Over the weekend I posed a question on Twitter.com that started an interesting discussion about making money online. It was a simple question but it really opened my eyes about how people feel about time and money, and online business in general...
Granted, most people can't live on $1,000/month so the question was taken seriously by some, and laughed at by others. But the point was brought up that "97% of online marketers are making less than $500/month".
I'm not sure how accurate that statistic is, but I would be willing to bet that the majority are not bringing in anywhere near what they would like to be earning online. That point was made obvious by the replies to my simple $1k question.
To add to the discussion, I asked:
Now it's starting to make more sense, right?
As I said earlier, most people cant live on $1,000/month. But its a great starting point or initial goal, and a great increment to use in continued growth.
It surprised me how many people were skeptical of the concept, or thought I was trying to sell them something by bringing up the topic. It also surprised me how few people were even making as little as $1,000/month.
Next, I asked:
I had a point in asking these questions, of course. And no I wasnt trying to build anticipation or lead into a sale of any kind. I was genuinely curious where people stood on the topic of making money online. What they were willing to invest in their online business. And just how much they believed in it.
Obviously it is possible to make money online. Its even possible to make really good money online. I am living proof of that. This is my 12th year in business and I work from home (online) full-time. I am a single mother to two children, and my online business is our sole source of income. You can click here: How I Make Money Online to see just some of the ways that I earn my living.
Thinking back on that discussion over the weekend, I have another question...
How long have you been working online, or trying to start an online business? How many hours a week do you research or work or manage your websites? Has it been 6 months... 6 years? And finally, how much money are you earning every month as a result of the time you've invested so far?
Take a moment to get that figure in your head. Now if you go back to that question I asked about investing 40 hours a week for an entire year, it doesnt sound so crazy, does it?
I know a lot of people that put in 4-6 hours a day, day after day, week after week (for years) that still arent earning $1,000/month consistently.
Why is that?
In our conversation on Twitter.com, we determined that the main culprits are lack of focus and lack of follow-through. Not a single person involved in that discussion blamed the industry or "the gurus". Everyone took personal responsibility for their lack of success in achieving even $1,000/month.
If you have spent at least 4 hours a day trying to start or grow your online business - for at least 90 days now - and you are not yet earning a consistent $1k per month, I am curious: what is it you are doing when you are online?
Whatever it is you are doing will fall into one of two categories: time waster or money-maker. Its so easy to get caught up in a "time suck" when you get online. Believe me, I know that one firsthand. But if you are really serious about getting over the hump, and making good money online, then it pays to analyze what it is you are doing to make that happen.
One thing that I found really helped me was to keep a Time Log. I did this 5 or 6 years ago because I was frustrated with the amount of hours I was working online vs the amount of money I was making at the time. I had set a goal to double my income that year, yet I couldnt find a single extra hour in the day to "work more".
For an entire week I kept a legal pad on my desk beside my mouse pad, and simply jotted down the things I was working on throughout the day - and how long I spent on each task. It only took me a couple of days to identify my major Time Wasters.
That old 80/20 rule stands true even here. 80% of what you do is a complete waste of time. 20% of what you do actually gets you closer to your goal.
Try it out for yourself. Keep a Time Log for a few days, and then take a close look at it. Take a piece of paper and draw a line straight down the middle of it. At the top of the left column, write "Time Wasters". At the top of the right column, write "Money Makers".
Watch that list on the left grow 😉
Then do something about it.
It really is that simple. If you are one of those people that is struggling to make a consistent thousand per month with your online business, then its time to make some changes. And it really doesnt matter if its $1k or $10k. Figure out exactly what it would take to achieve your goal, and then make every day count.
I'd love to hear your thoughts, of course...
Best,
p.s. You can follow me on Twitter and join in on my discussions there by signing up at Twitter.com and then "following" me: http://www.twitter.com/lynnterry
About Lynn Terry
Thank you Lynn for that post! I missed a most of those Tweets, so I'm glad to have to chance to see what it was all about. That's a great idea about keeping track of your time.
It doesn't seem like Return on Investment is thought about a lot of the time.
So once again thank you for that post! 🙂
Interesting subject, Lynn! You always come up with some great topics.
Sorry I missed out on the Twittering discsusson. Am gonna be interested in the replies here to your post.
