Sorry I haven't been posting, I have some personal issues going on at the moment and the challenge is just not working out for me the way I was planning. This last week was a total bust at $900 for the week and I clocked in at $1500 the week before.
Just wanted to update cause I've been laggin on this.
I hope this helped some people a little, cause I dropped the ball on my own challenge, and I apologize for that. But I am hoping it still served a purpose....
This is a way I decided to challenge myself to push my limits and stimulate change in my life. To recruit accountability and support, and create a supportive environment for others to do the same.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
What is happening?
Well this blog is not really structured the way I originally intended, and for a while I have been struggling with that. But at this point, I am going with it. This challenge has changed, and that's O.K. My perspective is changing as well! So please bare with me, I am new to all this stuff.
Last week I didn't make my goal, but I had a great time with my daughter on saturday and rekindled some love with my wife on Sunday.
So this week started off with $345 today, looking to meet my goal this week!! I'm going to keep at this till I get it!!!!!!!!!!!!
This challenge is really helping me, I have been thinking a lot about how I used to work in the beginning of my business, and what my dreams were for where I would take it. Things have changed, but spending the time remembering and evaluating where I am now has given me an awesome perspective on my glass. I have realized that I let some of past failures get me down so much that it really hindered me in my progress, not only with my business but with my skill level as well. So in a way I am restructuring the way I think about things so that I can continue to pursue what I want aggressively no matter what.
I think my biggest problem is that I started to tell myself that I can't make it happen the way I want it. Now I am seeing that the only thing stopping me from achieving what I want IS what I keep telling myself. Now I am starting to tell myself that I CAN keep at it, and as long as I keep evaluating myself I can continue to find more ways to keep myself motivated when I feel like things just can't go right. And I can continue to find ways to change my approach until I achieve what I want. The only reason I have ever failed at anything is because I quit trying.
So here is continuing to find new ways to stay motivated, to learning from the things that usually get us down so they can serve us, and to being supportive for each other in this process!!!!!
LETS Get after it!!!!!!!!!
Last week I didn't make my goal, but I had a great time with my daughter on saturday and rekindled some love with my wife on Sunday.
So this week started off with $345 today, looking to meet my goal this week!! I'm going to keep at this till I get it!!!!!!!!!!!!
This challenge is really helping me, I have been thinking a lot about how I used to work in the beginning of my business, and what my dreams were for where I would take it. Things have changed, but spending the time remembering and evaluating where I am now has given me an awesome perspective on my glass. I have realized that I let some of past failures get me down so much that it really hindered me in my progress, not only with my business but with my skill level as well. So in a way I am restructuring the way I think about things so that I can continue to pursue what I want aggressively no matter what.
I think my biggest problem is that I started to tell myself that I can't make it happen the way I want it. Now I am seeing that the only thing stopping me from achieving what I want IS what I keep telling myself. Now I am starting to tell myself that I CAN keep at it, and as long as I keep evaluating myself I can continue to find more ways to keep myself motivated when I feel like things just can't go right. And I can continue to find ways to change my approach until I achieve what I want. The only reason I have ever failed at anything is because I quit trying.
So here is continuing to find new ways to stay motivated, to learning from the things that usually get us down so they can serve us, and to being supportive for each other in this process!!!!!
LETS Get after it!!!!!!!!!
Friday, August 19, 2011
Been a minute
O.K.
I haven't been posting much cause I've been working like a dog. Unfortunately, I have had some breakage problems and my actual success rate has been a little low. But that's fine with me, I'm learning a lot from this challenge and I made $1000 in the last 3 days regardless.
I don't know about anyone else, but I am getting a lot more out of this challenge than I expected. My shortcomings have taught me a lot, because the challenge is helping me to look at them from a new perspective, instead of just getting frustrated. I have been reevaluating the way I work and how I view my business. Even though I have been struggling with the challenge, I am getting more excited every day about what I am learning from it.
I would like to genuinely thank everyone for your support and for putting yourselves out there as well. Everyone has been a tremendous help for me personally, and I appreciate how you have helped make this thread a positive uplifting experience!
