I built a six-figure remote business and walked away from the 9 to 5 at age 46. Every Tuesday, I email a story, tip, or idea to help you climb down the corporate ladder and live life on your terms.
Summer update and my plans for fall - sorry, it's a long one. :)
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Happy Tuesday! I'm back to my weekly schedule after taking an unplanned break for a few weeks. A few of you reached out to see what was up — thanks for checking on me! : ) All is good! I thought I'd share an update on what's been happening this summer and my plans for the fall... Ottawa trip Laura and I were in Ottawa at the end of July for a few days to see my parents and attend a "cousins" reunion. I have 34 first cousins on my Mom's side of the family, and a few of them decided to plan a somewhat impromptu get-together. About 12 showed up, many with their spouses, from as far away as Bermuda and Australia. I hadn't seen some of them in over 30 years —needless to say, it was a wonderful visit. Freelancing I've been swamped this month with my freelance business. In fact, August will be my highest income month since I left my 9-5 and went full-time almost two years ago — which is crazy, given how turbulent the online publishing industry has been over the past year (thanks to Google's attempt to kill off millions of independent websites.) I'm very grateful and don't take the work for granted, as I know many struggling content creators, freelancers, and website owners. My fitness journey I'm finding a way to balance work with my fitness journey, which is going very well. If you haven't heard, I hired a personal trainer in June after realizing I needed a coach to hold me accountable for getting in shape. It was the best decision I've made in a long time. Just over two months in, I'm down almost 25 lbs. I'm working hard at the gym, building strength, getting my steps in (three or four walks a day), and tracking everything I put in my body. And my goals have changed. When I started, I thought I would be happy to lose 25 or 30 pounds (my coach laughed at me for limiting myself out of the gate). But since then, I've decided to get into the best shape of my life - or at least since my 20s. :) I know I'll hit my goal for the same reason I was able to build a business and leave the 9-5 — that is, I've reached the point where "the pain of staying the same has become greater than the pain of changing." Also, I've made myself accountable, which is critical. My plans for the fall It's shaping up to be a very busy September and October. Laura and I have two more trips planned. In early September, we're taking her parents to Nova Scotia! It's long been their dream to see the East Coast of Canada, and they've never been. So, we're flying to Halifax and renting a car. From there, we'll drive the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton, the south shore, and spend the last few days back in Halifax. Then, in October, I'm headed to FinCon '24 in Atlanta! And Laura is coming with me for the first time. It's going to be a blast. Let me know if you plan to be there, as I'd love to connect! Newsletter / Coaching Now for the last part of my rather lengthy update - sorry! :) I've enjoyed writing this newsletter for the past ten months and am excited to continue doing so each week. But I also want to create new ways to help you. Out of that experience, I've decided to launch a more formal coaching program next month. For now, I will keep it very simple and focused on helping you clarify your dream of escaping the 9-5 and living life on your terms. Also, I had promised to start making more video content a few months back, but I've dropped the ball. A few of you have asked me, "When are you making more videos?" - holding me accountable, I love it! So, I'm tossing around some ideas right now, but that will also happen next month. Anyway, that is it for my lengthy update! I'll be back next week with regular newsletter content. P.S. Our beautiful 18-year-old daughter, Sarah, is performing her first-ever gig tomorrow evening. She's a songwriter (like her Dad) and will play four of her songs at an outdoor venue tomorrow night. She's so talented; it's going to be awesome. I'll post some pics/videos on Instagram. : ) Have a great week! - Colin |
9-5 Escape by Colin Graves
I built a six-figure remote business and walked away from the 9 to 5 at age 46. Every Tuesday, I email a story, tip, or idea to help you climb down the corporate ladder and live life on your terms.
Hey everyone! A quick thought for today... The dream isn't a business. Most people think they want a business, but what they actually want is a life. A life where they wake up excited. Where they choose how to spend their time. Where they work because they want to, not because they have to. A business is just a tool. The life is the goal. What are you designing — a business or a life? Best, Colin _________________________ 🚀 Ready to take action? Here’s how we can connect: → Join the...
Want to know one of the biggest mistakes I see mid-career professionals make when thinking about escaping their 9-5? They completely undervalue their skills. You’ve spent 15, 20, maybe even 25 years developing deep expertise in at least a few areas—but when it comes to starting a business, suddenly, you think you have nothing to offer. I get it. I made the same mistake. Early on, I fumbled around with unprofitable side hustles—mainly because they weren’t aligned with the skills I had already...
Hey everyone, I'm excited to share something to help you take the first step toward leaving the 9-5! Step 1 of my 7-step roadmap to escape the 9-5 is all about going up to 30,000 feet to get clear on your vision. After all, if you don't know where you're going, how will you ever get there? 🤷♂️ That's where my "Blue Sky" document comes in. It's a simple but powerful tool that can help you map out where you want to be in 5 years and start reverse-engineering the steps to get there. How to...