I’d Be a Football Coach

Being a football coach is something I never considered doing when I was young. In recent years, though, I’ve become good friends with three football coaches (who also coach baseball and golf), and I strongly envy what they do as both coaches and teachers. I especially envy the part about being in a position to make a positive impact on young people’s lives.

Their jobs oftentimes are stressful, frustrating, exhausting, but I know that none of them would trade it for anything in the world.

And as I watch my daughters participate in sports, I’m reminded how much I enjoy everything about team sports: competing, leading, striving every day to improve. (My girls don’t want to win nearly as much as I did, which kind of pisses me off, but I’ve tried to keep my mouth shut and let them enjoy their athletic experiences in their own way. For example, my oldest daughter’s lacrosse team lost on Saturday, and she wanted to get ice cream afterwards. It took all my strength not to say, “You only get ice cream when you win,” which is how it was when I was growing up!)

I love football, but the sport probably wouldn’t have mattered, as long as it involved a ball and a scoreboard. It could have been lacrosse, soccer, volleyball, baseball, golf.

It’s in the DNA

My latent interest in coaching/teaching is interesting, too, because my Dad strongly considered being a teacher. He was “this close” to accepting a job offer he received when he graduated from college. Knowing my Dad, he would’ve ended up being a coach. No doubt about it. He was nuts about sports — all sports. Instead of teaching, he entered seminary and became a Lutheran minister — where he always tried to field a strong club in church-league softball. Nobody I know has ever taken church-league softball more seriously than him, much to my embarrassment at times. LOL!

I’ve gravitated toward coaching, of course — it’s part of what I do every day. But dang it, I love the unambiguous measurement of performance that comes with a scoreboard.

So, What Would You Do With a Do-Over?

Would it be different from what you’re doing now? Is it too late for you to take a do-over? Please share your comments below.

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He’s “Difficult”

In the mid-1980s, researchers at Cleveland State University created two fictitious job candidates — Dave and John — with two almost-identical resumes. The only difference was that John’s letter included the sentence, “Sometimes, John can be difficult to get along with.”

The researchers showed the resumes to personnel directors. Which candidate did the directors most want to interview? It was sometimes-difficult-to-get-along-with John.

The researchers concluded that the criticism of John made the reference’s praise of John seem more believable, and thus a stronger candidate.

We Don’t Cover That

Tom Keacher is a regional sales manager for First Protection, the company that originated marine service contracts. For years, Tom started his sales presentations by listing every boat-engine part that First Protection covered. But in 1994, Tom decided to switch tactics. He started his pitches by listing every part that the service contact did not cover. Tom’s conversion rate improved significantly.

Beckwith’s conclusion is: rather than hide your weaknesses, admit them.

“Show your warts” is interesting advice, and it’s something I haven’t done often. If I did advertise a weakness for my coachsulting, it would be that I’m not outwardly empathetic; I don’t do hand-holding very well; I’d rather get to the problem-solving piece.

What About You?

Do you agree with Beckwith’s advice? What weakness(es) would you share with potential clients/customers?

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“Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” –Martin Luther King, Jr.

I can’t improve on King’s quote, but to bring his idea into the solopreneur life, I add this:

You don’t have to have a Web site to serve.

You don’t have to have a killer business plan to serve.

You don’t have to be a great at sales and marketing to serve.

Related posts:

1. 7 Ways To Conquer Your Fear and Doubt
2. Solopreneurs, Use This Method to Make Every Decision a Great Decision
3. Featured Soloist Tzaddi Gordon: “Become Great at Networking”

If you’re a regular reader of my columns, you know that I’m kidding.

Griffin

This week our dog Griffin had, ahem, bowel issues. He let me know about it while I was trying to work. Barking. Whining. Pacing. Scratching at my door. Begging to be taken outside — frequently.

So, see Larry inspecting the clinical evidence.

See Larry googling “Shih Tzu diarrhea.”

