This past week, much of the United States and Canada turned into one giant freezer. The kind of cold that makes you open the door, feel the air hit your face, and immediately decide that whatever you needed can wait.
Roads were slick, the wind had an attitude, and the smartest move was simple. Stay inside.
So, I did what any reasonable person would do. I grabbed my laptop, queued up my work, and wrapped myself in one of my favorite quilts.
Now, this is not just any blanket. My mom made it. She is an avid quilter, and when I say avid, I mean the kind of person who looks at a pile of random fabric scraps and sees a masterpiece waiting to happen.
She has made several quilts over the years, many with detailed designs and themes that honestly look like artwork. I have a few of them, and each one carries warmth that has nothing to do with temperature.
As I sat there all bundled up, I started thinking about what went into that quilt. The time. The patience. The care for the person who would one day be wrapped up in it.
And then there are the scraps. Pieces of fabric that most people would toss aside. To my mom, those scraps are potential. Color. Texture. Story. She turns leftovers into something beautiful and useful.
That sounds a lot like life. And business.
So, what does this have to do with running an online business? Well, I’m glad you asked!
Well, Everything!
Your life experiences are the patches in your quilt. The good ones. The hard ones. The wins. The mistakes you still shake your head about. The jobs you had. The risks you took. The times you almost quit but did not.
Most people look at those moments like scraps. Random. Disconnected. Maybe even useless. But in business, especially online, those scraps are your advantage.
The challenge you went through taught you resilience. The job you did not love taught you what you do value. The victory showed you what is possible. The hardship gave you empathy. When you put those pieces together, you create something no one else can duplicate. Your voice. Your perspective. Your story. That is the quilt you wrap your audience in.
Here are five steps to turn your life patches into something wonderful in your business.
- Stop dismissing your past. Nothing you have been through is wasted. Write down major life moments, good and bad, and ask what each one taught you. Those lessons are content, connection, and credibility.
- Look for patterns in your story. Just like quilt pieces follow a design, your life has themes. Maybe it is perseverance, problem solving, or helping others. Those patterns can shape your niche and your message.
- Use your challenges to serve others. The thing you struggled with is probably what someone else is struggling with right now. When you share how you handled it, you become relatable, not just informative.
- Add new patches on purpose. You are still building your quilt. Learn new skills, try new things, and stretch yourself. Every new experience adds depth and color to what you can offer.
- Stitch it together consistently. A quilt is not made in one sitting. Business is the same. Show up regularly. Share stories. Teach lessons. Over time, those pieces form something strong, warm, and meaningful.
Here is the great part. Your quilt does not have to look like anyone else’s. In fact, it should not. The power is in the combination of your scraps. That is what makes people lean in and say, “I get this person. They have been where I am.”
So let me ask you. What does your life quilt look like right now? What patches are you ignoring that might actually be the most powerful part of your story?
Take a minute and think about it. Then drop a comment and share one life experience that shaped you and could help someone else. You never know who might need the warmth from a piece of your story.
And if you are ready to actually turn that life quilt into a real online business, with guidance, tools, and a community that gets it, that is exactly why I recommend Internet Profits Academy. It brings together planning, coaching, community, and tools in one place so you are not trying to stitch this thing together alone.
Your scraps matter. Your story matters. Now it is time to build something with them.
I hear that the popcorn has stopped popping so it’s time to rescue it before it burns and get back to watching the riveting limited series on TV with my wife and my comfy cozy quilt!
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened.” — Helen Keller
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
And of course, a few VERY BAD Dad jokes:
It’s so cold, I saw a snowman putting on a jacket.
I don’t need a weather app. My knees send push notifications.
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.
Hi Ernie,
Definitely stayed inside – apart from going to the gym to train – and yes, you are right, it was coooooold! (still have a few days of this going through my area as we speak!).
Who we are is defined by the actions we’ve taken in the past and how they shaped our lives. We definitely overlook the times that have shaped us in a way that we never thought would be positive and yet, it does.
All this made me think of my grandfather (again) and how he once told me: “don’t pray to have an easy life…. pray to be a strong person!”.
I’ve definitely tried to keep that in mind every day. Thanks for the reminder!
Hi Marc – I love this and I can picture that cold still hanging around your area. Good on you for still getting to the gym because that is some real discipline right there. You are spot on about how the past shapes us in ways we do not always recognize at the time. Those moments really do become the patches that make the bigger picture stronger.
Your grandfather’s advice is powerful and timeless. Praying to be strong instead of asking for easy changes the whole way we look at challenges. That mindset is exactly what helps us grow through the tough seasons instead of just wishing them away. Thanks so much for sharing that and for adding real depth to the conversation.
Hey Ernie,
This really made me stop and think. I’ve spent a lot of time looking at parts of my past and wondering if they even mattered, or wishing some of them had gone differently. I love the way you framed those moments as pieces of a quilt instead of mistakes or dead ends.
It’s a good reminder that the things we’ve been through, especially the hard ones, shape how we show up for others in ways we don’t always see right away.
This was really comforting to read. Thanks for sharing it.
Hi Meredith – This means a lot and I am really glad the post met you right where you are. So many of us look back and question parts of our story, especially the hard chapters, and it is easy to label them as mistakes instead of meaningful pieces. I love how you picked up on that quilt picture because those moments really do shape how we show up for others, often in ways we only understand later.
Thank you for sharing that so honestly. Your perspective adds so much to the conversation. I am grateful it brought you some comfort and I appreciate you being part of this journey.