Live The Laptop Lifestyle
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One of EJ’s most popular guest columnists, Dr. Mani, has popped back in to submit this article. Take it away Dr. Mani…
Picture me sitting in front of my computer, writing this article.
The phone rings. I answer. It’s my friend. He’s moving, and wants some advice. For 5 minutes, we discuss his plans. Then I hang up, and … Read the rest of this entry »
We’ve all bought into the dream.
You know the one. With the attractive pictures. Of you (or me) sipping a pina colada, resting on the beach, while cash pours into our bank accounts because we run an auto-pilot home business on the Internet.
We’ve all realized it isn’t as rosy a dream to live through.
Reality bites. Early. … Read the rest of this entry »
The morning I decided to write about this subject, I saw a post on one of the popular discussion forums.
It was from someone who had invested quite a bit of time and effort into building his online business, was nearing the point where it could start being profitable, but was running short of energy and inspiration to keep … Read the rest of this entry »
“I’m going to build a business!”
These words have a certain magical energy to them. They give every solopreneur, looking to hang out a shingle on the Internet, a sense of being on the same level as a Bill Gates, or a Donald Trump, or a Larry Ellison. The vision of a future business maven who … Read the rest of this entry »
I often invite my email subscribers to read posts on Entrepreneurs-Journey.com – and some of them are a little surprised when they read mine.
One wrote yesterday asking this question:
“Dr. Mani, I’ve read a few of your columns, and notice that most of them deal with mindset and attitude rather than the ‘how-to’ style teaching that your typical
“Be The Best – At Everything You Do”
Every single time I’ve said this to someone, they come back with an argument:
“But how can I be the best in the world at everything? Or even anything?”
I then explain and clarify:
“I never said ‘best in the world’. I only said ‘be the best’.“
So, what’s the … Read the rest of this entry »
I remember my first business plan.
Well, to be honest, it wasn’t much of a business plan, because in 1995, I knew next to nothing about ‘business’. After reading an article about how critical it was to have one, I put pen to paper and jotted down some notes to myself. And then, I plugged numbers into a template.… Read the rest of this entry »
“The strange thing is that everyday, we see people dying – but don’t actually believe we will.” – Anonymous
We read about it in the newspapers. We hear it on the news. We see it on television. Sudden, unexpected death. Caused by accidents, disasters, and disease.
Yet until it strikes close to home, we tend to filter it out … Read the rest of this entry »
Everyone wants to be an expert. Nothing wrong with that.
The problem is that many want to become an expert overnight!
Now that may be possible in very narrowly defined niches, but even there the desirability of such ‘expertise’ is in question. We all know and respect experts as having had long, immersive and intense knowledge and experience with … Read the rest of this entry »
“Every dream will be challenged!”
These powerful words from a mentor of mine have been burned in fire into my memory. Rarely, a dream or goal comes true easily and effortlessly, without delays, problems or hurdles. It is far more common, however, that you have to overcome many obstacles and suffer some pain before achieving any meaningful target.
Before writing this post, I was unhappy. A lot had happened in the hour since I woke up in the morning!
Then I said to myself, “If you’re going to write about always being happy, why not try out what you’re telling others to do?”
So I did. It worked. I felt happy.
And then, I sat down to … Read the rest of this entry »
Entrepreneurs are often curious, passionate workaholics. Yes, that’s a generalization – but often true.
We want to learn more about things – our business, our world, our customers, our industry, our marketplace, our technology and other stuff.
And we each have our preferred ways of staying up to date. Watching TV. Listening to the radio. Reading books. Subscribing to … Read the rest of this entry »
Nostalgia is a wistful yearning for the past, an almost childish desire to have the world unchanged, constant, secure as it once used to be. It’s an emotion most of us feel for different things – but that can be deadly and dangerous for an entrepreneur to feel about business.
Because change is constant in a business environment.
Being … Read the rest of this entry »
In “The Social Network”, the movie based on Facebook’s meteoric rise to prominence, my favorite line is when the young college students sit around a Harvard dorm talking about how fast their idea took off.
FaceMash had just been coded, and the first few emails went out to friends. The hero’s dorm mates ask,
“How many people are you … Read the rest of this entry »
Commenting on my earlier post about “Time Management Secrets Every Entrepreneur Should Know,” Dennis said:
“Nice presell, Dr.Mani.”
I laughingly replied that there was “nothing for sale”.
But I lied!
Here’s why.
Let me ask you a question. What one thing is it that you are ALWAYS selling, no matter what you say or do? Regardless of … Read the rest of this entry »
At a recent college reunion, twenty-five years after we first entered medical school, I met many old classmates and re-learned one important lesson.
Being Time Efficient Is HIGHLY Profitable!
One theme kept popping up over and over again in our conversations.
“Our kids rarely get to see their dad, he’s so busy!”
“I go to work at 6 a.m.
“Know what you want – and get it”
- Sushmita Sen, Miss.Universe, 1994
‘Take what you want, and pay for it’ says God
- Old Spanish proverb
I’m going to tell you a little story.
It’s about a man who wanted to know the secret of success, and decided to find out from a Guru.… Read the rest of this entry »
Tell me how familiar this scenario is.
You come up with a great idea. You research it in great depth. You write a fantastic ebook on the topic. You edit, proofread and revise it several times. You even get a designer to create a lovely graphic for the cover.
You excitedly set up a website to sell the ebook, … Read the rest of this entry »
Every morning, we wake up and get ready to do some things. Often those things revolve around our job, our business or our hobbies.
Day after day, week after week, year after year, we do them. Why? What drives you to do what you do?
Sometimes it is necessity. Sometimes it is passion. Even curiosity, compulsion or coercion. But … Read the rest of this entry »
I created my first infoproduct way back in 1997. It was for a very small and specialized niche. Since then, that little ebook has sold over SEVEN HUNDRED copies. Even today, it sells a few every month – with no effort at all.
That didn’t happen because I was smart – but because I was lucky. Very lucky.… Read the rest of this entry »
