Un-Framing at Boquillas Canyon
First- let’s talk about MilagroWorld.
MilagroWorld is the new online community that I built just for you.
Right now, it’s a forum with hundreds of great people having fascinating conversations. We’re talking about everything from making money to living off-the-grid to cooking to Law of Attraction to…
It’s free. All you have to do is click HERE and log on. Go check it out now, and then come back for a fun walk through Boquillas Canyon and a mind-blowing “Un-Framing” session.
Last week, my Portable Empire took Betsy and me to Big Bend National Park.
Betsy had never spent the night in the cabin- Portable Empire West (PEW)- and hadn’t been to Big Bend in decades.
Due to the staggering success of the Clearing Video,
we’ve ramped up our video production. Look for lots more videos.
That’s the beauty of having a Portable Empire. The line between fun and business completely disappears. There’s no place I’d rather be than in the middle of majestic, life-affirming mountains and vistas- and I can bring cameras and video cameras along and share the experience.
And- those videos and pictures end up as income generating components of my Portable Empire.
Sweeeet!
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This trip, Betsy pulled her weight. She’s turning into a fine photographer.
(That’s me on the rim of the Rio Grande river, video-taping the entrance to Boquillas Canyon)
The whole trick to having a successful Portable Empire is to find what you love and figure out a way to get paid for doing it.
This is trickier than it sounds.
For example, do you know what you love?
Do you know what activities and experiences make your heart sing with joy?
I didn’t.
Like most people (you?) I was stuck in survival mode for so long, that just getting the bills paid used up all my bandwidth. I knew I liked to drink, and escape from the world with a good fiction book.
I thought I loved to play guitar and sing. Initially, I did. However, I suspect that being a professional musician is something like being a prostitute. You start out doing it for love. After a while, it’s just a job.
And… as a job, it’s just not as much fun.
In January, 2004, I started my Internet Marketing adventure. By 2006, the bills were paid. I wasn’t an overnight success.
Like most people, I had to make my way one step at a time.
Luckily, Dr. Joe Vitale explained the basics to me- by instruction and example.
Focus on integrity.
Build your list. Always build your list.
Find out what your customers want and sell it to them.
After a while, I came up with some clues on my own.
Every problem is a product.
A product that solves the problem is good enough. Perfection is your enemy.
Take your readers with you when you do something interesting.
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I call that picture, “Still Life with Desert,” and i wish I’d taken it. That’s one of Betsy’s.
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A few months ago, I started a determined program to find out what I enjoyed doing. You might want to play along.
The first step in this was to pay attention to how it felt as I did the things I did in my life. At this stage of my career, I’m pretty much doing what I want to do when I want to do it.
So… how did it feel when I did these things?
I discovered that I did not like sitting in traffic. I don’t like crowds. I don’t like it when other people make demands on my time, and assume that their time is more valuable than mine.
I don’t like talking on the phone- but we all knew that, LOL.
I do like cresting a hill and being surprised by a stunning view. I like that a lot.
I like using my talents and tools to create things that other people like- and will purchase.
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I’m learning to enjoy playing guitar again. Knowing that I don’t have a CD deadline hanging over my head helps. Knowing that I don’t have to please a room full of drunks helps, too.
I love to write. Even when I don’t have to write, I write in my journal.
Photography and videography are fun- and challenging. I’m learning more about them daily.
Can you see how useful this information can be when you’re designing your own Portable Empire?
Remember, the trick is to find what you love, and then figure out how to get paid for doing it.
Well, I love music, photography and videography.
I love to travel, and I love the feeling I get when I’m surrounded by mountains.
Take a second and think about what you love.
The trick is to create a revenue model that allows you to spend time doing what you love and get paid for it.
This may require a little “un-framing.”
Un-Framing is a technique I developed a few years ago that has proved to be really useful- and the clients that I’ve taught it to agree.
It can change your life.
When I first started designing my new life, I did the Un-Framing exercise.
Whenever I feel like I’m in a rut, and doing the same things over and over again, I stop- and do the Un-Framing exercise.
Lately, I’ve been doing the Un-Framing exercise again.
Try this:
1. Make list of all of your talents and skills. This can include anything. Kissing, cooking, getting wine stains out of silk underwear, writing, knitting… anything you can do.
2. Make a list of your tools.
Example: I can play a lot of musical instruments. In my case, those are skills.
Pat Metheny is talented at playing guitar. I’m skilled.
