1000 dollars rule

I spent the past three months in Europe.

When I tell people that I live in Bali, many find it impressive and say something along the lines of: ‘If only I could… but…’

Their ‘but’ is most often to do with money.

95% of people I meet want to travel and express a wish to work remotely but see no way of doing so.

But I’d say that it is only actually an unattainable dream for 10% of those people, due to their type of profession or personal circumstances.

For the remaining 90%, it’s just a matter of taking the right steps and cultivating the right mindset.

It’s never about the money and always about the mindset.

But most of the 90% don’t want to listen about mindset. It sounds too ‘woo-woo, insubstantial, and vague’. They want to talk money.

‘Okay, let’s talk money,’I challenged a friend who was complaining that he couldn’t get out of his job and start travelling. ‘How much do you make now?’

‘2,000 Euros.’

‘Good. Where do you want to travel?’

‘South-east Asia.’

‘How much would you have to have coming into your account every month?’

‘1,000 dollars?’

‘Which means three clients, who pay 333 USD each,’ I told him.

Brief pause.

‘Yeah, but I don’t have any clients. I have a job. Our company wouldn’t allow me.’

‘What skills do you have?’ I interrupted him.

‘I can do marketing, branding and copy-writing.’

‘There you are. And how long would it take you to get those three clients?’

‘I don’t know, the problem is I don’t know anybody who might...‘

‘How many friends do you have on Facebook?’

’About 1,000.’

‘It’s pure statistics that at least 20 of them will have businesses - don’t you agree?’

‘Yeah, at least.’

‘And it’s likely that 10% of them could do with your services, if you asked them?’

‘Could be.’

‘And it’s even more likely that three of them would be willing to pay for what you do. So, your three clients that will pay off your life in Asia are already your Facebook friends. You just have to write to them.’

How he approaches them, how he speaks to them and what he offers them is not only the matter of his expertise but also thinking. We’ve come full circle and back to the mindset.

If he’s desperate for money - he won’t get it.

If he feels he won’t be good at the job - he won’t get it.

If he wonders whether this is a good idea at all - he won’t get it.

If he worries about charging them - he won’t get it or will end up getting paid less than he should.

The secret about money is that it’s never about money.

If he offers them an opportunity to create an authentic brand for their businesses - he will get it.

If he trusts his skills and talents - which he definitely has - he will get it.

If he is 100% sure that he wants to travel and do this - he will get it.

If he asks for the amount he’s worth, leaving room for negotiations - he will get it.

What are you dreams that you can’t realise because of money?

What skills do you have that you could monetise today?

What do you think you and your skills and talents are worth?

Not sure how to rewire your thinking and stop making it about money? Make it about your mission. Here’s how - join me and others.