You see, you can do what you love.

But you have to let go of what’s holding you back.

Also, in this episode you’ll get a brief update on Liz’s writing.

In the previous episode, I helped Liz increase her writing speed by 300%, so if you haven’t listened to that, do it.

Let’s move onto to today’s episode.

Here are a few key points:

• The truth about finding your passion
• What if you’re equally passionate about multiple topics?
• How to figure out if your passion is viable as a business
• The trap of early enthusiasm
• Why being afraid of taking action is essential to success
• What if there’s a lot of competition in your market?
• How to follow your passion when you have responsibilities
• How to start a passion business for under $100
• Why trying to plan your life is a waste of time
• The ONE thing you have to keep in mind when things get tough

Listen & Download

Right-click here and choose save file as to download the episode

You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes and get automatic updates.

And if you want to dive deeper into finding and following your passion, check out the Passionate Living Course.

As always, if you have any questions, just drop them in the comments below.

That has to be one of the most common questions I get.

And it holds you back from starting, because you have an unhelpful definition of what passion truly is.

Following your passion does not look the way you think it does.

It’s often very, very different.

This isn’t something most people tell you. They want to sell you the dream that everything is going to be rainbows and pixies if you can just find that one perfect passion.

Yeah. Probably not going to happen.

But that doesn’t mean you should give up. On the contrary, when you’re armed with the truth, you’ll be even more motivated to take action.

(Note that not all of these videos will be posted here on the blog, because I will be sharing a lot of different things that don’t always fit here, so make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel to get updates.)

What If You’re Not Passionate About Anything?

What do you think?

How do you see what I covered in this video helping you move forward?

I’d love to hear from you, so drop your comments below, because when you share what’s going on, it not only helps you, but everyone else.

People often wonder how I can get so much done in so little time.

And in this podcast episode, I reveal my “secrets.”

But the truth is that they are not really secrets. They are simple, highly effective tips applied in the correct way.

I’ve written thousands of articles and millions of words. And the techniques and tips I share here have survived the test of time.

If you’re ready to take your writing to the next level, make sure you listen to this right away.

Here are a few key points:

• How to write without agonizing over the structure and wording
• The simple secret to writing faster
• Why your writing becomes unfocused (and what to do about it)
• The step-by-step process for writing life-changing articles
• A simple way to leverage questions to blast open your writing floodgates
• How to gather ideas and determine what articles to write
• Why you don’t have to be a writer to make a difference

Listen & Download

Right-click here and choose save file as to download the episode

You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes and get automatic updates.

And if you want a structured process for improving your writing, make sure you check out the Article Writing Workshop.

As always, if you have any questions, just drop them in the comments below.

It sounds intriguing, but you’re not sure about all the details.

What is it? Who can do it? Where do you start? What are the pitfalls?

Those are some of the questions I get on a regular basis.

Up until now, you had to dig around in my archives and look for the answers. But that’s no longer necessary.

I’ve compiled all the most common questions (with the answers) into a this handy little report.

And the good news?

It’s completely FREE.

You don’t have to opt-in. There are no hooks, no catches, and no surprises.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll learn when you read this report:

• What a lifestyle business really is
• 7 powerful reasons to build a lifestyle business
• Can anyone really build a lifestyle business?
• How does it all work?
• 5 ethical ways to make money with a lifestyle business
• How much does it cost to start?
• A simple guide to starting your lifestyle business
• What to do if you’re short on time
• 5 common mistakes you must avoid
• And so much more…

Download Your Copy of the Report

You can start reading The Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Lifestyle Business right now. All you have to do is click the link below and you’re off to the races.

To download the FREE beginner’s guide right now, right-click here and choose save file as.

The report is a PDF file. You will need software on your computer that can open PDF. If you find that you can’t open it, you can download Adobe Reader, which is completely free.

Could You Help Me Out?

While this guide is completely free, I’d appreciate it if you shared this report with one friend, and shared it on your favorite social media platform.

It helps this important message reach and help more people.

Thanks in advance!

Feel free to ask questions and let me know what you think about the guide in the comments below.

-Henri

P.S. Get Everything You Need to Get Started

I’ve just opened up the Lifestyle Liberation Academy, where you can get all the training and support you need to start your lifestyle business and create a passionate life.

Yes, everything under one roof, for one great price.

Click here to learn more. Your jaw may just drop at what you discover, because this is the most generous offer I’ve ever made.

You can find the previous one here.

In this episode, I’m talking to Laura-Jane from The Rawtarian.

We dive into great detail about how she failed, struggled and then succeeded.

You’ll discover what to do, and what NOT to do, if you want to build a successful online business.

You’ll also realize that it’s normal to struggle in the beginning, but as you keep going, you’ll start figuring things out.

In short, you’ll learn what works, and what doesn’t.

I’ll leave it at that and let you enjoy the interview.

Here are a few key points:

• The mistakes Laura-Jane made (and what didn’t work)
• The a-ha moment (or how everything started falling into place)
• How to keep going when you aren’t seeing the results you want
• What you can do if you’re just getting started (and need to make money fast)
• How to make money in a non-business niche
• How to connect with influential people when you’re new
• A simple way to figure out what people want to buy
• The simple secret to building an online business around your passion

Listen & Download

Right-click here and choose save file as to download the episode

You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes and get automatic updates.

As always, if you have any questions, just drop them in the comments below.

Thoughts, fears and worries bubble to the surface.

They tell you that you aren’t good enough.

They tell you that you shouldn’t do this, or that someone is better than you.

You might as well give up to save yourself from the pain. You wouldn’t want to look like a fool, would you?

But this is all past conditioning. The worries and fears you have often come from peers, family and society.

In the end, you have to be willing to trust your heart instead of your mind.

Your mind will rebel. It will be afraid, it will want you to stop.

But if you stop, you will end up regretting it for the rest of your life.

If you keep going, you will reach a new level and enjoy a deeper sense of purpose, happiness and freedom.

What’s your choice?

I think deep down you already know.

Now, let’s take a look at the 5 tricks your mind plays on you.

1. “Why would anyone bother learning from me?”

People don’t care about if you’re new, young, old, beautiful, or whatever it is you think is stopping you.

People care about results. They want you to help them.

Yes, there will be people who criticize you, but those are not your people.

If you look at the people already doing what you want to do, you’ll discover that there are people who know less than you, and they are out there changing the world, one person at a time.

How? They believe they can.

Your success is determined by what thoughts you choose to give power to. If you have a thought that tells you that you’re not good enough, and you believe it, you’re stuck.

But what if you learned to challenge your thoughts?

What if you realized that your thoughts aren’t reality?

2. “Why would anyone hire me?”

If you’re a programmer, designer, coach, or something related, you may not be able to start off charging $200 an hour.

But if you do good work, people will want to work with you.

