Project Life Mastery https://projectlifemastery.com Tue, 22 Sep 2020 13:20:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 https://projectlifemastery.com/wp-content/uploads/project-life-mastery-favicon.ico Project Life Mastery https://projectlifemastery.com 32 32 The Solopreneur Checklist: Are You Ready to Quit Your Day Job? https://projectlifemastery.com/solopreneur/ https://projectlifemastery.com/solopreneur/#respond Sat, 20 Jan 2018 18:00:06 +0000 http://projectlifemastery.com/?p=7797 Are you ready to quit your day job? Discover the success checklist that every new solopreneur should follow before starting their entrepreneurial journey!

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Do you have a desire to be a solopreneur? Solopreneurship is a business strategy and lifestyle that is gaining popularity in today's world, but it's not for the faint of heart.

I have first hand experience being a solopreneur, which is why I wanted to invite Josh Elkin, the founder of Best Coast Marketing, to share his solopreneur checklist with you. 

This checklist will help you determine whether or not you are ready to quit your day job and dive into the world of solopreneurship. 

Take it away Josh!

Coming up with a business plan can be exciting, especially when you find yourself in a less than interesting day job. You start to imagine all the benefits of being your own boss, doing the work you want to do, and making your own hours.

The more you plan and take steps to start your business, the more real it becomes, and you realize that this isn’t just a dream. This is something you can actually do. Which leads you to the tricky question: are you ready to quit your day job?

To someone working in a dead end day job, the idea of starting a business and becoming a solopreneur is appealing…and quite possible if they know what they’re doing.

You can even run your business on the side to supplement your day job income. But as your business expands, balancing the two can be difficult, to say the least. The trouble is knowing when you’ve reached your breaking point.

Are ready to become a full-time solopreneur?

It may be easy to supplement your income with your business, but until you devote yourself to it full-time, it’s hard to say whether you’ll be able to fully support yourself that way. Business always involves risks, but you can minimize those risks with careful planning.

Here is a checklist of questions to determine whether or not you are ready to quit your day job and become a full-time solopreneur:

1. Do you have 3-6 months of savings?

In the beginning stages of building a business, don't expect to make money right away. It will take time to build the foundation and establish credibility in your industry. There’s also the feast-or-famine nature of business to consider.

A solopreneur knows that they have to be ready for dry spells. While you are balancing your day job and your business, start to build up an emergency fund. Most financial advisors recommend that you have 3-6 months of savings in an emergency fund before you go off on your own.

If your business is successful early on, great! Continue saving. It never hurts to have that cushion, in case of emergencies.

2. Have you done your market research?

Before you launch your business, you need to know what you are up against. Take a look at the competition. What do they offer to your potential clients? How does what you offer differ from what you offer? Does it differ at all?

Before you quit your day job, have a clearly defined idea of what sets your business apart, and exactly why clients should choose you over the competition. It’s also important to make sure that you are networking in all the right places.

Figure out what social media platforms your target audience is most likely to frequent and establish your brand there, before taking off on your own.

Run analytics on your social media accounts and your website to see how well you are doing and where you need to improve. Once you feel confident that your brand stands out, you can consider drafting that resignation letter.

3. Do you have a network?

Word of mouth is one of the most effective methods of bringing in new business. Marketing research reveals that the vast majority of sharing of information about brands is actually offline, rather than online.

Have you told all of your family and friends about your business, and are they telling their family and friends? Do you have business cards printed? Do you have a strong social media presence?

Put your business out there whenever you can and get people talking about it. When customers start coming to you, instead of you seeking them out, that’s a good indication that your network is working and you are on your way!

4. Have you planned for unexpected costs?

It’s difficult to plan for unexpected costs, since they’re…well…unexpected. But you can expect that unexpected costs will happen.

Whether those costs are a client closing their own business or shipping the wrong products to the wrong customers, at some point, the unexpected is bound to strike. Again, it’s important that you have a cushion, but it’s also important that you have a backup plan, in case things go awry in your business.

If your computer dies, will you be able to replace it quickly? If you lose a supplier, how quickly will you be able to find another?

5. Do you have a backup plan for yourself?

Failure happens to all of us. It doesn't have to be a bad thing. In fact, it is an integral part of any success story.

