Get the Life You Want - Overlap #1

Hey it's sean mccabe thanks. For tuning into the very first, episode of this new series. It's essentially. A lecture. Series on the. Book that I wrote called overlap. So, you may or may not have heard about this book gonna talk a little bit about it but my, plan here I'll give you like a close-up look it's, a really nice book it's hard, cover cloth bound it has this lovely, texture, to it but. There's also audio, ebook. You know other formats, that you, can check out so all of that if you want to find it it is at let's, see if I can do this try it out on my new fancy. Graphics for the first time. Can. We get a lower third there's. A lower third overlap, book.com you. Can check it out there this, is going to be a, 27. Part series. Believe it or not it's gonna span over half a year. Let's, see someone someone's, watching in the chat right now so what I'm doing is I'm streaming. This live to John, West members and they're. Able to kind of interact with me while I'm doing this you're watching the recorded, version that we publish on YouTube but I'm gonna be streaming each of these individual, series basically chapter. By chapter we're, gonna be going through the book but. Not reading. The book verbatim, like I already have an audio book if you want that the audio books available what, I'm trying to do here is, here's. How I'm thinking of it if you, and I were meeting we're sitting down you, know face to face hanging out at a coffee shop you know I I have this this message, this, what. Started out as three, books that I condensed, into one book you know this this very dense. Thorough, message. On so many things from getting, your family on board defining, what you're passionate about to getting unstuck. Figure, out figuring, out which thing to pursue how, to create multiple, streams, of income, where. To start with making money, you know just so many things about getting. The life that you want getting financial, freedom there's so much in here I'm. Not gonna deliver, the book I'm not gonna read the book word-for-word. Or anything like that this, is more like a commentary. Where I'm just kind of going off the cuff sharing. My thoughts sharing, stories around. The, topics, inside. The overlap book so if you have read the book or you have listened to it you've gone through it this, is going to be, in. Addition. To that experience, you're gonna get a lot more out of this I'm, gonna be sharing new stuff I don't even know what I'm gonna be sharing yet because, it's, been nearly two years since I've written the book and I, released. The book last year so, I'm gonna be providing, my insights, now you know some couple, years later since writing the book around. These topics so I'm hoping that will be insightful. For you I'm hoping we can get a dialogue. And discussion, going even, if you're not watching, this live, inside the community feel, free to leave a comment, on the video you know I'll be looking at the YouTube. Comments and these. Are gonna be a little more lengthy, you know we're talking about a lot. Of material. 27. Chapters where, I'm estimating, I'll probably go 60, to 90 minutes on each. Of these over, the course of more, than half a year so, it may. Not always be super, convenient to watch a YouTube video and that's why I am, making all of these including. All of the episodes on Sean West TV not just the overlap lecture series all, of these will be available as audio. Podcast, episodes, as well so very very. Excited about that if you want to find that so that you, can listen on the go you know catch up fill, in the episodes, that you missed or you know when you're not at your computer or, phone where you can watch a video. That's. Gonna be Sean West dot TV, slash. Podcasts. So I'll put a link in the description of the YouTube video you. Can check that out so that's, a little bit of kind of housekeeping. Upfront notes but I'm very excited about this gonna be releasing this on a weekly, basis, along. With the other content, on Sean, West TV the only exception, will be the. Sabbaticals, that we take at Sean West so we take off every seventh week as a, sabbatical, so there. Will be gaps there, but. Otherwise it's going to be a weekly, show and finally. Although, there, are actually. I connections, I can show you this I've got my iPad open, with. The book and I'm gonna switch to my iPad to show you the, inside, of the book and like I said we're not going to be we're, not gonna be going over like, I'm not gonna read the book for you here but I want to show you the structure of it and I think this will be a good way to do it so let me switch to the table of contents this, is inside the book so you'll notice there are five.

Different Sections see this find your passion, and we. Got a bunch of chapters in here there's a section on protect, your passion. Invest. In your passion. Monetize. Your passion, and finally. We, have, market. Your passion, now, on average. Each of these sections has around five chapters, so, I'm going to do something that will, involve. Not just, the members although, the. 27 lectures, we're doing will be streamed to members what I'm going to do is every section, there's five every. Section I'm going to do a public. Live, streamed recap. Of that section meaning you don't have to be a member so, every five. Six weeks you know about a month and a half I'm going to do a public. Livestream, for, everyone, at the end of each section, so if, you want to hear about that best way to get. Notified is to subscribe to the channel hit, the notification, bell you can also go to Sean West comm slash newsletter. To, get an email ahead of time so you'll be the first to hear when, those go down so I know, that's a lot of upfront stuff, but. We've. Got a lot here there's going to be 26. More of these so that's, I'm. Excited. So the first episode. Episode, I don't know what I call these I've been, calling them in my mind and and you know talking to the team I've been calling them lectures, and I. Think for the most part the, 80% up front where I'm gonna be sharing is gonna be more lecture, you know teaching, style and then, I want, the last 10 to 20 percent to, be more of a dialogue you know talking, with people who are in the, live chat answering. Questions things like that, but. I think I guess we'll stick with lecture, for now that's what I'm gonna call it so the first lecture is chapter. Number one get. The life you want, so. A little. Bit about the book whose, the book for what, is it about, overlap. You'll see the tagline if you go to the website you know overlap, book calm, and. The tagline is, start. A business while. Working. A full-time job now I. So documented, the process of writing the book I promise I'm going to not be so meta in a second I'm actually going to get into the meat of this but I have to preface all of this for the rest of the series in the future I'll just point people back to this first episode I, documented. The process of writing this book you, can actually find that at writing. A book in a month com, that'll. Take you to my daily journal series of what it took to write the book and if, you follow it along there you'll, remember that I actually. Set out to write three, books you, can even see I had three book covers planned so, this book here overlap, this, is really this started out as three books it was condensed, into one so, there's a lot in here it's it's it's, quite packed so it, is, actually much more than starting. A business while working a full-time job as we're going to see this unfold over the coming months it's. About getting, your family on board it's about not coming home from your job feeling, exhausted and wanting to collapse on the couch and watch Netflix and not pursue the thing you know you want to do on the side like. If that resonates, that's, the kind of thing we're gonna talk about things like you, you want to improve, your skill and practice deliberately. Get better at what you do feel confident, get rid of impostor syndrome get, out of scarcity, mindset find. Motivation, keep, motivation, build accountability. Find. Your passion, make sure it's something that you actually enjoy doing that you actually love, doing and it's. Just everything around. It what happened was I started writing this book several. Years ago it was about four years ago I started writing this book, got. 20,000, words in and I scrapped the whole thing I just, I trashed. It I got rid of it because I realized, I was, writing the book that I wanted to write and not, the book people needed, to read it. Was just here's the practical stuff you know I like to take these complex, problems and break, them down and make it easy for, anyone to approach, and I, started doing that but I realized it's. Not just the practical, stuff when I talked to people I realized what was holding them back were, things like, feeling.

