Summary

A solopreneur reflects on the lessons learned from a decade of entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of embracing chaos and taking action over meticulous planning.

Abstract

The author, a solopreneur of ten years, contrasts their own journey with that of more successful entrepreneurs like Tim Denning and Steven Bartlett. Despite reaching a significant financial milestone of $100K, the author acknowledges the mistake of over-planning and the fear of burnout that held them back from achieving greater success. The article advocates for abandoning excessive caution, embracing unrealistic goals, and engaging in multiple platforms simultaneously to increase visibility and success. The author encourages readers to stop self-doubting and to start pursuing their dreams without overthinking, drawing on their own experience of increased productivity and fulfillment since adopting this mindset.

Opinions

The author believes that time alone does not guarantee success; one must also embrace the creative process's unpredictability.
Over-planning can be a detriment to success, as it may prevent one from seizing opportunities and taking necessary risks.
The fear of not measuring up to others and the experience of burnout can be significant psychological barriers to success.
The author rejects the notion of being overly realistic and encourages aiming for ambitious goals.
They argue that one should not wait to be "ready" before pursuing their goals; action and the willingness to embrace chaos are key to success.
The author suggests that storytelling and making an impact on others should be done with less restraint and overthinking.
They promote the idea of engaging with multiple platforms to increase one's chances of success and recommend an AI service as a cost-effective alternative to ChatGPT Plus for those looking to enhance their online presence.

10 Years Aren’t Always Enough

Time alone can’t guarantee success unless you embrace the chaos of creation.

I’ve been a solopreneur for 10 years.

You know who else has been a solopreneur for 10 years? Tim Denning. Steven Bartlett. Dan Koe has actually been around for less.

These people make millions. Me? I just hit $100K last year, and I worked my brains out.

When they tell you, whatever you do, you’ll be great in 10 years, don’t misunderstand.

You may be an expert in 10 years, but will you be one of the greats?

That’s not guaranteed at all. Time alone can’t guarantee it.

Here’s a mistake I know I made.

I planned too much.

I still did shit. You don’t get to $100K with just planning. I put myself out there and got clients.

But I still planned too much. Man, you couldn’t beat my logic.

I’d say, okay, when I start making $500 on Medium, I’ll start working on Substack. Then, when I get at least 100 subscribers on Substack, I’ll start writing on LinkedIn. Then maybe Twitter.

Because you don’t want to do too much. You’ll get exhausted, overwhelmed, and in the end, nothing is going to work. Right?

Better do one thing right than 4 things wrong. Right?

No. Wrong.

Who can write on bazillion platforms without dropping the ball?

Tim Denning, that’s who.

So anyone.

Of course, the moment I say this to myself, I hear this voice in my head that says, “You’re not Tim Denning! You’ll never be Tin Denning!”

Well, f*** you, stupid voice in my head. I disagree. Why is it that we should always be realistic? Why is it that we should hope for less than what we want?

We do want success, attention, and an audience that gets us so we can make money doing what we love. Right?

So why stop ourselves? Be realistic, we say to ourselves.

I say, be unrealistic.

But my mind has another ace up its sleeve.

I’m scared because I survived burnout once, but barely.

It was horrible. Panic attacks. Mild depression. Didn’t know what to do.

It almost broke me. Work, work, work. Anxiousness. Always wanting more. Always feeling not enough.

So this voice that says, “You’re not Timm Denning,” has a lot of things to throw in my face.

But a few months ago, I realize it’s been 10 years, and I am pissed. I was supposed to be further ahead by now.

I threw caution to the wind.

So I’m doing everything.

I started a Substack. I started writing on X. Got the blue tag and everything. I started writing on LinkedIn. I made a product on Gumroad. I posted a coaching service on PayHip. I’m posting chapters of my novel online.

Ev’-ry-thing.

Everything I’ve always wanted to do but stopped myself because I wasn’t ready. Because that’s not how it’s supposed to go. Because it wasn’t the smart thing to do.

Blah, blah, blah.

Do you have something you want to do but stop yourself?

Do it. Do it now.

Don’t wait till you’re ready; you already are. That’s what I realized. The moment I put myself out there, I realized I was always good enough to put myself out there.

So are you.

I dream big. I want to be one of the top earners. Doesn’t mean I’ll get myself crazy doing it, but what will protect me from my craziness is my strong mind. Not avoiding tasks and responsibilities.

Hell, I have more responsibilities than ever, and I do more than I’ve done in the past 10 years combined.

The other day…

I talked about the fact that I’m writing on 4 platforms, and a follower commented, “Isn’t that a lot? Isn’t it hard to write on 4 platforms?”

And I’m seeing it in her, that same careful planning that led me here.

That same need to control.

And I’m like, NO! You know what, it’s much easier than I thought. Don’t overthink it. Don’t overthink this online game. You’re not a doctor, politician, or rocket scientist. Leave the thinking to those guys.

You do other things. You tell stories that burst out of you and make people better; make them feel better. Think less when you do that. Remove the barriers.

I’ve been removing barriers for the past few months, and it’s working. I wish I’d started 10 years ago. I know now that I was always good enough to start.

Stop telling yourself why you can’t.

Tell yourself why you can.

Then, jump in and embrace the chaos.

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