Ad HustlerConfessions Of A Serial Internet Entrepreneur

Grant Cardone is here to tell you that you can’t handle the truth!

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This is a Guest Post By Ad Hustler Contributor: Kim Ann Curtin, Life Coach

Crush It Being Y-O-U

“The greatest crisis of our lives is neither economic, intellectual, nor even what we usually call religious. It is a crisis of imagination. We get stuck on our paths because we are unable to re-imagine our lives differently from what they are right now.” ~Marc Gafni

In Gary Vaynerchuk’s book Crush It he talks about how many of us are slogging though our life in jobs that really don’t resonate with us. He feels that thanks to the internet we have a unique opportunity to monetize our passion. There are a number of ways he suggests this can be done and he lays it out succinctly in his informative and irreverent short book. The bottom line, he says, is that we now have the amazing ability to follow our bliss as well as make a living from it.

He also says we have the ability to understand our customer’s needs better than ever before. Thanks to social media we ALL have access to what our clientele is hungry for. We can see what they think and feel before, during and after they work with us. Which in turn means we can sculpt our offerings so they walk away satisfied each and every time.

Authenticity

Re the world of Real Estate Gary has this to say: “Part of the real estate game is learning to put some serious spin on a loser property, right? You pitch is as a “charming fixer-upper” or a gem “just waiting for some TLC.” Even the appealing properties get the rose-colored treatment. But what if you sat down in front of a camera and posted a series of video blogs telling people what you really thought of the homes or commercial sites or lots you were selling? What if you said something like, “I have got one ugly house to sell. Seriously, folks, you’ve got to see this one if only to take in one of the last surviving examples of red shag carpeting matched with faux-deer-antler, woodland-creature chandeliers. The sellers are super nice and I would love to get them the $360k they originally wanted, but I’ve talked to them about it and they understand that they need to set their sights lower because this sucker needs some serious renovations. I’m thinking you should take a look at it if you’ve got about $275k to spend, plus some extra bucks for a contractor. And bring your imagination, lots of it!”

Gary acknowledges that executing this might be challenging for a number of reasons and he is being extreme in this scenario but he asks would this kind of transparency hurt your business? In the end you would become the most trusted real-estate agent in town because everyone would know you shoot straight from the hip and never pull punches.

Today transparency is the name of the game – this is why now more than ever you want to bring your authentic self to the table and do work you enjoy. People have an accurate BS detector (aka intuition) and when they sense that someone isn’t behind what they’re talking about, they disconnect quickly. So you see it might not be the product that isn’t real but you and your lack of interest in the product.

Not Working at Your Passion?

Don’t worry you don’t have to quit your job tomorrow. But you do want to at least begin the inquiry of what you are passionate about.  Begin to consider what you would do if you had unlimited money. Is there something you have always enjoyed immensely that you would do regardless of how tired you are? Maybe it’s been so long since you enjoyed anything that you find it difficult to connect to these answers.  If that’s the case, start with identifying your basic needs. Marshall Rosenberg the founder of NonViolent Communication teaches us that by identifying our needs we begin the journey to satisfaction. Email me if you want me to send you his list of “Universal Needs.” As a coach I find a lot of people are not connected to their basic needs. Once you become more familiar with your needs you stand closer to getting them met. And if you do work that meets your needs then that’s when a day at the office feels as good if not better than a day at the beach.

Where You Stand

Challenging times make it imperative that you stand out from the pack. And it’s so easy to do because there is no one out there just like you! You are utterly unique and you bring to the table a combination of experiences unlike anyone else. You will find that people always resonate with authenticity above everything else and usually will come back for more if what you sold to them delivered.

The reason “…we are unable to re-imagine our lives differently from what they are right now…” is not only because of a lack of imagination but a lack of courage.  Rarely does our culture and society endorse courage for oneself – for others yes – but we must begin with our self first. Finding out what our needs are and or what makes us truly happy is the first step. Investigating other ways to live ones life is best done with support. I invite you to find a friend, a coach or a group that does just this.

Ask if you can see yourself doing this for another 5 years? 5 months? 5 minutes? If the answer is, “Hell no!” then have the chutzpa to investigate what you might be willing to do instead -even if you have to do it alone. And for just a moment let go of the issue of finances. Let your imagination dream. Buy yourself one of those super large white tear sheet pads and start brainstorming. Dreaming doesn’t cost a dime. All you are doing is dreaming right now. And according to Gary Vaynerchuk, that dream just might lead you to more dimes than you could have every imagined.