"Not a single person involved in that discussion blamed the industry or “the gurusâ€. Everyone took personal responsibility for their lack of success in achieving even $1,000/month."
Well, Well ... NOT often that you hear the above on the various online gathering spots. Once people TAKE that responsibility they'll find the going much smoother.
I'm not the most organized, focused and goal oriented person around but I do have a "method to my madness"! LOL
I'm having fun!
Rick Wilson aka CorpRebel 8)
Hi Lynn, great thread! As a VA I seriously do not waste time, but I'm now at a "stuck" spot in my business and no, I'm not even at the $1,000 per month goal that I set for myself in January!!
I do know that I need to spend more time each week on marketing my own business, but I feel like I've done just about everything so far. (which I'm positively sure I haven't!).
Are there any avenues I have exhausted?
Thanks! Steph
I am guilty of time-wasting which I put down to "research". I am doing much better financially than last year as I have made 5 times more money in the first six months of 2008. It doesn't mean I am rich just yet but if I can keep repeating it I will be. The learning curve is starting to flatten out at last!
This is a very interesting topic.Good post.
Dave
Two words: Google Reader. The format and organization of their feedreader knocks my socks off, but it is still my # 1 Time Waster! I promised myself that this week I would get out a timer and start tracking ... but I didn't. Now I will!!
Hey Lynn,
A right on time post for me. Simply, I've become an e-book junkie and buying way too online products and services without having a clear plan. Also, I just spent too much time online reading stuff but not acting. It really boils down to a lack of focus and a part of me is afraid to fail thinking everything has to be perfect before starting. To be honest it's quite embarrassing because I know I have what it takes. But at some point I got to take action. I needed to read and hear that for myself.
Well, I've been online for over 6 years. The first year I put myself 20K in debt, falling for every scam out there. I got really sick and only have my SS of $345 a month to live on.
I work 12-18 hours a day online, about 75% of that time is actually spent working, the rest reading emails and articles.
I have 15 domains, an online magazine, article directory, 10 blogs, plus about 1,000 websites rotating around the internet. Still, I make $0.
No money for advertising or promotions. The free stuff is totally useless.
My 2cents worth. (Hope it doesn't break my budget - LOL)
Claire
Once again Lynn holds up a mirror to look into if you dare and are honest. ThanksLynn
Nourishing thoughts once again, Lynn. You constantly impress me. I started my log before I finished reading the post.
Wow Claire,
That doesn't sound right at all. No money is being made have you ever considered getting a mentor or somebody. For a large portfolio of work you should be making no less than a $1k/month.
I think if you hooked up with Lynn or somebody who's respected and legitimately making dollars that portfolio of yours will more than quadruple your SSI benefits.
Shoot! Let me not utter one complaint from these lips of mine. Get a mentor Claire and don't give up.
Peace,
Maurice
I have just passed my 7th year online, and honestly it has been less than a year where my business has got to the point where I am consistently over that magic $1,000 mark.
My biggest problem at the moment is converting the income that I make from working (i.e. writing blog posts, articles, etc.) into passive income.
Right now, my business is sitting at about 20% of my income comes from passive sources (Adsense, link sales, featured links in directories, etc.) and I would like it to be higher.
But one of my biggest problems is that I am getting to the point where I have more ideas than time - so sometimes I waste more time than I need.
I would definitely live on the low income for a year if it meant that I would make ten times what I am making now a year from now - which is exactly the path I am walking.
The big "ah-ha" moment for me this past year was outsourcing some of my work - I can still make more than half of the profit while doing less than half the work - definitely a good investment.
Anyway, a year from now, I hope to be at the 10x level of income that I am at now, and I don't see why I won't be. But, it has been a long road of testing and trying things to find what actually works for me and my business. Sure, the gurus have given me some ideas, but in the end, the success or failure of my business rests with me.
Marc
Great, great post Lynn - and so perfect timing for myself as well. I've already hit my initial financial goals - however, it's not quite as consistent as I would like AND due to my husband recently getting laid of from his full time job and me getting laid off from my parttime job - my income goals have changed drastically. (Yes, we both worked at the same place - which is now closing so there's no chance of going back there.)
