Digital Retirement

1. Ditch the "Prince Charming" Myth: Take Control of Your Finances

It’s time to renounce Prince Charming and start relying on ourselves instead, especially when it comes to our retirement and financial future.

Self-reliance is key. The idea that someone or something will magically solve your financial problems is a dangerous myth. Relying on external factors like pensions, Social Security, or a "prince charming" figure is a recipe for disappointment. Instead, take responsibility for your financial future and create your own path to security.

• Many people expect pensions, Social Security, or 401Ks to provide for them, but these are often insufficient or unreliable.
• A significant percentage of Americans are expected to retire with minimal savings, highlighting the need for proactive financial planning.
• The author's personal experience of losing her 401K savings underscores the importance of not relying solely on traditional retirement plans.

Empowerment through action. Taking control of your finances means actively creating income streams and building wealth. This involves shifting from a passive mindset of waiting for someone to save you to an active mindset of creating your own financial destiny. This can be achieved through various means, including starting a business, investing wisely, or developing valuable skills.

• The author's journey into self-publishing demonstrates how one can create a passive income stream and replace traditional retirement income.
• The book emphasizes the importance of taking initiative and not waiting for external forces to improve your financial situation.
• The author's success in generating passive income through writing serves as an inspiration for others to take control of their financial futures.

Rejecting external dependence. The "Prince Charming" myth is a metaphor for any external source of financial security. It's crucial to recognize that true financial freedom comes from within, from your own efforts and resourcefulness. This involves developing a mindset of self-reliance and taking proactive steps to build your own financial foundation.

• The author encourages readers to reject the idea that someone else will solve their financial problems.
• The book promotes the idea that individuals have the power to create their own financial security.
• The author's personal story serves as a powerful example of how one can overcome financial challenges through self-reliance.

2. Retirement is About Income, Not Just Assets

Retirement is all about income, not assets.

Income is the lifeline. While accumulating assets is important, retirement is ultimately about having a consistent stream of income to maintain your desired lifestyle. Focusing solely on net worth can be misleading if you don't have a plan for generating income during retirement.

• Many people focus on reaching "millionaire status" but fail to consider how they will generate income once they stop working.
• The fear of running out of money is a common concern among retirees, highlighting the importance of income planning.
• Social Security provides a monthly check, but it may not be sufficient to cover all living expenses, especially if assets are depleted.

Shifting from accumulation to deaccumulation. Retirement is the phase where you spend down your assets, making income generation crucial. This requires a different mindset than the accumulation phase of your working life. It's about harvesting the crops you've planted, not just planting more.

• The author uses the analogy of farming to illustrate the shift from accumulating assets to spending them down.
• The book emphasizes the importance of having a plan for generating income during the deaccumulation phase of retirement.
• The author's strategy of creating passive income through writing is a way to generate income during retirement.

Digital assets as income generators. Creating digital assets, such as books, can provide a powerful source of passive income for retirement. This approach offers a high return on investment compared to traditional investment vehicles.

• The author's digital assets strategy yields ROIs of effectively 240%, far exceeding traditional investments.
• The book highlights the potential of writing and self-publishing books as a viable option for generating retirement income.
• The author's success in creating a significant monthly income through her books demonstrates the power of digital assets.

3. "Get Rich Slow" is a Losing Game: Accelerate Your Wealth

The message of ‘Get Rich Slow’ is clear: Sacrifice your today, your dreams, and your life for a plan that pays dividends after most of your life has evaporated.

Time is precious. The traditional "get rich slow" approach often involves sacrificing the present for a distant future. This can lead to a life of delayed gratification and missed opportunities. Instead, focus on accelerating your wealth-building journey so you can enjoy your life now.

• The author questions the wisdom of sacrificing the present for a future that may come with many variables you cannot control.
• The book encourages readers to stop settling for less and start dreaming about financial freedom.
• The author's personal experience of working for 17 years without achieving financial freedom highlights the limitations of the "get rich slow" approach.

Future discounting. Many people fail to prepare for the future due to "future discounting," where long-term goals seem less important than immediate desires. This can lead to procrastination and a lack of financial planning. It's important to overcome this bias and prioritize your future financial well-being.

• The book explains how "future discounting" can lead to a lack of preparation for retirement.
• The author emphasizes the need to remove the blinders and start preparing for the future now.
• The book encourages readers to take action and not delay their financial planning.

Multiple income streams. Diversifying your income streams is crucial for financial security. Relying on a single source of income can be risky, as that source could be disrupted or lost. Aim to create multiple streams of income to reduce your dependence on any one source.

• Research shows that 65% of millionaires have at least three income streams.
• The author shares her experience of making money in a variety of ways, including royalties, copywriting, and coaching.
• The book encourages readers to explore different income streams to diversify their financial portfolio.

4. Own the Vehicle: Control Your Income Streams

You must own the vehicle you are using to build wealth.

Control is paramount. When building wealth, it's crucial to own the vehicle that generates your income. This means having control over your income streams and not relying on external entities that can change the rules or take away your income.

