Ray Edwards Show

I believe the way you start your day determines how it will end; productive and happy, or frustrated and fruitless.  That's why I put so much focus on my morning routine,  which is the foundation of my personal "Productivity Protocol".  My morning routine is an intentional set of activities designed to set me up for the best possible day. With the right routine in place, I believe we can make our best days better, and perhaps even salvage what might have been a "bad day." If you are familiar with my work, I have written about this before. But my routine has changed , and I have refined my process. On today's show, I will pull back the curtain on my newly re-engineered morning routine. Also coming up… The Post-It Note ToDo System. Stu McLaren returns. A super-simple copy outline. Now let's get on with it… Announcements: Thanks to all who have left a review of the Ray Edwards Show in iTunes. For more info about the one-day mastermind with me and 11 other people, where we make radical progress in your business… is on. Click this link to make your deposit and application. Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA The Launch Conference, April 7-10, 2014, Orlando, FL SCORRE Conference May 5-8, Orlando, FL Tip Of The Week  The Post-It Note Planning System. Lifestyle Business Segment  With Stu McLaren Copywriting Corner This week I share a "super simple copywriting outline". It goes like this: Headline: How to Get the Thing You Want, In Three Easy Steps Here's the problem, and what happens if you don't solve it… I solved the problem, and here's how… Who the heck am I, and why should you believe me? Introducing my Fancy New Problem-Solving System It's worked for me, for my other customers, and it will work for you… Here's exactly what you get How much it costs, and why it's worth 10 times more I will take all the risk Here's exactly what to do now Sure, there are lots of nuances to writing great copy. But this basic outline will help you quickly write a sales message. I flesh out the process and explain how to use the outline on today's show. Spiritual Foundations I have been accused of being a "hyper grace teacher". According to this accusation, I have overemphasized the importance of the grace of Jesus Christ at the expense of his Lordship. Of course, I vehemently disagree with this criticism. I recently had a discussion about this for a topic with my friend Frank Viola, and I asked him if he would be willing to join us on the show so we could talk about the controversy over so-called "greasy grace". To hear this fascinating interview, you'll need to listen to the audio of this week's show. You can find the course Frank mentioned by clicking here. Feature Segment: Create A Morning Routine That Sets You Up For Success The purpose of creating an intentional morning routine is to develop an habitual set of activities to start each day. The way you start the day sets the tone for the way you will finish out the rest of the day. A good routine in the morning will give you momentum for the rest the day, that increases the likelihood for productivity and success. My own routine has gone through considerable evolution over the last few years. Recently, I found my previous routine had become stale and somewhat out of alignment with my current priorities. So I've decided to reengineer it. This new routine will also undoubtedly evolve over time, but this is what I'm doing now, and what seems to be working for me. Get up early. I don't use an alarm clock, but I tend to naturally awaken between 4 and 5 AM. Most days, my day starts at 5 AM. Drink 24 ounces of water. Most of us live in a constant state of mild dehydration. This is bad for your body, and bad for your brain. I intentionally hydrate first thing in the morning. Especially considering the next part of my routine… Drink a cup of Bulletproof Coffee.  This is a blend of organic coffee, high quality MCT oil, and butter, blended into a delightful, flavorful, and creamy beverage. It tastes better than a latte, and  supports the healthy functioning of your brain.  there is a great deal of research about the benefits of Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT), especially for preventing or alleviating the symptoms of conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. The best part, though, is that drinking Bulletproof Coffee gives me a great jolt of energy and mental clarity and focus. Prayer and mindfulness. This is where, in the words of Brother Lawrence, I "practice the presence" of Jesus. I'm listening for what he has to say to me today. Execute the Morning Reading Process. I'm currently reading nine books simultaneously, and I have written about this process recently. If you'd like to know more about how I managed to read as many as 40 books in a week, refer to this post. Quickly, though, I start by reading the Bible, then a devotional, and follow that up with some kind of theological work. Then I read a chapter in each of the other books I'm currently working through.  Write in my journal. I use the journaling app Day One, a template for each station journal entry that I adapted from one Michael Hyatt wrote about his blog, and usually spend only about 15 minutes journaling. The template is key. Before, whenever I attempted to Journal, I felt as though it was some sort of "artsy crafty" thing and really couldn't get into it. Having a template gives me an intentional set of data and/or thoughts that I want to record each day, and makes the journaling process as easy as filling in the blanks. It also means that later in life, when I refer back to this journal, it will have context and meaning. Plan my day. I still plan my day the night before. Planning tomorrow is the last activity I will do today. However, I have found it is extremely useful to review that plan at this step in my morning routine. I often end up changing the plan, because I have a fresh perspective on the day. While I am a big proponent of David Allen's GTD methodology, I'm afraid I still use a daily task list. I know GTD devotees will be disappointed to hear this, but this is what works for me. Years ago, I learned the "6 Most Important Things" to-do list method from Earl Nightingale (if memory serves correctly.) Robert Plank and Lance Tamashiro teach a system they call "4 Daily Tasks", which I think is a better refinement of Nightingale's original idea. I simply make a list of "5 Things". Each day, I have 5 things I want to accomplish, no matter what else happens. I start with number 1 and don't work on anything else until that is done. Then I move to number 2, and so on until I get to number 5. Once I've completed number 5, I am free to do whatever I want for the rest of the day. The key to making the system work is to make sure that they really are 5 "things", and not 5 "projects". Exercise.  By this time it is around 8 AM. At least four days out of the week, but ideally seven, I either go to the gym or hit the road for 40 minutes of physical exercise. It's good for your body,  it's good for your brain, and it's good for your emotional well-being. If I don't do it at this point in my day, it becomes much less likely that I will do it at all. Start working on my "5 Things." Once upon a time, I wrote my 5 Things on a whiteboard, and at the end of the day would take a photo with my iPhone of the 5 Things crossed out. These days I use the Post-it note system I described in the Tip of the Week. I admit that I still cross off the items… but I don't take a picture. I just throw the Post-Its away.  Stop working at 3 PM. This is more of a goal than it is a reality as of this writing. This represents a big change in my modus operandi. But having a hard stop at the end of the day, and making it this early, give me the freedom to engage in other activities that are important to me that otherwise get shortchanged by work. That's my morning routine, and how transitions into the rest of my productivity protocol for the day. It's a new revision, I just started working this routine, and I will update you let you know how it's going somewhere down the line (if you're interested.) What To Do Now If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the show. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:   What is your morning routine, and is it time to reengineer it? Click here to leave your comments.

