Wow, it’s been four weeks, I’m a jerk. I’m breaking the cardinal “consistency” blog rule, but for good reason. I haven’t left frustrated or concluded lifestyle design is an exercise in futility, on the contrary I’ve been moving the pieces into place on how to create lasting income online, the stage at odds with my day to day life right now. I’m sorry for not updating sooner, the reality is, this is a messy battle. I’ve half written a dozen posts to try and capture the take aways from my stalemate of really digging into my niche and launching a product. It finally makes sense in a chess frame of reference. On the cusp of disembarking from working in the business to working on it, there’s much to share, and you’ll benefit from my stalls, excuses, and breakthroughs….like usual.
ONLINE BUSINESS IS LIKE CHESS
This realization came to me while running yesterday (check out RunningSomewhere by David Damron for some running inspiration). Through the myriad of business development frustrations and stalling in the last three weeks I’ve started to see how much attempting an online business is like Chess (or relatable strategy game). The situations, the elements, the strategy, the mindset….they all mimic a game of Chess. In Chess there are good moves and bad moves, some slow the game, some speed it up. Avoid stalemate and be a grandmaster with these ones.
Maintain Strategy (create circumstances of a breakthrough)
Good Chess players think five moves ahead, they set the stage for the entire game. Creating a gameplan is important. Make sure to write something up identifying your target, and what you’re offering. It’ll hit these points; something you enjoy, something you’re good at, and something people will pay for. Sure this is basic, I did this initially but have you revisited it lately? I hadn’t and it stalled me from offering anything to anyone even through I have a decent looking site and product in the oven.
Strategy is about creating and controlling a situation. Reaching out, getting coached, building relationships, and being in the right places, both physically and digitally (comment on, share, write about) create the perfect storm for breakthroughs and business clarity (that thing you feel when you know exactly what to do next). Avoid confusion, stay confident and on track with relationships and documentation. This is constant, this is the pre-action work, this is on purpose. (See “What I’ve learned from Internet Coaches“) Next, start making moves.
I’ve recently been stuck on refining my niche target and unique selling position let alone launching any type of product or service initiative. After a coaching call with Corbett Barr I’ve finally found footing for my next moves and avenues to apply the site and product I’ve built so far. Thanks Corbett and Think Traffic. (for anyone following IT Arsenal, I’ve finally narrowed down my audience to “online entrepreneurs” and something to the tune of “the best tech practices, tools, and support for online business” I finally feel ready to launch my product and jump into the niche instead of twiddling my thumbs)
Manage Action (develop magnifying glass focus)
There are 16 pieces of varying importance to manage in a game of chess, there are probably 160 in an online business. Selling a service/product, being involved in and selling to your niche, and being unique all have about 50 sub categories and tasks. The shear volume of it is enough to paralyze someone. It’s done so to me several times already. Prioritize.
Pawns
These are your tools, new marketing ideas, social media tools and small websites changes. I mis-use my pawns by agonizing over their placement, their death, their possibilities. Again, stalled. Test the waters with these, don’t get me wrong, pawns are important, but they should be used to gauge your situation, (opponent) they are exchangeable and recoverable. See the whole board.
Queens and Rooks
There are a few high value pieces in Chess you need to always be thinking about, just as there are in business. Product creation is one, networking and promotion are two more. I’m constantly getting hung up on the tools, strategy and the sustainability of it “all” when I should be testing more products and finding out how to get peoples attention. There’s no magic set of moves for your specific situation. Start simple, create mocks, build product and send out to potential customers, people you’ve networked with etc. Note to self: You haven’t been doing this, you agonize over your platform, tiny design elements, etc but haven’t had a dead set specific target or a product finished? No wonder you’re not living off your business income yet. Thanks to Adam Baker for making that blindingly apparent.
Great Moves
Create an on paper strategy (and go over it with one other person), go after the medium sized fishes (create relationships), identify competition, balance social media friending and adding value to relevant related websites; help and give of your expertise (powerful and necessary). Lock yourself in a room to finish something to market (a product or service offering package). Networking is the buzz word here. There a billion ways to do it, you’ll need to be outgoing, interested in what the other people are doing, and giving of yourself. It will come back 10 fold, and you’ll become the thought leader you want to be to make the moves you want to make. (See “Scratching the Niche” for how, including a stellar tip from Glen Allsopp)
My real life “situation placement” over the last month has involved coaching from Corbett Bar, future guest post and survey agreements with Under30CEO, conversations with David Damron, consulting with Adam Baker, and some interview talks with Greg Rollett. These are all moves to position myself on the board.
Avoid a Stalemate (how to stop stalling for good and instantly motivate yourself)
If you’ve ever played chess, you know that sometimes you can stare at the board for hours. This brings me to my next point and current achilles heal. While I may have positioned myself alright, know the tools, and have a plan, I’m staring at my freaking pieces!…half cooked product ideas, positioned propositions, but no action?
I’ve identified this as my problem before, so what the heck. Old habits die hard, help me people! Are there personal trainers for business? (I don’t want coaching, just someone to yell at me, that’s gotta be cheaper than $400 for 3 calls right?) Although I could give you legitimate excuses, I don’t want to, this blog is a motivator, and I need to place other such things in my life. People, events, triggers. (hmm outsourcing idea) I consider this the hardest to nail down because it could be life, or mental hiccups slowing things down. At every stage of the way I seem to have something I analyze from every point of view or subconsciously pre-occupy myself with to avoid progress. Most recently it’s being an expert at www.justanswer.com and “waiting” (read wasting time) on a new IT Arsenal logo from Zachary Kutz. (phenomenal designer who doesn’t know how good he is yet so he’s still cheap, get him while you can)
In order to stop stalling you need to be in a pressure situation. If someone had a gun to your head, I bet you’d be writing those posts and finding that developer instead of staring at your calendar. Here’s something a little less intense, but similarly effective I hope.
The $100 challenge
In a real game of chess there’s a time limit, in a friendly game your opponent will just nag you to death. I haven’t done well with timed goals so far in lifestyle design or business. I set the a date, then when it comes, I move it back. Who cares? Not me, or anyone else. There’s no consequence. That’s what needs to change. You (and I) need accountability, and here’s how to get it. Create a clear definable goal of sizable challenge. Go to the bank and get out a crisp $100 bill. Give it to a fellow entrepreneur with a signed piece of paper that he is to keep this unless you accomplish this goal by a specific date.
Hey BobbysoFamous (Rob), next time I see you, I’m giving you $100, and it’s yours to keep if I haven’t officially launched my backup guide and become a known player to an online entrepreneur website by the end of July. It’s public.
It’s messy, there will be casualties.
Lastly, there will be failures, you’ll lose pieces here and there, or whole games and need to start over. You’ll stare at your “board” for hours, days, weeks. Keep hustling friends. Grand masters aren’t born, they’re made. Onward.
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