I Was Wrong About Passive Income

This is all from the last few weeks in my life.

I feel like I haven't slowed down for months.

And this brings us to the story.

Let's backtrack...
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In July 2013, I first had the idea for a blog.

A blog about my passion: Language learning.

This blog would eventually become StoryLearning, my main business and subject of my $10M Case Study.

Anyway…

Aside from writing about my passion, I wanted to make some money.

Not because I had some crazy yearning for oodles of cash…

But because I desperately wanted NOT to be tied to a 9-5 job.

Seriously – the money, take it or leave it. But the freedom? That was a non-negotiable for me.

There was something about the very concept of a boss who watched what time I arrived for work and monitored my annual leave that I revolted against on a cellular level, with every fibre of my being, like an MSNBC anchor at a Trump rally.

And so, as I went about building StoryLearning, one digital brick at a time, I very intentionally created:

A 100% passive business model.

This meant:

• digital products
• no memberships with monthly commitments
• no 1-to-1
• everything sold over automated emails

You get the picture

I remember reading The 4 Hour Work Week and falling head over heels in love with the idea of the digital nomad lifestyle.

“Freedom!”

Now, I was 32 when I started my blog.

34 by the time I quit to go full-time.

By that point, I had a child and a mortgage.

So, in a cruel twist of fate, despite building the dream “freedom business” (in only 2 years – not bad!), I was no longer free to actually live it.

Hah - joke’s on me!

But, in hindsight, it was a blessing.

See…

Fast-forward 6-7 years, and I discovered something that broke my entire world view.

I’d just written the “$10M business working 6 days a month” thing on my new website, and I was getting people emailing me from all corners of the Earth saying, effectively, “I want your life!”

And I remember thinking…

“Really?”

See, I despite my success, I wasn’t feeling fulfilled.

And recently, I discovered why.

Theoretically, I thought I wanted a totally passive business that left me free to do whatever I wanted.

But in reality, that wasn’t what I actually needed.

What I was actually doing was moving away from the “pain” of a job I didn’t want.

• Moving away from pain
• Moving towards pleasure
• Two very different things.

Now, this brings us to the present day, and the photos from earlier in this email.

Since starting my business newsletter last year, I’ve been a LOT busier.

Yes, I’ve been writing emails and running workshops etc.

But I’ve also been doing a lot of “time for money” work:

• workshops
• masterminds
• 1-to-1 mentoring

Things that don’t scale.

The type of work that sends digital nomads running for the hills, screaming in terror, making sacrifices to the passive income gods.

But you know what?

I feel more fulfilled than at any point in my goddam life!

Here’s why:

Through a bunch of work with an outstanding life coach (hit me up for a rec), I’ve gotten some serious clarity on my core values.

(Values, meaning, in this case, the principles that matter most to me in my life. That light me up. That make me feel like I’m in my element.)

Two of these values:

1. Connection
2. Teaching

A passive digital business may be efficient from a revenue generation perspective, but that doesn’t mean it gives you what you need as a human being.

You know, fulfilling work and all that.

Once you’ve got past the “Hey mum, I made $20 while I slept!” stage, you’re still ultimately left to contend with the person that is YOU, with all your needs, wants, idiosyncrasies and imperfections.

There’s no getting away from yourself, passive income or not.

What this new business has taught me is that:

I need work that provides human connection and the ability to teach others what I know.

That’s why I’m enjoying it so much.

I feel like I’m doing work that’s aligned to the very core of who I am… and that’s an incredible feeling.

And the fact that I’m busier, trading time for money…

Who gives a f***?

I certainly don’t, and it’s my life.

And what do I make of the fact that I’m just discovering all this aged 43, after building a bunch of businesses and making stacks of cash?

That building a truly aligned life is not easy, obvious or intuitive.

So, the lesson from this seems very clear:

Have the confidence to design your business the way you want, according to your very own preferences (and nobody else’s).

And you know what?

When I’m with the people I work with these days, THIS is the stuff we talk about.

More that you might believe.

The bigger your business gets, the higher the stakes.

The more out-of-alignment your business gets, the more you feel it.So, my friend…

Much like planting a tree...

The best time to start thinking about this stuff is yesterday.

The second best time is right now.

Namaste,

Olly