This is episode 100… 100 weeks in a row, we've cranked out a new show. While Episode 104 will mark the 2-year anniversary of the show, I felt we had to do something special for #100… so that's what we're doing. And on today's episode I'm going to do  our usual segments, but the feature presentation segment will be exclusively your questions. Also coming up… How to know what your market wants. How to not waste your life. One of the most powerful copy secrets I know. Now let's get on with it… Announcements: Thanks to all who have left a review of the Ray Edwards Show in iTunes. For more info about the one-day mastermind with me and 11 other people, where we make radical progress in your business… is on. You can get the full story here. Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA The Launch Conference, April 7-10, 2014, Orlando, FL JV Alert: The Perfect Game April 24-27, Denver, CO SCORRE Conference May 5-8, Orlando, FL Tip Of The Week  Survey your customers! Copywriting Corner The power of "reason why". Spiritual Foundations Don't waste your life. "Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last." The good news is that includes being an entrepreneur! Feature Segment: Nothin' But "Q&A With Ray" With questions from: Michael Hyatt Cliff Ravenscraft Dr. Kenny Handelman Kirk Bowman Dan Miller Alejandro Reyes Frank Viola Annett Bone Martin Howey Jeff Sanders Ian Bone Jason Nicholas Joel Comm Ken McArthur Tracy Childers Ryan Eidson Mike McMahon Marshall Bone Phil Drysdale Tor Constantino Stu McLaren What To Do Now If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the show. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:  What are your big questions about how to monetize your message? Click here to leave your comments.

I'm pleased to have Michael Stelzner as my guest on today's show. If you don't know who Michael is… well in the words of Ron Burgundy, he's "kind of a big deal." Don't act like you're not impressed. The Networking Party that kicks off this year's Social Media Marketing World in San Diego will happen on the deck of the USS Midway! We'll get to Michael's interview in a few minutes, but first I want to tell you about the upcoming celebration, and a few other reasons to keep listening, such as… The most compressive goal-setting and tracking software I have found. The number 166. One of my NEW top Copywriting book recommedations. Now let's get on with it… Announcements: Thanks to all who have left a review of the podcast in iTunes. This week I would like to thank:  Kirk Bowman, Eric Dingler, "Lady J" Jevonnah Ellison. It looks like the one-day mastermind with me and 11 other people, where we make radical progress in your business… is on. You can get the full story here. Next week's show is number 100, and we will be devoting it exclusively to listener questions. I'm turning the microphone over to you. Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014, Atlanta, GA Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA The Launch Conference, April 7-10, 2014, Orlando, FL JV Alert: The Perfect Game April 24-27, Denver, CO SCORRE Conference May 5-8, Orlando, FL Tip Of The Week  I have been experimenting with a number of different goal-setting apps, and so far the most full-featured of the bunch is GoalsOnTrack.   Things I like about GoalsOnTrack: It has a great little iPhone app. It syncs my due dates with Google Calendar. It's hierarchical, so it works like an outline. I can track my goal, the purpose that drives the goal, the start and end dates… and most importantly, the habits and action plans needed to support the goal. I do wish they offered a native iPad app, but other than those two points I love GoalsOnTrack. Copywriting Corner Accidental Genius: Using Writing to Generate Your Best Ideas, Insight, and Content One of the problems I see in the world of copywriting and marketing today is a lack of original ideas. Look, folks, John Caples and David Ogilvy did not achieve their greatness by using somebody else's "swipe file". They got their breakthrough ideas by dipping into a deeper well, where they probably found ideas swimming around that grew out of reading books (you remember those, stories like Moby Dick, Huckleberry Finn, The Stand, Fahrenheit 451, Etc.?) I suggest you dip into those wells for yourself. The best copy, in my humble but accurate opinion, is between the covers of the best novels. But, I digress. Would you like a shortcut to writing better copy? This great book was recommended to me by my friend Andy Traub. In the book, Levy teaches a concept and technique he calls freewriting. His claim is that it helps you produce breakthrough ideas and solve problems in minutes. This book has literally changed my writing process. I'm using the freewriting technique to generate material for my blog posts, podcasts, books, seminars, and products. What I was shocked to discover is that even if we consider ourselves creative, we tend to hold ourselves back. Inside each of us lives The Editor. Her job (yes, I'm afraid it's always a her) is to tell us that our writing is not perfect, that we need to go back and revise it, that we need to make sure we never sound stupid. Heaven forbid if anybody thought we were crazy. What results from that kind of limiting belief is limited thinking. Careful thinking. Thinking that wants to make sure we fit in. Thinking that keeps us stuck. Free writing, on the other hand, starts with you writing as fast as you can, for as long as you can, about something that's important to you and ignoring the standard rules of grammar and spelling and what you learned in English class and what your mother might think and what the Ladies' Society For Literary Decency might think. I freewrote that last sentence. Notice that it was longer than most of my more controlled writing. It also, I think, had a little sparkle. I'm not going to polish it fix it, I'm going to leave it here as an example that perhaps will tease you into buying this book. I've only scratched the surface of Levy's work. He has six big "secrets" that help render your Editor unconscious and let your genius run around for a while, naked and free. There are also a score of other exercises and techniques. And yes, he does teach you how to refine your free writing into something that you would share with somebody without fear or embarrassment. Spiritual Foundations 2 hours. That's the amount of time each week the average businessperson, manager, or entrepreneur spends  inside of church. If you've done the math already you realize that there are only 168 hours in a week. That means that 166 hours are spent outside the church for most modern Christians. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, that's my point in this week's Spiritual Foundations. Jesus never told us, "go to church." In fact, he said something quite opposite: And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." Mark 16:15 Most modern Christians act as if "ministry" is a job title that preachers have. But according to the Bible, the job of the preacher is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. The saints (that's you and me) are the ones doing the ministry. As a minister in the marketplace, you are quite literally going "into all the world." In future episodes, we're going to focus a lot more intently on what it means to do marketplace ministry without being preachy or repulsive to other people. We're going to focus on how you show the love of Christ to others in such a way they are changed by it… they are changed by him. For now, I leave you with something to think about. Just like Jesus,  your meant to be out there, doing your father's business. So how's business? Feature Segment: Social Media Marketing With Michael Stelzner Michael Stelzner is the founder of Social Media Examiner, the world's largest online social media magazine. Michael is also the author of the books Launch and Writing White Papers… and the man behind some large events, such as Social Media Marketing World (the most influential physical event in the industry, and I am thrilled to be speaking there next month), and Social Media Success Summit, the largest online conference. He is also host of the Social Media Marketing podcast show. Get your tickets by clicking here.  What To Do Now If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the show. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:  What are your big questions about how to monetize your message? Click here to leave your comments.

