Dear Busy Person –

You don’t need my applause, nor my sympathy – but I want you to know that I see you.

I see how hard you work every.single.dip.dang.day.

You work hard at work.

Which, in a time in which up to 80% of employees report being “disengaged,” is really saying something. (So if it feels like you are one of just 20% of the people who are doing 80% of the work, well, that actually IS what is happening.)

And even when they are constantly moving the goalposts, you still manage to excel. You make sure your team feels appreciated, and I see you protecting them as much as you can.

There’s no such thing as an 8-hour workday anymore either, is there? You work from early to late, and “lunch” is a myth.

Luckily, when you get home, you really get to put your feet up and relax.

JK.

Because there is still the dinner and the laundry and kids and the spouse and the garden and the in-laws and the bills to be paid.

You didn’t know that having a family meant you were now CEO of a million-dollar business, did you?

But it’s true. You are.

Luckily, you get to reward yourself with perks like great vacations, time with friends, and plenty of afternoons devoted to long walks in the park and other soul-restoring activities.

JK.

You spend your vacation time visiting family, which is – and hear me when I say this – NOT A VACATION.

And your time with friends is a quick chat from the car while you are on the way back from dropping the kids off somewhere.

And soul-restoring activities….well, that’s just going to have to be put off, isn’t it?

WAIT.
NOPE.
ABSOLUTELY NOT.

I know you are a crazy-busy, and most of the stuff on your platter cannot be delegated or changed –

but you MUST start making time for yourself.

Even just 15 minutes a day.

You must take time each day to fill your tank, otherwise, you will burn out completely.

(You know this is true.)

Productivity is not about doing more.
Productivity is about doing what matters.

And when you spend even just 15 minutes a day on whatever it is that matters to you, well – the other twenty-three hours and forty-five minutes go a lot more smoothly.

So this is my invitation – my plea –

You matter.
What matters to you matters.

Find 15 minutes today when you can quit putting everyone else’s needs ahead of your own and do something that you know will make a difference for YOU.

Because, darling – you are the hero of this story.

And so perhaps I misspoke when I started this – you may not need my applause, but you are definitely getting it.

(insert slow clap that builds to crowds roaring in gratitude and appreciation)

Thank you, our hero.

1. You would love to reach people all over the world.

Why limit your work to the people who are available to show up at your selected date, time and location? 

When you teach online, you get to work with to a whole world full of wonderful people who are eager to learn what you have to offer. I’ve had students from all over the US, plus Peru, Israel, Switzerland, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Chile and all over the UK. 

PRO TIP: If you schedule your classes for 12noon PT / 3pm ET/ 8pm GMT / 7am+1day AEDT, that covers most of the English-speaking world. Remember to check for daylight savings time, and use https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/ to double check time zones.

2. You would like to sell the recordings of your classes.

Now we all know that there isn’t really any such thing as totally “passive” income. Everything requires some work to set up and maintain. Everything. (And anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.)

But on-demand courses are more popular than ever. A recent report from Renub Research suggests that the online education industry will reach $350 billion, worldwide, by 2025. That’s some tall cake.

Wouldn’t it be nice to wake up in the morning and see a notification that someone has bought your course and started watching it? Particularly for your “foundational” courses, a moderately-priced on-demand course can be a terrific income stream, and a great first step on your customer’s journey.

Plus it feels great to know that your work is getting out there and really helping people.

PRO TIP: You’ll need to spend some money on some kind of automated system to process payments and deliver the recordings. Fortunately, there are a lot of them out there. The space is changing so rapidly and there are new systems coming out all the time – so ask some other online trainers you trust and then see which system works best for you and your budget.

3. You’ve been thinking about it for long enough, ammiright?

When an idea takes up permanent residence in your mind, that’s a good sign. In fact, for most of us, it’s the only sign.

You don’t have to be an “expert” – you just have to be willing to authentically share what you know with the people who need it. Think about reaching back to folks who are 10 steps behind you. You don’t need to know everything, you just need to be able to get them from where they are to where you are. Make sense?

So quit waiting for the perfect time, and start taking some inspired right action right now.

PRO TIP: Here’s a great first step – check out my free online, on-demand training, 24 Painful Mistakes to Avoid When Creating A Workshop Online (That I Learned the Hard Way)