The tools- well, I like tools, so I’ve got a LOT of guitars, a mandolin, a rack of keyboards, recording equipment, microphones…
See the difference?
(This is the “store” in Boquillas Canyon. In an earlier blog, I talked about how the Homeland Paranoia department had closed the border- which really pissed off the locals. There was a thriving relationship, both commercial and personal, between the communities along the border.
This has nothing to do with terra-ists, or illegal immigration. This has to do with neighbors having to deal with arbitrary boundaries set up and patrolled by strangers who don’t have a clue about the people or the land they’re trying to patrol.
I’m happy to say that these stupid laws are being flaunted vigorously.)
For a great article about how the locals are creatively working to save Boquillas, click HERE.
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Well, since the last time I did the Un-Framing exercise, I’ve developed some new skills and acquired some new tools.
Most of these have to do with video. Video is the cresting wave of the present, and a powerful communication tool.
As Internet Marketers, we’re idea merchants. We deal in information. We solve problems.
When I first started, way back in ‘04, the only feasible way to deliver that information was eBooks.
You can shrink an eBook into a tasty bite-size chunk called a PDF, and everybody who has Adobe reader can consume it. Since Adobe reader has always been free, that worked pretty well. You can download an eBook on a dial-up connection.
Later, bandwidth increased and download speeds got faster- and MP3s appeared. All of a sudden (it seemed), podcasting was the big new thing. Audio books appeared.
Now, we had two ways to deliver the information: eBooks and audios.
Then, things got real interesting- highspeed DSL became common, YouTube appeared (and was quickly gobbled up by Google), and video was all the rage.
Very cool.
That gave us a third bullet in our gun.
With each technological advance, the WAY we delivered the solutions to our customers’ problems changed- or not- it’s not like eBooks disappeared. We still make a lot of money from eBooks.
But now, in addition to eBooks about clearing, we can market Clearing Audios and Clearing Videos.
Technology is still changing. It will always change, that’s the only thing that stays constant about it.
Now, (although the technology is still a little shaky) we can stream live video.
Now, we can watch videos on our cell-phones.
As iPhones and Blackberries- and all the clones- become more and more like pocket computers, look for phone-marketing to really blossom. Once they get the GPS on the phones to tie into local broadcasts, walking through the mall is going to get interesting- or irritating- depending on how you feel about deals being broadcast to your phone.
(This gentleman stands on a rock and sings. We can assume he lives in Boquillas, Mexico- but the songs he sings sound ageless and American Indian to me.
Walking through the deep caverns carved over thousands and thousands of years by the Rio Grande river, watching the sun play on the cliff-side, and hearing his ancient song is one of the things I loved about the trip.)
So, with all this new technology and information, it’s time to do the Re-Framing exercise.
New skills:
I’m getting better at Final Cut Pro (FCP). FCP is the video editing platform of choice for professional film-makers, and it’s seriously powerful and complicated.
I’m gradually learning Photoshop. Photoshop is the picture-editing software that professionals use, and, like FCP, it’s deep and exciting.
We used to think that pictures don’t lie.
Now, we can make that picture lie convincingly.
New tools:
The video camera in the picture at the top of the page is a Sony High-Definition cam, and- despite its small size- is capable of shooting big-screen movie video.
I’ll be buying a new keyboard- probably tomorrow- to make our audio products more interesting.
And… in a way, the Portable Empire West cabin is a pretty amazing tool, too.
It gives us a base of operations just half an hour away from Big Bend National Park. You’ll be seeing a lot of pics and videos of mountains and rivers.
So… adding those to my existing inventory, I move on to step 2.
How many different business models can I create using my existing skills and tools?
A bunch.
How about you?
How many business models can you come up with.
Don’t hold back.
This is the part where you don’t edit.
For example- I could do wedding photography or videos. I’d sooner gnaw my arm off at the elbow, but I could do it.
I could make music videos, or create a live music channel online.
I could, I guess, make porn movies… but, no.
But, they all go on the list.
Then, I think about 1) what I love to do and 2) what my customers would actually purchase.
That narrows things down a bit, but still leaves a lot of new adventures.
How about you?
Find what you love and figure out a way to get paid to do it.
Leave a comment, let me know what you think? Did you come up with any new business/life ideas?
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We don’t take the cats with us to the Portable Empire West cabin. There are creatures there that would confuse cats with food. The cats wouldn’t last a day.
