It’s going to be 2024 soon, so it’s time. I am going to do it…
…I am going to face my demons.
I will do what most introverts fear almost as much as public speaking, first dates, and pretending to like parties combined.
I am going to talk about myself.
You see, for years I’ve not really shared much about myself outside of very set contexts like speaking at conferences or podcast appearances.
One of the most common questions when I do those things is a variation of the following:
“Where can I read more about what you talk about? Do you have a blog? Do you send up daily smoke signals with advice?”
Ok, one of those questions I made up.
But my answer has always been the same.
“No”
I didn’t have any of those things.
I recently realized that the reason was an internal dialogue I regularly had.
It goes something like this:
Me 1: “Who do you think would care about anything you are doing or your thoughts?”
Me 2: “Nobody”
Me 1: “Good point Me 2. I don’t really know what I am doing anyway. If I share, people may find that out!”
Me 2: “You got it Me 1. Instead of doing that let’s eat some pie and play computer games!”
Me 1: “Sounds like a plan M2, you’re so smart. I feel like you’re the only one who gets me!”
And there you have it. Problem solved and easy way out taken. Status quo maintained. Everybody is happy, right?
But this year will be different. I introduced a new participant in the dialogue.
You guessed it, Me 3.
Me 3 is a bada$$.
Whenever Me 1 and Me 2 start up their normal conversation Me 3 steps in and whacks them upside the head and tells them to stop being a slacker and tells them to get to work.
So that is what I am going to do this year.
I am going to start slaying the demon.
Let’s start from the beginning.
—–
Hi everyone. My name is Ray Blakney.
Since 2008, I have been an entrepreneur and expat. In that time I have:
– Launched and been the owner (majority and minority) of over 20 profitable companies. Many of those I started and ran with my wife. So, I may know what I am doing after all…
– Sold 4 companies (though one of those sales did not turn out well)
– Have helped my executive coaching clients grow businesses by as much as 300% in less than a year.
– One of my companies won the Entrepreneur Magazines E360 award as one of the best small businesses in the US.
– Been quoted in magazines like Forbes and the Boston Globe. And no, I don’t mean I paid a PR agency to get me in their RSS feed.
– Been a guest on almost 200 podcasts.
– Volunteer to teach Martial Arts twice a week.
– Sponsor children’s education at a school for the deaf. One of the kids we sponsored just became the first person in her family to get a college degree.
– Probably my proudest accomplishment. I have been married to an amazing woman for 17 years, and after 6 years of struggle with infertility, we now have a beautiful 3-year-old boy in our lives.
It is a pleasure to meet you all.
My commitment this year is to share more of who I am, what I am doing, and my thoughts.
To use the Alex Harmozi quote “I have nothing to sell you”.
This is mainly for me. But if you’re interested in joining me for the ride, I would be honored to have you along.
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