MDW – Million Dollar Weekend
It’s time to conclude the Million Dollar Weekend review with Chapter 9 – “52 Chances This Year: Using Systems and Routines to Design the Business and Life You Want.”
- Insight #1: When starting or growing a business, there’s a difference between doing what you SHOULD be doing vs doing what you really WANT to do. The ultimate goal is personal freedom and joy. What do YOU need to do to have the freedom you want in your life? What changes do you need to make to live your life YOUR WAY – and what does that look like?
- Insight #2: The first step of getting all you want in the world is allowing yourself to want it – and facing the fears necessary to be able to get what you want.
- Insight #3: Entrepreneurship is your chance to build your work around your life, not build your life around work (and not be swallowed up by it).
- Insight #4: Imagine your best year ever, personally and professionally. Take time to think about what you really, really want. How would you love for this year to turn out for you? Be specific – where you’re living, what you’re doing, how you’re feeling, where you travel to, etc. Make sure to list only the things that are important to you. Focus on what you want; don’t worry about the how.
- Insight #5: Turn your dreams into goals. The keys to accomplishing your goals is organization and consistency. Categorize them into four categories: Work, Health, Personal, and Travel. Choose goals that are sustainable and won’t burn you out in the end. Let you list work for you; don’t let your list work you. And be afraid to change it if it’s not working for you.
- Insight #6: Show me your calendar and I’ll tell you what’s most important to you (and how likely you’ll be successful in achieving your goals). Front-load your priorities. Make sure to put the most important goals earlier in the week to make sure you’re getting done what matters most. Create a system that provides you a way to review the week ahead and see how you’re progressing on your goals. You want to make sure that you’re moving in the right direction.
- Insight #7: Never entrepreneur alone. Great entrepreneurs have great entrepreneurial communities. There’s no such thing as self-made. Everyone is team-made. Here are a few strategies:
- Get an accountability buddy.
- Target Prefluencers (ambitious people BEFORE they make it).
- Who’s doing work you’re impressed by?
- AND Who doesn’t have a ton of attention and is likely to reply?
- AND what can you do to help this person?
- Build your VIP Network with Referrals.
Challenges
- Challenge #1: Share your story (of success) to help others on their journey. Your words can inspire someone else.
- Challenge #2: Write out your dream year. Make your list detailed and specific.
- Challenge #3: Yearly goals list. Use the four categories to flush out your yearly goals.
- Work
- Health
- Personal
- Travel
- (Note: Feel free to change the categories if you desire.)
- Challenge #4: Find one person to send your yearly goals to. Choose someone your trust to check in with you regularly and challenge you on your BS as they help you follow through on your promises.
- Challenge #5: Accountability buddy. Find one person to send a review of your progress on your goals to hold you accountable. This person is there to support you, celebrate the small wins, and call you out when you don’t follow through.
- Challenge #6: Connect with a Prefluencer. Connect with someone who is just getting started and compliment them first without asking for anything in return.
- Challenge #7: Ask your friends for one referral.
Bill’s Results
- Challenge #1: My success story. In 2007, I was hired at UNCG to create something different than traditional academic advising. I started several small coaching groups for both undergraduate and graduate students, which great success. In 2008, I was given permission to turn my coaching program into a class, which eventually became the successful course, “HHS125: What Could I Do With My Life.” In 2014, I thought it would be interesting to see if I could turn the course into a “train-the-trainer” program, where educators and community members could come and engage in the activities, then share them with others. It has not only provided me the opportunity to me a lot of amazing people, but has inspired me to create more and more activities, tools, and resources with even more people.
- Challenge #2: I’m living my dear year as we speak! I get to sleep in, play tennis, golf, and pickleball whenever the mood strikes, connect with members of the Life Design Catalyst Community, and travel every other month. Doesn’t get much better than that!
- Challenge #3: Yearly Goal List
- Work: Get at least four speaking engagements in 2025.
- Health: Engage in sporting events (2-3 times a week) and exercise activities (at least 5 times a week) that help me get to 190 pounds by the end of the year.
- Personal: Upright leg meditations at least 5 times a week.
- Travel: Take at least one trip with Rebecca every 2-3 months.
- Challenge #4: I post my goals on my blog. A few subscribers make sure that I’m staying on track with my goals.
- Challenge #5: Accountability Buddies: Ivor Buffong, Joanne Conrad, Bianca Smith, Demetria Nickens, Wednesday night LDC Group.
- Challenge #6: Preinfluencers – Joanne Conrad, Bianca Smith, Demetria Nickens, Rio Lewis
- Challenge #7: Have not taken on this task yet.
Wrap-Up/Final Thoughts
This is been a fun adventure. Although I don’t have an interest in creating a Million Dollar Business, I do believe that the insights Noah (the author) has shared has provided the focus I need to expand Life Design Catalyst work to others. Here are my biggest takeaways:
- Choose your “Freedom Number.” I’ve been sharing this concept with my mastermind groups for a few years now, so to see someone else believe in its magic is reassuring.
- Focusing my efforts on contacting my top three groups.
- Getting clear on my message. Instead of saying, “I want to help people find purpose and meaning in their lives,” I need to reframe the message this way: “I want to provide people who are stuck, lost, or looking for something more with the tools to get clarity and direction for their lives.” The problem to solve isn’t a lack of meaning and purpose; the problem is a lack of clarity and direction.
- I will always follow this quote from the book: “Be the Guide, Not the Guru.”
- The Content Circle – Core Circle, Medium Circle, and Large Circle. Whatever you do, start with the Core Circle.
- The Law of 100. Try something 100 times before you decide whether to quit or not.
It was great to challenge myself with these activities, as well as take the “trip” with someone else! I hope you can find something of value in one or two of these challenges!