We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. ― Winston S. Churchill
When Teresa Greenway published her yearly Udemy earnings in a Facebook discussion it was time to sit up and take notice (screenshot below).
Teresa’s income is a rare success, especially when you consider that her earnings are from teaching others a rather mundane skill – how to bake sourdough bread.
I’m not skeptical when I say that. Rather I’m in awe of the enormous possibilities that can be nurtured and taken advantage of in today’s connected world…no matter what you do for your profession.
Teresa’s case is a bit different.
She is 56, and has been in a troubled relationship for quite awhile before deciding to go solo, and boost her online entrepreneurship.
Teresa’s case is different again because when she started her online journey she was without any sell-able skills, only a high school education, and she was a single mother while providing for a special needs child and her own mother who was dying of congestive heart failure.
And Teresa is humble.
Look at what she says right in the beginning when she posts her success on Facebook:
I debated with myself whether to post this or not, but I would like to inspire others to do the hard work that success entails.
I’m pretty sure Teresa posted that to inspire others, for as she says later:
Remember integrity and honesty are everything. Pay it forward and help others when you have a chance. Work hard and be relentless in your pursuit of course quality and creative sales.
Hers is the kind of success everyone aspires for. And it shows.
No sooner her post comes on Facebook, there has been a flow of comments including mine, each seeking the secret path to success.
Teresa replied later in the day, and I quickly followed the link to her blog post and thence to Chris Haroun’s article in Inc.
This is what Teresa says about her success to Chris:
Focus on what you can already do. Be passionate. Be relentless. Don’t give up. Work hard every day. Passion comes first. When you are passionate everyone gets excited by this and the product sells itself.
As I read this on Chris’ post I couldn’t help but remember a golden advice in a recent webinar by Glen Allsopp who I deeply admire:
Some of the most successful marketing agencies in the world specialized in serving just a specific audience.
You might wonder why I’m mentioning Glen here, but if you read his and Teresa’s advices you’ll know what links them on the path to immeasurable success (immeasurable added advisedly).
Putting both advices together, here is the formula for success:
(Identify) Strength » Focus » Passion » Hard Work » Success
Teresa touches on focus when she says, Focus on what you can already do.
This is important.
To give her example, she was not a greenhorn in online business building when she launched her Udemy courses. She was already 12 years into her business albeit – as she puts it – in a non-serious way.
There is another aspect in her story which I find inspiring.
Teresa brought success at a ripe age of 56 when many of us are given to accept that glories and excellence are things of the past. I’ve seen more people in their late 50s and early 60s resigned to their fate than those who look forward to doing more in the days to come.
For me though, the icing on Teresa’s success is not her age, or focus, or passion. I simply like that for once her success is not about building apps or educating others how to make money.
Instead, it’s simply about baking sourdough bread at home.
And that is just…GREAT!
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