Aligning Business with Inner Wealth

Dare to Escape: Chapter 6

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✏️ DARE TO ESCAPE: Break Free from the Rat Race and Create Your Ideal Life

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This is CHAPTER 06 of my write-in-public book project.
Read past chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5.

Aligning Business with Inner Wealth

“There is no use in planning for a future,
Which when you get to it, and it becomes the present, you won’t be there.
You’ll be living in some other future which hasn’t yet arrived.
And so in this way, one is never able actually to inherit and enjoy the fruits of one’s actions.
You can’t live it all unless you can live fully now.”

- Alan Watts

Defining personal success and wealth

Reflecting on my life whilst lying in a hospital bed after my brain surgery, I realised the traditional path to success I'd been following—chasing grades, a corporate career, and material wealth—left me unfulfilled. 

The pursuit felt increasingly empty despite the societal applause it garnered. 

It took some seismic life events to shake me from that linear pursuit of society's narrow view of success: 

• Watching my father lose his career after emerging technology and company profit motives rendered his contribution “redundant”. 

• Experiencing my own corporate burnout that resulted in a bacterial infection in my brain and consequent brain surgery.  I was burnt out, overworked, and questioning what it was all for.

• The premature death of my mother at the young age of fifty-five. Mum had sacrificed returning to her family in Laos for decades to give Dad and me a better life. Thankfully, she did go back once to visit them in the village. 

• Losing my “secure” corporate job when the Global Financial Crisis hit. 

Sudden awakenings like these showed me how quickly circumstances can disrupt even the most carefully constructed life plans.

This led me on a journey of self-discovery, where I embraced meditation, travel, and diverse cultures, gradually shifting my values towards purpose, impact, and genuine connections over material gains.

As I navigate the entrepreneurial landscape, my focus has shifted from conforming to societal expectations to forging my path based on personal growth, flexibility, and creativity. 

This journey taught me that true wealth isn't measured by financial success alone but by the richness of our internal life and the legacy we leave behind. It's about crafting a life that's in harmony with our deepest values, not one dictated by external pressures or predefined metrics of success. 

True success is figuring out what you want, not what others want from you.

The pitfalls of external validation

The greatest pitfall I've encountered is getting caught in the trap of external validation - chasing accomplishments and business models that external forces (family members, friends, teachers, colleagues, media and society) deem "successful" rather than what truly resonates with me. 

When we unconsciously adopt the desires of others, we risk building something inauthentic that checks boxes outwardly but leaves us emotionally and spiritually bankrupt.

From the failed FB ads agency, to the draining coaching hustle, followed by the soulless content agency, each endeavour resulted from mimicking someone else's idea of what I should want rather than manifesting my authentic aspirations. 

The harsh reality is that so much of what we chase stems from unconscious social influences shaping our aspirations before we even realise it. There’s a term for this “Mimetic desire”, i.e. wanting something simply because we've witnessed others desiring it.

I struggled with the deep-seated misbelief that real success meant following a predetermined path—hitting specific metrics and emulating others' business models. But in buying into those external narratives, I neglected to listen to my inner voice about what truly inspires and excites me to wake up each morning.

It was a painful but invaluable series of lessons. 

Lifestyle design isn't about checking boxes or imitating societal expectations. It's about boldly defining success on your own terms - creating something from the heart, led by passion over pressure. Only then can you build a fulfilling venture that energises rather than depletes you.

Am I still learning to block out the noise and resist those unconscious pulls toward chasing the wrong aspirations? Most definitely.

But I'm getting better at separating my authentic desires from the inauthentic ones programmed by external forces. The most challenging undertaking is looking inward to create something deeply nourishing and built to last.

So pause and ask yourself: Are the pursuits I'm chasing aligned with my soul's yearnings (i.e., is this thing truly lighting me up?), or have I unconsciously adopted someone else's " success " model?

Image created by Dall-E.

Aligning business goals with personal values

After years of grinding at the frantic pace of running a content agency, I was burned out and questioning everything. The hustle-at-all-costs mentality I had subscribed to ended up draining me spiritually, physically, and mentally. Something had to change.

