October 24, 2025 • 13 mins
The Magic of 48 Days
Grab the Book: https://PlatformGrowthBooks.com
In this episode of the Market Your Message Show, host Jonathan Milligan explores Chapter 2 of his book 'Scale Your Income,' titled 'The Magic of 48 Days.' Inspired by his mentor Dan Miller and his transformative book '48 Days to the Work You Love,' Jonathan shares personal insights and actionable lessons on how to break free from the paralysis of overplanning. Learn how a short, decisive 48-day timeline can propel you into action, helping you build confidence and clarity through doing, not planning. He also discusses the concept of creating multiple income streams from a single core message, emphasizing that perfection isn't the goal—movement is. Jonathan offers a 48-day practice run exercise to help you kickstart your goals and build momentum.
00:00 Welcome to the Market Your Message Show
00:57 Introduction to the Magic of 48 Days
01:54 Dan Miller's Impact and Core Lessons
03:53 The Readiness Mirage and Taking Action
06:30 The Power of the 48 Day Timeline
07:54 Building Multiple Income Streams from One Message
09:39 The 48 Day Practice Run
12:18 Conclusion and Next Steps
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hello and welcome to the MarketYour Message Show.
I'm your host, JonathanMilligan.
And.
I am also the author of thecurrent book series.
We're going through the YourMessage Matters series.
We've been doing this for awhile on the podcast as a thank
you for following along andbeing a part of our community
(00:22):
and subscribing to the showWe've been releasing.
The whole audio book series, allsix books, one chapter at a
time.
We're currently in book numberfive, scale Your Income, and
this is chapter two, the Magicof 48 Days.
Now, if you'd like to followalong with.
An actual paper copy of the bookor a hard copy or even the
(00:45):
Kindle version, you can findthose over on Amazon or
bookstores, wherever you buybooks.
And also you can go to platformgrowth books.com as well.
So today we're gonna talk aboutthe magic of 48 days one.
And I'll tell the story in justa second, but one of my mentors
(01:07):
who unfortunately is no longerwith us.
That made a big impact in mylife was Dan Miller, author of
the book, 48 Days to the WorkYou Love, and a lot of what I
have learned about buildingmultiple income streams around
your message came from hisinspiration and so.
(01:27):
This book, the entire book, Ihave dedicated, and I put a
dedication at the beginning ofthe book to Dan Miller because
he made such a profound impact.
But there's some lessons herethat every one of us can learn,
and that's why I wanna includethis chapter called The Power in
the Magic of 48 Days.
So with that, let's get to theepisode.
Speaker 6 (01:51):
Chapter two, the magic of 48 days.
I first heard Dan Miller on DaveRamsey's radio show while
driving to my evening job at acall center.
I'd picked that job because itleft my days open to start a
business.
But after several months, Ihadn't taken a single step
toward that goal.
The daily grind had a way ofswallowing up my ambitions.
(02:11):
As I navigated the familiarroute to work, the voice on the
radio started talking about abook called 48 days to the work
you love.
The title grabbed me.
It felt like a sign.
Stuck in traffic and stuck inlife, I listened as Dan shared
his message about moving forwardbefore you feel ready.
His words hit me like a jolt ofelectricity.
(02:31):
Here was someone telling me that48 days was all it took to make
a significant change.
Not years of planning, notwaiting for the perfect moment,
just a decisive period ofaction.
It was both terrifying andexhilarating.
I'd been clinging to the ideathat I needed more time.
More resources, more everythingbefore I could start my own
(02:51):
business.
Dan was challenging that notionhead on.
He was saying that action comesfirst and clarity follows that
you don't wait for confidence.
You build it through doingsitting there in my car.
I felt a spark ignite.
Dan became more than just avoice on the radio.
He became a mentor andeventually a friend.
(03:12):
His lessons reshaped how Iapproached my career in my life.
He taught me two truths.
Start before you're ready.
And, you can create multipleincome streams from a single
message.
These weren't just ideas.
They became the foundation ofeverything I do.
In this chapter, we'll explorethese two transformative
lessons.
(03:33):
We'll dive into the concept ofthe 48 day timeline and how it
can propel you into action.
Then we'll look at how one coremessage can blossom into
multiple avenues of income andimpact.
This isn't just about honoringDan's legacy.
It's about equipping you tocreate meaningful change in your
own life.
(03:53):
Most people have a story theytell themselves about why they
haven't started.
They need more information.
They're not quite ready yet.
There's a little more researchto do, a few more boxes to
check, or a little more time toget everything in order.
The truth is that the somedaythey're waiting for never comes.