See Larry calling the vet.

See Larry searching the house for Pepto-Bismol.

See Larry going to Cashwise grocery store for Pepto-Bismol. (See Larry trying to decide between the generic Pepto-Bismol and the real thing.)

See Larry trying to administer real Pepto-Bismol via one of those little-kid, plastic syringes that come with children’s liquid Tylenol.

See Larry mixing the Pepto-Bismol into the dog’s food.

I think you get the idea. It was not a productive work week, and it was frustrating.

But as I sit here on Friday night, the week doesn’t seem so bad. Griffin seems to be fine. All is well. I remind myself that one big reason why we adopt the solopreneur life is so we can take care of day-to-day family needs.

And I can’t think of anything I would’ve done with my time this week that would’ve been more important than nursing the family pet back to health.

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Derek Peterson

Name of solopreneur:
Derek Peterson, International Child/Youth Advocate

Name of business and location:
Institute for Community and Adolescent Resilience, Lidgerwood, North Dakota

Web site address:
www.icar-us.com

Type of business:
Helping kids succeed

When did you officially go into business?
1992

Why did you start your own business?
I took a 2.5-year “edventure” and uncovered my Call. I like EVERYTHING about being in business for myself. It keeps me learning, changing, growing, connecting, and serving.

What was the best thing you did when you were starting up your business?
Two things: I had a clear focus through an articulated business plan that included defined strategies and timelines AND I never went into debt. By staying debt-free I could focus on my plan, and avoid chasing money.

What is a mistake that you made that you have learned from?
I first followed the American definition of success by growing BIG, hiring staff, raising revenue, and making a lot of noise. I learned that by growing, I moved myself further and further away from my Call. I am much more productive, content, and balanced by being a solopreneur.

What is your biggest current challenge in the business and what are doing to try to solve it?
Compelling my clients to adopt the personal and systemwide changes needed to help kids succeed. They are comfortable with tiny, cosmetic adjustments in their attitudes and behaviors but are reluctant to change their habits and cultures. I am taking a one-year (or longer) sabbatical to explore these issues and revitalize my energies, ideas, and passions.

What are your goals for the next 12 months?
To do the following:
1) Get outside – often.
2) Read two books per week.
3) Update my materials.
4) Write two new books.
5) Update and cleanse my contact database.

Where do you want to be with the business in five years?
I would like my partner to quit her professional position, expand the mission of the business to include her passions, talents and skills, and travel the world with me doing children’s rights and development work. I would like us to work no more than 100 days a year and have a shared revenue stream of at least $60,000.

What are your main software programs and Internet sites?
I use a Mac. Some that I value highly that your readers may not be familiar with:
RapidWeaver
Wunderlist
IBank
IMindMap 5
Basecamp and Highrise
MailChimp
Scrivener
Autoslash.com
Tingo.com
Kayak.com

What lifestyle choices have you made to stay in business?
In terms of possessions and materialism, I live a life of voluntary simplicity. But in terms of explorations, service, and interconnectedness, I live a life of voluntary complexity, guided through synchronicity. Both serve to ensure the wide base of stability needed to become the man I was born to become, live the life I choose to live, and serve those I am called to serve.

What are your strategies for staying competitive?
I can meet the needs of my customers immediately. I can adjust my framework to serve their needs. I can learn anything I need to be competitive – from new software to a new language, from adapting new research into my work to constantly improving my framework and teaching techniques to be congruent with new research and practices. I can move anywhere on earth. I can find common ground, based in common purpose, with almost any individual or organization on earth.

Do you need a second household income to support your lifestyle?
Nope, not at all. It is primary.

If your business should fail, what is your fallback position?
I would leap to one of the several revenue streams that I have not yet capitalized, developed, or initiated.

