when plan A & B fail, do u go back or around ... [🐝U]

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Welcome to my first newsletter written on my phone
because Plans A& B crashed & burned

& if you’ve ever had a day, week, month (or even a year) where nothing worked the way it was supposed to, this one’s for you.

(note: I’d normally put in a gif of the Friends’ theme song here … but I can’t figure that out on the phone so use your imagination!) 

I had a completely different email that I had drafted.
But I can’t get to it because it’s image-heavy & needs a decent internet connection to load
(that also means no Canva graphic … yet)

Unfortunately, the Starlink went from being frozen to the ground
To full-on frozen … thanks to freezing rain.

 Plan B would be to work on my laptop while using my phone as a mobile hotspot.
But my solar batteries are all but done having been on the property almost 2 weeks.
(still no power … otherwise I’d thaw out the Starlink & not worry about power management)

 & I can’t use the generator for power because the grounding prong on my cord snapped off (didn’t even realize that was even possible!)

Welcome to Plan C (and the Reality of It)

So I’m onto my phone

With slower than “dial-up” speed data because I used it all up yesterday
(& my month doesn’t reset until tomorrow!)

Which is interesting because I find coaching calls a challenge on my phone
& that doesn’t usually require doing anything but holding the phone.

So if you catch a typo or a weird link, just know … that’s Plan C talking.

 All of these antics … the frozen Starlink, dead batteries, broken cord
… is exactly why I regularly check in on my WHY.

 “freedom & flexibility” isn’t enough

I’ve learned the hard way that “freedom & flexibility” is a weak WHY.
It sounds great … right up until everything starts breaking.

I’ve been in the American Writers & Artists Institute’s (AWAI) Launch Party this week.
I’m actually an OG of that & been attending every single one – at least the 1^st day – live ever since April 2020

 Day 1 is all about your WHY …
Why are you launching a business?
& that WHY has to be a lot more than “freedom & flexibility”
or “more $$”

 The stronger & clearer your WHY, the more likely you’ll keep trying to reach it
Most of us don’t quit because we’re lazy
But because our WHY isn’t strong enough to survive the mess.

 I’ve talked about that too a few times on this newsletter.
But it’s worth talking about again

Just like I keep checking back in

 Day 1 of the Launch Party is my chance to stop & check my compass.
Am I still on the right path?
Did I go off trail?
Am I even still moving in the right direction?
Is THIS the best way to get to my goal?

 In this business, I “accidentally” launched before I was ready.
That was good because I coach so many try to have everything “ready” before starting.(I’m proof you really can figure things out as you go & succeed)

Yes, I launched before I was ready
& yes, I hit six figures faster than I expected
without running ads or much “promotion” of any kind

But what mattered more than the money was that the work felt aligned.

I had 1 person who knew my work ethic recommend me to someone.
I got that person great results (& even better experience in learning & collaborating)
That lead to more recommendations & referrals to others
& it just started looping…
Rinse & Repeat!

 I’ve had the honor of being thanked in books I’ve helped write & edit.
My name’s on album sleeves, mentioned on podcasts, & used to help promote other people’s products.

 That became my passive Plan A.
& it seemed to work well

I had clients.
They had amazing results.
& I was making enough $$ that I had to look at incorporating as a tax strategy.

On paper, it looks like a success.
 perfect… except I got “lost” along the way & started focusing on the wrong thing.
& I didn’t really realize it until how I was landing clients changed a bit

Plan B revealed itself on accident.

I started having people who didn’t have a direct referral/recommendation through LinkedIn

 1 year I earned almost $60k from clients that reached out to me on LinkedIn
That was the year my compass check-ins got weird.

Because I realized I was trading purpose for paychecks
& I didn’t like what my business (or lifestyle) was becoming.

sure the money’s great
But I was stressed, not looking forward to working, & that work was not only sucking up a lot more of my time than I wanted, the results weren’t where they used to be.

That’s when I knew something had to change …

on to Plan C …

It’s my turn to start doing outreach.

I’ve had years of clients that have been good, bad, & downright ugly

 Similar struggles are happening with my off-grid dreams.
After thousands of miles & hundreds of hours looking, I found this place.
It seemed perfect.
→ Remote in that there’s 1 neighbor (that I can’t see) within a mile & the road is so narrow 1 car needs to pull over to let another pass.
→ It’s off-grid … not even an option to connect to the grid because the nearest power line’s over a mile away
→ there’s a lot of South exposure for solar
→ land is flat and mostly cleared except for trees along the perimeter and a few groupings in the middle

Then delay after delay …
→ with the closing
→ with the county
→ with the weather

Unexpected expense after unexpected expense …

not to mention the scammy solar company who I’m still trying to get to deliver the equipment I paid for, let alone install it.

&the weird part?
It feels exactly like what happens when a business looks “right” on paper but fights you every strp of the way.

I’m honestly starting to wonder if this is the right place.
Maybe it’s time to look at a plan B … or C

Because my goal isn’t rooted to this place.

The photo shows me where my trailer is currently parked …
& where I am (was?) planning on building a small cabin

But it’s not about being HERE exactly.

It’s being remote, off-grid, surrounded by nothing by nature.
& this isn’t the only place on earth that’s possible.

 So I’m exploring a plan B … or even C
& I’m giving a good hard look at whether I’m trying to force it here.

 Quitting vs. Re-routing

There’s a part of me that feels like I’m quitting.

& another part that knows quitting & re-routing are very different …
even though they feel exactly the same in the moment.

& I have some pretty fascinating conversations with myself … out loud.
it’s a good thing I’m remote so no one can see it 😊

Quitting means giving up on the idea of a remote & off-grid life
I’m not willing to do that.
But I gotta admit, doing that here is proving harder than expected.

 The moral of this newsletter is …

Your WHAT & HOW will likely change.
Maybe even your WHERE

But if your WHY isn’t clear enough to survive frozen systems, broken plans, & every other challenge, you’ll either quit too early or force something that no longer fits

You need to know your WHY more than your what & how.
Because there are several ways you can get there.

 I had to get this email out this morning.
But I had no Starlink or battery power.
& my data’s used up

 I have a vision for what MY version of “freedom & flexibility” looks & feels like
But that doesn’t necessarily mean THIS location.

You want the freedom & flexibility of owning your own business.
& things aren’t going the way you planned.

So let me ask you this …
→ Are you questioning your direction, or just realizing there’s more than 1 way to get where you want to go?
→ when was the last time you checked your compass?

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Make it a great “ “ week!
EG

PS:

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