Do you have a message you'd like to get out the world, and you wonder if it's possible to get paid for it? It is possible, and it does take work, but not as much as you might think. And on today's episode I'm going to show you  seven simple steps to monetizing your message. Also coming up… A travel app that I consider must-have. How to know who is a real follower of Jesus, and who is not. How to write blockbuster copy in 45 minutes. Now let's get on with it… Announcements: Thanks to all who have left a review of the podcast in iTunes.  I'm going to start publicly acknowledging those who have done so, if I can identify you (sometimes the usernames in iTunes make that difficult.) This week I would like to thank:  Doug 9999, Tom Page, Joe Taylor, Walter G, Wesley Wiley, ChurchBoy 77, "frequent listener". Every person who submits an audio question for the podcast will receive a free gift (if, and only if, we use your question on the podcast). Click here to submit your audio question. Meanwhile, if you would be interested in the possible one-day mastermind with me and 11 other people, where we make radical progress in your business… And if you're not just "interested" but you already know you want to do it,  fill in this form. If it looks like you would be a good fit, I will call you myself.  (If you just want the "details", listen to the podcast. I explain all the "details".) Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014, Atlanta, GA Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA The Launch Conference, April 7-10, 2014, Orlando, FL JV Alert: The Perfect Game April 24-27, Denver, CO SCORRE Conference May 5-8, Orlando, FL Tip Of The Week  My top must-have travel app, Tripit.  There are lots of travel apps available, and I have tried most of them. But this one is the hands-down winner that I was willing to pay money for. Here are three reasons why I really love this app: No more cutting and pasting. Automatically create itineraries by forwarding confirmation emails to a special email address. Custom itineraries. Add maps and directions, travel notes, photos, recommendations and more. Easy access, 24/7. Access your itinerary any time online, via mobile device, calendar feeds or social sites. Sharing. Share itineraries with family, friends, and co-workers to keep them in the know and connect with them on the road. Mobile alerts. Get mobile alerts or emails about flight delays, cancellations, and gate changes. Copywriting Corner Do you want to know the magic formula for writing copy that sells? Me too. The fact is, there is no such formula. There are frameworks, and I teach those. What's more, I use them. But the truth is the best copy comes from inspiration and creativity. Where do those things come from? That is the subject of this week's Copywriting Corner. John Cleese has famously said he doesn't know where great ideas come from, but he's certain they don't come from our laptops. I believe it's important to be open to, and fill up on, stimulating, exciting, interesting, moving, and varied experiences. To live life. To give your brain a chance to get away from your projects, so it can do your work. My best copy has never come from following a template or formula. It is come from a flurry of white hot inspired ideation. Yours can too. In the audio version of this show, I expand a bit on these concepts, but for the benefit of you text a files, here are some tips Give yourself plenty of creative input for your brain to work with (TV, movies, real world experiences, books, and especially things that are outside your normal range of experience.) Carry a notebook and a pen! When one of those lightning strike idea moments happens, stop everything else and capture the inspiration in what I call "the vomit draft". Spiritual Foundations How do we know who's a true follower of Jesus? Well, first of all, there is no "litmus test" they can tell us for sure if another person is "saved" or not. Only the Holy Spirit himself knows that for sure. So how do we know, with all the various opinions and doctrines and expressions of Christianity, who the true followers of Christ really are? I think Jesus himself gave us the answer. He said: By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 15:35 Feature Segment: How To Monetize Your Message By far, the most frequent question I am asked is some variation of, "Ray, how do I start a business of my own on the Internet? Can I really make enough money to get by? Or is it just a scam?" It definitely is not a scam. I know plenty of people who have made this transition. Of course some of them are quite well known, and have been clients of mine. Some are my friends, and I've been privileged to know a few who are household names. But more impressive, I think, are the people you may have never heard of who have done exactly this. People who do things as varied as teaching massage therapists how to run a business, or teaching how to grow your own medicinal herbs, or unique brand of artful photography, or even dog training… It is definitely possible to take your knowledge and experience, what you already know, in turn that into money. In fact, I'm teaching a brand-new webinar on this very subject tomorrow night (Thursday, January 30, 2014.) You can register for that webinar by clicking here. It's free. Meanwhile, here are seven simple steps that will help you move closer to learning how to monetize your message. First, you must decide that it's okay to actually do this. Identify your "tribe". Hone your message. Package your message properly. Promote your message. Profit from your message. Ask, "what's next?" We are at a significant point in history, unique and exciting. Every person is a media company if they want to be. For less than $100, you can have your own mini media empire. So the question is no longer access to distribution. The question is what will you do with it? Listener Questions Barak: How do you grow your audience? Corbin Links:  How do you overcome a bad book review on an influential site? Dan Tredo:  How do you overcome technical problems when building information business? Todd Liles: Where do you find good Infusionsoft campaign templates?   What To Do Now If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the show. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:  What are your big questions about how to monetize your message? Click here to leave your comments.