So, when the pandemic first upended our lives in 2020, I began reassessing my priorities. My wife and I spontaneously decided to escape the rut of our Sydney routine in 2022, packing up for an adventure in Danang, with its idyllic beaches and lower cost of living. As I disconnected from client work for four months, I rediscovered what truly brought me joy. 

It was the first breath of fresh air I'd taken in years.

Slowly, through self-reflection and recharge, a new philosophy crystallised: intentional, sustainable growth. Not the stereotypical hustle-and-grind approach that had fueled my past burnouts.

I knew I wanted to create work that mattered and lasted,
not just churn out content for clients.

I craved the freedom and flexibility to prioritise my well-being—mentally, physically, and in my most cherished personal relationships. I made my wife and life together the priority, not an afterthought.  

For too long, I had subconsciously absorbed limiting beliefs about being "successful" in business. I thought I needed huge teams and money-hungry growth at all costs to have an impact. Looking back, this overpowered my core values.

As I shook off those ingrained notions in Danang, a new path emerged: Build a boutique one-person business tailored to my lifestyle and passions.—no more growth for growth's sake. 

I’d focus on a mix of:

• Offering high-income skills (copywriting, content marketing, marketing strategy) in a packaged solution that solved a high-value problem for clients

• Smart positioning and strategy 

• Leveraging outsourced virtual assistant support

• Utilising evolving tech like AI to enhance services

• Leveraged digital products - build once, sell again and again. This book is the first step in realising this vision. 

• Recurring income streams. 

This time, I felt ready to create something leveraged that I believed could provide immense value and impact—my new path.

Of course, mindset hurdles remained. I had doubts about crafting an offer people actually wanted. I hesitated over the time investment required to build something meaningful from scratch. 

Ultimately, the upside of aligning my business with my most authentic values and lifestyle aspirations outweighed any risk.

“And then there is the most dangerous risk of all -- the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.”

― Randy Komisar, The Monk and the Riddle: The Education of a Silicon Valley Entrepreneur.

So, this is the journey I'm undertaking now. I embrace sustainable progress over hustle and listen to my heart, not just caving to the whims of "What's going to make money quickest?" 

This fresh mindset sparked my pivot in 2023 to offering fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) services. By providing strategic marketing leadership to a handful of clients, I’m on track to hit six figures in annual revenue for the first time while also enjoying more time and location freedom—two longstanding goals.

It's naive to think there won't be further obstacles laced with temptations to default to old patterns. But now, with clarity driving my intentions, I know I'm finally building toward something bigger than just business. I'm architecting a life and legacy in harmony with what matters most.

What does “freedom” mean, anyway?

Freedom consists of seven elements to me:

1. Financial Freedom - I work because I choose to, not because I have to pay the bills. Those income-producing assets are the real MVPs, allowing me to unlock the other glorious freedoms.

2. Time Freedom—Having that precious time to just BE, to connect deeply with loved ones, invest in myself, and act on causes that move my soul, whether adventuring to new corners of the world or simply being present for life's magical moments.

3. Spiritual Freedom - This one's all about plugging into my higher purpose and appreciation for each day. Greeting the world with a mind full of joy and inspiration is true bliss.

4. Location Freedom - Why be shackled to one spot when you can embrace the world? I'm free like a beautiful butterfly to live and work wherever speaks to my wandering spirit.

5. Creative Freedom—Killer ideas need space to be born and thrive, am I right? My creativity flows unbounded, and I am free to innovate and express myself in authentic, fulfilling ways.

6. Intellectual Freedom - Books, podcasts, experiences galore! My unrelenting curiosity is indulged through the freedom to learn and expand my mind constantly.

7. Ethical Freedom - Doing the right thing and living according to my values is the only way to be indeed free. No compromises, just sweet integrity everywhere I roam.

What does FREEDOM mean to you? In the next activity, you’re about to find out. 

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TAKE ACTION: What Does Freedom Mean to You? A 10-Minute Activity

As you’re about to discover with this quick exercise, you can choose from 11 types of freedoms. 

Objective: Quickly assess and prioritise different types of freedom based on their significance to you, helping to align your actions with your values and goals.

Materials Needed:

• Pen or pencil

• A sheet of paper

Instructions: