http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/ Fastlane Entrepreneur and Startup Business Forum - Discuss Entrepreneurship, Start-ups, Business Building And Learn How Multi-Millionaires are Made en Sat, 18 May 2013 16:10:27 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/ http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/778-ahh-i-have-freaking-awesome-marketing-idea.html Thu, 16 May 2013 01:12:03 GMT Ok, so I've been building this web application forEVER now but it's reaching time to launch and I'm excited about it. I've got a few more hurdles to crush before it's ready to launch, but when it is... I have a stellar marketing idea for it, at least, my mind mind, it is stellar.

Basically, what I'm going to do is subject myself as a testimony to the effectiveness of my application.

I'll have a set number of weeks in which I need to accomplish the goal that everyone in my demo wants to accomplish, and I'll document my progress on youtube!

I've seen others doing it as well, and they got a MASSIVE number of views with each consecutive video release. What I can do is also release little vlogs inbetween the beginning, middle and end results, to build a following as time passes.

All the while I'll keep my app linked in the video comments and in the video notes on-screen.

It's going to take awhile, but I only see an upside as the time it takes me to "undo" my current state is also a time where I can make some fundamental progress that, when I do go through the process all over again, the end result will be even better!

So, I know I've been very very vague here and careful not to reveal my idea, however, because I'm in the middle of 'process' and I've invested my time and effort into this project, I feel safer from competition exploiting my ideas or coming to market before I do simply because there are more likely others here who are much more financially endowed to execute what I'm doing all by me lonesome. ]]> adiakritos http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/778-ahh-i-have-freaking-awesome-marketing-idea.html http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/749-re-createing-commitment-reaching-place-total-conviction.html Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:46:01 GMT I went to two meetings this self help thing, the first because I was invited to learn a little and then sign up, and the second time because my... I went to two meetings this self help thing, the first because I was invited to learn a little and then sign up, and the second time because my mother went and I went to the meeting thinking it was some type of 'graduation'.

In the first meeting they spoke about "recreating" your idea about different aspects of life and people.

It took me about a month to finally understand what this means, and it is powerful in the wording they chose.

The reason they use the words "To Re-create" is because you are LITERALLY re-creating your idea about a person, for example, by consciously putting aside your current view of someone and reconstructing a new view based on what you're looking at. This wording creates a context for your mind to open up and see life in a different way.

I was amazed once I finally understood.

In the second meeting I took away a single tid bit that also was very powerful to me.

Within this process of self observation they ask you to think of a time you had a 'breakdown'. The time I thought of was when I was fired by one of the bosses I used to have. They asked, why did you have this break down?

(It's much better to discover the answer through self observation. A lot of it, until you truly get it by finding it on your own. It may take 10 minutes of sitting there and thinking hard about it. I'm going to say it here and let anyone who reads this to confirm it themselves by really taking to look with an example of their own. )

The reason I had the break down, and the reason anyone has one is because the things that are happening aren't what they 'should be'. They are contrasting your expectations of how things ought to be.

And finally, they ask you 'what is behind the "Ought to be/Should be?"'. Again it's better for the answer to be discovered than to be given. It's the only way to truely 'get it'.

Anyways, behind that, the reason I had this break down is because I should have stayed hired. Why? Why should I stay hired? Not out of need, per se, but out of (and this is the answer) a commitment I have.

Now, once I discovered what my commitment was, I realized that this is my true commitment.

This is not some commitment I made up after reading a step from a book.

It's one that I already had which I was not already aware of.

And being able to now find out what my commitments are by observing different events in my life I am able to discover more about myself than I ever have.

In the case of the example I provided, I realized that I am committed to providing excellent work. I am committed to doing work that I am proud of. And I am committed to keeping my clients more than happy.

What happens, as well though, is that I experience a sense of centeredness. A sense of clarity in that now that I know exactly what it is I'm truly committed to I can confidently create a new plan of action to fulfill my commitment and have a sense of conviction for my plan of action.

To get to the place of total conviction in your plans through this simple process takes actual thinking and introspection.

I encourage anyone who reads this to take an hour of your time away from distractions to understand what I've written here to gain the full benefit from it. ]]> adiakritos http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/749-re-createing-commitment-reaching-place-total-conviction.html http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/746-how-tell-you-process-oriented.html Thu, 18 Apr 2013 03:32:52 GMT I realized something... As I lay here trying to sleep my thoughts are racing.... What are they racing about? Am I consumed with thoughts... I realized something...

