Recently I had the privilege, and a great privilege it is, to watch It’s a Wonderful Life with my family again. My wife was next to me, and our three oldest children: 17, 14 and 12, with our wee little ones tucked away in bed.

As we watched the angels discussing what to do about George Bailey, played by the memorable and matchless Jimmy Stewart, it struck me what they discussed.

If you’re not familiar with the movie, please watch it when you can. We own the DVD and it’s all scratched up from our many viewings.

So the story is that George Bailey gets assigned a guardian angel, one without his wings yet. He apparently needs to earn them, and George may be his ticket to new glory.

The angels are discussing George, and the following dialog ensues:

Clarence (the would-be guardian angel to George Bailey): What’s the matter with him, is he sick?
Joseph: No, worse. He’s discouraged.

What was remarkable about that statement is that it applies across every genre of life: discouragement, worry, concern, stress – it can lead a man or woman to their grave.

In George’s case, that’s the way things were headed.

Then I started thinking back to last Christmas.

I was still working deadlines for Elance gigs, my last gigs I’d do. I was discouraged.

I took my time with writing for others, just as I do for myself – I wasn’t the quickest writer, still a far cry from it. So I’d churn out quality articles, content, spun articles, you name it.

The cheap side of me wouldn’t charge for my time, but for the project – a “fair price” I thought, but honestly freelancing isn’t for me.

I just remember thinking how much farther along I’d get if I could just work for myself…and for once, enjoy Christmas. “Be there” for my family, enjoy the day, without the anxiety of putting in the time at work.

And in various jobs, I’ve worked Christmas, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and all the rest.

Usually with a bit if discouragement, wishing I could be at home with the family.

Wishing I could help my wife out in the kitchen, or take the kids off her hands, help her manage the house – you name it.

What a difference a year makes.

No, I don’t want to toot my own horn, but it’s been a banner year. I’m floored, thankful, and living on a passive income that last year still seemed just out of my grasp.

This year, I’ve unfortunately had the luxury of getting a beast of a cold – and you know you’re getting old when there isn’t too much difference in a cold and the flu, you’re just not sure which you have, you ache all the same.

But you know what? It’s a luxury. I’ve got no deadlines to worry about but my own.

Yes, I have a project I’m working on, more on that later – but it’s not pressing into my ribs so I can’t breathe.

Rather than have a sense of urgency, I have that old sense of anticipating Christmas, and enjoying my family.

It’s an incredibly different year: from 2010 to 2011, going from time-for-dollars to building web assets that afford me more time than I know what to do with…

If you’ve been discouraged in your online endeavors: it’s doable.

Making thousands a month in a year’s time is doable.

Making much more than that is doable, it’s really in your business strategy.

I can hear my wife’s footsteps coming up the stairs, time for bed…we’ve just wrapped the last of the presents, finished up with homemade cinnamon rolls, stuffed the kids’ stockings and not a creature is stirring…except for my mouse.

Which I’m about to use to click my way out of here: Merry Christmas to you and yours, happy holidays, and enjoy the ones you love most.

It’s a Wonderful Life, and affiliate marketing? It’s a wonderful business. Don’t kid yourself: this rocks.

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