Lets get after it!!
I haven't been posting much cause I've been working like a dog. Unfortunately, I have had some breakage problems and my actual success rate has been a little low. But that's fine with me, I'm learning a lot from this challenge and I made $1000 in the last 3 days regardless.
I don't know about anyone else, but I am getting a lot more out of this challenge than I expected. My shortcomings have taught me a lot, because the challenge is helping me to look at them from a new perspective, instead of just getting frustrated. I have been reevaluating the way I work and how I view my business. Even though I have been struggling with the challenge, I am getting more excited every day about what I am learning from it.
I would like to genuinely thank everyone for your support and for putting yourselves out there as well. Everyone has been a tremendous help for me personally, and I appreciate how you have helped make this thread a positive uplifting experience!
Lets get after it!!
Monday, August 15, 2011
4 weeks to go
Yesterday was a more of a massive preparation day for me to get back in the swing of this challenge. I made 100 and got all prepped up.
Looking to make 2 g's by friday so I can take 2 days off.
woot woooooot!!!
Looking to make 2 g's by friday so I can take 2 days off.
woot woooooot!!!
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Reassessing the challenge
I was having a talk with a good friend of mine today, and we were talking about how to deal with getting back after something you are doing, after an obstacle comes. We were talking about how it is necessary to build the mental muscle in order to be able to continue with something until you succeed instead of just giving up and accepting failure. (which is a big reason for why I wanted to do this challenge anyways)
It brought me to the realization that this challenge is about even more than I thought for me. For me it's become about raising my standards, raising my standards for what I demand of my results with my glass. When my skills were lacking, a normal week for me was 60 hours on my torch pumpin product to make it happen. As I have increased my abilities, and through my transition into a different part of the market, I have changed the way I view working unconsciously. And have let some bad habits have creep in.
When I first started my business, I very rarely let anything come between me and my torch time, and my torch time was first thing I did every day, starting early in the morning, and I was rarely done after 5 or 6. It was normal for me to work in 4 hour increments without getting up daily, sometimes even more if it was really needed. But being self employed, working at home, and having a daughter 4 years ago, I seem to have subtly got into this horrible habit of letting the interruptions dictate my life. This has caused me to get into the habit of working in the morning, afternoon and evening to get my work done because I am stopping for random shit (all avoidable, this is purely a hidden form of procrastination) throughout the day. So for the last 4 years I have not had steady days off in any shape or form, and my days feel like I am working all day. So even if I don't work much throughout the day, I still feel like I am working all the time, with no end in sight because I never know when the next day off will be.
I am realizing the biggest part of the challenge for me isn't about working 30 days straight, because I do that every month. It's about making sure that I am actually being as productive as I need to be on the days that I work. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying I make money every day every month, I am just saying that I never know when I am going to take a day off, and if I do it's usually because something came up and the day wasn't planned. So I always feel like I have to work every day anyways.
Doing this challenge is helping me reassess how I am doing things, and how I am approaching my work. I have been contemplating what I should do at this point with this challenge, that I feel would still accomplish my original goals, and be something achievable for me and not completely consume my life trying to catch up. So here is my new commitment.
My original commitment would have put me at 9000 in 30 days, and at this point I have only made a little over 1000 in glass. Sooooo
[B]I am recommitting to:[/B]
-continue updates daily
-Producea minimum of 8000 in glass in the next 4 weeks
-Produce a minimum of 2000 of that, each individual week.
-Only take days off if I have met my quota for the week. (the weeks start on monday and end on sun, although, I am starting this week tomorrow so I will have an extra day this week)
-I will make a min of 300 a day until the quota for the week is met. (this leaves me with the option to bust out more and have a day or 2 off if I choose to)
I hope this makes sense: and to clarify, the reason I changed this is because I was feeling like I failed, and I needed to get back at it without the feeling of failure guiding my decisions. Even though the injury was legit and I did try to work, and got back to work as soon as I could, it really took the wind out my sail. So instead of trying to change the direction of the wind, I am choosing to reset my sail and go at this again with a new energy that is not contaminated with the feeling of failure I was associating to the last commitment!
