Progress - Reloaded or Revolution? It ends tonight anyway.

I've had a very productive week this week and it has brought a lot of clarity to my thinking and about my business etc in general.

I've been reading a book called 'Ask and it is given' ( available from amazon) and it is opening my eyes to alot of things. The value of having a bookshop nearby for one - I couldn't wait for Amazon to ship it to me when I was told it would benefit me, so I went down to the bookstore at my earliest opportunity and bought the book.

Anyway, I have had a productive week and I expect next week to be even more productive. But with everything that is happening in my business life at the moment, a weekly report will no longer do. there is too much happening from one day to the next that I have no way of keeping up once a week.

And I guess you can say that I have finally evolved to the point where the friday progress report no longer serves its purpose. It certainly doesn't feel like it does.

I was looking for a phone in service a while back where I could call in my reports every Friday and you could call in on Saturday or whatever and listen to my week at 10p a minute.

I feel at this moment in time that what Ishi said to me (that I needed a more detailed plan) back in February or whenever it was can only be achived for me if I evolve Friday progress to a daily progress plan, monthly, quarterly and annual plan and take it offline so that I can be honest with myself and with what I write.

I got myself in this position because as a complete beginner decided to write about everything I did, and now that my businesses has progressed, I don't feel like I always can write about everything that is going on (not even about the fab results Gary & I are getting with parts of the system we are working on together) and that doesn't help my business to progress.

So I am revolutionising Friday progress into an offline system with a pen and notepad that I will write in every day about the day that has passed, what I learnt and what I plan to achieve the next day. In addition I will have a plan for the month and quarterly targets for at least a year into the future. I'll keep it simple. My wife will make me!

So it is goodnight from Me and it's goodnight from him.

Jon

Progress - Reloaded or Revolution? It ends tonight anyway.

I've had a very productive week this week and it has brought a lot of clarity to my thinking and about my business etc in general.

I've been reading a book called 'Ask and it is given' ( available from amazon) and it is opening my eyes to alot of things. The value of having a bookshop nearby for one - I couldn't wait for Amazon to ship it to me when I was told it would benefit me, so I went down to the bookstore at my earliest opportunity and bought the book.

Anyway, I have had a productive week and I expect next week to be even more productive. But with everything that is happening in my business life at the moment, a weekly report will no longer do. there is too much happening from one day to the next that I have no way of keeping up once a week.

And I guess you can say that I have finally evolved to the point where the friday progress report no longer serves its purpose. It certainly doesn't feel like it does.

I was looking for a phone in service a while back where I could call in my reports every Friday and you could call in on Saturday or whatever and listen to my week at 10p a minute.

I feel at this moment in time that what Ishi said to me (that I needed a more detailed plan) back in February or whenever it was can only be achived for me if I evolve Friday progress to a daily progress plan, monthly, quarterly and annual plan and take it offline so that I can be honest with myself and with what I write.

I got myself in this position because as a complete beginner decided to write about everything I did, and now that my businesses has progressed, I don't feel like I always can write about everything that is going on (not even about the fab results Gary & I are getting with parts of the system we are working on together) and that doesn't help my business to progress.

So I am revolutionising Friday progress into an offline system with a pen and notepad that I will write in every day about the day that has passed, what I learnt and what I plan to achieve the next day. In addition I will have a plan for the month and quarterly targets for at least a year into the future. I'll keep it simple. My wife will make me!

So it is goodnight from Me and it's goodnight from him.

Jon

I'm busy go away!

Notice:

I'm out creating my wealth.

PS - Actually, I am busy thinking about what it would feel like to have the freedom to by a car because I like it - there and then. And about the freedom to go house hunting pretty much anywhere, knowing that I could afford what ever house I liked.

It feels goooood! :)

and at the same time I am busy with some books and some niche nuggets.
Plus I have learnt more lessons than I can remember this week.

Getting things done perfectly, on time and to a schedule would sure feel satisfying!

Jon

Sometimes it is best to shut up

Someone once told me that if you don't have anything meaningful to say, then on't say anything at all.

I feel like that this week.

If there is a lesson here, then this is it:

No matter how experienced you are and how well things are going, sometimes you ARE going to hit a bump in the road. Just make sure to dwell on something else.