As I lay here trying to sleep my thoughts are racing....

What are they racing about?

Am I consumed with thoughts about the badass Lamborghini Aventador I'm going to buy in a couple months or years?

Are they of me visiting every beautiful and interesting place on the planet? Or of me meeting women in France, Brazil, or Sweden?

Nope, it's not anything of these things, although I do occasionally think about them.

Instead.. I dream of my process.

I obsessively think about getting that next bit of code working properly for my website. The thoughts spontaneously flash ideas on how to position my product properly, how to market to the right market, what feature I could create...etc

And I find myself getting up to write it all down lest I forget.

I can also tell I'm process oriented because for the first time ever I actually feel certain, in my gut, that I will succeed.

In my mind, its like any skill I want to master. The more you work at that skill, the better you get. So logically, if I work at it intelligently and diligently, I will inevitably succeed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUmooRyU0Bg

This video really set it in stone for me. The point they make that "THE PROCESS WORKS! Just follow through and have faith it will work and IT WILL because WE DID IT!" ]]> adiakritos http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/746-how-tell-you-process-oriented.html http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/697-holy-grail-finding-mentors.html Mon, 18 Mar 2013 21:36:52 GMT I just realized something fantastic that I've stumbled upon recently.

In order to attain cash quickly I started learning Web Development. After working with clients who are experts in their own fields I quickly built friendships with them and they began giving me free advice.

After a while it dawned on me.... work for the people you want to learn from... duh!

The first big client I had is an expert copywriter who gave me excellent advice on my current projects. He even sent me his main book for free.

My second big client is an expert in real estate investing. I simply threw a question his way and mention that I was interested in real estate and he sent me a link to one of his biggest products on how to invest in real estate.

I intend to keep seeking clients who are experts in whatever I'd like to be guided in and work for them in order to eventually, and hopefully, have them see me as a kind of personal student of theirs while I continue hard for them as well as implement everything they suggest.

Bam. There you have it. ]]> adiakritos http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/697-holy-grail-finding-mentors.html http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/639-flash-bang-momentum-business-building-college-style.html Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:42:22 GMT I've found so far that momentum is what can make or break me.

What is momentum?

For me it's when I am ok with bringing my laptop with me everywhere I go so that I can work no matter where I am. When my brain is ALWAYS ready to get to work on this particular project. When I feel in my gut that it's ALWAYS time to keep moving forward. When I automatically remove distractions, when I literally dream of my project's current steps (I've literally dreamt programming code solutions for certain little challenges I was having), when I lose track of time and it's 4-5am in the morning and I'm still working on my project wishing there was more time in the day, when I'm working with every available bit of time I can utilize, even taking my laptop with me to the bathroom to work if I know I'm going to spend likt 10 minutes in there, when I'm thinking "Fuck this school shit. I just want to program my application and build my business!! UGhhH!!", when I'm forgetting meals throughout the day and I don't even need coffee to keep going because my biochemistry is just ON POINT.

I'm not sure how to get it back other than to just get started until I become immersed in the work so I'm always racking my brain to get through the current step.

Call me a workaholic, passionate, obsessed, whatever you want. But that is, to me, what momentum is.

Lately, I haven't had it. And really, to me, you either have it or you don't. Right now I'm discovering that I have to FIGHT to keep it. I have to make it a priority. I gain momentum pretty easily because I really love every part of the process of building my business.

What kills momentum?

Time away from working on my project. There is even this approach avoidance that I have when I don't have momentum because I think "The second I get going I'm not going to want to stop, and there's a good chance everything else that I need to do will be neglected".

So what happens is that when I'm on a break for a month or so I end up working around the clock gaining massive progress in a short period of time, and then switching back to school and work during the semester.

I'm contemplating simply NOT studying for the majority of the semester and just cramming before each test with loads of adderall and coffee. I mean, if I could do that to party, there's no reason I can't do it to work on my business. ]]> adiakritos http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/639-flash-bang-momentum-business-building-college-style.html http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/599-thoughts-pride.html Mon, 21 Jan 2013 08:57:38 GMT I have a very successful client I work with (I'll call him Chris here) who I'm very thankful to have been introduced to. In addition to him, I've even more fortunate to have a mentor (I'll call him Tom here) in the fundamental aspect of my fastlane plan - web development.

