I’ll be sending you a video tomorrow.
….Actually you’d be watching that video right now but I’m w-a-a-a-i-i-i-t-i-n-n-g-g-g-g for video files to process and upload and all that. (Remember when a 40 Meg hard drive sounded like enuf space to last you the rest of your life…?? Now I’m clearing space on my 80 gig drive just to do some edits….)
Which is actually part of the point I’ll be making in the video you’ll be watching tomorrow. Because the video itself is about ALCHEMY.
Long ago alchemy was the bold, if naïve attempt to turn lead into gold.
Every day you and I do something that’s much, much more valuable than that. We transform things that are worth less than lead and make them MORE valuable than gold.
The information on my hard drive is worth more than the weight of my computer in gold. And it’s just 1’s and 0’s on a magnet. Magnets aren’t expensive; even hard drives aren’t expensive.
But knowledge is. Wisdom is even more valuable than knowledge, because wisdom is the ability to APPLY knowledge.
Applied knowledge is priceless.
One of the most important things you can ever “get” as an entrepreneur is, YOU ARE AN ALCHEMIST. Not a fake one, but a real one. You find real opportunities that are unexploited and you capitalize on them. You find under-priced labor on, say, e-lance or rent-a-coder and you create a software product. You find under-priced keywords to target people with unmet needs and you scratch their itch.
The world runs so much more smoothly, just because you did your part.
And… because you did that, YOU ARE WORTH THE FEE THAT YOU CHARGE.
Most of us struggle to fully appreciate and project our own value in the marketplace. I think many entrepreneurs are giving, generous people who genuinely wish to make a contribution and over-deliver. Sometimes that’s exploited. But the worst person who will ever exploit you or sell you short is YOU.
If you devalue yourself, who’s going to come to your defense?
Nothing happens until somebody sells something, and that somebody is probably you. If you don’t sell yourself, if you don’t value yourself, who will?
Always remember this:
***Alchemists deserve to get paid.***
When the alchemist gets paid, he gets his three square meals a day, his tummy is full, his wife is happy, and then he goes out into the world and performs more of his wonderful alchemy and helps more people.
Not everyone knows how to be an alchemist. Not everyone can do what you do. Just because it’s easy to you doesn’t mean others can pull it off. Today, I want YOU to value what you do, your alchemy, your magic… so you can do more of it.
Your alchemy what makes you happy. It makes your heart go pitter-patter. It feeds your soul.
Today, be the alchemist God made you to be and don’t sell yourself short. Go ahead, ask for the check. Send the invoice. Push out the big proposal (ahem, Action Plan or Discovery Contract). Honor your own creative juices and you’ll be blessed with even more.
Perry Marshall
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About the Author
Perry Marshall has launched two revolutions in sales and marketing. In Pay-Per-Click advertising, he pioneered best practices and wrote the world's best selling book on Google advertising. And he's driven the 80/20 Principle deeper than any other author, creating a new movement in business.
He is referenced across the Internet and by Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, INC and Forbes Magazine.
15 Comments on “Feeding your Inner Alchemist”
Perry,
Great post! This was exactly what I wanted to hear right now. Your newsletter is the only one I am sure I will never unsubscribe from!
Perry,
Great stuff – as usual – but I really wanted to thank you for not promoting another dude’s new launch that’s all over the place…ad nauseum…every possible guru plugging and plugging – it loses all credibility. Thanks for your honesty, integrity and consistency.
Chris
A great metaphor. It changed the way I see my work. Enlighting. Inspiring. So much Perry Marshall.
Sirach 24 Wisdom ?In which Bible is that?
That’s in the Apocrypha, the books of the Catholic bible, that the Protestants threw out. Some really good stuff in there.
-Perry (a protestant)
Perry, your the only person who I don’t personally know whose email I open with great anticipation each and every time I see it in my in box. Your words inspire, and I thank you for them.
Ah Perry,
Man – on a day when I desperately needed some inspiration your email shows up. THANK YOU.
Michigan is bleak and even more so for those of us “between jobs”. Working on my fledgeling marketing business in between scouring job-boards, editing cover letters, replying to postings, etc… It gets exhausting.
Thanks for some psychic fuel. It is much appreciated.
– jms
Hi Perry, so true! And a timely and valuable reminder not to agonise over what you charge – just charge it, you’re worth it (and can prove it).
If they don’t want to pay that – they’re fired, move on.
Solomon had a quite a few things to say about wisdom.
“… Wisdom is the principal thing;
Therefore get wisdom.
And in all your getting, get understanding.”
Prov 4:7
Jessica,
In Sirach 24 Wisdom says: “Before all ages, in the beginning, he created me, and through all ages I shall not cease to be.”
Hi Perry,
This one will be printed out, like so many others, and placed in a place where I can read it daily. When you work alone, you don’t have a “cheering” section. Often, you face your challenges and frustrations alone. Successes seem impossible to attain.
Until you get your next email from Perry Marshall.
Thank you.
Goodness Perry,
I needed to hear that right now, this very minute. How on earth did you know? I’m a longtime Renaissance Club member and this happens so often in those newsletters/email it’s scary…
Thanks,
Sabrina
Perry Marshall is making a video?? Sweet, I’m looking forward to seeing it!
Good stuff, Perry!
You make some great points. Undervaluing ourselves, our services and our products is not fair to anyone; especially to oneself!
I recognize it’s a battle I wage with myself DAILY! And I see the same traits in my friends and family no matter what industry they’re in.
On another note, I recognize and appreciate your message today did not mention, discuss, nor “push” a single product of yours or any other “Guru.” I can learn from this!
Jer
Yes!!!
I think you just pushed that button
(Already got 9 great lies…thank you).