In a way - I'm kind of glad this happened. We were actually talking about selling our house. (Not an option for me!!) I needed to go into full fight mode. It's amazing what you can come up with when something like this happens. Besides, I've been wanting to come back home full time again for quite some time. This was the perfect opportunity for this to happen.
This also helped me come up with a new service that I'm almost ready to launch. Something I should have been doing for years now. Kind of like - duh - why didn't I start this before??
My husband? It pushed him as well. He's been dreaming of starting his own business. Being in a sink or swim kind of situation plus being able to bring in a little bit of unemployment - what a better time to take the leap. Neither one of us would have been able to take this leap before - we were too "comfortable" if you know what I mean.
When you push yourself into a real fight mode - again - it's amazing what you can accomplish. Heck, I already have my first three clients in line (first one already paid!) and that only came from chatting with some friends and mentioning what I'm getting into. YAY! I finally found a real NEED that very little people offer a solution to at an affordable price!
It's all about supply and demand.
Anyway - having gone into this fight mode and having to come up with additional money now has given me a whole new look at what are time wasters and what are money makers.
Part of my new services will include the necessity of a work log for my clients. Why hadn't I thought of my own work log for my own personal use? Thanks a million as usual!
@Claire
Sweetie - I hope you don't mind me putting in my 2 cents here but your story screamed at me and I feel as though I must. Maurice has offered a great idea.
I know what it's like to be making $0 and thinking you can't afford an investment such as that. Be sure to check out Lynn's Elite Group. Very affordable! And I know you will make your money back plus way more very quickly 😉
I am personally not a member yet however, will be as soon as I launch my new services/site. I have been personally mentored by Lynn in the past just on her message boards - for free. The information I learned from her for free years ago ... Gosh, I can't imagine what I could get out of her at cost now! (Hope to eventually see you there - against popular thought - everyone needs a mentor - even mentors themselves!)
I've only briefly looked over your design website but just from what I've seen ... you do great work, pricing looks decent and you have a great looking site. It's obvious just by looking at your site alone - girl, you've got talent!
Perhaps you should work on your focus some? Thousands of websites? Can I ask a blunt question? How can you possibly effectively promote, work on, etc all of those sites? It has to be almost virtually impossible.
I of course don't know the whole story but my first peice of advice here is to ditch about 999 of those sites. Okay - maybe that's going to extremes here but if you've been doing this for over 6 years ... and still making nothing ... apparently there's a need for a big change. Okay, let's call that an immensely drastic change.
Again - I don't know the whole story but it looks like you have a fantastic design site. Clear up some time, work on focusing on one thing and get marketing that design site. (And some of your best marketing doesn't need to cost you a dime - just your time. Article marketing, blogging, write some viral ebooks and/or reports, etc. etc. etc.)
Sorry - Again - I hope you don't mind me being very blunt here!
At the very least - put those thousands of sites on the backburner. Don't do another single thing with them for a while.
Set yourself an income goal with your design site as well as create yourself a detailed plan of how to get there. Create yourself a work log like Lynn suggested and work solely on that design site.
Once you've reached your initial goal - rasie that goal. Then slowly start adding some of those other sites in there. (If you feel the need ... heck, with the talent you seem to have ... you may not even feel the need to do so!)
Of course this suggestion is nothing more than that ... just my suggestion or in your words, my two cents. Take it or leave it as you please 😉
And of course your design site is the only one I know of. My suggestions could be used for any site/service, etc of your choice.
Sorry Lynn - didn't mean to hijack your excellent post! I really am the rambler!
P.S. Claire - I just found ClairePoulton.com - just another example of great talent 😉
Oh and Claire, another ditto from Marice ...
NEVER Give Up!!
You are so right Lynn, so many people are not even making enough pay their internet connections. This is very sad and I for one am glad that the internet is changing. People have been duped enough with the shoddy products etc. The public need to be made aware that this is all changing. Forums like your own and one or two others are where people can feel safe. I believe for internet experts is being born. Training has been the big thing lacking for so many years. However I also believe thos is the way of the future, the information age is really coming ofage
Thanks Lynn for waking me up with your post.
You right about time waster, and I think everyone of us has been through this situation.
A great idea isn't enough and useless without action and focus.
I appreciate your shared and like you said above, this has nothing to do with selling anything to us....two thumbs up !
