Why do some people "make it", and achieve their goals, while others don't?
I find this topic fascinating. Across all areas of life, some people achieve greatness, while others never reach their goals.
For example, I read the disclaimer on a popular Internet Marketing training product the other day that said "99% of people who try this method will fail."
Really? 99% of people will fail?
That's crazy. Then I started to think about it... Yes. I believe that's true.
The majority of people who say they want something are not prepared to do what it takes to get it. This seems to be true in almost every aspect of life: business, fitness, weight loss, etc.
You want a 7 figure business? - SURE!
Want to do the work to get it? - No, thanks.
See, that's how it goes. Most people want stuff, but don't want to work for it.
We want money, success, fame, a thriving business, fitness, choices, and freedom. But we also want to sleep in, eat junk food, watch TV, gossip, and read trashy magazines. We want it all instantly, we don't want to pay much money for it, and we certainly don't want to have to work for it!
Something doesn't add up...
Despite what their fancy sales letters and seductive promotional video launches say, there are no Magic Buttons that deliver you instant riches when you install a WordPress plugin on your affiliate website.There are no Magic Pills that cause you to lose 50 pounds overnight while still eating donuts and candy.
There is, however, something else.
That 'something else' is the passion inside you that makes you plow through everything and anything to get where you want to be. You can have what you want if you're willing to make sacrifices to get it.
I think a lot of people don't want "it" that badly, and that's OK. This "online business" thing isn't for everyone. It's really, really hard work. It takes a TON of dedication and blood, sweat, and tears. Most of that happens behind the scenes, and no one ever sees all the gory details.
So, please understand, that it is OK if this is not for you. It is OK to have smaller goals that suit your family or your lifestyle. And it's fabulous if you can identify that now before your pour a whole lot of money and time into something that just isn't a good fit for you or your family.
But, if you are one of those people who has been wishing, hoping, dreaming of a successful business, and it hasn't arrived - now is the time to take a good, hard look at what you're doing (or NOT doing).
"You need to be doing lots of the right things, regularly, to build a solid business." (James Schramko)
What if this IS for you? What if you really DO want to build a six or seven figure business online? What should you know?
How I've built an online business that ROCKS...
1) Know what you want
There are a million and one different ways to make money. Which one will you choose? Is your overall goal to be well-known or a leader in your field? Or do you want to replace your current "job" income? Do you want to build a big business, with offices around the country?
You need to start somewhere. Start with knowing how you can help others.
What do you know that other people need to know?
What do your friends ask you about?
What do you talk about most?
Are you known in your circle of friends for something?
Can you teach that to others?
How can you serve the wider community with what you know?
What do your friends ask you about?
What do you talk about most?
Are you known in your circle of friends for something?
Can you teach that to others?
How can you serve the wider community with what you know?
The important point here is that this is not all about money. Yes, we all want and need to earn a living. But that is not enough. If you keep your focus purely on financial gain, you'll soon find this loses it's impact after awhile. Once you've paid off your debts, and you have a steady income, what will motivate you to keep striving for bigger things?
People who are extremely successful in business almost always have a bigger plan. They're striving for something HUGE, something bigger than themselves and their family. What are you striving for?
2) You must master the basics
If you're brand new to business, or internet business, you'd be very wise to learn the basics before you go any further. I highly recommend a free, comprehensive, online training program by Ed Dale called The Challenge. It is the best place to learn how to make your first dollar online.
I recommend these smart and honest people. They have a TON of excellent value to share: Lynn Terry of Clicknewz.com, James Schramko of Internet Marketing Speed.com, and Sandi Krakowski of A Real Change.com.
It takes most people years to learn the basics of building a solid online business. So, be patient with yourself. Learn one thing at a time, practice it, and then move on to the next thing. Now, you don't have to become an expert at everything, because eventually you'll be able to hire experts to help you in those areas. But when you're just starting out, it's important to understand the basics of an online business and what needs to be done.
Whatever you do, please find someone you trust to guide you. Read this post on avoiding the common pitfalls in the IM industry, and don't fall for the latest "shiny object" sales tactics.
Choose one or two leaders to follow in your field, and read everything they distribute, attend their events, join their coaching programs, be their best student. And that will bring you to the next step... FOCUS.
3) Focus on the activities that get results (ie: $$$ in the bank)
You're not in business if you're not making sales. And you can't make sales if you don't have a product. You can waste a whole year preparing your product, website, logo, auto-responders, Facebook page, etc. That, my friends, is not a business.
My suggestion is to get your product to the market as quickly as you possibly can - ask for feedback - and make changes as you go along. It isn't easy. It's scary, and a whole lot of hard work to get a product out to the market. Continuous improvement is important, but you must have something out there before you can improve on it.
My friend, James Schramko says "You're either the one reading the emails, or you're the one sending them.". Keep the focus well and truly where it belongs. What actions will bring you the best results? Yes, reading emails can be important. Just don't dedicate your entire day to consuming other people's information. Create the information.
If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. Product creation is difficult. But it is the key to a long-term, sustainable business. Of course, other things bring results too... building a list, writing excellent blog posts, serving clients and customers, advertising, publishing great content, building your network, training your team, etc.
4) Ask yourself "What's next?"
Once I complete one project, I immediately ask myself "What's next?". Standing still will kill you and your business. Like a shark, you've got to keep moving to stay alive. Our brains are always searching for the next accomplishment, the next challenge.
I'm not suggesting you work like a crazy-person without ever taking a break. What I am suggesting is that you develop a VERY clear road-map for your business, and you work towards it with passion and diligence.
When you have a clear goal in mind, you're more motivated, inspired, and driven to accomplish the next thing on your list.
I have a list here on the wall with 14 new project ideas, and I add to it every week. In addition to that, I've already planned out my entire year for 2012, and I know once this current project is completed, we will start work on the next one, and the next one, and the next one. Get yourself a flip chart or a white board and start making a list of projects you'd like to complete this year.
5) Stay positive even when the $%!# hits the fan
There is no room for negativity here. Be kind to yourself. You're not alone. We are all human. We make mistakes. There is a lot you don't know yet. But, there is no point in getting all upset, or stressing over things that are beyond our control. Do your best. Be honest. Communicate clearly. And move on.
When things get really bad, call on your support network. Take action quickly, and resolve differences before they become gigantic problems. Stay out of gossip circles, and avoid negative, fake, and shady people at all costs.
I really hope these tips and learning from my experiences help you stay well ahead of the pack. And I'm sure there are about a hundred things I could have added in here that I forgot, or missed out on. And... as always.... I am sure some of you totally disagree with me, or think I've missed the point.
Whatever your thoughts, please share them with me here. This is a discussion... not a soap box.
What has helped you get through the rough patches? How do YOU keep going when it gets tough?
Please let me know your thoughts by commenting in the box below... I look forward to chatting with you! ^Jen
Jennifer Sheahan is the founder of The Facebook Ads Lab, a full-service ads agency specializing in Facebook PPC ads. The FBAdsLab provides ad campaign management, training, and mentor programs for marketers. The goal of the FBAdsLab is to help business owners learn all they need to know to be successful in advertising on Facebook; to take control of their traffic so they can stay ahead of their competition and be leaders in their field. Helping people understand Facebook marketing and delivering outstanding results are the most crucial aspects of the FBAdsLab mission.
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