Thanks everyone for your support, and I apologize for falling off, but I'm getting back on with the same enthusiasm I started the original challenge with!
It brought me to the realization that this challenge is about even more than I thought for me. For me it's become about raising my standards, raising my standards for what I demand of my results with my glass. When my skills were lacking, a normal week for me was 60 hours on my torch pumpin product to make it happen. As I have increased my abilities, and through my transition into a different part of the market, I have changed the way I view working unconsciously. And have let some bad habits have creep in.
When I first started my business, I very rarely let anything come between me and my torch time, and my torch time was first thing I did every day, starting early in the morning, and I was rarely done after 5 or 6. It was normal for me to work in 4 hour increments without getting up daily, sometimes even more if it was really needed. But being self employed, working at home, and having a daughter 4 years ago, I seem to have subtly got into this horrible habit of letting the interruptions dictate my life. This has caused me to get into the habit of working in the morning, afternoon and evening to get my work done because I am stopping for random shit (all avoidable, this is purely a hidden form of procrastination) throughout the day. So for the last 4 years I have not had steady days off in any shape or form, and my days feel like I am working all day. So even if I don't work much throughout the day, I still feel like I am working all the time, with no end in sight because I never know when the next day off will be.
I am realizing the biggest part of the challenge for me isn't about working 30 days straight, because I do that every month. It's about making sure that I am actually being as productive as I need to be on the days that I work. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying I make money every day every month, I am just saying that I never know when I am going to take a day off, and if I do it's usually because something came up and the day wasn't planned. So I always feel like I have to work every day anyways.
Doing this challenge is helping me reassess how I am doing things, and how I am approaching my work. I have been contemplating what I should do at this point with this challenge, that I feel would still accomplish my original goals, and be something achievable for me and not completely consume my life trying to catch up. So here is my new commitment.
My original commitment would have put me at 9000 in 30 days, and at this point I have only made a little over 1000 in glass. Sooooo
[B]I am recommitting to:[/B]
-continue updates daily
-Producea minimum of 8000 in glass in the next 4 weeks
-Produce a minimum of 2000 of that, each individual week.
-Only take days off if I have met my quota for the week. (the weeks start on monday and end on sun, although, I am starting this week tomorrow so I will have an extra day this week)
-I will make a min of 300 a day until the quota for the week is met. (this leaves me with the option to bust out more and have a day or 2 off if I choose to)
I hope this makes sense: and to clarify, the reason I changed this is because I was feeling like I failed, and I needed to get back at it without the feeling of failure guiding my decisions. Even though the injury was legit and I did try to work, and got back to work as soon as I could, it really took the wind out my sail. So instead of trying to change the direction of the wind, I am choosing to reset my sail and go at this again with a new energy that is not contaminated with the feeling of failure I was associating to the last commitment!
Thanks everyone for your support, and I apologize for falling off, but I'm getting back on with the same enthusiasm I started the original challenge with!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Just a heads up
I'm going to try post in the evenings because I am having internet problems in the mornings.
Day 11
I clocked in at $90 yesterday with 2 visits to the chiropractor. I'm down to moderate discomfort and tension now, I have no excuse not to meet my goal every day now! I'm jumping back on at $300 a day for now to see how that goes. If I don't make up the $1,975 I am behind at the moment, before the end of the month I will continue the challenge until it is made up.
I am at a point in my life where I am working on balance, spending quality time with my family, getting my daily workouts in and working through my daily self evaluations. For me, this is a big reason why I am doing this challenge, so I can get back to a spot where I get my work done as fast as possible instead of letting myself be distracted by all the things that come up on a daily basis. I have found that after 8 years of doing this for a living, I have slowly let the habit of trying to tend to everything all the time creep in. Part of the idea of this challenge was to get back to a space where I treat my torch time like I treated all my old jobs, and not stop for anything except real emergencies.
So as much as I would like to try to catch up, I don't feel at the moment that it is conducive to what this challenge is about for me. I have had a bad habit for years of working long hours for days, then being so burnt out that I don't work for a bunch of days. This is the opposite of the balance I want to create in my life! But if I have days that are going extra smooth, I will get some extra work done.