Have you broken your New Year's resolutions yet? Most people have-my estimate is that over 90% have. So what do you do now? I'd say it's time to get serious about planning your year. And on today's episode I'm going to show you how to do it in less than one hour. Also coming up… My top three productivity apps for 2014. Why what you say has spiritual power. Your invitation to a one-day mastermind with me. Now let's get on with it… Announcements: Thanks to all who have left a review of the podcast in iTunes.  I'm going to start publicly acknowledging those who have done so, if I can identify you (sometimes the usernames in iTunes make that difficult.) This week I would like to thank:  Kingsley, Hope Dispenser… Cindy Bidar… Missouri Broker… Corbin 111… Jim Munchbach… Phil Drysdale… Robert Plank… Ernie Lansford… Carmen Manrique… Nick Douglas… Jeff Brown… Jeff Sanders… Rick Butts… Ryan Eidson… John Tiller… Liz Dugger… Todd Brown… Chad Meisinger… Bob Shoe… Rob Metras…  and Eric Graham. Every person who submits an audio question for the podcast will receive a free gift (if, and only if, we use your question on the podcast). Click here to submit your audio question. Meanwhile, if you would be interested in the possible one-day mastermind with me and 11 other people, where we make radical progress in your business… And if you're not just "interested" but you already know you want to do it,  fill in this form. If it looks like you would be a good fit, I will call you myself.  (If you just want the "details", listen to the podcast. I explain all the "details".) Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014, Atlanta, GA Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA JV Alert: The Perfect Game April 24-27, Denver, CO SCORRE Conference May 5-8, Orlando, FL Tip Of The Week  My top three productivity apps probably will not come as much of a surprise. But I have made a shift, so here they are: Evernote. I think of Evernote as my "magical filing cabinet/notebook/backup brain". I really couldn't function the way I do without it. Nozbe. It took a strong recommendation from Michael Hyatt to finally get me to try a different task management system. I had been using OmniFocus for years.  Now, after just a couple of weeks, I can't imagine going back. Dragon Dictate.  I have finally taken the time to learn the nuances (pun intended) of using the software. I don't know of anyone who can type faster than they can talk. Other than dictating and having your words recorded by transcriptionist, this is the fastest way I know to write. Copywriting Corner If you ever get stuck writing copy, and find yourself staring at a blank page, here's a quick tip that will get the copy flowing again. Just start writing up the offer. Describe the "stuff" you'll be selling. If even that requires too much creativity, try just writing up the guarantee. In other words, write what I call "the stupid parts". I don't mean that these parts the copy are unimportant, or that you should be careless about the final draft of these sections. What I do mean is that you can write this kind of copy even if you are in a "stupid state". I usually find that fairly soon the creativity starts to flow again, and I can start writing "the smart parts". And yes, I also go back and rewrite the parts I started with, because all of your copy needs to be "smart parts". Spiritual Foundations I believe that as followers of Christ, we have the very Spirit of God living inside of us. I believe because of this, the words we speak have power. Thus, saying negative things ("I can't do this"… "Why does this always happen to me"… "It always turns out like this"… and so on) can have a powerful adverse impact on our lives. By the same token, saying positive things brings about good things in our life. This is not "positive thinking". It is absolutely not "The Secret", which is a new age religion not compatible with following Christ. Some people wonder if my belief in "positive declarations" is Biblical. It certainly is. And here are 3 biblical reasons why you should only declare good things about yourself, your loved ones, and your life. When we speak or hear life-giving declarations, grace is imparted. "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers" (Ephesians 4:29) The words we speak can either bless or curse our lives. "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:37) Perhaps the most powerful Scripture on this topic is also the simplest: "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit" (Proverbs 18:21). Feature Segment: How To Plan Your Year In Just 1 Hour By now it's likely your  New Year's resolutions are broken. Most people's are. I believe the reason behind this is the same force that was behind my experience while hiking recently.  I got so focused on the length and height of the mountain we were trying to climb, I wanted to give up.  It was only when I learned to focus on short-term and intermediate points on the path that I found the strength to continue the hike. (For the full hiking story,  you need to listen to the show!) This is the problem with New Year's resolutions. I have a different plan in mind for you. Here's how to plan your entire year in an hour or less, and it matches up a lot more closely with what you already do naturally anyway. First, plan your days off. 52 weeks means 52 Saturdays and Sundays… Which really should be 104 days free from work. Add in 10 days for actual vacation, and 10 more days for holidays, and you have a minimum of 124 free days. Put those in your calendar, and protect them like the treasure they are. Next, plan the important personal events that you simply must attend. Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and family reunions come to mind. I would also include here any important church or mission functions. Now, plan any seminars, conferences, or other learning events you are going to attend. Don't fool yourself; you have a limited number of these events you can attend. You probably know the most important ones already so plug them into the calendar. Any weekends or other free days that get eaten up by these events must be replaced somewhere else in your calendar. At this point, in my own planning I realized I had only about 165 days left before I even started the year. That means out of the entire year, I only had 23 weeks to "work"… less than half the weeks in the year. This is a powerful realization, because the things that I have listed above are going to happen to you… whether you put them on the calendar or not. The only exception might be that, because of a lack of planning, you sacrifice your "free days"… meaning you are sacrificing time with family, time recharging and resting, time to re-create. Big mistake. So what do you do when youre remaining 23 weeks (or whatever number you came up with)? First of all, I don't recommend working 12-15 hours a day to try and make up the difference. In fact, I recommend you limit your work day to about six hours. That's all the productive time you're going to get out of the day anyhow, whether you admit it or not. This leads us to a very important realization… we can now calculate the value of an hour of our work. Here's how to do that… Decide how much money you want to make this year. Let's say, just for the sake of example, your target income is $200,000. You have 165 days to work,  And I think it's pretty fair to say that a third of those days will be spent doing administrative and preparatory work (in other words, not the actual stuff your paid for). This leaves you with about 110 full "workdays"-days when you perform the actual work that gets you paid. Let's suppose you're going to work seven hours per day (and if you can actually squeeze seven productive hours out of a day, you are performing at a higher level than 95% of everyone else on earth… congratulations.) Seven hours per day times 110 days yields 770 hours. Which means you're being paid $259.74 per hour in order to make your $200,000 this year. So what's the point? I haven't describe anything unrealistic. In fact, I may have just given you the first realistic picture of what your year actually looks like you've ever seen. Perhaps right now you're having a revelation of why you never made the money you want to make, or achieved the things you want to achieve. It's because you have less time available to work than you think you do. This is not bad news. It simply means your primary question should be: "Is what I'm doing right now worth $259.74 per hour?" If the answer is no… stop it. You're probably already ahead of me. You're probably thinking about all the other things I haven't plugged into your schedule… doctor appointments, unexpected illnesses, pleasant surprises… even the possibility that you want to make more money than what I mentioned. My point isn't even that you need to have a perfect plan. It's that you need to put the big pieces of the puzzle in your calendar first, the ones you know that are beyond choosing, the ones you know that are important (like those free days), and the ones you know you have little control over. It means you need to get a realistic view of how many hours you actually have available to you this year to accomplish your goals, to be intentional about how you use them, and most importantly… to not be surprised at the end of the year, when you could've planned a different outcome. I suppose if I had a summary message it would be this: I believe you can do almost anything you want this year, but you almost certainly cannot do everything you want. What To Do Now If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the show. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question: how do you plan your year? Click here to leave your comments.