• The author's experience with a network marketing company highlights the risk of building an income that can be taken away at any moment.
• The book emphasizes the importance of relying on yourself and not putting your trust in external entities.
• The author's choice to self-publish books allows her to own the copyright and the rights to the royalties.

Avoid dependence. Relying on business partners, network marketing companies, or other external sources for income can be risky. These entities can change their compensation plans, end partnerships, or go out of business, leaving you with nothing.

• The book warns against putting your trust in external entities for income and wealth.
• The author's experience with business partnerships ending in legal battles highlights the importance of self-reliance.
• The book encourages readers to build income streams that they control.

Self-publishing as ownership. Self-publishing books allows you to own the copyright and the rights to the royalties. This gives you complete control over your income stream and ensures that you are the primary beneficiary of your work.

• The author emphasizes that when you write a book, you own the copyright and the rights to the royalties.
• The book promotes self-publishing as a way to create a sustainable and controllable income stream.
• The author's success in self-publishing demonstrates the power of owning your income vehicle.

5. Producers Get Rich: Create, Don't Just Consume

If you want to get rich, you must become a content producer.

Creators vs. consumers. There are two types of people in the world: consumers and creators. If you want to build wealth, you must shift from being a consumer of other people's content to a creator of your own. This involves producing valuable content that others are willing to pay for.

• The author emphasizes the importance of becoming a content producer to build wealth.
• The book encourages readers to shift from consuming other people's materials to creating their own.
• The author's journey into self-publishing demonstrates the power of becoming a content creator.

Leverage technology. The internet and social media have made it easier than ever to create and distribute content. Anyone with an internet connection, a computer, and a camera can create content in the form of blogs, vlogs, articles, YouTube videos, and books.

• The book highlights the power of technology to create and distribute content.
• The author encourages readers to leverage digital platforms to reach a global audience.
• The book emphasizes that the barrier to entry for content creation is low.

Self-publishing as content creation. Self-publishing books is a powerful way to create and distribute your content. It allows you to share your knowledge, expertise, and stories with the world while generating passive income.

• The book promotes self-publishing as a way to become a content producer.
• The author's success in self-publishing demonstrates the potential of this approach.
• The book encourages readers to use their writing skills to create valuable content.

6. Time is the Queen of All Assets: Protect It

Time is a finite and valuable resource that we can’t replenish, no matter how wealthy we become.

Time is irreplaceable. Time is a finite resource that cannot be replenished. It's more valuable than money because once it's gone, you can never get it back. Therefore, it's crucial to protect your time and use it wisely.

• The author emphasizes the importance of protecting your time.
• The book encourages readers to be mindful of how they spend their time.
• The author's commitment to writing a book a month demonstrates the value she places on her time.

Under-earning. Giving away your time for free or not charging enough is a sign of under-earning. If you want to build wealth, you must value your time and charge accordingly. This will allow you to focus on high-value activities that generate income.

• The book explains the concept of "under-earning" and how it can hinder wealth-building.
• The author encourages readers to raise their prices and value their time.
• The book emphasizes that higher prices attract lower-maintenance clients.

Time freedom. Protecting your time allows you to spend it on things that are important to you. This includes spending time with loved ones, pursuing your passions, and creating passive income streams.

• The book emphasizes the importance of having time freedom.
• The author's goal of making six figures in passive income is driven by her desire for time freedom.
• The book encourages readers to create a life where they have more control over their time.

7. Focused Attention is Key: Eliminate Distractions

FOCUS is one of the most valuable skills in business, and is becoming increasingly rare.

Focus is a superpower. In today's world of constant distractions, the ability to focus is a rare and valuable skill. If you can master this skill, you'll achieve extraordinary results and make more money than most people.

• The book emphasizes the importance of focused attention for success.
• The author highlights that focus is becoming increasingly rare in today's world.
• The book encourages readers to master the skill of focused attention.

Deep work. Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. This skill allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time. It's crucial for creating high-quality work.

• The book explains the concept of "deep work" and its importance for success.
• The author encourages readers to remove shallow concerns from their lives and build up their muscle of focused attention.
• The book emphasizes that deep work is like a superpower in our increasingly competitive economy.

Eliminate distractions. To achieve focused attention, you must eliminate distractions from your life. This includes limiting your use of social media, email, and other technologies that fragment your attention.

• The book encourages readers to break up with their phones and other distractions.
• The author shares her personal experience of how distractions were impacting her productivity.
• The book emphasizes the need to claim back your time, attention, and ability to focus.

8. Shortcuts to Success: Outsource and Systemize

A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone.

Work smarter, not harder. Creating a shortcut to wealth involves working smarter and building a system to replace yourself. This means outsourcing tasks that you don't enjoy or that are not your strengths, and focusing on activities that generate the most value.

• The book emphasizes the importance of working smarter and building a system to replace yourself.
• The author encourages readers to outsource their weaknesses and focus on their strengths.
• The book highlights that creating a shortcut to wealth involves working smarter.

Outsourcing is key. Outsourcing allows you to leverage the skills and expertise of others, freeing up your time to focus on your core competencies. This is crucial for scaling your business and creating passive income.