Great post Lynn. And this goes beyond those struggling to make 1K.
I'm not anywhere near where I want to be even though I've been at this full time for a year now. I know what my problems is-as you mentioned it-focus and follow through. I love your time keeping tip.
I think seeing how I spend my time on paper will shock me into focusing on money making activities. 🙂
I've been writing for over a year and make a few bucks now and then . . . I've just started an affiliate program on one blog, then got flagged by Blogger for potential spam but now it's unlocked.
I'm going to set up an affiliate program on my other blog.
I've established an editorial calendar so I don't lose my focus in writing and now I have a list of the places where I can put an article.
I wish I was making even $ 100 a month online.
By the way, I've stopped paying much attention to the Gurus and I've found really helpful information online recently that's free . . . I've been going back to that time and again . . .
I've been mulling over your Twitter Q since Saturday morning, Lynn! Thanks for expanding it on this blog.
My son woke me up last week. He is 13, breaks bones with his perspective sometimes. I usually have a tough skin.
But, because I couldn't immediately stop what I was doing and take him to a friend's, he began, "What do you do all day, Mom? And what do you show for it? You don't clean, you don't cook, you don't bring in any money, what DO you DO?" ooh, my bad!
After a good crying jag, I realized when I don't accomplish the important daily things in my life, it shows in my focus, in my consistency, in my money-making abilities. My son is just picking up on what I am reflecting to him.
I also believe that I can earn only up to what my financial set point is. So, my first order of business is to believe I provide valuable worthwhile content or service, and act on those things that will bring more income to me.
As I do this vibrational alignment, it's easier to see what value I can provide for an exchange of money. My value isn't how clean my house is, although it is much more pleasant when I clean.
My value isn't whether I cook a meal well, but it is much more wholesome when I do. My value isn't whether I bring in $1000 a month, but it is much more freeing when I can.
So, to answer your Question, Lynn, What holds me back from consistently earning $1000 each month is limitation thinking, when I blame something or someone else for what I am responsible to change.
The other thing that holds me back is the stop and start syndrome, where I go like gangbusters on an idea, then fizzle, unwilling to barrel through obstacles that come up. The value of $1000 wanes in the presence of discouragement or uncertaintly.
With possibility thinking, smart action like using that time log, and enjoying the flow of what brings in money, you can't go wrong, you will earn more and more and more as you keep raising the bar for yourself.
I agree that the "sticking-with-one-thing-long-enough-for-it-to-pay-off" idea seems to be key. I've been making a living solely from my sites for three years, and my biggest earners are the sites I've consistently added content to for years.
Of course, I do have some that make hundreds a month that I've completely abandoned. Get enough old links out there, and you can make money just on things you wrote years ago (at east as of Google's latest algorithms, heh heh).
I believe the most significant reason people fail to make money online or anywhere is:
Lack of Direction.
They simply don't know what actions they can take which will actually produce a result if followed through long enough.
And therefore, because of the psychology of human motivation, most never find themselves able to work long enough, hard enough at a specific task to reveal whether it has potential for return.
It's a problem exasperated by the systems (or lack thereof) which prepare members of our society for daily life.
Hi lynn,
Nice post... however i want to know one thing from you that how to become perfect to write effective sales letter specially for those whose english language are second language plus how you usually find out @ where you spent your most time @ internet place and which thing ?
Thanks
Hi Lynn,your suggestions about making Money On-line is very good and useful,I have think about it.Earning 1,000 dollars per month is not an easy matter,at initial stage it is very good income..later on we can develop the growth.
Excellent discussion (as usual), and really hit the nail on the head.
I can easily identify my number one time waster without keeping a journal. I just spend too much time reading about making money and not enough time doing it! Blogs like this, forums like the Warrior forum, etc all take up time that seems useful, but isn't directly generating money.
I guess there's also a subconcious fear of being successful. I know it sounds weird, but I'm convinced it's true for a lot of us. That's why there are so many half-finished projects lying around on people's hard disks.
Not criticising the gurus (and yes, I too accept full responsibility for my lack of success), but I think one of the big problems for a newbie is getting sucked in by all the latest IM products that you just can't live without. We get tempted, in the name of success of course, spend time and money on them, only to have them put on the shelf when the next one comes along.
