When I Get My Dream House, I Won't Be Happy

I couldn't click on the listing fast enough.

It's not often your dream house goes on the market...

Right across the street from you.

To know me is to know how obsessed I am with my neighborhood.

There's no way I'm moving out of it. It's one of those places that if you're lucky enough to snag a house, you never leave.

So imagine how excited I was when this house popped up directly on the ocean with 180-degree waterfront views.

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It has hundreds of feet of private beachfront. A boat dock. A pool!!

I pictured myself waking up in the morning, stepping out onto the patio to have my coffee. I'd wave to the boaters and the ferry as they sailed by. I'd make my way down the meandering steps to the ocean, where I'd slip in for a morning dip (not in a bikini, of course).

But as nice as the house was, I had to be honest with myself about why I even wanted it in the first place. And the story I was telling myself about what would change if, and only if, I got it.

It's because my anxiety works like this:

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​When things start feeling a little sticky in life, I start thinking when something happens or changes, then I'll feel better. In other words, I buy into the arrival fallacy.

🌲 When I get more privacy trees in the backyard, I can finally relax.

🎤 When I get on that podcast, I will finally feel like I've made it.

💪 When I lose 5 more pounds, I'll finally feel confident to wear that bikini again.

🌊 When I get this insane house on the ocean, I'll finally feel at peace and ease in my home. I'll never have another need in the world!

My anxiety usually hops around -- laser focused on one of these things for a few days at a time. My mind won't quit until I get it done. Except just like whack-a-mole, a new one pops up every time I smack one of them on the head.

Luckily, I'm getting better at recognizing the pattern.

That house isn't going to fix any discomfort I feel (it will probably just unlock a new fear of my house falling into the ocean).

I don't need to lose any pounds for permission or confidence to wear a bikini.

And no matter how many zeros there are after my revenue... it will never feel like I've made it.*

As you grow your business, watch where you create a story around what will change for you when you arrive.

When you get where you want to go, it will come with its own new set of challenges. Challenges you're capable of navigating because of all the ones you've been through up to this point.

But if you expect that on the other side of this overwhelming, difficult time building your business it will be all smooth sailing...

I've got news for you.

When you grow your business, you won't be happy (because of your business).

You'll be happy if you appreciate where you are, when you're there. That goes for now and later.

Even more so, if you detach yourself from metrics and your business' success.

That's why I wrote an entire book setting the record straight on what your business is really meant to do for you in your life.

In it, I shared all of my best marketing secrets -- like how I grew this email list to over 63k, how to create fewer pieces of content that have a greater impact, how to sell more of your digital product/course/or service online, and how to stay sane while doing it.

You only have until April 29 to grab a copy and get a free ticket to my live book club call on April 30.

It's basically like getting a free 90-min business coaching call with me... for the cost of my book!

📚 TO JOIN BOOK CLUB:

1. Buy my book anywhere you want (it's 40% off on Amazon, or checkout Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, Inkwood, or Vermont Book Shop​
2. Fill out this form on this page​

Will I see you there, Reader? Hit "reply" and tell me so I can thank you!

If you already got a copy of my book, hit "reply" and let me know how this email resonated with you. I love hearing from you and fully expect this newsletter to be a two-way street :)

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*This is assuming people have their basic needs met, which is a big, privileged assumption. For many people, improving their financial situation would provide a huge relief and sense of happiness. But once your basic needs are met (& then some), be careful what you think making more money will mean.

🔗 Links You'll Love

📮 Email marketing wiz, Liz Wilcox, is hosting a free email engagement summit that starts today. Each audio lesson from email marketing pros is <10 mins!

Pop in headphones, take the pup out for a walk & grow your list. Grab your free seat→ (affiliate link)

🌠 If you're an over-apologizer like me, you'll love my Substack essay this week. Read it here→ "I'm sorry, but I had to write this"

🎧 If you think you might want to write a book one day but have no idea what the process looks like (or where to start), I sat down with my friends Jo & Lyndon from The Sustainable Creator podcast to celebrate the one-year anniversary of my book, break down the writing process, and the steps I took to get a Big 5 book deal. Listen here->​

🎙️ ON YOUR TERMS®️ Why Your Launch Actually Flopped You've watched everyone else's big launches, sold-out offers, and climbing revenue numbers, and you can't help but wonder... "What am I doing wrong?!" because you want that, too. In today's episode of the podcast, I'm sharing the crucial step everyone skips before they ever launch (which is what causes most of them to fail before lift off). 🎧 LISTEN HERE→ The Step Everyone Skips Before They Launch

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