Life keeps moving, and theperfect moment they've been
holding out for is just anillusion.
(04:16):
This leads to an endless loop ofpreparation.
It's the easy way out, really.
Planning feels productive, butit's a smokescreen for inaction.
We convince ourselves we'remaking progress when, in
reality, we're just spinning ourwheels.
Opportunities pass by and we'releft on the sidelines, wondering
why we haven't moved forward.
(04:37):
The more we plan, the less weactually do.
The readiness mirage.
Here's the catch.
No one ever truly feels ready.
Readiness is a moving target.
The more you wait, the furtherit drifts.
There's always something else tolearn.
Something else to tweak, but thelonger you hesitate, the bigger
(04:59):
the leap feels.
Waiting doesn't reduce the risk.
It amplifies the fear.
The irony, taking action, anyaction immediately starts to
build the confidence you thoughtyou needed in the first place.
Clarity doesn't come from morepreparation.
It comes from doing.
The moment you start thingsbegin to make sense.
You see what works and whatdoesn't.
(05:21):
You course correct, but thatshift only happens once you're
already in motion.
Just take the first step.
Dan's core philosophy wassimple.
You don't need to haveeverything figured out to get
started.
Take the first step, even ifit's small.
Even if it's messy, start beforeyou're ready and figure it out.
(05:42):
As you go, momentum buildsquickly.
When you stop overthinking andstart acting, the longer you sit
on the sidelines, the harder itgets to take that leap, the
magic of the 48 day timeline isthat it forces you to act.
It gives you a window, not toolong to overthink, but long
enough to make real progress.
You set a short, decisivedeadline and go.
(06:05):
The timeline pushes you out ofthe waiting zone and into the
doing zone.
Instead of endlessly preparing,you're executing, refining, and
learning.
If you wait until you're ready,you'll wait forever.
Instead, trust that the pathwill become clearer with every
step you take.
Progress happens when you startmoving, not when you're standing
(06:28):
still.
The power of 48 days.
Start before you are ready.
48 days is a sweet spot.
It's long enough to take real,measurable action, but short
enough to force you into motion.
When we're given too much time,we tend to overthink.
Second guess and lose momentum.
The magic of 48 days lies in itsurgency.
(06:50):
You don't have time to getbogged down in perfectionism or
endless preparation.
You're forced to act, to makedecisions quickly and to learn
as you go.
When I first embraced the 48 daytimeline, I was stuck spinning
my wheels, waiting for the rightmoment.
Dan's message changedeverything.
Instead of waiting for clarity,I started moving, even though I
(07:14):
didn't have all the answers.
And that's when things startedto shift.
Taking small steps each day, Ibegan to find direction.
The act of doing cleared the fogthat endless planning never
could.
What if you gave yourself thesame challenge?
Commit to 48 days, set adeadline for a specific goal and
(07:36):
start moving.
Don't worry about having all thepieces in place.
Start with what you know andadjust along the way.
Make decisions faster, takeaction daily, and watch as
momentum builds.
You'll discover that clarityisn't a prerequisite for action,
it's a result of it.
Building multiple income streamsfrom one message.
(07:59):
Dan's story began in a simpleSunday school class, where he
helped people navigate careertransitions.
He didn't set out to build anempire.
He saw a need, filled it, andlet the journey unfold.
The key?
He didn't wait for everything tobe perfect.
He started with what he had.
Over time, that core message ofhelping people find meaningful
work grew into something muchbigger.
(08:21):
He created a best selling book,seminars, coaching programs, a
membership site, and even acertification program.
One message.
Many income streams.
Dan didn't reinvent the wheelwith every new product.
He took what he already knew andrepurposed it in different
formats to reach more people.
The book became a workbook andonline seminar and a coaching
(08:43):
program.
Each new income stream was anextension of his original
message.
I followed the same path in mybusiness.
What began as teaching othershow to build an audience online
evolved into books, courses,workshops, and memberships.
Each one was rooted in the samecore message, but offered in a
new format or context.
(09:05):
This is how you build multipleincome streams without burning
out.
It's not about creating entirelynew ideas.
It's about finding new ways toshare the ideas you already
have.
The lesson is simple.
Focus on one core message thatresonates with your audience and
find ways to offer it acrossmultiple platforms.
A book becomes a course.
(09:25):
A course becomes a coachingprogram.
A coaching program becomes amembership site.
When you leverage your messagein different ways, you're not
just building a business.
You're building a sustainablethriving income.
Today's exercise, the 48 daypractice run.
Let's put this into action.
(09:45):
Think of this exercise as awarmup for what's to come.
