Blog Feed: Life Hacks for Living Well

What to Do When Your Awesome Plans… Fail Miserably

Published on 2012-05-23 17:00:15

I’m writing this post May 23rd, about thirty minutes before it’s going live (I think), from my slapped-together glass IKEA desk in the converted 2nd bedroom of our apartment in Colorado Springs, Colorado. We’re here, we’re safe, and we’re (somewhat) [...] > read more

Why Every Great Website Costs $10,000

Published on 2012-05-17 07:51:51

Betcha didn’t know that. Seriously–did you know that every single website in the world that’s considered “good,” “great,” or “awesome and effective” cost someone $10,000 to implement? Let’s break it down. But first, let’s understand why we’re even getting into this [...] > read more

How to Know If You Are Ready to Start A Blog

Published on 2012-05-15 08:00:24

Wait… you already have one? Hmm. Well I’ve never read it. How’s it working out for you? If you answered “not well,” “not sure,” or “not what I’d expected” to the above question, it might be time to rethink your [...] > read more

On Growing Up, Living the Dream, and Getting Paid for It

Published on 2012-05-11 08:00:22

When I was in 5th grade, I couldn’t wait to get into middle school. When I was in 8th grade, I couldn’t wait to move on up to high school. And, of course, in high school, I was quickly disenchanted with being told what [...] > read more

How to Write When You Don’t Know What to Write

Published on 2012-05-09 07:00:19

I stared at my blank screen for an hour last night. The cursor, blinking on and off, urged me to start. “Go on,” it beckoned, “just write.” I thought of the WordPress admin panel and its helpful little prompt, “Just [...] > read more

How to Find the Perfect Audience for Your Book, And Sell It to Them

Published on 2012-05-02 08:00:23

So you just finished writing a book. Awesome–now who are you going to sell it to? If you’re not published by a major publishing house, chances are you’re going to sell it to your parents, your kids, your neighbors, maybe coworkers, [...] > read more

Why Your Blog Design Sucks, And What to Do About It

Published on 2012-05-01 13:34:17

photo: !!!! scogle Have you noticed a lack of visits to your blog lately? Maybe a plateau in Google Analytics showing consistent visits, but an apathetic readership? Maybe you’ve tried writing better headlines, more epic content, or releasing a new great ebook, [...] > read more

How to Learn ANYTHING Faster than You Ever Thought Possible

Published on 2012-04-27 08:00:40

Do you love to learn? Do you long to sit at your desk in your den, which smells of rich mahogany, reading from your many leather-bound books? I do too. If I could spend every hour of every day writing, [...] > read more

Using Scrivener and Evernote to Write Your Book

Published on 2012-04-24 12:09:32

As you probably know, I’m a big fan of writing novels–fiction, thriller, fast-paced action-type novels. These projects, while fun, are often intense periods of writing broken up by pacing around the living room trying to figure out how to get [...] Related posts:How to Write a Novel in 30 DaysWant to Write A Novel? Take the FREE Course!Why You Should NOT Self-Publish Your Book > read more

On Platforms, Cranes, and Product Launches

Published on 2012-04-20 12:52:17

It’s been a whirlwind month. LiveHacked.com is finally coming on its own as a “real” blog, at least in my opinion–judging by increased visitor interactions, personal emails I’ve received and a general feeling of “sweet, it’s working.” So I thought [...] No related posts. > read more

Want to Write A Novel? Take the FREE Course!

Published on 2012-04-18 08:26:51

It’s been weeks, maybe months, but it’s finally finished. After pulling my hair out in frustration as I tried to tackle the beast of 110,000 words that was my first novel, I felt like it might be helpful to “pay [...] No related posts. > read more

1,000 Books A Year: How to Read Faster and Understand More

Published on 2012-04-16 08:00:05

I had a hard time writing this post–there’s already a ton of great, useful advice on “how to read quicker,” “read faster and comprehend more,” or what have you. Most of the time, these posts were written better and researched more, [...] Related posts: Great Thrillers: Books Like James Rollins Thought of the Day (Year) > read more