If you could start your career all over again, what would you do differently? Why?
I have not worked more than 170 days per year since 1997. I was fortunate that each one of my jobs was interesting. In those jobs I worked with intelligent, decent, and joyful people who labored to manifest the mission of the institutions we served. No, I would not do anything over. I have lived a life where I have been as free as I have chosen to be, where I was able to purchase the things that I needed and participate in the activities that expanded my repertoire of experiences, while broadening my comfort zones.

What’s your advice for aspiring solopreneurs?
Make sure you know where you are going, why you are going there, whom you are serving, and who is going with you. Make a habit of seeing yourself and your work through your clients’ eyes. Find, make, and deepen connections with mentors/advisors. Remain a humble learner, and rather than debating whether the glass is half-empty or half-full, always work to fill the glass.

Are you glad you became a solopreneur? Why or why not?
I have not been an employee since May of 1992. I don’t even know if I am equipped to return to the professional world of 220 days of work for a salary. I have grown accustomed to keeping time with my own heartbeat, being responsible for myself, to myself, and to those whom I choose to be committed.

Related posts:

1. Featured Soloist Heather Claus: “I’m a Rebel and a Capitalist”
2. Featured Soloist Shauna Washington: “Stop Settling!”
3. Featured Soloist Deb Howard Greenleaf: “Glad? You Bet!”

Oftentimes we don’t need advice. We don’t need coaching. We don’t want criticism. We don’t want to be judged. We don’t want marketing expertise.

We need and want someone who will listen — carefully and intently.

I’d Rather Be a Speaker!

I was given the gift of listening. Truth be told, I wish I possessed the gift of speaking, because society values speaking. Listening? Not so much; there are no Professional Listeners Bureaus.

But I’m a listener, and I accept it.

And today I have begun providing professional listening services to solopreneurs.

The Nitty Gritty

All of my listening sessions are via phone, are private, and are kept strictly confidential.

Sessions with me can begin after you have made your payment. The 45-minute listening sessions are $40 for 1 session; $100 for 3 sessions (save $20); and $180 for 6 sessions (save $60).

Sessions are available during the day, and as an experiment I’ve added a limited number of evening sessions: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 8 p.m. Central.

Purchase your sessions via PayPal and schedule your sessions:

Options

1 Session$40.00 USD 3 Sessions (save $20)$100.00 USD 6 Sessions (save $60)$180.00 USD

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1. Solopreneurs, What’s Your Superpower?
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3. Do You Want Free PR for Your New Product or Service?

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” — Michelangelo

“Imagination and fiction make up more than three quarters of our real life.” — Simone Weil

Consider the quote above from Simone Weil: three-quarters of our life is spent on imagination and fiction! That’s extraordinary!

Now think about this question: How important is imagination to the solopreneur life? Sam Lyons writes:

The popular concept of a business person espoused by the media is someone who is rather dull and linear in their thinking. They are referred to more often as “hard-nosed” and “practical.” In fact, many business people themselves buy into this erroneous stereotype.

Yet imagination is the heart of business success. While corporations themselves may appear to be based on buttoned-down rules and regulations, the entrepreneurs who started them have all, without exception, been highly creative and imaginative.

When you launched your solo business, you had a vision of the future; your decision to start your business was based on what you could imagine. The fruit of your imagination was an idea — a vision for carrying out your life’s work.

If you are an aspiring solopreneur, your imagination right now is busy envisioning what your future will look like — the work you will do, the people you will help, the things you will achieve, the future world you will live in.

The Dark Side of the Imagination

We typically think of imagination as a force for good. But the power of the imagination can be extremely destructive. Laurence G. Boldt writes:

If imagination is not set to the task of building a creative life, it busies itself with weaving a web of inner fears and doubts, blame, and excuse.

Boldt’s right, isn’t he? When my imagination is put to good use, I imagine new products, new writing, and new ways to do business. When I lack an outlet for my imagination, my mind is occupied with fear of the future, with visions of failure and loss: What if I lose this client? What if I miss that deadline? What if my Web site gets hacked?

