Back To The Office, At Long Last
Traveling
Over the last week I have been taking in the sights of the Mackenzie country in New Zealand, sounds like it is a separate country it is just what the locals call it, spectacular scenery and equally dramatic history.
Talking to Tourists
It has been interesting talking to folks in an area where the primary industry seems to be tourism; you can be hard-pressed to find a Kiwi; there are people from all over the world, so a real diverse range of emotions, views, and insights.
Gold For a Marketer.
One of the standouts was that even though people were on vacation and should be relaxing, anxiety was bubbling away not far below the surface. People were removed from their typical situations; there was this overwhelming feeling that they would have to return to a condition that neither inspired nor gave them a sense of self-fulfillment or security.
Case Study
I spoke to one guy who had three weeks vacation. The first week was spent feeling tired and feeling all the aches and pains; physical, mental, and emotional. Four days in the middle were relaxing; then the anxiety kicked in with the thought of returning to his working life, he couldn't sleep, was stressed, and was flat out worrying.
I am not a statistician, but that was a general conversation that repeated its self over and over again. I am pretty positive, and would like to think that things were different, but suspect that the majority want some different, outcomes in their lives.
Poles Apart.
Wanting and making things happen are poles apart and for many a step too far. We live in a giddy-up world where everything is possible; even so, it is tough to create change.
There is so much flowing against the average person changing midstream. When we are young, we are free and easy no responsibility other than to ourselves and, of course, our friends. As our responsibilities grow, our opportunities diminish.
That is the way of modern living.
In the trenches, it can be dam, tough to break away; if we are honest, the odds are stacked against us. At days end, all the happy-clappy can have the opposite effect and become counterproductive.
One of the things about WA is that it enables ordinary folks to achieve, which in its self is some miracle. The only trouble is that we need to know where we are going and to be honest enough with ourselves that we sincerely own it.
Owning It.
" Of all the things that we can do, owning it can be the one thing that can make all the difference if we stop for that second you know the one when we replay our lives and let out that sigh, that sigh of 10,000 words, just no thought just that feeling ".
The thing is that we are all in this together, and as we know it is a one-way street, we all travel down the same paths, every age has a different stage.
It is the in-between stage that sets the platform that lays the foundation. The cold reality is that people are looking for change; some regret not taking the opportunities that presented. Still, others search but don't know how to break free.
If we are honest, we kind of muddle through life, much of the conversations are musings that we learn on the job. How cool would it be to be taught the things that mattered and the things that would make the most impact.
Unfortunately, much of it is on the job training, and that can be harsh.
Back to the Office
I am getting back to the office after spending the last three months traveling, thinking, reflecting, and generally having a ball. The year stretches out, filled with opportunities and possibilities.
If we ask; people will tell us what they are looking for, providing solutions can become a way of life. For a long, while I kind of missed what the WA gig was about, we can arrive with a bias, I am still not sure if it has evolved by design, or it has evolved despite its self because of the people who come to stake their claim. I am sure that Kyle and Carson must stop and look at each other, what do you say, just pinch your self to make sure you are not dreaming.
Days end, it is about creating change and helping to create a difference in our own lives, once again that synopsis can seem so simple, we can get washed off our feet with the waves crashing with life's ebb and flow.
What do we promote and encourage.
Do we promote, hope, or do we encourage and propagate the opportunity for change?
We can go our own way, and you can go your way, and I can go, mine. It can be about change, once dialed in, it can be a process that can be shared.
Time to catch that metal bird, time to create opportunity, time to create change.
Alex Evans
Recent Comments
76
Hi Alex, welcome back! I got a question for you. Say you meet two individuals. A has a positive mindset and B a negative one. A looks at an opportunity to earn extra money but it's not the ideal one. B is presented with a fantastic opportunity. They both accept. Who do you think will succeed?
My feeling is A because this person will overcome barriers to make it work. Meanwhile, B will find barriers that are probably imaginary and make excuses why they're failing.
I feel that those people you met who feel trapped in their everyday lives must first work on changing their attitude. Otherwise they'll be forever trapped. And chsnging attitude is tough. Especially when you're buried in a negative situation.
The best way to get out of that mess is by accepting help from a well intentioned friend or even stranger.