The Absolute Easiest Way to Set Habits In Anything

Published on 2012-04-11 07:30:46

Note: I made up the following story. It does not reflect the ordeals of any real people, nor does it describe actual events. However, the general premise is taken from actual case studies, research, and medical journals from the 2009-2010 [...] Related posts: How to Hack Your Motivation: Part 1 – Why You Are Not Motivated > read more

The Secret to Gaining Massive Readership for Your Blog

Published on 2012-04-10 08:00:51

This site’s not about traffic-generation. First, there are plenty of other sites out there all able to help with that. Second, most of you reading this aren’t interested in building massive blogs that generate loads of income, passively. I get [...] Related posts: Pillar Content: The Secret to Building a Blog People Love Online Marketing Basics: 10 Ways to Drive More Traffic to Your Blog 5 Reasons Why Twitter Isn’t Working For You > read more

How to Change the World

Published on 2012-04-09 08:00:10

“Be the change you want to see in the world” –Mother Teresa The people who shake up this world and leave legacies aren’t smarter than the rest of us. They don’t have a larger creative intuition than us, nor do [...] No related posts. > read more

Jinx – You Owe Me A Water: Part 4

Published on 2012-04-06 08:00:05

It is finished. Christ will be risen in two days, but today it is finished.  I had no idea at the outset of my 30-day fast that I’d end it not only on my birthday, but also on Good Friday. [...] Related posts: Jinx – You Owe Me A Water: Part 1 Jinx – You Owe Me A Water: Part 3 Jinx – You Owe Me A Water: Part 2 > read more

How to Fail and How to Succeed – Free Poster

Published on 2012-04-05 12:58:34

Here at LiveHacked.com, I’ve been working on some freebies to help brand the site and what I hope it can become. I started by creating some fancy desktops for my beloved MacBook Pro, and I then created this cool “motivational [...] Related posts: Promoting Your Business: Free Marketing With Social Media > read more

Inspirational Links: Episode 8 – On Writing

Published on 2012-04-04 07:30:40

I’m in the middle of a major platform-building, social media, and guest-posting campaign, part of a stretch to get this cute little blog into the faces of billions of readers. We’ll see how it goes… Anyway, I want to stay [...] Related posts: Inspirational Links: Episode 7 – The Random Episode Inspirational Links: Episode 4 – For Writers Inspirational Links: Episode 1 – For Writers > read more

Follow These Dudes Or They’ll Eat Your Soul!

Published on 2012-04-02 12:01:00

I’ve been spending way too much time on Twitter lately, and so I thought I’d do a super-special shout-out to some of the folks I’ve been following. When I began looking through my lists of Twitter people I like to [...] No related posts. > read more

5 Reasons Why Twitter Isn’t Working For You

Published on 2012-04-02 08:30:20

I recently wrote a very long post about social media, and how authors (and other professionals) can use it to their advantage (think: sales), but I wanted to hone in on one particular aspect of social networks in particular: How [...] Related posts: Online Marketing Basics: 10 Ways to Drive More Traffic to Your Blog Online Marketing for Your Small Business: Networking and Social Media 7 Ways to Land Clients With Social Networking > read more

Jinx – You Owe Me A Water: Part 3

Published on 2012-03-30 07:30:59

I cheated. For last three weeks, I’ve been doing a 30-day fast. It’s part of an idea I read about in Jen Hatmaker’s new book, 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess. The book is about releasing certain aspects of your life, and “giving [...] Related posts: Jinx – You Owe Me A Water: Part 1 Jinx – You Owe Me A Water: Part 2 > read more

Hack Your Life: Ben Franklin Style

Published on 2012-03-29 09:00:52

What can Old Man Ben teach you about life-hacking? A lot, in fact. We all (or at least the American half of us) know Benjamin Franklin: a half-bald, sort of round early American leader born in 1706. We know he [...] No related posts. > read more

Inspirational Links: Episode 7 – The Random Episode

Published on 2012-03-28 07:30:52

What with back-to-back funerals, flying to Colorado, Iowa, and back, and having the wife off for Spring Break–it’s been a little while since I’ve been able to just crack down and work. Either way, I know there aren’t many people [...] Related posts: Inspirational Links: Episode 3 – For Bloggers Inspirational Links: Episode 1 – For Writers Inspirational Links: Episode 2 – Productivity > read more

Are You In “The Dip”?