Exhausted When they come home from a day job or having too many ideas and not sure which, one to pursue not sure what the transition, looks like when should I quit how, should I make money first what's the right time what my spouse doesn't support me all of those things so over the course of three, years. Two. Or three years I talked, to about 300. People with. Several hundred people in person, conferences. Meetups things like that and I found what. Was keeping people, stuck and it was these types of things and so I went back to the drawing board with the book I said, I want. To first help people get unstuck and then. Deliver. The practical, stuff of course okay how do I build a business while. I'm working a day job what does that look like so. What, is the book it's, for anyone who, wants, a better life, who wants financial. Freedom who wants to create a life, in a business, for themselves to dictate what they do to. Work on something that fulfills, them, something. That you, you can hardly go to sleep at night it because you, you're just excited to wake up the next morning it doesn't matter if it's a Monday if it's a Friday it's a Saturday you're just excited, it doesn't, feel like work it doesn't feel like a job it just fulfills. You and there, are ways to make a living from that no. Matter what that is and, and I truly mean that you know sometimes people are like oh well, what if I just want to you, know go on vacation, what if I just want to play video games no I really truly mean anything. Like I am subscribed to luxury. Travel, youtubers. That like you, know they make money by going, to luxury, resorts, and hotels and reviewing them like you. Can do anything. You want to do and make a living from it does that mean it's easy no it's. Not easy it is easier. Than it has ever been but. It's not easy like if this is zero effort what it used to take is this, much effort and sometimes it was impossible you, know especially a long. Time ago you know decades or hundreds of years ago you, could not live the kind of life we live like even, the kings and queens didn't, and, didn't matter how much effort at some point it became possible with a ton of effort right, now it's very very easy it's, like it takes this relatively. Right like in the big picture it takes. Relatively. Little effort and it is it's. Become, so accessible, to us because of things like the internet but because, it has become, so easy, we've. We've started to believe that it's. Effortless and, effortless, is, not synonymous with easy if this, is no effort this is what we expect we're like I want, to be able to put in no effort and have, everything come to me and and that's just not how it is it is, possible, but. It's not going to be easy now, I think it can, become simple, meaning. What, you need to do is not, complex. It's, very simple, that, doesn't mean it's easy I know. I believe, waking, up early can make you more successful can you succeed as a night owl yes I consider.

Myself A night owl you, know I'm the oldest of 13 kids. Which. I think, I reveal in the book I'm. Pretty sure I revealed that in the book there, was never a dull moment at, home there there are always kids there was always noise I'm. Very introverted I have a bean bag in my office I'd love to just sit in it and think. And process. And I. Didn't. Have that time growing up you know it wasn't until about 1 or 2 a.m. that I would get that time to think and, process and have that quiet and so, that's what I did you know I started a business when I was 16, I'm. 29, now as of this recording I'll. Be 30 later in the year so we're talking 13, 14 years ago started. My first business at home and I. Would work late I would be up at 1:00 and 2:00 a.m. because that's when it was quiet that was my time that's when I could think so. If. You are a night owl I empathize, with that I understand, but. I, audited. Myself, I compared. My output, when, I woke up early to, when I stayed up late and worked when, I worked after, I had the baggage, of the day and the energy spent from the day versus. Giving. My best giving, my first to. The thing that I was passionate about early. In the morning and I hate waking up early like, I I don't actually like, waking, up early but as we'll talk about you know and as we go into in later chapters I thought. That I like it I don't like leaving a warm bed I get it I like. Who I am when I do and. That's the important, part so it's things, like that you know it's, it's simple. Wake, up early it's, not easy all, right so. Getting. The life you want financial. Freedom being, able to do what you want I mean that, means starting a business right, but you don't have to think of it as like I'm a, business, person it's like no you, can make money multiple, different ways and if you're able to make money from something you do you, have a business especially, in the eyes of the government you know you make over a few hundred dollars they're. Gonna want a piece of that right because, you have a business so my. Book overlap. Is about helping someone go from where, they are now to where. They, want to be without losing, everything that's important, to them along the way like their health their, relationships. Their family, right, the this book is not written for the. It's. Not especially specifically. Written for the young person the teenager, the 20 year old the college-age. Kid, it's, actually, written for someone, who and, don't get me wrong it will absolutely help, people right like there's so much in here it will absolutely help people who were in that place especially people who are young I did think about my younger siblings when, I wrote this and I'm excited to be. Able to give this to them to help them save a lot of time the time that I wasted but hopefully for, good, reason, because I help people avoid that but, it. Was actually more specifically, specifically. Written for people with, responsibilities. With families, with kids with, you, you can't just jump out of the plane and build the parachute on the way down right theoretically.

