Good morning fellow Trailblazers.
My team and I have been hard at work (except for our Shihtzu, Sofie, she’s mostly been barking in her sleep) on the new Trailblazer member’s site.
We’ve been releasing a series of videos over the past few weeks, and shared the success stories of some of our awesome members.
In less than four days we’ll be opening the doors to the brand, shiny new site, but for now, there’s nothing to buy. So put away your wallet. :)
My heart has really been overjoyed by the flood of comments, emails and tweets about the videos we’ve been releasing. I’m really blown away and humbled by all of the kind words and support we’ve gotten from past members sharing this message.
I think it’s important to get this message out there that you don’t have to play someone else’s game, and you really can get paid to be who you are. I feel like this message is starting to resonate on a bigger level.
How to win a free membership to Trailblazer
I want to give two highly inspired people a free membership to Trailblazer. It will be tough to pick the winners, but ideally they should be a good fit for the product and be diligent implementers.
We’ll be reviewing all of the entries and making a decision within the next week.
The deadline for entry is Sunday, March 8th at 11:59pm PST.
Here’s how to enter:
- Step 1: Leave a comment below on this post.
- Step 2: In your comment tell us: Why you think Trailblazer can help you create a thriving lifestyle business, getting paid to be who you are..
- Optional: record a video and upload to Youtube (bonus points).
We’ll choose the most compelling two responses and will announce the winners next Monday.
Also, please be as short and sweet as possible. It’ll make it easier on us to judge the entries.
If you like, you can also vote for someone else’s entry by leaving a comment on their entry.
Okay, that’s it! Leave a comment below to enter!
I’m looking forward to reading all of the responses. This should be really fun. :)
**************************
UPDATE: The Winners are Ben and Avery!
There so many great entires it was very difficult to choose. Thanks everyone for your submissions and congratulations to Avery and Ben.
Your passion and enthusiasm for working on your own terms keeps fueling us!
I think Trailblazer can help me get paid to be who I am, because Jonathan would be one of the FEW people on this whole planet who would have the insight and skills to help me figure out how to create a thriving – and cohesive – lifestyle business from my disparate, yet hopefully merge-able passions: including art and design, nature, science, intuition and business. Challenge: can you help this Renaissance Soul get paid to exist with a singular business (so I can market ONE, instead of 3 or 4 businesses)?!
For my future, I have high aspirations and certain lifestyle habits I want to attain. I don’t want to live my life in the conventional way; I want to meld science with medicine with strength and conditioning/fitness. I’m not sure how that will work, but in this career path I want to be my own boss. I don’t want to worry excessively over how to pay the bills or whatnot. Instead, I want to have enough free time and financial confidence to be the best teacher, athlete,and scientist I can be – to help others – to realize my dreams. And so, I truly believe that Trailblazer can help me! :)
I think that Trailblazer can help me create a thriving lifestyle business, getting paid for who I am because I am here to create massive change in the world and the lives of the people around me. So many people live their lives in a constant state of despair, feeling disconnected from each other and from the natural world. This suffering comes from a cultural sickness that has spanned thousands of years, it is in the inability to see that we are all interconnected. For 12 years, I have worked with young people on how to process unresolved grief so that they can be free to live their lives with purpose and passion. Up until now, I have brought together my lifelong love of martial arts, travel, psychology and spirituality, and nature connection into how I help guide youth. However, it has been a long road of doing dead end work to pay the bills while taking away from my real focus which is helping young people heal themselves and their communities. I recently quit my last job, let go of my last safety net, and decided that from here on out I have to be true to my work and my purpose regardless of financial and social fears. I will pursue this path in life to its fullest, and Trailblazer can help me immensely in the process. I believe in programs like this, in their ability to change lives and help shape people’s futures. However, most that I’ve come across are just money making schemes. Trailblazer is different. I really believe in the integrity of this program, which is why I would love to learn more and be more involved in it. Thank you.
Hi Jonathan, awesome job! I would love free entry into trial blazer. Why? Because I recently decided never to get a real job again. I’m now focusing on a journey of lifestyle design, through Health, Fitness, Movement, Travel, Freelancing, Internet Marketing, Blogging, E-commerce, and most importantly Networking and meeting other likeminded people. I’ve spent the last year building a skill set that will be useful for so many things, I now feel I need a group or a mentor to help really kickstart what could be an epic journey. Whilst it’s obvious I would love to gain knowledge from yourself and other group members, I will also bring my personal experience for other people to learn from (Albeit many failures :D). I hope this message is the start of something awesome and a long term relationship where we can go on a journey together.
