🤥 There are some WILD mis-truths, half-truths and flat out porky-pies 🐽 in the online business world.

I get it, people use it to sell stuff... but in many ways it's harmful, it’s creating a culture of wildly misaligned expectations of the work involved in creating something great and it's causing people to feel like they are “failing” just because they aren’t having CRAZY unrealistic results in two second.

The truth is?

Misaligned expectations killed more dreams than failure ever did.

In today's podcast episode, we're talking through the difference between first and second order consequences, and why we need to be more honest about BOTH in our marketing.

Here's the cliff notes:

Every action (or inaction) you take has BOTH first and second order consequences – and although it might not feel like it at the time – BOTH are a gift.

First Order Consequence – The immediate, usually short-term, consequence of an action you take.

Second Order Consequence – The longer term, longer lasting, consequence of an action you take that usually comes AFTER the first order consequence.

The problem with anything worthwhile (and the reason people “give up” at the first sign of hard work?); is that the first-order consequence is commonly considered undesirable, while the second-order consequence is infinitely worthwhile. 

Here’s the truth:  

The leveraged online business you desire and deserve is SO possible for you, and so worthwhile – if you’re ambitious, committed and (really) want it.  

Just like in the OFFLINE world, when you are building something worthwhile – it takes time, energy and effort.  

The industry sugarcoats this, and tries to tell you that if you’re working hard?  

You’re doing it wrong. BS.  

Big dreams require hard, upfront work and that’s the truth.  

Too many people stalling before they get to the GOOD STUFF is the reason that we’ll never sugarcoat that.  

The end (PS -- you should listen to the poddy episode, too). 

Want more? Here’s how we can help you:

→ Free Workshop — Create our knowledge-based lifestyle business in 2025

→ Subscribe to the Fully Free Newsletter — Come and join the party on Substack! Subscribe for weekly articles, essays and behind the scenes to help you build a lifestyle business.

→ Join Lifestyle Business School — Get the complete Operating System for starting or growing an expertise-based online business to the Lifestyle Business Sweet Spot.

Enjoy this content? Follow and subscribe for more:

→ Follow Stevie on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/steviedillon_/

→ Subscribe to Fully Free on Substack — https://lifestylebusinessschool.substack.com/

→ Subscribe to Lifestyle Business School on Youtube — https://www.youtube.com/@lifestylebusinessschool