Could You do that maybe. Do. You know someone who's done it possibly. But, who do you not hear from all the people who didn't. Make it and went splat right now I just don't think that's a practical strategy some people can do it some, people can just quit their job, go. Out and start, their own thing and pursue their passion and and they make it right you hear about those stories you, don't hear about all the other stuff right it's, it's the survivorship. Bias right. But, I care about all the other stuff I want you to avoid falling, flat on your face and losing. Everything that's important to you so this book overlap, was written for you if you have especially. A family especially kids especially, responsibilities. And you can't take a ton of risks, it's, not going to be this leap right it's a trans, if you think of like a timeline. Or you, know if you ever edit, videos you've got your different video tracks and audio tracks, it's, an overlap. Right, on the timeline it's, not just this leap it's not this cut on the, video where you jump from one thing to the next it's a transition, right, that's the only way to not take crazy risks that could result in you losing everything important to you so, that's what overlap is that's what the book is about and of, course, I have, to I have to, bundle. That up into one tagline right start a business while working full time job and it's, so much more than that but you know you marketing. Right so. Alright. Get. The life you want so this. Is the first chapter, how. Can you go from a day job you don't like you're. In a place doing, something you feel like it's just sucking, your soul away it's, not what you want to be doing you have this vision of a thing that you want to do this is where you want to be you. Know people can make a living doing that you know they can make money but how do you actually do that where do you even start, is it, possible, is it is it just luck, you know may-maybe its, chance, maybe, it's mabeline, like who knows what it is but like can it work for you hopefully someone got, that, how.

Can You achieve the life you want I think. There's two options you. Can quit right now try. And do everything that you want to do all at once and hope that it works out maybe. She's born with it right and says, you. Can hope for the best, or you, can overlap, overlap. Is something that's more purposeful, so, you're. Not just quitting your job you're. Setting, up a foundation, the. Day job is a. Functional. Piece to this puzzle as, we'll talk about the, day job is the foundation. From which you, overlap, to the thing you want to do the, day job pays the bills the day job covers your expenses the, day job helps. You not, get, into scarcity, mindset. Scarcity. Mindset is where, you become desperate, for the money so what happens if you just quit, your job cold turkey and you. You you hope it all works out is you start to do this thing, photography. Art, well. Development, app you, know whatever, it is right you start to do this thing and now you need to make money there, is financial pressure, on this, thing think of it like a tree when, a tree is young. It's. It's a sapling right really really thin if you've ever planted a tree you know you, you might put a little fence. Around it maybe three four feet high try, and keep animals, from trampling over it you don't want to run over it with the mower right, it's just it's it's a sapling right you want to protect it you don't you don't lean against, it when you're tired from a hard day's work like, you would a strong oak tree that's fifty years old because, it would crush it right, it's it's too young it has not taken root, it needs, to be protected. The. Young tree the sapling is your passion and and. When you quit, your job when, you leave. The thing that covers your bills and you. Impose, that financial. Pressure onto the thing that you want to do full-time for a living, you. Put pressure on that thing you you put your weight on that thing prematurely, and it's going to snap you're, going to crush it you will, kill the tree in other words you will kill your passion, that's why I wrote this book the reason, I wrote this book is because I so desperately want, for you not to kill the passion, your. Passion for this thing because. Once it's killed, it's. Gone, it's. Done forever and if, you don't believe me, think. About the, thing that you won't eat the, thing that you will no longer drink because. Of that one time you had, it around. Or near when you were sick. We. We, all have these things maybe it's a maybe, it's a drink maybe it's a medicine maybe it's a flavor you. Know, maybe it's a snack. Or something like that there's something that you associate, with a certain thing often it's like a sickness or something traumatic and you, can't ever eat it again you, may have once liked it could have been a candy bar or something like that and you won't eat it again it is any is anyone resonating, with this does anyone have. Something, like this, once. You kill it once you kill the passion, it's, gone there's. No salvaging, it it's. It has a bad taste, in your mouth and I've. Seen it happen I've seen it happen to so many people people I know people that I care about and I don't want it to happen to you so, I set, out to figure.

Out This complex, problem how can we do the thing you want to do and do, it sustainably, do it in a way that you can do it for the rest of your life be, fulfilled, from it. And. And not have it not. Have your passion for that thing die, how. Can we do that and that's, what overlap is and I'll be honest with you totally honest I don't. Subjectively. Like, all. Of, the solutions and conclusions, the, the logical, conclusions, I've come to in this book I don't, actually like, them like, I I. Don't. Want them there they are just the best thing to get, the desired outcome so if you follow me on that if you, want the best outcome if you want to protect the things and the people that you care about the most and you're willing to do the hard work you're willing to make the sacrifices, you're, willing to follow everything. To the logical, conclusion I hope. That you'll go on this journey with me that is what. This book is about. Daniel. Says I, still. Remember when Sean says give it away give it away, yeah. Some I like to I like to work in a few jokes it's a really dry sense of humor it doesn't always land but you, know you got to take your chances right so, what, I want to do here is I'm. Gonna start I'm gonna share a little bit of my story my backstory, this, is what I go into with the first chapter of the book and like I said this. Is not going to be a reading, of the, book that's not what this series is everything, that I just said that's, not written down that's just my. Story right that's my story around, the book that I've written however, I want, to give you a little bit of a sense of what's. The what the books like what the what the stories are so I'm going to read one. Little excerpt, of. Basically. My first job is like my first or second job in high, school and I'm gonna give you a picture of my journey because, I know a lot of you are, figuring. Things out you don't know what's next or, you do know what's next and you want to get there but you don't know what that transition looks like you don't know how you can make it from here to, there and do it cleanly and and protect. Everything and protect yourself a and I get that and I. Want to give you a sense that if. It ever sounds, like I have some things figured out it's, only because I, look, back and in, retrospect, I'm able to make sense of things it's, not that I had it figured out along the way it's, that I learned a lot of these things the hard way so if you ever hear me in this series getting, fired up getting. Passionate we. Like to call it harsh Sean on the. Podcast it's. Because I'm speaking to my past self I'm. Speaking, with the conviction that I hope the past version, of myself, might, have heeded might, have listened to might have paid attention to so. I want, to roll back the clock kind of show you that the journey is messy, I didn't have it all figured out and I had to do a lot, of things to, figure out what I wanted, to do so gonna. Go over the book here I'm. Gonna talk to you about being. A window, cleaner. The. Window was 40 feet up and, we. Weren't sure how we were going to do it or how to get to it rather the. House near the lake had three stories, and the window we wanted to reach was at the very top. We'll. Have to use the 30 to. Our. 32 foot ladder was always strapped to the truck but, we rarely ever used it no. We weren't robbing, the place we, were window cleaners and most, residential, jobs with two-story, houses required, no more than a 24, foot ladder. 32. Would get us to the edge of, the top roof but. Once we got there the highest window was another 10 feet up we. Could bring the four up with us I'll, hold it for you I, don't. Know I said I knew, the four foot ladder would work I also knew it meant I'd have to stand on the very top part that says do not stand, on, my. Partner assured me he'd hold the base of the smaller ladder and it would be fine but. I knew he would be at the top of the 32 foot ladder himself, it. Seemed like a bad idea, being. A teenager I decided, we should do it I, can't.

