Persistence is the Key

A few days ago, I commented on a blog post from Ramit Seth, author of I Will Teach You To Be Rich, co-founder of PBwiki and graduate of Stanford. The post was Knowing vs. doing: Let’s compare these 2 friends who try to earn more and was a guest post from Erica Douglass (of Erica.biz) — about 2 guys who are trying to sell the same product — for 3 reasons. The blog started with Erica: Do you know someone who’s given up?

There were a number of great responses and the day when I read the post, I was doing what I normally do. In my Corporate Cubedominium working away, thinking about the Board meeting I had the day before for my non-profit, wondering how much work I could get done during lunch for my Production/Editing business and praying that I took something out for dinner tonight for the kids. My life is FULL with no room for error. Time management is key and everytime I record my thoughts or open my mouth, I examine why.

I'm not content with running the rat race. I want more and I am willing to work day and night to achieve what I believe is success. The ability to live my life the way I want, doing what I most enjoy, surrounded by the people I love, admire and respect! So, here was my response to the post:

This post from Erica feeds into the “dream” that too many people have of working their plan and believing it will eventually pay off without truly having a plan. At some point when feeding a family, we must join the reality of working the dream AND the job that is funding the dream. I am in that crux currently since I have a non-profit that I founded and a dream business. My business is unique and I found a niche that has not been tapped into. Yet, I have 3 mouths at home to feed and support. What do I do, work like crazy on all of them. Sorry, Erica, this post isn’t realistic for the working class. Besides, who says the other guy wasn’t doing? He’s happily married with kids. He’s “doing” what he wants to do.

Then, something amazing happened...read on!

Ramit Sethi
Definitely. You can’t just jump into something and hope your passion will carry you. Passion is not enough. But notice that Erica was investing in her own education by meeting this guy, who’s done what she wants to do before. That’s one part of the recipe.

Ramit Sethi responded to me! and then...

Erica Douglass
Tina wrote: “I am in that crux currently since I have a non-profit that I founded and a dream business. My business is unique and I found a niche that has not been tapped into. Yet, I have 3 mouths at home to feed and support. What do I do, work like crazy on all of them.”
Tina, if you’d like, feel free to email me more details (I’m at erica AT erica dot biz) and I will give you some advice as a blog post. I’d need more information about what your businesses are and where you would like to be in order to help, and you’d have to be OK with sharing some of your story publicly (though I can change names as needed.)
If that’s something you would be interested in, feel free to email me. If not, no worries, and carry on…I will be rooting for you!
-Erica

Are you kidding me! Of course I want some help. Erica rocks! She sold her online business at age 26 for $1,100,000.00, "retired" and chose to teach others how to jump-start their business.

So, I said all of this to tell you this: Be persistent and grab every opportunity you can to get expert advice!

What can you do?