But this week has been full of disappointment and setbacks that have been hard to shift attention from.

I am chosing to carry on as I go though, and one positive benefit from it all is that I have begun to realise that my lifeline is in those yucky things that are less than likable.

Gary calls some of these things neccessary steps on the path to greatness. And I am coming 'round to the idea.

Although the content nuggets of mine that I am selling are so far an utter disappointment. I have clearly targetted a niche where value is measured in cost price and not by its potential to add value to the business. An interesting lesson, and a good spurr on to make me use more of the content I create. Which is already adding nicely to the adsense income I am generating so far from few sites with few pages.

I guess proof would be handy for people. And we'll see how many more of these nuggets of mine I can sell before I decide I am better off paying someone to put the content on the sites for me.

Now I want to leave this brief post on a positive note.

Good.

Internet marketing Expert Needs Retuning and Refocusing.

You know what?

2 years and 8 months after I bought googlecash from Chris Carpenter (where’s he gone btw? Left Perry Marshall to do his thing?) I have finally figured something out.

Back then, after a fantastic first 3 months, things were getting a bit more competitive so I decided to branch out from adwords. And I wasted lots of time dealing with my stupid mind.

What I figured out this week is that I am still doing these same stupid things! Looking back in history I can see a pattern developing where I over complicate things.

So my self development headline on the office wall now needs to read something along the lines of:
Oh for goodness sake! It took me 16 attempts to get this sentence out, when all I wanted it to say was “is this the simplest you can do?”

I already have “ how can I progress my business today” and “will this progress my business?”

I think the time has come to help my mind focus even more on the specific actions that will not only bring my business forward, but also actions that MUST be completed in order to secure progress.

And I think this sentence could possibly do it for me:

“Is this strictly speaking required?”

Or

“Is this really necessary?”

Although the latter inspires images in me of someone looking for every kind of shortcut to avoid working. A bit like how my cavalry captain described me 17 years ago when I left.

Did you want me to say something about what I had done so far this week?
Well my task list is back out and getting used actively – I don’t seem able to get anything done anymore without it.
And to my surprise, I am getting through more of the stuff on that list than I expected.
Not on my life will I tell you about what they are though – shhh they are secrets… that you can get at niche health articles.

I have also managed to close most elements of another project and I am looking forward to getting rid of more tasks. Especially as it got me really fed up that I had to work about 30 hours over the bank holiday weekend because some of my automation software isn’t working correctly at the moment.

But anyway, I’m sure that the ONE project I am running for myself at the moment should be ready sooner rather than later…
Jon

Wedding anniversary, speeches and gifts

today is my wedding anniversary.

5 years.

last year my wife forgot it and it didn't bother me. This year I forgot to get her a card or a present and I am hearing no end of it. I guess it is an important date to remember ( !!! ) so I am going to go away and make it up to her some how.

I'll need some money to do what I want to do, and as soon as I have tallied it all up I am going to have to think about something to launch - oh - that's right - I have a few ideas up my sleve!

Anyway - got lots done this week. Even did some work for this company that pay me by the hour to do it.

Received some amazing feedback from one of the subscribers of one of my ezine clients which is fantastic.

Got my first proper book on my own laid out, printed and bound and would be ready to sell shortly :)
look out ebay! ( might as well test the market first!)

Now I am going to sort out some wine for later!
Jon

Where your travels take you for your holiday

I have no idea what to write this week.

Sure it’s been hectic ( or was that just the last few days ) but at this moment in time I am at a loss what to write. My head is full of hair loss, cosmetic surgery and bowel and colon related issues from all the writing and researching I am doing for niche health articles.

My head has gone all fuzzy.

It seems I may be driving up to Heathrow tomorrow. Do I bring my laptop to work on while I am sitting in the foyer?

Do I take the train so I can work on the train? ( not likely! )

How early do I go? If I go too early I will run out of power before the day is out.

I have been getting into the groove lately, although the membership script threw me a bit off focus. I will shelf work on that until late May. Thankfully the guy behind it has been kind enough to keep me in the loop so I am not likely to forget about it.