There are people who, again, may be less able than you, and they are making a living doing what you want to do.

And the bottom line is that if you don’t start now, when will you? Progress comes down to action. If you’re not moving forward, you’re standing still.

Now. you may need to do some free work in the beginning to build up your portfolio and get testimonials, but what happens if you don’t?

You could give up because it’s too hard and go back to your previous life, but do you really want to?

Probably not.

So then the only option is to let your fears be there and start taking action, because that’s the only way you’ll make progress.

3. “There are people out there that are better than me, so why bother?”

I ran into this fear when I started. I looked at big personal development bloggers and entrepreneurs, and they seemed to know so much more than I did.

On top of that, they had huge audiences.

I felt insignificant. I couldn’t see how I could make a difference. I couldn’t see why people would want to listen to me.

This held me back for several years until I got so sick of making excuses that I started anyway, and you know what happened?

I realized that my fears weren’t reality. Just because I think I can’t do something doesn’t mean I can’t.

You may want to read that again.

Just because you feel something doesn’t make it true. It doesn’t mean anything, except that you’ve decided to label a feeling something and then had a thought about what it means.

The truth is that there will always be people out there that are better than you. But that doesn’t matter, because you will resonate with different people.

How do I know?

Ask yourself: Why are you reading my blog?

Chances are because you resonate with my writing and my style. And the same thing will be true for you and your business.

But to get there, you have to start, and you have to be willing to let go of whatever stands in your way.

4. “I don’t want to ask for help, because I feel embarrassed.”

This is a huge problem that pops up in the Lifestyle Liberation Academy.

I encourage people to ask any question they want. I don’t care if you think your question is silly or stupid, because if you have a question, I want to answer it.

The feeling embarrassed comes from believing that you need to look a certain way in front of people.

We believe looking silly is bad. But is it really? And does it matter?

I think you look sillier if you don’t ask the question, because it’ll hold you back from realizing your dreams.

Think about it. Wouldn’t you feel silly if 20 years from now you looked back and regretted not following your dreams?

5. “I’m afraid to contact people that are smarter/bigger than me.”

This is a big one, and one I still struggle with today.

Here’s how I look at it: the people who reject you or aren’t interested, were never meant to help you. But in order for you to discover who is willing to help you, you have to ask.

Ask in the best way you can. After that, it’s out of your hands.

If you’re honest, you’ll be surprised at the response you’ll get. For example, if you email someone and tell them “I’m just starting out, and to be honest, I don’t know if I’m doing this right, but I’d love too … etc”

People respond to that, compared to if you’re trying to be someone you’re not.

You have to keep going until you succeed.

Never stop. Never give up.

The Bottom Line

You will have a lot of ideas and fears pop up on this journey.

As you keep going, you will learn to let them be. In the beginning, they will seem like godlike monsters that cannot be conquered.

This happened to me. But as I kept going, I stopped taking my fears so seriously. I discovered that they could only stop me if I gave them power.

You already know deep down what you need to do.

You need to take action.

But something is stopping you, isn’t it?

When you’re ready to take action anyway, that’s when your life will change.

And if you want a group of friendly people to help you on that journey, a bunch of in-depth training and unlimited access to yours truly, you may want to check out the Lifestyle Liberation Academy.

You’ll also get a free report when you join the list, along with a 7-day email course. So check it out here.

I’ve brought on Carol Tice from Make a Living Writing to share her deepest secrets.

She’s a successful freelance writer, and she teaches writers how to get paid well, so you’ll learn a lot.

We’ll also cover the topic of fear and some of the biggest mistakes you can make, because we all know that we are the only ones holding us back from outrageous success.

If you’ve ever been interested in becoming a well-paid freelance writer, then you may want to listen to this.

Enjoy!

Here’s a taste of what you’ll learn:

• The first step to getting started with freelance writing
• Why the biggest opportunity may be right under your nose
• The most important resource every freelance writer needs
• Why writing $5 articles is the worst thing you can do
• What to do if you feel inadequate or think your writing isn’t good enough
• How to get freelance writing work if English isn’t your native language
• How to use a blog to get paid writing gigs
• Overcoming low self-confidence (and taking massive action)
• And so much more …

Helpful links

• Carol’s Blog
• The Freelance Writer’s Den Community
• Writer’s Market

Listen & Download

Right-click here and choose save file as to download the episode

You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes and get automatic updates.

As always, if you have any questions, just drop them in the comments below.

They don’t know how to move forward.

You may have the information you need, but you just aren’t sure how to apply it to what you want to do.

Or you may not know where to go to get the information you need.

So what’s missing?

Well, it’s what I call The Missing Factor.

It’s something that will dramatically increase the speed of your progress.

It will get you to a lifestyle business faster. It will help you craft the lifestyle you want and give you the freedom you deserve.

I know I’m teasing a bit here, so let’s get right to it.

You can grab The Missing Factor report absolutely free by clicking the URL below.

Click on this link: http://www.lifestyleliberationtribe.com/report/

And yes, I’m going to be quietly opening the doors to something I’ve been working on.

The feedback so far has been amazing. People who are already inside are telling me it’s the best thing I’ve done.

So read the report and look for the hint at the end.

But it’s not just about online courses, because once we got going, we started talking about everything that stops people from creating courses and going after their passion.

And we went on for 60 minutes, so this is a very in-depth podcast. Make sure you download it to your MP3 player or phone, because it’s going to be worth your time.

If you’re serious about living a happier life and building a business around your passion, then you have to listen to this.

Yes, it’s really that good.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll learn:

• What a life-changing course really is (yup, it’s not what you think)
• Why you don’t have to be an expert to teach online courses
• How to stop comparing yourself to others (and take action)
• The art of using your feelings to move forward
• Getting out of the cycle of “when X happens I’ll do it”
• How to use the balance factor to uncover what you were meant to teach
• How to deal with self-doubt, uncertainty and FEAR
• Creative strategies for creating your course (stealing included)
• Overcoming the money block most teachers and creatives have
• And so much more …

Helpful links

• Jennifer’s Blog
• The Teacher’s Path (TeachNOW course)
• Jennifer’s Amazon books

Listen & Download

Right-click here and choose save file as to download the episode

You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes and get automatic updates.

As always, if you have any questions, just drop them in the comments below.

You’d probably think I was crazy.

And maybe I am, but you have to ask yourself: Do you want to wait in order to live a passionate life, or do you want to start now?

For years, I was trapped in the belief that I had to do or be something in order to enjoy life.

Luckily, it doesn’t have to be that way, because you can do it now.

You’ll discover the how in the video below.

And if you don’t know, I started a YouTube channel a while ago, and I started posting regular YouTube videos.

Not all of these videos will be posted here on the blog, because I will be sharing a lot of different things that don’t always fit here, so make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel to get updates.

How to Find Your Passion in 7 Minutes

What do you think?

