That is a quote worth repeating Omar. Thank you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Omar
Carlos
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That is a quote worth repeating Omar. Thank you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Omar
Carlos
I believe IT is simply understanding how to succeed, at least as it relates to Internet Marketing. Once you have tasted a small success and you see that it is possible, your natural IT will kick in and drive you forward. As a newbie at the very beginning of the process, I can look at others' success and say to myself, if they can do it, I can do it. That fills my IT needs until I see my own success. Those on this thread who say not everyone has IT are flat out wrong, sorry to say. There are many people who take a look at Internet Marketing and get frustrated by a lack of success or chase the shiny penny and quit. That is not a lack of IT that is a choice that they made. They decided to put their time and effort to another use. A decision, nothing more. I believe that I could hire those quitters and train them to do IM as a job, most of them would do quite well, secure in their paycheck. That is a choice, not an IT.
I don't know exactly what 'it' is, that's what we all want to know. :D
My best guess is that its self confidence. I don't mean the self confidence that you get brave and strap on in front of everyone but that crumbles when you are alone. I mean the absolute knowing inside of yourself that you can do anything you set your mind to 'better' than anyone else.
But that comes from a combination of many things - some people have them and some people don't. Some people have more than others.
What are those things? Lots of them are things that you are born with, some might come with time.
Being sharp - smart, quick, effective.
Having star quality - either good looking or interesting looking (or not being affected at all with what you look like if you are neither of those) Or looking friendly and approachable.
Natural Magnetism - Some people just have it, I can't explain it. It could just be a form of complete self confidence that draws people in.
Flow - All these things roll together to create momentum.
I also think that a person can improve their own level of 'itness' (or lose it by frittering it away), but create hard core 'it'? I'm not so sure.
I don't think that not having 'it' is anything to be ashamed of, if we all had 'it', there would be no movie stars, no entertainers, no internet gurus (that's an interesting statement)
So if you don't have 'it', does that mean you have to go roll over and die somewhere? Give up all of your dreams? Of course not. It just means that you have to make the most of your own talents. That's where stepping out of our comfort zone comes in.
Despite all of this 'it' talk, the one thing that you should never lose is your belief in yourself, which happens sometimes when we get too tied up with all this 'it' stuff and then we go out and buy courses from people with 'it' :D or feel intimidated and give up or let it get us in a bad mood. :eek: That's not a constructive frame of mind.
The times in my life that I regret or think 'if I could go back' are the times without fail, when I didn't believe in myself - the times that I froze instead of jumping off.
It's like the choke in the clutch thing that Andy Jenkin's was talking about.
You might lose lots of things, but as long as you have belief in yourself, you can get through pretty much everything, even if you don't have 'it'. (and no, I don't think that absolute self confidence is the same as self belief - you can have self belief without absolute self confidence.)
But if that's gone, it doesn't even matter if you do have 'it'.
I have an audio by Brian Tracy called Motivating Yourself to Peak Performance that talks all about this.
It's one of his best IMHO.
He says that successful people like themselves. To wake up everyday and say "I like myself." And say it again and soon you will really start to like yourself - a lot. And then you will like other people better. And then they will like you better. And then you will like yourself even better. And so on.
So I think that we should all wake up every day and say to ourselves, "I'm just so freaking good that I don't know what to do with myself! Damn, I'm good" :p All together now!
Seriously, someone said (Zig Ziglar maybe?) that your success grows as your personal development grows or something like that.
Maybe that is a really good place to start, or should at least be a part of everyone's online education.
Affiliate link? Besides making a contribution to your pending success :) I'd love to hear the talk!Quote:
Originally Posted by Jan Ferrante
JA
Hmm.. I have successful affiliate sites under a pen name, with no photo, where I am never seen or heard - that do plenty well. So I don't think personality or looks play any part in success with an online business at all.
With more than one of those affiliate sites, I wasn't 100% confident they would succeed. I didn't even "believe in myself" to that extent. It was more of a "test this to see how it works and if I get results" - and I tweaked it until I did (reading & learning as I went).
I really feel like we're over-complicating things here...
My secret and most of my IT is a belief in others not necessarily in myself. I really think if I can help you then I help me. That feeling of success I get in helping you does breed confidence but it's not centered on me or my belief structure. My vision is actionable regardless if I have a solid belief in me which some days has hit the floor. The vision and the action step I can take to help at least one other person today is not based on my feelings or confidence level but a goal which supports my overall business philosophy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jan Ferrante
I want to serve my market even if that's matching them with a product or service. I try to go a step further and actually believe they are good folks who can benefit from my God given abilities (and developed skills through that gift). It's about them not me.