Even Tell you how I got there but the next thing I knew I was standing on the 4 foot ladder near, the edge of the roof of a three-story, building I, leaned. Over and extended, my arm as far as it would go to wipe off the last few drops of water from, the corner of the window woaaa. Said my friend struggling to keep the ladder still I shot. Him a threatening look at. This point I started, to rethink things, not. Just our precarious, position. But all of my life and career choices that had led up to this moment, window. Washing was a, exhilarating. Adventurous. Memorable. Dangerous. Sweaty grueling, job, the. People you worked with were like family that's. How we thought of each other anyway because, if. You're going to die you want to be around family. Fortunately. I didn't, die we somehow made, it out alive as we always did but, I wasn't, keen on continuing, to roll the dice so. Started, out as a window cleaner didn't. Really want to keep doing that for obvious, reasons. Went, on to start, doing computer, repair now. What I actually skipped, over in the book just, because you know for. The sake of brevity you know we go, over so many different things but I actually, was was in a band full-time and I, was in a band with, my podcast, co-host, Ben Tolson. So. We were actually for a period, there we were technically. Full-time, with the band and that's actually why I left, the, window cleaning job so. We, were touring touring around a little bit you know playing for. Events, and camps, and things like that and it. Was good you know we were able to make money while we did that and we were able to pay our bills, until. We weren't and, you. Know we were calling it full-time oh yeah we're in a band but, we weren't, making full-time. Kind of money so at this point you know we still wanted, to keep playing music, and rather than just stop, that and go find another job each. Of us in the band started. Our own business, our. Own individual, businesses, and for me that was computer. Repair so. You.

Know I I had, built. My own computers. When I was like 13 or 14 years old I, was, kind of dabbling and, like web design and my dad was teaching me programming. And I didn't really know which direction I would go I just knew I liked computers. Like building, them using, them coating, on them designing, on them surfing, the web like I just knew I wanted to do something with that so, I started, doing computer, repair because I would hear people around, me friends and family there saying aha my computer slow and I'm like I know, all, the reasons it's slow and I can fix it for you so I started. Passing out flyers literally, went door-to-door, designed. Some fliers printed, them made copies, got. Some friends recruited, some friends and we, just canvassed. Some neighborhoods, like, door by door we just put flyers on it I don't know if we were supposed, to do it but that's what we did and started, getting work started. Getting more work and then next thing you know it wasn't long before I got into this. Neighborhood. This it was like a kind of a retirement, type of a neighborhood you know people were a little bit older didn't know how to use computers so much but, they had them they needed to get on their, email they wanted to get in touch with the grandkids right and they, were, just having trouble it was slow they didn't know how to fix it and so someone. Passed out my name in that community, and this community had, a newsletter. Like. I'm, pretty sure it was an actual newsletter, like they printed it and send it to people if someone typed it up you know and, what. Do people use to make newsletters, back in a day like. Some kind of you know some. Kind of basic, program it looks totally, templated, it looks totally nerdy right but they would recommend service providers, in here and once. I got in someone. Recommended, me they told people about me they said this, guy can help you. He. Can fix your computer he can make it faster you know they're just giving me great, feedback great, recommendations. And reviews in there and so people started calling me turning, down my AC because it's getting warm people. Started calling me to come out and repair, their computers, so, next. Thing you know they would refer me again in the next by weekly, newsletter, and so I was in this perpetual loop, like, I would get more jobs and they would all write about me and there was it's just a little dinky newsletter there's no rules so it's like anytime anyone writes in a recommendation for, a service provider you're.

In The next newsletter it's not like this, guy's been in the newsletter a lot maybe give someone else a break like there, was nothing like that and I did not have to pay for, this advertising. This is my first business and I'm learning the power of, word-of-mouth. Right. Just getting jobs from people recommending. And sharing these you, know with their friends so I'm, doing all this work work, next thing you know it's. Getting so busy that, I I can't, do it all myself so I actually brought, on someone to help me do, the jobs and I was getting requests from people cuz, it's a lot of these residential. Owners they, owned businesses, like they were kind of you know somewhat. Retired or whatever but they owned businesses. That, maybe they had other people managing or whatever and they said hey can you do, work, for our business and I, said sure so I started kind of getting these commercial, clients and I go in and I do networking, and, and I would work on a bunch of computers, at once and then. They started saying can you update. Our website can you do web, maintenance, and things like that and I said yes. And, I, didn't know how but I was. Committed to learn how I was committed to do it and so, I started, doing a little bit of web stuff on the side and next thing you know I was actually getting more, web, design work than I was, computer, repair work so, I was really enjoying that because, at this point. We. Had kind of slowed things down with, the band and we said all right look let's call us what it is it's, not really full-time anymore, kind, of need to hibernate this and so, I, stepped, down from the band and just. Went full-time with the computer repair stuff but what I didn't anticipate is that there would be this creative, void in my, life and at, the time you know I I didn't know what to do about that now, when, I will, talk about day job stuff later in future lectures, but I highly. Recommend that people get a day job in a different industry than, their, passion, because. You, want to come home from your day job with. Energy. To, pursue the thing you want to do and if your day job is in the same industry, as your passion, it's, going to use the kind of creative energy you, need to pursue your passion, that's why you come home from the day job exhausted. And collapsed. On the couch now, for me I didn't, have all this figured out back then but what I did know is there, was this creative, void my. I liked the computer, work you know solving problems things that but man.

