My Experience with Arriane Serafico's Braver Goals Online Course after 90 Days

credit to Arriane Serafico

In July 2016, I enrolled in Arriane Serafico's Braver Goals Online Course.

90 Days later, I've done my part, and here's a review/testimonial, sharing my experience with the course.

Let me start with my email to her last Saturday:

When my office mate gave me your blog link a year ago (yep, the same person who joked about the discourage club), I never imagined I'd be a willing participant in your world (brand, I mean). 

To use what I learned from the Purposeful Personal Branding module, "Oh boy, here's another Sparkling blogger with sparkling blogs that I will forget."

That wasn't the case. 

Okay, maybe it was. 

I subscribed, and eventually forgot all about you. Like other typical subscribers do. 

Then one day, I just messaged you (after reading through an email you send to all your subscribers). 

And you replied! Not once, not twice, but maybe around four to five times! 

So she actually takes time to read her inbox, I thought. 

When you notified the world about your Braver Goals Bootcamp/Courage Club, I prepped myself for the cheapest one. I clicked the Php 3,999.00 option instead. 

Oh God, what have I done? 

"Making one of the best decisions in your life." 

It's true. 

I hesitated to tell my mom about joining your e-course. I told her anyway, and the first question she asked: "Is there a Certificate?"

"Oh gee, hindi ko po alam. Tatanungin ko po siya." 

Leanna, the discourage club joker, also joined the Bootcamp, and we bonded over the modules for the past 2 months (unfortunately she got off the wagon last month, after a horrible allergic reaction). That was fun! 

And the ladies at the Courage Club.... I didn't know all of them. Maybe some. A handful. And I'm grateful that I met them. Creative people are hard to come by. It's hard to relate to someone who doesn't create, and I swear I can hear crickets chirping in the background! 

Yes, you're right. It's always our choice. I chose to allow my insecurity to get in my way. I chose insecurity to belittle myself and slam my face hard on the floor, as I compared myself with the other ladies. It's not their fault. It's mine. And it's my choice to act and do something about it, even if it'll be messy, awkward and frustrating. 

And messy, awkward and frustrating... (rinse and repeat)

The past 90 days have been valuable. Best 3,999.00 I ever spent! I regret I didn't purchase the 3,999 version for the PPM (but I have my reasons... trying to wean myself from Facebook, and insufficient balance in my ATM account. But the self-study program works for me as well!) 

I really appreciate it when you take time to respond to comments/emails, even if I know there are several people you have to respond to. My love language, according to Gary Chapman, is words of affirmation.. so thank you for the encouraging words Arriane! 

When I was in 2nd yr high school, my teacher finished checking the second notebook on a pile of orange notebooks, and exclaimed to the class it was the first notebook she checked that didn't give her a headache. 

I owned the first notebook she checked. 
That traumatized me a bit, but confused me as well. My 1st year English teacher told me I wrote well. But I forgot all about that when the incident with the second teacher happened. 

Having Words of Affirmation for your love language sucks some times. haha.

I look forward to courses you'll make in the future, and when I self-publish that horror book (which I also wrote in the course of the 90 days), I'll let you know about it! It's part of the fruit of my Braver 90 days of course. 

Question: Would I recommend this course?

Only if you're willing to follow a system and see what it has to offer. You must be willing to dedicate 90 days for this online course. I admit I had my slip-ups. I didn't follow everything to detail, BUT I learned what worked for me.

Question: Gee, Php 3,999.00 sounds too much. I don't know...

There's a cheaper option available. It was less than Php 1,000.00. However, I made a last minute decision to purchase the Php 3.9K one because I wanted to meet new people.

Question: What changed in your life? 

It' simple that I never thought it was possible. I always believed in Chunking. Arriane, (in my view), uses this principle. You can have four projects in a given year. The question is, how to you execute them?

Will you work on all four projects simultaneously? Or will you complete project on one project before you go to the next one?

I used to be the person who worked on projects simultaneously. And it's not for me. I end up sad and frustrated because I haven't accomplished anything.

I discovered that the 90 day project cycle works for me! It cultivates discipline in me, and I get to practice saying "No", a lot.

Shiny new project? I can feel the urge to work on it. Oh, no. Wait. I'm still working on my 90 day project. maybe I can note what this new shiny project is. Let it incubate. Then I'll work on it again.

Arriane guides you to manage a project using a system she created. Her system isn't absolute, and she encouarges her students to continuously learn and refine their personal system.

