Dr. Bryan Hawley
Many people are now realizing that they have been on a hamster wheel just chasing a paycheck but not really living their passion.
“Now is the time you have been waiting for,” or “The now has been waiting for you to show up.” Either way you look at it, now is the perfect time.
Most of the world has felt the confinement, isolation and pain of the coronavirus pandemic. Yet—at the same time—many have rediscovered what it means to be with family and reestablished a new set of values in the process. Many are also stepping out of the “rat race” for the first time and taking a forced minute to slow down and breathe life in, which has provided a window of time to ponder and reflect on what we have been chasing and if it really makes us feel fulfilled.
Many people are now realizing that they have been on a hamster wheel just chasing a paycheck but not really living their passion or following the dream that has been calling them.
I have been coaching people on finding that true calling over the past few years, and, as a result, I am involved in many social media groups supporting this growing trend of redefining our life objectives . Over the past couple of months, I have seen a dramatic spike in the number of people wanting to make a change—follow through with that dream they once had but let slip away.
Many are waking up to the fact that—thanks to the digital world and social media—we are only a click of the mouse away from getting our ideas out to millions of people around the world for literally pennies on the dollar.
Others are starting to write that book or manuscript that they always wanted to pen, and they are finding out how easy it is to publish with Amazon or another self-publishing company and market via social media. People are creating presentations on cooking, gardening, parenting, yoga—you name it—and then turning them into online courses on sites such as Udemy and YouTube. And they are developing and creating products and selling through Internet platforms including Amazon, Shopify and Etsy.
I recently spoke to a couple who turned a passion for soapmaking into an online business through a Shopify store. They are now considering whether they even want to go back to regular jobs when self-quarantining is over. They are having too much fun creating shower bombs, bath salts, candles, soaps, and scrubs to go back to the daily grind of nine to five.
There are also people filming on Youtube and Vimeo doing at-home exercise programs and cooking, to name just a few things. Once they get over a set number of followers and views, YouTube will let them monetize their channels with sponsored ads. And for any products that they use, they can set up affiliate accounts with manufacturers to get commissions.
There is even someone who actually filmed himself picking a product to develop into an online business (his wife wanted to launch a makeup line) and setting it up. He went through and recorded his computer screen while creating the online store, the landing page and Facebook ads. Then, for the next 30 days, he did short recordings of managing the ads, logging sales, shipping the product and scaling the business. He charged $100 to follow him on this adventure for a month from A-Z. (I know because I paid the $100.)
Prior to doing this, he launched a series of Facebook and Instagram ads announcing what he was going to do. His total cost for advertising this “show” was around $2,500, but in 3 weeks he had over 1,000 people sign up for this for the $100. Not a bad investment! And, as a bonus it’s all recorded so he can now keep selling this program online without having to do anything but promote it.
So, if you are at that point where you feel something needs to change, something is calling you to follow your passion—now is a perfect time to do it! We have never had an opportunity such as this before. So if you are still stuck at home or dreading going back to a job that you hate, take a chance and write that short story, make that bar of soap, create that course on “how to.” Who knows what could happen? There is someone out there in the world that will find what you are doing helpful and, in most cases, will be happy to purchase your product and support you.
The world is yours for the taking just step up and step out…you got this.
Dr. Bryan is a published author, national speaker, and personal growth consultant. He also owns an online digital marketing agency and has created a simple online course on digital marketing to help other coaches, and authors break out into the world and reach audiences. You can find out more on his website http://www.drbryanhawley.com or email directly at info@drbryanhawley.com.