If we're going to be that agent of change for others it's our job to find people in duspair and build a bridge of trust. Only then can good things happen. This process takes time and effort. But it's well worth it.
We need training in how to build trust with others. The methods will vary depending on the situation. One size doesn't fit all.
I know I'm preaching to the choir so please forgive me for this rant. I'm addressing this to myself as much as to anyone else.
Thanks for listening Alex :)
Edwin
Hi Edwin, thank you for joining the conversation, I really like it when we engage and WA is such an excellent training ground.
There are probably over 500k of words in providing an answer.
Business and life are different but yet they are the same, they kind of require the same skill sets. Our ability to encompass that in a practical way sets the stage for our success.
Given the right inputs, I will say that both individuals could succeed. The level of success will be different but it will end up with the same outcomes.
For us, as marketers, it is about developing an understanding of where the person, audience, group, is situated, and in such approaching in a nonbias, non-judgemental way.
The only way we develop that skill is by continually evaluating what we are doing, in terms of our marketing strategy. It is always promoted problem, solution, acceptance, and resolution.
The reality is that we are or need to align with helping ourselves to grow as individuals, once enacted we are on the right path to help others because we are nurturing our faith and nurturing the outcomes that we desire.
I am seeing people caught in the middle stranded in the life that they are leading, the thing is I have been that person, living through it, we can create the change in us we can also help to create the change in others.
That is what you are saying the individual needs to get to that point where they want to reach out for that help, it is about getting to that point.
To become an agent of change we need to understand and accept ourselves. Once we can do that we can see ourselves in others and that is the key to unlocking that bridge to change.
Part of the idea of this post was to reflect on what happens, the majority market in the hope that someone will click on their link. Days end that is what creates the money-making, change, that we need to survive in this world.
When we look at the MMO niche that is on the large part hope central, if you follow the people coming to WA they share one thing in common they are screaming for change they come in hope and they are getting hope marketed to them.
It was really interesting listening to people's stories, they were unhappy, wanted change, for the most part, some desired but freely admitted that it wasn't in them, for whatever reason.
You market hope and people will sign up whether they buy or not is another story.
If we market the opportunity to create change and encourage in the individual the desire for them to succeed we become the architects of change.
There is a subtle difference, it is massive if we flick the switch.
Going back will one succeed over the other, it comes down to inputs when it comes to marketing it is, learned, opportunities that count.
This whole exercise has been so valuable to me, recognizing that we are all at heart the same, recognizing that we all deep down want the same things.
The ability of the marketer to facilitate change is the level at which the marketer understands themselves, I hoper that makes sense.
It is definitely the case one size does not fit all if we understand our nature we can pick what others are missing and in this be able to help and encourage that change to happen.
Alex
Good morning from Nashville, TN Edwin. Thank you for your response to Alex's article. You both are men of the depth of wisdom. Hoping some of it rubs off on me.
Alex,
I hope you are super excited to be arriving back at your office after three months of traveling.
As unusual, this post is packed with things to think about. The first part made me realize that I want to live my life as if I living each day in a way that would be difficult to decide if I was on vacation or actually “working.”
The last part made me realize that I want to help other people realize that it is possible to enjoy our work and our lives - IF we have the right mindset. I know that you do.
Hi Sondra, yes super excited, part of it was a challenge to see if it was possible to travel and still maintain a presence.
The jury is out reflecting it is easy to manage a business on the go but a little harder to create a business on the go.
Your first reflection has nailed it exactly what transitioning to that online workflow would achieve, easier said than done.
That can be the key to success, creating that work-life balance, the thing is that working online is relatively new.
A lot of people don't know about it or if they do have, experienced it from the wrong relay.
The thing that I have learned is that there is so much opportunity out there and the experiences that I have been blessed to live have given me a different perspective on the whole online marketing gig.
The songbook is about helping others, that can seem simple yet it is very complex, developing and maintaining a coherent mindset can be the start of something unique for us and unique in us at the same time.
The direction for me currently is evolving that hybrid model where we can connect from the middle of nowhere but still be comfortable connecting n the CBD of a large city.
Good to see you, Sondra, I hope that your journey goes well.
Alex
Sometimes it amazes me how so many of us can be experience the same things and challenges even if we are seeming a world apart.
Like you, I have been trying to develop that hybrid model. It seems as if I’ve been a bit more focused on the in person part. Yet, I constantly reminded that I could help more people if I focus a bit more on the online part.