I also discovered Spanx's Sara Blakely (whose quotes I absolutely loved!). I also connected with some Filipina bloggers, artists, creatives and entrepreneurs because of this course. When you meet new people, they somewhat influence you and change your perspective in life.

Question: I hate systems and rules on how you should approach your work, blah blah blah---

That's good! At least you know what doesn't work for you. If systems turn you off, then please, spare yourself the mental energy about criticizing about systems and find what works for you. Arriane knows her brand isn't for everyone (that's what I learned from her other course, Purposeful Personal Branding).

Just look for the approach that best suits you.

Question: What tangible result came when you joined this course?

I wrote three stories. Fanfictions, actually. No, don't look at me as I committed sin. Lol. But I write a lot. I write everyday now. If you were to sum up all my word count, I've produced rough 60,000 words.

That's from someone who was "All Talk, but No Walk."

My head is full of stories and ideas, and they remained in my head for decades. For a creative, that's depressing. You don't want an idea to be stagnant in your head.

I wanted to move on, so I decided to write the stories in my head. My fiction isn't perfect, yet it gave me the confident to write. To put myself out there.

Question: Should I give it a go?

YES!

If you have any questions about the experience, please feel free and leave a comment!

I hope my answers enlightened you if you're deciding to enroll in her online courses.

It's a great investment for your cash.

How not to drown yourself in the Sea of the Internet

Do you want to break free from the noisezone?

There's friendzone. Seenzone. I don't know-zone. Yeah, I totally made that word up.

Several months ago, I chose to blog daily.

 Two posts a day.

The result was a whopping 150 plus blogposts that I'm proud of.

It was a beast-- an accomplishment I never thought possible.

Quantity is king!

The happiness didn't last long.

I poured over the posts, and realized what a bloody mess it was.

The only value it had was to serve my low self-esteem and my niche was serving my ego.

(Now, I could be wrong....)

I read this invaluable quote somewhere ( I forgot who said it, sorry)

True. I was writing a lot. I was producing a lot.

But did it have value?

Did it help people?

Did it make someone's day better?

Did I help someone solve their problems?

Maybe.

But most of the time, what I wrote was noise.

Messy and unfocused noise. 

I'm currently enrolled in one of Arriane Serafico's online courses, and it's an excellent course btw.

I've read numerous blogs/articles/courses telling me to niche down.

The problem was, I couldn't understand its importance. I couldn't understand how to niche down.

Arriane makes it so easy. Easy as 1, 2 and 3.

According to her, Niching down is like talking to a crowd in a colosseum vs. talking to a handful of people in a small room.

In a colosseum, you are competing with thousands of people. You talk. You bore them. They talk. Your message becomes another noise.

That's what I've been doing.

But when you talk to a handful of people in a small room, provided they want to listen to what you have to say on topics they want to hear, on subjects dear to their heart.

That. is. Niching down.

Like the final piece of a jigsaw puzzle, everything clicked. I finally saw the bigger  picture. The whole picture.

As much as I enjoyed the act of blogging daily, the internet is not my personal diary to rant and bitch to make another person unhappy.

That's why I made the decision to stop my "daily blog challenge". It was fun! I discovered I had a lot of say. A lot of things to talk about.

It's just that... the quality.

Quality sucked. Big time!

I didn't want to be another noise. I didn't want to drown myself. So I chose to exit gracefully.

Now, that doesn't mean I won't stop blogging.

I like it, I do.

I just want to write about important matters where people will find value.

I hope this post is valuable.

Don't drown yourself in a sea of noise.

Define what blogging means for you... or another person will

I had another epiphany of sorts while I attended the Final Question and Answer Segment in Arriane Serafico's Online Course, Braver Goals.

Was I going to be another human spam in the world wide web? Is my blog just another noise in this noisy world?

Suddenly, the ground underneath me shifted, knocking me unconscious. I saw a different horizon and for the first time, I contemplated why I blog.

Why am I even blogging?

Let me tell you, three people have influenced me to become a keyboard warrior:

1. C.J. Chilvers
2. Seth Godin
3. Austin Kleon.

These three have advocated blogging daily, and I took their advice to heart. Since June 2016, I've posted daily, accumulating almost 150 blog posts.

150 blog posts... can you imagine that?

A year ago, I would have never imagined it possible. While I am happy with the quantity, I have reached the point that I now question the quality of my written word.

Going back, I've realized some of my posts are personal rants-- Noises.

I'm beginning to ask the important questions: what the heck am I blogging? Am I blogging for the sake of blogging? Am I blogging to make a mark? Seriously, why am I busting my ass to blog daily? What is my niche?

