There’s nothing worse than having anincredible idea, and not being able to share it with the world because you lack the finances necessary to fund it. Trust me, I can definitely understand your pain. When my family’s income changed, it made it quite difficult to pursue writing and launching my first book, 11 Ways to Jumpstart Your Thinking: Change Your Mindset to Achieve the Success You Deserve. Nevertheless, I learned to hope in spite of my situation.
After doing some research, I learned there are at least five different things I could do to help increase my chances of meeting my financial need to become a published author. Hopefully you can use some of these ideas, too!
- Track yourmonthly expenses.
Hopefully,you already have a monthly budget. It’s also a good idea to track your expenses. You can do this electronically or use a special notebook. When you track your expenses, you’re able to see areas where you could decrease your spending. This will help free up some extra funds for your cause.
Instead of going to Starbucks five days per week, you could cut it down to once. I know, I know. You need your coffee. What aboutbuying a bag of your favorite Starbucks coffee from your local grocery store to make at home instead? You would get to enjoy your treat and pinch a few pennies in the process. Just remember, you’re going to have to sacrifice somewhere if you want to find more money to fund your dream. No pain, no gain!
2. Consider working a part-time job.
This suggestion may not work for everyone, and it’s understandable. However, it’s worth using a part-time job to help fund your dream. This doesn’t mean you have to work there forever. Simply budget how much money you will need to fund your dream, and work as long as it takes to save that amount. Be careful not to use the money from this job for purposes other than your dream. Thatwould be counterproductive.
3. Search for a grant.
This may take time to findthe right grant, but you’d be surprised at how many organizationsare willing to help entrepreneurs. You must, however, pay attention to the fine print. Some grants may requireyou to show data to track your progress. Othersare geared specifically towards specific interests, ethnic groups, or gender.
Although there are many grants available for businesses, you must be careful to properly complete the application, and remember you are competing against several other businesses. This is not meant to discourage you, but I need you to be aware of the challengesso you canfind ways to stand out on your application.
4. Offer your services.
Everyone has at least one talent or skill. Why not use your talent to earn a little extra income to fund your dream? It would be ideal to use a skill in the same niche as your dream because you would be able to begin building relationships with your future fan base. For example, if you can’t afford to open your own daycare, why not begin working in the children’s ministry at your church? This will give you additional hands on experience, and you can be seen as the “go to” person when you are able to fund your dream! In the meantime, start advertising your babysitting services. It may not be much, but every penny helps!
5. Barter.
Don’t underestimate good old-fashioned bartering. How can bartering help fund your dream? Let’s say you are a photographer that needs help with getting a website. You could potentially barter services with someone who does web design. Provide a complimentary photo package worth the same value as the kind of website you want. The next time the web designer comes across a client who needs photography services, he could recommend you because of the awesome service you provided.
Although you may not be able to use every tip, find the one that works best for your situation. I challenge you to choose one of the tips listed above. After implementing it, commentbelowto let me know how you’re doing. Don’t be afraid to look outside the box for answers to funding your dream. Your dream doesn’t have to die with you. You can fund your dream, and have the success you deserve. I believe in you!
Click here to learn ways to achieve the success you want and deserve.
For more information on success blockers, see all of my posts in this series:
5 Secret Success Blockers
How to Get Started When You’re Clueless
How to Find Time to Do What You Want
When Should You Pursue Your Dream?
