photo credit: Dr Stephen Dann

Now, I have no desire to acquire hordes of possessions, climb to the top of some corporate ladder, or become a rock star at 35. I think this is more of a spiritual nudging that I’m not living up to my full potential. I am capable of more; I was created for better things. YOU were created for better things, too.

So, where is all this borderline motivational drivel leading to, you ask? In my quest to plan out a course for achieving more, I found a wonderful little nugget of truth and wisdom, tucked away in a far corner of the Internet, and I’d like to share it with you.

You see, I have a small problem; I am not an entrepreneur by nature. Confidence and drive and persuasion do not come naturally to me. But I am an innovative thinker.

I’m looking for a new road map today. I’m planning a route for better personal and professional relationships, a deeper spiritual life, a robust education, and a solid, innovative, fulfilling online business. I’m doing a life make-over, an early mid-life crisis, reinventing the wheel- whatever it takes, and I found an excellent starting line today thanks to Sitepoint.com and WhitneyHess.com.

If you are looking for a starting point for your online business, or even if your focus has gotten a little hazy, this presentation titled Evangelizing Yourself will help set you back on track. Watch it more than once and take notes, because Ms. Whitney is about to provide your road map for success with a side serving of motivation and confidence.

Click here to visit FreelanceFolder.com website!

One of my all-time favorite people has penned a book for freelancers. James Chartrand and Mason Hipp have collaborated to create a guide to help you release your freelance potential, and I couldn’t be more excited. Not just because this book has two fantastic authors, either. This project has heart.

The Unlimited Freelancer: The Book and the Dream

According to the promo page,The Unlimited Freelancer is a how-to guide for anyone who has experienced that point where your dreams of freelance freedom meet the hard reality of a freelance life. Hipp and Chartrand walk you through how to make more money, avoid common freelancing mistakes, and how to save time by working smarter, not harder.

This advice comes from two of the best freelancers in the writing business, written by two who know what a roller coaster freelancing can be. The words are flung directly from the trenches of the freelance writing desk to the pages of The Unlimited Freelancer. James and Mason know what you’re struggling with; they’ve been there themselves, building a successful business with a shoestring, a dream, and a prayer.

The book releases January 14th, in both e-format first and a print edition later. You can sign up now to receive advanced notification of The Unlimited Freelancer news and get a free copy of “Why Some Freelancers Thrive and Others Barely Survive” to keep you busy until your copy arrives.

A big Blue Duck Congrats goes out to both Mason and James on creating such a timely, constructive, and heartfelt guide for those with the guts to chase down their dreams. The Unlimited Freelancer just pushed its way to the top of my required reading list week. Thanks guys for sharing your cookies with the rest of us.

“Pick your gigs wisely, and with integrity. Don’t whore yourself out for a fast buck.”
written by Bob Younce

In a recent post on Freelance Folder, Bob reminds us that conducting business with integrity is an admirable quality.  When I first began writing, I took every single job that came through the door. (Hey, I needed the money and the experience.) For awhile nothing I wrote clashed with my personal code of business ethics, but eventually I was asked if I would write adult content and/or misleading sales copy. The answer to both was a resounding, “No thank you.”

I could have accepted the jobs. After all, my name would not appear with the content, nor would my business be linked to the clients’ websites. Who would know? Well, I would. I have nothing against the writer who did accept these jobs, in fact, I recommended him, but my personal code of ethics is to only do during the day what I can live with at night. If my conscience won’t let me sleep, it’s not worth it. Do I always follow my own advice? Of course not. Sometimes I have to beat my head against the wall until it’s bloody to learn a lesson. Occasionally I just seem bent on torturing myself for no apparent reason.

Change Your World for the Better

“One of the sad facts of the Internet is that the vast digital landscape is frequently marred with all sorts of substandard work. There is a case to be made, for example, that most Internet content would never make it past the editorial gatekeepers of the print world. I won’t discuss the merits of that argument here, but I will say there’s plenty of crap online. If it bothers you like it does me, the best way to fix it is starting with your own commitment to standards and to quality.” -Tom Chandler

One of my pet peeves is crap content producers. These writers churn out scum-sucking content faster than a team of professional dumpster divers. Their keyword-stuffed, incoherent articles clog the Internet and frustrate all of us. Now, there is quite a bit of terrific content on the Web, but sometimes it’s hard to find when wading through the muck.

I like Tom’s challenge to each of us to take an honest look at our own content and see what could be improved. (That’s partly why I will be interviewing the Net’s Top Bloggers to Pick their Brains about how they improve their writing!) My own writing is constantly in a process of change, hopefully for the better.

