If you’re new here, I’m the auction guy you probably saw on Insta YouTube or X. You may have downloaded my Auction Starter Guide with the lists of all the auction sites and tips on getting started.
Thanks for being here Reader. Let's get right into it.
Just stop.
You typically hear me telling you to go, go, go!
But sometimes, you just have to stop.
Hear me out.
One of my coaching clients is a super-talented corporate worker doing everything he can to move into the glamorous world of Entrepreneurship. 😬
He’s going to kill it. He has the talent and the energy, and I am confident he will be wildly successful on his journey.
We were chatting today, and he shared an impressive list of research he had done for one of his action items.
It was a huge list!
If I were a corporate overlord, I probably would have thought: “This is just what I wanted!”
But as a pirate Entrepreneur, my first thought when I saw the list was, “Oh, no.”
And then, my truly awesome client said he wanted to get some crowd sourced feedback to do more work on the data.
Stop
That was my advice. Stop planning. Planning is over. Let’s roll some dice and see what happens.
One of my mantras is Beware The Once’s
Once I buy this thing, I will start…
Once I learn this thing, I will start…
Once I save up some money, I will start…
In college, I studied Horticulture and ran a landscape construction business. I had just purchased my first Macintosh computer, dramatically changing my life.
I became more efficient and my work more professional so I could raise my prices.
The Mac was a fantastic tool.
But that first Mac changed me personally in a different way. I could sense the power in my hands, and I realized that if this power was going to be felt by millions of other people, I should start a computer business, and that business should focus on Apple products.
The trouble was, I knew nothing about computers. I barely learned how to use mine, so how would I start a company and sell computer stuff to others?
This was my first realization of how the Once's can hold us back.
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There were many reasons I shouldn't start a computer business:
- Lack of knowledge.
- No money.
- I was still in college.
- I was running another company.
At first, I told myself I would start the business after I got out of college. Then, I said I would start the business once I sold my landscaping business.
It didn't take long before I realized I was putting obstacles in my own way.
Time to destroy the Once's:
I delegated most of the landscape business work to a friend, and I thought about how to start a computer business with no money.
I talked to a buddy and shared what I wanted to do. Chris thought it was a great idea, but he also had a bunch of Once's in the way.
As we discussed who was already in the computer business, we came across a local company called The Mac Garage. I called them and explained why they should hire my buddy Chris and me. Chris was already a computer expert, and I was a heck of a talker and could sell just about anything.
They turned us down immediately.
They said that once they grew the business more, they might be able to hire one of us, but right now, they could not afford one, let alone two employees.
There was the Once's rearing its ugly head again.
So, we volunteered.
Chris and I were young and full of energy so much energy that before we left, we helped double The Mac Garage's business. It was a lot of fun.
Chris and I then started MacResQ in my spare bedroom. A few years later, MacResQ would grow like crazy into a company employing over 50 people in a 30,000-square-foot facility.
After about eight years in business, we would merge with a company in the Midwest and eventually sell the business, which would become ResQ Systems.
If I had let the Once's stop me from pushing forward, I would have never started a company that supported my family and me for over a decade and helped me build wealth and the confidence to create the rest of my companies over the years.
What are the Once's that you think are in your way, Reader?
Here's an exercise for you to overcome them.
List everything you can think of that stops you from starting a side hustle or a business. Make a list; I'll wait.
OK, you have your list. Now, pick out the easiest ones you know you can get through.
- Not enough time? Stay up late or get up earlier.
- No money? What about a credit card?
- Need some training? Start today by using YouTube.
- You get the idea.
I suggest you focus on finding solutions to the simple Once's.
The tougher ones may take a little more time.
As you solve the smaller Once's, your skill level will improve, and you will find yourself thinking of ways to blast through those barriers.
Along the way, recognize when you powered through a Once.
Pat yourself on the back and remind yourself what a badass you are by powering through these barriers that hold most people back.
Before we go, this is a picture of Jake. Jake is in our $5 Reseller Mastermind. You’ll notice Jake has a baby in his arms.
Jake flew with that baby to attend our Mastermind Meetup in Nashville last night. He didn’t think, “Once the kids get older, I can go to these events.”
The Once’s are not stopping Jake. Are they stopping you?
Have a terrific week and cheers to your success!
~ Shannon Jean