This week we will continue with listener questions. As you may remember, we just completed our first ever Annual Reader/Listener Survey for this site (and podcast). We got some interesting and surprising results in that survey…  and lots of feedback, comments, and questions. We will answer more questions and comment on more comments. Also on today's episode… Tip of the Week I address the overreaction to my comments about "radical grace". Would you like to be in a mastermind with me? And the always award-winning, much much more. Announcements: Looking for a copywriting gig? Send me a one sheet "sales letter" on why you would be a perfect copywriter for me to hire. 800 words maximum. Also send along any samples you think would convince me you are brilliant. Make the subject line of your email say only: "Blue Fondue". Send that email to the address I provided in the podcast, and listen to the podcast audio for instructions about what happens next. If you email me with questions, I have not listened to the podcast instructions, I won't be able to answer you. Starting this week, every person who submits an audio question for the podcast will receive a free gift (if, and only if, we use your question on the podcast). Click here to submit your audio question. Meanwhile, if you would be interested in the possible one-day mastermind with me and 11 other people, where we make radical progress in your business… And if you're not just "interested" but you already know you want to do it,  fill in this form. If it looks like you would be a good fit, I will call you myself.  (If you just want the "details", listen to the podcast. I explain all the "details".) Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: Strategic Influence Jan 14-16, 2014, Phoenix, AZ NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014, Atlanta, GA Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA JV Alert: The Perfect Game April 24-27, Denver, CO SCORRE Conference May 5-8, Orlando, FL Tip Of The Week   Stuck In Customs Copywriting Corner This is the official kickoff of one of your suggestions from our listener survey: that I include a copywriting tip in each episode.  Each week I will include a tip on how to improve the power and persuasiveness of your copy. In other words, I will help you write copy that moves people to action, whether that action be to buy a product, to opt into a list, or to adopt an idea you are "selling" to them. This week's tip: the easiest and fastest way to influence anyone is by using what is already influencing them. This is a restatement of Robert Colliers classic advice: you must enter the conversation that is already taking place in the mind of the reader. But how do you do this? To get into the mind of your prospect, you need to have tea.  No, it's not a beverage. It's a visualization exercise, for which I have coined the term The Empathy Amplifier (T.E.A.). Here's how to do it: Gather all the actual data you have about your prospects (the people to whom you are writing). Get into a quiet place. Perhaps even have an actual cup of tea. Now visualize yourself stepping into the body and life of your prospect. (This is not some form of demonic astral projection, it simply you using your sanctified imagination to understand another person's life better.) Walk through every detail of their day that you can imagine: when they wake up, how they wake up, what they see/hear/smell/feel… What they have for breakfast, the kind of car they drive to work, the neighborhood they drive through, the waiter greeted at the office, the emotional state they feel throughout the day… Right up to the moment they walk through the door of home at the end of the workday and collapse onto the sofa to watch TV. Or whatever they do. Take your time. Do this exercise thoroughly. Think about what their fears, frustrations, and anxieties are. What is their dominant driving emotion, most of the time? When you have bathed yourself in the wash of their experience… Now you can start writing some copy. Try it. In fact, I would love to share some reader examples with everyone else. So if you do this exercise, and write a paragraph or two of copy, and you know there is a difference-send me that copy! I'll share with the world! Spiritual Foundations Last week I talked about those who resist a "radical grace" approach to the gospel. I mentioned that some people are afraid this is an error, and refer to it as "cheap grace" or "greasy grace".  Their concern is that this teaching that Jesus has already paid the price for our sins… past, present, and future, is a perversion of the gospel. That it gives people license to sin, and makes them bitter, arrogant, and prideful.  I said that Grace is not a license to sin. It is what empowers us to overcome sin. I also knowledge to that some use the word "grace" as an excuse for their sin. But we don't know (a) whether that person IS or IS NOT a true believer… and (B) how and/or when that person will be overcome by God's Grace and led out of a life of sin. Let me assure you that I got the same objections from more than one person. So if you objected, and you are hearing this, please understand that I am not directing this only at you. I am, in the best way I know, lovingly offering you a different way of considering this issue. I reached my conclusions on these matters based solely on Scripture. I can defend them based solely on Scripture. But that would take an entire podcast to even begin to scratch the surface. So let me summarize this quickly, and perhaps allow some people to rest easy, by saying this: The grace that Jesus Christ offers lets you completely off the hook for sin. It settles your sin problem once and for all. Past, present, and future. It is not necessary for you to beg for forgiveness every time you cross the line in sin. Even if you do it willfully. Grace is much more powerful than that, and creates within you a new heart that makes it more and more impossible for you to sin. For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say "no" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. Titus 2:11-12, NIV Grace does not increase the desire to sin. Preaching this radical grace does not cause people to sin more. What causes that is the very spirit of "religion" which so desperately wants to bind people to rules and regulations. It is this religious spirit that causes well-meaning believers say things like, "Yes, grace is wonderful, but you got to be careful… you've got to make sure you balance that teaching with an emphasis on holiness…  and following God's commandments." I humbly disagree. We are not under the law, but under grace. Let's see what the New Testament has to say about the Law.     