Have you tried what I mentioned in the video?

If so, how did it go, or if you ran into obstacles, what were they?

Drop your comments below.

And I share with him the 10 things I wish I’d known when I started out on this path.

I’ve made a lot of mistakes since I started, and I don’t regret any of them. But I think this episode will help you avoid some of those pitfalls I fell into.

It’ll help save you time, money and a lot of headaches.

As always, the tips are simple, but they come from my experience, so they’ve been proven in the field, and if you apply just one thing you learn, it’ll make a difference in your life and your business.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll learn:

• The power of tapping into who you are (and your purpose)
• How I use psychics, mediums and intuitives to grow my business
• How to let go of the quick-fix mentality
• What you have to do as soon as possible (if you want a successful business)
• The big break myth (and what to do instead)
• The secret to crafting a business that supports your lifestyle

Listen & Download

Right-click here and choose save file as to download the episode

You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes and get automatic updates.

As always, if you have any questions, just drop them in the comments below.

Maybe you’re scared of what people will think of you, or maybe you’re worried that you’ll come across as unprofessional?

That’s exactly the problem one of my Lifestyle Liberation Academy students had. In a previous life, she worked in a hospital, where she was told to keep her story and feelings to herself.

Why?

Because the patients had enough to deal with already. Or so she was told.

When she went through the content in the Academy, she discovered that sharing her story could do wonders for growing her audience and attracting the right kind of clients.

So why is it so important to share your story?

Your story allows people to connect with you.

When you share your story, it allows your readers to find relevant pieces that match with their life and their story.

This also means that you’ll be turning away people that do not resonate with your story. That’s a good thing. You want to keep people that resonate with what you have to say, and shoo away those that don’t.

That’s how you build an audience of people that you love interacting with. And that’s how you build a lifestyle business.

What if you don’t have a story to tell?

We all have a story to tell.

If you feel like you don’t have anything to say, it’s most likely because you feel like nothing you say has value.

You’re so afraid of what people will think that you’ve suppressed what comes naturally to you.

But this is not just about telling a random story. You have to keep your reader in mind. Think about how you can help them move forward.

So, how do you tell your story in the right way?

You share what’s relevant to the reader. You share what will help make their life easier.

Sometimes that means sharing one of your biggest mistakes and what you learned from it, because it shows people that you don’t have to be perfect.

For example, one of the main reasons I’m honest and transparent in my writing is because it is inspirational and motivational. I don’t try to be someone I’m not.

I don’t try to come across as an expert. My primary goal is to show you that it’s possible to follow your passion and craft the lifestyle of your dreams.

That’s why I weave in life lessons into business advice. If you’ve read enough of my articles, you probably feel like you know me. That’s the story effect in play.

But here’s where you may run into a problem.

You may not feel entirely comfortable sharing. And that’s fine. I’m not telling you to share your deepest secrets.

In the past, I’ve had trouble sharing some of my mistakes and fears. But what I’ve noticed when I’m scared of sharing something is that the focus is all on me.

It’s about what people will think of me. What will happen to me. But when I shift the focus to you, my reader, I start thinking of what will help you the most.

And sometimes the answer is not to share my story, but to do something else. So turn the spotlight on the people you help. Ask yourself what will help them move forward, and you’ll know what to do.

Embrace your story, because it is who you are.

We seem to have this tendency to want to be someone we’re not, but we are who we are.

When you accept that, you become less serious about sharing your faults.

I have plenty of faults, just like everyone else. And the more I’ve shared, where relevant, the more thank you emails and comments I’ve received.

Why is this?

It’s because deep down we are all the same.

We have the same fears. We have different faults, but we have the same insecurities.

We want people to like us. We want to do well in life. We want to be valuable, and we want to be happy.

Deep down, we’re all the same.

And when you share your story, people connect with you and your business. Your audience grows, and you filter out the people that aren’t the right fit.

In short, you build an audience of people you like.

You build a lifestyle business around your passion with relationships you never thought possible.

And isn’t that what this is all about?

So embrace your story. Share what you’ve gone through and what you’ve learned, because that’s where the power is.

I’ve had a few people send me emails wondering if it’s possible to make a living online if you’re not teaching people how to make a living online, and the short answer is yes.

I have more success stories like this coming up on the podcast to show you how other people have built a thriving lifestyle business.

Tracy has an interesting story to share, because she started not too long ago, but she built a lifestyle business fairly quickly.

How she did that, and the main factors for her rapid success, you’ll discover when you listen to the episode.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll learn:

• How Tracy stumbled onto her passion (and how she found the intersection between what she loves to do and what people want)
• The exact business model she uses to make a living doing what she loves
• What you can do to overcome your fears
• How (and when) to launch your first product (and what to expect)
• Her #1 traffic source (and how it all started)
• The benefits of running a lifestyle business (and the freedom it gives you)

Listen & Download

Right-click here and choose save file as to download the episode

You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes and get automatic updates.

As always, if you have any questions, just drop them in the comments below.

If you haven’t seen the movie, I highly recommend you do. This post may contain spoilers, so proceed at your own risk.

The same is true for your life, right now.

We all live in a dream world, some more consciously than others.

What am I talking about?

Your thoughts.

We live life through our thoughts and we take it as reality.

When a thought pops up that says that you are not good enough to build a lifestyle business, you believe it, and you’re caught in the dream.

When an excuse comes up, you believe it, because it’s backed by other thoughts.

It’s time to wake up.

It’s time to craft the lifestyle of your dreams.

Let’s See How Deep the Rabbit Hole Goes

You take the blue pill – the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill – you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes. – Morpheus

When people first discover the world of following your passion, it all seems like a fantasy land made of unicorns and rainbows.

But it’s not as easy as you think.

It’s not hard either, but it’s challenging, because you have to face your inner demons. When Neo realizes the truth of The Matrix, he doesn’t want to accept it.

He’s quite comfortable in his current existence, but then the agents come for him. He has to decide what he wants to do, and he has to decide fast.

That’s what most people are facing right now. The “agents” are coming for them. They can no longer wait to follow their passion. It’s time to wake up.

You feel the need to start now.

There’s a sense of urgency, because deep down you know what you need to be doing, but you’re caught in the dream.

You’re stuck.

The Red Pill, or the Blue Pill?

You know, I know this steak doesn’t exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy, and delicious. After nine years, you know what I’ve realized? Ignorance is bliss. – Cypher

It’s up to you whether or not you want to see how far the rabbit hole goes.

This is not an easy journey. You have to be determined enough to see it through. But once the seed is planted within you, there’s no turning back.

You can’t go back to your ordinary life, because you know that you’re meant to do something else.

You feel a calling to do more. You feel the need to share your gifts. Doubts hold you back, but it doesn’t matter, because something keeps nudging you forward.

You have to heed the calling.