What goals am I having at the moment?
I think at this point, a plan and a place to keep it safely and readily available would be handy ( you know how easy things are lost on a computer – I only just this afternoon found a draft outline for a book I was planning to publish based on the wisdoms of a 2 year old boy ( I remain amazed at the intelligence of someone who is now 3 and a half, and the patience he has with his Dad who clearly has no clue what the world is about. )

The books working title is “life is cake”, although that is only half the answer to what life is. The other half I have forgotten! I should have a look through my blog archives and see what I can find as I have written about it before.

Oh never mind – I googled for ‘ “life is cake” blog ’ and it turns out I have the top spot for that term woohoo!

Although a book titled “life is pasta and cake” could be mistaken for a cookbook. But my son remains adamant that life indeed is all about pasta and cake.

On that basis, I should remind myself that in order to create both these treats, some actual work has gone into their preparation. Some steps have had to be completed on the path to creating the greatness that is pasta. Or cake.

I have a feeling my son will be a chef one day. Although he is again adamant that he will be a football player. Considering the current salary opportunities in that line of work, I think it would be a wise move to actually get him a football.

I ramble. I have no other lessons to mention this week. And I think I will use these Friday reports from now on to try to look at what I’ve learnt in the past week. Although some achievements would be good. Matched with a plan. Ah right.

Well. I have a few more nuggets to get through, and a website to create with some contact details.

Tara and see some of you this weekend.

What about them ipod wearing teenagers?

Friday progress 14th of April 2006

I’m working through modifying about umpteen website templates tonight so I’m only going to go through the basics of what I have done and concentrate ( briefly ) on what I have learnt this week.

What I have done?
Installed a certain membership script on a site. I might tell you about it when the design is finished. ( in fact I am sure I will )

Had a design created for a client on RAC for her website.
In hindsight I realize I sent a seriously unprofessional review copy to somebody that isn’t in the car rental business although I’m sure he gets asked that all the time. ( sorry for the sloppy work! )
Got some good news on the progress of a certain online project and the first stage looks good! ( now do you think we should let you see it before it is 100 percent fully automated?!? )
I added content to the website that has the highest revenue per visitor. I am going to keep on adding content to this site.
I am also moving hosting and changing the template and content management solution of my money tips review website. All in all I think I have about 4 websites that needs updating and redesigning before the end of April, plus come next week I am back doing call center work again from home for a well paying company.

I also reviewed more possible e-books for publishing into real print. ( most are crap and require re-write or are too basic, and it is as dreary as reading the usual stuff I publish.
Had a genuinely productive week,
I have also finished a niche nugget that I am going to sell – all on my own again.
(And I have 4 to make between now and Tuesday, although I have all the raw material already ready )

Lessons I have picked up this week?

As a society, we get the teenagers we deserve.
You can quote me on that. Remember it is Andersen with an E.

I live in a less than affluent area. To be fair it is the poorest neighborhood of England I have ever lived in. I would say 98% of people here are nicer than any of the neighbors I have EVER had before – they say hello to you on the street, ask you how you are and how your son or wife is and so on. Even the people OVER 19 are that nice. They apologise. They let you into the traffic with a wave and a smile and they are genuinely concerned and caring of their neighbors.

But then there is something that happens during school holidays. It is a combination of alcohol, teenagers and absolutely NOTHING for them to do locally.

Think back to when you were a teenager where could you go to meet your friends during the school holidays? Afterschool clubs? The park? Football pitch? Skating rinks? Café? Dance halls? Holiday camp? Sorry those don’t exist anymore. There’s a carpark where the park and pitch used to be and the icerink and dance halls have been replaced by offices in our haste to create an “efficient” society. PE is hardly part of the curriculum anymore as it is considered far more important to create individuals that know the theory but can’t DO. “softer” subjects that inspire and nurture creativity and self confidence is no longer taught. Facts are far more important than imagination and a sense of achievement.

Bollox my arse. If you want to start a political party or run for office, solve THAT problem and you’d be worthy of the position. Not otherwise.

And I think it is fair to say that THIS is the most important lesson I have learnt this week – if not in the last 35 years of my life ( 34 years and 11 months ):

As a society, we get the teenagers we deserve.

Jon,
still progressing.