One day I was speaking with Chris on the phone about whatever work related topic when he started talking about how much he appreciates Tom's work. That Tom is so great at what he does because he takes pride in his work... that probably 1 in 300 or so people actually take pride in their work.

Now, obviously, I'm already impressed with Tom's skills and work ethic, so this made me wonder...

How and why does someone take pride in their work?

And then it occurred to me that that happens to me (I feel pride) when I do something that I honestly feel proud of. When I work hard at something so that I am so proud I want to show it off, or talk about it, or even just look at it and think "Damn, this is so awesome".

So I took my current task and decided to make it something I can feel proud of. Something I'm eager to show my client, Chris.

I think this is a great way to keep myself motivated to produce high quality products or services for people in my business ventures as well as providing a high quality service to your clients if you work by the hour. I think this is the kind of attitude that A players have. The kind that built and get hired by the best companies in the world. ]]> adiakritos http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/599-thoughts-pride.html http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/594-notes-innovation.html Sun, 06 Jan 2013 18:46:51 GMT From Innovation and Entrepreneurship by Peter Drucker beginning on page 134. The Principles of Innovation 1. Purposefully and systematically... From Innovation and Entrepreneurship by Peter Drucker beginning on page 134.

The Principles of Innovation

1. Purposefully and systematically search through the different sources of innovative opportunity on an ongoing consistent basis.
2. "Innovation is conceptual and perceptual... [innovators] look at figures and at people. They work out analytically what an innovation has to be to satisfy an opportunity.. They look at the users and see what their expectations, their values and their needs are. "
3. An innovation should do only one thing to be effective, otherwise it will confuse its users. It should be focused on a specific need that it satisfies, on a specific result it produces.
4. Effective Innovations start small. The smaller the better because the easier they are to tweak and maintain and test.
5. Successful innovations aim at leadership in a given environment or industry. If it doesn't its unlikely to establish it self and more likely to be exploited by competitors.
6. It must be so easy to use a total morons can use it. Incompetence is widespread.
7. Don't try to add any extra features or do too many things at once. Be lazer focused on creating the core function or doing as few things as possible "An innovation needs the concentrated energy of a unified effort behind it. It also requires that the people who put it into effect understand each other, and this too, requires a unity, a common core."
8. Don't try to innovate for the future. Innovate for today! Innovate for needs that are present and needs that will last and/or grow.


Three Conditions
1. Innovation is work! Most successful innovators work in only one field, for example, electronics, retail, finance..etc. "Innocations becomes hard, focused, purposeful work making very great demands on diligence, on persistence, and on commitment.
2. To succeed, innovators must build on their strengths. They only choose the opportunities that fits them best. They choose the opportunities that they are capable of taking on.
3. "Innovation always has to be close to the market, focused on the market, indeed market-driven.

Last Point

Successful Entrepreneurs are not risk takers.

"Successful innovators are conservative. They have to be. They are not "risk-focused"; they are "Opportunity-focused".

They try to minimize any risk they take on as much as possible. ]]> adiakritos http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/594-notes-innovation.html http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/593-super-thankful-working-web-developer-now.html Fri, 04 Jan 2013 16:30:16 GMT About 3 years ago I met someone on a forum who was willing to give me some advice on internet marketing. We developed a king of distant friendship... About 3 years ago I met someone on a forum who was willing to give me some advice on internet marketing. We developed a king of distant friendship and now after trying many different things out I settled on what I am best as, which is programming.

So my friend, being a successful freelance web developer hooked me up with one of his best clients. A hugely successful internet marketing guru. This guy makes like $50k + per MONTH. Whoa! Besides that, he's a SUPER nice dude. Sent me a copy of one of his books and he's told me how happy he is he found me through my friend and that he feels he's got a strong team now. :cool:

So, I'm now working my way up to higher rates and at the same time building my own web applications with RoR. It's been a year already and I'm amazed at how far I've come in such little time, even while studying at University.