Later in the book, you'll diveinto more specific strategies
for creating multiple incomestreams.
But for now, this is aboutgetting you into motion.
It's about building momentum bytackling a goal you've been
putting off.
Here's how you can start.
Step one, pick your goal, chooseone project idea or business
(10:07):
goal you've been sitting on.
It doesn't have to be perfect orfully fleshed out.
It might be an idea for a book,a course, a product, or even a
business you've thought aboutstarting.
Don't overthink it.
The goal here is action, notperfection.
Step two, write it down.
Put that goal on paper.
It doesn't matter if it feelsvague or uncertain right now.
(10:29):
What matters is that you'veidentified it.
Sometimes just writing down thegoal makes it feel more real.
Step three, set your 48 daydeadline.
Commit to making progress onthat goal over the next 48 days.
This isn't about completing theentire project.
This is about taking concreteaction and moving forward.
Choose a date 48 days from todayand circle it on your calendar.
(10:53):
Step four, break it down.
Now let's divide those 48 daysinto manageable chunks.
First six days, map out yourplan.
Ask yourself why this goalmatters and what you hope to
achieve.
Don't get caught up in the howjust yet.
That will come later.
Focus on your purpose andvision.
(11:14):
Next five weeks, begin executingthe plan.
Break your big goal into smallerweekly tasks.
Thanks.
Each week, take at least onestep forward, no matter how
small, whether it's outliningyour book, drafting your product
idea, or creating a simplewebpage.
Just move.
As you progress, adjust yourapproach if needed, but keep
(11:35):
pushing forward.
Step 5.
Check in weekly.
At the end of each week, revisityour progress.
What's working?
What needs to change?
Don't get discouraged if thingsdon't go exactly as planned.
The key here is progress, notperfection.
Make adjustments and keep going.
Step 6.
(11:56):
Celebrate your growth.
After 48 days, celebrate whatyou've accomplished.
Whether it's finished or not.
This is a practice run, a way tobuild your confidence and
momentum.
Don't judge yourself on howperfect the outcome is.
Instead, focus on the fact thatyou took action and grew in the
process.
Remember, this is just thebeginning.
(12:18):
You'll learn more specific waysto build income streams later in
the book, but for now, it'sabout getting unstuck.
It's about proving to yourselfthat you can take action, even
when you don't feel fully ready.
The goal is movement.
Action comes before clarity.
(12:39):
You don't need to wait until youfeel ready.
Progress happens when you takethe first step.
The 48 day timeline helps youbuild momentum by forcing quick
decisions and action.
Start small, think big.
You can create multiple incomestreams from a single core
message.
Focus on repurposing yourknowledge into different
formats.
Books, courses, coaching, andmore.
(13:01):
Perfection isn't the goal,movement is.
The 48 day action plan is aboutgrowth and progress, not getting
everything perfect.
The key is to start, adjust asyou go, and celebrate the
journey.
Hello and welcome to the MarketYour Message Show.
I'm your host, JonathanMilligan.
And.
I am also the author of thecurrent book series.
We're going through the YourMessage Matters series.
We've been doing this for awhile on the podcast as a thank
you for following along andbeing a part of our community
(00:22):
and subscribing to the showWe've been releasing.
The whole audio book series, allsix books, one chapter at a
time.
We're currently in book numberfive, scale Your Income, and
this is chapter two, the Magicof 48 Days.
Now, if you'd like to followalong with.
An actual paper copy of the bookor a hard copy or even the
(00:45):
Kindle version, you can findthose over on Amazon or
bookstores, wherever you buybooks.
And also you can go to platformgrowth books.com as well.
So today we're gonna talk aboutthe magic of 48 days one.
And I'll tell the story in justa second, but one of my mentors
(01:07):
who unfortunately is no longerwith us.
That made a big impact in mylife was Dan Miller, author of
the book, 48 Days to the WorkYou Love, and a lot of what I
have learned about buildingmultiple income streams around
your message came from hisinspiration and so.
(01:27):
This book, the entire book, Ihave dedicated, and I put a
dedication at the beginning ofthe book to Dan Miller because
he made such a profound impact.
But there's some lessons herethat every one of us can learn,
and that's why I wanna includethis chapter called The Power in
the Magic of 48 Days.
So with that, let's get to theepisode.
Speaker 6 (01:51):
Chapter two, the magic of 48 days.
I first heard Dan Miller on DaveRamsey's radio show while
driving to my evening job at acall center.
I'd picked that job because itleft my days open to start a
business.
But after several months, Ihadn't taken a single step
toward that goal.
The daily grind had a way ofswallowing up my ambitions.
