**_Thought #1: “When do people buy things? When other people SELL things.”_** Basically, unless you’re selling something people won’t buy it. It’s so obvious but when you’re like me then you just assume that–because your product is solid, and because you spent so much time thinking about it, and because, I mean, just look at it! It’s gorgeous. etc.–people will buy it with no need for persuasion. I’m realizing this has been a fallacy in my thinking. Unless I “sell” what I have no one will feel the need to buy from me. This can be… …selling more consulting hours …selling getting coffee with me …selling a spot for a VC on VA …selling a spot for a Startup on VA Even myself! If I can persuade myself to do things then I can do the same with others. I am not sure if I’ve ever tried to sell to myself something BUT while reading Psycho Cybernetics I’m coming to the conclusion that selling/persuading is a huge part of transformation. And it’s a deliberate act. If I want to become successful then I should sell myself to that vision and buy into it and mobilize energy and resources to become successful. This was prompted by the way, by a conversation I overheard of a startup that, after years of good growth has started to slow down in making money. The question the team raised was “How do we grow again?” without seeing the obvious answer: You’ve got an existing mailing list, so SELL THEM! – Also, sell them your story the way you sold it to them the first time. How you struggled learning X and how you overcame it and how it wasn’t _that_ hard after all and how you succeeded. I think a variation of that will work and will work again. Note to self: Must re-read ‘Advertising secrets of the written word.’ **_Thought #2: To Struggle In Life and Career IS A CHOICE_** (came sometime yesterday) – I’ve been choosing to have difficulties with being successful. I think, subconsciously, I’ve been holding myself back for years, decades, based on the fact that the type of person that I am has to go through years of suffering and hardship and ONLY THEN would I be worthy the success that I secretly desire. How effed-up is that? I’ve been actively sabotaging myself from “just being successful”. I realized it’s a choice I’m making and that the choice I’ve taken so far is a bad one. Instead, I’ve decided that business success will from now on come easily to me. Why does everything have to be a struggle until, at the end, there is a moment of absolution? I’m tired of this and I’m tired of holding myself back. This is going to be expanded but the key take away is that my self-image has, generally speaking, always included myself having a hard time with business things BY DEFAULT and that is what happens. I can’t believe it’s that obvious. I’m over struggling and luckily with VA I am seeing for the first time that business things can just click. I know we’re not yet making money but it’s by far the most successful piece of software I’ve created and I’m quiet proud of it, too! For tomorrow I want to create a list of things that I’m proud of having achieved. It’s always a good idea to make such a list for boosting my self-esteem and confidence. Confidence is good, so is self-esteem and it’s good to document it just for myself as I have done before. Alright, this is very stream-of-consciousness today but remember the two key take-aways: 1. People Won’t Buy Unless Someone Is Selling So, if I want to make more money, well, I have to start selling what I have and not assume and expect others to make that sale for me. How obvious! 2. Struggle In Life Is A Choice So, if I want to be successful, more than I already am, then I have to make it a choice to stop having to go through trials and trials and feel good about just doing it and having fun and success with it. Good stuff. More to come so stay tuned.