That said, I do think Tracy has decent teachings - I try to take the meat and spit out the bones.
JA
Exactly! This thread is now offering some excellent examples of over-analyzing everything to in action.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lynn Terry
What is your goal? You want to be a well-known celeb type in your niche than yes showmanship, charisma and all that is necessary and everyone has it in them. But not everyone wants that. They just want to create their niche sites and make a nice living at it. You can do that as well without having to brand yourself. Either way it takes focus, planning, goals, and work. So don't over-complicate the process.
Uh-Oh! If self confidence or even confidence in general is "it", I'm in big trouble and should probably close up shop. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Jan Ferrante
I am not a confident person at all. I just didn't let it stop me from just doing stuff and trying things.
Susanne Myers
Thanks Julie Anna :) I like Brian Tracy but his affiliate tools aren't the greatest. I couldn't find a direct link for that product but if you go to my site on the sidebar there is an ad for Brian Tracy. If you click that link you can get a free CD - 21 Success Secrets of Self Made Millionaires - and then search Motivating Yourself to Peak Performance in the search bar and it will come up. http://www.queenofkaos.com/WAHMblog
I like your philosophy and that is what I also try to use as my baseline. And that is the part that I truly enjoy.
I completely agree Alan, but I do think that 'it' can effect a lot of the behind the scenes things you do and don't do that can lead to success as well.
I had the uber successful guru's in mind somewhat - I admit, when I think of success, I think of them which may be a good place to start changing my mindset and business model - which is part of being real with yourself.
Lynne, there are entire industries that use 'it' factors to sell so I don't really think 'it' is something to be completely discounted but as you and Alan have pointed out, there are other avenues to explore.
I think many people are thinking a lot of the things we've discussed in this thread. Getting it out in the open and talking about it (no pun intended :)) can help us to get past it all and find solutions.
Well, there goes my theory Suzanne :D
Scott recommended the animated movie "Robots". I'd like to recommend another: "Meet The Robinsons"
At the end, there's the best and most telling message of all, courtesy of none other than Walt Disney. Be sure you watch it with the kids. Haven't got kids? Borrow a few.
Dan
P.S. IT is a wonderful thing to discuss and imagine and yearn for, but I know many people, including Lynn, on this thread would say two other letters are actually the key:
DO
If you prefer, you can put them together and get:
DO IT
When all is said and done, that's all there is!
Ah, the old What if You Had to Start Over question always seems to stimulate a lively discussion.
Reminds me of the old (2004) Joe Kumar book, 30 Days To Internet Marketing Success!
In it he asks some 50 or so successful internet marketers what they would do.
Ask any successful person if they think they could get back to where they
are if they lost it all and had to start again and you will invariably get a very
confident yes in reply.
A favorite quotation of mine is attributed to Dewitt Jones, a former National
Geographic photographer and someone worth listening to.
He said; "I won't see it until I believe it"
People who have already accomplished much obviously believe they can do
it again.
Those who have not yet achieved their goal might not be so confident.
While I don't think you need to believe that you can do something better
than anyone else...you do need to believe that you are capable of doing
well, that which you choose to do...
Believing it's worth doing and wanting it bad enough helps too.
I agree Dan, but sometimes you have to get past a sticking point in order to get to it, and I think that this could be one of them, probably for me although I didn't even really realize it. But it's definitely time to get back to work! Kick butt Dan! :)
I will watch for those movies, I LOVE movies with a message.
Gord, you're right, you don't need to believe that you can do it better, I almost didn't write that but wasn't quite sure how to put it, I like your choice of doing it well.
Lynn, I had almost forgot about our get rich quick and drop 20 pounds in one minute scheme ;) Thanks for reminding me.
I just watched a video that Stephen Pierce put out there. Guess what he said? He's no better than you!
This video that he did is titled "If No One Is Ten Times Smarter Than You, Then How Can People Possibly Be Making 10 Or 100 Times More Money Than You?"
http://www.makerealmoneyontheinterne...iiis/iiis.html
It'll be interesting to see what the next video will contain. The title of that one is "Why Most People Never Make All The Money They Could! ...And How You Can Correct This Critical Error Today."
Take a look at that title. "Why most people never make all the money they could!" ...basically, we all have the potential, some are just not tapping into it.
By the way, I ended up watching "Robots" last night. Here are some of the quotes from that cartoon movie...
