You’ve heard the cliché:
“The first $1 you make online is a life-changing moment.”
And I never really believed it because I always thought, “So what? It’s just a dollar.”
That was until I actually achieved it.
And the crazy part is, I didn’t even really plan on it. I think that’s what makes it that much better.
Let’s Jump Into It. . .
For those of you that don’t know me, I’m a huge reader.
And every time I read a book, I always take notes in the form of an outline alongside it.
Recently, I found myself with over 100 outlines on various books ranging from psychology, self-improvement, communication, discipline, and just about any non-fiction book category you can think of.
So I decided I’d share some of these outlines in the form of a digital library. I understand that not everyone has the time to read an entire book, so this was my way of giving something to those who still want to learn something but don’t have the time to.
I chose to build the digital library on Notion, and after about two hours of getting everything imported, I was done.
I then turned around and uploaded it onto Gumroad which is an e-commerce platform that allows creators to sell digital products for free.
And one of the best features of Gumroad is that you can list your product for free, but still give your customer the option to donate money if they choose.
By the time I hit “publish,” it was already the end of the day so I decided to hit the sack.
When I woke up the next morning, this is the first thing I saw on my phone:
It took me a second to understand what I was looking at, but I finally comprehended the fact that I just made my first dollar online.
You hear about it, but you never really believe it until you achieve it for yourself.
And even though it was completely unexpected, it still marks a major shift in my life.
But enough about me and my ten dollars.
How Can You Do This Too?
My biggest recommendation would be to create and share something you love.
Do you love cooking?
Then create a digital cookbook or a collection of your personal recipes.
Do you love to go thrifting?
Then create an Excel spreadsheet designed to track bought and sold items for flippers.
Fulfillment doesn’t come from just making money. It comes from making a living out of something you love.
Find what you’re good at and capitalize on it. You don’t have to be an expert on it. Just teach those who are a couple of steps behind you.
The only credibility you need is that little bit of extra experience you have over those around you.
From there, use Twitter, Medium, Instagram, TikTok, or your blog to advertise that product because how do you expect people to find it if you don’t tell them in the first place?
Let Me Leave You With This
Yes, it’s easier said than done. And believe me, I’m no master at this either. But all I’m asking you to do is make $1.
Because if you can make $1 online, you’re obviously doing something right because most people can’t even do that.
And it’s not because they can’t. It’s because they don’t even try.
So do whatever it takes to make that first dollar. But try to make it by doing what you love.
Because once you look down at your phone and see that dollar sign, that’s only the beginning.