If there's one thing I've learned in my over 12 years as an entrepreneur, it's that the most important part of your business is showing up. - Even when you don't feel like it - Even when things are hard - Even when everything feels like it's going wrong I've built five companies now, and every single time, there's always ebbs and flows. There are moments when things feel really great and aligned, and there are moments when everything feels hard, and it feels like I'm trudging through a swamp. No matter how hard I push, I don't get anywhere. But I kept showing up. And that's what got me across the finish line. That's not to say that you should build your business from a place of force, where you have to repeatedly do things you hate over and over again to achieve an outcome. I work hard, but I don't believe in "hustle culture" work 18 hours a day 7 days a week. That may work for some people, but it's not sustainable and it's honestly not even necessary. Work hard, yes, but also work smart and work with the way that your brain works. If you keep noticing that something isn't working, that's a sign that you're probably out of alignment, and it's time to change something. That doesn't necessarily mean it's time to change to a different business or give up on your dreams as an entrepreneur. It might just mean changing the methods and systems you're using to try and achieve the outcome. This is a lesson that Rex and I learned recently. We found that if we push and do a ton of outreach and do these big launches, we can achieve success. Followed by burnout. Lesson learned. Now we're working with a coach to help us build systems and new ways of doing business that enhance what we're already doing and make ourselves more effective. But I digress. The point of this whole post is this: 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴. As long as you don't give up, you will achieve your goals. Or you will find yourself hitting a different milestone you hadn't even thought of, that's better than what you hoped.

Just joined this incredible community by @David Iya, and had to share it. Recess is where Skool owners come to connect. To network, share wins, vent, learn, and actually get to know each other and build real friendships. 🎡 Here's what will happen in RECESS. 🎡 1. Every week, he'll pin & spotlight two different communities. 2. You'll share what's blocking you. You'll celebrate what's working. 3. He'll continue to drop knowledge, insights, and lessons from building to Top #10. 4. You'll vent. You'll connect. You'll support each other. And you'll build deeper, more intimate relationships through skool-specific relationship based games, calls and other fun surprises. This is all about YOU. Your Skools, Your journeys. Your stories. Your growth. A place to vent, to celebrate the wins, and to find support when needed. A place where I'll continue to share the things I'm learning from my journey. A place where hot seats will continue, and we can continue knowledge sharing. No courses. No tactics. Just people who get it. And a place for support while you build. If you're a Skool owner, don't wait to join; it won't be free forever to maintain the quality. Click here to join Recess. Here's what he said: "I've been blessed beyond what I deserve. But not everyone can afford paid communities. Some of the best people I know are grinding alone and in my free plan. I built Recess to give back." Join recess, and see you there. 💙

Given the snowpocalypse we're all experiencing right now, I'd love to hear what you've LOVED about this weekend! I went for a walk this morning with my pup Kota, and he freaked out! It's only the second time he's ever seen snow (living in Arizona, California and Texas it's not very common!). Over to you! Share some highlights in the comments.

My dear friend @Maxwell Riseman just made a post in his community, RiseUp Together, about "Healing the Heart", where he shared this lovely Instagram Reel about healing your nervous system through experiences rather than simply waiting for it to happen. He called on me and others like @Rachel Bents from The Joy Project to share our strategies on creating more joy in our lives. (In case you didn't know, one of our big missions at Focus Founders is to help entrepreneurs build their businesses and lives from a place of FLOW and JOY, rather than necessity or struggle.) I really enjoyed this question, and I wanted to share my response. I recently came across the idea that joy & gratitude are like muscles. The more you practice them, the stronger they become in you, and the more easily they become your default state. So how do you exercise these muscles? Here are some ways that have worked for me: 1. Gratitude journaling. Each day, write 3-5 things you are grateful for in your life. 2. Guided meditations around gratitude or joy. Practice coming back to these emotions regularly throughout your day. 3. Play a game I call the “I like” game. I look around and name things I like out loud. “I like the way those leaves shake in the wind. I like the feeling of the sun on my face. I like watching the ducks swim.” 4. I also play the "I like" game with friends. We simply take turns naming things we like! It’s a good practice for becoming someone who notices things you like as you move through the world. 5. Sing the gratitude song. “I thank you, thank you for [insert thing you’re thankful for here]. For example, I thank you thank you for this beautiful day. Or I thank you, thank you for the sun today. Your imagination is the only limit here!

We've done it, friend. We've reached one THOUSAND members!!! What a moment! This is hard to believe. And just one week before the 1-year anniversary of me creating the community (before I teamed up with Rex and renamed this group Focus Founders, it was called the ADHD Entrepreneur's Playground.) Shout out to @James Sopp for being our 1,000th member! And to @Sam Rathling for inviting him here! I've learned so much about community, about leadership, and about what I'm capable of as a person. All thanks to Skool. I've met so many incredible people and grown so much as both an entreprneur and a human being. Another massive milestone in the books. Now I want to get that Skool ⭐ back... I'd love to hear from you guys. What does Skool mean to you? How has Focus Founders impacted your journey? And what made you want to stick around? With so much love & gratitude... Your Avatar-Focused Founder, Bill