By Tina Dietz
December 4th, 2013 Edition
Best selling “lifehacker” moguls like Tim Ferriss and Karol Kadja have made their fortune telling people how to build supposedly easy ways to make money using the Internet so that you can go and travel the world without having to work more than a couple of hours a week. These guys have great ideas and are a wealth of online resources, but let’s face it, not everyone is super tech savvy. Not to mention, both of these guys (and many other well known “experts”) are single, 20 something males who dropped out of some Ivy League college. There’s nothing wrong with that, but what about the rest of us? What if you have a family, or you do not have the connections that the upper crust can provide?
Money is a factor in this equation, but it is not as important as you might think. What is far more crucial is for you to define the kind of lifestyle you want to live and what is important to you. Consider what your big picture is regardless of your current circumstances. Look at what inspires you and what legacy you want to leave. As an entrepreneur, you are still far more likely to be happier than most workers even though you might be working longer hours and making less money initially.
As a “bootstrapper,” that is, someone who is using their own money and resources to gradually build a business rather than get investors or take out a big loan, you are probably in for the long haul and already have some kind of vision that inspires you. Why not go the extra mile and build in more freedom to your dreams? If you are the one at the helm, piloting your own ship…you might as well create your business in such a way that it is an oasis for you. An oasis nourishes and refreshes you as well as those who interact with you.
If you are willing to put in the effort, build a plan, and go on the journey, you will always find a way. Connect with others who have done it. You are not alone. The world has become so flat that with a few keystrokes you can find entire communities who are creating (or who have already created) the kind of life you are looking to live and you will be happier to boot.
Start to question your status quo. We fall into habits and patterns that we simply accept as truth over time. Unlock your inner rebel and consider if you have allowed your creative thinking to get crushed under limiting beliefs like “I can’t disrupt my kids’ lives,” or “I have to keep my job because of the insurance,” or “It is too expensive.” When you catch those thoughts and beliefs coming up, start to ask yourself if it is really true then brainstorm some alternatives and try on some new possibilities just like you would slip on a new pair of shoes.
Most overnight successes are years in the making. You get to write your own “choose your own adventure” story. What would your “oasis” look like? My journey has led me to creating a mobile lifestyle for my family, exploring the world.