"You can shine no matter what you're made of"
"See a need, fill a need"
"You've got greatness in you Rodney and never doubt it"
"I know it's not easy Rodney, but a dream that you don't fight for can haunt you for the rest of your life"
"Dad, I know you felt bad when I was growing up and you couldn't give me a lot, but you gave me the most important thing, you believed in me"
Wow.... this thread has taken a turn in conversation I didn't expect to see. I agree that anyone can do it. No special skills required, no tenth level degree required, you just have to be willing to learn, do, fail, and do again so you can succeed.
Sure, everyone will succeed at different levels, not everyone will be an IM guru, and a lot of people don't want to be either. Saying that there is some magical IT out there in certain people sounds more like an excuse to me than anything, a reason to tell yourself you can't do something.
Well, I've always been very supportive of everyone in this forum, Lynn included. This whole thing has left me feeling on the dumped on and I really do have far better things to do with my time. And for the record, I've been working my tail off for 8+ years, there really isn't anything that anyone can say to tell me otherwise.
I'm off to do a lot of restructuring myself - some of it thanks to this very thread. I think that it would do everyone well to go back and read the beginning - what would you do differently if you were to start again - and do that.
Thank you all for a great post. I think what Lynn said is right. It boils down to us... to me whether i have a great great Guru or small one, I have to put my foot forward and start doing IT in order to see success rather wait for a special magic think to come over me.
Lynn, I only knew you 2 months ago but I have learned alot of things from you which i never learn before. I am greatful to YOU and for your weekly webinar which moves me to work more each day.
Whatever others say or will say, I am not bothered but for me... i know i can learn much much more from you Lynn and from your experiences.
For me, it's belief that if the person I'm watching can do it then I can. Not so much a belief in myself but that of a watch and learn then do model. It's more a belief in them to be honest. When Lynn says "If I can do it anyone can" I believe her.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gord Young
JA
The Buddha states unequivocally that everyone can become a Buddha.
The question is, will everyone become a Buddha?
"Fools wait for a lucky day, but everyday is a lucky day for an industrious man" - Buddha. That's my response to your Mom's quote, Lynn.
In this age of instant gratification, most do not want to get their hands dirty. If they can buy "IT", they will. That's why there are so many guru's out there with DFY (Done For You) programs/courses for the _un-initiated_ with credit card in hand.
In defense for the truly hapless and helpless, to have spent much money on programs that you didn't take action with, try using what you've learnt for charity, and you might just find your "IT". Or at the very least, flog it off on e-bay - at least you would be able to get something back and may help someone who may not be able to afford the price you paid for them expensive programs/courses.
Similar to what comedian Tim Hawkins said once:Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottTousignant
:DQuote:
I'm the same as you: Only I've got a microphone - and talent! :p
Seriously though, we know Lynn because she has chosen to step up into the public eye (i.e. her microphone) and help others learn to do what she was already doing. She could just as easily (and with a lot less hassle) sit at home, doing what she's always done and collect her money.
I, for one, am grateful she has chosen to 'grab her mic' and share with us the tools/advice/wisdom/inspiration/kick-in-the-pants we need so we can then learn from all that & take action on it, so we too can become successful.
Just reading her wisdom and listening to her weekly webinars does not make you successful. If that's all it took - then my just owning 2 dozen exercise tapes would make me thin! We have to actually use it.
Well, that's no good. You don't deserve to feel that way at all. You're too kind and supportive to be feeling that way. I think you and I are in the same position in a lot of ways, I've been online since late 2000 early 2001, and we're at that point of wanting to get to that next level of success..... we're finally falling into our "place" on the internet, and I know we'll both get to that next level very soon ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Jan Ferrante
That sounds like a good plan for everyone! If there is something you would do differently, go do that thing! Don't think about, just go do it ;)Quote:
I think that it would do everyone well to go back and read the beginning - what would you do differently if you were to start again - and do that.
I've been away from the forum quite a bit this past week because I've been working on restructuring my cross stitch site, which was my very first website online ever. I put it up way back in 2001 and I knew nothing about SEO, keywords, or affiliate marketing, writing for an audience, or any of that. I'm revamping it to hopefully make it a million times a better.
I feel the tension in this topic and I'd love to change directions and go down a more positive path here. After all, negativity is going to get us all to nowheresville, right?
Let's take a look at what Jan just said. (write this stuff down)
What would YOU do differently?
Why would you do that differently?
What is your main goal or purpose for making this change?
What steps do you need to take in order to accomplish the goal?
How long reasonably do you think it will take you do accomplish it?
