Think of inventive ways to increase your annual income by 5%

What could you do?
Who can help you?
What is stopping you?
Write down the answers to these questions and reflect on your notes.

Wait, isn’t this just the dreaded side hustle?

There’s a lot of talk about cutting your cloth accordingly and spending within
your means. Of course, this is very relevant advice and shouldn’t be ignored,
but for me, as I looked to have a better relationship to money and begin
working more proactively towards my goals, I didn’t want to constantly be
looking backwards and down, but rather forwards and up.

I built systems and process to help create a sound foundation for our family
finances and by checking our budgets each quarter we get in to quite positive
habits to ensure we are lean mean family machine.

But then there’s that burning desire and ambition for something else – for
more.

I must highlight, I don’t mean more for the sake of more, but for the continued
development of me, my goals, skills and desire to provide for my family, to
challenge me to be the best I can be and to realise our personal and family
goals.

So whilst systemising the rear view and cost cutting, I run headlong in to the
forward view and looking up.

This challenge is perhaps one of mindset. There is something called the
lack mindset or scarcity mindset that really helps manage the budgets and
cost cutting exercises I mention. But then there’s the growth mindset or the
mindset of abundance; that there is more than enough to go around and if
you put your mind to it you can grow your income.

You might want to change the % here but I like to keep things realistic for
me. 5% revenue growth year on year is an okay target for me. I will often
conceptualise or mind map new ways to generate that little bit more revenue.
This could be products and services from within existing markets and offers
or it could be a new project, investment or something totally out there.
I think creativity is key to a healthy mind and a healthy life and allows me to
stay fresh in all the roles I play. If I find myself looking backwards and down all
the time I become stressed, anxious and moody.

Giving myself permission to look forwards and up is fun, it’s aspirational and
keeps me in tune with my purpose and goals.

Give it a go and have some fun!