Take it from Michael Jordan who said, “I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Embracing failure is the best way to ensure your success. Sometimes business plans, even good ones, never take off. If your business fails, you want to have a backup plan for yourself, so that you aren't left stranded. Will you be able to return to your day job if money is tight? Will you have time to pursue another business plan, while working part-time?

I encourage you to embrace failure. What matters isn't that you fail, but rather, how you are able to transform your failure into success.

Preparedness is key for making the transition to become a full-time solopreneur. Once you have a network, regular clients, marketing research, and a solid backup plan, all that really remains is finally putting in your two weeks notice.

If you have the desire to become a full-time solopreneur, but feel like you are being held back by your full-time job, I hope that my checklist helps you prepare to make that eventual transition. You will never know if you are ready until you actually start taking action to make your dreams a reality.

Josh Elkin is the founder of Best Coast Marketing, a marketing agency which helps increase their clients’ traffic through organic link-building. Josh enjoys writing about entrepreneurship, marketing, productivity and self-improvement.

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5 Things Mentally Strong People Won’t Do https://projectlifemastery.com/5-things-mentally-strong-people-wont-do/ https://projectlifemastery.com/5-things-mentally-strong-people-wont-do/#respond Sun, 22 Oct 2017 14:00:06 +0000 http://projectlifemastery.com/?p=6951 Mental strength is the foundation for success. Do you want to know 5 things that mentally strong people won't do? Click here to learn more!

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I’m going to share with you 5 things mentally strong people won’t do

It may surprise you, but intelligence only accounts for a small percentage of your achievement. Research is starting to reveal that mental toughness, or “grit”, plays a more important role than anything else for achieving your goals in life.

Mentally strong people are committed to engaging in habits of success, and they are effectively able to manage their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.

If you catch yourself engaging in these 5 things mentally strong people won’t do, don’t beat yourself up. I have solutions for how you can recognize and replace these unhealthy habits, so that you can become mentally strong.

In the words of John Schiefer, “Mental toughness can take you to the top, and mental weakness straight to the bottom.” Which path will you take?

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

[smart_track_player url=”http://www.buzzsprout.com/9299/583902-plm-488-5-things-mentally-strong-people-won-t-do.mp3″ background=”default” ]

Do you want to learn how to create a morning ritual that will increase your mental strength? CLICK HERE to join my Morning Ritual Mastery course!

Mental strength is the foundation for success. Everyone has the ability to build it. Just like a muscle, you need to strengthen it.

Commit to learning how to identify the common pitfalls that you are prone to falling into, so that you can master your mind and become the best version of yourself.

Here are 5 things mentally strong people won’t do.

1. They will not indulge in past failures or mistakes.

Failure is a normal part of life. Whatever goal you are trying to achieve, you will make mistakes and you will fail.

A mentally strong person is able to learn from their mistakes and use them as fuel to propel them forward. They don’t view setbacks as failures, but rather, as opportunities to learn and become more.

Alternatively, a weak person is unable to bounce back from failure. They usually associate a lot of pain to their setbacks and tend to make a big deal out of things that are out of their control.

They are afraid to take a leap of faith and try something new, for fear that they will fail. As a result, they remain in their comfort zone.

If you failed in the past, it’s time to let it go. The past is history.

Your failures will not determine your future unless you allow them to. In the words of Tony Robbins, “The past does not equal the future.”

Shift your mindset and look for the positive in every experience. Don’t dwell on your problems in life. Focus on what you have control over and move on!

2. They will not feel sorry for themselves.

Mentally strong people take ownership and responsibility for their choices in life, whereas weak people create stories and play the role of victim. They blame others’ and external circumstances for their shortcomings in life.

As a result, these people end up holding onto their problems and carry this baggage with them into the future.

Alternatively, mentally strong people recognize that the sooner that you take responsibility for your life, the happier and healthier you become.

Research shows that positive emotions may actually make us healthier.

According to Dr. Laura Kubzansky, a professor of human health and development at Harvard School of Public Health, individuals with great emotional vitality have a much lower risk of developing heart disease, compared to the less emotionally expressive.

Don't be a victim of your circumstances. Pick yourself up, dispel negative emotions, and take responsibility for your life.

As Viktor Frankl famously said, “When we can't change the outcome, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

3. They don't surround themselves with negative people.

Negative people can suck the life out of you, draining your emotional and mental energy. This is why mentally strong people are conscious of who they surround themselves with.

The fact of the matter is, who you spend time with is who you become. Are your friends elevating you or bringing you down? If it’s the latter, it’s time to find new friends.