Acts     The law is an unbearable yoke. (Acts 15:10) Romans     The law reveals sin but cannot fix it. (Romans 3:20)     If the law worked then faith would be irrelevant. (Romans 4:14)     The law brings wrath upon those who follow it. (Romans 4:15)     The purpose of the law was to increase sin. (Romans 5:20)     Christians are not under the law. (Romans 6:14)     Christians have been delivered from the law. (Romans 7:1-6)     The law is good, perfect, and holy but cannot help you be good, perfect, or holy. (Romans 7:7-12)     The law which promises life only brings death through sin. (Romans 7:10)     The law makes you sinful beyond measure. (Romans 7:13)     The law is weak. (Romans 8:2-3) 1 Corinthians     The strength of sin is the law. (1 Corinthians 15:56) 2 Corinthians     The law is a ministry of death. (2 Corinthians 3:7)     The law is a ministry of condemnation. (2 Corinthians 3:9)     The law has no glory at all in comparison with the New Covenant. (2 Corinthians 3:10)     The law is fading away. (2 Corinthians 3:11)     Anywhere the law is preached it produces a mind-hardening and a heart-hardening veil. (2 Corinthians 3:14-15) Galatians     The law justifies nobody. (Galatians 2:16)     Christians are dead to the law. (Galatians 2:19)     The law frustrates grace. (Galatians 2:21)     To go back to the law after embracing faith is "stupid." (Galatians 3:1)     The law curses all who practice it and fail to do it perfectly. (Galatians 3:10)     The law has nothing to do with faith. (Galatians 3:11-12)     The law was a curse that Christ redeemed us from. (Galatians 3:13)     The law functioned in God's purpose as a temporary covenant from Moses till John the Baptist announced Christ. (Galatians 3:16 & 19, also see Matthew 11:12-13, Luke 16:16)     If the law worked God would have used it to save us. (Galatians 3:21)     The law was our prison. (Galatians 3:23)     The law makes you a slave like Hagar. (Galatians 4:24) Ephesians     Christ has abolished the law which was a wall of hostility. (Ephesians 2:15) Philippians     Paul considered everything the law gained him as "skybalon" which is Greek for "poop." (Philippians 3:4-8) 1 Timothy     The law is only good if used in the right context. (1Timothy 1:8 – see next verse for the context)     The law was made for the unrighteous but not for the righteous. (1 Timothy 1:9-10) Hebrews     The law is weak, useless, and makes nothing perfect. (Hebrews 7:18-19)     (As an aside – that's some fighting talk – no wonder the author of Hebrews remains anonymous to this day!)     God has found fault with it and created a better covenant, enacted on better promises. (Hebrews 8:7-8)     It is obsolete, growing old, and ready to vanish. (Hebrews 8:13)     It is only a shadow of good things to come and will never make someone perfect. (Hebrews 10:1) This list of scripture, and the commentary, was supplied by my good friend Phil Drysdale. I recommend you read Phil's blog at PhilDrysdale.com Let me answer clearly this accusation that there is such a thing as "greasy grace": no, no, no! Grace does not cause disregard for holiness-your religion does. As a final thought on this subject, I will quote the well-respected Bible commentator Martyn Lloyd Jones, who wrote the following  in his Commentary on Romans 6: The true preaching of the gospel of salvation by grace alone always leads to the possibility of this charge being brought against it. There is no better test as to whether a man is really preaching the New Testament gospel of salvation than this, that some people might misunderstand it and misinterpret it to mean that it really amounts to this, that because you are saved by grace alone it does not matter at all what you do; you can go on sinning as much as you like because it will redound all the more to the glory of grace. If my preaching and presentation of the gospel of salvation does not express it to that misunderstanding, then it is not the true gospel." Your Further Comments More emphasis on selecting niches and keywords. This is my biggest problem. I prefer to read the transcription of a podcast. Broadcast listener questions I like the short format the best. I really like the podcast. It would be nice if all blog post were able to be listened to. Your Further Questions Do you have live hands-on workshops about Writing Riches for those of us who could use a tutorial? I believe in your message and impressed by you as a person — so my question would be "What can I do to help you be successful Ray?" What is the best way to get content and products created without bogging down and missing the market? Do you think it's possible to create an income with "just" a Dad blog and podcast? Is it really that easy to charge big money for common knowledge? (or maybe I know more than I think I do) More details about how you include God in your daily business activities. Very few people mention God and business together (that's why I love your posts/Podcasts). How do you specifically include prayer in your business activities? What To Do Now If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question: how are you doing on your goals and resolutions so far in the new year? Click here to leave your comments.

I promised this week would be about the most important subject I've ever covered. That subject is… you. We just completed our first ever Annual Reader/Listener Survey for this site (and podcast). Boy, did we get some interesting and surprising results in that survey…  and it's all about you. I also received a ton of comments and questions. Many of them flattering, some of them not so much. On this weeks podcast I'm sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly. Also on today's episode… December's comment contest winners. Status of the updated copywriting course. Gadget recommendation: the perfect digital camera. Does teaching "radical grace" give people license to sin? Would you like to be in a mastermind with me? And the always award-winning, much much more. Announcements: The winners of access to the updated copywriting course are:  Dan Black (37)  Eric Dingler (7)  Todd Liles (7)  Paul Jolicoeur (6)  Adam Collier (4) The copywriting course itself is going to be released a bit later than originally planned. Stay tuned to find out why. Looking for a copywriting gig? Send me a one sheet "sales letter" on why you would be a perfect copywriter for me to hire. 800 words maximum. Also send along any samples you think would convince me you are brilliant. Make the subject line of your email say only: "Blue Fondue". Send that email to the address I provided in the podcast, and listen to the podcast audio for instructions about what happens next. If you email me with questions, I have not listened to the podcast instructions, I won't be able to answer you. Starting next week, every person who submits an audio question for the podcast will receive a free gift (if, and only if, we use your question on the podcast). Click here to submit your audio question. "Permission to Prosper" event originally scheduled for April has been postponed… Mainly because I haven't finished the companion book yet! We will update you soon. Meanwhile, if you would be interested in the possible one-day mastermind with me and 11 other people, where we make radical progress in your business… And if you're not just "interested" but you already know you want to do it,  fill in this form. If it looks like you would be a good fit, I will call you myself.  (If you just want the "details", listen to the podcast. I explain all the "details".) Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: Strategic Influence Jan 14-16, 2014, Phoenix, AZ NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014, Atlanta, GA Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA Tip Of The Week  As you may know, I have taken a deep interest in digital photography. After extensive research, reading many reviews, and looking at many, many cameras, I settled on the Sony NEX-7. the main reasons I decided on this camera are: Digital SLR's are on the way out, and mirrorless compact cameras are the future of digital photography. This camera is about five times lighter than the equivalent DSLR. While megapixels are not everything, the NEX-7  is a 24 megapixel camera, and also has a relatively large sensor (which is more important than the number of megapixels) There are not as many lenses available for this camera as for others, but pretty much all the lenses I would ever need are available. It's about half the cost of equivalently powerful DSLR. I find the electronic menu system quite easy and intuitive to use. This camera shoots fantastic video, and shoots it at 60 frames per second (wow!) If you're interested in knowing more, check out this review by Trey Ratcliffe. If you want to buy a Sony NEX-7, get the best deal here at Amazon. Spiritual Foundations When we talk about the radical grace of Jesus, some people become concerned that this will encourage others to sin freely. This is not the case. Grace is not a license to sin. It is what empowers us to overcome sin. Do some use "grace" as an excuse for their sin? So it seems. But we don't know (a) whether that person IS or IS NOT a true believer… and (B) how and/or when that person will be overcome by God's Grace and led out of a life of sin. Resist the temptation to judge people, and resist the temptation to diminish the power of the Gospel. For that is what we do when we throw around terms like "cheap grace" or "greasy grace". There's no such thing. God's grace covers all of our sin. ALL. You won't win people to the Kingdom by bearing them over the head with the 10 Commandments. You win them by showing them the grace of Christ. "Just as I am, without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for me…"  Survey Results And Listener Questions The votes are in, the polls are closed, and this is what I learned (thank you for sharing). 77 % of you are 40 or older. 44.87% have a Bachelor's Degree; 31.03% have a Masters or Doctorate 82.14% of you make over $50,000 per year; 48.21% make over $100,00! 87.5% of you are Christians, and 96.43% say your faith is either "Important" or "Very Important" to you. 69.64% say I write and talk just the right amount about faith; 25% say you wish I would talk more about faith. 81.9% of you are business owners, entrepreneurs, or corporate leaders. More of you prefer the podcast to the blog (this was a shocker!) The most popular topics you want to hear more about from me are (in order of popularity): making an income online, productivity, copywriting, and spiritual topics. That's a topline selection of some of the most significant data we collected. Were still sifting through some of the open-ended responses. The Most Surprising Result We did ask a follow-up question about what product or training you would most like me to create for you next, and frankly I was shocked by the results. I felt certain the number one choice would be a new, revised copywriting course. I felt so certain, in fact, we had already started working on this. But… By a healthy 3-to-1 margin, the most desired training is "how to package, promote, and profit from what you already know". The people have spoken, and I have listened. We are working on this very training right now… more to come on this soon. (Never fear… The copywriting course will be next on the agenda!) So what does all this data mean, anyway? How will it affect the content we publish going forward? What We Plan to Do First and foremost, I want to make this blog more useful for you. A better investment of your time. More helpful to you. Let me be clear: even if you never do business with my company, even if you never buy a single thing we have to offer, I want to make sure we offer value to you. Based on what we learned in the survey, here are some things we plan to do: Take a bolder stance for being disciples of Jesus in the marketplace. The spiritual foundations of success will take an even more central role. Clearly, we have not been hiding this one "under a bushel", but the hunger for guidance in this area was made clear by the many comments we received. I plan to respond to this need as a top priority, because that's what you told me you wanted. Focus more on the topics you are most interested in. That means you'll be getting more podcasts and articles on how to create your own online business, how to be more productive, how to write more powerful copy, and the spiritual foundations of business success. Provide more tutorials and "how to" pieces. It's clear most of you would like more "how to" and tutorial material. We plan to provide this, much of it for free, in the coming year. Develop a community. If one thing has become obvious to me, it is that you (the readers of this blog, and the listeners of this podcast) are a powerful, connected, talented, and gifted group of people. I believe one of the greatest gifts I could give you is to connect you to one another. We are exploring exactly how would be the best way to develop a  community where we can make that happen. Offer practical help for simplifying complex lives. I was pleased to see that so many of you are well educated, already-successful entrepreneurs and professionals. I have also realized, through reading the free-form questions and comments, that those of us in this position facing unique set of challenges. We have to juggle many responsibilities: family, children (and grandchildren), employees, business partners, etc. Many of us don't feel completely free to make radical changes in our lives without carefully weighing the consequences and ramifications for other people who depend upon us. I plan to spend more time focusing on solutions to these problems. Your Comments Add a copywriting tip to each episode. You have a skill that so many want. This would be tremendously helpful. Would love more blog content apart from the podcast notes, but the podcast is soooo good that it's enough to keep me hooked! i liked it longer – you were able to delve deeper into concepts…! Consistency in what day(s) you will post articles to blog. Seems that each week/month is different. And don't need too many articles: 1-2 articles besides podcast/week is sufficient. I love the current format of the podcast, but perhaps you would consider more frequent blog posts? Your Questions What's your strategy when you launch a new product? Why did you stop the Spiritual Foundations Podcast? How do you handle any negative feedback you get from people who say you wear your faith on your sleeve too much. I would like to know more about how you figured out your talents and if you have any suggestions for others to figure that out. Who was the person that opened the door for you to go to the next level in your business? What To Do Now If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question: how will YOU engage un more of a conversation with your customers this year? Click here to leave your comments.

Michael Hyatt is my guest on the first podcast of 2014, and we discuss how to set effective goals for the new year.   What To Do Now Click here to get Michael's Goal-Setting Videos, and I will invite you to a small, private, "Mastermind call." If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:   What goals will you set for the New Year? Click here to leave your comments.

