My Toddler Changed My Entire Outlook on Life

06.01.2010 18:56

When we go into business, we are usually thinking of how much income can we create. But the difference between business and working for someone else is that you also have the freedom to create your ideal lifestyle.

I was thinking about this yesterday as my son was being sung "Happy Birthday" at his fourth birthday party. He had a grin on his face from ear to ear. And those of you who are parents will know there is no more satisfying feeling than seeing your child so happy. This caused a shift in how I view business.

Up until now, I have primarily focused on income goals. But over the past 24 hours, I have been asking myself questions related to enjoyment and lifestyle... What sort of clients would I really like to work with?

What do I not enjoy doing? What do I enjoy doing most? What are the 20% of the things I do which give me the most pleasure? What are the 20% of things I do which give me the most pain? How much time would I like to spend with my son? How many weeks would I like to go on holiday each year? What makes the biggest difference in other people's lives? How can I give more? etc.

I love the quote:

"Be careful what you wish for, because you might just get it"

... and I think this really applies to business. After all, there's no sense having all of the cash in the world, if you don't have the time to enjoy it.

So take a moment to think today... What do I really want? Not just in terms of income, but what does my end goal actually look like. I read somewhere recently - I think from Dan Kennedy - that it's relatively easy to create income, the difficult thing is to create the life you want which goes along with it.

So take some time today to ask yourself:

What do I want? What do I really want? If I could have it any way I wanted it - and there were no limits - what would my life look like?

Scott Bywater is a direct mail copywriter and the author of Cash-Flow Advertising. To get access to his highly prized complimentary copy of '7 Ways To Get More Customers" (valued at $29.95) and to join his controversial and insightful "Copywriting Selling Secrets" newsletter where you'll uncover the truth about why most ads and sales letters don't work (and how to make yours stand out from the rest) head on over to his web site at http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au

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