The Music, you know I love making music and being creative and there there wasn't that element, and so, what it did was it was kind of this this, juxtaposition you, know that the, computer, work was great and it paid the bills but, I wanted to make things I wanted to be creative, and so when, I found in the web work and the design work is that I was able to be creative, you know exercise those, creative. Juices so. I was actually enjoying doing. Design, even, more than the computer repair and I, think that enjoyment, is what, led to the design work flourishing. I started, doing that in my nights and weekends. And essentially, this was, my first, overlap. Right. Like I was paying the bills but, I was filling that creative, void in the nights and weekends I think you you know what this is like you've. Got the thing that pays the bills and at least you don't hate it if you do we'll talk about that but it, pays the bills but it's not fulfilling, you that's, actually good because, it's going to drive you to find that thing to work on that thing outside of your day job and that's exactly what I did and began, to flourish I had. Too much work more work than I could handle so, once again I needed, help I brought. On a partner, and and, you know I was at the time building, the websites coding, them designing, them doing all of it but I really liked the design aspect, I liked, being creative, and so I had a friend who was a coder he was a web developer, working at a local agency not getting paid super well and I, was able to talk him into starting, up a partnership with me so we had a web firm that, we ran for several years so so. Far we've gone from window. Cleaner to. You. Know rocking musician. To computer. Repair guy like, put on a collared, shirt like, he still looks like a musician, with a collared shirt but. He's working for himself you know so he makes his own dress code to. Building, websites and now starting this partnership web firm I'd later, go on to sell the, computer repair business it, only had one employee, you, know I learned a lot of stuff from it but I. Wish. I would have learned to grow, that and delegate, but that would come in later, years with future businesses, so, you. Know the next part of the story is while I'm the web firm I'm, enjoying this but it does start to kind of take on this form of a job, again you. Know I I enjoyed, aspects, of it just like you may enjoy aspects, of your, day job but. It there, was still that itch on the side that creative. Void for me once again and so, I'm working 10 hours a day at the, at the web firm I had, also just gotten married at this point and in hi warned, lacy my wife I said you. Know I'm running two businesses right, now starting a new one it's. Gonna be crazy like it's it's gonna be hectic like are you sure you want to do this and you. Know she was on board so like she she. Comes on board and like you. Know I'm working ten hours a day well, in addition, to the ten hours a day I, started. Creating hand. Lettering, on the side I had, been admiring some people online who were drawing, letters you know custom, lettering, drawn, by hand I thought. That's so cool cuz I used to do that type of thing in middle school just doodling, on my homework and I. Actually, met up with a designer, he was coming into town and he said hey you know he reached out I found, you online you want to get coffee and so. You know this is one of the guys I looked up to that that, was creating this awesome art and, I said I had so cool and I'm like I wish it you know I wish that was something I could do because I had this idea in, my mind I don't know where it came from I don't, know who planted it there, society. A person, a relative I don't know but it, was, that if, I'm going to do this maybe. It was myself right I don't maybe I want me to blame someone but if I'm going to do, this it needs to be something that can, turn into a business it needs to be something that can support me I don't. Know why I put that financial. Pressure on it but that's what I thought it had to be maybe because that had been my, experience all along you know doing music making, money from it computer, repair making, money from it design making money from it if I'm gonna do hand lettering there better be a way to make money from it and make a living from it and of course there's not that's.

What I told myself, but. This, friend said hey if you love it just. Do it just create, because you, love to make it and that. Sounds like the silliest, dumbest, thing now when I say it but it was as if he gave me permission it. Was like he set me free to, you. Know I actually just tweeted, this yesterday, as I. Record this so you know this will go on the future but you. Have. To give yourself an. Exploratory. Phase we'll. Talk more about this probably probably in next, week's lecture. You. Need to give yourself an exploratory. Phase you're, putting too much pressure on yourself to make this thing a reality that. That generates. Income and hopefully, pays your bills that, pressure, is, too. Much it's. All of your weight leaning against the young sapling, you, have to remove that pressure and you don't even know if this is the thing you want to do you, don't know if this is a thing you enjoy doing you. Have to be able to explore. And do and try, free. From obligation, free, from from financial, pressure I didn't, know this but I was fortunate enough to be. Given, permission so. To speak by this friend and so when I started doing no. Joke like this is I've told, the story for four years like you can go back you know you can see stuff for, six, to eight hours a day outside. Of my 10 hour a day day job I, created. Lettering, I would. Be at my desk I did, not watch Netflix, at the time Netflix, existed, at the time I didn't watch Netflix, I didn't, go out partying. I didn't hang out with friends I didn't, play video games for, like recently, I've been enjoying playing some video games here and there I did, not play video games for, a decade, like, in my, mid-teens, my. Friends, had like a console, and so I'd play like once a month or something but, from like 16. To 28. No. Video games like, just I completely. Skip that I love it I actually do love it but I just get that I put all of it into lettering I poured myself into this passion not, knowing, what would come of it someone. Says pressure paralysis. I. Just. Invested, in this passion because I love doing it and I think that's the piece that's missing especially, today because a, lot. Of the things I'm saying you know hopefully they're resonating with you but also a lot of them are not new in in. This day and age you know the fact that you can make a living from random. Things whatever you're passionate about that's not a new message anymore and I, actually think that's working against people the. Reason I think it's working against you is because, you know the possibilities. You. Know the potential, that. This thing has you know that you could eventually. Make a living, and because. You know that's possible and because you've seen it before him because you follow people who already do. You. Put that pressure on yourself immediately, and it's. Crippling it's, it's paralyzing, it you can't do that there has to be this period. Of exploration, of doing enough trying unfortunately. I had that and and, I didn't care about the outcome I wasn't trying to make money I wasn't trying to be famous I was, creating, six to eight hours a day because I loved, it what. Is that thing for you what. Is the thing that when, you do it the act of doing it fulfills you you love it it, invigorates. You it makes you come alive and, if, you don't know what that thing is we're gonna talk next week about finding, that how do you discover, that when, you don't know when you have no idea when, you have too many ideas we're. Gonna help narrow it you know I'm gonna help you narrow that down we're gonna we're gonna walk through that we're gonna talk through it, but. What is that thing what. Is the thing that makes you come alive what, is that thing that you could work six to eight hours a day on because, you love the process of doing it and you don't care whether you make money from it or whether you build an audience. Maybe. The thing you're doing right now you're. Actually doing it because you, want to build an audience and you think it's not worth it and you think you're. Worthless or there's no point if you don't build an audience, maybe. You think it's you know it's. Worth doing if it, goes viral it's, worth doing if you get some likes you. Know this was this was before likes. You, know like the but I didn't care about that back then I was posting, my work I was sharing my work every day he places like Instagram, and.