How Do You Make Imagination a Positive Force?

So this begs several questions: How do you engage your imagination to enable positive thoughts? How do you get your imagination working on good things? How do you get into a state where your river of ideas is strong and your fears are overwhelmed?

I’d love to get your advice on this! Please share your imagination secrets below.

Related posts:

1. Using Two Computer Displays: Does It Make You a More Productive Solopreneur?
2. The Principle of Looking For Good Enough
3. Solopreneurs, Use This Method to Make Every Decision a Great Decision

The cry expresses my belief that you can’t dip your toe into the solopreneurial pool; you need to do a cannonball. Bellyflops work well, too.

Today, I’m adding a second battle cry, one that takes the form of a question: “What have you done today to change the world?”

The question is a prod for all of us who are on lifelong journeys to improve humanity. The question also provides solace — it implies that changing the world happens one day at a time, one person at a time.

The complementary question to ask at the beginning of each day is: “What am I going to do today to change the world?”

Your Turn to Talk

So, what have you done this week to change the world? What have you done this month to change the world? What have you done this year to change the world?

I’d love to hear what you’ve done so far. Please share in the comments below.

Related posts:

1. Featured Soloist Andy Hayes: “I Find Innovation When I’m Away From My World”

Imagine that in approaching the Quest for life’s work, you view, consider, and experience yourself as a hero or heroine tracking a great treasure which, having won, you will bring back for all to see and enjoy.

This is an altogether, qualitatively different experience from “looking for a job” or “finding your niche” or “discovering how to have it all.” You are a Parzival or Dante, a Pschye or Penelope. However you frame it, or name it, you are a hero — moving into the field of questing — following your bliss.

You frame your experience, in this case your searching and questioning, not as that of a confused and pathetic groper who doesn’t know what to do, but as a Hero on a Quest.

What Do You Think?

Do you view your solopreneur life in heroic terms? How would this approach change your work? Please share your thoughts below.

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• The market’s wants and needs

• The ability to meet the market’s wants and needs

• The level of passion for the work

But I’ve learned that I shouldn’t be measuring passion at all.

Passion Does Not Last

Passion is like “falling in love” or “being in love.” Passion is the emotional, irrational euphoria that occurs at the beginning of a relationship. It’s when we can’t see the other person’s flaws. It’s when we believe that the feeling will last forever.

But you know this — the euphoria always ends.

Many business startups are like the euphoric stage of love. We ignore potential pitfalls. We see the rewards but are blind to the risks. We scoff at the idea of creating a business plan. Our passion for the business will conquer all! (This all sounds familiar, if you’ve been a solopreneur for a while.)

Purpose Is Different Than Passion

Purpose isn’t passion.

Purpose isn’t an emotion.

Purpose isn’t a feeling.

Consider these words from HealthyPlace.com:

The work of love is choosing to love. Choosing to treat each other with kindness. Choosing to keep the relationship alive and healthy. Choosing to give to one another. Choosing to remain friends despite conflicts.

Do you see the difference between passion and purpose? Passion is living with your eyes closed. Purpose is living with eyes wide open. Passion runs away from reality. Purpose is knee-deep in reality.

Purpose Will Sustain You

When our businesses are based on passion, we’re not able to survive the setbacks. Our confidence crumbles. Our dream turns into a nightmare. What we once loved, we now hate.

But when driven by purpose, we know that crises will occur. We know that the path will be difficult.

But we know we will overcome, because we have made a commitment to our purpose, we have made a promise to our true selves.

Ultimately, passion can’t sustain a life or a business. Purpose can and does.

If you’re in the throes of passion for your business, I want you to know that passion isn’t always bad — it can indicate that your business is built on your purpose.

So my suggestion is this: when the passion for your business disappears, take the time necessary to identify your purpose. You might find that your passion was the result of being aligned with your purpose.

What Do You Think?

Please share your thoughts below.

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