š TL; DR: This Week in The Digital CEO Weekly š
ā Your Operating Field (and How You Manage It) Is Your Greatest Asset: In a world full of noise, distraction, and fear, your success depends on your ability to remain aligned and connected to the real reason you're in business.
ā The 4 Factors Between Entrepreneurs Who Build Lasting Success... And Those Who Burn Out: The 4 core shifts that have kept me in the game (and loving it) for 18 years... without quitting, burning out, or losing momentum.
From the Desk of James Wedmore:
Should I really keep writing this newsletter? š
That was the thought running through my head last weekā¦ until I opened up my Instagram DMs.
It felt like EVERY one of you came at me with threats if I even thought about stopping this thing.
(Haha! not really! But seriouslyā¦ so many kind words of encouragement. Thank you!)
So... FINE! Iāll do it! Iāll keep writing it. š
Truth is, I enjoy it. Really. And it lights me up that so many of you enjoy reading it.
In fact, I think YOU should have a weekly newsletter as well.
Why not?
(If thatās something youād want me to teach onā¦ DM me.)
Cuz weāre bringinā email back, baby. š»š¬
And I want you to know what THIS newsletter is really aboutā¦
Every week when you open this email, my intention is to help you go to work on your Operating Field.
You know what I mean by that, right?
Your Operating Field is your personal frequency. Itās what is already underneath and encoded in everything you say, do, think, and create. It directly influences HOW you show up in the World... the decisions you make and the actions you take. (so... it's like... kind of important)
And the REASON this is important is because in todayās World, EVERYTHING is pulling at our attentionā¦
The endless scrolling of attention-grabbing video hooks and headlines
The dopamine hits from short-form Reels and Tiktoks
The opinions, drama, rage bait
The noise, fears, distractions, concerns
...The things that maybe make your stomach tighten and your thoughts race.
All of it distorts your Field, hijacking and draining your energy.
And thatās the real cost.
Because when your Operating Field is scrambled by external noise, itās almost impossible to create from a place of alignment.
But the moment you reclaim your attention from all this, even for a few minutes, thatās where you tap into something deeper.
And thatās what I hope this newsletter gives you. Not just a few marketing tips or launch strategies (although yes, weāll talk about that tooā¦)
But the chance to pause.
To slow down.
To breathe.
You may start to feel more centered, excited, happy or at peace as you do something I worry is becoming a lost hobby:
Reading.
If this newsletter does nothing but reset your mood, lighten the load, or give you a HIT of inspiration or reconnect you to why you started your business in the first place...
Then it has already exceeded its mission.
Because letās face it: the chaos isnāt slowing down.
Thereās more noise than ever. More fear. More distractions. More people trying to hijack your energy and attention.
So managing your Operating Field, AKA maintaining coherence, is everything.
Side note: You know those people that always scoff at personal and spiritual growth and say:
š£ļø āItās NOT all about mindset!ā
Wellā¦ thatās simply because they arenāt playing a BIG ENOUGH game where managing yourself impeccably would actually make a difference.
I mean, if your goal is to sit on the couch and binge Netflixā¦ why would you ever need to unlock higher levels of potential and performance!? Where is āmindsetā needed in THAT?!
BUT, if youāre here to lead... To grow... facilitate transformation...
Then yes, this stuff people call "mindset" is EVERYTHING.
That's why your Operating Field (and how you manage it) matters now more than ever.
And because there is a lot of uncertainty, the division, the fear in the Collective, people are FROZEN in fear.
Theyāre waiting. Watching.
And they need someone to show them a new way forward.
They need their Light House. Their Guide. Their Leader.
Is that you?
So, you may still just see me as the guy who wants you to have an online course or whatever.
And thatās okā¦ but thatās not how I see things. And thatās not the only reason why I do what I do.
Iām very clear on what Iām here to do: Create leaders.
I mean itās cool to have a digital product and make buttloads of money, but thatās not WHY Iām still so passionate about doing this 18 years later.
