Inspired or disappointed

[jgbama]

Hi Lynn
In your webinar today you were talking about the interview you did with Jennifer and the response was 50/50. Some felt inspired and some felt disappointed. For some reason I couldn't download the interview or the pdf so I can't comment on it. Your question really got me to thinking about my own feelings and the questions I ask myself about why I haven't succeeded.

Logically I know that you learn from mistakes and everyone makes them so that shouldn't hinder going forward with new niches. In my post about static sites you laid out the steps I need to take to find a niche and offered all the help to any question I might have along the way, so logically there should be no fear in undertaking any niche because between you and the people in this forum I have the resources to all the expertise I need to succeed.

When I think about it, I know it's not the mechanics of IM that holds me back (because the help is here) it's my emotional thinking side that is the problem. I know that a successful person has fears and self doubt just as anyone else but the difference is how they internalize it and how they think about it. So maybe if we discuss our fears and our thinking along with the mechanics of IM we can conquer the emotional blocks that stand in our way.

I would be interested in if others feel this way or am I out in left field?
jerry

[StephenT]

Jerry, I was one of the discouraged. It was totally me and I shouldn't have let it get to me. Part of my problem is that I am VERY impatient. I want things to be right now. The problem with that is I am in a learning curve and there is much to learn. I want to be doing what all the big boys and girls are doing, but I don't know how and it frustrates the hell out of me!!! :mad:

You are absolutely right about it being a mind thing and I think that many quit where I was yesterday. They feel they will never get this ans so they quit.

Not me buster! I'm here for the duration!!!

See, you're not alone! :o

[jgbama]

I know what you mean Stephen I want it now too.lol One of my problems is I'm not an expert or how do I sell this I'm not a sales person. I'm like you I'm not giving up I just won't to know what in me is holding me back.
Best of luck to you Stephen

[jkgourmet]

Jerry, I'm not an expert at anything either. I'm good at many things, but expert at nothing. I had a hard time figuring out how this 'skill set' could fit into IM.

I do have experience with marketing and sales - but ALL offline. Mostly on the phone. (I do very good phone.) That also didn't seem to translate well to IM.

I know others here will disagree with me on this, but I got my brain turned around to this: I'm not selling on the internet. I'm not convinced that ANYONE can sell on the internet. To me, selling is a specific type of presentation of one's personality, character, knowledge of the product and enthusiasm. That's hard to communicate online.

What I can do with IM is provide information or a product that will solve somebody's problem, save them the time and effort of finding it themselves, reassure somebody that this is the best product to fulfill their needs, give them a choice of several products all in one place so that they can chose which one they want, make it quick, easy, safe and maybe fun to get their needs met at my site.

Ever give somebody advice? Ever recommend a product to somebody? I bet you have. And that is how I think of Internet Marketing. I'm just advising and recommending to people that have ASKED me my opinion. Guess what - they asked by searching Google, and I made it easy for them to find me by doing my job well (utilizing SEO, have a well designed professional looking site, twitter, promoting good products through reliable merchants, learning something about my niche and my products, etc.)

That ah-ha moment took a lot of the anxiety and intimidation out of this for me. Hell, I give my opinion all the time - ask Jay. And I'm known in our circle of friends (and in several places where I used to work) for my recommendations on certain topics (food, restaurants, cheap wine, travel related stuff, researching stuff on the internet, estate and inheritance issues, mental health, how to find a good doctor, accounting, investments, etc.). So I just took it from there.

I hope this maybe gives you another way of looking at it. I know it helped me get comfortable enough to keep going.

[jgbama]

Thanks so much Jeanette
That is a great way of looking at things. You're right I give my opinion and show friends how to do things they don't know how to. You explain the way you look at it so well I can tell by your writing that you are at ease with this. I will start practicing this way of thinking.
Thanks again Jeanette

[Lynn Terry]

Discouraged was the word, which I think is exactly what you are describing here.

I had my doubts too, and I talked openly about that in an interview on Stephen's blog:
http://lifechangeforu.com/467/life-change-an-interview-with-lynn-terry/

It's interesting, because when I interview "experts" everyone seems very encouraged & inspired across the board. Jen's interview brought a different response. The difference being that she achieved great success for herself online in just 9 months.

I got a split reaction - many found it very encouraging. Others felt very discouraged, relating it to their own time spent online and why they hadn't achieved the same success in that time.

My advice is to stop comparing yourself to anyone else. We are all unique, in our situations and circumstances, and in our amount of time to invest, and even in our strengths and weaknesses. Even Jen discussed her feelings of doubt - we all feel it, it's human nature.

Decide exactly what YOU want. Nobody else can define that for you. Success is personal - and doesn't always equal a million dollars and a yacht. For me it meant being a full-time mom, and a great mom at that, and living a lifestyle I created in my mind. Not one someone told me I should expect or work towards.

Once you get that vision, work towards it faithfully - and with blinders on.

