The one thing nobody tells you about being an entrepreneur is, your inbox will be full of emails every single day telling you “The One Thing Nobody Tells You About Being An Entrepreneur.”
And you will click each one of those open, even though you know it’s only going to say some version of this:
“What nobody tells you about being an entrepreneur is…how hard it is to be an entrepreneur! Everyone makes it look so easy and shows the perfect side of their business. But I’m going to break the silence once and for all. Having your own business is hard! It’s soooo rewarding and I wouldn’t trade it for anything, because I’m serving people and making an impact and living my passion, to the tune of multiple six figures and a year-round beach rental in Bali. [SMILE EMOJI] But there will be days when you want to jump out the window and tear out your hair and throw in the towel and cash in your chips and call it a day and poop in your pants. Nobody tells you that it’s not all unicorns and rainbows.”
You will read this and think, “Actually, everyone tells me that. And can we stop pretending ‘unicorns and rainbows’ is still funny?”
And then you’ll hover over the unsubscribe button, but not click it because you want to see what else they’ll tell you that nobody tells you. Maybe they’ll reveal what nobody tells you about parenting. (“It’s not always fun!”) Or the secret dark side of fire swallowing. (“It burns your esophagus.”)
And you’ll think of that widowed sock in your drawer you can’t bring yourself to get rid of, because you still have hope that its spouse will turn up when you finally clean your closet. That’s what those yawn-tastic, unoriginal emails are like. They keep turning up like the lone sock, but you don’t get rid of them.
OK, maybe you wouldn’t think of the sock. But now you will, because I mentioned it.
And that’s what no one will tell you about being an entrepreneur. Except me, because I had the guts to tell you.
Now you.
What would you like to share that nobody else tells us?
What’s another worn-out theme (or old sock) that keeps turning up in your inbox?
TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS.
ps – Have trouble coming up with stand-out copy that’s not like an old sock? I can help. Click here to schedule a Power Hour with me.
How about you don’t actually need a list? That’s something nobody tells you. I know A LOT of successful entrepreneurs who aren’t sweating bullets about building their lists.
hum. good question.
[about to rant]
Well, recently it is something that came into my box that came into my box a few months ago – and it has to do with helping various “glands” – such as the adrenal and thyroid, with various “fix ’em up’s” with supplements, sleep and a good bed-time routine “stuff” —
And it is the equivalent to the popular press fitness and health magazines that are still selling the same old stuff that doesn’t work — cause if it worked, they wouldn’t be writing about it anymore.
So, I see this stuff in my inbox all the time, yet no one is getting to the root cause of all this dis-ease…. which is inevitably the pure dysregulation of the nervous system — or in layman’s terms:
a fight/flight/freeze system that is always turned on, or shutdown (gas on; break on), or living in constant fear but pretending I’m fine cause I’m drinking green juice and doing yoga so I must be OK kind of living…. but my adrenals and thyroid are still all mucked up (even with all the green juice and yoga).
Whoa. Irene. We need to talk. I’ve been on my soapbox about the nervous system for a lot of years. I’d love to get to know your work.
The other played out theme is talking like an excited 16 year old – that’s AMAZEBALLS!! AWESOME SAUCE!!! Except I don’t think teenagers talk like that.
Hey Laura! Did you know that writing is all about just sitting down and writing, even when you don’t feel like it? I BET NOBODY EVER TOLD YOU THAT SECRET BEFORE.
(That’s my obscure way of saying I love your post, if for some reason you are not psychic and that isn’t clear.)
Here’s one:
“It’ll all happen in the right timing”. What people don’t tell you is that statement is complete bullshit. Sometimes, “the right timing” (or, even worse, “God’s timing”) is NEVER. It’ll n.e.v.e.r. happen. So get over it and on to something else.
And don’t get me started on the Law of Attraction…
Also…hey Boo. Long time no hear from you.
Be afraid. Vewy vewy affwraid. Yikes. I’ve been working thru B school to create a side bus until (surprise) I was laid off again OR because I’ve been writing this for several years now as a wish and goal and the universe keeps aligning and shoving me out of the nest (and yes Albert Einstein I do see this as a friendly universe). I seem to have stalled right around the part where I had to supply laura with my copy upon which she would work her magic. Chicken/egg. What I get ev-er-y day, day in and day out, and am getting headaches from rolling my eyes is the how to do x or y course to earn 6 figures. 6 figures this, and 6 figures that. Perhaps becoming accustomed to that 6 figures will shift my beliefs subconsciously so I hit that plateau next. Or is that another course…
Once you actually MAKE six figures from your new business, Marilyn, you’ll be so blown away you’ll be in imminent danger of writing a six-figure course yourself.
You’ll then be a walking, talking sucker for the 7-figure course coming down the pike.
LPT: I make sure to throw out all my socks at once, and then buy 20 pairs of new socks that are all the same! That way they are all alone together and I never worry about mismatching. It’s like a poly-amorous society in my sock drawer!
I have a similar philosophy with those pesky emails. Unsubscribe!
Okay, here’s something no one will tell you.
You keep getting those emails because a) they still work, believe it or not, and b) because you’ve done certain things in your past which makes it at least somewhat likely you will answer these emails and c) they cost nothing to send out.
To be successful online, you have to suspend lots and lots of disbelief except your belief in testing and living by the results. Once you’ve got your “control,” you need to try things every once in a while you’re SURE NO ONE would ever respond to. It could be your next big winner.
For example, back in the days of mail, I once sent out a cell where the brochure had been mistakenly printed with a disgusting chartreuse wash over the gorgeous photo we’d chosen. That cell way outperformed every other one.
You allude to this, Laura, in your allegory of the sock. Why, oh, why do we see a new raft of books on dieting, eating, and fasting every single year? You would think that, by now, we’d have learned everything we needed to know about losing weight, getting fit, and nutrition.
And we have, for the most part. But still, HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL, that the “next new thing” in dieting will be the key in the lock to you’re finally having the body and health that you want.
And every one of these books starts with the same thing:
“You’ve tried all the diets. And sure, you’ve lost some weight, maybe even a lot of weight. But then what happened? You gained it all back while you waited to check out on line at the supermarket. And I’m willing to bet you blamed yourself for this “failure.”
“Well, I’m here to tell you it’s NOT YOUR FAULT. You’ve been doing everything these faddish, get-thin-quickly gurus have advised. Everything, that is, except what will really enable you to slim down to your real self, feel great even when you’re sick, and get the most from life for the rest of your life.
“You see, I’m about to do something that will probably make a lot of people (especially these so-called gurus) angry as well. I’m going to break the “information embargo” that has kept millions of honest, innocent, and hopeful people like you in the dark about how to lose weight and feel better than you ever have in your life.
“Hi, I’m Peter Schwartz, M.D., D.O.N, W.L.E, and in the next few pages, I’m going to reveal a few truths about losing weight, enjoying your food, and feeling great that have never been shared with the public before. Truths, all backed by rigorous if secret scientific studies that may make you boiling mad at the “diet industry” but they will also empower you to cheerfully clear your bookshelves of every other diet or nutrition or health book you’ve ever bought.”
“For example, I’m going to show you why KrispyKreme three times a day is what nature really intended you to eat.”
Or look at the covers of men’s and women’s magazines:
• Build a Godzilla body without stepping foot in Vic Tanny’s or any other gym.
• The 5-moves your girlfriend is secretly hoping you’ll make in bed.
• Take back that 18 year old body that’s hiding inside and waiting for YOU to let it out.
• How to keep your guy awake and interested AFTER you’ve made the love of your life.
You see these pitches all the time because they work all the time because hope springs eternal and maybe “this time” will be “your time.”
The single most important, and hardest thing, for marketers to do is to really put themselves in the shoes, mind, heart, desires, and fears of their target audience. The JewTalians do this brilliantly, and it’s much more important than learning to write good.
