It was a good week over here. Few posts out, some guest content and a run where I dropped 30 seconds per kilometre off my previous fastest pace.

I hope you had a week like that as well.

What I Shipped

This week I got three posts out on my site and a few other things elsewhere.

First, Should I Read It 011 – Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt. This is Hyatt’s look and the skills and processes you need to have the best year you’ve ever had.

On Tuesday I talked about the comparison trap in your business. In short, don’t worry about the size of email list or traffic that others are getting. Focus on the number of paying customers you are getting.

On Thursday I looked at a book called Connected, which is all about how our networks work from STD’s to friendship. Read the written version, or listen to the audio version.

Make sure you subscribe to Should I Read It so you don’t miss a book I’m reviewing.

Over on The Cramped, I wrote about how I use my notebook to organize my quarterly goals and my weeks and my daily activities. The Cramped is one of the blogs I follow for all it’s analogue goodness.

Finally, last Friday I was on the Daily Grind Podcast with Colin. We talked about business and what to do when things are hard. Give it a listen.

Freelance Friday Five

1. Freelancing 101: Full Time Contracts

I was pleasantly surprised two years ago to find this grade school friend of mine working in the same field. Matthew rants a bit about contracts with placement agencies. I have never accepted them so I have no advice but it sounds like a bad deal all around. Have you dealt with placement contracts?

2. Job Hunting as a Contractor in Today’s World

Another good post from a friend that talks about working for placement agencies. We actually had a bit of back and forth email about the post. I think that if you’re an expert, you get to bypass a bunch of the struggles that both of these posts are dealing with because the end client just wants you to work for them. You’re not a warm body to fill a seat.

So, aim to be an expert.

3. The Entire Economy Is MoviePass Now. Enjoy It While You Can. – The New York Times

Sigh, don’t run your freelance business like this. Oh you may laugh, but I can’t count the number of freelancer’s I’ve talked to that are running a money loosing business and financing that through crazy loans and credit cards. I guess this is your PSA for the week.

4. Work Not Chosen | Personal Kanban

I vote that it’s simply not important enough to do. You only say you care about the task. If you really cared it would be done.

5. Ready Player Productive

Okay this one is a bit “out there” as it talks about VR bringing focus and natural spaces to your work. Could it work…I guess. I think that you can get focused work with a bunch of cues. My headphones have been a cue for a long time. I’m doing a whole course on focus time for Asian Efficiency right now. If you want to see that course, go sign up for their DOJO. I’ll likely also do something written in the coming months as I finished up some other books I’m writing.