Have you ever wanted to create a life where your time could be spent on self-actualization instead of trading it for a greenback, peso, or lira? Me too! In fact, I’ve been scheming on this for many years and below I have outlined my goals and vision for manifesting financial freedom this year, 2013.

 

The Goals

1. Earned 50k in revenue from NLF
2. Sold NLF to the winning apprentice?
3. Earned $10,000 from Websites (GroAction, Cobras, SR)
4. I am moving to South America for 1 year to learn Spanish among other things
5. Proficient salsa dancer
6. Released 10 courses for GroAction
7.  Handstand Pushups
8.  52 Excellent Posts on RWL

 

 

The Vision

1. Earned 50 k with NLF

I have earned 50,000 in income selling microgreens to residents of the greater Portland area. The majority of the income came from selling microgreens at farmer’s markets, but there was still a decent amount that came from selling micros to local restaurants. I have garnered alot of interest and attraction from local community members. In fact, quite a few people have offered up their land to farm and put a greenhouse. I am very tempted to get it into production and continue farming next year.  While I know that this could open incredible doors to being a community leader here in Portland, Oregon, I also know that I am progressing on my path and the door will be there for me wherever I decide to build my house, raise a family, and build community.

 

 

2. Sold NLF to the winning apprentice

Great leader: This was the biggest learning experience of the year. I’ve gotten alot better at managing employees. I have embraced the idea that business is an extension of myself in every action I make. With that internalization, Nightlight Farms has been primarily a meditation on the discipline of creating a life that adds value to others and myself through the process of delivering the highest quality microgreens in the greater Portland, Oregon area.

 

System Builder: Through my directive and the help of my team, we have created systems for every aspect of Nightlight Farms.

The systems developed include but are not limited to, the accounting system, growing system, customer acquisition system, produce delivery system, market setup/takedown system, market customer interaction systems, and many more. I will detail these in my urban ag course for Groaction.

 

 

3. Earned 10,000 from income generating websites

Each month I have acquired one new (to me) website that now generates revenue for me. My negotiation skills were good when I began this, but they’ve gotten even better. In fact, I’ve found that when I say no to a purchase, often times the owner will reconsider a few days after declaring the deal won’t work out and come back to me with the offer that I can justify. Because I keep excellent records on the return on investment I make in each one of the websites, I can see that each deal I make is better and better.

So, with these new sites, I am now earning $1500 per month and can potentially live on this income.

 

4. Moving to South America for 1 year to learn Spanish

I am moving to South America for the year to pursue travel, adventure, and a new landscape while I become fluent in Spanish in 2014. This has been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and am finally doing it.

Initially when I started writing this I did not feel connected to the outcome of this goal. In other words, I couldn’t imagine myself traveling to South American for the year. This is most certainly because of my ‘static state’ here in Portland for the last 15 months. In one year, I will have spent 27 months in Portland! That is certainly enough time to, as the bourgeoisie would say, ‘shite or get off the pot.’

Now, knowing that I will be headed southbound by this time next year, I am filled with overwhelming inspiration and a bit of trepidation of what’s to come!

 

5. Released 10 Courses from GroAction

This has by far been the biggest impact in making a name for myself and for my future career as a resilience strategist working with cities to develop community resilience via local, sustainable, economies.

Each course has attracted great people into my life! So much so, that I get multiple emails per day about one course or another and new friends telling me how much they loved the course and what they are doing with their knowledge. All of the courses have communities built into them, but the most compelling part of all has been the joy and satisfaction I get from making new connections, developing my personality in the interviews (mostly by being honest and saying no to what I think is bullshit) and helping people build Local, Sustainable, Businesses.

 

It also means that when I go travel, I’ve got lots and lots of people to know on a more personal level.

 

 

6. Proficient Salsa Dancer

It’s beginning to seem like a long time ago when I was standing in the kitchen with Chelsea telling and showing her that I couldn’t move my hips in a circle. Now, after attending one weekly salsa session (sometimes two!), I’m one hell of a lot better at dancing la salsa! In fact, I’ll dance around while I’m making dinner, hanging out, or whenever the desire come. At first, the most difficult thing was getting my rythym in tune with the music, but I fixed that by listening to it until it became second nature. At each salsa session I always watched the best dancer to see what moves I could glean from them. Each session I would try one new move until I felt comfortable with it in my repertoire. Once I got the rythym down, and a handful of moves, I was making true mexican salsa. Oye!

 

7. Handstand pushups

This is another thing that I’ve been wanting to be able to do for a while now. There are two major components to this, and I think you know what they are. Yep. handstands and pushups. The pushups require a ton of shoulder strength, but since I’ve been working my arms out alot, this came within six weeks. The second half, the handstand, just came in another 6 weeks. Once you start keeping your center of balance on the balls of your hands you can rock back and forth between your fingertips and the palms of your hands with ease.

 

8. 52 Excellent Posts on RWL

This blog is something I have been wanting to develop since 2009 after returning on my motorcycle trip around the world US (I wrote that subconsciously, maybe it’s a sign that developing RWL and the wonderful community will lead me on a trip around the world to meet everyone).

Initially, producing the blog posts on a strict weekly basis of every Tuesday @6am PST was difficult for me. I was nervous about releasing my writing to the world, but soon after, I received great feedback and was assured that my writing skills suffice to communicate my messages. I even discovered that my followers have come to look forward to the consistent publishing of my articles every week.

Through the encouragement of my community and satisfaction from reading past posts, I now absolutely love to add to my blog weekly. In fact it has become the best way to reflect what I have done/learned of significance in the previous week while looking forward to what I want to accomplish next.

 

 

 

In Closing: A Note on Execution 

On the execution of these goals. Every single Sunday I read these goals in order to gauge my progress, stoke the fire inside me to accomplish these feats, and keep a bearing on where I am heading this time next year.

 

Just in writing this post, I absolutely know that I can and will accomplish each and every one of these goals.

 

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Thank you to each and everyone of for creating the incredible community that is today, and for creating the value that our connection has. I have much gratitude for your presence in my life.

 

LMC 1/7/13