Tony Robbins "Personal Power" program is great because it's taught me some lessons and techniques that I use all the time to keep me fired up and moving forward. Of course, time will be the true test, although I'm just thankful I can feel measurable progress from where I was a few months ago. ]]> adiakritos http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/593-super-thankful-working-web-developer-now.html http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/591-jeff-walker-400m-dollar-man-forbes-article.html Thu, 03 Jan 2013 17:01:44 GMT http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericwagner/2012/09/11/why-jeff-walker-is-the-400-million-dollar-man-and-7-lessons-you-can-learn-from-him/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericwagn...earn-from-him/ ]]> adiakritos http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/591-jeff-walker-400m-dollar-man-forbes-article.html http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/553-my-goals.html Tue, 04 Dec 2012 06:22:38 GMT Attachment 4267 (http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/attachments/internet-mobile-apps-software/4267-starting-online-retail-store-goals2.jpg) ]]> adiakritos http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/553-my-goals.html http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/542-tips-myself.html Sat, 01 Dec 2012 00:36:09 GMT * Re-read millionaire fastlane at least once a year. This will continually condition your mind to think like an entrepreneur. * Plan the next day...

• Re-read millionaire fastlane at least once a year. This will continually condition your mind to think like an entrepreneur.
• Plan the next day ahead of time if you don't have a set routine. That way when you wake up you know what you should do and by when.
• Have an ultimate long term goal that you reach by achieving small goals like stepping stones
• Focus on only 1 bigger project at a time
• Work in solid blocks of totally uninterrupted time. 1 hour blocks for 5 blocks a day.
• Set up your life to get things done automatically by creating conditions and structures
  
  • For example if you want to get an A in school
  • A structure would be to install a website blocking program to block facebook for set amounts of time. It would also be finding a particular spot in a library that is quite and has little distractions
  • A condition would be going to the library first thing in the morning to study and packing everything I'll need the day before.
  
  
• Set goals with deadlines for all your projects and keep them visible in a way that puts pressure on you.
  
  • I put a calendar with all the months on a single page. In the margins I create a legend declaring my deadlines. I also mark every past day with a red X.

]]> adiakritos http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/542-tips-myself.html http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/540-model-motivation.html Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:11:33 GMT This is a graph that describes EXACTLY what Tony Robbins talks about.

Maybe not exactly but it's very similar.


source

This is what it says:

Motivation is a function of a few variables and their relationships.

Effort - Performance
In this relationship, if your efforts are high and thus performance rises, then there is a stronger link bewteen motivation for an outcome. If your effort isn't perceived to have any effect on your performance, the link is weaker or isn't there.

Performance - Outcome
If your level of performance depends on your desired outcome, this is a strong link from motivation to your outcome. If youre performance has no effect on your outcome, you'll probably not be very motivated.

Outcome-Valence
Valence is the amount of value you place on a particular outcome.

If the outcome greatly overcomes the valance of that outcome, you'll have greater motivation.

My Conclusion
So it seems to me that maintaining motivation is a matter of two things:

1. Amping Valence as much as possible
2. Having confidence that your efforts will result in performance

If for example each valence were rated with a neutral desire at 0, a high desire at 1 and a very unattractive outcome at -1... and we added all the valences together we'd come up with a number representing the strength of that motivation.

Tony Robbins teaches how to do both of those things. I'm currently practicing his methods, and this graph I found in my text books provides a nice illustration of the process and exactly what variables I'm trying to influence. ]]> adiakritos http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/540-model-motivation.html http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/538-factors-entrepreneurs-control-motivation.html Fri, 30 Nov 2012 19:20:11 GMT I'm really giving my best to learn the things that Tony Robbins teaches as far as changing my emotions and the meaning I place on things.

So I decided to start changing the meaning I give to reading my school material. I decided that even if I get 1 idea out of a single chapter (similar to Tony's story about going to seminars) that will make my life easier to make more money or achieve more in life, or whatever, it is worth reading.

Here's what I've found in my book today that I thought was cool enough to write out here:

The chapter focuses on how managers can help their employees stay motivated. It talks about a few theories that exist, and this one in particular made the most sense to me.

Because it's a theoretical explanation of a practice I heard from Eban Pagan and John Reese, I really focused on it.

It's called The Two - Factor Theory

In a company, there are two stages that managers can focus on in order to foster motivation in their employees.

