progress, I need to start looking at the other side of it and believing, truly believe, that it isn't evil. Then change can be made.

So what are your beliefs regarding business? Do you truly believe them? Why did you adapt these beliefs? Start thinking about that!

"Results are created when you make them happen"....ooooo that's a nice message from James Wedmore.

You have a say about what happens in your life. It's almost like watching life pass you by or living it. When you are the cause of your life happening, things happen! Of course there are things that aren't our fault and we didn't cause them. But... think about whatever happened. Let's say you were in a coffee shop and someone ran into you and spilled their coffee on you. Well, you chose to be in that coffee shop, at that time, but of course you chose to be there because you needed caffeine to be able to make it to work and be human-like, etc. Well, stop blaming other reasons, and just accept it. It gives us more energy and allows us to stop just being angry and accept it. It happened, oh well. Business is similar. You are in charge of what happens to your business.

Your business is a reflection of you.

Success comes from within. We can consume course, after course, after course....but why do some people have results and some people don't? Well..the common denominator is what? YOU! So, we need to work on ourselves first. 

Think about yourself. When I think about myself, I am moving way slower than I wish I was. But...that is all because of me. I need to get out of my own head. People say that a lot, but what does that actually mean? Well, what got me to where I am now, will not get me to where I want to be. In my case I am holding myself back. But Amanda...what does that mean?!? It means that I am stuck in old patterns and need to stop. I am stuck being scared of success, scared of failure, scared of people thinking I'm not good enough (imposter syndrome), and just scared in general. Well, that stinks! Ya! I need to be willing to grow and willing to change something. I am comfortable doing the busy work that doesn't put me out there. Screw that! I need to get out there. I need to sell! But I hate selling. And that is what I keep saying and now I am in a loop. So...it's time to change. I need to change me. I have known this for months...but hearing it from more people, in different ways is helpful. So, it's not something I didn't know, but certain phrasing in regards to this, is making me jump. So, I need to GET OUT OF MY HEAD! Have an open mind and be willing to hear things we may or may not know and just start making changes. That is how we move forward!

There was a concept that really spoke to me. It's so true and relates to my first post. 

PT's aren't that unique. Apparently it's also an entrepreneur thing...which makes sense.

I say "once I have the certification and the right course, then I can do the things that I need to do and finally be successful." But if I'm always waiting for the circumstances to change...nothing is going to change! Man, when James puts it that way, it hits close to home. Stop with inaction, and take action. But at the same time, don't just take tons of action, it needs to be the RIGHT action in the RIGHT way. So TRUE! I've listened to the first video twice already, because it just hits so close to home. We can only get somewhere if we do something. No matter how many ideas you have, or how you wish you could be a millionaire, if you don't do something effectively, nothing will change! 

So simple, but that's the point today. Have a goal, set it, and let's start figuring out the right actions to get moving in the right direction! Not only that, but make your goal about money. If it's not about money, the business is failing. The business needs money to succeed. When you make more money, you can reach more people...so make a money based goal that is very objective. Choose a date, make a goal. 

Why did I say that? Why 90? Why start a number system now?

Simple. Today, I signed up for Business By Design, BBD, with James Wedmore and his team.

I will give you a real view on this and how it works. I WILL make this work. It has to! If not...you can see my fail. Just to clarify, I am not going to give you any secrets, or give away James' info. More just my takeaways for each day and how I am using the info to move my business forward. So here it goes...

Well, the first part...is make a goal. Alright...my goal is set! Now in 90 days, it will be done!

As a Physical Therapist and a healthcare provider, there is a common theme that happens. I've seen a commonality between the really good PT's. It's simple really, but they never feel like they know enough. This means that we take course after course after course and still feel like we don't know anything. But the reality is...we know SO MUCH! If I think about a ton of patients that I see, just mentioning to put a pillow between someone's knees when sleeping, is like a mind blowing idea! Who knew! I forget that this is something people don't know, but it's also soooo basic. So even though we think we need to constantly know more, remember that we know so much more than the average person. Well, now I just need to remember that. I don't need to know more, I need to share what I know with people. I am doing people a disservice by not sharing my knowledge with more people. So let's do it!

Follow along. And if you are someone looking into BBD, well go for it, follow along and see how I fail or I succeed. 

I was going to title this, find your motivation. But then I realized it is more about inspiration then motivation. Motivation comes and goes. It's like working out. I haven't worked out in a few days, as I lost my motivation. But then I get stuck continously getting bad into the non-working out habit, and I can't seem to get myself to get back to it. Well, starting a business is similar. There are times when I feel like I have a lot of motivation, and then am super productive, and others when I am not. I let the fear hold me back. Or maybe I am too comfortable doing nothing. Not really sure. Either way, I can keep trying to find motivation, but it comes in little bouts. So, instead of searching for motivation, start searching for your inspiration.

Inspiration is a deeper emotion. It is the feeling that I need to do something for some purpose. By having a deeper reason, besides just getting motivation, I am making it less easy for me to put it off because I want to get out and help people. The more I sit on my bum, the more I put everything off, make no money, and am NOT helping people. I want to help people. So search for the inspiration, the desire, the true reason you want to get things up and running, and start getting more productive!