Kim Ann Curtin – Website | Blog | Twitter | Youtube

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This is a Guest Post By Ad Hustler Contributor: Kim Ann Curtin, Life Coach

The Middle Way

“He who finds the path in the middle learns to eliminate the blind spots and illusions, and to apply common sense to all areas of life.” ~JJ Dewey

I’ve a confession to make; I’ve lived most of my life as a sort of extremist, and still do on occasion. This clarity comes to me after a few weeks of being in the midst of a major personal transition. Things were going very smoothly with it, a couple of weeks ago, when I started to worry about some imagined possible negative outcomes. A friend then said, “It’s as though you don’t know how to be happy and relaxed, I think you have a habit of being anxious.” Then the other day I was given an introduction to someone who might be a great connection for some very big plans I have. I was ecstatic about it and started to describe the great possible imagined outcomes. This same friend responded; “Yes and you have to wait and see what may or may not come of it.” When she saw my expression she asked had I wished she had shown more excitement. Yes, I responded, but I could see her pragmatic approach was really more appropriate.

Being raised in a home with a mother who had Borderline Personality Disorder I experienced a world of extremes. Black and white. Good or bad. All or nothing. Borderlines don’t live in a world of gray or moderation. They usually swing between extremes of idealization and devaluation of others and circumstances. Situations or people are either hopelessly awful or perfectly sublime. Growing up in that environment taught me to respond from one of these two extremes regardless of the concern or joy.

Add to this mix the culture and religion we live with and how they all endorse extremes. From Madison Avenue to Washington DC many of our politicians, celebrities and religious leaders live in and from extremism. And we respond in kind. We idolize them until their humanity shows up and then we crucify them. Think Tiger Woods pre car crash and post. Even our view of beauty today is extreme. Have you seen the magazine New Beauty? It describes itself as “a must-have for anyone interested in improving their appearance.” What does it feature? Plastic surgery and aesthetic injectables.

One of Merriam Webster definitions of the word Extreme is “Situated at the farthest possible point from a center.”  So how does one keep oneself in the center?

• Be mindful of your responses to situations. Do you get overly sad or happy when the outcome is different than expected? Are you able to be with those who have opposing views? Notice if you are coming from an all or nothing stand point on issues or with your beliefs.  Noticing and being aware of this reaction is your first step.
• Be the authority of your life. Allow yourself to be the final word on what matters to you. Check in with those you respect and want to emulate, but allow your choice to come from you and your heart. Live your life from the place of what you want and not in response to what you don’t want.
• Surround yourself with those that are hopeful and practical. I’m fortunate to have friends that embody both of these qualities. Both are extremely important. If those closest to you don’t have these qualities then widen your circle and fast. Remember that we tend to mirror those we spend our time with.
• Have a practice of stillness. Be it mediation, prayer or just sitting still, we all need a place to escape the loudness around us and within us. Having a steady practice of being-ness allows us to more often than not bring our pendulum back to the middle.
• Step out of your comfort zone. Expose yourself to different views, cultures and people. I spent 6 hours in a tattoo parlor to support my friend, who finally decided to get the tattoo he always wanted. I sat spellbound in a deep conversation with the enlightened Dave Shoemaker a very gifted tattoo artist. Being in new environments and meeting new people opens you up in ways you would never expect.

We have used the label “extremist” to describe those that are blinded by their beliefs so much that they refuse to consider other viewpoints. Seeing things from multiple perspectives opens your mind to a larger more generous world view.

Gautama discovered what Buddhists now call the Middle Way; a path of moderation between the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification.  Anglicanism was created to be the Via Media “the Middle Way” between Catholicism and Protestantism.  In Chinese tradition they speak of having an “Everyday heart,” as well as how the highest form of an evolved life is one of “plain water.”

The older I get the more aware I become of the shades of gray that exist but old habits die hard. And thanks to the experience of coaching I’ve been able to consider and step into multiple paradigms. These different perspectives assist me in seeing how many ways there are to approach life and business. Coaching keeps me aware of the default settings that are ingrained, not by making me wrong but by providing me the tools to reset them when they show up so I may create a more harmonious life. A life not lived in the extremes but in the balanced middle.

