You are not Steve Jobs. You're not Warren Buffett. Nor are you Mariah Carey.

Obvious? I hope so.

Steve Jobs, Warren Buffett and the likes of are held up as the gold standard everyone should aspire to. As if by mentioning them you are in their sphere. I think it's often used to legitimize whatever thinking is then espoused however weakly linked.

Each industry has its "Steve Jobs". The legend everyone aspires to emulate. Remember the "Be like Mike" commercial?

I think a lot about brands and brand jargon as that's the world I work within. I cringe at messaging like 'trusted partner' and 'next generation solutions'. If you have to say you're a trusted partner than you probably aren't. You just want to think you are. You see, it's all about 'show, don't tell'. Timeless advice from my Advertising Copywriting professor Bill Winters way back before the Information Superhighway was a thing.

Yet applies to everything we do. If you have to say you're something, it's likely you're not that.

Don't aspire to be someone or something you're not. It's a fools errand. Think about how to be more you.

But knowing what that more 'you' is can be hard for most of us. And so we look outward at what others are doing for inspiration. Not a bad thing. I do it. But if it keeps you from making progress, you might want to change you gaze inward. Maybe you want more cowbell?

It's easy to get caught up in what others are hustling to do.

I follow Codie Sanchez and Contrarian Thinking which is devoted to buying, building, managing and profiting from multiple businesses. She breaks down the business models and paths to profit, how to structure and how to grow with an eye of course on positive cashflow, financial freedom and keeping far ahead of inflation. Which if you've noticed is at its highest in 30 years.

She's wickedly savvy. As are many of those who play along. Businesses she's outlined include:

Car washes
Coin-op laundromats
Vending Machines
Ice Vending Machines
Tiny Homes
Buying Real Estate at Auction
RV Parks
Raising a venture fund
Mailbox rentals

It's fascinating AND exhausting, no?

Especially when you dive into the Facebook group and hear about all of the businesses other readers are pursuing. There's much work in identifying locations for car washes as well as buying existing car washes and growing. Capital required (unless you use other people's money), time, risk and so much more.

Her message is clear: take control of your financial future by creating multiple revenue streams.

There's an art to doing what Codie does. A mindset. It's not for everyone. If I were to pursue a car wash, I'd have to invest some serious time analyzing locations, finding one to buy that's close so I can be hands on, etc. And then to really do well, you'll want to add more car washes OR other businesses to your portfolio.

This is A PATH. But not the only path.

Although I must admit I 'tried on' this idea for a hot minute.

You know what happened? I noticed how I felt about it. It reinforced the desire to do the work I'm doing.

To be successful at what you think you want to do or any of Codie's ideas requires you to know how you're wired. Wired for risk and stress. Grit and scrappiness.

You have to know what you're good at.

And what you're not.

I'm probably not saying anything you don't already know. Spend more time on what you're good at and less time on what you're not.

Years ago I tried to buy and flip houses. Never got an offer accepted and moved on. She profiles a Aaron Amuchastegui who buys houses at auction. Started with one and since purchased more than 1,000. Talk about grit and tenacity. It works for him.

As they say in the fuel consumption specs, "your mileage may vary." In this case, it's not 'may', but 'will.'

The business of work is hard.

Even if a business model is simple, success isn't easy. You know finding a job is hard. Competitive. Being a freelance writer, designer or artist is hard. Fraught with peaks and valleys and all kinds of uncertainty. Pushing through the hard to create your success is immensely rewarding. And worth it.

It's toughest when you're in the early or middle stages feeling like you're going nowhere.

It's easier to have a job and just do your thing rather than create multiple revenue streams. Not realizing how risky having a single job is until you don't have it.

Which brings me back to sorting this out. I admire the hustlers. I admire how Codie thinks. It inspires me to think different. I like hearing others' paths. But I'm keenly aware I gotta do this on my terms. Or else I'll fail.

Acknowledging what's not for me is immensely freeing.

What you should do, is after knowing how you're wired is find the role models that give you a boost. Copy what they do to make progress. Their frameworks and systems. Not everything has to be reinvented.

Almost all of us have the same problems to solve on our way to creating our ideal means of working.