Amazing. That’s all I can say. Life is a journey and right now I’m loving the journey I’m on. It’s hard to believe that 5 years ago today I started a little blog called OnlyOneMike. Looking back, the name is a little pompous haha. But, I guess it worked for me then. I don’t update here anymore, just once a year on Independence Day in the United States.And I like it that way. That’s not to say I won’t update this blog and turn it back on at some point. I mean, it is pretty old and it has some history to it. I guess we’ll see. :DSo, just to update on what’s been going on… remember when I said this last year?

 If all goes well, this time next year when I update I’ll be a completely new person.

Well, everything did go well. And as I write this I am a completely new person. Sadly, I STILL can’t go into all the details… I know, not very nice. But, hey, tell you what… the second I can tell you I will. I won’t make you wait an entire year! See, maybe this is my subconscious way of returning to this blog and getting back to my personal development roots.I have lots of new goals now. I want to become a personal development and weight loss (HINT!) speaker. I want to share what I’ve learned and hopefully learn from others as I travel the world sharing my story. I know God can help make that happen, and I’m excited for the opportunity.So, now I sit and look at my life as I do every 4th of July. It’s a sort of “fiscal year” end date for me. I love this day because it represents so much to me. It’s more than just a holiday, that’s for sure. It’s more than fireworks and BBQ, family and friends… it’s FREEDOM.And beyond that, it means that we all have the chance (at least in this country) to pursue our wishes with wild abandonment and go after life with gusto. We don’t have to settle for what we don’t want - we can chase our dreams with determination. You get the idea, right? ;)I don’t want to turn this yearly update into a ramble, so I’ll close with this.5 years ago today I wrote a blog post on an UGLY blog page I had setup on my own. It took me a week to get the blog setup, that’s why I started my first official post on the 4th of July 2006! From that one single action, my entire life changed and I sit today with a whole new life.That’s the power of choice… and the power of change. It can happen for anyone, even you. Just be willing to try something different, something you haven’t done before and the world can open up to you.I can’t wait to update you with lots of great new information and pictures! Now that I’ve written this much, I think it may be time for me to bring this blog back! Hmm, I’ll be thinking about it over the next few months.I’m gonna find out next week about something REALLY BIG in my life. It’s something I desperately need. If I get this, I will be eternally changed forever. It’s that important. So I’m sending out a digital prayer to the Man upstairs… help me out on this one - I really need it!!And to my reader:Thanks for reading this and may this next year see YOU achieve your dreams!

Many people think the best way to explode their business is to think “outside the box”. While this is a great idea, I think there is a better way. Thinking outside the box has now become a cliche statement, but when it first arrived on the scene it was a groundbreaking discovery.

One of the areas I first began to think outside the box with was Real Estate Investment. I actually purchased a Doctor’s Office for no money down and 4% interest. The PITI each month was only $648 while the rent we received was $1350. Had I not been thinking outside the box, I never could have made this happen.

When I started marketing on the internet, I spent a lot of time thinking outside the box. The first time I made money online (besides Adsense) was when I promoted the 6M PROFIT METHOD by Lisa Diane. Lisa has done a great job creating tools for her affiliates to use. We had Adwords Ads, keywords, website copy, emails…all sorts of things. But I found out quickly that following the crowd wasn’t always the most profitable.

So, instead of using the ads being used by everyone else, I wrote my own ad. Instead of using the keywords everyone else was I found my own. I started marketing and spent a total of $2.48. And I made a sale…which netted me $548.50. How’s that for a return on investment?

So, what’s this idea about expanding the box? Expanding the box means that you take what once was considered outside the box and expand the box so it becomes the new norm. Expanding the box is what Revolutionaries do, no matter what the field. Even though you might not see it now, we are living in an expanded box.

Years ago, the internet was nothing more than a tool for spreading information for military and educational purposes…now it’s used everyday to generate money for both large and small businesses. In 1997 being on the internet was a luxury, in 2007 its a necessity.

So, what about you? In what areas can you expand the box? What is your business? What is your model of business? Are you living inside the box? Outside the box? Are you working towards expanding the box? It’s up to you, really.

Boxes were meant to expand, to grow, to change. It’s up to you to find your own path and grow. As you move along in the journey, you will find that people will follow. Maybe friends, family, or even complete strangers will start doing what you do because you’ve made it part of the box.

I have lots more to on expanding the box, but this is a good place to start.

Leave your feedback or questions about box expanding.