Granted, life would be boring if we dind’t have these challenges to navigate.
As always, I enjoy reading your musings.....
Hi Sondra, life would become seriously slow if we didn't have that spice in it. I think that many of us reach that point where quite honestly enough is enough, some people have it hard wired to seek out change but yet we still have that need to feel comfortable in and within our surroundings.
Days end we need closure in so much that we do. Stepping out and securing the ability to observe and seamlessly float between different spheres can be the thing that leads us home to where we started the journey.
The hybrid model is one way to achieve this and building it around the complexities of the online world, is one way to fast track it.
It is amazing when we observe the journey of others it is like everyone goes through similar phases and shares similar experiences. it seems like there is nothing new, yet every day brings new experiences.
Thank you for stopping by and sharing Sondra, much appreciated.
Alex
Good Morning Alex,
I must say I envy you a little bit as traveling is wonderful. Having the farm since 1981 the longest I have been away is for 1 month at a time. Then I start missing my fur-friends.
Without animals, it would be possible for longer. I bet you made some great contacts and found some people who would like to join WA.
Michael visited New Zealand years ago and wants to show it to me. At the moment we will stay home and avoid people.
Greetings from the south of Spain,
Taetske
Good morning, Taetske, Our lives can have routines and part of the exercise was to explore how easy it would be to transition to a different way of doing things. I think that we all have some form of work and I hear so often about people living the laptop lifestyle.
From observation, it is a little harder than the brochures promote.
I used to have a tree nursery and much like animals it was hard to get away especially in the summer as plants and young trees needed constant tending and watering.
Leading on from this is a reason why [peole are attracted to online marketing there is an idea that it is simple and easy. Once we set out on the path that idea is soon dispelled.
The funny thing is that word of mouth can still be the best way to communicate and share.
If we combine that with, food, we have a perfect recipe.
One thing for sure plenty of contacts, ideas for new business and people who seem very interested.
Thank you for stopping by have a wonderful day.
Alex
Good afternoon Alex,
How nice you had a tree nursery. I think that working with nature is one of the best things there is. It is so rewarding as you can observe the results from working hard. Dusting and cleaning a house is very unsatisfactory and the dust always comes back.
You have a nice new profile photo which seems to illustrate this easy-going laptop style of life. Yes I know it is not that easy but the photo looks good.
Greetings from the south of Spain,
Taetske
Thank you for your response, Taetske, It was a really interesting time and you learn so much from working with nature. One of the enduring aspects is looking at threes that have been grown from seeds developing into majestic trees.
I am still planting trees and helping people to create environments to live in, this continues to be a source of much satisfaction.
Part of that vision is working 50 to 100years out, which sounds a little abstract when you compare it to our timeframes, some trees don't come into there prime for many years.
Just thought that I would change things, the image is taken on the road, the cell phone is a hot spot, which the laptop is connected through, business on the go.
Alex
Good Morning Alex,
Papa had a love for trees, especially conifers. In the back of the garden in Holland he would plant them and over time it had created a wonderful forest of at least 30 different types all with a tag and their Latin name.
He would take a stroll each day, weather permitting and caress and talk to them. They were absolutely beautiful.
Greetings from the south of Spain,
Taetske
That sounds wonderful, Taetske, Arboretum's have really good energy it would have been nice to walk through it they give so much to the people who look and soak up the view.
Alex
This was awesome, Alex. What a ball you must have had. Traveling the world for 3 months! I think you bring a pretty accurate perspective, based on your experiences. I think most people working 'normal jobs' are definitely looking for more. I'm glad I started my new MMO site recently. I hope to help a bunch of people reach for their stars.
Paula
Hi Paula, great mindset, people are looking for a change for many they do not know where to start.
Wealthy Affiliate can provide so many opportunities for people to work towards creating the change that they are seeking. The roll for us is to provide and share the opportunity.
Best wishes with your MMO site, helping others is the way to go.
Thank you for stopping by.
Alex.
See more comments
Kia Ora Alex,
I know McKenzie country well and I know those feelings that you describe in your case study.
Those feelings are my reason for being here and your post served to very effectively remind me of that.
Where do you live when the metal bird lands?
Great post thanks
Jim 🧐