This is Ming, the short-bus cat. She is, at the best of times, disturbed. Without a doubt, she’s the oddest cat I’ve ever known.
You can tell by her expression that, in her opinion, we were gone way too long.
12 Responsesto “Un-Framing at Boquillas Canyon”
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KK- those “cigars” are actually pieces of toast.
Thanks for all the nice comments!
And yes- it is good to be back.
Excellent blogging! I really need to take some time to un-frame…
Love the photos. The sense of isolation really tugs at my heart/soul — time and space for me and just me to get clear. Even Wimberley seems too busy sometimes.
And ‘ditto’ what nduffle says — you are a true ‘texplorer’ and I certainly appreciate that you share the knowledge.
Hey man, I’m glad the blog is back – I missed it. Like KK said, I’m really diggin’ MilagroWorld, but your blog posts are classics unto themselves. Seriously.
By the way, I just realized one of the reasons why I’ve been following you for 2+ years now.
It’s because you’re a “texplorer” – a techie explorer. Or more specifically – A Texan Techie Explorer. I love the various things you continually find under the web-rocks, and then share with all of us. For one thing, it saves me loads of time since our interests often seem to run parallel, especially regarding IM, video, photography and music. But it’s also just reassuring somehow to know that you’re out there DOING it, rather than just talking about it.
When I see your photos and videos, I know you’re the real deal. When I watch your online TV shows, I know you’re on the cutting edge, trying out new things, staying curious. And when you launch something like MilagroWorld AND upgrade your blog, all in one week, I know that you’re still excited about the path you’re on.
Kudos, bro. It’s a pleasure to be on the same planet with you, orbiting that big yellow thing in the sky, whatever the heck it is.
- Nelson
Hi Pat,
I’m jealous! I’ll be clearing on that in a minute. I am also very grateful for this sentence:
A product that solves the problem is good enough. Perfection is your enemy.
Having the self discipline to stand up to my own ego and perfectionism and say enough’s enough may be one of the most important things I could possibly do to increase my income and have more time for creativity.
THANK YOU !!!!
Hi Pat!
Thanks for sharing your pictures and your thoughts!
Yes, I can come up with new product ideas. My challenge is to complete my ideas, before getting new ones
PS: I can’t upload my picture to my profil….. Don’t know what is wrong…
Hi Pat,
Thanks for sharing those beautiful pictures. I live in Israel not far from the desert (about 1.5 hours drive) and I love the desert scenes. They are so relaxing and intruiging at the same time. Being there in the open nature is what true freedom really feels like.
I also had a chance to be in Arizona for several months to breath in some of the most awesome desert scenes.
Its really cool that you take the time to study new toys and techs that give you the edge for your business. Having a job+ 2 kids to take care of does not leave me much time to catch up with the net tech these days. But… I figured out ways to leverage on what others are putting up… when I started on the web I suddenly had to be a webmaster, web designer, copy writer, etc. etc. endless amout of skills. So I am working my way while promoting others’ stuff.
Hey Buz- thanks. I told her.
Comfox- thanks!
Hey Cap’n. Thanks. I’m not happy with the theme, but it’s great to be back up. I felt like Tommy- deaf, dumb and blind- without my blog.
Thanks for commenting!
Hi Pat,
Congrats on getting the site up and running.
Excellent photos. WOW!
Rob
Pat, your new site looks great. I really enjoyed this post with all the neat pictures and words of wisdom.
Excellent post, Pat. Unframing is an ultra-potent tool that I haven’t used an a few months. I like your idea about reframing, now that I know more. I think I’ll carve out some time for that exercise.
Please tell Betsy that I love “Still Life With Desert.” All of the photos in this post are excellent. And that is one of the most unique cats I’ve ever seen.
Hey KK – thanks!
Betsy was reading “after the ecstacy, the laundry,” by jack kornfield and “The subject tonight is love,” by Hafiz
Oh, Pat. I’m so glad to see you back on your blog! We’re having great fun with you at Milagro world, but your blog…it’s awesome! These pics are Phenomenal! Tell Betsy she is ready for the coffee table book (I want a signed copy!)
Re Ming. Point taken. My Trixie (a quarter wild Calico mix) would have reacted the same way. She does NOT take orders and she most certainly would not take well to being abandoned for more than a few hours at best!
Okay one question. What are the two books under the bowl of apple & cigars in “still life with desert” (or is that one book and a board?)?
Later,
KK