Hi Julie!

> Good news! I am really feeling back to my
> old self these days. It is amazing, I had
> been so UN-me for so long (pregnancy and
> post partum will do that!) that I had
> forgotten what it is like to feel like my
> normal, passionate self!

Julie, that's great news! I'm very happy that you're back to your terrific self! :)

> Today I was spending my quiet time and came
> up with this question which I thought I
> would toss out to all you passionate people
> as well.

> What is YOUR next big thing?

> Or What is YOUR next "thing"?
> Doesn't HAVE to be big to be significant.

> Lets talk about it, and how to inspire each
> other on to the next level.

Julie, I've had an eventful week.... I think it could be one of those "turning points" that happen every now and then in your life....

The recent topics of discussion here have really stimulated me. On Wednesday, I took a drive, to a seaside suburb of Melbourne (where I live), called St. Kilda....

While I was there, I walked along the beach, then out on the pier. This pier is a nice one -- it has a cafe/restaurant at the end.... It's also next to a marina. So you can sit there, eating your food or sipping your drink, surrounded by the ocean and the boats bobbing in the water....

I brought my notebook with me. I didn't know what I was going to do with it yet, but I thought I ought to bring it just in case!

It was a glorious sunny day. (We're in the middle of winter here in Australia, but it's not that cold by North American or European standards....) I ordered a hot cup of mocha, and some french fries (or "chips" as we say downunder), and sat enjoying the sunshine and the view....

Somewhere, in my subconscious, it knew why I brought that notebook. I began to write down what I was doing.... EXACTLY what it was that I do.

I listed ALL the "jobs" I do for my various activities. I tried to list each separate job, as if what I was doing was a bigger business....

Those who have read "The E-Myth Revisited" may notice the influence here. Although I read that book perhaps a couple of years ago, I'm finally putting it into practice.... I stored the information away, and the time was now right.

I discovered the incredible number of "jobs" I am doing! I think in all, I listed almost 20 "jobs"....

What this has done is it has clarified all the definable tasks I do to run my businesses.

Having clarified this, I can now see more clearly how to get to the stage where I have employees doing some of these "jobs" for me. I can see myself employing some people, probably initially part-time, then eventually full-time, to take over many of these tasks....

What this also does is that it means my potential growth is larger. Instead of being limited by what I can do as a single person, I'm only limited by the opportunity which is out there.... (And one thing I've learned the past year is that the opportunities seem to be boundless!)

So, I no longer see myself now as a "one person show," as some put it. I see myself as a fully-fledged business, with many different jobs involved within it. At this stage, I'm doing all the jobs, but that's just a temporary stage....

One of the next steps I need to do is talk to an accountant, to see what kind of steps I need to take legally to be able to take to employ people, or even look at other possibilities for outsourcing some of my work.

However, this has been a major "mental shift" in how I view my own activities.... And it's mainly due to the discussions we've been having here!

Now I see myself as having several jobs, and looking to employ people to take some of them over from me....

I expect it could take me up to a couple years to get to the stage where I've managed to employ others to take over all the jobs I listed, but as the saying goes, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step!

So, that was my "mental shift" this week.... It may sound small, but in reality it's quite a big one. I'm no longer limited by my time, at least not in my mind.... Now I have to find out the necessary information I need (legal etc.) to implement the plan.... :)

Thanks, Julie, for asking! I'd love to hear about other ideas and plans too.... :)

- Dien