Itās actually because Iām in the business of creating leaders.
If I can help you step into even more of your potential, more of your greatness, then guess what?
YOU can help MORE people.
And that ripple effect continues.
And I feel unbelievably honored that I get to play even a small role in assisting you to do just that!
So today (and each week with this newsletter), I want to encourage you to unlock more of that untapped potential (just like I work on ways to do the same for myself EVERY DAY).
So this week, I want to do it in a roundabout way by answering a "weird" but very important question I get asked all the time, which is:
āJames, how can you do this for 18 years straight without burning out, quitting or retiring?ā
Iāve got four answers.
And I believe these answers are relevant to EVERY business owner, and become subtle clues for tapping into more of your growth.
Reason 01: I Know What I Love, I Love What I Do, and I Do What I Love.
My first question for you is this:
What do you love doing?
Because that feeling of doing something you love ā that pull ā is your Soul (or, more accurately, the REAL You) trying to come through.
And thatās not something to ignore. (it gets more painful the longer you do ignore it fyi)
Thatās the thing you must pay attention to. What you MUST be doing.
Currently, itās one week after we closed doors on one of the busiest times of the year for meā¦
ā¦and Iāve gotta say: I have been having the MOST fun ever. Like, I had a friggin blast!
What was I doing?
Coaching. Teaching. Helping. Sharing.
Guiding a new group of eager students.
And when that happens? I come ALIVE on a whole other level!
But hereās the thing a lot of people missā¦
š I donāt just assume Iāll always feel this way forever.
Iām always checking in with myself. ALWAYS.
Because what YOU LOVE can be a moving target. It can evolve over timeā¦ and thatās ok.
And if I didnāt love what I do anymore... I wouldnāt do it!
Period.
So, you MUST figure out what you love doing, and you must find a way to do more of that thing. AND... get paid to do it.
Because keeping things fun, light, and playful...
Thatās the name of the game.
And if you donāt love your niche, or teaching or coaching... hereās my advice:
GET OUT NOW!
Because burnout is what happens when your Soul says āNo!ā... but you keep saying āYes.ā
This is so important, and brings me to my 2nd reasonā¦
Reason 02: I Don't Do It For The Money.
If youāre choosing money over happiness, youāre screwed.
There. I said it.
And donāt get me wrong ā itās awesome to make a ton of money.
Heck, on Cart Open Day we woke up to $1 Million in sales by 8:30am in the morning! Thatās 2.5 hours! A new record!
But I donāt do this FOR the money. Iām not DRIVEN by the money.
Money is nice, but itās not the most important thing. As much as society tells you it is.
I have had COUNTLESS opportunities to start or buy other businesses that would probably make me more money than this one.
But I DONāT want to run a software company.
And I DONāT want to design and manufacture physical products. (How do I know? Because I tried!)
Studies have shown that money is actually one of the lowest forms of motivation. Once people have their needs met, most people arenāt as driven to continue growing just so they can āmake more.ā
In fact, my biggest business expansion happened when we deepened our Purpose and calling to serve more people in bigger and bigger ways.
Thatās when things exploded.
But if you are doing this just for the money, guess what happensā¦
Your entire state (your Operating Field) gets tied to your Bank account.
š When sales are up, yay! Youāre up.
š But when sales are down... uh oh! Look out! Youāre down.
Your business (and life) becomes a full-blown emotional rollercoaster, and YOU are the one stuck front row, riding every high and low dictated by the marketplace.
THATāS what you signed up for?
Because hereās what Iāve found and wholeheartedly believe:
The more DETACHMENT you have around money, the more fun you have in business... and the more you actually make. THAT creates a Magnetic Operating Field.
But hey! Donāt take my word for it.
Try it out yourself! š
Reason 03: I REFUSE To Do What I Don't LOVE.
Ok, yes. We all have to do things we donāt want to do.
That's life.
But how often? That's the question.