Cheers
Troy
I remember a post from a girl that gave advice how to build a business while still on the job. I loved it! It made my mind accept the idea of not having to have a job to make a living. So I’m preparing myself now, following her advice (ssshhh, don’t tell my boss), building my business slowly. But honestly, it’s too slow and I’d love some guidance and help with it. I know Trailblazer community would be the best answer!
Although I have followed Jonathan and his blog for awhile- I honestly wonder HOW it would work for myself. I am THE original “doubting Thomas” of the internet (analog-old guy in a digital world- don’t own a TV). I cannot say to anyone HOW it will (or will not) work for me… except to say that I’ve been reading since before Jonathan had to move due to “the threats” episode posting and think he has a good niche. Im not a slacker either so put away the lazy contrite views as I have a 40+hour a week job plus a school schedule… but know there is more in the mix than just this for me. I DO seek to motivate myself, and AM a self initiator- but have found myself floundering with analysis paralysis… So IF chosen- and I would like to thank Jonathan for this opportunity- I think not only would it prove a good sounding board for my efforts and techniques, but allow me to focus and move forward. Maybe a nudge IS what I need. I know the review and results would be hard earned on MY part- and Im willing to not only try it- but be honest in the review and praise as well. Thanks for the opportunity- Jonathan! -Scott
I am a bellydancer. I teach classes and workshops, perform, and occasionally hold lectures about the evolution of a danceform that has been around for centuries and has always held a touch of mystery and a touch of klichee, but nevertheless attracted and transformed many humans and their relationship to their bodies and their environment. I’ve found my passion and I’ll never give it up. I love leading my students towards the awesome feeling of body-awareness and self-confidence that comes from dancing and learning to control their bodies and moving in a joyful, beautiful ways. Not to mention their shining eyes and radiant excitement when they master a movement, or when they talk about costumes and adornment they get to put on when they’re advanced enough to join in performances and get-togethers in the dancer community! I couldn’t imagine a cooler job, and I’ve had a few cool jobs before! But I’m still struggling, and just only existing from what I do. I could really use some guidelines and techniques to be ‘paid to exist’ , and more, in this admittedly narrow niche. I am sure there are still people in my city, in my country, and other countries, that are looking for exactly the thing I am offering, and don’t know it yet! I have so many ideas for products and offerings but no clear plan to manifest them and present them. I’ve been following the blog and receiving the newsletter for quite some time now and it’s always been a great blend of motivation and a kick in the butt to do things. I’m ready to take the next step, ready to get rid of the ‘starving artist’ program. So what do you think, could you help a bellydancer level up?
Hello Jonathan,
Thanks for the offer, but I have to decline. There are many reasons for that, and since you very likely know them all and have heard them before, I think you don’t want to go through all the evasive arguments again.
Trailblazer is just not for me. I love to complain, but when it comes to change I only talk. Acting is for others, and after a short period of being inspired by those people I think that their success was only by sheer chance, and I get upset, blaming higher and lower powers for being stuck where I am, although it’s cozy.
Just joking.
Actually I can relate to the situation described above, because that is me every now and then, but I am working on creating value beyond my regular job, which proves to be demanding. I’d love to join Trailblazer; I am in the middle of moving to another place and maybe getting a different job plus closing down and reopening my publishing company due to the address change. A perfect time!
I am pretty sure Trailblazer will help me to finally discover, after all these decades,what I’d love to do and how it will provide enough value to others so that I actually get paid for what I do. As of yet, I have only a few thoughts about what that could be, so guidance in form of Trailblazer would be very welcome.
Cheers & have a lovely day,
Stefan
I think Trailblazer can help me create a thriving lifestyle business because Jonathan’s voice resonates with me. I believe that his guidance and wisdom will be the push that motivates me into the success that I have almost reached. I have been working on a membership site for magicians, where I will teach, coach and inspire them to improve their art. But I have been stuck for a while, and I would greatly appreciate Jonathan’s trailblazing efforts on my behalf!
Ready for a life unplugged.
My current business StopStartDo.com is like a SEARING HOT COAL.
Trailblazer is going to turn it into a RAGING INFERNO.
This program is a STEP-BY-STEP guided approach towards creating a business and my physicist/engineer brain loves the structure. In fact, the biggest problem with most courses is a lack of organization and an unclear goals.
This is one of the reasons, I’ve resonated with Jonathan’s work.