Essentially. I showed, up every day, for, two years showed. Up every day for, two years and something, happened I don't know what it was something. Happened two years in and some. Of you you know you've been doing something for two years and you're like I'm not getting the results I'm not talking about doing something for two years I'm talking. About showing up every. Day for. Two years the. Point at which you show up every day is the point at which the, clock starts that's. When the two-year, countdown, begins, and the, end of that countdown is is, not like that's, not the culmination, of everything that that is simply the inflection, point that. Is where you will start to notice results. That's. Where things are going to start to click and you'll understand, and you'll. Also realize that it's not about two years but by the time that comes you'll, understand, the principle, of why I recommend, it two, years in people, started to notice my hand lettering that I, was creating every day you know hundreds of pieces of it they, started to ask if they could hire me if they could buy, my work on prints and t-shirts, and so you, know I did, a couple Commission's I saved, that money because remember this is on the side I had the web firm the day job I was paying all the bills this was on the side in addition. To the day job I saved. The money I started, using my practice, time to do commissions right so, six. To eight hours a day I was just creating for myself and when people started asking I would, replace that time creating, for myself with creating for clients and making money I saved. That money and I. Reinvested. It in runs. Of t-shirts, which, you know t-shirt printers have minimum runs and you have to meet those runs. And. It can be really expensive you know it was like over $1000, and. Just to get the first t-shirt printed which was a lot for me then still. A lot like that is a lot of money right there are cheaper ways to do things now but I wanted to do it myself I wanted, to sell it myself on my own platform, kind of you know long game style, right the. Shirt sold out and so. I reprinted, it and it sold out again and I, reprinted, it and it sold out again and it just just, kept selling, out you know I made more prints, and those. Kept selling out and I. Was like wow this is really really cool and and, so what. What. Would I'll talk about later in. This series is, curation. Which is. You. Know think of a magazine think, of an Instagram, account that you follow that is about one specific, thing they. Curate. Right they they are selective. About, what they project it's, why you subscribe, to anything because you know you can expect more of the same I was. Doing a lot back then in the web firm and on, the side was. Designing websites user, interfaces. Doing, screencasts. Videos. Illustration. Animation. Icon, design hand. Lettering all of this stuff right and you know what I used to do I used to project it all I. Would. Share it all every single thing I worked I worked. On every single thing I made I would share it I would post it publicly and you, know what people thought when they saw me you know you know what they thought I was about. They. Had no idea. How. Can you have any idea, of what someone's about when, they project everything, when. You project everything, you. Project nothing. You're. Not specific. People don't understand, what you're about they can't process you so. Yeah as I said we'll talk about it more but I began to put out only hand lettering I was, still doing all, of the other stuff but, I held it all back and shared. Only, one thing the thing I wanted to be known for and when, I did that and. When I looked back that was, the inflection. Point in the growth of my audience, fast. Forward, I was, able to, several. Years in the web firm we hibernated, the firm I went full time with.

The Hand lettering work I started, doing custom. Commissions, worked for the, city of Las Vegas you, know doing a business-to-business ad, campaign, Rachael. Ray magazine, you know some big-name, clients, and was able to get, paid really well like, I learned, about licensing, I was able to make five figures, from you, know hand, lettering jobs of all things just applying my business knowledge I kind of came into the art world through. Business so, already knew about working, with clients I knew about contracts. And you know all of these things it's. Not I'm applying what I learned was. Able to make great money I was actually able to make six figures as a. Hand, lettering artist the thing that I said, there's. No way I can make money from that right so. Meanwhile, I'm creating, people are starting to associate, me with that starting. To get emails from people I don't. Have the screen now I've showed them in other places but, we're talking about, hundreds. Of emails you know half a dozen a day just like, just. A barrage, of emails people asking me how to get started what tools do I use all these questions, so I put a bug guide on the, site and just, here's, here's, the tools I use here's, ten steps the, guide was viewed by over two hundred thousand people in the course of a year so. I'm like okay and, and, as I look back again hindsight. Right there, was a resurgent, interest in hand lettering searches, for the phrase hand lettering from. 2007. To 2011, they went up 1,000. Times or. 1000. Percent I can't remember so it's like yeah, it must have been a thousand percent. Just. Just skyrocketed, and I happen to be in the middle of that so. I mean, it is, it luck sure. Is it preparedness. Sure. You, know but as they say luck favors the prepared now. There, were a lot of other things I did and showed up to and showed up to and showed up to that they. Didn't work right, but, as you. Show up every day for, two years you, increase your chances of being in the right place at the right time you increase your chances of being prepared, when it matters and when it counts so, that's why hundreds, of thousands of people read this guide I thought, well I know, about business because, I've made six figures as an artist, as a hand lettering artist because, I already ran, multiple businesses I get this stuff I didn't, have the starving artist mentality, there's so many artists had so, I was able to be really practical in charge when I'm worth so. I knew the practical, drawing skills because, by this point I put in nine thousand, hours of practice, after some years and I, also knew the business stuff so it's that my, my unique skill is the hybrid, between being, an artist and being a business person you know that that intersection, there is very, rare most. Business most, business, people aren't artists and most artists, aren't, business people right and they they tend, to hate. On people like, artists, who are able to make it and charge money because. They despise that about themselves they. Regret, it they resent it it's crab mentality right. They they don't want to see someone else succeeding, crab. Mentality it's. Another analogy, using the book you. Got crabs in a bucket when. One tries to escape he. Could escape he could actually close way out of the bucket but the other crabs pull him down it's. Like they, don't want to be reminded that hey he started from the bottom and now he's here so. To speak right, if he can get out then. We can get out and I, don't like being reminded of that so there's a crab mentality there's a starving, artist mentality. That pervades. Creative. Industries, and I didn't have that and I, noticed a lot of people were struggling with this so I said hey I'm gonna come in and there's obviously an interest here hundreds of thousands of people reading this guide on a niche, topic, I'm gonna, teach a course that. Is not, just how to draw, letters it's, gonna be 50%, all the technical stuff but, the other 50% is the business, stuff that artists need to succeed.