• The book encourages readers to outsource tasks that they don't enjoy or that are not their strengths.
• The author shares her experience of outsourcing tasks in her business.
• The book emphasizes that everything in the publishing process can be outsourced.

Systemize your processes. Building a system allows you to automate tasks and create a repeatable process for generating income. This is crucial for creating passive income and scaling your business.

• The book emphasizes the importance of building a system to replace yourself.
• The author shares her experience of building a system for her bestselling author program.
• The book encourages readers to create a repeatable process for generating income.

9. Avoid Crappy Books: Research and Reverse-Engineer

Stuff that’s boring now is probably going to be boring in twenty years.

Prework is essential. Before writing a book, it's crucial to do your prework and market research. This involves identifying a high-profit topic, researching keywords, and analyzing your competition.

• The book emphasizes the importance of doing prework and market research before writing a book.
• The author shares her experience of researching topics to ensure they are high-profit.
• The book encourages readers to avoid writing books that are not in demand.

Reverse-engineer bestsellers. Analyze the best-selling books in your genre to identify what works and what doesn't. Pay attention to their titles, book descriptions, and table of contents. Use this information to create a book that is better than the competition.

• The book explains the concept of reverse-engineering a bestseller.
• The author shares her experience of analyzing the competition to create a better book.
• The book encourages readers to learn from the success of others.

Unique hook. Your book needs a unique hook that grabs attention and piques interest. This could involve changing the perspective, creating a new process, or solving a million-dollar problem.

• The book emphasizes the importance of having a unique hook for your book.
• The author shares examples of books with unique hooks.
• The book encourages readers to think outside the box and create a book that stands out.

10. Nothing Happens Until You Launch: Promote Your Work

Without promotion, something terrible happens…Nothing!

Launch is crucial. A book launch is a designated time period in which you put all of your book marketing efforts to encourage readers to buy or download your book. Without a proper launch, your book will essentially be invisible on Amazon.

• The book emphasizes the importance of a book launch for visibility.
• The author highlights that without a launch, your book will be invisible on Amazon.
• The book encourages readers to take their book launch seriously.

Bestseller lists. The goal of a book launch is to get your book on as many Amazon bestseller lists as possible. These lists are the most searched lists on Amazon, and being on them will significantly increase your book's visibility.

• The book explains the importance of getting on Amazon bestseller lists.
• The author shares her experience of launching books to the bestseller lists.
• The book encourages readers to aim for the bestseller lists.

Amazon algorithm. The Amazon algorithm is a mysterious force that determines which books are shown to readers. By doing a proper book launch, you can trigger the algorithm and get Amazon to promote your book.

• The book explains the concept of the Amazon algorithm.
• The author shares her experience of how the algorithm works.
• The book encourages readers to trigger the algorithm by doing a proper book launch.

11. The Book-A-Month (BAM) Framework: Consistent Creation

If you started writing a book a month right now, how would that change your life?

Consistency is key. The Book-A-Month (BAM) framework involves consistently writing and publishing a book each month. This approach allows you to build a library of digital assets that generate passive income over time.

• The book introduces the Book-A-Month (BAM) framework.
• The author shares her experience of writing a book a month.
• The book encourages readers to adopt a consistent approach to content creation.

Annual publishing chart. Creating an annual publishing chart helps you plan out your year and stay on track with your writing goals. This chart should include the titles of your books, the genres, and the publishing dates.

• The book emphasizes the importance of creating an annual publishing chart.
• The author shares her personal annual publishing chart.
• The book encourages readers to plan out their year in advance.

Short books are better. Writing short books around 100 pages long is more efficient and effective than writing long books. Short books are easier to write, edit, and publish, and they are also more appealing to readers with short attention spans.

• The book emphasizes the benefits of writing short books.
• The author shares her experience of writing both long and short books.
• The book encourages readers to focus on writing short, high-quality books.

12. Social Security Replacement Blueprint: Create Your Own Income

You can potentially retire in 12-24 months and have time and financial freedom if you follow my book a month system.

Retire early. By creating passive income through writing and self-publishing, you can potentially retire early and enjoy time and financial freedom. This approach allows you to escape the traditional "work 30-40 years for a company and retire old" mindset.

• The book emphasizes the potential to retire early by creating passive income.
• The author shares her experience of creating passive income through writing.
• The book encourages readers to escape the traditional retirement mindset.

Social Security is not enough. Social Security was created to provide aid during the Great Depression, but it is not a reliable source of income for retirement. The system is funded by younger generations, and the number of people working is decreasing while the number of retirees is increasing.

• The book explains the history of Social Security and its limitations.
• The author highlights that Social Security is not a reliable source of income for retirement.
• The book encourages readers to create their own income streams instead of relying on Social Security.

Create your own income. The best way to secure your financial future is to create your own income streams. This involves developing valuable skills, creating digital assets, and building a business that generates passive income.

• The book emphasizes the importance of creating your own income streams.
• The author shares her experience of creating passive income through writing.
• The book encourages readers to take control of their financial futures and create their own income.

Last updated: January 26, 2025