How can we help you do what you need to do?
Let's go get some good stuff done!
Lynn: You're correct. I have a daughter who is inherently very bright and could do anything she put her mind to but has NO faith in herself and chooses to do nothing with herself or her life even though she has 3 children (one of whom lives with his father because she doesn't have the ??? to try to get him back). It DOES take something and what you had was "desire" to have a life for yourself and your children. We can teach people skills but whether they use them or not is up to them. Yes, circumstances can get in the way but often those "circumstances" could be overcome if the person had the desire to overcome them. Many, like my daughter, would rather let others take care of them (even the government althought she does not do that). Most call her lazy and maybe that is true I don't know but it could also be a huge lack of self worth. You can be thankful that you seem to have received lots of that (self worth) from your awesome Grandmother. So, maybe it is belief in ourselves that allows us success. So many theories.....Quote:
Originally Posted by Lynn Terry
Lots of thought provoking stuff here.
Reading this, it appears this thread has gotten way off track, and upset more than a few people in the process. When that happens, maybe it means this topic has reached a point of diminishing returns and should be closed.
Just a thought.
David Jackson
I second that suggestion. (but would like Steve T's thoughts as he began the thread, albeit with a very different tone.)
David, I agree with you. this thread has done all the good and bad it needs to do. I would like to see it end!
When I was in College in some remote part of Africa we defined IT as Internet Technology.
Then there is the definition I got today, which I cannot put in words.
Anyone following this thread has IT, both ways.
Oh, how we love to have an excuse.
Never tell your children, grandchildren, friends or yourself in a developed world like this that you have no IT. If that is what you are saying to others, then that is what you are telling yourself, it comes from the abundance of your heart.
There are gurus, how I love to blame them for telling me how I would be rich overnight and there are people who want to make me believe I cannot make it no matter what. AAAH.
And then there are people like Lynn, Scott, Retta, Lyle, Nicole, Bob the teacher, Julie Anna, Sheila, Dan Miller of 48days and Paul Evans, myself and others who believe, we all got IT. Both ways.
I am just gona surround myself with the right crowd.
Grace
Jan,Quote:
Originally Posted by Jan Ferrante
I hope you aren't feeling this way for long - dumped on. I really appreciate your support.
This thread has hit a soft spot for many of us. After all, we're talking about inner stuff here - not systems or projects or any of the like. Fleshing out heart issues many times can get messy. The trick is looking at what we each can learn and come away with.
I felt your contributions were spot on especially in the belief of self but as always in this form of online communication it's hard to get all the voice intonations and communications just right especially with the length of this particular thread.. I had to rethink and solidify some of what I do believe in as a result of your post so it helped me grow and realize for me it is more than just in me. Thank you for extending me and helping me reach in that way. This is why I love transparency in supportive forums and why this community is unlike most others. It's always risky to become vulnerable and talk so openly about our inner "stuff" but needful. I appreciate you for that.
Make you think threads are both hot buttons and disguised blessings!
Anyhow, don't go away. I'd miss you too much.
JA
Thanks guys, I jumped into the webinar at the wrong time, that's were that was coming from. Lynn emailed me which I thought was really good of her to do, frankly, I thought I was in the dog house.
I do really appreciate your thoughts and I do think that there was a lot of good in this thread. I know that I got a lot from it.
I just hope that everyone can be successful and happy :)
If you have never heard Nick Vujicic speak, do yourself a favor and watch this YouTube video. Pay special attention at three minutes in. Tell me that it takes a special "it" to make it... I am sure this man never believed that. If he had, he would not be who he is today - a motivational speaker (with no arms or legs).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3LFBqvvW-M
I am not good at everything - no one is. But I truly believe there is no obstacle that I can not overcome. And you can be darned sure that I am going to use my talents to make my life better.
Hey David,Quote:
Originally Posted by David Jackson
I see this is by far the most popular thread on the forum, why would you want to close it?
I took another look through and I can't see any evidence of people getting upset either (!)
What's to be upset about, it's just an open discussion, a frank exchange of views. That's what forums are all about isn't it?
