What it takes to succeed online
I had originally schedule a guest author to share with us in today’s Feature Friday, but due to unforeseen health issues the author was unable to make it. So I am the feature expert author for today.
Today, I talk about what it takes to succeed online. I remember when I first started to consider making a living online back in 2008. I spent hours researching all those money making opportunities at the time, it was a real circus.
Back then, the Web was crawling with all kinds of ‘Internet gurus’, all millionaires of course, and all had some sort of exceptional or unknown secret knowledge to their success that they were willing to share with you for a price, usually a special ‘one-time’ low price fee (which wasn’t actually low priced).
After a few false starts
After a few false starts (mainly offline), I got more serious in 2009. I finally made the decision to invest in a ‘complete’ Internet training program to make money called, “60 Minutes to (financial) Freedom”, that was suppose to be my ticket to a constant cash flow of Internet riches. I thought I had found the answer to what it takes to succeed online.
As the name of the program implied, all I had to do was dedicate just 60 minutes each day by following the assigned steps outlined for the day. And once I had completed all the steps for the program from start to finish (8-weeks); I too, would become an online millionaire! (I know, it sounds corny now, but it didn’t at the time).
Supposedly, this system was put together by a “well known” Internet marketing millionaire who was generous about sharing his ‘secrets’ to the tune of just a measly $997 (sales page had wonderful graphics and convincing salescopy).
Once you did all the steps and reached the finish line, you would have easily earned back the price of the program along with making those same Internet riches, too! As a bonus he even threw in a free teaser report you could use to build your own mailing list along with a free autoresponder and email series to promote his products.
Sadly, before I started this program, I had already looked at a number of other business opportunities including two offline programs I had invested in. They both ended up as big disappointments and I lost nearly $5,000 for cost of attempting them. So I was no stranger to the idea of investing money into a business and losing it.
So far a great testimonial for success, right?
Once I got hold of the program, I quickly found that the program itself was poorly written, hard to follow in part, and took several days before receiving answers to questions I had submitted about issues I was having understanding that step.
When I finally heard back from them, because of the language barrier, it would take several back and forth emails before everything was ironed out. Each time this happened, I lost several weeks time and it happened more that a few times (why I no longer buy info-products from non-English speaking vendors).
Sadly, even though I got close to finishing that program, I never did because I didn’t understand the last part. And even though I submitted a request, I never did receive a response from their support as it seemed they were no longer in business (or supporting that program). Even the lifetime free autoresponder quit working (lost several dozen subscribers because of it).
Long story short, I did end up with two completely operational niche sites (and became a WordPress expert in the process starting with version 2.5). Both sites were fully loaded with content promoting affiliate products (Internet marketing, anti-spyware software) and no where to go.
Contrary to popular belief, it is NOT true if you build it they will come, at least not online! When I check on each site’s traffic results, all I heard was crickets. Just the same, I didn’t become an instant online millionaire either, not even close!
Okay, nice story! But it doesn’t answer what it takes to succeed online or anywhere!
The point is I didn’t quit either, I was determined to succeed. I continued to learn and grow by getting more “help” courses, programs and ebooks that showed me how to do various elements of Internet marketing which included affiliate marketing. It was a slow process, but I knew that success was just around the corner.
Have you ever come to a edge of a cliff on a mountainside? You know that if you continue on, the ascent will be hard and slow going! Along with the danger that comes with it; if you make a wrong step you will fall quickly and the consequences will be deadly?
That is what happened to me in April 2013… I came to the edge of that cliff with my online business. Up to that point, I’d spent thousands, actually tens of thousands of dollars, and what did I have to show for it? Not even a handful of magic beans! Just 10 active websites sitting in digital dust.
At the same time in April 2013, I was invited to an opportunity (that’s what entrepreneurs constantly do) and attended the informational webinar. This was a rather new program in its infancy stage. There was no real guarantee it would succeed, a real financial risk. But if it did succeed, it would be well worth that risk, that is, if you are willing to take risks.
I had limited operating funds. I would be placing all my eggs in one basket. If I invested in this opportunity and lost, game over, I wasn’t going to be able to keep up this charade forever and neither was my funds. As I said earlier, I’ve invested thousands upon thousands of dollars in the attempt to make money online. I decided to take the challenge.
Before I continue, I want to ask you a question
At what point do you decide how far to go with something before you determine that it is a real dead-end verse just quitting because it is too hard or no longer fun?
I hadn’t quit yet, and I was already way past having fun! But the nagging question remains; am I hanging on because I am just fooling myself or have I finally reached the moment just before the turning point? If I stop now, am I a quitter or just finally realized I’ve been pursuing a worthless dream all along?
I know that you must have had those moments, too. Maybe when you have applied for a job hoping they will be interested in you. Believing it may happen at any time, then sitting around the phone waiting for it to ring and it never rings.
When do you stop applying for a job? How many applications must you submit before you realize it is over for you? Do you quit or do you keep on trying until it happens?
When success happens
This is where success resides. It is the moment when you want to quit but still have the desire to win at the same time. Success is only realized when you continue on and look for a way to win.
Success happens when you resist the temptation to quit and keep moving forward. You continue to make the steep climb even with the cliff beside you threatening you every step of the way knowing that failure is right with you. But you continue on anyway.
This is where success is found, when you continue on through the failures and disappointments until it happens!
By the way, after becoming involved with the April 2013 opportunity, I’ve been making affiliate income with several sources from October of last year ever since. Even though it isn’t tons, it continues to get better!
What about your story? Are you still struggling to make it online? Or have you found ways that has helped you become successful that you would like to share, too? Let me know below!
