You Don’t Need An Empire to Rule the World: (Magic Kingdom Optional)
"Gee, Brain, what do you want to do tonight...?""Same thing we do every night Pinky -- try to take over the world...!" (~Pinky and the Brain)
Some people want to build empires-- try and take over the world. Whether they mean it literally or figurative, I’m definitely not one of them (did love that awesome cartoon when I was a kid tho).
You don’t need an empire to rule the world. You may just be looking for a life that works for you -- something that just fits right. A life you can really flow in.
Flow makes just about anything possible. Everything comes through it. Maybe you want an empire tho...you want to rule your dominion, establish military outposts in far flung provinces led by your army.
In that case, I’m probably not the best candidate to lead you there. Like I said, I'm not going for that. Empires are a cluster-f*ck, and there’s never been one that didn't eventually fail.
If you’re with me on that, I may just have the keys to something better. Personally, the keys to a very small kingdom will suit me just fine.
The keys to your own little magic kingdom:
First, you can start by not caring anymore about the things you don’t need.
You're well aware by now how hard this is for some of us. We grew up wanting what our friends had, and feeling the sense of lack that comes with living in a consumer culture. The lack of true connection within ourselves, and with our peers, fueled this into a mad frenzy to consume.
Another thing you REALLY don’t need: Outside approval.
Not from your family, your friends, your peers, your networks. None of ‘em. Never let anyone tell you how you should be living your life (and don’t try imitate other people either). Approval and respect work best when they’re generated from within you. Then you don’t need it from outside. The trick is to stop chasing all these bullsh*t social paradigms based on meaningless values.
- Julien published a smart piece I really enjoyed on that.
Five more things you think you might think you need, but you really don’t:
1. 10,000+ subscribers/followers.
You really don’t need more then, say, 50 visitors a day to leverage your website into a small kingdom. The first iteration of my main business website a couple years ago didn’t even have a blog -- intentionally. You just need to get smart about the passion and power in your work, and funnel these into a clearly laid out, intelligent framework. Then start actually connecting with people from your heart. It’s lovely.
2. Viral content
One thing about content that’s created to go viral and get a stir online: It’s usually crap. People make sh*t up, do stupid stuff, go for broke. These people are usually about as transparent as my front windshield on a frosty night. Turn the defrost on and the foggy disappears. Not a lot of depth. You want the opposite of that: Mindful content that touches your audience in intimate places -- helps them in some way by making them come alive inside.
3. Virtual/personal assistant
Virtual assistants are great, but you really don’t need one for your small kingdom. You just need to get smarter about your work flow and production output, and install good filters. You also need to get super sharp about your direction and plans, follow-up and keep tweaking them. That’s the key. In a very small kingdom, you want to manage as few people as possible. Choose your cabinet and council wisely.
4. Cash flow
Yes, every small kingdom should have a Dom Perignon kitty for those occasional unplanned royal visits. But you really need less than you think. It's 1,000 times better to get super creative and smart with what you have, then just throw a bunch of money at sh*t and hope it works. Especially when you’re starting up. If you’re on a tight budget, Fiverr is a really great place to find some surprisingly talented help online for next to nothing.
5. Amazing website
You don’t want your site looking like geocities circa ‘98, but you don’t need to drop a bundle to make it sing. There are plenty of people who'll build you a rockin' Wordpress-based site for next to nothing (example: Johnny's Awesome Website service), or sweeten up/mod your current site. Just find a few examples of sites you like, put down a few extra bucks on a premium theme design, and get it done. It’s so worth it (this site is a stripped down Wordpress theme from Woothemes). That business website I mentioned earlier? Cost me about $300 to have a contractor strip down the template and spice it up when I first launched. Generated more than 100 times that in revenue my first year.
The one thing you really do need:
Flow. Lots of juicy, delicious flow. Preferably structured flow. And balls. I’ve said it before, and I’m sorry again, but you need some balls. You gotta feel it in your loins. You gotta be strong like a lion. Flow helps you get there.
Balls and a little structured flow -- that’s what’s landed me online consulting/development clients who've been featured recently on Oprah, CNN, and now Dr. Oz (watch the promo here for Wednesday’s show, "Never die of cancer or heart disease").
It’s a lot of fricken work -- one brick at a time. But I love it. I rule my kingdom, I choose my own magic kingdom hours, I make my own rules, and I work my ass off. I wouldn't have it any other way. I love the buzz of sweating it out and pushing the edges. I do it all for the love of my vision for our world. And my little magic kingdom.
To rule your kingdom means to rule your world. Distance between 'your' and 'the' grows smaller when you live that truth.
It all becomes a bit more approachable. If you can understand that little distinction, you're fit to be king.
Me, I want to live wild and free -- keep flowing and pushing the edges in my life and work --always be refining what it means to be fully alive.
I want to put this glorious existence to good use, and finally come to peace with myself as I am.
Feels like I'm getting close.
Join me in building your own little magic kingdom
--> {New Letter!} Living Edge Flow
“On the path to discovery, the intellect has little to do. There is a leap in consciousness, call it intuition or whatever you like, and the solution comes to you, and you do not know how and why.” ~ Albert Einstein
This is the magic of epic source flow.
Retweet and share with your friends... IN FIERCE LOVE, FLOW & GLORY.