Hi friends. I’m going to keep this one short because I hope you’re taking this week to rest and recover from 2023. I’m grateful for all of you being on this journey with me.
If, like me, year’s end drives you to plan for a better year ahead, join me for my New Year planning workshop series built specifically for solopreneurs. You can find out all about it here.
Happiest of 2024s to you and yours.
What I’m Reading
Books
I believe in synchronicity—if I hear of something from multiple people, or in multiple ways, it means I need to pay attention. That’s what drove me to read (devour?) 10x Is Easier Than 2x: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy. I read A LOT of business and “self-help” books, and few of them actually change the way I think and act—this book is an exception to that rule.
The premise is basically the Pareto Principle—80% of results come from 20% of actions. The trick is to figure out your 20%, make it EVERYTHING you do, and then focus on it relentlessly until you’re the best in the world at that thing. Then you do it again, consistently refocusing your efforts on what you do best and has the most impact. It’s got me rethinking everything I want to focus on in the New Year.
Plus, it reinforces many ideas I’ve been working with for years, including unapologetically wanting what you want and focusing on the qualitative, not the quantitative.
“Committing to your Unique Ability—the thing you want to do and which excites you most—takes extreme commitment and courage. It takes not worrying about what anyone else thinks about what you do and how you live.”
- Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy.
Other Stuff
Hello, I Do Not Work Seven Days a Week | Roxane Gay, New York Times
Boss Mindset: What Is My Work Worth? | Me, My Blog
Podcast
In December, we released the following podcasts:
You can look forward to these episodes in January:
A Freelance Marketplace Built by a Freelancer with Maari Casey
The Freelance Revolution in 2024 with Jon Younger
Resources
Click here for my resource list, where I keep a regularly updated list of all kinds of great stuff for your freelance journey.
[Resource] New Year, Who’s This? The Power of a Mindset Audit
[Free Workshop] Small Business Bookkeeping with the Numbers Witch
Hustlers in the News
Not yet a hustler?
Check out my book Instant Freelancer: How to Start a Business of One for the shortest path to independent work and money in the bank. No venture capital, fancy website, or MBA needed.
Already got a hustle, but want to do it smarter?
Find out more about me and my company, Fruition Initiatives, here.
© Sarah Duran 2023
The Obvious Disclaimers…
This information is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as, and shall not be understood or construed as, professional advice. What you decide to do with this information is up to you and all repercussions are on you.