At any rate, I am not going to stress about it. But I am back on the horse as of today, so it's $300 a day until I meet my quota!
I hope the challenge is still helping some of you, whether it be in the way you originally thought, or you are learning something else through it. Lets stay after it regardless of the challenges we face!!!!!
I am at a point in my life where I am working on balance, spending quality time with my family, getting my daily workouts in and working through my daily self evaluations. For me, this is a big reason why I am doing this challenge, so I can get back to a spot where I get my work done as fast as possible instead of letting myself be distracted by all the things that come up on a daily basis. I have found that after 8 years of doing this for a living, I have slowly let the habit of trying to tend to everything all the time creep in. Part of the idea of this challenge was to get back to a space where I treat my torch time like I treated all my old jobs, and not stop for anything except real emergencies.
So as much as I would like to try to catch up, I don't feel at the moment that it is conducive to what this challenge is about for me. I have had a bad habit for years of working long hours for days, then being so burnt out that I don't work for a bunch of days. This is the opposite of the balance I want to create in my life! But if I have days that are going extra smooth, I will get some extra work done.
At any rate, I am not going to stress about it. But I am back on the horse as of today, so it's $300 a day until I meet my quota!
I hope the challenge is still helping some of you, whether it be in the way you originally thought, or you are learning something else through it. Lets stay after it regardless of the challenges we face!!!!!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Day 10
Yesterday I did 4 tube pulls and got a massage in the middle of the day to help relieve the tension in my neck and shoulders.
I'm back at it today, I am not sure exactly how I am going to catch up yet. I figured I'll just see how it goes for the next few days and if I don't feel I can work the crazy hours I need, to catch up before the end of the month, then I will just work 30 days straight starting now. I am aiming to be caught up before the end of the month though. But my injury has to cooperate.
Looks like we have a few more joining, this is great!! Here's to getting some momentum going into next month!!
I'm back at it today, I am not sure exactly how I am going to catch up yet. I figured I'll just see how it goes for the next few days and if I don't feel I can work the crazy hours I need, to catch up before the end of the month, then I will just work 30 days straight starting now. I am aiming to be caught up before the end of the month though. But my injury has to cooperate.
Looks like we have a few more joining, this is great!! Here's to getting some momentum going into next month!!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Day 9
Well, I think I really pushed it on my daughters birthday, because I was feeling better I thought. But I was unable to work yesterday and am still really sore and tense today. I am going to do my best to work through it today, this much time off is becoming very bad for my financial health!
I hope you are having success in your challenge if you are doing one. This is a great month for change, lets make it one to remember, I know I will!!!!
I hope you are having success in your challenge if you are doing one. This is a great month for change, lets make it one to remember, I know I will!!!!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
My daughters birthday
My daughters birthday party was awesome today!!! She turned 4 and we got her a 14' trampoline. Sponge Bob was the guy today, that guy can take a beating!! like 20 freegin kids from 3 to 14 beat on that dude with a bat before he finally gave up the goods. LOL One of the kids that came to the party told me "this is the best party I've ever been to". That made my day!!! Today I am proud of the father I am, and that is better than any day on the torch.
Day 7
Still battling this injury, went to the chiropractor again yesterday and banked $0. Today is my daughters birthday so I will not be working today either.
It's kind of ironic because I started this challenge because it seemed like I have been having a lot of things happening lately that are keeping me from my torch and I thought this would be a great way to put myself out there in a way that would force me to find a way to stay on my torch regardless. Then I hurt myself bad enough to keep me from being able to work. This is only the third time in 8 years that I have been injured bad enough to keep me from being able to work.
For me though, another part of this challenge is about getting back on track if you do fall short, which is obviously the more important lesson I need to learn at this time. So here is to learning this lesson for good, and getting back at it as soon as we can and never giving up on what we want!
Lets stay strong in our challenges no matter what!!