Now, I am also someone who enjoys WORK. I like to work. (If you are lazy, and don't like work... why are you trying to start a business?)
But I am also extremely vigilant about protecting my energy from soul-sucking tasks and activities that drain my batteries and cause resentment or disdain for my work. (Hence why I love what I do!)
You think Iām formatting this newsletter?
Fiddling around in Kajabi uploading videos for 2 hours?
Answering customer support tickets?
NO.
And I understand this āReason 03ā is just the āoppositeā of Reason 01...
ā¦but it MUST be said.
Because you can do what you love for an hour a day, and then spend 7 more hours doing what you HATE, and guess what happens:
You end up hating your WHOLE DAMN BUSINESS.
If you want long term, sustained success and growth (and thatās really the key here... success OVER TIME), you must FIGHT to protect your precious time and energy against the tasks that eat away at you.
Your business and your future depends on it.
So to the soul-sucking tasks you keep giving your precious time and energy to, here are some options:
ā”ļø Say NO.
ā”ļø Delegate it.
ā”ļø Automate it.
ā”ļø Get your ChatGPPPTeetee do it for you.
ā”ļø Document it and hand it off to someone else.
But LET IT GO! Please! š
Because the heavy, draining tasks that youāre wasting your days on...
They donāt just keep you broke, but they increase the probability of failure or burnout.
If we trace this back to the beginning...
You had a VISION and you created a GOAL for your future.
Ok, so Your Soul or Higher Self WAS right there aligning with that new destination. And then, your Higher Self (the Real You) gave you a PROMOTION.
ā¦you just didnāt get the memo.
Instead, you stayed at your ālittle desk jobā in the basement next to the HVAC doing menial tasks...
ā¦all the while that corner office with the view is calling your name.
So itās time to step up and step into the role your business NEEDS you to fill.
LET GO of the shit that is distracting you from the REAL work that generates results.
Reason 04: I Am NOT My Business.
Okay ā this oneās gonna be uncomfortable for some people...
Why?
Because most entrepreneurs have very unhealthy, codependent relationships with their business.
They IDENTIFY with their accomplishments.
An āI am my latest successā type of mindset.
And they look to get their needs met by their business.
And thatās a dangerous game to play.
To make matters worse, in this industry (which can be super toxic btw), a lot of people are just in business for the attention.
The fame. The significance.
š£ āBow to me, my followers!ā
Ew. Gross.
Look ā I love what I do. I care deeply about this work.
But I also have a life outside of business.
Itās a simple one. A beautiful one.
Iām madly in love with my Twin Flame, Jenni.
We have our little puppy pack out here in Sedona.
We collect crystals, shop local, and watch as many movies together as we can (huge film buffs here).
I love playing guitar.
I have a deepened spiritual practice that has unfolded into one of the most beautiful experiences.
And we have wonderful friends and family all around us.
AND...
š My business SUPPORTS that life.
It doesnāt threaten it.
It doesn't define it.
So, your LIFE comes first. And your LIFE is measured by how much alignment you have with your values, your relationships and your experiences.
And a business that is SUSTAINABLE... is simply gasoline on an already passionate flame of life. It AMPLIFIES. It supports. It expands.
The alternative: you make your life your business, become a workaholic, ignore your health, relationshps and happiness for 10 years only to learn the hard way, that it didn't really matter as much as you thought it would. And hey! That's a wonderful way to learn it... just takes a bit longer than reading a newsletter, and is a wee-bit more painful.
Ok, Food for thought. Thanks for reading :-)
This Week on The Mind Your Business Podcast:
The #1 Most Powerful Way to Increase Conversions
If you want to dramatically boost your sales and engagement, this episode is a must-listen.
Today Iām breaking down the real secret to conversions ā and it has nothing to do with fancy funnels or more content. Itās all about creating transformative experiences that shift your audience on a deeper level and move them to action.
š§ LISTEN To The Episode Here
This Week In A Meme š„