You have to dive in.

You Are the One

I’m trying to free your mind, Neo. But I can only show you the door. You’re the one that has to walk through it. – Morpheus

I’m trying to help you see that you can live the life you want, if you are only willing to see it yourself.

I can only show you the door. You are the one that has to walk through it. You are the one who has to take responsibility for your life.

Will you heed the call? Or will you wait for a better moment which never comes?

There are people out there that depend on what you have to share. They depend on you taking action and leaving your excuses behind.

Just like everyone depends on Neo to fight the Matrix, so are there people out there that depend on what you have to say.

If you feel inspired to do something, there’s someone else on the other end waiting for it. You have to wake up from the dream. You have to wake up from the doubts your thoughts tell you and take action.

You have to dive in and see what happens, because you can’t know what it’s like to unplug from the dream world before you do it.

When the Student is Ready, the Teacher Appears

The Matrix is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth. – Morpheus

You have been led to believe that something stands in the way of you crafting the lifestyle you want, but there is nothing standing in your way, except what you THINK is possible.

The barrier between you and living a passionate life is just a screen made of thin air. It seems to hold you back, but once you step through it, you see through the illusion you always believed to be true.

Just like Neo found Morpheus, or was it Morpheus who found Neo, crafting the lifestyle of your dreams is easier with a mentor.

And that’s why I’ve created the Lifestyle Liberation Academy. That’s why I’m doing what I do.

I want to help you on your path.

But you have to ask yourself if you’re ready to take the first step.

Are you ready to face the challenges that await you?

Are you ready to step into who you deep down know you really are?

Because you see, there’s more to life than just making money.

Having enough money is important, but there are other factors at play.

And those factors need to be addressed, which is exactly what we’ll do today.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll learn:

• The untapped power of your core desires
• Why just making money is not enough (and has never been enough)
• What to do if you’re stuck
• The one thing that has changed my life (that science is just discovering)
• Why you don’t have to turn all of your passions into a business

Listen & Download

Right-click here and choose save file as to download the episode

You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes and get automatic updates.

As always, if you have any questions, just drop them in the comments below.

Free training, tips, advice, and software.

But most of the time, it doesn’t help.

In fact, it can often hold you back, because you end up confused, frustrated, and overwhelmed.

Yes, there is a lot of free training out there, but it’s hard to figure out what fits where, especially when you’re starting out.

Free can be great, but it can also be not so great.

Free can cost time and turn into frustration.

And it can make you feel hopeless because you’re never quite sure what you’re doing, where you’re going, or if you’re on the right path.

When Free Goes Bad

If you’re trying to learn how you can turn your passion into a lifestyle business, it’s going to be hard to find all the right pieces for free.

I see beginner’s try to build their business with free advice from multiple sources, and it turns into a garbled mess, because there’s no underlying purpose or framework to guide them.

It’s kind of like if you want to get fit. You do what fit people do, or tell you to do, but soon enough, you discover that they’re all telling you to do different things.

One tells you to walk on an empty stomach. Another one says weight training is all you need, while yet another says you need to eliminate eggs from your diet.

You end up feeling confused and disempowered, because no one has helped you understand the core principles.

No one has given you a framework you can fit into your life.

When Free Can Help

Now, I’m not saying free is all bad, because it isn’t.

I offer hundreds of articles for free here on Wake Up Cloud, so free has its place.

When you just need one piece of information, free is fantastic.

Let’s say you need to learn how to install a WordPress blog. You can find plenty of free tutorials for that.

You can do a Google search, or find a video on YouTube and you’ll be up and running in no time.

But if you need in-depth training on how to use WordPress to build an online business, that’s when you may run into trouble.

Even if you manage to find one piece of the puzzle, you may not find the next, and if you do, you don’t really know if it’ll fit into what you want to do.

Now, a quick way to minimize frustration is to focus on just one source of information.

How to Make Real Progress, Fast

I built my first successful website back in 2009, and later that year, I was making thousands each month through my online business.

It allowed me and Ingela (and our dog, Cleo) to move to Spain for 11 months.

But that shift didn’t happen until I decided to focus on one thing, one source of information, and above all, until I decided to find a mentor.

I found someone who was doing what I wanted to do, and I learned from them.

There were other pieces that went into this as well, but the main part was that I was sick of trying to piece everything together myself.

I still struggled. I had to work hard to make things work, but I was determined, and I made it happen.

I’ve learned a lot since then, and I still work with a business coach. It allows me to focus on what’s important, and avoid worrying whether or not I’m using strategies that work.

Also, I tend to have a lot of ideas, so having someone to keep me on track is extremely helpful.

Whenever you can make things easier for yourself, you will make faster progress.

It sounds obvious when I put it like that, but most people don’t do this.

What If You Don’t Have Any Money?

Then you have a bigger problem on your hands.

An online business, or any business, is not going to magically get rid of your money problems.

Many marketers promise that you’ll make thousands in just a few months, which is why so many fall for get-rich quick programs. They really want to succeed fast. I know because I’ve been there.

The truth is that it takes time to build a business that sustains you. And if you’re short on cash while you’re doing it, chances are you’ll make some poor decisions and prioritize money over your customers and clients.

Do what you can to support your rent and food habit, but also know that this takes time.

When you allow it to take the time it takes, things actually go faster. It’s weird, but that’s what I’ve found.

And investing in training doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

I’m not just saying this because I have courses on building a business. There’s plenty of training out there that will help you make progress.

The Wrap

In summary, free can be good, and free can be bad.

Free is good when it helps you move forward.

Free is bad when it prevents you from taking action.

Only you know how it’s working for you, and you can see that from your results.

If what you’re doing isn’t working, it’s time to change something.

I realize this post may seem contradictory since I offer a lot for free, but when free fits into a consistent system, the problem goes poof.

Remember, progress is key, and when free becomes a problem is when it confuses you and prevents you from taking action.

And while I did cover the cornerstones there, I did not cover everything, because to be honest, when you’re starting out, you don’t need to know everything.

Not right away.

However, today I want to give you a more complete view of the steps it takes to build a sustainable lifestyle business around your passion.

A roadmap, if you will.

Let’s dive right in, shall we?

1. Mindset

The absolute first step is mindset.

This is the first module in the Lifestyle Liberation Academy for a reason, it lays the foundation for your success.

Your mindset will determine your results.

However, the “proper” mindset is not some magical thing you have to get. You already have everything you need.

Mindset simply comes down to how you react to challenges. You will still freak out. That’s normal, and to be expected.

What matters is what you do with it.

Most people don’t break mindset down. They don’t dive deep into it. They just tell you that you need the “proper mindset” and leave it at that.

But there’s much more to it than that, because mindset is just a word pointing to something deeper.

Mindset is the way you relate (or react), to challenges.