It's kind of ironic because I started this challenge because it seemed like I have been having a lot of things happening lately that are keeping me from my torch and I thought this would be a great way to put myself out there in a way that would force me to find a way to stay on my torch regardless. Then I hurt myself bad enough to keep me from being able to work. This is only the third time in 8 years that I have been injured bad enough to keep me from being able to work.
For me though, another part of this challenge is about getting back on track if you do fall short, which is obviously the more important lesson I need to learn at this time. So here is to learning this lesson for good, and getting back at it as soon as we can and never giving up on what we want!
Lets stay strong in our challenges no matter what!!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Day 6
Went to the chiropractor twice again yesterday and then I went to go blow some glass and managed to make $35 but had to call it, do to the pain I am experiencing in my neck. It makes it way worse when I have to look down for extended periods of time. I am falling behind but intend to catch up fast!!
I hope you all are having good results with your challenges, here's to overcoming obstacles!!
I hope you all are having good results with your challenges, here's to overcoming obstacles!!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Day 5
Yesterday was spent at home trying to figure out how to get better. Whatever I did to myself is no joke, I'm hoping to get to work tonight after another trip to the chiropractor. At any rate I clocked in at $0 again so I have a lot of catching up to do when I'm back on the torch!
I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, so I am not stressin it, I think it will do me some good to work some extra long hours to get caught up.
Here's to everyone out there rockin their challenges, and learnig from them. I am learning a lot fron my challenge already!!!
Get after it all!!!
I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, so I am not stressin it, I think it will do me some good to work some extra long hours to get caught up.
Here's to everyone out there rockin their challenges, and learnig from them. I am learning a lot fron my challenge already!!!
Get after it all!!!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Day 4
Well yesterday was a bust, I hurt myself doing my morning exercises in the shop and spent the day trying to recoup and went to the chiropractor twice. But no luck, I went back to the shop and tried to work last night, but I can barely even move my head so it was miserable making the piece. Still not sure if I will be able to work today or not.
But regardless I will be back on it the second I am able to work again, and I WILL get caught up I guarantee that!
I hope your challenge is going well!!!!
But regardless I will be back on it the second I am able to work again, and I WILL get caught up I guarantee that!
I hope your challenge is going well!!!!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Day 3
Good morning everybody!
I was thinking yesterday, that we may find it helpful to start sharing our own little things we do on a daily basis, that help us stay motivated and excited about what we do. This may help stimulate new perspectives for us and help us all build more positive associations.
Here is something I recently started doing:
I started taking pictures of all of my glass in one big group before I sell it, then printing a copy of the picture. I then write the date and the amount I sold it for on the picture and hang it up in my shop. This helps me when I feel overwhelmed or bogged down. I look at the pictures and it helps me remember how easy it really is for me to make that much glass. That there is no need for me to feel like it is such a big chore. I find it helps build more confidence which is key in staying motivated for me.
If you have not met your goal yet, but have been reevaluating the way you are doing things in order to accomplish it, you're awesome! Great job, stay at it and you'll get it!!!
If you have not started yet but want to, ask yourself a few of questions:
#1 Have defined exactly what I want to accomplish?
#2 Have I defined an exact time frame?
#3 Do I believe I can accomplish this?
Take the time out to right down the answers to these questions and think it will help. You can do this! Great job!!
If you are on task and are 2 for 2, right on! Great job, keep up the good work!!!!
I clocked in @ 308.25 for day 2. (2 for 2)
Keep on it everybody, this is about waaaay more than accomplishing a goal!!
I was thinking yesterday, that we may find it helpful to start sharing our own little things we do on a daily basis, that help us stay motivated and excited about what we do. This may help stimulate new perspectives for us and help us all build more positive associations.
Here is something I recently started doing:
I started taking pictures of all of my glass in one big group before I sell it, then printing a copy of the picture. I then write the date and the amount I sold it for on the picture and hang it up in my shop. This helps me when I feel overwhelmed or bogged down. I look at the pictures and it helps me remember how easy it really is for me to make that much glass. That there is no need for me to feel like it is such a big chore. I find it helps build more confidence which is key in staying motivated for me.
If you have not met your goal yet, but have been reevaluating the way you are doing things in order to accomplish it, you're awesome! Great job, stay at it and you'll get it!!!
