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I’ve had some cool wins recently. In the last two weeks, I’ve booked six international speaking gigs, a $2,000-a-month consulting contract (my third consulting contract with a company), and started working with sixteen new coaching clients. It’s been a great start to September!
I’ve gotten a lot of emails and private messages asking what’s the secret to getting speaking gigs, new clients, making money online, and signing consulting contracts. I always have the same answer: there is no secret; you just have to do the work. It’s not sexy, and a lot of people will check out at that point, but it’s the truth.
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The Struggle
I hate sharing my wins. I have seen countless Facebook ads advertising the “laptop lifestyle” or how someone can “become a seven-figure Internet Marketer.” Those ads make me sick. I have friends and clients who have spent thousands of dollars only to be disappointed by the hype. One new client spent $25,000 on an influencer we all know and got in legal trouble because of the advice he received.
I don’t want to share my wins because I don’t want to be put in the same category as the scammers. The only reason I share wins is because so many of you reach out and tell me that seeing the wins helps you keep going when you want to give up. Other than that, I would keep wins to friends and myself.
I didn’t leave a six-figure corporate job and pay thousands of dollars for connections and influencer’s to build my dream. I built this dream/business while living paycheck-to-paycheck and taking out PayDay loans to survive. I know what it’s like to want it so bad, but not make any money. I know what it’s like to do all the things the expert’s tell you to do, but you still can’t seem to make any progress. I have the tee shirt to prove it!
The Secret
In interviews, and through messages, I‘m asked about the “secret strategy” that helped break into freedom. I’m asked about the “one or two things I did that helped me.” I wish there were some secret formula because I would give it to you for free, but there isn’t. There’s just the work.
“The work” will have a different meaning depending on what you’re doing, but it’s how you get opportunities. There are no secret strategies that will allow you to make two moves and BAM; you’re living the dream! The Facebook ads that promise you that–through a spammy course–are lying. It takes hard and focused work on the things that will help your next steps.
For me, I’ve sent out over 300 speaking proposals. I’ve written over 500 articles/guest posts. I’ve been interviewed on over 100 podcasts. I’ve gotten featured anywhere I can. I’m now getting a few opportunities because of all the work I’ve put in. It only took four years to become an overnight success.
Want Freedom?
If you are stuck and want to break free—stop what you’re doing. I don’t know your situation, but I would venture to guess you’re consuming too much information. You’re subscribed to too many email lists. You’re watching too many videos and listening to too many podcasts. You’re getting information overload on a daily basis, and it’s paralyzing you from taking action.
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Every expert has something different to say, and it’s often contradictory. By consuming all that info, you’re not giving yourself a chance to take action on what will help you. For 99% of people reading or listening to this, you need to build an audience. It doesn’t matter how good your stuff looks, if you don’t have an audience, you won’t be able to make any money. And, social media is not an audience; your primary audience is the people on your email list. Social media is a rented platform.
That’s my secret. I built an audience through getting exposure. I created things people bought, and I scaled it. After four years of hard work, the opportunities are finding me. Do the work. Focus. Stop learning and take action. Then, you will also become a four-year overnight success.
Audio version:
Where are you at in your dream chasing journey?
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This article originally appeared on KimanziConstable.com.
Photo: Flickr/ Climbing the Coxcomb