My Path Costs Less But Delivers More
I never thought I’d say this, but … I’m grateful that I have very little money.
Okay, let me clarify that.
I’m not grateful for ALL aspects of having very little money. However, one aspect of it is serving me quite well right now. (And I’m all about finding the positive aspects of everything these days, so I’m quite happy to find this one.)
The positive aspect of having very little money is that I can’t possibly waste it on things I don’t need.
When you’re watching every penny with an intent to spend only on things you deem absolutely necessary, you have a different perspective on money than when you have plenty and/or you have credit cards to use. This financial constriction may seem like a limitation (and it fact, it did to me for a very long time), but I’m discovering that it also offers a powerful form of freedom.
Four years ago, when I was trying to build an online business, I was fanatical about finding as much information on internet marketing as I could. I scoured the web for insights into website building, sales letters, getting traffic to sites. I joined dozens of e-mail lists. And I bought thousands of dollars worth of training systems and e-books.
It seemed like every other week or so, I stumbled upon some marketing expert’s “bootcamp” or “exclusive membership” or “A-list training” or “must have e-book” that promised to give me that missing piece of my success puzzle. Since I had money in the bank at the time, I bought much of what I came across.
Obviously, these great and expensive resources weren’t all that great. I never managed to achieve the success they promised.
As I said in the I’d Rather Believe In Santa Claus post, I translated my inability to create the online empire all these books and training programs promised as a belief in my failure. I figured if all these other people were making lots of money using this information, and I wasn’t, it meant I was doing something terribly wrong. That’s when I walked away from the internet.
Now I’m back in it again. I have three blogs (the other two are The Joyful Springer and Dogging the Words, if you’re interested), and I’m a couple weeks away from launching my revised e-book/audio package.
I’ve been doing a little bit of networking with other bloggers and online marketers, and I’ve begun to hear the siren call of bootcamps and training programs again.
But … I can’t afford them! At all. Period. No way.
Not unless I want to stop feeding Ducky or something. For the record, she’s not in favor of that option.
A month ago, when I first started seeing expert training for bloggers and networkers, I was frustrated that I couldn’t afford it. Then, thanks to a deliberate shift in focus onto thought that felt better, the law of attraction brought me this insight:
All Those Experts Knew As Little As I Did When They Started
The other night, I read a report by a blogger who started his blog in 2008 and now has 150,000 subscribers and makes a substantial living with his blog. I was happy to see much of what he did is what I’ve begun to do or plan to do. At the end of his report, he pitched his “A-list Bootcamp” for serious bloggers. I felt that longing well up again.
But it didn’t bubble up far before my intention to find good feeling thoughts brought my aha moment. It went like this:
“Wait a second. He admits that when he started, he knew nothing about what he was doing. He tried a little of this and a little of that, and he kept tweaking until it fell into place. He started with one thing—enjoyment. He loved blogging. That love led him to what worked for him. So why do I care what worked for him? Why don’t I start with my own enjoyment (and I do very much enjoy writing this blog and The Joyful Springer especially (LOVE all things dog in case you haven’t noticed))? Why don’t I let that enjoyment put me in alignment? And then why don’t I let the universe orchestrate how it will unfold for me? Why don’t I just take inspired action that makes sense to me instead of working my butt off and depleting my financial resources trying to do what worked for someone else? Why don’t I manifest my own path instead of trying to stay on someone else’s manifested path?”
If I had enough money to spend on training programs, I’d be diving down the same rabbit holes I got stuck in four years ago. My lack of money has kept me above ground and sane (relatively).
How cool is that?
And now that I’ve learned that powerful lesson, I’m open to having more money … that Ducky thinks I should use to buy more dog treats.
Are you giving your power away to someone who claims they know the “right” way to do something? Are you tossing away money you could use on dog treats or something better?
Sometimes having money limits us as much as not having money does.
I love comments and welcome yours. To leave a comment, click on the “comments” link (it will say “No comments or “1 comment” or more) at the end of the tags in “Posted in” at the end of this post.
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Tags: Alignment, experts, Money, positive aspects, Vibration
April 16th, 2010 at 11:39 am
Another good insight, Ande, and congrats on not buying all those siren-song resources and feeding Ducky instead.
People can share their experience and we can gain some valuable insights, but as you say, why not manifest our own path instead of trying to stay on someone else’s manifested path? That’s the way we’ll most fully tap into our own uniqueness and brilliance.
It’s exciting that you’re doing 3 blogs, for you obviously have a lot to share and you say it all so well. And I think that, knowing what you know now, your e-book/audio package will magnetize some really nifty results.
April 16th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Thanks, Karen! Ducky was happy with my decision too.
I agree that people can share valuable insights, but I used to put way too much emphasis on what others said, and I’m so happy that’s changed. Thanks for the support about the blogs and your thoughts about the e-book package. I have good feelings about that too. I’m having so much FUN with all this. 
April 16th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Hey Ande,
Talk about giving away power to someone. That is what I was doing for so long. Not anymore.. When I read your post it instantly reminds me of the class that I took today at the gym. Well, before that, I have to tell you that the gym I go to has a six course that is supposed to help you lose weight and put you on a plan to exercise etc. Supposed to be completely free. Well, they want you to meet with a trainer and then access your goals and you know the deal. I talked to one of my friends who went through it and he said it was just a roost to get people to sign up for personal trainers. I did that once before and it didnt end up well. buyers remorse, they didnt show up on time and then other times I had to cancel and that made them upset. Never anything to show for it but a lot less money in my bank account. Reading your blog made me instantly think about it.
Well, this morning I took a class from a lady who does infomercials on training and weight loss and she has a class at our gym called lean extreme. Let me tell you, its extreme. She is a little dynamo and very fit. Before the class started I got there early and introduced myself to her and told her about my 6 week plan to lose weight and she was really impressed. She leans close in to whisper to me and says, “Greg, dont repeat this to anyone but I put out infomercials and sign up people to do training and I do it on a corp level. I am a multimillionaire from it and you know what, you dont need it. Your plan is perfect and just keep to it and you will get there. Save your money.”
Can you believe it. The lady that has the number one infomercial in the US for weight loss told me to not sign up and save my money!!! This just happened this morning.
I then took her class and it was extremely taxing but you know what, I enjoyed it. I will continue. I dont know if I will continue after 6 weeks but I will continue, lord willing, for the six week plan. Just thought you might want to hear that. Cant believe that we experience the same type things on a daily basis. Kinda like the recent episodes of Lost where they have two parallel universe’s or something.
I too am happier with less money. I get that. I am slowing building more wealth but this time I know what to do with it, how to spend it and how to manage it.
April 16th, 2010 at 8:48 pm
It doesn’t surprise me, Greg, that your plan is right on with what the “expert” says because you’re SO aligned on this. Your higher self knows what you need to do, and you’re listening. And it is cool how we experience similar things on a daily basis. It’s going to be such fun to amass money from this new perspective, isn’t it?