Stage 1
The fundamentals a manager can control are the environment to make sure that the employee does not expereince dissatisfaction.

If you were to imagine an employees satisfaction on a spectrum going from satisfied all the way to dissatisfied, with a 0 in the middle, you can then think of stage one being fulfilled by bringing the to the middle - at 0.

In this way the employee is neither satisfied nor dissatisfied. They are just ok.

Some factors they can influence are

• Supervisors
• Working Conditions
• Interpersonal Relations
• Pay and Security
• Company Policy and administration

Stage 2
This is the motivational stage. This is where managers can start to implement conditions that motivate employees, and thus increase their satisfaction.

Some of the factors include:

• Acheivement
• Recognition
• The Work itself
• Responsibility
• Advancement and Growth

What this means for a self employed entrepreneur:

In the way of Stage 1 Factors:

• Since you are your own boss you can influence your own environment. You can get a nice desk, buy a stellar file cabinet, use an effective organizational system, have the best monitor, mouse and keyboard you can get...etc.. basically making your work environment totally stellar so that you are 100% content with your work space.
• You can choose who to work with or partner with, hire, fire...
• It may be difficult to decide how much your presently earning if you're business isn't yet earning you what you want.. but that's actually a source of motivation and lends its self to the motivational stage.
• You set your own policies and you are accountable for yourself.

In the way of Stage 2 factors:

• You set your own goal. From big goals to aim at and small goals to keep you moving
• When your making a difference for the work it's a massive source of recognition
• You can choose which tasks you enjoy doing and outsource what you don't like to do
• You're 100% responsible or your business
• Again, you decide how much you want to grow

The main point I had in mind before writing this was along the lines of the fact that we have the power to influence our working conditions. That it's important to do so and can help with staying productive and motivated.

Anyways, I hope this was helpful as far as motivating anyone thinking about entrepreneurship. ]]> adiakritos http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/538-factors-entrepreneurs-control-motivation.html http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/431-im-considering-switching-gears-again.html Mon, 01 Oct 2012 05:40:47 GMT Plan A: Get my BA in marketing and get work experience Get a job in marketing and move up Pursue Entrepreneurial opportunities Plan B: Get... Plan A:
Get my BA in marketing and get work experience
Get a job in marketing and move up
Pursue Entrepreneurial opportunities


Plan B:
Get my BA in marketing with RoR experience
If Website is successful continue working that
Otherwise Get a part time job and keep building website businesses


Plan A Pros:
Industry insight
Transferable skills
Cash to invest in opportunity
Professional network
Limited Risk ( with skills and a degree there's always work to be found )

Plan A Cons:
Time - At best my first ventures will be started in close to 3 years. I'll be about 25.
Probability of Opportunity Cost - I'm forgoing any probability of an opportunity to enjoy an internet business sooner

Plan B Pros:
I'll have a skill that I can use to make money with later if need be
I'll be focused on making websites until one is successful
The sky is the limit as far as how successful a website can become

Plan B Cons:
I'll be able to make only 1-2 full websites at best given the time I've got to work on them AND do school
I'll be stuck living at home until one of my sites are successful
The amount of success I'll have for any given site is unpredictable
No industry experience besides programming
Limited network
Close to 100% DYI


Screw it. I know what I need to do. ]]> adiakritos http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/431-im-considering-switching-gears-again.html http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/367-books-im-reading.html Thu, 06 Sep 2012 02:20:55 GMT Besides the text books I'm reading in class I'm currently reading "Innovation and Entrepreneurship" by Pete Drucker. It's an old book a friend let me have. He got it from his rich uncle who owns his own private jet, mansion and medical supplies business.

That book has some pretty cool points on innovating in general so that coming up with ideas isn't some random guess but rather an educated one.

The second book I'm reading is going to be "The Warren Buffet Way". The main reason is because I want to build a lasting company. I figured that Warren Buffet looks for certain things that a business manager can learn from in building his own company if they are things that he can control.

I'll write about the things I learn from those books in this blog later on.

Once I'm done reading those I think I'll re-read the Steve Jobs Bio simply because I feel like I learned so much from it that it's worth going back to and refreshing. ]]> adiakritos http://www.thefastlaneforum.com/blogs/adiakritos/367-books-im-reading.html