Rich
I agree. Yes, I went back and read from the beginning and do agree it went a bit wonky and definitely dovetailed and side tracked from the OP. However, I think the points from the original discussion have been more than profitable (I don't mean financially. Ha!) for many of us here.Quote:
Originally Posted by bigrac
JA
I have to agree with Bob's assessment about why so many people struggle while others succeed. I can see where many could manage to pursue something that isn't their passion as long as the money is coming in. But if a person is in the wrong field or niche, then not only are they just out of their comfort zone (which has been stated here as a normal part of doing business online, not to mention being an essential part of personal growth), but it's no better than having a lousy job you don't want to get up in the morning and go to day after day. Why would anyone want to punish themselves like that?Quote:
Originally Posted by BobTheTeacher
Let me be clear. I'm not talking about people (like me, for example) who get discouraged and want to move on to another shiny thing instead of toughing out where they are until they're in profitability. I'm talking about people who are out of their depth because they're pursuing something they're totally unsuited for. Many of these folks have been sold the proverbial "bill of goods" on internet riches. Others have just made bad choices.
IMHO, the most successful people must have made either instinctive or fortuitous choices about what area of business online to pursue, or gone through a process of trial and error that didn't take 5 years. I wonder how many online successes actually hit it out of the ballpark the first time?
We don't generally hear about the things they "fail" at unless they're being transparent saying, "You see me as successful now, but I've failed so many times at so many things, you wouldn't believe it."
Paul Evans has said something like that. So has Carrie Wilkerson along with many other online success stories.
I realized at the beginning of my online marketing learning experience back in early 2005 that I was constantly getting in my own way. 2 1/2 years later I met Lynn online. I've been alternately embarrassed and defensive about having been a part of her forum for nearly 2 years and STILL my business is not where it should be. (That's code for "making money.")
Is it Lynn's fault? The forum's? The community? The gurus? The internet?
NO, a big fat NO. I'm still getting in my own way. Write this down, imprint it on your brain: MINDSET IS EVERYTHING.
This summer I took a step back from everything online in order to do some soul searching. I haven't come to any conclusions yet, but I have started blogging again, which I hadn't done since May.
I take that as a good sign that whatever "winter" I was going through has passed. I know for a certainty, however, that I don't want what I do online to be as tedious and boring and mind-numbing as the secretary's job I had before the position was downsized. I liked the money from that job just fine, (I'd think I was rich if I made that much right now ;) !), but I was barely surviving emotionally in such an uncreative, unfulfilling j-o-b that I could do technically, but not efficiently. I had ZERO JOY.
So I'm trying to determine if what I've been doing online is really where I want to be in the long term. Having come so far with The Story Ideas Virtuoso, I can't just abandon it. But I have to decide where to go from here.
I want to discover that place for me that makes me want to get up in the morning eager to face the day and to do what I love and love what I do.
It's not that I can't do hard work or delay gratification. Doing live theatre (I'm currently playing Miss Hannigan in "Annie") is often grueling. Learning lines and music and lyrics and choreography for 6 weeks at a time is getting harder at my age. But it's all worth it, because there is NOTHING like walking out on stage and making people laugh or cry or cheer or applaud or jump to their feet because for a couple of hours you've helped them to forget their troubles.
For me, whatever I do, it's all about the people. I'm a "we" person, not an "I" person, contrary to what some may believe about me. I want to make a difference in other people's lives. On stage I can do that, one show at a time, but there's no money in it. I do it because I love to perform.
Surely there must be a way to combine what I'm already doing, perhaps in another format, that could take the skills I've learned online and make at the very least a modest income. That's what I'm searching for. And I'll know it when I find it.
Bob is right. What we choose to do has to be a good fit, or success is unlikely. Or so I believe.
Deb Gallardo
My two cents are "you gotta be in it to win it" - With the help of the big man even getting a website on the internet was a victory to me. its a long strange trip at least im enjoying the ride. :}
Wondered how you were doing, Deb. Glad to have ya back.Quote:
Originally Posted by DebGallardo
Where are you performing? It would be so cool to go watch you. I'm inspired!
JA
Mansfield Ohio. Are you nearby? LOL
Rochester NY area. I guess a wee far for a night at the theater.Quote:
Originally Posted by DebGallardo
Hi All,
Let's end this thread and Let Lynn have a wonderful day ahead. The more we share the more it will bring memories.
We have to move on and do it...as Lynn always says.
Pass is pass, let the present be a lesson to learn and move on
Just a thought from me...no hard feeling
I suggested closing this thread hours ago. Several others agreed with me. Even Steve, the author of the thread wanted it closed. But apparently, Lynn doesn't want it closed - and it's her forum.Quote:
Originally Posted by jamessamy
David Jackson
Thank you Jackson
I mean not totally close but try to minimise in order for our mentor Lynn to be more motivated to go on :)
I'm fine, and fine with keeping the thread open. I'll have more thoughts to add on the topic myself soon even.
A very thought-provoking discussion to say the least.