The Definition of an Amazonian

I had so many Amazon goals in 2016 that I was shooting for I kind of feel I only got half way through them. This year I will have much more structure so thought I would share the journey. I am not into New Year resolutions but more a person who tries to make today better than yesterday. However, this year the Christmas Holiday Season gave me some serious thinking time so you could say this is my New Year resolution 🙂

There is a saying in life…

“If it’s going to be then it’s up to me.”

Amazon is a beast by which I mean it can be all powerful and all consuming (of your time). You need to have structure – clear goals and timelines to start or manage your Amazon business.

A great friend of mine suggested I read a book last month called The Perfect Day Formula by Craig Balantyne. You must read this. I had not read a single book for the best part of 15 years. Initially the thought of trying to find it/get it/read it was almost too much effort.

However, Amazon makes this so easy as and after some stumbling around I found you can down load software onto your Mac, iPhone, PC or Android so you can read Kindle style. I am a hybrid…use a Mac (feels like a smarter computer) but have an Android phone (hate Apple’s constant lock you in style).

So, no excuses. I bought the book and quickly got immersed. Wow…what a very solid read. Here is another favorite saying of mine:

“You don’t know what you don’t know until someone tells you something that you didn’t know you already know.”

Example: I like archery but seldom get to practice. When I go to the range I think I am doing it right until someone makes a comment eg drop your shoulder. I know I should do this but tense up and always forget. Sometimes I have to bite my lip and not say I-know-I-know-I-know especially if it is my partner commenting lol.

I kind of felt foolish half way through the book. Had several so called rules in my life that were making me very ineffective? One was that I cannot do exercise before breakfast or I feel sick. Another favorite was to tell everyone I am not a morning person. I often paid more for airfares as would not fly before 11 am! Let’s look into these and at the same time ask yourself if you have some limiting beliefs which are really just nonsense (nonsense = no sense). Don’t take anything I say too personally…

I cannot do exercise before breakfast or I feel sick:

A great many years ago I got up at 6 am, grabbed my gym gear and drove to the gym. I had my usual workout (for back then) with a lot of cardio and jumping around and drove home an hour later, starving hungry and feeling quite exhausted and a bit sick. Never again I said.

Think about this – this is like trying to ride a bike, falling off once and then never trying again. Not smart 🙁

As a result, I created this rule and kept to my regular gym visit around 6 pm. This meant dinner around 8 pm and then bed around 10 pm, then 11pm…and so the slide into becoming a night owl – another label. Frankly, I then struggled to get out of bed by even 8 am the next day and did not hit my stride until 11 am. This of course lead into my next rule…

I am not a morning person:

How could I be…I did not go to bed until past midnight…!!! I am not one of those 4-hour sleep people. I am better with 7 or 8 hours (yes, I have also tried shorter…just does not work for me.

Thank you Craig Balantyne. $9.95 and some of my precious time and I have developed a new lifestyle which both my partner and I have found gives us so much more freedom. We live in Thailand by the sea and really enjoy a regular swim. You will find me on the beach most days around 4 pm when it is cooling off 🙂

Here is my day structure:

5 am am up..shave

5:10 exercise/stretch

5:50 shower/protein drink/banana

6:15 start my #1 priority of the day

7:30 breakfast

…and on it goes. By getting up early every day and managing my time AND priorities closely I get to go to the beach…my reward for an effective day.

Here is the link to his book in case you still haven’t clicked above!

The Perfect Day Formula by Craig Balantyne

Nothing about Amazon so far except buying a book, huh? Well, you can’t run an Amazon business (particularly if you have a regular job to manage) unless you create some extra hours in your current life. Otherwise, it will become one of those dreams that becomes someone else’s reality. I know this too well – it is my personal experience.

If you are already a full-time Amazonian as I like to describe a successful Amazon seller, then you know it can become a 24/7 business. You are often monitoring products, working on key words, answering queries, soothing unhappy customers, chasing reviews, blah blah. It can become relentless if you allow it to. This blog is for you as well…you need to create some structure and freedom in your life as well.

So, what do you need to do to become a true Amazonian?

First, you need to work on a structure to start you on the right track….

This will help you create the extra hours you need.

The image on this blog is of the Amazon river….note there is a main flow in the centre of the picture which is what we all dream of riding…this is where all the sales happen. However, it is so easy to go off track…the flow slows and you get caught up in the debris and foliage along the river bank.

Let’s make sure we help you fill all these extra hours you create with some proven targeted strategies so you can become a true Amazonian…!!!