I personally got a lot out of the Offer To The World course (just look at StopStartDo.com) and fully expect to achieve a much deeper and greater level of understanding in this course.
I’ll be honest though… I’m not interested in working 4 hours a week and don’t want an “Easy Button” solution. My goal is to build a lasting business that serves people, while making a profit.
So… If you think I’m a good fit, I would be grateful for the opportunity to show you what a driven and upcoming entrepreneur can do in the program (If not, no hard feelings ).
Regards,
-Ben Austin
I am actually at a crossroad contemplating returning to corporate or continue to figure things out on my own and take another blind step forward. See, I have worked online for the past 5 years with virtually no support.But the work I was doing, while I am pretty darn good at it, has started to make me feel numb and a bit bored and even frustrating at times. So I thought, I might need to quit my freelancing and go back to a 9 to 5. But the thing is, that after 5 years of working for myself, I am now pretty much unemployable (plus, I have already gone to 3 interviews and they all told me that I would be their second choice – ouch!). It’s always that I am either overqualified for the position or the work schedule conflicts with my kids and home life. At this moment, I have decided to stay at home and refocus my business but I feel completely lost and without direction. I need help finding clarity on how to rebuild my business so I can stop wasting time daydreaming and finally start implementing and making a difference in other people’s lives. I believe that the Trailblazer community will help me turn my passion into a profitable business, one where I not only get paid to exist, but to inspire and teach others as well.
Thank you for the opportunity!
Alba
Jonathan,
Werner Bethmann words the potential of life being full of uncertain (often surprising) pathways (waiting) to be discovered as follows: “Allow your life to take your hand and be surprised which path(s) is goes with you.”
I really love this (originally German) quotation. It’s absolutely true – one has to be open(-minded) and curious in life in order for life to “open up as well as lead one’s ways”. However, I feel my results could be enhanced by actively contributing to my path:
I’ve always known that I want to be self-employed, I’ve lived my passion of (working with) foreign languages and the learning thereof combined with and in form of numerous stays abroad for years and I sense that this year could be(come) THE year of taking advantage of my enormous courage (the “fear factor” could be regarded as the minor aspect in my case) to finally! channel my passion into MY OWN SUCCESSFULL BUSINESS.
With the right tools and guidance – TRAILBLAZER – ANYthing should be feasible. :-)
Best,
Yamina
Johnathan,
I am the first person in my family to go to college. My parents sacrificed an incredible amount to send me in the belief that my degree was the key for security and a better life. I wanted to make my parents proud, but my true passions have always been music, art, and writing. I did what was expected, and graduated at the top of my class, although I insisted on getting a degree in something I loved, writing.
Entering the adult world could not have been more of a shock: I literally could not understand how people could go to their job and do the same thing every day and not be bored out of their minds. It wasn’t natural. Curiosity, learning,and truth were seen as annoyances, if not downright problematic. Don’t rock the boat and just do your job was the credo I found everywhere as I went from job to job trying to find a fit that made sense.
This search culminated in a seven years at the Kennedy Space Center, where I worked my way up from Multimedia Assistant to Audio Engineer to finally a Video Producer. This was my chance at a career in music and art! They didn’t train, but they would let you try any project you thought you could tackle. I was supposed to be a dream job, I had an electric guitar by my desk, and a recording studio to work in, and making good money. But several years in, I was burning out.
The constant deadlines and stress, and frequently saying late to finish projects was taking a toll on m y young family. I was the only audio person there, and was isolated from anyone else doing the same type of work. I was training myself, but had crushing doubt about whether I was good enough to deliver the quality that our customers expected. The hour commute each way and long office days left little time and energy for my own music and writing. My creative projects and goals were quickly fading away. The whole job situation, which I thought that I had won, seemed rigged to keep you tired, unhappy, and unable to do your own things.
That whole time, I was furiously working on my own projects at home one the weekends, but I needed to split my time between my wife and a new baby, household chores and projects, self-training on audio, video, photography, and graphic arts, and keeping some level of contact with my family and friends. It was too much.
When 9/11 happened, a huge change occurred at the Space Center. Where as before, we were working on scientific missions to benefit all, the atmosphere quickly became militarized, and I found myself working on videos to promote missile systems instead of the space shuttle. I had had enough. This wasn’t what I had signed up for, and I saw that I was going down the same prescribed path as everyone else, just with a few arty perks and benefits. I wanted out. I wanted a real life, a simpler life, where I could create work that had integrity and meaning, not some bullshit assignment from someone else. I wanted freedom to be with my family, and to finish my own projects, instead of having to quit in the middle because I had to go to work the next morning. I was willing to give up material comfort if I could have more flexibility and freedom.
