Expert-Secrets full book

SECRET #4
THE OPPORTUNITY SWITCH
So far, we’ve discussed the strategy for building a strong foundation so you can
become a leader people will follow. You’ve chosen a niche you want to create.
Notice that I didn’t say “pick a niche”. It’s essential for you to create a NEW
niche, a NEW opportunity for your people.
And you know a little about what you want to share. But so far you don’t
have anything to sell. The relationship between you and your audience isn’t
created until they pay you. If a tree falls in the forest and there’s no one around
to hear it—does it make a sound? I’d say no. Similarly, you aren’t an expert until
someone pays you for your expertise.
So where do you start? How do you create that new opportunity? Well the
hardest way, where most people seem to start, is by writing a book. When you
think about experts, that’s usually what you think of first, right? They must be
authors.
But there are a couple of problems with that approach. First off, it takes so
much longer to write a book than you could ever imagine. (This one took me
almost 18 months!) Second, I truly believe that you have to EARN a book. If I
had written this book or DotComSecrets when I first had the idea over 10 years
ago, it wouldn’t have been any good. I needed to work with people for years in
order to perfect my message. Only then was I ready to write a truly helpful book.
In the beginning stages of your expert career, you won’t be good—and
that’s okay. As my good friend, Garret White, once said:
No matter what you do, in the beginning it’s going to suck, because
you suck. But you’ll get better, and you’ll suck less. And as you keep
doing this, eventually you’ll suck so little…you’ll actually be good.