So, there’s working in the business — which I love. And, there’s working on the business — which I hate. But you can’t always have your own way if you’re counting on eating.
“5” Steve Carell, 57; Steve Martin, 74; Steve Wozniak, 69: “Push your perception into things that are far away and try to feel how they would be close up. Then do the same in reverse. The exercise strengthens you intuition.” Leo
“The Tau of Steves: What You Don’t Know Could Fill a Book”
Evidence
Hi and welcome to Friday’s Episode 97 in Season 1 of my “1-Year Natural Experiment” on October 5th in the fall of 2019.
All that shoveling and taking showers percolated schemes in my mind that forced me to dry off and write them down or else I’d live to regret it later trying to reconstruct them.
Fired up my organic spreadsheet that tracks such things — and oops — looks like in April and then again in August were the last times I worked on the business.
Do I have an excuse?
Yeah, I’m a procrastinator like Leo da V, but here we go picking up tasks identified before both the Norway and Indiana trips and abandoned like orphans:
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- Rationalizations for halting Self-Publishing like IRS and Banking info needed; understanding formatting and image specs, diving into agreements, creating your book, iTunes Connect vs. iTunes Producer (ISBNs are optional), how to view sales and trends; payments and financial reports and details about ratings and reviews.
- Taxes and Legacy. Focus on uploading books through Apple, then Amazon. Set up subscriptions behind the wall through Patreon and from my website with a link on Flipboard and LinkedIn.
- Focus primarily on Book One, “On Your Own Terms: Pack More Meaning and Passion into Your Life” (with the lead in to “Authentic Lifestyle Businesses: Plug Your Passions in and Play Anywhere”) reusing the Volume One sales letter. Continue with Two, bundle with one, Three, bundle with one and two, Four, bundle with Three, Five, bundle with Three, bundle with Five. And, finally offer all five as Volume One collection, pre-selling The Knowledge Path – Volume Two. Which I write and edit in 5 books, while I compose The Knowledge Path: Volume Three – Notes to My Future Self.
- Selecting a Pages template for writing (final editing of Books one through five) and each of the chapters in Volume Two and Three;
- Prepare for publishing and uploading EPUB files with Cover Image, ISBN-13, etc. following the submission checklist; with pre-order and pricing.
- Get paid directly and indirectly in The Affiliate Program
- Use Apple Book Marketing Tools to build awareness through an engaging, accurate and effective campaign
- Actively use Apple’s Toolbox for creating links, badges and text lock-ups look-ups (whatever that is).
- Figure out how to display books on Apple Books for sales with bundle pricing as I roll each out with a preview of the next in the last part of the book.
- Update with reports and in-depth trips converting EPUB into Multi-Touch Versions.
- For moral support view anti-procrastination sayings I’ve curated in my knowledge bank on Pinboard.
- For Volume Two: Finally designated SPIP as Systematic-Professionals Idea Packagers = INTP. Pinboarded an article about asking “why” when you were a INTP as a child.
- My goal: stop the 7-day blog publishing schedule I’ve followed over the last few years tracked on “Know Platform MVPs” and replace the habit with 5-days of self-publishing and promoting.
- Focus first on publishing Book One as highest priority before investing energy into Volume Two and Volume Three (upended with Indiana trip).
- Open, unfinished projects: LinkedIn posts from published on my website blogs — Knowledge Laboratories, Best West Road Trips and Western Skies and Island Currents — compose the migration from zip code 92692 to other South County towns with overlapping lifestyles and long lists of places coded — already published in Knowledge Banking. Doing so launches a foundational story and one leading into Volume Two.
- Start with Knowledge Laboratories, since it is the master administrative site in my multi-site configuration, and build it out as a website using WordPress pages. Get it up and running and then convert the others one day a week.
- On Patreon figure out a less time intense strategy for: a) Steves and Friends of Steve in a way that I do very little on social media platforms; b) encourage locals reviewing Volume One, The Knowledge Path’s destination reports and expand to digital magazines profiling locations along the California coast in a way that I do very little on social media platform (Facebook, Groups?); c) create a promotion drawing inspiration from Sam Harris’ “If you find this … valuable, there are many ways you can support it, which he lists. And, other assertive language requesting support from sources like Wikipedia / Marketplace.
- Set up Patreon for subscription support while writing Volume Two and Three with the costs tabulated for what I’ll do with the support.
- And set up Affiliate income (?). Wash and repeat with Amazon.
I’m feeling overwhelmed. Isn’t time to escape on another holiday?
Normally, Emma the Baroness and I agree this Holiday Tau makes us happy, especially the financial kicker at the end. But, honestly I’m not getting it for today.
“2” Steve Zahn, 51: “There is no good reason to shy away from what makes you laugh and smile. Bonus: The fun you’ll have will inspire your financial sector.” Scorpio
Random ones that make me want change my sign.
Ha ha, nice! Maybe tomorrow, but not for today. Don’t get me wrong, if you feel McQueen’s Holiday Tau helps you, help yourself to it.
“3” Steve McQueen (1930 – 1980): “The shortcuts that are heavily advertised are almost never going to get you there faster. Lot’s of people will take the publicized route, thus creating a traffic jam.” Aries
Ok, let me say this about that. I’m pretty sure this was the process I’ve been following subconsciously over the last couple of days during showers and blistering my hands gripping shovels.
“5” Steve Carell, 57; Steve Martin, 74; Steve Wozniak, 69: “Push your perception into things that are far away and try to feel how they would be close up. Then do the same in reverse. The exercise strengthens you intuition.” Leo
True. But, I’m stipulating that isn’t anything new for me or unusual today.
“4” Steve Greene, 34; Steve Guttenberg, 61: “You have a better than usual influence over your mental state and will be able to consciously move your attitude to where it needs to be.” Libra
Love this metaphor especially as it pertains to item #3, #14 and #15. Thank’s Steve for letting me swipe this from you today. Feel free to take mine.
“5” Steve Aoki, 41: “Sometimes just looking at the bigger picture found inside a map starts to bring paths and destinations to mind.” Sagittarius
I’m totally on board with Harvey’s Holiday Tau as it applies to making Patreon work, promoting self-published books and marketing campaigns. Just keep Leo da V away from me who keeps me away from following through.
“5” Steve Harvey, 62: “When your idea doesn’t land the way you want it to, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea. Tinker with the variables before throwing it out.” Capricorn
Wow. Let’s hear it for Nash’s Holiday Tau. Reminds me of climbing Maslow’s pyramid — his hierarchy leading to self-actualization.
“4” Steve Nash, 45: “Everyone gets to tap his or her own potential. It is up to each person to figure out how to get to their good stuff.” Aquarius
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Inspired by: Holiday Mathis – Creators Syndicate