Making a Difference

“if you want to make a difference with your business, you need to see the larger picture. You need to figure out what the positive change you wish to effect on your world is, and then work towards it.”- Tom Chandler

Making a difference may not seem like a viable business goal, but on the Internet, it’s surprisingly easy. If you gather a following of loyal readers who come together to socialize, share, and grow together (like Men With Pens), you’ve made a difference. If you help fledgling writers or business owners along their journey, you’ve made a difference. If you help support the writing community, or help raise the standards of online work, you’ve made a difference. Let me ask you, how are you making a difference?

Thanks to Tom for the inspiring post. It stimulated me to think deep and evaluate my own content. Change is a good thing.

PS. If you want a feel-good story about how blogging can make a difference in someone’s life, watch this YouTube video. 

Glenda’s Story

Click here to view the embedded video.

This concept of cocooning is of great interest to sociologists, but it is also a serious concern for bloggers and other online professionals. Wikipedia defines cocooning as the name given to the trend that sees individuals socializing less and retreating into their homes more. Individuals tend to stay away from society and lack in social confidence, leading to ‘cocooning’. Will this trend eventually produce a society of socially awkward individuals who lack moral depth and sincere concern for others? Will we all become our online alter egos and lose touch with reality in the next 20 years?

Finding Balance: How to Break Out of Your Cocoon

Fortunately, breaking out of a cocooning pattern is not that difficult. After all, each of us is sociable to some degree and will gravitate toward others. A few changes in your daily routine can help keep you mentally and sociably healthy for the most part.

• If you blog for a living, consider looking for customers in your area. This allows you to have old-fashioned business meetings with clients in coffee shops or over dinner.
• You can also volunteer to speak at a local school to inform kids about the world of online business. Not only does this allow you to spread the word about your business, it benefits others in your community while you put in a couple of hours of socializing.
• Change-up your office. One of the great things about working online is you can choose where you work. Go to the park, library, or your favorite coffee shop to put in a few hours. When you get out of the house, you interact with others in person while still being productive.
• Join a writer’s group in your area. Most public libraries host writer’s groups for social interaction.
• Join a sports league. If you enjoy sports, find a group of fellow athletes to regularly play with.
• Get a membership to your local Business Association. Our local business owner’s association hosts a breakfast once a month with a relevant speaker from the community. This provides a terrific opportunity to hear the latest community buzz, pick up a few pointers, and meet new friends and associates.

Finding a balance between your time spent working online and interacting with people is challenging for some. The temptation to cocoon yourself at your desk until the wee hours of the morning is overwhelming at times. Knowing when to take a break from the online form of socialization and get some one-on-one time is half the battle

Recognizing the Signs of the Cocoon

Cocooning tends to creep up on us, unnoticed. One day you are happily plugging away at building your business and the next day you wake up feeling hollow and have forgotten how to carry on a conversation without moving your fingers across an invisible keyboard. You can slow cocooning before it reaches critical mass if you know what to look for.

• When you start to lose track of time while working online, it’s time for a reality check. Firefox offers an add-on that allows you to track how much time you spend online that is helpful. You can also begin checking your email only at set times, like every hour, if you are spending too much time with your inbox. If you use Gmail, which I recommend, Gmail Labs offers forced self control in the form of an email lock-out for Gmail addicts. This feature prevents you from checking your inbox too often. (You are locked out for fifteen-minute intervals.)
• If you lose the desire for activities outside of your own home, it’s time to intervene.
• Many early cocoon-ers begin to sleep late and stay up later at night. This cuts into interaction with family, friends, and the public in general. Adjusting work time schedule can help get sleep/wake cycles back on track. A mild, over-the-counter sleep aid is also useful for those who have a hard time gearing down and shutting off the to do list for an early bedtime.

Freelance writing is not always steady work. Sometimes you have more time to play than you would like, and occasionally you barely have enough time to eat and shower every day in order to meet deadline. It’s the way of the freelancing beast. However, cocooning can easily lead to depression and social isolation if left unchecked.

If you’ve seen the movie Nim’s Island, Alex Rover is the perfect picture of cocooning to the extreme. Taking steps every day to stay socially healthy is preferable to the outcome. No one wants to be a Purell addicted, Progresso soup eating, writer afraid to walk to the mailbox and living out their lives through imaginary characters.

Fortunately, Alex ends up washing up on the right tropical island and gets a grip on reality before its too late.