Weak people allow toxic energy to come into their lives because they are unable to develop healthy boundaries. Study after study shows that negativity has a drastic impact on your physical, mental, and financial well-being.

Alternatively, mentally strong people do not tolerate second class behaviour or negativity. They know when to put the line in the sand, and have the ability to say no when someone is not serving their highest self.

4. Mentally strong people don’t judge themselves or others.

Mentally strong people don't get caught up in drama. They refuse to indulge in the act of speaking less about themselves or others. They look for the good in everything and everybody.

Norman Vincent Peale said it best – “When you expect the best, you release a magnetic force in your mind which by a law of attraction tends to bring the best to you.”

If you are wondering why your life might be challenging right now, look at where you are focusing your thoughts. If you focus on the bad and constantly complain, you WILL attract more of that into your life.

Research from Stanford University has shown that complaining shrinks the hippocampus, an area of the brain that’s critical to problem solving and intelligent thought.

Be conscious of the words that you speak. They have the power to shape your reality.

5. Mentally strong people aren’t lazy.

Mentally strong people are disciplined and committed to everything that they do. They aren’t focused on instant gratification and pleasures. Rather, they are always looking forward and thinking long-term.

Alternatively, weak people struggle with discipline of any kind, because they haven't been able to master their mindset and emotions. They live in their comfort zones and, as a result, fail to grow.

Everything you desire in life is outside of your comfort zone. Studies show that stepping out of your comfort zone leads to greatly increased productivity, creativity, and the ability to cope with unexpected changes.

When there is a challenge or crisis in their lives, mentally strong people rise up and take action.

Being productive and disciplined is a habit, which is why I'm a big fan of morning ritualsWhen you start off the day doing things that are proactive it sets you up for success, which translates into every area of your life.

These are 5 things mentally strong people won’t do. Don’t be a dabbler. Condition your mind every day, develop healthy habits, and commit to mastery.

Do you want to learn how to create a morning ritual that will increase your mental strength? CLICK HERE to join my Morning Ritual Mastery course!

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5 Ways That Fitness Can Help You Master All Areas Of Life https://projectlifemastery.com/fitness-master-all-areas-of-life/ https://projectlifemastery.com/fitness-master-all-areas-of-life/#respond Wed, 09 Aug 2017 20:00:27 +0000 http://projectlifemastery.com/?p=6596 A healthy life is a happy life. Do you want to know 5 ways that fitness can help you master your life? Click here to learn more!

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Health and fitness have always been a top priority in my life.  I believe that maintaining a healthy balanced life is essential for happiness and well-being. The best way to achieve balance is by mastering every area of your life.

That is why I wanted to invite Anand Jobanputra, a Strength and Fat Loss Coach, author, and Founder of Underdog Strength, a website dedicated to providing practical fitness, nutrition, and motivation tips, to write a guest post to talk about 5 ways that fitness can help you master all areas of life.

Take it away Anand!

I would like to share with you 5 ways that fitness can help you master all areas of life. You probably already know the importance and benefits of physical fitness for health and well-being. Given that we have become more sedentary over the years, taking care of our health has become more important than ever before.

An unhealthy body and a healthy mind simply do not go hand in hand.

Several research studies have shown that a sedentary lifestyle has been associated with mental health disorders. What most people fail to see is that the benefits of pursuing a fitness goal are beyond physical.

If the benefits of fitness are so far-reaching, then why is it that so many people today are unhealthy?

In my experience, one of the biggest reasons for this is that people don’t create short and long-term fitness goals. Simply going to the gym and working out, without any goals, is not a great motivator. On the other hand, if you set specific goals with regard to your fitness regime, you will be much more motivated to achieve them.

Watch the video below:

Take my example – I used to be morbidly obese growing up, weighing over 275 lbs. I used to work out here and there, but I never achieved any long-lasting results. When I decided to set a goal of losing 100 lbs in one year, that’s when I saw the real results. Not only did I achieve my goal, I actually exceeded it by losing over 125 lbs.

You can clearly see a physical transformation here, but what most people fail to see is the mental transformation that took place. I can say, without a doubt, that my mindset has completely changed by pursuing this goal.  It has taught me some valuable life lessons, which I have been able to apply to other areas of my life. You can learn more about my transformation here.