(02:11):
As I navigated the familiarroute to work, the voice on the
radio started talking about abook called 48 days to the work
you love.
The title grabbed me.
It felt like a sign.
Stuck in traffic and stuck inlife, I listened as Dan shared
his message about moving forwardbefore you feel ready.
His words hit me like a jolt ofelectricity.
(02:31):
Here was someone telling me that48 days was all it took to make
a significant change.
Not years of planning, notwaiting for the perfect moment,
just a decisive period ofaction.
It was both terrifying andexhilarating.
I'd been clinging to the ideathat I needed more time.
More resources, more everythingbefore I could start my own
(02:51):
business.
Dan was challenging that notionhead on.
He was saying that action comesfirst and clarity follows that
you don't wait for confidence.
You build it through doingsitting there in my car.
I felt a spark ignite.
Dan became more than just avoice on the radio.
He became a mentor andeventually a friend.
(03:12):
His lessons reshaped how Iapproached my career in my life.
He taught me two truths.
Start before you're ready.
And, you can create multipleincome streams from a single
message.
These weren't just ideas.
They became the foundation ofeverything I do.
In this chapter, we'll explorethese two transformative
lessons.
(03:33):
We'll dive into the concept ofthe 48 day timeline and how it
can propel you into action.
Then we'll look at how one coremessage can blossom into
multiple avenues of income andimpact.
This isn't just about honoringDan's legacy.
It's about equipping you tocreate meaningful change in your
own life.
(03:53):
Most people have a story theytell themselves about why they
haven't started.
They need more information.
They're not quite ready yet.
There's a little more researchto do, a few more boxes to
check, or a little more time toget everything in order.
The truth is that the somedaythey're waiting for never comes.
Life keeps moving, and theperfect moment they've been
holding out for is just anillusion.
(04:16):
This leads to an endless loop ofpreparation.
It's the easy way out, really.
Planning feels productive, butit's a smokescreen for inaction.
We convince ourselves we'remaking progress when, in
reality, we're just spinning ourwheels.
Opportunities pass by and we'releft on the sidelines, wondering
why we haven't moved forward.
(04:37):
The more we plan, the less weactually do.
The readiness mirage.
Here's the catch.
No one ever truly feels ready.
Readiness is a moving target.
The more you wait, the furtherit drifts.
There's always something else tolearn.
Something else to tweak, but thelonger you hesitate, the bigger
(04:59):
the leap feels.
Waiting doesn't reduce the risk.
It amplifies the fear.
The irony, taking action, anyaction immediately starts to
build the confidence you thoughtyou needed in the first place.
Clarity doesn't come from morepreparation.
It comes from doing.
The moment you start thingsbegin to make sense.
You see what works and whatdoesn't.
(05:21):
You course correct, but thatshift only happens once you're
already in motion.
Just take the first step.
Dan's core philosophy wassimple.
You don't need to haveeverything figured out to get
started.
Take the first step, even ifit's small.
Even if it's messy, start beforeyou're ready and figure it out.
(05:42):
As you go, momentum buildsquickly.
When you stop overthinking andstart acting, the longer you sit
on the sidelines, the harder itgets to take that leap, the
magic of the 48 day timeline isthat it forces you to act.
It gives you a window, not toolong to overthink, but long
enough to make real progress.
You set a short, decisivedeadline and go.
(06:05):
The timeline pushes you out ofthe waiting zone and into the
doing zone.
Instead of endlessly preparing,you're executing, refining, and
learning.
If you wait until you're ready,you'll wait forever.
Instead, trust that the pathwill become clearer with every
step you take.
Progress happens when you startmoving, not when you're standing
(06:28):
still.
The power of 48 days.
Start before you are ready.
48 days is a sweet spot.
It's long enough to take real,measurable action, but short
enough to force you into motion.
When we're given too much time,we tend to overthink.
Second guess and lose momentum.
The magic of 48 days lies in itsurgency.
(06:50):
You don't have time to getbogged down in perfectionism or
endless preparation.
You're forced to act, to makedecisions quickly and to learn
as you go.
When I first embraced the 48 daytimeline, I was stuck spinning
my wheels, waiting for the rightmoment.
Dan's message changedeverything.
Instead of waiting for clarity,I started moving, even though I
(07:14):
didn't have all the answers.
And that's when things startedto shift.
Taking small steps each day, Ibegan to find direction.
The act of doing cleared the fogthat endless planning never
could.
What if you gave yourself thesame challenge?
Commit to 48 days, set adeadline for a specific goal and
(07:36):
start moving.
Don't worry about having all thepieces in place.