2. Intersection

Then we have the intersection, which simply means finding the intersection between:

• What you love to do (or are interested in)
• What you’re good at (or want to become good at)
• What people are willing to pay for

This is where most people get stuck, because they go for perfection.

Yes, you have to know where to focus, but once you start building an audience, they will tell you what you can help them with.

You can’t figure out the perfect formula before you start. You have to dive in and see what happens.

It also helps to know what questions to ask, which is why I use workbooks in the Lifestyle Liberation Academy. They help you implement, clarify, and take action.

This comes down to looking at what you are passionate about, but also uncovering what people are already spending money on.

3. Standing Out

If you don’t stand out from the crowd, you might as well give up and go home.

But it’s not all doom and gloom, because again, you won’t get this perfect right away.

When I started Wake Up Cloud, I didn’t know anything about standing out, but I still got to 1,012 subscribers in 101 days.

Sometimes standing out simply means that you focus on solving a certain problem. For example, if you’re into personal development, you might focus on just dealing with overcoming fear, instead of general personal development.

The bottom line is that if you don’t stand out, building your business may take longer, but you can still succeed through sheer determination.

That’s what I did.

4. Home Base

You also need a home base if you want to build an online business.

You need a website that is designed to convert readers into customers. This doesn’t mean you see people as numbers.

It means you realize that in order for you to really help people, you have to nudge them to your deeper material, your paid products and services.

Because if you can’t support yourself, you can’t share what you know.

Your home base helps people begin to know, like and trust you, and then nudges them to go deeper.

But just having a home base is not enough. It also needs to provide value.

5. Magnetic Content

That’s where magnetic content comes in.

You’ve heard all the buzz about content marketing, and how helping people with content can do wonders for your business.

Content marketing is nothing new. It has been used for decades in soap operas and DIY TV shows.

You can do three core things with your content:

• Educate people (how-to content)
• Inspire or motivate (think Tony Robbins)
• Entertain

The most powerful of these if you want to build an advice-based online business are the first two.

When you help people or inspire them, they will be thankful, and they will want more.

No longer do we need to rely on salesmen to build a business. You can simply help people solve problems. No shady marketing tactics needed.

We’ll dive deeper into leveraging content marketing in the right way in the Academy.

6. Cultivating Relationships

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is not building an email list.

If you want to build an audience that supports you, you have to build a relationship with them.

Sure, you could use your blog’s RSS feed, but that’s not enough. Chances are you’ll be one of dozens (if not hundreds) of other blogs in a feed reader.

With an email list, people invite you into their inbox. That’s powerful.

You can then deliver exclusive content, specific messages, and send relevant product offers to your audience.

So if you’re serious about building a lifestyle business, start building an email list as soon as you get your website up.

7. Audience Attraction

If you don’t have traffic, you don’t have a business.

Generating traffic to your website has changed over the years. Just three years ago, when I was doing article marketing, you could use article directories to drive a significant amount of traffic to your site.

That no longer works as well, because of changes Google has made. It’s not bad. It just means we have to adapt.

I’m constantly improving what I do, and learning new things, and I share all of that with you here on the blog, and in my premium courses.

Attracting an audience means figuring out where the people you serve hang out, and then helping them.

It could mean:

• Starting a podcast
• Doing YouTube videos
• Writing comprehensive articles
• Guest blogging
• Helping people in forums in your niche

The list goes on and on.

There’s no shortage of ways to attract an audience. The core principle is simply helping people solve their problems.

Once you’ve got an audience, and you’ve got a growing email list, it’s time to craft an offer.

8. Crafting an Offer

Without an offer, you don’t have a real business.

The good news is that you don’t have to wait years until you start making money with your business.

You can figure out what your audience wants and then create it for them.

This is what I did with Passionate Living and this is what I’m doing with Lifestyle Liberation Academy.

I simply listen to you via comments, emails and surveys. I look at the problems you bump into, and I help you eliminate those problems.

There’s nothing magical about creating products.

Yes, you will have to experiment, and your first product may not be a hit, but it doesn’t matter.

What matters is that you keep moving forward and learning.

9. Connections

Last week I recorded an interview with Chris Garrett. We talked about how someone just starting out can get noticed and build an audience of loyal fans.

And one of the key things that kept popping up was connections. We humans are social beings, so the more of the right people you know, the better.

(More specific strategies on what to do, how and when will be in the interview, which will be available for Lifestyle Liberation Academy members.)

Now, I’m not a big fan of networking just for the sake of networking. But I do enjoy connecting with cool people.

I mentioned that I’m an introvert in my article on the lessons I learned from building a 10,000 subscriber blog, so making connections (or friends) does not come easy to me.

But when I do make them, the connections tend to be deeper and long-lasting.

10. Momentum

Last, but not least, this takes time.

Building a lifestyle business is often unglamorous.

For some, it takes years. But does that really matter? It simply means that the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll “get there.”

For me, it took about three years to figure things out, but today I’m doing what I love. I have the freedom to do what I want, when I want, and from where I want.

It doesn’t have to take that long for you though.

In the end, what matters is that you keep moving forward, because if you do that, and if you learn from someone who is where you want to be, you will succeed.

Many marketers try to sell you on the idea that you can make $12,421.44 in 30 days, if you just implement their magic strategies.

But it doesn’t work like that. I share the truth with you, because when you know what to expect, you’re more likely to succeed.

It may mean that I’ll sell less products and services, but I don’t care. I want to work with people who are passionate and ready to put in the work, because that is what makes my heart sing.

So while building a lifestyle business may at times be unglamorous, it is definitely worth it, and it is a lot of fun.

It’s amazing for me to be able to create my own schedule, to be able to live wherever I want, and to do what I want.

Summary

In summary, there are proven steps you can take to build an online business around your passion.

You should still use what resonates with you, but that doesn’t mean you should re-invent the wheel.

You can save a lot of time, money and frustration, by learning what works and what doesn’t, from someone you trust.

And that’s what I wanted to do with this article. I wanted to share with you the process that has worked for me, and my clients.

This process is not something I’ve made up. It’s something I’ve discovered as I’ve kept experimenting, and as I’ve worked with clients to help them move forward with their dreams and businesses.

And it’s quickly heading toward 11,000.

It’s taken me about three years to reach 10,000 subscribers.

I’ve made a lot of mistakes, I’ve had my expectations shattered, and I’ve wanted to throw in the towel many times.

So today I wanted to share some of the core lessons I’ve learned from getting to 10,000 blog subscribers.

There are many things not spoken about in the blogging world, and today I’m going to cover them.

I’m going to be completely honest, so proceed at your own risk.

And remember to grab some tea or coffee.

1. Advice

I’m going to start this article off with one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned, which is to take advice with a grain of salt. Yes, even my advice.

In the end, what works for me may not work for you. You have to listen to your inner GPS and see what feels right for you, then do that.

When I was starting out, I followed courses and coaching advice to the letter, because I didn’t know much. And that was perfect, because when I didn’t know, I had to follow a proven path.

But as I gained experience, I started experimenting, and I discovered that how I wanted to do things wasn’t what most people were teaching.

I discovered that I was different, and that I wanted to build a different kind of business. So there came a point where I started trusting myself more than external sources.

This will not happen right away, but as you keep moving forward, you’ll start to trust yourself more and more.

So don’t try to fit yourself into a mold that you know you won’t fit into. Listen to people you trust. Learn from them, but forge your own path. Break rules and blog the way you want to blog.

If a piece of advice is holding you back, forget about it.

2. Time

This takes time.

Building a popular blog takes time.

I love what I do. I’ve loved these years of blogging, even though they haven’t always been smooth sailing.

But the thing I’ve realized is that I don’t really want things to go smoothly. I don’t want life to be easy. I want challenges, because they make me grow.

Each time I “fail,” I learn something. That in turn means that I can pass it on to you.

So yes, this takes time. It often takes a lot longer than you think. If you want to build a blog just because you want the popularity, forget it.

Build a blog and a business because you can’t not do it. Do it because you’re passionate about it, because if you’re not enjoying this present moment, what’s the point?

I enjoy writing this article, and I’m happy right now. I still have an intention to grow my business, but I’m right here, right now, and I love it.

3. Experimentation

You have to discover what works for you, and what doesn’t.

I’ve used guest posting extensively to build my blog, but it doesn’t work in every niche.

What does work are the core principles. For example, guest posting is simply the act of getting in front of someones audience. It means getting in front of the people you’re here to serve.

You can do that in many different ways.

Over the years, I’ve tried a lot of things. Most of them haven’t worked out, or I didn’t like them.

Remember, I spent 2-3 years failing before I built my first successful website. That was all experimentation. What I learned from that journey I still use today, so nothing I’ve done “wrong” has been a waste, and it never will be.

In a way, I consider myself lucky, because it only took me a few years to realize that I had to be willing to start before I was ready.

I almost never have perfect clarity on any new project I start. But it doesn’t have to make me confused, because like Eckhart Tolle says in his book, A New Earth, “Confusion is not ‘I don’t know.’ Confusion is ‘I don’t know, but I should know.’

I don’t have to know the future. I just have to take the first step.

So instead of waiting for perfection, start now. Take the first step and let the puzzle pieces fall into place by themselves.

4. Mindset

My mindset is the foundation for my success.

I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t have the determination to keep moving forward no matter what.

My mind frequently throws excuses, fears and worries at me, but I keep going, because that’s where my heart is taking me.

I know that if I stop and let my fears hold me back, I’ll end up regretting it for the rest of my life. And my heart will keep yearning, it will keep wanting to pull me forward, so I might as well go and see what happens.

There are a lot of fears you can give into, and there were many fears I faced in the beginning, such as:

• What if I put in all this work and I fail
• What will people think of me
• I’m not good enough
• Why would anyone want to listen to me
• I don’t know where to start
• Am I doing this right

And on and on it went.

Eventually I became so sick of listening to my fears that I just started. And I realized that the fears I thought were real, weren’t, because they only existed in my head.

Even now as I’m writing this post, I’m worried that this post will end up too long, but I’m going to keep writing, because I feel inspired to do so.

I’m not after the people who think this is too long. I’m after you, because you’re still reading. You care about the details, because you truly want to succeed.

You are ready to take the next step, so you want to know everything.

The bottom line is that you can wait for your fears to go away, but you’ll be waiting for the rest of your life. Forget about 100% clarity and forget about getting things perfect, and just start.

5. False Expectations

When I started my online adventure, I thought I would be making six figures in six months.

Well that didn’t happen. Throughout the years, I’ve discovered that all of the things I think will happen almost never come to pass.

The reason is because my expectations are based on what I think I know, and I really know nothing. No one does.

The foundation I base my expectations on are thoughts in my head. They are made up. This was especially true when I was starting out. I had no idea of what would happen, I could only dream.

What I’ve come to discover is that I have no idea where life will go, so I’ve stopped trying to figure it out. I just do my best in this present moment, and I let life take care of the rest.

The more I trust and follow my heart, the better things seem to go. “Negative things” still happen, but they don’t have the same power over me, because I take things one moment at a time.

You never know where life will lead you, so be open, and above all, enjoy the ride. There’s nothing to figure out, and there’s nowhere you need to be, except right here, right now.

6. Quality Matters

Just getting thousands of random people on an email list is not enough. Those people have to be interested in what you have to say and offer. They have to take be willing to take action.

And again, this doesn’t happen overnight. I’m slowly attracting a core group of people that buy everything I put out.

It takes time to find and attract your right people.

So, how do you make sure you get high-quality people to join your list? You can’t really.

But you can increase your chances by offering a relevant sign-up bonus. That thing people get when they join your list.

In the beginning, my focus was on getting as many people to join my list as possible, which I now see was wrong, but at least I was moving forward.

Now my focus is on getting the right people to join my email list. I still can’t stop anyone from joining, so I do my best and let life take care of the rest.

7. Value Matters

In order to build a successful blog, you have to bring some kind of value into people’s lives.

It could be entertainment, inspiration, or just pure education.

You have to help in some way. You may not believe you know enough to help anyone, but if you can help someone with something, you know enough to start.

You will never know everything, so don’t even try.

This held me back for a long time. I thought I wasn’t as good as other entrepreneurs and bloggers, so I didn’t start.

But once I started, I discovered that some people wanted to hear my view on things. They wanted to listen to me. And the same is true for you. Just because you feel you don’t know enough does not mean it’s true. It’s just a thought in your head.

You have to start, and now is the best time. Start, do your best, and see what happens.

If you fail, you’ll learn from it.

8. Evolution

When I started Wake Up Cloud, I had a very general focus.

This blog was all about personal development tips for conscious people. But as I kept writing and getting feedback, things started to change.

When I shared that I was making a living online, people wanted to know more, and I felt compelled to share, so I did.

As the years passed, this blog eventually evolved into what you see now. And it will keep evolving, because that’s what happens.

So don’t try to figure things out before you start, because you can’t. You will start with one idea, but you may end up somewhere completely different.

That’s why I keep stressing the importance of starting. Nothing happens until you start. If you try to analyze and plan everything to perfection, you’ll stay stuck.

You may have all sorts of reasons for not starting, but those are part of staying stuck. You can take action, and you can start.

So start.

That’s what I did, and here I am.

9. Small Things

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

You may believe you need a fancy design, but you don’t.

You may think that you need to structure your blog posts in a certain way, but you don’t. It helps, but if it keeps you from taking action, then you can learn it later.

All of these things are less important when you’re starting. The important part is getting started. You can tweak everything later.