If you have not started yet but want to, ask yourself a few of questions:
#1 Have defined exactly what I want to accomplish?
#2 Have I defined an exact time frame?
#3 Do I believe I can accomplish this?
Take the time out to right down the answers to these questions and think it will help. You can do this! Great job!!
If you are on task and are 2 for 2, right on! Great job, keep up the good work!!!!
I clocked in @ 308.25 for day 2. (2 for 2)
Keep on it everybody, this is about waaaay more than accomplishing a goal!!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
DAY 2
How are you feeling today? Inspired? Motivated? Excited?
I hope so cause I am feeling all the above!! What is your challenge? Lets get after it today!!
I clocked in at 303.75 for day one.
Off for day 2!!!!!!!!!!!!woot woot
I hope so cause I am feeling all the above!! What is your challenge? Lets get after it today!!
I clocked in at 303.75 for day one.
Off for day 2!!!!!!!!!!!!woot woot
Monday, August 1, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
What is the concept behind the 30 day challenge?
- This is my commitment to blow glass 30 of the 31 days in august. (I will be taking my daughters birthday off)
- I am committed to producing a minimum of $300 a day in product.
- I am committed to daily updates on my results.
- I am committing to being supportive for anyone who chooses to challenge themselves with me. (regardless of how big or small their individual challenge may be)
- I am committed to having fun with this challenge!
Why?
- To exceed previously believed limitations.
- To create accountability.
- To expand perspective.
- To create a supportive environment for myself and others.
-To interrupt old patterns and build momentum in new directions.
Who can join the challenge?
- Anyone who wants to challenge themselves on the torch in any way.
How can I join the challenge?
- Find a goal you want to commit to, that relates to your torch.
- Define it in a way that there is a definite goal and a specific time frame. Some examples could be:
- Make my first $1000 piece, and make it in 4 days.
- Make at least 10 pieces a day on every one of my days off. (if glass is a hobby) - Make $200 a day for 10 days straight.
-You do not need to commit to what I am committing to. But the idea is, that if you commit to your goal during this month, of august 2011, we will all be able to be supportive for each other in our individual challenges.
- Make your goal achievable but not "easy".
- Post your commitment here, on the facebook page, or in the thread at talkglass.com.
- Become an active supporter of everyone's individual challenges.
- Keep us updated on your progress regularly.
- Have faith that you will succeed, and if some crazy unforeseen circumstance or just a lack of motivation stop you one day, GET BACK AT IT and forget about the slip.
Thanks for checkin out my 30 day challenge, and if you join me, LETS GET AFTER IT!!
- I am committed to producing a minimum of $300 a day in product.
- I am committed to daily updates on my results.
- I am committing to being supportive for anyone who chooses to challenge themselves with me. (regardless of how big or small their individual challenge may be)
- I am committed to having fun with this challenge!
Why?
- To exceed previously believed limitations.
- To create accountability.
- To expand perspective.
- To create a supportive environment for myself and others.
-To interrupt old patterns and build momentum in new directions.
Who can join the challenge?
- Anyone who wants to challenge themselves on the torch in any way.
How can I join the challenge?
- Find a goal you want to commit to, that relates to your torch.
- Define it in a way that there is a definite goal and a specific time frame. Some examples could be:
- Make my first $1000 piece, and make it in 4 days.
- Make at least 10 pieces a day on every one of my days off. (if glass is a hobby) - Make $200 a day for 10 days straight.
-You do not need to commit to what I am committing to. But the idea is, that if you commit to your goal during this month, of august 2011, we will all be able to be supportive for each other in our individual challenges.
- Make your goal achievable but not "easy".
- Post your commitment here, on the facebook page, or in the thread at talkglass.com.
- Become an active supporter of everyone's individual challenges.
- Keep us updated on your progress regularly.
- Have faith that you will succeed, and if some crazy unforeseen circumstance or just a lack of motivation stop you one day, GET BACK AT IT and forget about the slip.
Thanks for checkin out my 30 day challenge, and if you join me, LETS GET AFTER IT!!
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