Kim Ann Curtin – Website | Blog | Twitter | Youtube

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This is a Guest Post By Ad Hustler Contributor: Kim Ann Curtin, Life Coach

Big, Selfless & Simple

“Find the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” ~Frederick Buechner

Most of the clients that I’ve worked with either immediately or eventually discuss their dissatisfaction with their careers. Some of them are in positions with companies that don’t challenge them in any way and don’t utilize their strengths effectively. Then of course there are those that have created their own businesses yet feel it is more challenging than they expected it to be and although they don’t want to return to “working for the man” they are still anxious for improvement.

I’m a big believer in finding out what one’s needs are. Once we get our needs identified (which are actually hiding below our wants) we stand a much greater chance at having them met thus attaining satisfaction and happiness in every area of our life.

And its because of this I’m very excited about Rick Smith’s new book called The Leap.  After his assessment (www.primarycolorsassessment.com ) which determines our needs and natural gifts, he then provides us with an unusual measuring stick. He asks us to create something Big, Selfless and Simple from these gifts. He states that once we can do that, we’ll propel our career from good to great.

Smith actually believes it’s possible to find the career that will satisfy and fulfill you, as well as be profitable.  That’s right, profitable. You don’t usually see the word “selfless” next to the word “profitable” often however the interesting truth is that those selfless ideas are usually the ideas that really generate. To be selfless means that you are focused on meeting others needs; i.e. the needs of the market place. If that is job #1 and you really focus on other people and their needs and where and how those needs can be met by you or your service/s then you will absolutely find yourself a smash hit.

What he identifies as “myth” is the story that those that make The Leap must reinvent themselves, charge forward alone or be a daring risk taker; when in reality he argues, they actually are those that become more completely themselves, are carried to success on the shoulders of others, and are keen risk mitigators.

For me personally I’m happy to hear this because as much as I like adventure and see myself as courageous, I’m still someone who checks the cables on the safety nets before I go swinging from any trapeze bar. I actually don’t like to gamble in Vegas or anywhere else. Maybe a wee bit for entertainment but the whole time I can’t help but think what a waste – fully aware the odds are against me. This “Dare Devil-Come What May” moniker that my non-entrepreneurial friends gave me has never fit. I always said that being an entrepreneur required me to be resilient and unstoppable more than anything else.

Of course being an entrepreneur does require chutzpa, I will attest to that, but it’s time to put to rest that there is anything irresponsible about it. I actually believe that there are those out there who have been so indoctrinated with this perspective that that alone keeps them from venturing out even in small ways in their career choices. As a coach, I’m all about people stepping into new perspectives, yet I’m aware that this one is very challenging for the majority of folks. Most are sheep following the path others have set for them. As for your being an affiliate marketer, yes it’s true that you are stepping further out than a nine to fiver yet are your really blazing your own new path?

Fear holds most people back be it from ourselves or our responsibilities to our families that it’s challenging to considering what we might create professionally on our own that is brand new.  This is why in addition to reading books such as Smith’s one needs to create a support system. Whether it is a coach or a group of like minded entrepreneurs that will support your investigating other avenues as well as encourage you to find your sweet spot.
Having honest, supportive and challenging peers around you will allow you to see the bigger picture. Sometimes we simply can’t see the forest for the trees without at least one set of neutral eyes.

And remember this doesn’t mean you stop what your doing, just begin the investigation.  Do it incrementally, like Vaynerchuk says, after hours is plenty of time to cash in on your passion.  I realize that making cash is awesome. And most likely you are experiencing that right now however imagine not only creating income but also enjoying and feeling satisfied with your efforts as well. That’s true wealth. This is why finding out what our “deep gladness” is is the first step.

Discovery your strengths so you can create a business that will utilize them effectively. You have the opportunity to build your career house on a solid foundation identifying your strengths early on so that your unique gifts will be brought into your venture from the start. And this will mean assuring your deep gladness will meet the world’s deep hunger.  And isn’t that what pleasure is all about both parties satisfied?

Kim Ann Curtin – Website | Blog | Twitter | Youtube

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This Saturday I will be attending the NYC Meetup202 event lead by Emily Thomson.  If you are in the NYC area this Saturday night, please make plans to attend.  Meetup202 events are a great opportunity to network with fellow affiliate/internet marketers, make great connections and have a great time.  This event will take place:

The Irish Rogue
356 W 46th St.
East of 9th – Upstairs
NY, NY 10036

February 28, 2009 6:00 PM

Here is a link to the Meetup Group.

I hope to see some of you there.

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