Published on 2012-03-26 07:30:30

Advertise here with Beacon AdsHave you ever felt stuck? Like truly, “what-should-I-do-with-my-life” stuck, or “what’s-the-purpose-for-my-life” stuck? I have. Actually, it was the latter, the “what-should-I-do-with-my-life” kind. It was between my Sophomore and Junior years of college, during which I was studying Music Education at [...] No related posts. > read more

Jinx – You Owe Me A Water: Part 2

Published on 2012-03-23 07:30:30

Advertise here with Beacon AdsFor the last two weeks, I’ve been participating in a fast. The first part of this series can be found here. It’s part of an idea I read about in Jen Hatmaker’s new book, 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess. The book [...] Related posts: Jinx – You Owe Me A Water: Part 1 > read more

Inspirational Links: Episode 6 – For Bloggers

Published on 2012-03-21 07:30:22

Advertise here with Beacon AdsWelp (as my brother used to say), it’s time for another round of Awesome, Helpful, and Inspiring Posts! If you missed “Episode 1 (For Writers),” check it out here. If you missed others, you can check them one out here–they’re all about productivity, [...] Related posts: Inspirational Links: Episode 5 – For Bloggers Inspirational Links: Episode 3 – For Bloggers Inspirational Links: Episode 7 – The Random Episode > read more

The 3 “R”s of Social Media

Published on 2012-03-20 08:00:19

Advertise here with Beacon AdsWhew. It’s finally done. After pretty much three solid weeks of writing, editing, polishing, and changing, I finally finished the update to the 10,000+ downloaded The 3 “R”s of Social Media. And it rocks. If you’re trying to make sense [...] Related posts: Where Does Social Media Fit In With Your Marketing? My New Ebook: The 3 R’s of Social Media Social Media Influence: 3 Steps to Boost Your Social Media Productivity > read more

Do You Want Attention? Me Too…

Published on 2012-03-19 07:00:41

Advertise here with Beacon AdsDo want attention? In business, life, or both? Not attention for attention’s sake, understand–just the ability to be heard. When you talk, write, or communicate in any way, you have a desire to have people sit up and listen. Me [...] No related posts. > read more

Jinx – You Owe Me A Water: Part 1

Published on 2012-03-16 07:30:41

Advertise here with Beacon AdsFor the last week I’ve been participating in a fast–you know, like Ghandi or Jesus. It’s part of an idea I read about in Jen Hatmaker’s new book, 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against  Excess. The book is about releasing certain [...] Related posts: Jinx – You Owe Me A Water: Part 2 > read more

Inspirational Links: Episode 5 – For Bloggers

Published on 2012-03-14 07:00:06

Advertise here with Beacon AdsIf you missed “Episode 1 (For Writers),” check it out here. If you missed others, you can check them one out here–they’re all about productivity, writing, and blogging! Each week, I’ll be combing through the RSS feeds, blogs, and news sites I frequent (read: [...] Related posts: Inspirational Links: Episode 6 – For Bloggers Inspirational Links: Episode 3 – For Bloggers Inspirational Links: Episode 7 – The Random Episod [..] > read more

Why You Should NOT Self-Publish Your Book

Published on 2012-03-12 07:00:14

Advertise here with Beacon AdsMy wife and I got in an argument recently over something I posted on Facebook. Basically, she thought I was misleading people by mentioning that I “signed a non-exclusive distribution agreement for my new book!” The post was entirely true. [...] Related posts: Book Publishing and an Interview with James Rollins > read more

Prepare, Practice, Persist – How To Practice

Published on 2012-03-09 06:00:10

Advertise here with Beacon AdsAh, practice. That thing we know every pro has done, and every beginner is currently doing. However, we’re usually somewhere in the middle (amateur, semi-pro, etc.) and may have lost sight of what it means to truly practice. This post [...] Related posts: Prepare, Practice, Persist: How To Prepare Prepare, Practice, Persist > read more

