I figure this would be a good time for a little update about my life and business. Each year as I get older, it seems I’m finding it less enjoyable to write about myself. But I think it’s an important ingredient for this blog.
2012 was a great year for me and my family. I believe we are moving in the right direction, and walking in our God-given destiny. That’s not to say life is always easy. It’s not. But life is good.
In November of 2006, I wrote a series of three articles about the importance of vision for your life and business (later on, this became the basis of Eric’s Tips lesson #13).
In 2008, I began to get a new vision for my business. Here are some quotes from an article I posted on June 3rd, 2008:
“Internet marketing has been a catalyst which has enabled me to pursue some of the bigger passions in my life. My plan is to get out of this business in the not-too-distant future (maybe in a few years), to focus more of my time on some of those things.”
“And in case you’re wondering… no I’m NOT talking about retiring to an island and living a luxurious lifestyle. I’m talking about focusing less on money, and more on family and other things that will have an impact beyond our lifetime.”
I also made some fairly bold claims about stepping out of the Internet marketing hype machine, and not promoting many products for other people.
So here we are more than four years later. Am I still planning on getting out of the business? At some point, yes, but probably not very soon. My perspective has changed significantly. I’ve discovered that I can pursue those more important passions in life, while still maintaining my business.
One of those passions is traveling and visiting new places. Another passion is taking mission trips and helping those in need. In the years since I wrote those things, I’ve traveled quite a bit, and have taken at least one mission trip each year.
This year we spent two months away from home, during which time my business ran on autopilot. I also spent a lot of time on other things outside of business, including a bunch of time processing all those pictures that I took on those trips 😉
Another passion that I’ve been able to devote more time to is painting, and I’ve been blessed to use this gift in ministry at church. I completed over 60 paintings this year, many of which can be seen here.
All in all, I’d say I spent a solid four months of the year NOT working on my business. To that extent, I’ve come a long way toward the vision that began forming in 2008.
I’ve also continued my commitment to run my business with integrity, and to not promote a bunch of stuff that you don’t need. While my inbox is flooded with promotion requests virtually every day, I only promoted 9 products (other than my own products) via email to Eric’s Tips subscribers in 2012. That’s less than one per month.
I’m happy to report that business is great. The business model that I use and teach DOES still work today. My income has not suffered in this economic climate.
I’ve been amazed at the number of business associates and various Internet gurus who have either gone out of business, or seen their businesses suffer dramatically this past year. Some were due to Google’s changes. Others burned out their lists promoting all the hype. Yet others built their businesses on a foundation of here-today-gone-tomorrow tactics.
Unfortunately, some of those guys are digging themselves into deeper holes because now they’re saying “dude, I need to make some money, quick!” and they’re resorting to unethical tactics, while their desperation is starting to show in their marketing efforts.
More than ever I would like to emphasize that the kind of business I teach is NOT a get-rich-quick business. If you use get-rich-quick tactics, you might get rich quickly, but you will also lose your business just as quickly.
A quick update on my personal health, as a few people have asked about it (thank you for your prayers and concern)…
On June 6th, 2011, I wrote about my battle with some symptoms that are called Adrenal Fatigue by some experts. It’s been a rough road at times, but I’m blessed to say I’m about 60-70% better so far.
The road to healing has involved a combination of traditional medicine, holistic medicine, and God’s power. I’ve continued on a recovery plan, and have seen improvements in the applicable tests. I also experienced supernatural improvement in my sleep that began while in Israel last fall.
One of the most important ingredients of a recovery from these issues is reducing stress and anxiety, and the way I’ve been running my business has been conducive to lower-stress living.
Of course it helps to be able to take vacations…
We just spent two weeks in Maui, Hawaii, which was a lot of fun. Below are some pictures from the trip. As always, I hope you know I’m not posting these to brag or make anyone envious in a bad way. I just enjoy sharing pictures, and hope to inspire someone else to pursue their dreams…
I’ve posted more pictures from the trip on my Google+ account: view them here.
When it comes to our economy and society in general, it seems that the only certain thing these days is uncertainty. Tragedies such as the recent school shooting in Connecticut are sober reminders of our human fragility (please pray for the families of the victims!), and countless other tragedies around the world go unreported each day.
I encourage you to remember your priorities and spend time with your loved ones while you can! Remember that the end goal of being in business is not merely to accumulate wealth. As you reflect on the past year, and look forward to the new year, this would be a good time to get a vision for what you want your life to look like. It would also be a good time to set some specific goals, like taking a family vacation in 2013.
As always, you are welcome to leave your comments below.
I wish you a merry Christmas, and a happy New Year!
Hi Eric,
Thanks for sharing your views, lessons and photos so generously. I enjoy them all. I am glad to hear that your health is improving. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOUR WONDERFUL FAMILY.
I’m so glad to see the update from you, Eric; and to know that your health is improving.
I’m also glad to hear that you are finding a way to mix your talents with helping people get started on the Internet with your true passions in Life. (You will never forget the times you are now spending with your precious and beautiful family. How great to watch them grow.)
You are truly one of the people I admire most in this industry: I wish I’d found you before I did…
God Bless You, Eric. You are a good and Godly role-model!
Hi Eric
It looks like you were on Maui, that’s where I live. I am a water person, so I have been to many of the beaches you and your family were at. I will contact you and Paul because I need your personal coaching. Need to make today and everyday forward a better day.
I love to hear from you Eric. You are just one of the few IM-ers I am following. Why ? Because you are so honest, pure and real. Besides, I love to see your pics and see your gorgeous family.
God bless you all !
thanks for sharing !
Man ERICS in the house,May God almighty be with You and ur family Amen
Merry Christmas to the Holmlund’s,
May God bless you and your family.
I am slowly going through the Eric’s tips.
I made too many mistakes in the last 4 years
yeilding 0 % ROI.
Yes, even though I haven’t been to Isreal, it indeed is Holy!
As a retired police officer of 35 years, I know
evil very well. Yet, as a born again christian I know the power of healing and mirciles Jesus Christ provides. I have been healed from skin cancer through prayer ALONE! Had bi pass surgery x4 in 2007 and at 61.9, run further and longer than during my career in law enforcement. That’s the LORD’S work for being faithful.
There is a prayer I just recently heard from
a spirtual source that I now incorporate in all my prayers.
It is: Dear heavenly father, please divorce me from Baal. My love is in you heavenly father. Also, ask for assistence in your angels watching over my family, business, and myself.
With God’s blessings,
Billy Scarberry
Always enjoy reading your blog.
What lovely photos of you and your family in Hawaii.
Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year!
Hey Eric!!! God bless you and your beautiful family. I too hope to get off the ground with my IM business, thanks to you and you team. I’ve been dragging my feet, getting caught up on all the emails I get but come 2013, it’s a new ball game. Would love to be able to make a go and be able to help others less fortunate.
God speed and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours!!!!!
Thank you Eric for sharing your newletter and photos. I am so glad you are doing better. There’s nothing like a holiday to release any stress in your life. You have so earned your time of relaxation. I thank you for your comments during the coaching club webinars in helping to get my site going. You give so freely all year to your customers and it is so appriciated. You are definately one of the few who only promote what you believe would be a benefit to others. That is why we can trust you as being an honest person. God really has given you a destiny in helping people in many different ways. It really is amazing if we do put God first in our lives where he will take us in life. Thank you for sharing your faith with us. God Bless you and your family and have a Very Merry Christmas and a Proserous New Year.
Oh Annie. I can see by your comments that you do not have a relationship with God. If you did you would understand a lot more of life. It makes me laugh to see people like you who get upset with others when they mention that they are a believer or have God in their lives and trust God as their director. Yes there is so much evil in this fallen world but you can’t blame God for everything. People do make choices and yes we all make poor choices in life but remember it is not God making those choices. I challenge you to find out why Jesus died on the cross.
Hey loved your pictures especially the driftwood
Congratulations on having such a beautiful family. I totally agree that our families are the most precious things we have. I have three gorgeous daughters myself, and am grateful every day that I’ve been so blessed. I wish all your family in the USA, A Very Happy Christmas, from all my family in the UK.
May 2013 be successful for both of us (ALL of us).
Hey Eric,
One of my families favorite places on Earth. Quite the hike down to the Blow Hole…Especially in flip flops…no? 8)Love Makena/Wailea side..Ono in my book. Snorkeling is good, but tanking is so much better, so if you ever get the time to get certified with the wife or the oldest, you should do it. Whole different world. Anyone going to the Hawaiian islands must stay for at least 2 weeks…better for a month to fully decompress.
Have a great holiday season and new year
Rod
What a lovely family.
I wish you well and a very happy Christmas
to you all.
From my UK family
May the New Year bring new opportunities for us all.
Thank you Eric shring your life.me and my wife
is deligted to see all lovely picture.May GOD
protect you and your family from all the evils.
Mohammad and Surrya
Hello Eric,
Thanks for sharing your views, lessons and photos so generously. I enjoy them all of them. I am glad to hear that your health is improving. Merry Christmas and a HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOUR WONDERFUL FAMILY. Looking forward to another prosperous year, and being able to keep in touch through your emails and blog.
Thanks for sharing these lovely pictures. I enjoy your blog. I hope you and your family have a merry Christmas.
Yeah it’s a nice little hike 🙂 We were actually prepared but others were not. In fact we helped a lady that got hit by a wave down there and got cut up pretty bad. Would like to do scuba sometime!
Dear Eric,
You sent the email for End of the World” sale by Hostgator.
It does not look like a good deal for reseller hosting. The first month is $12.48 but the subsequent month onwards are $24.95 per month.
I don’t know where you saw $6 something per month for reseller hosting.
Kingsley
Hi Kingsley,
I see that it appears that way on their site, but when you get to the order page, it allows you to pay for up to 2 years in advance. For example, you can currently (for the next hour) still order for $12.48 and pay only $299 for two years, thus locking in the $12.48 rate.
For a couple hours at mid-day, they offered 75% off, which made that same plan only $6.24/month. I’ve been their affiliate for 7+ years and I’ve never seen them offer that before. Usually the best they offer is 50% off, which they typically do just a couple times a year for one day.
“Beautiful” is defined right here!
Hi Eric,
Wishing you and your family a ‘Merry Christmas
and Happy New Year 2013’. Am glad that the world is round and still alive. Love to see the pictures of your children having lots of fun. Cheerio!
Thanks for the update Eric, your news and your pics are inspirational. And yes it is amazing how our goals of years gone by choose their own wise manifestation. Onward and upward eh?
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you and family. God has blessed us with a good year and Ginny and I are very thank full. God Bless you and your family, Frank and Ginny
Eric; Thank you so much for all the inspiration you provide, And you’r a talented photographer also. Thanks for sharing so I can add to our dreams of visiting Hawaii. Be Blessed.
Thanks for sharing and giving your encouragements, Eric. You are a solid brother. Keep up the good work in health and business. God bless!
Mark
Glad to see you enjoying yourself. Wish I had the courage and fortitude to have my own business and be more self sufficient as you are so I can enjoy my family more.
Love the pictures you’re blessed with a beautiful family.
hi Eric,
This is so glad to saw your vacations photos, these are awesome. i had enjoy it my self like i was there 🙂
i got really nice resource.
thank you.
HI Eric,
Loving the tips, and working towards the ForEx product, I purchased the PLR for the Forex stuff.
I want to have 3 Niches, should I run a separate blog, hosted separately, or can it just be different pages on the same hosted website.
Hello Eric,
Over the last few years I have downloaded quite a few of your holiday photos and I have liked the scenic subjects that you chose especially the various cloud formations with all of the marvellous colours that you captured.
The trip to Hawaii with the turtles in the beautiful clear water.
Loved the horse and bear photos. Got to ask you, have you seen that same thing there since then, with the horses and bears? The horses didn’t look too troubled with the bears that close to them.
A couple of nights ago I purchased a slide show producer and the first photos I worked on were yours because of the quality that I liked.
I ended up with just over 10 minutes and a bit over 30mb, what I would like to do is to send you a copy if I can as I think it worked out well. That’s if I can do this properly as I have never tried to Zip anything before, only use to un-zipping, lol.
If you could let me know one way or the other, please?
Regards,
Laurie Mills
Hello DunCAN,
If they are separate niches, it might be best to host on different websites, so your business will come across as much more focused!
Hello Laurie,
Are you able to upload the file anywhere?
Here’s a site you could potentially use:
https://www.dropbox.com/
My Biggest Fire Sale is Now Live
This certainly sounds great Mr. Eric Holmlund. But I am living on a limited budget a fund when I ordered 52White Label Ebooks fhere were extra tols to buy and at that
time and I didn’t have the funds and they are still sitting on my computer. If there are extras to buy with these movies I possibly can’t buy them. If there are not any required extras to buy to make the selling of them, I certainly will buy them.
Thank you
Ok, we have bought your program’s (more then one) BUT how do I get it on my website? Can I just copy and paste and make the changes insde as to my Paypal, etc/ we are stuck not knowing how to get it on our wesbite, thanks.
Hello Chuck,
Please contact our helpdesk, and let us know what course you need help with:
http://www.ericsupport.com/
Next time you’re in Hawaii maybe you’ll come to Kauai and visit – we love to meet you!