In 2007, I sold my home, quit my “dream job” packed my family, pets, and belongings in to my car, and started out on a new journey. I didn’t know how it would work, but I knew there had to be a better way out there somewhere. My college degree had totally failed in teaching me the practical ways to live as an artist or writer, and I had zero working models from friends and family, but I knew it was possible, so I set out to learn.
And learn I did, mostly from failing. I lost money, had a family business close, lost a job as a blogger, and tried to unsuccessfully partner with several recording studios and community arts centers to create a program for low cost recording arts lessons. (My time struggling to train my self at KSC, and the self doubt it created, has galvanized in me the mission to help others avoid such suffering).
My family tried a lot of different things, including living at an Eco-village for a year, simple living in small houses, and having me as a stay-at-home father homeschooling his son. These times were extremely mind-expanding for me, who had only known my families’ suburban way of doing things before. I was finding the ability to think for myself, outside of others expectations.
None of these configurations, however, have really provided the money my family needed, and I have wound up taking a string of low wage jobs to pay the bills while trying to launch my own venture.
The reality is that being poor and doing what you want is sometimes totally worth it, but being poor, and not having enough money for your families’ needs, and not having enough time and energy at the end of the day to work on your passions, is just grinding survival that slowly degrades you.
The money part of life needs to work, and in my blogging, teaching, and music writing, that has been my stumbling block. I have had real difficulty in monetizing what I do in an effective way. I have under priced and given away. I have not networked and promoted myself as much as I needed to.
I read the Four Hour Workweek several years ago, and it completely re-arranged my mind. However, although I had a clear picture of what kind of life I was trying to avoid, I didn’t have a clear picture of what I was aiming for. This is where I hope Paid to Exist could help me. The first step in all of this is to own your own mind, and be clear on what you want. I need help gaining that clarity, and then having access to practical tools on how to make it work.
I still have my deep passion to give back and create low cost instruction in audio arts for young people.
I have been developing myself for this role for several years, teaching Audio at community college and Arts Centers, giving private lessons, and trying to develop my voice as a writer in that field. I own several domains, including simplerecording.com and launchpadaudio.com, which I hope to one day turn into resources that benefit others globally, while providing for a good life for my family.
Ultimately, I sincerely hope, as a home school father, that if I can succeed in learning these principals and ideas, that I can teach and model them to my eighth grade son. He is just starting to think about what his future might be, and I wish, with every fiber of my being, that he will not need to “settle, accept “good enough,” or take “the best you can expect for”in his life, but that he will have the knowledge and confidence to go into the world and live on his own terms, making it a better place as he does.
Great stuff I wanna be part. Here’s my app/entry/plea :)
https://youtu.be/FGckgW3Z2mk
Cheers homies!
Jon
What a fantastic opportunity!
I’m a filmmaker and digital storyteller. I’d jump at the chance to be able to take all of the knowledge that Trailblazer has to offer and put it to use.
I think that when you are starting out, you often fall into the trap of telling yourself that you don’t have the experience, the knowledge, the tools, the network. to build something and put it out into world. I’m ready to set some excuses on fire and start taking action.
Bonus: I made a video. :) Because you an offer this great deserves some extra enthusiasm!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhXrPKhQQGA
-Avery
Why Trailblazer?
1. It is the ultimate lifestyle business guide with a proven track record.
2. Jonathan and his team are committed to their mission of helping people like myself live the life they’re meant to live, with purpose and passion. (Currently I’m missing the mark, although admitting this fact is the first step.. right?)
3. It provides access to a team of like-minded game changers that are skilled enough to assist “stallers” and second-guessers (another “me” reference) with actually implementing a plan, which is much preferred to all the time I spend day-dreaming.
4. It’s a life-long commitment and will ultimately allow me to give back by 1) offering my unique services to the world and 2) developing a sense of pride and confidence to help others find their way.
I sincerely want to be a part of this community. Thank you for your consideration!
Jud
After following your blog and attending webinars, I’ve always known that this is something I need to do. However, it has been deep seated fear that has held me back from actually jumping in. (I’d hate to be like the guy in one of your videos who kept giving excuses on why he hadn’t started!) Within the past year, I have been able to remove a lot of that fear and all that’s left to do, is actually the doing. I have no idea how to start or which avenue would be best for the services I’d like to offer the world. Whether I am selected for this opportunity at this time or not, I know that the Trailblazer program is where I need to be.