From Scratch (Ep. 54)
The Right Goal And Week 54 Updates
The Right Goal
This week during one of my mindless social media scrolling sessions, I came across an interesting post.
This post detailed this person’s experience as a relatively new freelancer.
90% of the post was talking about how difficult the freelancing life is, how he feels he’s always in the wrong, how he feels like clients undermine him and don’t take him seriously, and how he doesn’t feel worthy sometimes.
But the post ends with him saying how much he loves his work. It empowers him.
Does that make sense at all?
I don’t know about you. When I think of activities and work that I love, I definitely don’t feel those things.
But I can empathize with this person because I have felt those feelings before.
In college, I was accepted into an exclusive internship with a big pharmaceutical company. Myself and my two roommates all got into the program so carpooling every day was pretty sweet.
Anyway, it didn’t take me long to not enjoy it. Sitting in a cubicle for 8 hours a day, looking at data and reading studies are not really fun to me.
To someone else it might. Not me.
But hey, I was getting paid pretty well for a college student. So it’s all good, right?
Maybe I wasn’t being grateful. Maybe I was taking this opportunity for granted…
… is what people from the outside looking in or my family would say.
But they didn’t feel the tension I had in my gut every day when I woke up. They didn’t have the constant thoughts of thinking I didn’t belong there and that I would mess something up and get fired. All because I had no passion for this type of work.
Or maybe they do feel all those things. But could they look me straight in the face and tell me honestly, that they love what they’re doing and it’s made for them?
I actually remember looking into the bathroom mirror saying to myself that I love this job. Like I was trying to brainwash myself into enjoying this opportunity.
It didn’t work.
When it comes to goals and success, we constantly hear people having to overcome numerous obstacles and hitting rock bottom to get to where they’re going.
Of course, you’ll need to deal with problems along the way. You’ll try some things and fail.
That’s just life.
But does the path to your goal really have to feel like a constant battle? Does every day have to be painful until you reach your end goal?
Maybe you do like that. You masochistic - just kidding.
Not everyone can be David Goggins. Although I do know a lot of people respect him (including me), his mentality isn’t made for everyone.
Sometimes the truth is found in the contrarian perspective. When everyone zigs, you zag.
It feels like an accepted truth that in order to achieve goals, you must be ready to fight and be ready to go through some shit.
Of course, there’s hard work involved. Problems will appear. Not every day will be a good day.
But what if your end goal can feel a lot less frictionless? The journey feels like play instead of a battle.
Memory expert Jim Kwik says to create an ageless mind, one has to be playful. Child-like.
I bet that sounds ridiculous to a lot of people. Especially those who believe it’s inevitable your mind will deteriorate as you get older.
Tell that to Warren Buffett who reads 500+ pages, eats McDonald’s, and drinks Cherry Coke every day.
I had a friend who recently shut down his marketing agency and found a full-time position at another agency.
I remember how he went through months of constant discouragement, battling himself, and just feeling worthless - trying to keep his agency afloat.
For what?
To keep the lie disguised as a goal that he wanted to be a 7-figure agency owner alive?
Now he tells me he’s having a blast. He’s learning a ton and feels like he’s actually growing.
For the author of the social media post I saw, I hope he’s able to overcome everything to achieve his definition of success.
And I am also curious if he’s honest enough to share if he actually feels like he accomplished anything after reaching said goal.
Not to get all woo-woo…
But if you’re just facing constant problems, constantly using your willpower, and forcing yourself to do work towards your goal…
Maybe it’s a sign from the universe letting you know that you’re working toward the wrong goal.
You could be working toward someone else’s goal.
Week 54 Updates
Following up a lot on these ongoing conversations.
People are busy and there’s a lot on their plate. So I’ll continue to be patient.
I’ve realized I’ve held the grip too tightly on controlling the outcome even when I didn’t think so.
Now that the grip has loosened, some of the anxiety over “not progressing” has subsided.
Now it’s more like if I was at a really busy restaurant…
I ordered my food. Service is slower than usual.
But I know my food is coming, just not when.
Anyways, we’re still growing in subscribers:
2,275 (+61) = 2,336 subscribers in our agency pool
It’s hard to lose when you don’t quit. And it’s hard to quit when you’ve already won.
Another conversation for another time.
Trust the process, love the process.
Kevin