I see this as a major problem. I am trying to force myself to ignore every single new IM product launch, and concentrate on the tasks I already know I need to do. It's very hard though, these people know how to sell, and we still get sucked in.
Just my 2c. Thanks for another great post
Alan
Great post, Lynn. Wow - I thought I was the only one not making what I wanted to:-)
Ok, I have my list beside me. Will work on it as I go along.
I hope you'll do more posts, giving us the next steps to take to reach our goal?
Lynn, et al.
I found a great time tool that will open your eyes. Go to http://www.rescuetime.com and sign up for free. You'll download a small program that will then log all your computer time. You'll get a weekly reminder email to check out the analysis of where and how you're spending time on your computer.
It "learns" what's work and what's play by the tags you put on each thing you do or site you visit. Obviously if you're surfing, you wouldn't take the time to tag each site, unless you plan to return.
You can create as many categories as you want, so you could, theoretically, determine how much time you spent on one of your blogs, versus another, if you have multiples. You couldn't separate it out if you worked in Word for all your blogs, however. Personally, I compose in my blog editor.
There's even a feature that allows you to set a goal of how many hours per day or per weekday (I like this distinction) on specific tagged "tasks." You can have it send you daily goal summaries or real time email or SMS message alerts.
You'll spend some time after the first week tagging everything you think you'll repeat, then only a little time each week tagging new repeating activities. Over time you might start to see trends and tag those activities, too.
After your first week, you'll be a believer.
Just my 2 cents, and it probably WILL break the bank. Cell bill due and no $ to pay it. *sigh*
The hardest part is figuring out how to get there and doing it consistently.
Until you can, $1000 a month might as well be a billion.
Hi- after Tweeting with you on this subject I enjoyed your post. Great Job!
The Story Ideas Virtuoso,
That has to be one of the best sites I've ever seen. No offence Lynn, but this site beats the legal pad hands down! Maybe that's 'cos I hate writing and love typing!
Anyway, I've signed up, so let's see how much time I really waste!
Thanks again,
Alan
Lynn I have to admit my tme is limited as I work a day jon so there is little time to follow all the blogs and emails I recieve. Your questions and the answers I read make me feel better knowing I'm not the only person working at what sometimes feels like a futile attempt for success. My personal issue is lack of training and experience in computers. So design is difficult. Working with databases to build pages of products is a dream I once had. I've spent months reading and learnING about seo, site design, css, html, marketing, heat maps, niche markets and writing copy. The guys at Stomper have been inspirational but not affordable. At times I suffer from information overload and wish I could just plug in more memory.
My site is a work in progress. It has been my learning tool and playground. Ok it needs a lot of work. I have great ideas There is a part of me that can see the potential for profit but the unslkilled can't put it together. There's always confusion that arises when thoughts of profits side track your work. I have made a few dollars on internet marketing in affiliate sales. This made me believe I can do this and be successful with more training in my weak points.
Seems the internet can become as addictive as gambling. If you aren't making money then you are not standing still you are losing money.
There are expenses connected with owning 1000 s of sites even if you never go near them you pay for hosting and domain name to say nothing of your time.
I have been online for a long time too and am not making much yet. I decided a while ago to keep records and have a budget, just like any other business. I now only buy something if I can afford it from what I have earned.
I canceled just about all the emails except a few from people who I find helpful and trustworthy. ( Lynn, Alice Seba and a couple more).
It wasn't until I made a product of my own that I started bringing in some cash. It keeps you focussed on one thing. Even though it isn't the only thing I do to earn money it is the main thing. I can't wander off and forget about it!
Great discussion (as always Lynn). We all know that earning money online is not easy...Having said that we all also know that there are various ways to earn money online (only talking about legit internet marketing here).
For me when I started out, like many people I read a lot. And it all seemed easy - all that I needed to do was to replicate one site and the income multiplies. Soon I realised that working on too many things at one time does not achieve anything...
At around this time Lynn, you gave me one of the best pieces of advice I ever received - you had advised me in one of your blog posts to treat internet marketing as a proper business. I think this is where the success in this industry lies. It might look like simple advice but look deeper, dissect it and there is whole big fat book in that advice.
