As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I love to document life through pictures. Before the camera phone, before the digital camera, I was always the one carrying around a thirty-five-millimeter camera or a Polaroid camera.
I was also that annoying guy at weddings who took advantage of those disposable cameras on the tables and took a ton of pictures for the new couple to enjoy. I must admit most of them were silly but they were effective and I received no complaints.
Just this past week a colleague of mine, who has also become a very good friend, challenged a few of us fellow affiliate marketers to show before and after type pictures. His name is Atif Perwiz. He is brilliant and you should defiantly follow his blog.
This fun assignment tasked those of us who wanted to play along to show a baby picture next to a picture of when we were in our prime. I took prime to mean any time when I felt confident and ready to conquer the world. I feel that now, but I wanted to show a younger picture of me as Atif already knows what I currently look like.
I decided to be a little silly, as I usually am, and show a funny picture of a before and after Ernie character.
When I got serious it was very easy for me to find a picture of a young me and a picture of me on my wedding day as my picture library is vast. Both are a little bit grainy as they are pre-digital picture quality and I had to scan them before the big reveal.
The little me on the right shows a baby holding a toy and the older me in the upper left is a young man full of confidence and optimism as he prepares for his new life with his bride. As I look at both of these pictures and the eyes especially, I am awed to see myself in both. It’s like looking in a mirror but with different faces.
As I look at my face in present day in the lower left, I see those same eyes but they are a little different. There are wrinkles around my face and sometimes the eyes look a little tired but deep down they are the same eyes.
The reason those eyes are a little different now is they have witnessed decades of events. Those sometimes tired eyes have helped me see things and have brought me some knowledge and wisdom from many life experiences.
I can only imagine how those eyes will look and what they will see in the next 10 or 20 years as I continue to experience life.
In the blink of an eye, I changed from a baby to a young man and finally the person that I am now. While the stages in my life have been different the person who experienced those stages is still the same.
So, what does this have to do with running an online business? Well, I’m glad you asked!
When I first started this business I was like a baby. That baby in the picture holding a toy expected a lot of things to happen without knowing quite how. The toy was my new business and I knew it would be fun yet I didn’t know how to use it.
I was so young in the business and so naïve yet I had so much hope and was willing to do everything that I could to grow and learn and become successful. I really couldn’t do much for myself other than rely on others for help. Those others included my mentors in the program I am in now, colleagues who have become friends and finally my very supportive wife. Just like when I was a baby, I didn’t realize how much I needed others for assistance.
I was getting the training during this formative time to learn how an online business works. To be honest, it wasn’t what I expected as it was a lot more involved than many people made it seem. There are so many people out there and so many programs that promise get rich quick without much work. (I have mentioned in previous blog posts) While it wasn’t what I expected, it has exceeded realistic expectations.
Currently, I now see myself in my business as me in that picture on my wedding day. I am past the formative times and have entered into the phase of optimism and hope. I have set up my business, I have started a blog, I have started to market organically and have made some investments such as placing a Facebook lead ad. I have done a few TikTok videos and I hope to do many more.
I have accomplished so much and I have so much to look forward to as I press on in my business. But just like that young man in the picture I can only imagine what is to come. I have a whole business life ahead of me and the future looks bright and exciting and I really anticipate great things!
I don’t know what the next picture will look like as I’m not there yet. Ohh, I predict there will be a lot of wisdom to be gained along the way and I anticipate there will be some hardships as well as victories to celebrate. I have no idea but I can only imagine how great the outcome will be when everything comes together and my business is successful. I look forward to what that picture will look like!
Even though my business will progress in different stages, just as I have in the pictures, my eyes will remain the same. Those eyes will look back at how it all started, lessons learned, mistakes made and decisions that have led to success.
Those are the same eyes that will continue to look forward. They will look forward to the possibilities that I can’t even imagine.
I look forward to living a content and happy life with my “WHYs” which are spending time with and supporting my growing family. This is my motivation. In order to achieve that dream I will need to work very hard, stay focused and never give up.
My mentor, Dean, said something to a group of us that made me think. He told us to ask the question, “Why Not Me?” So, I’m asking that question and I can’t come up with a good reason why it shouldn’t be me.
What do your life pictures look like? I hope and trust that you will find ways to overcome any obstacles or challenges in your way. Please remember to occasionally look back at where you started then look at your life now and then dream of what it can be. That will be your life picture album!
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The person in the mirror is not your enemy, it’s the one you must love, forgive, and encourage the most.” – Unknown
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller
And of course, a few VERY BAD Dad jokes:
Why was the photographer always calm? Because he knew how to focus!
What happened when the mirror started a blog? It reflected on everything!
Until next time, STAY FRESH, Friends!
**If you are curious about this process and wish to know more about an affiliate marketing business, please subscribe to my newsletter here to learn more. And please continue following my blog. My hope is not only to create the freedom I so long for but pass on what I have learned to others who have similar aspirations.
What a beautiful weaving of your story through the eyes of various stages of your so far lived life! I’m sorry I could not participate in that exercise as many of my photos were lost in a flood.
Nevertheless, your talents as a story teller are greatly appreciated!
Hi Kate – Yes, sometimes I do tend to get a little bit nostalgic and maybe that’s why I save so many pictures so that I can stumble upon them from time to time and remember those great times. I am so sorry that you lost so many of your pictures in a flood. However, you have your memories and they are even more precious as you can experience the real things in your mind. Thanks for your visit and have a great week!
Your reflections on the journey of growth, both personal and professional, are truly inspiring. It’s fascinating how our experiences, much like the evolving pictures you’ve shared, shape who we are. Seeing ourselves progress from novice to seasoned can be as enlightening as it is motivating. Your comparison between the stages of your life and your business growth underscores a powerful truth: our core remains constant, but our wisdom and resilience deepen over time. The journey of self-discovery and business development often mirrors each other, revealing the same growth and potential in both realms. Thanks for sharing your story—it’s a great reminder to embrace our evolving selves while keeping an eye on the future!
Hi Alison – I am extremely sentimental and I don’t necessarily know if that’s a problem or just how my DNA works. I love to look at old pictures whether of me and my family or others picture. My wife has a picture of her dad and his cousin holding hands from probably 60 or 70 years ago and it’s wonderful to look at and imagine what must be going through those children’s eyes. I truly see that looking at old pictures and new pictures and comparing this activity to a new business venture very similar. If I can take a snapshot in time of me right now and remember…it will be so fulfilling and encouraging once I get to a place where I’m more successful. That I can take another snapshot and remember that picture in the future from that point of view. I know, kind of a romantic and sappy outlook of things, but as I said, that’s in my DNA. I hope you have a wonderful week!
Hi Ernie,
It’s amazing how you’ve drawn parallels between your life stages and the growth of your online business. Your reflections on how those same eyes have seen so much and still look ahead with hope and optimism are truly inspiring. The journey you’ve described, from being a ‘baby’ in business to where you are now, shows just how much growth and learning can happen over time. I also love how you’ve tied in your “why” and the importance of looking back to appreciate how far you’ve come while staying focused on the future. Thanks for sharing your story and wisdom with us. I hope you have a wonderful week ahead!
Meredith
Hi Meredith – I really do like reliving my life through these blogs. I don’t share everything, but I like to correlate my business to my personal life as they really are all intertwined. I know we’re supposed to separate and compartmentalize these different parts of our lives but sometimes it is so difficult. What I like about pictures from the past and pictures from the current is that you can track a life just like you can track a business. That was my whole point. And, who knows what the next pictures will look like in both these worlds! Have a wonderful week and thank you for your visit!
HI, Ernie!
Your stories are fantastic! I so look forward to them each week 🙂
Occasionally, I have looked into the eyes of my favorite kid picture and wonder what I was thinking and looking forward to. I’ve never done that backwards; I’ve never thought of looking at me now, to see what the future me might think of me when she looks into those eyes. That’s an interesting thought. I can imagine the future me giving me a pep talk and saying don’t be so scared you won’t make it. Of course, you’re going to make it! Why wouldn’t you? I love this thought. Have a wonderful week, Ernie!
Hi Nakina – Right back at you! I truly enjoy reading what you have to say and look forward to your post every week. Sometimes it’s hard to look at myself in the past as it forces me to relive some bad decisions or bad choices. But that’s how we learn and that’s how we grow. I’m totally honest with myself, I’ve had a lot more good than bad and for that I am thankful. Giving ourselves pep talks is awkward but so necessary and sometimes fun. I used to be a coach for my children’s teems and pep talk sometimes the best medicine, right? Hope you have a wonderful week!
Wow, Ernie! What a great, well-thought-out post! It’s so intuitive and masterfully written. I always admire your stories and how you relate them to your business and your personal life. You have quite a knack for writing from the heart, reflecting on all your life experiences and somehow intertwining them into your stories about your affiliate marketing journey. It is refreshing and a delight to read and reflect on one’s life. You tend to bring the reader with you on your journey. Well done, my friend.
Hi Vanesa – Thank you for such nice comments! I am not sure sometimes if I’m writing for others, which is my hope, or if I’m writing for me as I reflect on my life and how it can influence my business. I follow you and I also appreciate your writing as well as your video content on TikTok. Thank you for your visit and I look forward to visiting your content as well!
Ernie, what a well written post! You had my attention the whole way through. I do admire your unique and heart felt writing skills especially the ways you tell your life’s experiences and revert them back into your current online journey. Whether it’s your DNA or not never lose this great characteristic! Fantastic Job!
Ken – I truly appreciate your comments and yes, I tried to write from the heart. Sometimes it’s hard to get a good story or get a good idea for comment and then I look at my life and it seems to come. Can almost relate everything personally to professionally if you think hard enough. Thanks for your visit!
I remember those times before digital camera. I carried my caddy camera with me and my photos almost always came out blurry. With the advent of auto-focus I can still manage to blurry up photos – It’s a knack!
I must say I look forward to your weekly exclamation, “I’m glad you asked!”.
Nice job on presenting your life picture album and how your readers can do the same.
Hello! Thank you for your many visits to my blog posts. Appreciate your comments as they have been helpful as I build and learn my owned asset. I appreciate how you completely understood my message and I look forward to seeing you on the blogs soon. Have a great week!
Ernie, Your reflection on life through the lens of old photographs is such a great moment when we take time to look back. It’s a beautiful reminder of the way our journey so far the past, the present, and our future selves connect the images and memories we carry with us.
Like you, I was the ‘photographer’ in family past, and now reflecting on the hundreds of images taken over the years. A desire to document and record special moments in time.
The idea of looking back to where we started, appreciating where we are now, and dreaming of what’s yet to come is such a motivating practice.
Thank you for sharing and wishing you continued success and joy in your journey.
Eleanor
Hi Eleanor – It is so great to hear from you and I truly appreciate you visiting my blog post. I see that you are the family photographer as well as you noted in your comment. Isn’t it wonderful to go back through pictures and relive and remember those wonderful times. It’s also equally important to go back and look at where we started in this business so that we can relive and remember what it took to get here. Thank you for your nice comments and have a great week!
Ernie.
Very heart felt blog weaving your life through pictures, and your life online. Loved it
Hi Scott – Thank you very much for your visit, comments and feedback. I do truly enjoy it writing these blogs and I’m grateful that you visit.