I used to listen to many Internet 'gurus' and personalities.
And, as you might expect, I got confused by their conflicting messages on what to do and how to do it.
I tried one thing, then another, and then another, and so on.
Shiny Object Syndrome, they call it.
As it turns out, there is more than one way to skin a cat.
*Disclaimer: I love cats. I also love old phrases.*
It's not that they were wrong or intentionally misleading (though some of them definitely are).
It's that their method works for them. And it doesn't necessarily work for everyone else.
So, the only way to figure out what works for you is to take their advice with a generous handful of salt, and try ONE thing that resonates with you.
Then, shut everyone else off. And focus on that ONE thing.
Only after you've given it a good, long shot do you try another.
Processes work. Methods work. But they all take time. And energy.
If you don't put in the work, they won't work for you.
Make Money Because I Love Sleep? That's What I Did!
"How do I make money doing what I love, if what I love to do is sleep?"
I was a teenager then, and the concept of making money 'doing what I love' seemed impossible.
Who's going to pay me to sleep? A mattress company?
Some time later, I decided to dig a little deeper.
I asked myself, "Why do I like sleep so much?"
And my realisation was that having ideas buzzing around my head from the moment I wake up, and being bombarded by constant stimuli in my environment, I always have trouble keeping my energy levels up.
Sleep was the sweet relief from my cranial activity. And it was bliss.
This meant that I needed to do things as efficiently as possible, so I can avoid wasting my limited energy, and so I had more time to sleep.
And that was my A-ha moment!
I had learned to be highly energy-efficient when it comes to my work. Set a target, work towards it in as streamlined a way as possible, and end it once it's completed within expectations.
Perfectionism? No time or energy for that. I'd rather grab more sleep.
I had also learned effective ways to shut out (as best I can) external stimuli, and focus only on the task at hand, allowing me to enter 'flow' seemingly more easily than other people.
This doesn't mean I'm a productivity machine. Far from it. By Singaporean cultural standards, I'm horrendously unproductive.
But I'm productive enough that I don't work endless hours, need to, or want to.
And that's good enough for me.
I Spent Two Months Plus Doing These Things During Singapore's Circuit Breaker
Now that Singapore’s Circuit Breaker has entered Phase 2, with limited openings of certain establishments, I suppose we could say that we are starting to get back to some sense of ‘normal’.
Perhaps this is a time to take stock of what I’ve done over the past 2 months or so.
The main achievement?
I produced 4 sets of curriculum/content.
Namely,
1) Forensic Investigative Skills
The original purpose for this one is for the school market, of course. This will be put to use in July, as long as schools remain open.
That said, I think that it will be both useful and fun for adults as well. The skills, after all, are used in our everyday lives - information gathering, observation, problem solving, and so on.
I’ll have to see who I can talk to to get this started.
2) Health Science
Again, this was made for the school market, but can be useful for those who have aged parents and/or children to take care of.
3) Harnessing Your Quiet Strengths
Now, this one has a little story behind it. It was originally developed for Introverts Network Asia (INA), but things have tapered off for this, so I never finished it, leaving it half done.
I decided to just finish it up. At least I now have a set of curriculum ready to go should I need it, either live or, perhaps, as an online course.
It is, as expected, aimed at introverts and helping them to make use of the strengths that they perhaps regard as insignificant, but are actually highly valuable.
I see this as an accompaniment to The Introvert Teacher, and intend to have them linked together.
4) 4D Your Message
This is my take on communication skills, slightly angled towards newer educators/trainers, but can definitely be used by anyone who wants to get their message out.
This, too, has a story behind it. It was originally conceived for online delivery as part of an initiative by an organisation. But, as with the previous set of content, this, too, fizzled out.
I decided to just have it finished up.
My main thought at the moment is figuring out how to bring these things to more people once Circuit Breaker properly ends.
I've considered online training, but the activities, especially for the first two, are best done live. I could potentially redesign them, but it’s A LOT of work.
Alternatively, I could have them converted to videos and sell an online course. I’m not sure yet.
I’m also finishing up a project I started 2 years or so ago - my book on gem buying, titled A Gem of a Deal.
The good news is:
A Gem of a Deal is NEARLY finished! Yay!
Here’s a cover I designed for it. It may not be the final version, but I’ll use it for now.
I’ll put more information up on Loupin Jewels.
Yes, I designed it myself. Photoshop and Illustrator. ;)
Photographing gems!
It’s quite a long story behind this, but I’ve started to photograph gems again. This time, the results look pretty good, even if I do say so myself.
Sapphire Crystal
Garnet Crystal
Prehnite Cabochon
Emerald Piece
And, of course, I’ve been collating some of my old photos.
It’s been a fairly productive couple of months, I’d say.
Here’s to an even more productive 2 months ahead!