In the initial stages we don't have the money to outsource. So to implement the advice of replication, we do everything ourselves...We soon lose focus and then we are lost...If we were to open an online kids toys store, we don't start of by selling 100 different types of products in the first month. We do it slowly...We take one step at a time.
The same thing applies for internet marketing as well - registering and starting a new website is relatively easy and not expensive. So a lot of us get tempted to open one too many...Don't get me wrong here...Having multiple websites is my grand plan but not my immediate plan. I need to focus on one project at a time. So what I do is I work on three websites at a time (just so that I dont get bored) - I have a goal of how much I want each one to earn consistently per month and when it reaches that goal, I add a new website to my list.
Reading blogs and forums is all good. But I only get to it when my task list is all done. I have a couple which I visit religiously - yours is the first on the list Lynn.
Lynn,
This is an excellent topic by the way...
While I am personally no longer struggling to make $1000.00 a month online with my affiliate marketing business, it certainly took me a few months to get there the first time.
And, I think that is the main reason why a majority do not make $1000.00 a month.
They just don't stick it out with a plan long enough.
Some get "sucked into" this online marketing thing from that ad that said they would make $10,497 in less than 60 days with a GUARANTEED system etc...
And when they don't...they give up...or ignore their online business.
I would be interested in knowing some specific statistics on "turnover" online.
In other words...how many total online businesses get started compared to how many "close up shop", and the timeframes for doing so.
Great discussion Lynn! 🙂
Joseph Ratliff
Author of The Profitable Business Edge 2
Thanks Lynn for the tag for Rescue Time.
Has anyone used the "WebCEO" free SW to see if that helps any.
My problum seems to be the same as others, and that is spending too much time reading ... and not enough time doing.
But the reason I'm reason I'm reading is I don't know what to do.
Hi Lynn
What an interesting article,in the online world it's so easy, not stay focused on your goals or business plan.Many people fall into this trap and quit there online business.Thanks for the great article.
Well ,i am making 1000 a month but not consistently i mean not every month.Your analisys is perfect about the Time wasters!!Also in the moment that your activity on line become a task it quit to be nice and funny,on the other side think about if all the time that you spend browsing around will be used for tweaking your sites,reorganize sales letters,improving follow ups,writing good articles?i will earn 3 times what i am earning now without investing one dollar morethan now.Another strategic question is nobody can do everything is needed in Internet Marketing by yourself YOU HAVE TO OUTSOURCE OTHERWISE THE QUALITY WILL SUFFER!!i am your close suscriber i like your style greetings
from Italy
Paul
Lynn,
Thanks for a great article. Your post hit me at just the right time.
Amount of money I've earned through the internet in the last 3 years = $0.00 and I can't blame anyone but myself.
I've bought the books, the seminars, and joined the memberships. Were they good, bad, probably both. But, the problem wasn't the quality if the items the problem was me. You can't profit from what you don't apply. What you don't take action on. That is problem number one. I’m even a member of your Elite Group and haven’t taken advantage of one tenth of the resources available
Problem number two for me is perfectionism. I've spent weeks, literally, creating an auction template because this wasn't quite right or that was exactly correct instead of making something that was basically good enough and getting on with it.
Besides being a fan of yours I'm also a fan of Larry Winget. He has a line he uses that "You're broke because you want to be" and he's right. Or, as he further explains it, "What you think about, talk about, and get off you a** and do something about is what comes about."
I’ve got one simple goal now and that is to earn $ 500.00 a month profit from internet business in the next 122 days or just a little over 4 months. I know it’s doable, so it’s just a matter of my getting off my rear and taking the actions what will make it happen.
Allan Gardyne from associate programs has an article series on how to make $1000 a month from scratch. A link to the first of the 7 articles so far is here.
http://www.associateprograms.com/articles/646/1/How-to-make-%241000-a-month-online-from-scratch
The other six are there at the bottom of Allan's page.
I thought the similarity in focusing on $1000/mo was too good to pass up on sending along the link. for everyone. Of course Allan's not YOU, Lynn, but he seems to be a man of integrity. (I'm pretty sure it was he who took Matt Bacak aside about his hidden forced continuity program.)
Thank you, Lynn, for all that you do!