Stephen King. He is the Charles Dickens of this century. People either love him or hate him. My churchgoing friends are often shocked to learn that I read his work, and admire it. In today's show I share some business lessons I have learned from King. Also on today's episode… Are you a Madman? Or a Madwoman? Copywriters wanted. And the always award-winning, much much more. Announcements: I am updating my copywriting course… I will announce our winners next week. Next week's show will be about what could be the most important topic I have ever covered.  Don't miss it. Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: NMX, Jan 4-6, 2014, Las Vegas, NV Strategic Influence Jan 14-16, 2014, Phoenix, AZ NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014, Atlanta, GA Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA Tip Of The Week – Again! Digital Photography School. A great site for all things photo. Spiritual Foundations 1 John 4:18: "perfect love casts out fear.". Have you ever been told by someone that you should have more of the "fear of the Lord"? The implication is that your Christian walk cannot be correct unless you're constantly afraid that God is going to "whack you" when you screw up. It's true, The Bible talks about the "fear of the Lord". Let's take a look at what it actually says. As believers who live under the new covenant, and followers of Jesus, we should let Jesus himself define what the "fear of the Lord" actually is. When the devil tempted Jesus in the desert, and asked Jesus to worship him, Jesus says, "it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God…". You'll find that in Matthew 4:10. If you have a modern Bible with cross references, you'll notice that Jesus is actually quoting from the Old Testament. He's quoting his favorite book of the Bible (the book he quoted most often), and the passage he's pointing to is Deuteronomy 6:13. That passage says, "you shall fear the Lord your God and serve him. But wait a minute! That's not what Jesus said… He said you shall WORSHIP the Lord your God. What's going on here? While there are plenty of theologians who will argue with me, it seems clear that Jesus is explaining what the passage in Deuteronomy actually means. To fear God is to worship him. I trust the theology of Jesus more than I trust any other earthly theologian. He has interpreted the "fear of the Lord" for me, and that settles the matter. One last point worth noting: every single time the disciples were afraid of Jesus, he said the same thing. "Fear not." Seven Lessons From Stephen King Stephen King is a writing and marketing machine, having accomplished the unusual feat of being successful as a craftsman, and as an entrepreneur.  He has sold well over 350 million books, and spawned countless movies and television shows. His latest novel-to-screen adaptation is Under The Dome. How? I have written extensively elsewhere about writing for the purpose of strategic influence. I can point to no better model of how to do this right than King. There are seven key lessons you can learn from Stephen King, and the way he conducts his business (the business of writing). And for those of you who are offended by my saying "the business of writing"… perhaps if you thought about your writing as a business, you wouldn't be so easily offended. Food for thought. Learn your craft. Whether his subject matter is always to your taste or not, you would have to be willfully ignorant to declare Stephen King anything other than a master of the art of writing stories. He has honed his craft to a fine edge, and without this particular weapon in his arsenal, the rest of what you're about to read would not be possible. You must master the craft. Be prolific. King has stated that he writes every day, including his birthday and Christmas day. He has since admitted that this might be a bit of an exaggeration, but not much. His ethic of working every day is plainly demonstrated by his amazing output. You don't publish 50 novels,  five nonfiction works, and over 200 short stories by goofing off.  you do it by applying liberal amounts of fingers to keyboard. Be real. One reason people are often uncomfortable with King's writing is that he tends to bring heavy doses of reality into his stories. I'm not talking about the vampires, giant spiders, and ghosts, of course. I'm talking about the sometimes embarrassing, sometimes offensive, sometimes infuriatingly irrational ways that people talk and behave. King unabashedly presents people as they really are. And this makes his detractors uncomfortable… And his fans love him. Have a personality. When King began his career, he decided to be exactly who he is. I have no way of knowing this, but I'm pretty certain this was a conscious decision made in the full knowledge that it might backfire financially. He could have been more "respectable" by writing that vaguely named thing called "literary fiction", but instead he chose to write what fascinated him. Be fearless. Stephen King has never shied away from the potential criticism he might get from atheists, believers, Democrats, Republicans, or  the League of Decency. He's written some ugly scenes, and seems that many writers would have shied away from because they didn't want to be associated with that material. For better or worse, that fearlessness has catapulted him from the mass of mediocrity to the pinnacle of literary success. Try new things. King was one of the first to take advantage of the digital publishing medium. He was one of the first to publish a novel in serial form online. He has branched out into music, comic books, and of course films and television. Some of his experiments have fallen flat. Others have been a meteoric success, both critically and financially (remember Stand by Me and The Green Mile?) Do many things simultaneously. One of the ways King manages to stay so prolific is that he is doing many things simultaneously. He's always working on a new book or story, and usually has more than one project cooking in the background (a movie, a TV series, and audiobook, or the radio stations that he owns in Maine). While you may or may not ever be his equal on the bestseller lists (he has a pretty strong head start on most of us), you definitely can learn from the career and methodologies of Stephen King. Question: what have you learned about writing, or the business of writing, from Stephen King… Or any other modern writers? Share below… What To Do Now If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:   What worked, and what didn't work, for you this year? Click here to leave your comments.

In this weeks podcast I will reveal to you what worked for me in 2013…  as well as what didn't work. You get to profit not only from my success stories, but even from my failures. Also on today's episode… Are you a Madman? Or a Madwoman? Copywriters wanted. An exciting new guide on how to form your own mastermind group… reduxe. What is the truth about so-called "greasy grace"? And the always award-winning, much much more. Announcements: I am updating my copywriting course… win free access with your comments between now and Christmas. Next week's show will be about what could be the most important topic I have ever covered.  Don't miss it. The return of listener questions! How to promote yourself on my show! Conferences where I will be attending and/or speaking: NMX, Jan 4-6, 2014, Las Vegas, NV Strategic Influence Jan 14-16, 2014, Phoenix, AZ NAMS 11 February 7-9, 2014, Atlanta, GA Social Media Marketing World, March 26-28, 2014, San Diego, CA "Permission to Prosper" April 8-10, 2014, Spokane, WA Tip Of The Week – Again! One of the most powerful things you can do to accelerate your success in 2014 is to form an intentional mastermind group. Click here and take a look at Dan Miller's new course on how to do just that. It's worth 10 times the investment he's asking. Spiritual Foundations Is the so-called "new grace movement" cheapening the concept of grace? Is it promoting something we know as "greasy grace"? In the podcast, I give my answers to these questions. Feature Segment:  What Worked (and What Didn't) In 2013 I share my most successful… and also my LEAST successful business moves in 2013. Here's where they'll mean to you and your success in 2014… What worked: This podcast.  High leverage, high engagement, premium content delivery vehicle. Facebook.  Believe it or not, this was my number one source of traffic in 2013. Premium pricing.  Over 80% of the revenue we generated came from the most expensive 5% of services and products we offer. What didn't work: Busyness.  Over committing led to me making a few poor tactical decisions, and was a severe drain on my mental focus, emotional well-being, and physical health. Complexity. Complexity is the mother frustration, and the father of fatigue.  Rugged individualism.  It's an American ideal.  It's romantic. It feels heroic. The only problem is, it doesn't work. What To Do Now If you enjoy the podcast, I would consider it a great favor if you subscribe (and leave a review) in iTunes. This helps new people discover the podcast. You can also find the podcast on Stitcher. Question:   What worked, and what didn't work, for you this year? Click here to leave your comments.