Welcome to issue 28 of Own The Cow. Now six months in, I'm thinking about where we should go. About what would be most helpful for you as you design your financial independence. Your work portfolio. I'm also reflecting on last week's horrific capital invasion. Both for the shameful disrespect for institutions and others. We live in a democracy in order to talk things out. That this was the first invasion of the capital since 1814 tells you something. I fear that we've not seen the last of it. And indicators suggest that more is quite likely around the inauguration.

Such events are a stark reminder that we can't take our democracy for granted. And to live our lives with empathy and awareness for others. It can also conjure up a lot of fear. As if we need more of that after 2020. But here we are. Which is why I love this quote:

“Fear is the cheapest room in the house. I would like to see you living In better conditions.”

― Hafiz

This week, I want to talk about the importance of starting, the beauty of not knowing, and a few quirky niches that make really good money to show you what's possible.

Start before you're ready.

How often have you thought about pursuing something new but questioned your abilities. Then you signed up for a course, read some books and did research. And then you did this over and over to make sure you'd be ready to start. After all, success comes to those who prepare. Not flit from thing to thing right? True. . . BUT. There are those who try new things and then give up at the first obstacle. They do that over and over and wonder why they never get anywhere. The answer is an expectation that it should be easy and not wanting to do the work or put in the time.

This is about the momentum that comes by starting before you think you should. I didn't make this up. Steven Pressfield smartly exhorts it in "Do The Work". This is a way to over come the resistance, which is one of three key enemies that stop you from doing anything out of character.

He names them as:

Resistance (i.e. fear, self doubt, procrastination, addiction, distraction, timidity, ego and narcissism, self loathing, perfectionism, etc.)
Rational thought (your ego rules you here)
Friends and family (most like you how you are and don't really want you to change.)

Friends and family? Whaaaaaaaat?

Yes, your friends and family are likely comfortable with you just as you are. And if you make a major leap, say from knitting baskets to underwater welding, they may not like it. It may require them to question themselves. And that creates discomfort. Discomfort brings up resistance.

Starting early also allows you to test concepts and iterate. Maybe you'll quickly realize this new thing isn't for you and can move on before investing more calories in books and courses. Or you'll uncover a better way to do this new thing before it becomes too big and harder to shift.

Either way, start before you overthink and talk yourself out of it. Most of the things we don't start won't hurt us if we do. The worst outcome of failure is often a bruised ego. Tell your ego to get over it and move on.

The beauty of not knowing

In my early photography days a photography mentor, Bryan F. Peterson, talked about the familiarity breeds contempt. We cease looking when we think we know what's there. We lose our curiosity. Our passion for growth and learning. We assume it's not interesting. "Nothing to see here folks, move along." It's why travel feels so exciting. Why new relationships make our toes tingle. Our senses are heightened. We can't get enough of the new.

I used to think I needed to travel far and wide to make cool photos. That there wasn't anything in my backyard. For years really. It's taken decades to truly appreciate the beauty staring back at me wherever I go. I now see photos everywhere. In every light. Everything exists with a picture frame. I almost can't turn it off. In fact, some the best images can be made by seeing what's familiar in a whole new light. There's magic there. And if you're really seeing, the same thing looks different each day. The light, the weather, the dust in the air are not the same day to day. You just have to look.

This applies to our work too. When we're doing the same thing over and over, we don't see what's possible. We don't see how to get unstuck. We assume we've covered all of the bases and there's nothing more to be down. Yet someone from the outside can walk in and in 5 minutes or less show us what we're not seeing.

You can train yourself to have this 'new' perspective though. It's the beauty of not knowing. It takes curiosity and a willingness to ask questions without fear of looking stupid. It takes openness to serendipity. There's rarely ever one path or one solution. Even if you're looking at hard data. Beneath that data is humanity. And interpretation. What you see is impacted by who you are.

If you find yourself stuck or lacking the motivation to forge ahead, stop and look at what's at the root. Maybe you quit looking and need a spark of curiosity. Maybe you're just complacent. Think back to when you didn't know and what made you curious. Do something that forces you to change your point of view. You just might see what's in front of you completely differently. Like a couple who's relationship has stalled because they quit being curious about each other, it's possible to rekindle what drew you to your work.

What's your niche?

One big important way to stand out in a crowded world is to go narrow. Yes, limit your focus and get known for that thing you do REALLY REALLY REALLY well. Be the go to person. The narrower the better. You'd be surprised at the money in niches. It makes it easy to set yourself apart and have something to talk about. To illustrate what's possible, here are five niche businesses in competitive markets.

There's a lot of chocolate out there. But not many if, any, are Sleep Chocolate. Enter Tutia. Now you can have your dessert and rest on it.

Ever want to send your loved one a note with your face on a potato? Well, you can with Potato Parcel.

But they're not alone, there's also the Anonymous Potato. I guess you could say this spud's for you.

Do you hate dealing with your wardrobe? How about clothing as a service? Subscribe and you've got clothes at your door. And you don't even need to wash them.
Curious about your future? You're not alone. This Tarot Card deck brings in $82K/month according to Jungle Scout.
This isn't a brand yet, but if putting pictures on potatoes aren't your thing, how about mugs? Trends reports that there are 110,000 searches monthly for personalized Mugs and this subreddit devoted to mugs has 25,000 members.

The idea is that there are many opportunities under your nose to for potentially meaningful revenue streams. When it comes to the side hustle bustle, skip the Upworks, Fiverrs, and Ubers where you'll barely make a minimum wage and look into what's meshes with your expertise and interests. Chances are there's an untapped market if you find your edge. Yes, it will take work to get going, but so does most anything meaningful.

Everyday since 2011 I’ve taken and posted a photo over at Mundaily. I choose a theme each year and last year it was all about gesture and seeing. Here’s a look at 2020 in two minutes and change. Enjoy!