Deb Gallardo
Thank you for both resources, Deb - I am going to read the articles (I got them by email also) and check out RescueTime.com. I'll be sure to post a review of rescuetime - should be fun to micro-analyze my work days for a week or so!
After reading through all of your comments (and THANK YOU for that - what a wealth of information, and excellent discussion!) it seems obvious to me that this is a major hurdle for the majority: not knowing causes hesitation.
That said, you will never know what will kick-start those $1k earnings if you dont follow-through to completion. There is no proof, until you create it yourself.
If you feel unsure about which direction to take, or which path will actually lead you to profit, the only way to know is to take off and make it to the end. Period.
Otherwise you'll never know.
And if you arent willing to take those small risks, then what's the point of investing so much of your time and energy?
I'm not suggesting you quit. I'm recommending you choose a direction (any direction, even) and just go forward with blinders on.
If you need help, or you need to brainstorm ideas that you feel unsure about, join us on my discussion forum. Its a great community, and we can work through the details together 😉
One last note - because this thread is weighing very heavily on my mind. I feel like I am in somewhat of a moral dilemma here.
You see, I know how to make $1,000/month online (and I am doing it - in multiple increments). In fact, I stumbled on a simple strategy last Fall that has resulted in over $15k in profit just while TESTING it - on the side.
Last November I earned $1,759 (profit) using this strategy. In December it was $1,687. Just to throw some examples out there.
My dilemma is in helping YOU to do the same. I know that a lot of you already know my strategy, and some of you are even Elite Members at SSWT (so you have access to that report on my strategy, and more)...
While I KNOW it could make THE difference for you, I'm not going to link to it here and tell you that you need to download it (even though I offer it privately to my readers for a ridiculous $10). I hear what you're saying: you buy, buy, buy - and still havent reached that initial goal.
So I'm asking you now - what will it take? Be honest with me. You have information. You have guides. You have resources. You have communities. What is the real hurdle for you?
I hope my tone isnt mistaken. I'm genuinely concerned, and would really like to help you turn this all around. Perhaps together we can come up with a solution. I'm all ears.
Hi Lynn,
I so appreciate your wanting to help. I assume you are talking about the Fast Cash strategy? I have read it several times. ... -snip- ... I feel that I do things consistently, but don't get the results I want, so something needs to change.
Any advice will be appreciated.
Comment edited by Lynn
I'm going to send you an email, Laurie - watch for it 😉
Please, Send me email too.. 🙂
Thanks
Hi sagbee,
The obvious answer to your question comes in two parts: 1) you will need to study the English language OR hire someone for proofing & editing. And 2) Look at your local library, on Amazon.com, and search Google for all the Copywriting resources you can find. The only way to get GOOD at something is to study it, test it, and then tweak it to perfection.
Hi Lynn,
Thank you so much for the inspiration.
I bought a oxo timer at the store today to be sure I could work 2 hours uninterrupted at a single sitting . I have 2 little dogs 10 and 12 mos...
I just drew a line down the page and am tracking my time. I counted reading this blog as productive.
Thank you so much. I will check back with results in a few weeks..
PS: for the record I am 6 mos no money 60+ hour weeks...working through a few top rated home study courses and making progress.
Hi, Lynn,
Your concern and solution mean a lot to me. The very practical solutions you present on a regular basis can set straight many who are (were!) on a slightly crooked path, like me. I can say that solutions that make sense to me now were invisible to me just a few months ago.
Being part of your SSWT forum and really listening and taking action on what you suggest, even in small ways have already resulted in shifts that will change my income level right away and lead to improvement from there.
I just want you to know that these realistic discussions and consistent focused action steps to take are invaluable.
I will say that it takes courage to look yourself square in the mirror and say, I'm not getting anywhere doing what I'm doing, so I'm going to change it.
It just seems to me the money will come as my courage increases... Thanks, Lynn
best for now,
Mary
@Clay - I got your note on Twitter as well. Thank you - and I look forward to hearing updates from you.
@Mary - Thank you so much for your kind words. I am putting much consideration into "solutions" right now, and feedback like yours helps immensely. I look forward to continuing to work with you on your goals in the Elite forum, and during our weekly Brainstorming Hour 🙂
Hi Lynn, I just founnd your blog and all information is giving us is great. I am interested in that $10 product you talked about in this post, where can I buy it?