Investing in the ‘new you’

Toward the end of last year, I decided to invest in learning how to build a new online business. I undertook a 12 week digital freelance marketing boot camp, where I learned how to become a certified, professional freelance digital affiliate marketer.

My thought process was two fold: First, since going 100% digital with our magazine, I wanted to learn how to improve the visitor experience on our website, as well increase our exposure online via the Wild West of the internet and stay in communication with our clients via technology.

Sure, I thought I knew a bunch about digital marketing, but this old dog learned very quickly that there was much more to it than sending an email (it's true, an old dog can learn new tricks if you open your mind to new ideas and tools).

So, each Monday night at 6:30 p.m. for three months I had a two- to three-hour Zoom class with a group of 10 people I had never met. They were from all walks of life. The learning started right away. The goal was to own a digital online business.

Man, was it eye opening and worth every minute.

We learned all the tools needed. If you don't install and do the right kind of setup, your vision of a digital firm will not work. It can be very frustrating.

In addition, each week, we had homework to complete. I had to read, listen to podcasts or audio books, conduct research, and of course, practice what I had learned. And I did this all while running CCR.

After 12 weeks, I graduated and am implementing the new skills I learned, much of what you will see on site as we move through the year.

One of the most important lessons I learned was to keep a positive mindset and rid myself of negativity or negative people. It just isn't healthy to be surrounded by negative vibes.

Now, my schedule has completely changed. I wake up every morning at 5 a.m. and get to it. My routine looks like this:

> Get up at 5 a.m. and make the bed (start the day by getting a simple thing accomplished.)

> Tidy up (Take some time to make yourself feel and look good.)

> Hydrate (Eat a high protein breakfast. Your body needs energy to stay competitive.)

> Read (Run through at least 20 pages in any book and write down what you learned.)

> Exercise (Take at least 30 minutes and prepare for the day.)

> Meditate (Take a few minutes of quiet to ready yourself for what lies ahead.)

> And finally do “M.I.T” or complete my most important task of the day before 8 a.m. so I can cruise through the rest of the day to knock items off my to-do list.

I always say that you have to play as you practice, so I am doing what I have preached to all my teams over the years. Get in a routine. Be consistent. Stay focused. Even when everything you can think of goes wrong when you least expect it, you can make it and be ready to do it again the next day.

It really has been an amazing transformation, and man do I feel great. As the athlete in me says, “Bring it on, I am ready.”

We hope you close out Q1 with some momentum and continue to maintain that growth the rest of the year. We hope to see many of you at our CCRP Networking receptions in-person from coast to coast each month starting in March.

So, to all of you, safe travels, be prosperous and as always, “Keep the Faith.”

Stop Smash and Grab

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