If you’re like me chances are you have experience with the idea of “do what you love and the money will follow.” Or, simply the idea of endeavoring to make money doing what you’re passionate about. It’s always gratifying and fulfilling to truly do what you love.  But the “money will follow” part?  Sounds great on paper – but it doesn’t always turn out that way.

Along the way you positively work your tail off because you want to reach the point where the money IS coming in the way you’d like it to come in.  As a result you pass up so many other opportunities because you’re staying focused on doing “what you love” – and setting the intention for the money to follow. But sometimes you miss out on other things you might fall in love with – if you had the time and resources to give them a fair shot.

And, if you have a home-based business chances are it’s a service oriented business. That means you work countless hours in service to your customers. Probably more hours on marketing, operations and all the other aspects of your business.

The idea of creating a business that’s as automated as possible so I (or you) can run off and play was not a comfortable one for me to hear at first.  After all, I love the satisfaction of seeing the lights come on for my clients when they get some important idea or concept.  For me, it’s always been about that one-on-one contact, even if that contact is on Skype.

Yet, Michael Gerber, author of “The E-Myth” series of books, for a generation now has said we need to create systems in our businesses so we can walk away, or, create an exit strategy to sell the business at some future point in time.

Doing what I love has been about business for so long – thinking about doing things just for fun (other than temporarily) feels odd.  Shouldn’t I be working?

Sure, I can take off a weekend or go on vacation for a week (might bring my laptop and do some relaxed writing) but taking several months at a pop without more than about 5-10 hours of work per week?  It sounds great – but I’m still wrapping my brain around the idea.

Automation and the Internet makes it possible – but isn’t it sorta going against our notion of “The American Dream?”

It’s been a long time since I’ve written on this blog.  I wanted it to be a journal of my world travels with Ernie and if I willed myself to head out in one year – somehow it would magically happen.  Well, life had other ideas the last twelve months.

As we careened into the holidays last November it dawned on me, it was going to take much more than just a blog to live my ultimate excellent adventure.  I was going to need more cash flow.  Yes, I already make a nice income with my books, mentoring, yada, yada, yada. However, I was going to need more – because travel requires more money – plus there’s that pesky mortgage and other bills still at home while Ernie and I are away.

We sat down and worked out the numbers.  We needed an additional $2,000 per month over what I’m currently making to be able to take a big trip for a month or two several times a year.  Plus we would lose Ernie’s income from his part-time job (he’s semi-retired) when we take off.  I’m not talking about lolling around in five star resorts – love ‘em, but it’s not realistic or even desirable for longer-term travel.  I am talking about perhaps renting a vacation apartment for a week at a time in a city like Santiago Chile or Quebec City in Canada or a suburb outside of Athens Greece.  Yes, you make your own bed.  But you also have a kitchen and a living area and it feels like you’re living in a new place – rather than just visiting in a sterile hotel for a few days.

But I digress.  For three months this year I got involved with a soon-to-be magazine project.  It was very exciting and I dug in. I was offered a lofty title and promises of lots of money in the future.  I learned all kinds of new things about the magazine industry and social networking as a business.  Honestly, it was like getting a few college credit hours.  But the more I got into it, the more I realized it was pulling me further and further away from the notion of the excellent adventure I want to experience with Ernie.  I walked away. So, that was a detour.

I’ve got some very exciting ideas going forward  and I’ll be sharing them here.  Suffice it to say, the project I’ll be revealing later this summer I believe will help draw me closer to my excellent adventure and help a lot of people with something I believe is an unmet needs online. My excellent adventure every day right now is to do a little bit more to get me closer and closer to the day when Ernie and I pack up our bags and head out with my laptop, iPad and cell phone in tow as my traveling office.

Oh, I put up the picture of “Old Spice Guy” on this page because I feel those commercials are hilarious and they always make me laugh. Laughter is such a wonderful thing.    That’s what makes life an excellent adventure every day even if it doesn’t feel particularly exciting.  Laughter. Love. Taking a risk. And feeling deeply.