Start with what you know andadjust along the way.
Make decisions faster, takeaction daily, and watch as
momentum builds.
You'll discover that clarityisn't a prerequisite for action,
it's a result of it.
Building multiple income streamsfrom one message.
(07:59):
Dan's story began in a simpleSunday school class, where he
helped people navigate careertransitions.
He didn't set out to build anempire.
He saw a need, filled it, andlet the journey unfold.
The key?
He didn't wait for everything tobe perfect.
He started with what he had.
Over time, that core message ofhelping people find meaningful
work grew into something muchbigger.
(08:21):
He created a best selling book,seminars, coaching programs, a
membership site, and even acertification program.
One message.
Many income streams.
Dan didn't reinvent the wheelwith every new product.
He took what he already knew andrepurposed it in different
formats to reach more people.
The book became a workbook andonline seminar and a coaching
(08:43):
program.
Each new income stream was anextension of his original
message.
I followed the same path in mybusiness.
What began as teaching othershow to build an audience online
evolved into books, courses,workshops, and memberships.
Each one was rooted in the samecore message, but offered in a
new format or context.
(09:05):
This is how you build multipleincome streams without burning
out.
It's not about creating entirelynew ideas.
It's about finding new ways toshare the ideas you already
have.
The lesson is simple.
Focus on one core message thatresonates with your audience and
find ways to offer it acrossmultiple platforms.
A book becomes a course.
(09:25):
A course becomes a coachingprogram.
A coaching program becomes amembership site.
When you leverage your messagein different ways, you're not
just building a business.
You're building a sustainablethriving income.
Today's exercise, the 48 daypractice run.
Let's put this into action.
(09:45):
Think of this exercise as awarmup for what's to come.
Later in the book, you'll diveinto more specific strategies
for creating multiple incomestreams.
But for now, this is aboutgetting you into motion.
It's about building momentum bytackling a goal you've been
putting off.
Here's how you can start.
Step one, pick your goal, chooseone project idea or business
(10:07):
goal you've been sitting on.
It doesn't have to be perfect orfully fleshed out.
It might be an idea for a book,a course, a product, or even a
business you've thought aboutstarting.
Don't overthink it.
The goal here is action, notperfection.
Step two, write it down.
Put that goal on paper.
It doesn't matter if it feelsvague or uncertain right now.
(10:29):
What matters is that you'veidentified it.
Sometimes just writing down thegoal makes it feel more real.
Step three, set your 48 daydeadline.
Commit to making progress onthat goal over the next 48 days.
This isn't about completing theentire project.
This is about taking concreteaction and moving forward.
Choose a date 48 days from todayand circle it on your calendar.
(10:53):
Step four, break it down.
Now let's divide those 48 daysinto manageable chunks.
First six days, map out yourplan.
Ask yourself why this goalmatters and what you hope to
achieve.
Don't get caught up in the howjust yet.
That will come later.
Focus on your purpose andvision.
(11:14):
Next five weeks, begin executingthe plan.
Break your big goal into smallerweekly tasks.
Thanks.
Each week, take at least onestep forward, no matter how
small, whether it's outliningyour book, drafting your product
idea, or creating a simplewebpage.
Just move.
As you progress, adjust yourapproach if needed, but keep
(11:35):
pushing forward.
Step 5.
Check in weekly.
At the end of each week, revisityour progress.
What's working?
What needs to change?
Don't get discouraged if thingsdon't go exactly as planned.
The key here is progress, notperfection.
Make adjustments and keep going.
Step 6.
(11:56):
Celebrate your growth.
After 48 days, celebrate whatyou've accomplished.
Whether it's finished or not.
This is a practice run, a way tobuild your confidence and
momentum.
Don't judge yourself on howperfect the outcome is.
Instead, focus on the fact thatyou took action and grew in the
process.
Remember, this is just thebeginning.
(12:18):
You'll learn more specific waysto build income streams later in
the book, but for now, it'sabout getting unstuck.
It's about proving to yourselfthat you can take action, even
when you don't feel fully ready.
The goal is movement.
Action comes before clarity.
(12:39):
You don't need to wait until youfeel ready.
Progress happens when you takethe first step.
The 48 day timeline helps youbuild momentum by forcing quick
decisions and action.
Start small, think big.
You can create multiple incomestreams from a single core
message.
Focus on repurposing yourknowledge into different
formats.
Books, courses, coaching, andmore.
(13:01):
Perfection isn't the goal,movement is.
The 48 day action plan is aboutgrowth and progress, not getting
everything perfect.
The key is to start, adjust asyou go, and celebrate the
journey.
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