My success (yes, MY definition of it) did not happen overnight. I worked for years to get exactly where I want to be. I can tell you though... it was well worth it! ;)

[jkgourmet]

Thanks so much Jeanette
That is a great way of looking at things. You're right I give my opinion and show friends how to do things they don't know how to. You explain the way you look at it so well I can tell by your writing that you are at ease with this. I will start practicing this way of thinking.
Thanks again Jeanette

My pleasure. Truthfully, I've always been TOO at ease spouting off my opinions on things. :D


PS - consider joining the Elite Group, if you can, Jerry. From what I've been reading about you, I think you'd really get a lot out of it and be very comfortable.

[PpcJen]

Hi Everyone -

I think this is such a great group! I love that we can discuss these things openly and trust one another to be respectful and honest.

I wasn't involved in the webinar, so I'm not sure what was said. But I did want to say that we all have ups and downs, and it's important to think about what goes on behind the scenes. I am a person with real problems. My life isn't perfect - LOL! My campaigns die off, things don't work, I get frustrated and annoyed with stuff.

I still feel very overwhelmed and frustrated that I can't do things I want to do. I have no clue about many things in internet marketing. I think that comes with time and experience - two things I do not have.

The one thing I do have is DRIVE. I am extremely motivated to pay my bills, become debt free, and travel home to America regularly to see my family. I can see that this business allows me that opportunity. So I am pouring every ounce of my heart and soul into making this thing work.

The other thing is TIME INVESTED - I haven't done anything else in the past 9 months. Seriously. I have had no life. I don't watch TV, participate in my favorite hobbies, or hang out with friends. I spend all of my time with my children, or working on my business. I bring my laptop into the kitchen while I am cooking meals. Yikes. It's not healthy. That's why I am taking steps to reduce my working hours to a more reasonable level. That's my biggest challenge right now - Life Balance.

If you are also driven, and you can take things one step at a time, I believe you can reach your goals. But it's important to do it YOUR way, in your time.
Thanks for all your support and well wishes! It's been so nice to hear from you. ;)

[StephenT]

The other thing is TIME INVESTED - I haven't done anything else in the past 9 months. Seriously. I have had no life. I don't watch TV, participate in my favorite hobbies, or hang out with friends. I spend all of my time with my children, or working on my business. I bring my laptop into the kitchen while I am cooking meals. Yikes. It's not healthy. That's why I am taking steps to reduce my working hours to a more reasonable level. That's my biggest challenge right now - Life Balance.

Thanks for reminding us that it didn't just fall in your lap! We need to remember that!

[Grace]

I for once was actually very encouraged by that interview Jen. All the people I have heard share their success have been doing this for six years or more. To meet someone who started last December and is making money, I was assured that this thing can work. I am now more convinced than ever.
Grace

[AffiliateMax]

The other thing is TIME INVESTED - I haven't done anything else in the past 9 months. Seriously. I have had no life. I don't watch TV, participate in my favorite hobbies, or hang out with friends. I spend all of my time with my children, or working on my business. I bring my laptop into the kitchen while I am cooking meals. Yikes. It's not healthy. That's why I am taking steps to reduce my working hours to a more reasonable level. That's my biggest challenge right now - Life Balance.


That's exactly how it was for me when I started out full-time (9 years ago) - just eat, sleep and work! :eek: Don't worry though you do get your life back and once the initial hard work is put in a lot of the income is 'passive'. When you get to the stage when you can take a few days (or a week) off knowing that you will still be bringing in income during that time then it makes all the hard work worthwhile. ;) The hard part is firstly making sure that you do get that life balance back asap and then not tipping too far the other way and doing too little! :D (Or perhaps that's only a problem for lazy..err sorry I mean easily distracted people like myself) :cool:

[jgbama]

Thanks so much for all the advice and insight from each one of you. I do appreciate it very much.
Jerry

[Randy Cantrell]

If a person can become inspired and passionate about this, then surely it's possible for everybody to find something that drives them. CLICK HERE (http://bulanetwork.com/2009/10/27/pick-your-passion-stick-with-it-dont-apologize-ever/)

It's also entirely possible - and quite helpful in my opinion - to maintain focus, energy and positive feelings by understanding that some things are a means to an end. For example, I know some moonlighting entrepreneurs who don't like their 9-5 job. But when they're able to reframe their "job" as a vehicle that enables them to pursue a passion - then going to work becomes much easier.

Too many people think every action, every feeling should be passion-filled and energizing. Some things are simply necessary for us to move forward - and we hate them. But they're a means to an end. Forward progress is often painful.

One BIG LIE is that if we don't maintain passion, then we'll give up and fail to muscle through adversity. Tell that to the single mom struggling to feed her kids. It's not about passion - it's about NEED. "Means to an end" can be as successful a driver as any passion.

I say all that because I sometimes find people are discouraged because they THINK they should have greater passion. Quite frankly, passion can be very overrated when the reality of succeeding is at stake. The fact is, you've just got to do what you must in order to create the life you want. And the process or journey isn't always fun.

All the best,
Randy

[lisamariemary]

Love that, Randy - thank you for sharing it!! Sent it to my brother, too, who I know is going to love it! He loves unique stuff like that, and is SO against HFCS - he works for Jason's Deli corporate.

But the video reinforces for me, that my niche IS a good one! thank you! :)