Inspirational Links: Episode 4 – For Writers

Published on 2012-03-07 15:20:13

Advertise here with Beacon AdsIf you missed “Episode 1 (For Writers),” check it out here. If you missed others, you can check them one out here–they’re all about productivity, writing, and blogging! Each week, I’ll be combing through the RSS feeds, blogs, and news sites I frequent (read: [...] Related posts: Inspirational Links: Episode 1 – For Writers Inspirational Links: Episode 3 – For Bloggers Inspirational Links: Episode 2 – Productivity > read more

Pillar Content: The Secret to Building a Blog People Love

Published on 2012-03-05 06:00:59

Advertise here with Beacon AdsAlmost five years ago I launched the original version of NickThacker.com–Online Marketing for Small Business. Two years ago I threw in the towel. I had 12 comments, 15 newsletter subscribers (I think 14 of them were just different emails for [...] No related posts. > read more

Prepare, Practice, Persist: How To Prepare

Published on 2012-03-01 08:00:14

Advertise here with Beacon AdsSince Chris Brogan posted about defining three words for 2012 as a “resolution,” rather than the more ubiquitous “I’m gonna lose X pounds, make more money, and win at life”-type resolutions (not knocking those, by the way–just noticing that for me, [...] Related posts: Prepare, Practice, Persist Why Hitting it Big Isn’t Enough > read more

Inspirational Links: Episode 3 – For Bloggers

Published on 2012-02-29 07:00:08

Advertise here with Beacon AdsIf you missed “Episode 1 (For Writers),” check it out here. If you missed the first one and the second one, you can check that one out here–it’s about productivity! Each week, I’ll be combing through the RSS feeds, blogs, and news sites [...] Related posts: Inspirational Links: Episode 2 – Productivity Inspirational Links: Episode 1 – For Writers > read more

The Ultimate Social Media Guide for Writers

Published on 2012-02-26 18:26:08

Advertise here with Beacon AdsSocial Media: The Ultimate Guide for Writers I’ve been thinking and reading a lot about social media lately, and specifically how it should (and shouldn’t) be used by writers. By writers, I mean “creators;” creators of fiction thriller novels, non-fiction [...] Related posts: Social Media Influence: 3 Steps to Boost Your Social Media Productivity Where Does Social Media Fit In With Your Marketing? My New Ebook: The 3 R’s of Social Media > read more

How to Hack Your Sleep – Sleep Less, Do More, Feel Better: Part 3

Published on 2012-02-24 08:00:17

Advertise here with Beacon AdsIn parts 1 and 2 of this series, we talked about why using and recognizing our natural tendencies as sleep-deprived humans can help us get more sleep, feel better, and get more done. Mostly, it’s through the use of naps, [...] Related posts: How to Hack Your Sleep – Sleep Less, Do More, Feel Better: Part 2 How to Hack Your Sleep – Sleep Less, Do More, Feel Better: Part 1 How to Hack Your Motivation: Part 1 – Why You Are Not Motivated > read more

Inspirational Links: Episode 2 – Productivity

Published on 2012-02-22 08:00:04

Advertise here with Beacon AdsIf you missed “Episode 1 (For Writers),” check it out here. Each week, I’ll be combing through the RSS feeds, blogs, and news sites I frequent (read: “waste time on”) and link out to some great resources I’ve found. These are all links to blogs and websites that I visit regularly, either in person or through [...] Related posts: Inspirational Links: Episode 1 – For Writers > read more

Why Hitting it Big Isn’t Enough

Published on 2012-02-20 08:00:27

Advertise here with Beacon AdsBefore I jump in, let me clarify: I think that there are ways to “strike it big” in life, and not have to worry about anything afterwards. Winning the lottery used to be enough–but with the value of a dollar plummeting, taxes, and inflation, chances are it won’t cause anything more than an extended shopping spree [...] No related posts. > read more