Numerous questions are locked in my head, engaged in a vicious swimming spree. Unless I find my answers, my blog will continue to become a mess.

I don't regret following Chilvers', Godin's and Kleon's advice. They've taught me an important lesson. If you want to know whether an idea works for you, then go for it.

I went for writing daily blog posts, and while I was happy I was showing up consistently, I began to question the quality. Then Arriane Serafico pops up and I begin to question the mark I want to leave in this internet world.

yes, I'm contemplating another revamp.... or a possible make-over. starting a blog from scratch.

I've started several blogs, like several bloggers. I've ditched several blogs, like several bloggers. Does the experience dishearten me? No. It's teaching me something.

I learned from Sara Blakely to look for the hidden blessing in everything, and with October 13's question and answer segment, I found a hidden gem in how I approach blogging.

What is blogging?

It's important to define what blogging means for you. Either you define something, or the world will define it for you.

For years, I defined blogging as someone who actively posts online with a following. With that framework, I set my heart to regularly posting online... with not so good results.

As long as I was posting online... I was a blogger, yes?

So when last night's Q&A segment came into play, and when I started to ask the important questions... I found my conclusion:

Blogging is all about influence. 

A Blogger is person who has the power to influence.

A Blogger is someone who makes a difference in another person's life. 

Okay... am I describing a leader?

John Maxwell defines the same thing-- Leadership is influence. 

Okay. My personal definition is that. A blog is a channel to influence people and make a difference in their lives. A blogger is a person who wields that awesome power.

Isn't that cool?

I've finally defined something for the first time!

Now that my viewpoint on blogging has changed, there are other old concepts and projects which are about to be uprooted too.

I admire other bloggers who've found their niche, and who help other people make a difference in their lives.

I hope to be a person like that too.

Courage Club Update

So... how's my courage club membership? 

Well, to be honest... my brave goal... it changed. 

One of my goals is writing fanfics, yet I chose to write a book. 

I had a nice start. Until I devoted most of my time writing fics. Until my waking hours were consumed of Final Fantasy 7 and 8 fics (boy, I sure came late into the fandom huh?)

By the time this is uploaded, I've already finished two FF8 fics, with one ff7 about to be done. 

When that time comes, my head is spinning with ideas to write. Sheesh!

Shiny Pebble called Fan Fiction

It happened.

The Shiny Pebble Syndrome Arriane mentioned.

Only that... I don't know.

I still want to publish an ebook to establish myself as a writer.

But the content has changed.

I want to write fiction.

I don't want to write about my experience with videogames right now.

Fiction.

Fanfiction.

Someone help me.

90 Braver Days Module2 Output and Realizations

I woke up on July 21, 2016, feeling fresh and hopeful.

I finished the Braver Days Road Map module 2.

I knew what I had to do for the next 90 days.

To write, publish, market and sell an ebook.... on my personal history with playing Japanese Role Playing Games.

Yes, yes.

I know.

Who would even buy a book from me?

Heck, who would even buy a book about the impact of JRPGs on someone's life?

I don't know who would. but I do know that there's someone out there.

But there is more to selling that meets the eye.

My Braver Goal is also about being comfortable about the person I am. My Braver Goal is also about fulfillment.

My Braver Goal is something worth fighting for.

A Phenomenological Case Study on the Effectivity of Arriane Serafico's 90 Braver Days Roadmap Challenge

I was having breakfast when I was hit with lightning. "What if I did this" idea. 

What if I documented my experiences as a member of the Courage Club? 

What if I actually succeeded and achieved my braver goal because of her course?

What if I compiled it and turned it into a PDF or ebook, and gave it to Arriane as a personal testimonial? 

I would be offering a phenomenological case study on the effectivity of Arriane Serafico's 90 Braver Days Roadmap Challenge... for free.


One of my braver goals is to write, publish and sell an ebook, and to publish my fanfictions. 

Both braver goals involve writing AND creating stories.

So yes, why not?

I've been blogging for a month now, finding my "Stock". I'm looking for my "Stock" by providing the "Flow".

Another lightning strike and it suddenly occurred to me that I like to document my experiences, draw some insights and share them.

I  have already written  3 or 4 posts about the Courage Club, and the Braver Goals Roadmap, so yes. Why not?

I don't think there are other bloggers, or members out there, who're doing what I'm doing. Writing a full-blown blog post about the experience of being a member. I guess I can capitalize on my uniqueness and willingness to blog daily!

It could serve as a comprehensive testimonial if there are other ladies who want to take the course in 2017.

So yes! I'M SAYING A BIG FAT YES!