Long. Story short I launched, a course it makes six figures in the first three days that. Kind of puts me on the map people outside of the art world start. To perk up they're, like whoa, what's going on here like they would like to make six figures on, a course, it's like how, did you do this right, so by this point I've been doing hand lettering for. Several. Years four years at this point and. You. Know people are asking about this I start the Sean West podcast, which now has millions, of downloads I'm sharing, what I learned I just decided I'm gonna iterate, in public I'm, gonna start to answer these questions just, like I made the course and the, guide in response, to all the emails I was getting I'm going, to make a podcast. And start, teaching, and sharing in response to all the emails and the questions I'm getting about how, did you do this how. Were you able to make money, so. When. Ends up happening is I shift to business. I shift, to teaching, people just. Based on the the principles. That that I was following and the way things worked for me I noticed, as I shared these things with people it was able to help them on the podcast we don't specifically, talk about design. Or hand lettering it's just very generally. Creativity. And business it's the intersection, between those two things and I started hearing from people in the real estate industry in the, help health industry you know all these different, you. Know jobs, and. Positions people saying this helped me this gave me clarity and that. Was my fuel no. I I want, to help people get unstuck and so as much as I loved lettering, I found. Just. This newfound. Joy and. Invigoration. In helping. People get unstuck helping, people learn to make a living with their passion, just using my voice my practical. Logical, way of thinking, to, kind. Of break down these complex, problems and help people so, I actually, shifted, like, I haven't actually done lettering, that that was something I did four years ago I haven't, done it since then what's crazy, about the power of curation, is I still, see things, articles. And things you know associating me with that even, though I've moved, on to teaching business that that's how powerful curation. Is when you get very specific people know you for something so, you. Got the business. Stuff which leads to the community, you know the members that we're streaming live to now which, leads, to the conference's, that we've put on you know and and, so now next, thing you know I'm a community. Organizer right, and, so look, at the journey that I've gone on look at all the different things I've done to try and figure out like I didn't even tell you over ten years ago I used. To produce music like. The, shows on the Sean West Network you know Sean was podcasts, those music tracks I produced. Those you. Know I love, to play music I love to produce electronic. Music like a lot, of people don't know this fun fact so Sean. Wes a lot, of people think of that as lettering. Because, that's what I used to do you know for five six seven years ago, more, recently it's about business but before that it was, music. It was, computer, repair like the name has evolved. So. The reason I shared this story, of, my journey in the first chapter, of this book which, is actually a lot shorter, than, today's. Lecture, is I. Want to show you that it's it's kind of messy and maybe. You can make some sense of it looking back but.

You're Gonna figure things out as you go you're gonna go from one thing to the next I don't know what's next, what's. Next for me I don't know I mean, we. Built the community platform that we have. And I know there's a lot of people who want to start their own communities, and they. Don't want it to be on Facebook for a lot of reasons they don't want to use these other solutions and so, they. Need something like we built this from the ground up not to harvest, your data and so so you, know you. Know compromise your privacy, sell your data to advertisers, you know your your ears in your eyes but rather to. Optimize, your experience, as a member like, we, see community. Talk the software we built we spent years building it hundreds. Of thousands of dollars we. Built it for ourselves we, built it for our own community, because, we care about that experience, what. We found is other people, are interested in that too so it's like okay well maybe we, should make this available to people maybe we should build, a software company we still haven't done that we still haven't launched that but that, could be in the future you know it's. Something that will may. I don't know that we'll talk about it in this series it was actually a difficult decision but I had to omit. Sabbaticals. From, this book so, I really, actually wanted, to include sabbaticals. In overlap. Sabbaticals. As I mentioned at the the top of the lecture. Is. This. Concept, I came up with where we take off a week every, seventh week you know every seventh week we take off work six weeks take, off a seventh week I really. Really believe in that but it's it's so involved, that topic. No. I I want, I want to share that message I want to help people I believe we're all like low-level, chronically, burnout and I, want to solve that but it's such a involved, topic I couldn't include it in this book so. It's actually gonna be my, my, next book. So. If you do pick up a copy of the, overlap book at over, that book calm, that's, gonna help out meet. My production, you know my writing, of the next book sabbatical, so I guess, I probably won't talk about that in this series but um honestly. Truly. I'm, so passionate about that I could very well see, another. Season, in my, life in the future where that's. All I'm about like. I write that book I speak. Only about, sabbaticals. I can, sort with teams help them implement sabbaticals. In their organizations. Talk about the benefits of that like I'm very, big on that mission but it's like who knows who knows what's, in my future who knows what's in your future who, knows what's next for, you, the.