How to Hack Your Sleep – Sleep Less, Do More, Feel Better: Part 2

Published on 2012-02-17 08:00:36

Advertise here with Beacon AdsIn part 1 of this series, we talked about why using and recognizing our natural tendencies as sleep-deprived humans can help us get more sleep, feel better, and get more done. Sleeping is great, and looking at what we need out of it–namely, what benefits we’d like to receive from our sleep–we can use different times of [...] Related posts: How to Hack Your Sleep – Sleep Less, Do More, Feel Better: Part 1 How to Hack Your Motivation: Part 1 [..] > read more

Inspirational Links: Episode 1 – For Writers

Published on 2012-02-15 08:00:38

Advertise here with Beacon AdsWell, I’ve decided to go the way of the mighty news portal websites and blogs by starting a “weekend links” segment. I’m not promising anything; really, I’m not even promising that I’ll continue this shameful excuse of using other peoples’ content to fill out my own. But, rest assured that these links are pieces of [...] Related posts: 8 Great Resources for Writers of All Types > read more

Great Thrillers: Books Like James Rollins

Published on 2012-02-13 08:00:37

Advertise here with Beacon AdsAs many of you know, James Rollins is one of my (and my wife’s) favorite authors. He’s written fast-paced, action-packed thrillers like Amazonia, Sandstorm, and more, and he has a great series of novels featuring his Sigma Force (a militarized branch of DARPA). Above all, James Rollins writes in a style that is fast and [...] Related posts: Book Publishing and an Interview with James Rollins 8 Great Resources for Writers of All Types Lightning Source Cal [..] > read more

How to Hack Your Sleep – Sleep Less, Do More, Feel Better: Part 1

Published on 2012-02-10 08:00:38

Advertise here with Beacon AdsThis post is Part 1 of a 3-part series on “hacking sleep.” Check back for the rest of the posts, and be sure to leave a comment with your own experiences! Maybe sleep is for the weak, but letting our workloads get the best of us is for the lame. Today, we’re faced with more [...] Related posts: How to Hack Your Sleep – Sleep Less, Do More, Feel Better: Part 2 How to Hack Your Motivation: Part 1 – Why You Are Not Motivated “Brushing it [..] > read more

“Brushing it Off” Vs. “Brushing It Off”

Published on 2012-02-06 08:00:53

Advertise here with Beacon AdsOriginally appearing on the amazing and useful writing/blogging site ProBlogger.net, this post is one that I wanted to add here, as I feel it really makes sense. Those of us struggling (or “juggling”) with a lot of projects, deliverables, and other tasks, can often feel overwhelmed and end up rushing things. Don’t do that. Instead, focus [...] No related posts. > read more

Time Management for “Weekend Warriors”

Published on 2012-02-01 11:22:45

Advertise here with Beacon AdsI recently wrote this article to be posted on a great Christian time management blog called LifeOfASteward.com. Seriously, check it out if you get a chance. Loren does an outstanding job providing information on time management principles, tips, and tricks, and maintaining a great work-life balance as a Christian. I’ve reproduced the post here in [...] Related posts: Productivity 101: Every Time You Sit Down, Make Something Happen Stop Telling Me You Don’ [..] > read more

8 Great Resources for Writers of All Types

Published on 2012-01-25 20:07:38

Advertise here with Beacon AdsI’ve been writing a lot lately. Not necessarily here, though I have been taking some time to plan out my blogging schedule for the next few months. No, mostly I’ve been writing a novel. You can check it out here–it’s a thriller; an action-packed novel, and I’m pretty proud of it. However, as a writer [...] Related posts: Great Thrillers: Books Like James Rollins Inspirational Links: Episode 1 – For Writers 31 Great SEO Articles fo [..] > read more

Lightning Source Calculator – Book Price & Cost (Paperback)

Published on 2012-01-23 15:44:40

Advertise here with Beacon AdsI’ve been working on a book project lately called The Golden Crystal, a fiction novel (thriller) similar in style to Dan Brown, James Rollins, J.A. Konrath, and James Patterson. Rather than choosing the “traditional” route of publishing through a legacy publishing company, I chose to use Lightning Source as my printer/distributor for the book, as [...] Related posts: Book Publishing and an Interview with James Rollins How to Sell A Book by Seth God [..] > read more

