Value · Your starting point · lesson 0.3 open

Your starting point

Turn the X-Ray into a one-page document with your bottleneck, target channel, 90-day goal, and cut-off rules.

Promise: your own one-page document, with written decisions, to guide the next 90 days.

Why it matters

Data engineers love to analyze and take a long time to decide. A single page with numbers and cut-off rules replaces months of "I'm getting ready."

The format

Copy and fill out.

STARTING POINT — date: __/__/____

1. My current hourly rate (US$/h): ____
2. Market range for my target channel (hypothesis): ____ to ____
3. X-Ray bottleneck (lowest axis): ____________
4. Primary channel: ____  | Backup channel: ____
5. 90-day goal (only one): e.g. "20 messages sent and 6 conversations"
6. Cut-off rule: if in __ days there are no __, I switch ____
7. Hours per week I will dedicate: ____ (without taking away from my current contract)

The cut-off rule is what makes the plan real

Without it, you repeat the same action for six months expecting a different result. Example: "20 messages, no conversations in 30 days, I switch channels or change the message."

Pay attention to your current contract

If you already have a contract, this search cannot hurt your delivery. Set aside time outside your contracted hours and reread what the exclusivity clause, if one exists, allows. Module 6 details these clauses.

Do this now

Take the X-Ray, fill out the page above, and save it in a folder you open every week.

Checklist

Is there only one 90-day goal, not five?
Does the cut-off rule have a number and a deadline?

Checked on 05/10/2026. Educational content; tax and legal: confirm with a professional.