Below are 5 ways that fitness can help you master every area of your life:

1. Fitness teaches You How To Embrace Failure 

When pursuing your fitness goals, you will inevitably deal with failure along the way. Failure can be a great opportunity to learn and adjust.

For example, if your goal is to lose weight and to look a certain way, you will hit plateaus where you are not making progress. Maybe your weight has stalled. During these times, you can make adjustments to your diet and training in order to make further progress.

The same techniques can be used when you face failure and plateaus in life. When you view failure as an opportunity to grow is when you achieve mastery in all areas of your life. Michael Jordan said it best, “I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

2. Fitness inspires You To Set and Achieve Your Goals

Fitness has given me the confidence to set goals and achieve them. There are a lot of people who set goals, but fail to achieve them because they lack the confidence to achieve them. Almost anyone can achieve small fitness goals. These small victories can be a huge confidence booster and will give you the motivation to achieve even bigger goals.

The best goals are S.M.A.R.T. goals, which stand for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound goals.

For example, if your goal is to ‘lose some weight’ then you will most likely not achieve anything significant. My personal S.M.A.R.T. goal was to lose 100 lbs. in a year. This meant that I had to lose roughly 2 lbs. per week to get there.

Let’s break it down:

Specific: The goal of losing 100 lbs. is a specific number

Measurable: I weighed myself using a weight a scale. I would also keep track of body measurements to make sure I was making progress towards my goal.

Achievable: Losing 100 lbs seems like a scary goal for most people. But if you break it down to 2 lbs. per week, it doesn’t seem that intimidating does it?

Relevant: Your goals have to be relevant to you. If you want to lose weight, you should do it because you want to, not because someone tells you to. If your goals are intrinsic, you are more likely to achieve them.

Time-Bound:  Without a deadline, your goal is just a dream. A deadline not only creates a sense of urgency but it also gives you a date to look forward to.

Once you learn how to set S.M.A.R.T. goals and achieve them, you can easily apply the same goal setting process to other areas of your life.

3. Fitness Improves Your Work Ethic

Any goal that is worthwhile requires an insane amount of work ethic. Most people underestimate how much work it actually takes to achieve a significant goal.

With fitness, you may have the best coach, training program, and supplements to support you, but you have to put in the work. No one else can do it for you.

While it’s important to have long-term goals, you have to focus on the actual process that will get you there. The hard work that you put into your fitness goals will help you develop your work ethic for life.

4. Fitness Helps You Develop Good Habits

Habits are important because they lead to success in the long term. Motivation and willpower are limited resources, which run out pretty fast. Habit is what keeps you going when they run out.

In his book, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, author Charles Duhigg talks about how we program our minds and bodies with the actions that we take or do not take on a regular basis.

According to the book, exercising and tracking what you eat are two of the eight ‘Keystone Habits’. Keystone Habits are those habits that are more important than other habits. This is because these habits can cause a chain reaction of other good habits, which will ultimately lead to your success.

If you exercise regularly, you will find that you also eat better, drink less, go to bed early, and increase productivity. Improving one keystone habit can help improve multiple things at the same time.

When you are new to fitness, you need a lot of motivation to go to the gym and eat healthily. Over time, if you make it a habit, it gets so ingrained in you that it doesn’t take much motivation to workout at all. In fact, you may find that it takes you willpower, not to workout and eat healthily.

5. Fitness Teaches You To Have Patience

In this era of instant gratification, patience is more valuable than ever. Even when it comes to fitness, people look for shortcuts to reach their goals. If someone wants to lose weight, they try to look for secrets or the magic pill that will help them get their dream body. We all know that these things don’t work.

Once you’re no longer a beginner, progress slows down over time. This is where patience can help you win in the long term. Most people suffer from shiny object syndrome. If they don’t see results right away, they move on to the next thing and the cycle continues.

With any fitness goal, you learn to trust the process and know that the results will come if you put in the work, one rep at a time. In the words of George Savile, “The man who is a master of patience is a master of everything else.”

These are 5 ways that fitness can help you master your life. If you want to take your life to the next level but don’t know how fitness is a great place to start!

When you pursue and achieve your fitness goals, your success will carry over into all areas of your life.

Anand is a Strength & Fat Loss Coach, Powerlifter and Author. After going through a major physical transformation, he has dedicated his life to helping many others achieve the same. He’s the Founder of Underdog Strength, a website dedicated to providing practical fitness, nutrition, and motivation tips.

You can connect with him via:

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