Prepare, Practice, Persist

Published on 2012-01-04 14:28:54

Advertise here with Beacon AdsIn the style of Chris Brogan’s three-word “resolutions,” I spent a brief period of time summing up my three-word attitude for the new year of 2012. Not to be confused necessarily with a set of goals, these words are merely all-encompassing ideas and mindsets that will help achieve my own personal definition of success this [...] No related posts. > read more

Self-Publishing A Novel: Choosing a Self-Publishing Company

Published on 2011-12-14 19:30:48

Advertise here with Beacon AdsNovels are hard. That sentence seems to be the best way to describe my recent exploit into the world of self-publishing. In case you weren’t aware (and interested in checking out a poorly-written yet nicely-packaged thriller novel), my self-published dream-come-true now has a web presence. The Golden Crystal is a novel that I wrote out of [...] Related posts: Book Publishing and an Interview with James Rollins Top 10 Reasons Why Your Company Should Not Have a [..] > read more

In Search of the Perfect Steak Recipe

Published on 2011-02-23 12:42:41

You come home from work after a busy day, craving the ultimate man-meal of USDA Choice Top Sirloin, cooked to medium-rare perfection, served up with homemade mashed potatoes and corn-on-the-cob. The problem? You’re a bachelor, and there’s > read more

Wearing Your Brand

Published on 2010-11-16 12:36:41

I recently (like, two weeks ago) started a consulting/marketing job at an amazing company called faithHighway. We mainly build websites and help with marketing campaigns for churches, so if you’re familiar with me and my work you’ll under > read more

Thought of the Day (Year)

Published on 2010-11-15 19:20:53

Chris writes an amazing and life-changing blog over at The Art of Nonconformity, and he posted this brief tidbit not too long ago. It especially hits home for me, as I’m in a very life-changing situation myself. Needless to say, I thought it ne > read more

My New Ebook: The 3 R’s of Social Media

Published on 2010-08-06 16:28:19

Relevance, Recency, and Reputation. ‘Nuff said, but if you’re still unsure, check out the new book. It’s a quick read, like the others, and I think it answers a few questions some of you may have, including the infamous, “So w > read more

Turn Your Blog Into A REAL Business

Published on 2010-07-20 13:18:55

This post isn’t about viewing your blog as a business—it’s about actually setting up a legal business structure for your blog. Why would anyone want to do this? After all, in some ways isn’t making money online sort of the “anti-business? > read more

Stop Advertising Your Failures

Published on 2010-06-24 23:54:49

Driving down the road, I see a gas station sign that reads, “Clean Restroom.” Without a doubt, this is most certainly not the place I’m going to stop to relieve myself. I understand that it used to be (and maybe still is) a huge dra > read more

How to Hack Your Motivation: Part 1

Published on 2010-06-14 12:07:32

Yes, that’s me. I know–I look like a gross fish. I’m sitting in my bed at 11:30 am on Monday morning, NOT wanting to write this post. Not because I don’t have anything to write about (it’s been a month since I’ve w > read more

SEO for Business: A Quick Tip

Published on 2010-05-14 21:21:49

I’m currently in the process of doing some SEO (search engine optimization) for my company’s website. In order to appear in more geographically-targeted SERPs (search engine results pages), I’m hoping generate similar–yet not > read more

The Rooster & The Hen

Published on 2010-04-24 15:04:59

A Depression Era Poem The Rooster and The Hen Said the Little Red Rooster, “Believe me things are tough!” Seems the worms are getting scarcer and I cannot find enough, What’s become of all those fat ones? It’s a mystery to > read more

SEO: What Gets Measured Gets Managed

Published on 2010-03-28 08:00:40

…And what gets managed gets improved. In Gordon Bethune’s (CEO and champion of Continental Airlines) book From Worst to First: Behind the Scenes of Continental’s Remarkable Comeback, he writes numerous times about measuring those t > read more

31 Great SEO Articles for March 2010

Published on 2010-03-01 08:00:36

For my readers who are interested in improving their SEO (search engine optimization) for their blog or website, I wanted to take an extra day and write up a post about the best information I’ve found during the month of February. Note that these a > read more