This is something I’ve realized as I’ve observed the gap in myself. You see, there’s a gap between being a producer and being a consumer.

When I consume something, when I’m reading a blog, I don’t really care if they have a fancy design. I just want to do whatever I’m doing.

But when I’m starting a blog, or creating something, I’m in perfectionist mode. I nit-pick everything and I want everything to be perfect.

And in the end, it doesn’t really matter.

There are blogs that look like crap that are popular.

There are blogs that look amazing that have 10 subscribers.

All of this thinking that you have to have a fantastic website is just a way to avoid doing work that matters.

10. Focus

If you want to build a popular blog, you need to get people to subscribe.

If you want to build a thriving lifestyle business, you need to make enough money to keep you afloat.

When I became serious about building a lifestyle business, I started focusing on key metrics. I didn’t really care about social media followers or comments.

I cared about if my blog was growing and if my income was where I wanted it to be.

I see so many people lacking focus. And it often comes from fear. If you spend your days on social media, you can always say you tried.

But you didn’t, not really.

If you’re just getting started. There are two metrics you need to pay attention to, and they are:

1. Your email list
2. Your income

You can forget everything else.

Yes, there are other important things, but they aren’t that important. Not right now.

The more you can eliminate things and focus, the better you’ll do.

Start with one thing, do it well, and then expand, if you feel like it.

11. Forget Home Runs

Forget about breakthroughs.

Forget about a guest post on a big blog solving everything. It won’t catapult you into stardom. It may give you an influx of subscribers, but after that, it’s back to working hard and focusing on what matters.

Forget about writing a post that goes viral.

Yes, do your best, but don’t be too hard on yourself if big things don’t happen right away.

For a few years, I compared myself to other more “successful” bloggers, and I wondered why I wasn’t seeing the same results.

The reason was because I wasn’t them. I had a different message, different subscribers, and a different way of doing things.

I’ve come to accept this and really enjoy it. Now I do what I feel compelled to do, and the rest will take care of itself.

Sometimes my posts go viral, but more often than not, they don’t.

This is a marathon, not a sprint, which is why it’s important that you follow your passion and do something that you enjoy.

Do your best, and be consistent, and great things will happen.

12. Make Friends

I’m an introvert, so I’ve never been big on networking.

For a long time, I even avoided trying to make connections at all, which was a mistake. But I eventually learned my lesson.

Today I approach networking differently. I simply connect with people that resonate with me.

I connect with people that I would want to be friends with in real life, because if I’m not having fun, then I’m not doing it.

I’m not going to connect with someone just to have access to their audience, because it’s not worth it. I want to enjoy myself right here, right now, and I want to follow my passion.

As long as I’m doing that, life will sort itself out.

I may not have access to someone’s audience, but if my work needs to reach more people, it will.

There’s no need to force progress, because it’ll only make you miserable, frustrated and exhausted.

Extra Lesson: Have Fun

And let’s do one more.

I’ve learned that what matters is enjoying what I do.

Don’t start a blog if it’s a means to an end. Now, obviously it will always be a means to an end, but what I mean is that if you don’t enjoy blogging, then don’t do it.

If you feel compelled to share what you have inside, and if you feel the urge to start a blog, then start a blog.

You alone know where you need to go next. We all have an internal GPS ready to help us. All we have to do is listen.

It guides you through excitement.

I started blogging because it seemed like fun. I had no real reasons for why I should blog. I just wanted to try it and share what I had to share.

You don’t need reasons to do anything. You just have to follow your heart, and that’s what I’ve been doing all these years.

Each year I follow my deep inner calling, my life gets better, but it’s funny, because I don’t really need my life to get better, because I already love what I’m doing.

I love writing these words. And I love helping you.

That’s the power of following your passion, and building a lifestyle business.

Summary

This turned out to be a lot longer than I thought, so I hope you enjoyed reading it.

The takeaway is that you have to be willing to start. You won’t know what will happen until you do.

Follow your excitement, be open to life, and prepare to have your expectations shattered.

Building a 10,000 subscriber blog has never been a primary goal of mine. I’ve just focused on putting out great content and helping people.

This is what I feel inspired to do, and it seems that when you follow your inspiration, the universe conspires to help you.

So start, because there’s no better time than now.

Maybe you even feel like marketing makes following your passion less pure.

You’re right. And you’re wrong. Let me explain.

Marketing can be used for both good and evil.

It can be used to spread a message that changes people’s lives, or it can be used to trick people into buying something just so you can make more money.

As I’ve listened to my audience (that’s you), I’ve realized that many have tremendous gifts that need to be shared with the world.

But they are held back by marketing.

They feel like marketing cheapens what they have to offer, so they never promote themselves.

This belief leaves them broke and deprives everyone else from what they have to share.

And it breaks my heart, because marketing is not evil. It’s just a word used to point to the act of getting your message out there and making a living doing it.

How you use it is up to you. If you’re reading this, chances are that you want to use marketing for good, so you have nothing to worry about.

What is Marketing?

Definition: The action or business of promoting and selling products or services.

To me, marketing is simply the act sharing what you have to offer.

It’s an invitation you make, so you can attract the people that are genuinely interested in your products and services.

Now, some people will resist all marketing. Not because of the marketing in and of itself, but because of how they view marketing in their mind.

They feel like any marketing is an act of exploitation, which it can be, but doesn’t have to be.

So it’s not marketing they resist, but their idea of it.

Why Should You Bother with Marketing?

If you are what I call a change maker, and you want to make a positive impact on the world, you have to embrace marketing.

It will help you take your message and reach far more people than you do now.

If all the people who have something to share don’t do marketing, it just means there will be more sleazy marketers out there.

And remember, marketing is just a word. Words in and of themselves don’t mean anything. They are simply pointers to what’s beyond them.

For example, I can point at a tree with my middle finger, or my index finger. The finger doesn’t matter, the tree does.

If you think marketing is sleazy, like I used to think, it means you care. And that means that you can use marketing for good. You can wield it as the powerful weapon it is to reach more people.

You can market in an authentic way.

And more importantly, you can use it to bring in the income you need to support yourself, because if you aren’t making enough money, you can’t help people.

How I Use Marketing

The way I use marketing has changed over the years. I’ve experimented, a lot.

And I’ve learned that just because something works for someone does not automatically mean it works for me, or even resonates with me.

I’m still learning and growing, but the way I use marketing is simple: I use marketing the way I would want it to be used if I was on the receiving end.

What does that look like in my business?

I share what I know freely, even if I’m telling people about a product or service.

For example, I’m in the process of launching my flagship offer, Lifestyle Liberation Academy, and when you join the Liberation Newsletter, you get instant access to the Manifesto, which is a short report meant to inspire and educate.

You also get access to a three part video series which will start on January 21st.

