I wonder if anybody in Australia could help me with this
 

I have an unusual situation that needs to be resolved and I'm hoping somebody here might be able to help me with it. Especially if you know people in Australia.

Okay, this is it.

I'm a stay-at-home dad. That's been my primary occupation for 18 of the past 21 years.

I haven't had an earned income since I quit my last 'real job' in 1998. I've never earned more than $14,000 in any one year ever. I've never owned a car. I've never had a credit card.

For all my adult life, I've been either broke or in low paying jobs. I have money 'issues'. In my head. From the 'proud to be poor' culture I grew up in. I had it trained into me when I was a child that I would never have any money and the training is still there. I'm working on it. But that's not really what I want to talk about right now.

The thing is, I'm doing creative stuff that I could turn into something commercial, but I'm totally clueless about business. Since I was never going to have any money, what was the point of learning any of that stuff? I have a big lump of cotton wool in my mind as far as business is concerned. It's an alien culture. I have a whole library of business and marketing information, etc, on my hard drive and it just goes over my head.

My major problem right now, though, as far as that's concerned, is my reference group.

My wife of more than 30 years has, I think, given up on me ever getting my head around anything that makes money. Everybody I know knows that I never have any money. Nobody expects me to change.

I'm finding it really hard to make changes in that atmosphere.

What I need is a more supportive reference group to help me out. Not that I want to trade in any of the people currently in my life, of course, but what I would love is to have some means of socialising with like minds when I need to. Not something formal like a business club - I'd just be in amongst people talking about things I don't understand and feeling like a dill. Not really a group of high powered entrepreneurs, either. I'm not a high powered person. Something informal. But the kind of people who are interested in the kinds of things the people here are interested in.

That's why I'm fishing here for ideas. I'm not sure what it is I'm looking for and I'm hoping somebody with a wider knowledge of these things might have a suggestion. I have had a scout around locally and online but didn't find anything that looked the part. I guess what I mean is some way of connecting with people here in Australia who are on my wavelength as far as my interests are concerned but I won't be uncomfortable with them because I know nothing about business. Doesn't have to be actually here in Canberra, face to face, although that would be excellent.

Anyway, I'm not sure I've explained my predicament that well, but if anybody has an idea or suggestion, I'll be glad of it.

Thanks!

Bob

Re: I wonder if anybody in Australia could help me with this
 

hi bob and thanks for asking ...

how long have you been selling onlline ? went to your site and was amazed at the product, since you seem to be looking for a life goal...

at any rate, what I have done is to list the 10 favorite 'things to do ' in my life ..

list the 10 happiest times in my life ...

my hobbies and spare time activities...

using these as a guideline, I am working to combine as many of those 'things' into my life work as is possible...

also, have listed the 10 most avoided activities ...these would indicate to me areas where I need to challenge myself and pursue some correction ..

thanks
bob

I am , dont know the word exactly , confused when people 'discover' the solution to a life problem , stress release, goal setting, life moments....then go out , make a set of cd's and sell the damn thing...

IF YOU have a solution to a REAL life problem, I...many the only one if the world...feel that you are obligated to GIVE it away to as many people as you possible could... talk about 'paying if forward'

said the same thing to a guy who knows how to cure cancer with his vitamin protocol...just imagine how many people he would have as customers if he gave the system away for free...

anyway, thanks for posting and good luck to ya

Re: I wonder if anybody in Australia could help me with this
 

Thanks for asking Bob.

You've found a great place to hang out - right here.

Skills:

* If you state your skills and things you like - we could also help you with something more specific.

* If you have a toastmasters or any other public speaking group near you - join it. Public speaking is one of the most important skills you can have.

* Another very important skill is marketing and persuasion. You can start by reading books on remote and direct marketing and copywriting in your spare time.

* You may want to read this book. I find it to be one of the best self improvement books out there:
Success Is Just One Wish Away - by Jon Spoelstra
http://www.ankeshkothari.com/success.pdf

Money Management

* Another book that I recommend you read is
The Richest Man in Babylon.
But I don't think thats available for free. You may want to try your library or buy it from amazon.com

* Even if you earn $14000 a year - make a habit of saving 5-10% of it. Open a new account in the same bank and make an arrangement so that 5 or 10% of all your deposits are automatically routed to that other a/c.

* After 2-3 years - that savings can be put to a much better use.

* Start keeping track of your income and expenses to the last penny. "Everything that is watched improves."

* The main idea is spending less than you earn. And then parlaying your savings.

* Risk management is the key to parlaying. Don't give in to temptations. Go for the lower risk but more secure opportunities in the beginning. Once you have enough to diversify (or have some kind of a safety net) - then go for the risky ventures.

Time Management

* I'm a big fan of writing down goals. Because it helps me focus. Write down just 3 things you will focus on - on any given month.

* Create a "list dump" - a notebook - and write down all the ideas that you come by besides the 3 you are focusing on - in that notebook. When one of the 3 is done, open that notebook and replace it with another idea.

* Create a Do-Not-Do list. And add all the distractions and time wasters to that list. This could be doing something or even people. Don't call so-and-so unless the work for the day is done. Don't check emails more than twice a day. Things like that.

* Watch less TV.

People

* If your local newspaper has an affordable classified section, maybe you can place an ad and start a mastermind group. Or maybe you could post it on craigslist or some other local website.

Just say you are starting a local mastermind group - and if people are interested, they can call you. You can meet at a quite coffee place or a room in the library or something - once a week.

* Start writing 1 thank you letter a day and post it to one new person. Its not an easy habit to form - writing 1 thank you letter a day. But it is well worth it. Maybe this could be one of the goals for your mastermind group - where everyone keeps track and makes sure that they write 1 thank you letter a day.

Theoretically, its not that hard. Time. Money. People. Skills. Thats all you have to master.

But being consistent and persistent is the main thing.

Re: I wonder if anybody in Australia could help me with this
 

Has it really been a week since my original post? Maybe that's part of my predicament, that everything has to wait its turn until I can get to it.

Thank you Bob and Ankesh for your ideas. I appreciate your help.

It was good to put some things in writing that I'd never been able to share with anyone before. The feedback from this forum has been very helpful in moving my thinking closer to getting to what I can really do about what's really on my mind.

I spent several hours yesterday writing out the entire story of what I've been doing online over the past five years and some very interesting thoughts emerged from the exercise that I'll be following up on.

Thanks again.

I'll be back. :)

Bob