I'm saying yes to this project!

ROCK ON!

Courage Club, or Discourage Club?

Leanna and I enrolled in Arriane Serafico's 90 Braver Days Roadmap Challenge.

She paid Php 1,699.00, while I paid Php 3,999.00.

One of the perks of the Php 3,999.00 is being a member of Courage Club.

The Courage Club members receive top most priority for Arriane's mentorship. So when I narrated to Lee the story of the other members, she flashed me a sheepish grin.

"You know, if I paid Php 3,999.00, I would have called that The Discourage Club."

No, it wasn't an insult to the Club.

It's like putting a rock inside a basket of diamonds. 

Lee and I could have been those rocks.

Reality bite: I am that rock in that basket of diamonds!

God, I just realized how low my self-worth is  (laughs!).

Lee and I also had another realization: Most of the people in the Courage Club are creatives. Some already have businesses. Some haven't. Some wants to start their. blog. Some are already have theirs. Really great.. Golly gee, if I never studied Carl Jung, I would have never guessed I'm projecting my Golden Shadow Qualities (oh boy, here I go again!)

And here's another realization:

We all have the same problems. 

The rock shares the same problems with the diamonds. 

Another realization:

Comparison kills you. 

I didn't join the Courage Club to be discouraged and be devoured by my insecurities. I joined because the I wanted to accomplish something different with my life.

I know that we have differences. We all have made different choices. Yet we joined for one thing--- to make our dreams and goals a reality.

This rock... this rock isn't going to be just a rock. It's going to be an awesome rock with mixing with the diamonds in the basket.

And who knows?

 The rock might discover that it had a diamond inside too.

All you need is 15 minutes, a shitty draft and 2 questions

Day 2 into the #90Braverdays

One of the realizations was that... yes, 15 minutes is absolutely enough to show up and get the ball rolling.

On July 11,  I was reviewing my answered workbooks and the modules when I felt the urge to write on my beloved Final Fantasy 8 fanfiction.

My last update was on May 2016, before I traveled to South Korea.

I learned from Arriane Serafico that 15 minutes is enough. It's enough time to start. 

Everyone has 15 minutes.

At 10:30 PM, I sat down and switched on my laptop. I encoded the draft paragraphs I wrote on my trusty yellow-pad. After 15 minutes, I saved the file and switched off my laptop.

The next day, I faced my the draft and asked myself the following questions:

"What's right?"

"What's not right?"

Those two questions, which I learned from Edward Burger and Michael Starbird's
"The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking", helped me overcome my writer's block.

I killed some sentences. I killed some paragraphs. I breathed life into new sentences and paragraphs.

For the first time since May 2016, I felt a huge burden lift from my shoulders.

I had finally written the ending for the chapter I procrastinated for 2 months.

But the battle is far from over.

I still have to face that Chapter one more time and ask myself the following questions:

"What's right?" and "What's not right?" , then proceed to kill and breathe life accordingly.

I enrolled in Arriane Serafico's The Braver Goals Bootcamp!

Holy cow!

I can't believe that I actually decided to purchase Arriane Serafico's The Braver Goals Bootcamp.

I was adamant in purchasing another online course. I had blown away 22,000 pesos to purchase Jon Orana's online course on publishing and selling ebooks.

While I learned a lot from his course, I didn't execute them. I respect Jon's wisdom and experience.

Then came Arriane. I discovered Arriane Serafico through my officemate, Leanna.

I subscribed to her mailing list, and admittedly, I would "read and forget" what she wrote.

One day, I decided to respond to her email, and she replied back!

She sounds nice!

...and then I forgot about her.

Then one day, something marvelous happened. I began to take the action steps on the emails she sent. She responded to one of my emails. Then the next day, I received another email.

The Braver Goals Bootcamp.

and it wasn't free.

Uh, no thanks.

I was determined not to enroll. I mean, I had blown 22K. I wasn't interested anymore. And I vowed I would find a way to realize my goals.

I reread the email again when the idea suddenly struck me.

I had always complained and envied people who had a group of like-minded friends.

I knew I wanted one. I knew if I continued to do the things I'm doing, I would never find them.

Could this be the answer to my prayers?

I don't know and I'll found out in 90 days time.

What is  Php 3,999.00?

I withdrew it from my sacred emergency fund, which has been badly depleted for the past two months. 

This is a sacrifice. A sacrifice I'm willing to go through. A happy sacrifice (is there such a word?)

Let me end this post with what I learned from Napoleon Hill, in my own understanding:

"There is no such thing as something for nothing"