It gets lonely up in here!
You need to find a good bar nearby with all you can eat X filled with fun, friendly, and dirty folks at lunch time. Then, make the scene 3-5 days a week at lunch time.
As a fitness writer, just about every article I write is a version of “10 way to X [walk off the weight! lose belly fat! drop 20 lbs!] when it all really comes down to this:
Get off your ass and stop eating your weight in donuts every day!
But no one wants to hear that. Everyone wants that One Thing that will work miracles and skip all that boring exercise blah blah and eating clean crap.
HOWEVER,,, If people stop looking for that solution I’ll be out of a job. So I really can’t complain. Too much. (Case in point… the blog link will likely show up at the end of this comment.)
xo
Yes, yes, and yes.
The Krispy Kreme Diet: How I Ate KK Once a Day Religiously for a Year and Lost 85lbs.
Peter, I anxiously await the documentary.
We’re hoping KK will come through with the funding. This could be, uh, huge for them.
Could be good for your business, too. Krispy puts on the pounds; you take ’em off.
In addition to being a kick-ass copy writer you should also add “mind-reader” to the long and distingushed list of crap that you are good at.
I woke up this morning asking myself, “Why the f*ck am I doing this? It’s too hard.. and boy-oh-boy do I miss easy.”
I know in my heart I’ll never quit, and this helped me remember that.
THank you shrimpie! Thank you Laura.
hahahaha!!
1. I love this.
2. I wear odd socks all the time and never try to pair them up.
I married all my widowed socks. So I may not match very often, but least they’ve found a life partner…
Paul, the way you said that made me think that you YOURSELF have an affinity for socks! LOL…….I actually pictured a wedding ceremony between you and multiple sock widows…..you’re like a sock polygamist. I don’t EVEN want to know the details…….
I was just sitting here thinking about being an online entrepreneur and questioning what the hell I’m doing. Truly. This email was perfect timing. I feel like I’m going to throw up if I see one more “Live the dream!” or “Freedom!” email.
This dream is BANANAS! I miss paying taxes in a regular paychecky way. I also miss automatically paying into my 401k via a regular paycheck.
But I really like hanging out in Maine on the beach in the Summer so I guess the burnout will have to wait until Fall!
#ihavesomanywidowedsocks
xoxo
Licia
But you know, Licia, I read every single one of your emails top to bottom just because they come from you, and I get to see your smiling face when I open it.
I’m not sure I’ll ever buy one of your readings. Not unless Laura can teach me to write so well that I make enough money to make sure every one of your predictions comes true.
Also, I’m not going to enter your contest for a free reading just because I never win anything no matter what it is I’m trying to win. It has nothing to do with you, only me.
For example, I’m trying to win the copy cure for free, but I know I won’t win it. And not just because Laura thinks I’m a sexist cad–she has too much integrity to skew the results for petty reasons–but because I never. win. anything.
It’s like credit cards. For years and years, I was turned down for credit cards. I guess it kept me out of debt and was character-building. Which is probably why I don’t win anything. It’s character building, something my father used to harp on.
But now I’m thinking…”Why won’t you buy one of Licia’s readings? It can’t hurt. And what if she tells you something you’d never find out any other way? There are six or seven things in your life that you’ve never figured out and maybe Licia can help you with those? You’ll never know unless you try. She seems totally normal and nice, so if she thinks there’s something to the woo, then there probably is something to the woo. Don’t be so negative all the time.”
Actually, a long time ago, I did go to a psychic, though he called himself something different. He was an executive at what was then called Ogilvy & Mather, a big ad agency. The reading lasted maybe 30 minutes, and I was sort of terrified of what he might say. Because then, if he says XYZ, and I don’t like XYZ, I’m going to be plagued by this nagging thought: What if he was right???”
The one thing I do remember is that I asked whether I should take up the clarinet or the piano. He said clarinet. I took up the piano instead, but you know, he was right!
So, just as soon as my business recovers from this nose dive into oblivion, I promise to book a session with you.