The Three Levers
- Burn: stop leaks, reset lifestyle creep.
- Income: one focused offer or skill that pays inside 90 days.
- Automation: route cash to defense and offense before spending.
Week 0 Baseline
- Trail 3-month burn; runway in months.
- Savings rate; debt APR list.
- Defense target (3–6 months essentials); offense percentage for investing/bets.
Weeks 1–4: Cut Burn & Fund Defense
- Eliminate or downgrade subscriptions; renegotiate big rocks (rent, insurance, phone).
- Pause discretionary until defense bucket hits target.
- Guardrails: if defense <3 months, no new offense bets; route windfalls to defense first.
Weeks 5–8: Income Stack
- Pick one offer (consulting, micro-service) or one upskill tied to a paying project.
- Daily: 60–90 minutes on offer build/outreach; 3–5 outreaches/day.
- Track: responses, calls booked, revenue; adjust one lever weekly (offer, channel, volume).
Weeks 9–12: Automate & Rebalance
- Auto-transfer on payday: defense, then offense; spend what remains.
- Bets sleeve 5–15% max, only after defense is full.
- Monthly rebalance: if defense dips, pause offense growth and refill defense.
Scoreboard & Reviews
- Weekly 20 minutes: burn delta, savings rate, revenue this week, next outreach block.
- Monthly: runway months, bets percentage, upcoming big bills; adjust guardrails if needed.
Putting It Into Play
- Use a single bank hub with labeled sub-accounts.
- Calendar money blocks; outreach happens first, not last.
- Celebrate weeks, not windfalls; rerun the sprint quarterly.
Iron Compass Links
FAQ
How much should I hold in defense? Three months minimum; six if income is volatile. Rebuild defense before expanding offense.
Can I invest before defense is full? No—fill defense first, then offense and small bets. If defense dips, refill before new bets.
What if income is flat after four weeks? Change one lever: offer, channel, or daily outreach volume; increase reps before switching lanes.