Let me ask you a simple but powerful question:
"Are you happy with what you're doing?"
Scared of the answer?
You are not alone! Actually, you're in good company. This question has ruined the life of today's show guest
.His 90-year-old Chinese grandmother from Singapore asked him this exact question at the beginning of last year.
Michael answered:
“Yes.”
…at least he thought he was happy.
Michael had the fancy corporate title - he got promoted to a Director (wow!).
He had the house.
The income.
On paper, he "made it."
He Had All These Things That Society Tells You Should Make You Happy
Also, she always had one piece of advice: "Travel while you're young." And not just once, but every time she saw him, she'd say it again and again.
“She stared, silent and waiting.
She used her Asian grandmother powers on me.
So I admitted I wanted to travel the world,
and pursue a new business idea.
She asked, "What’s stopping you?"
I listed the reasons—work, routine, responsibilities.
She shook her head and said,
"Excuses."
"Life doesn’t wait for you to be ready."
She was right.
I was holding myself back.”
Deep down, he felt stuck and his grandma felt it with her Asian grandmother power.
"I had all these things that society tells you should make you happy… but I was miserable inside," he told me.
Michael Wasn't Building a Life He Loved
That's when he realized: He wasn't building a life he loved—he was chasing titles, promotions, and a version of success that wasn’t his own. Within 30 days, he quit his corporate job, and booked a one-way ticket to Singapore.
He became a rock that rolls down a hill and no longer stays in the same place.
He traded boardrooms for beaches. Suits for sweatpants. A rigid schedule for freedom.
And while that might sound bold (or terrifying, I know!), Michael said something during our interview that really stuck with me:
"The worst-case scenario is I go back to my old life. But the best case? I live the life I actually want."
Isn’t that the truth? Sometimes the real risk is not taking the leap of faith!
Now Michael is “High on Life”
After already building and selling multiple one-person-businesses, Michael is now building a new thriving one-person business and scaling it to $100,0000+ by writing online and helping others create freedom for themselves.
He wakes up every day with what he describes as a "high on life," saying:
"I feel unburdened, unshackled… it's an intense level of freedom that I've never had before."
Look at him!
Can You Imagine That Kind of Freedom?
Here’s my takeaway from my chat with Michael:
Sometimes the most "secure" path is actually the riskiest, because it keeps you stuck.
Taking a leap isn’t about being fearless. It's about deciding which risk you're willing to live with.
The worst-case scenario is rarely as bad as we imagine.
So, let me ask you so you can tell us in the chat:
“What’s your version of freedom? What would it look like to design a life you actually love?”
Michael’s story is a powerful reminder that it's never too late to pivot. To choose yourself and create something in the cracks of time. To create something that might only exist as a daydream.
Are You Dying a Slow Death in Your 9-5? Want Your Life to Look a Whole Much different?
By listening to Michael sharing his life lessions and the 6 most valuable steps he took to set up his one-person business you’ll take one step today toward the life you want - even if you have only a few minutes or hours a day.
Once you listened, you’ll have a plan how to build a one-person business and how it could feel like.
So hopefully this is the kick in the butt to let your life look different.
Because those small steps? They add up to something big.
🎙️If you say, “Kristina, let me listen to the show!”🎙️
You can listen to it as Substack podcast, on Spotify or watch it on YouTube.
Enjoy the show!
If you’re listening via Spotify it would be awesome to get a review from you ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. You can really make a different with this small gesture. Thanks 🙏🏻
🎤 Meet Michael Lim LIVE - MASTERCLASS
2025 will be the year of the solopreneur.
So see this interview as a nudge to finally start it!
The majority of writers, creatives, influencers and dreamers are solo publishers. And more and more are entering the market. So it's time to build a soulful and joyful one-person business to finally feel the freedom you deserve.
Join the paid member’s masterclass with Michael Lim on
finding the courage to quit and start a one-person business on the side as a normal person,
finding the time,
quitting your 9-to-5,
building the life you love,
monetizing your existing skills,
experiencing the freedom you’re craving for
building a soulful and joyful one-person business in 2025.
Bring all your questions and get them answered by Michael in our LIVE masterclass.
📅Tuesday, March 18
⌚7am EST / 6am CDT / 5am MDT/ 4am PDT/ 12 pm CET
🔗ZOOM link: If you’re an annual member, you can add the event to your calendar HERE or find the Zoom link HERE.
⏺️Replays: Michael is joining us from Asia so it’s a bit earlier than usual. You can’t make it live? No worries. You can catch up and also send me your questions beforehand in the comments or via email/DM.
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Besides my content library with more than 80 posts, you’ll get:
Access to all 35+ replays
Access to 50+ video tutorials
1 Month Substack Content Planner (value $29)
12 Month Substack Content Calendar (value $59)
Invite-only community access ticket (value $29/month)
NEW Substack Course “From Beginner to Substack Pro” (value $149)
NEW “Medium School” Course (value $199)
Invite to weekly LIVE workshops with my interview guests & with me and the tribe
I’m not kidding!
That’s ALL included in an annual membership!
Similar to Michael's relationship with his grandma, my grandfather also played a big role in my decision to leave everything behind, move to the west coast of Germany and live a simple life with my children at the beach and working from home.
I’m grateful for all the wonderful conversations we had. Helmut, my granddad, already crossed the rainbox bridge, but I can feel his spirit in my part-time business. I even have a photograph of him on my desk. It shows him, sun-tanned and in sweatpants, at the beach with me and my brother. I know, grandpa would be proud of me.
Maybe there’s one person in your life who triggered a change? Who asked a questions or told you a story that would change your life forever?
See you in the show & our masterclass with Michael!
PS We’d sooo love to hear from you! Hit reply and let us know your thoughts! We’ll answer all your questions and reply to everyone.
PPS Say 👋🏻in the comments, Chat, or via email.
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