I give out a lot for free, because that’s what I feel inspired to do. If you choose to buy, that’s cool. And if not, that’s fine, too. Not everyone is ready, and not everyone is a good fit.

I constantly adapt to feedback and what my heart says. For example, I know I’m on the right track when I receive feedback like this:

“You deserve to get fairly paid as your style of marketing, in my opinion, is the wave of the future for internet marketing. It’s friendly and genuine, not pushy. The pushy guys are getting pushed out the door.” – Jeremy Fleming

This came in an email from Jeremy, someone who owns all of my products and is one of my ideal clients, because he’s honest, hard-working and just plain fun.

What I’ve Learned

We all have a lot of beliefs around marketing and money.

We cannot be as successful as we want before we deal with them. If you truly want to follow your passion and live an abundant life, you have to look inside and see how you’re stopping yourself.

If you despise people who have money, chances are you don’t have much money in your life.

If you hate marketers, chances are you won’t fill up your courses or build a big, loyal audience.

This doesn’t mean you should love people with money, because there are some “bad guys” out there. It just means being aware of your internal dialogue when it comes to money.

Wake Up Cloud just passed 10,000 subscribers a few weeks ago, so I’ve had to learn to let go of a lot of my own beliefs to reach this stage. And I can say that holding on to those beliefs is not worth it.

They’re just collections of thoughts and conditioning you’ve picked up throughout the years.

I find this all fascinating, because everything I react to is within me. If I think marketing is bad, it’s not marketing’s fault, it’s mine.

Life is a constant teacher, and if I’m willing to listen, I can grow by leaps and bounds.

And so can you.

In order to build a lifestyle business around your passion, and truly help people, you have to be willing to step up your game. You have to be willing to put yourself out there, because there are people waiting to hear your message.

They are hungry for it.

Stop playing small, and start playing big.

Deep down you know you can. Marketing is just one piece of being a change maker and having an online business. It’s an extension of who you are.

If you genuinely enjoy helping people, your marketing will be genuine as well.

In Summary

This post turned out a bit different than I had imagined, but that’s how life works.

You can’t really predict what will happen until it happens.

You have to go with the flow.

Marketing becomes what you want it to become. If someone is sleazy, chances are their marketing will be sleazy, too.

If you genuinely care for people, your marketing will be genuine, because you will find a way to make it genuine. But remember, first you have to do a lot of experimentation to find what resonates with you.

If you’ve been adverse to marketing, you have to be aware of under-marketing, because you still need to make sure people know about you and your offers.

Don’t let anything stop you from what you feel called to share.

And if you missed the invitation to the Lifestyle Liberation Academy, here’s another one. When you join today, you get instant access to the Lifestyle Liberation Manifesto, and you’ll get other goodies, such as the 3 free videos coming on January 21st.

What do you think?

When do you find marketing to be sleazy and when is it a blessing?

If you just knew enough, you could teach and share your gifts.

Yup, I’ve been there and done that.

Doubts held me back for years before I finally realized that I did know enough.

When we’re passionate about something, we know something, because passion implies that you’ve done what you’re passionate about.

So it’s not that you don’t know enough that holds you back. No one said you have to portray yourself as an expert.

You can just share what you know.

To unravel this mystery, let’s dive deeper into this whole expert thing.

What is an Expert?

Expert means being proficient and knowledgeable about a certain topic.

It doesn’t mean you have to know everything. If you’re teaching something advanced, then you may need to know a bit more, but never everything.

Some of the synonyms for expert are:

• Able
• Skilled
• Trained
• Adept

Nowhere does it say “all-knowing.”

That’s something we make up, because we see people out there pretending to know it all, when they really don’t.

No one can know it all, because that’s how life works. When you think you know it all, life gives you a gentle slap in the face.

My Early Struggles

For a long time I avoided starting what would become Wake Up Cloud, because I was afraid of following my true passion.

I was scared of sharing what I truly cared about, because if people didn’t like it, who would I be?

I was afraid that I wouldn’t have anything to say. Why would anyone listen to me? These doubts spun around in my head for years.

They stopped me from taking action.

Until one day I became so sick of not following my heart that I just started.

I realized that I did have something to say. I realized that just because I thought I had nothing to teach people didn’t make it true.

And above all, I realized that I didn’t have to be an “expert,” because it’s just a concept we’ve made up. All I had to do was share what I knew.

That’s all.

I realized that none of my doubts were as important as the yearning I felt in my heart. I felt compelled to share, so that’s what I did.

And that’s what you have to do. There’s a reason you feel compelled to do what you feel compelled to do.

I started writing about the things I found simple, and they turned out to be groundbreaking for others. My readers started emailing me about their lives changing.

That’s when I realized that following my heart was more important than listening to my mind and its doubts.

How to Teach When You Don’t Know It All

You don’t have to know it all to share what you know.

You don’t have to pretend to be an expert. When you’re honest with the people you’re helping, they will appreciate you even more.

I don’t consider myself to be an expert in lifestyle business, but I do have experience, and I share what I know freely.

When you do the same, you’ll discover that this whole expert thing becomes a non-issue. It’s only a thought that stops you from starting.

So what would happen if you simply shared what you knew?

What if you forgot about all the buts and what ifs and took action?

Take action and see what happens, instead of trying to predict the future. You can’t know what will happen until you start.

And chances are, if you are passionate about what you want to teach, you will be surprised by the results, because when you’re excited about something, it’s what you were meant to do.

You just have to start.

The Calling to Share

Now more than ever do you have to heed your inner calling to share.

People need support and help, and you are here to help them. Yes, even if you “only” teach knitting, because it’s not always about what you teach, but how you teach and who you are.

Sometimes just you being there can change someone’s life, because we’re all a part of an integrated whole, and we all affect each other, even if we don’t “communicate.”

If you have doubts about taking action, you’re giving your mind too much power. Let those thoughts be and connect to your heart.

Listen to your inner wisdom.

What is it telling you?

You feel like sharing, don’t you?

So, Where Do You Start?

I wrote a simple guide on this a while ago.

Start there.

But also know that any reason you can come up for not starting is not valid.

If you choose not to start, that’s fine. But know that you can start today. You can start now.

Don’t worry about getting things perfect, just focus on taking one tiny step. Teach what you know and as you learn more, teach more.

And if you want to stop trying to figure all of this out on your own, I’ve got something you’ll love.

It’s Called the Lifestyle Liberation Academy

The Lifestyle Liberation Academy contains everything you need to get started building your lifestyle business and creating a passionate life.

It comes with training, support, and a like-minded community that is waiting to help you move forward.

It will help you minimize confusion and overwhelm, and dramatically reduce the time it takes you to build a lifestyle business.

You see, if you’re reading this, it means you’re ready to do this.

Deep down you already know this.

I’m just here to remind you.

When you’re ready to learn more about the Academy, click here.

See you soon!