Thing Is the thing you do next almost. Certainly, won't be the thing you do for, the rest of your life it just. Almost certainly won't be theirs their seasons, you look back on your life and you see these different seasons, where, you lived in a certain place you did a certain thing you know and and there's clearly. Delineated. Seasons, of your life and there's. Almost certainly not only, one, season, for the rest of your life there's probably going to be several. More it could be two three five twelve you don't know but. Take the pressure off of making, this next thing be, the perfect, thing take, the pressure off of this next thing being, the thing you do for the rest of your life instead. Just let it be the next thing because the next thing is going, to lead you to the, thing after that so, all you need to do right now is take. That first step take. That first, imperfect. Step in front, of you cuz you can't steer a parked car, you're. Just sitting here you're. Not moving you, can't you can't course-correct. Like, start taking. A step just, just start moving start going, in a direction don't worry about whether that's the right direction or not because if you're moving if you, have movement you. Can course correct you. Can steer, you can figure things out and that's what it's gonna be it's not going to be a straight line you've seen the diagrams, before it's. Gonna be really crazy and messy but it's. Generally, going to trend, in a certain direction and it. All starts with that first step so. I think. That's gonna do it for the first lecture I had no idea what this was going to be going into it I hope, you enjoyed that I'm enjoying, it and. I also just wanted there to be. It's. I don't, know if anyone's done this like. People. Do. Videos. They, do shows, and then they write a book and I. Did that no, I did hunt nearly, hundreds, of episodes of Thomas TV we've, done 300 episodes, of 350. His podcast I've done many many hundreds of shows over the years and I, consolidate, a lot of a lot of that into, this. Book you know like, I put a lot into it and I came up with this book but, I don't, know that I've seen anyone, then take, that book and, redeliver. It in their own words in video form and that's, what I wanted to do it's like I wanted, I don't, know if this is like a video. Version, of a book or if. It's just like a companion, to the book but I. Don't, know I felt weirdly, compelled to do this the book exists, in eBook. What's. The other thing the the hardcover, version obviously. Audiobook. Which, is like maybe, eight hours long edited, but, now we have a video version which, i think is really cool and the video version is actually going to be way. Longer if we kind of go with this trend you know gonna. Be dozens of hours but I hope you enjoyed it hope you got something out of it let me know what, you liked what you didn't like what you hope to see questions. You have, thoughts. That you, had while listening to this ideas. I, mean. I I, want your feedback I want this to be a dialogue so if you, are listening live. You. Know thank. You for tuning in if you had any questions now. Would be a good time I might stick around for a few more seconds grab, a few questions otherwise, I'll probably, wrap. This up I see a couple people typing. So. Give them just a second while I get one, more drink of water yeah. This was fun so if you're, not already listening. On the podcast. Again. I'm, making this available as an audio episode, it will be a separate podcast so if you if, you listen to the Sean West podcast, which is the show we do weekly, these. This, lecture series will not be on there it will, be on a podcast called the you know Sean west TV podcast. So. As Sean west TV this channel as a podcast. You know the audio format so to, find that you can go to Sean, West dot TV, slash. Podcast, and I'll, have a link in the description for that so.

James, Says your parents must brag about you to their friends and they should I like, the additional information about your life well thanks, James that's very kind my parents, are, amazing, and I've actually. Been thinking about this a lot lately I, am. Just incredibly, grateful. For, my upbringing. My, parents just did a phenomenal, job an amazing, job and my. Brother, Cory. Actually made, a film a documentary film, about me. Writing. This. Book overlap, in one. Month so, before, I set out to do this cuz. I wrote this book in, July. Of 2016. In, October. Of 2015, I. Told. My team I need to write this book I'm not gonna write this book unless I set aside time. So. I'm gonna set aside a month so, back in October, of 2015 I said I'm taking off July of 2016 to write this book so everyone knew because I planned it and I got it done and I, documented the whole thing and live streamed and journaled and all that well. Cory my brother he, said hey would, it be okay if I follow along while you write this book can, i film you can I tell a story about, you writing this book and I said knock yourself out so. He actually showed. Up on different days you know we're like I was doing my morning routine waking, up at 4:30, running. Sitting. Down to write sometimes writing more than 10,000, words in a day he documented, that whole process and I, had no idea what story he was gonna tell I just said do whatever you want let's find a film and I. Said just do whatever you want so the story he told includes. Some. Footage that, he took, of my parents he went up to my, parents house and interviewed. Them like, what do you think about this what do you think about what Shawn's doing, and so. You you can find that that documentary. Film is at over. That book calm you can watch the whole thing it's embedded on the page, and. And. You can see that they're just absolutely incredible. People, and I had just a wonderful upbringing I remember recently my dad. He. Sent. Me a link he said hey I found this on my web server it was a bunch of photos from you I think this must have been from your graduation. Wish. It was a long time ago over a decade and you. Know I looked at the photos and. There. Were so many photos. In this big list of me, as a young kid you know there's my brothers and stuff but, there, was my dad you know in these photos with us and I was like man that's. Not easy like. Being. There for. Your kids as a dad that's. Not easy and I understand, that I understand, the. Surface, level of that not even the whole thing just as someone, who's married and been married for eight years it's. It's, it's. A challenge it's an effort to spend. Quality, purposeful. Time with. My wife not, because she's not amazing, but because you, know I have, I have all these things I want to do you know I'm a selfish, ambitious. Person right it's of. Course I want to spend time with her but like the kind of quality time that I should those, of you who are married know that it doesn't come easy and and we all feel busy, and overloaded, and I. Know that's difficult and I make an effort and I schedule, time and you know I invest, in that but man. I can't imagine being, married and also, having, kids and just, the level of sacrifice a lot of you know you, know and my hat is off to you like, it's just incredible, and so I realized like looking at these old photos like man there. I was when I was two there I was when I was six and ten and twelve and you know there was my dad and he took. Me to sports, and took me to you, know camping. And all this stuff and it's, just like and of, course that's that's my dad right I'm looking at these photos and I I appreciated, him but my. Mom she homeschooled, us you, know she invested, in us she believed in us she, they, would say like I have the hand of Midas, whatever.

I Touch turns to gold like they believed, in, me and that's, why I have the confidence I do and I know people and I've seen people who, did not have that and it, turned out a different way and, it's just it's, incredible, it's it's amazing, to me to see just, the difference. That makes just, absolutely, astonishing, so yeah incredible. Incredible, people of good parents. Anique, says the just get moving and the direction can change was a turning point for me and a really good way to look at it I think, you did mention it before in one of the podcasts. Daniel. Says I trouble, to balance relationships, and entrepreneurship. In fact this has been my biggest struggle for the last year or two so, I mean definitely. Stick around because this. Is not an uncommon, thing which, is why I have a whole chapter in the book on it like we're, gonna do a whole a, whole lecture. Dedicated. To, this getting, your spouse on board you, know like and and, that's not as fun as you think it's gonna be it's not just like yeah support, me come on you know it's it's gonna involve investment, on your part you've, got to take respo

2018-05-19 11:45

Other news