Countless people have asked me what it takes to succeed in Internet Marketing and other online businesses. The beginning of the year may be the perfect time to share what I have discovered over the years. My personal motivation to success online was to replace the annual income I was earning standing on an automotive assembly line. I had to find another pathway to finance the life that I really wanted to live. Getting up every morning to work for someone else was slowly killing my love for life. My motivation grew every week when I considered the monotony of mindless, repetitive work that paid an hourly wage. I would have done anything to free myself from that life.

Work is Required

Starting any new venture requires more work than most people anticipate. Many people start this business with another profession as a specialty. I knew that I had to work as hard for my new business as I had when I first stepped onto that assembly line as a young man. Some tips and tricks have surfaced over the years.

  • Task list – Small tasks will creep into every work session. I accumulate a list of small tasks that can be addressed all at one time without distracting me from the highest priority tasks.
  • Outsource – People often ask me how to find people who could help with some of the technical tasks. Finding great people is a matter of patience and talking to others.
  • Obstacles – Equipment, software and required skills can present the most frustrating series of barriers to your success. I refused to allow anything to prevent me from finding answers.
  • Thinking is work – Looking back, I can remember wondering how I was going to solve certain issues. Sometimes, I just needed to think through problems while I was doing something else. A pen and paper can be great tools for devising your own solutions.

Find Answers

Establishing a business requires maintaining ownership over every aspect of the operation. Today, so many resources exist to provide answers to questions of all types. Ten years ago, we had to devise our own answers because much of what we have today did not exist. Anyone who runs into a problem should follow a specific pattern to find answers independently.

  1. Repeat the steps – Computers can be unforgiving beasts at times. Many of my issues with computer software have been resolved through simply repeating the exact steps in the process. This approach reduces the amount of time I waste hoping to find someone to help.
  2. Conduct a search – Reams of material have been created to answer virtually any question. A few keyword searches can provide answers to technical issues specific to your computer system. Even today, I look around and find valuable content on the Internet.
  3. Step away – Some problems require a different approach at a later time. Computers seem to respond better when I walk away for a while and come back later. I have never understood why this works, but it does.
  4. Ask for help – Jumping to this step first is probably the most common mistake that people make in this business. All of us should be working independently, but not alone. Learning requires some attempts to solve problems and find answers to our own challenges.

Participate

So many amazing people have come along since those early days when I felt as though the Internet was a very lonely place. All of the mistakes I made in my first few years have been documented and corrected for people who start today. One of the greatest advantages to this business is meeting people from virtually anywhere on the globe. Over time, you will want to take some specific steps in this area.

  • Encourage others – Working in your office where the only contact happens over the phone, in email or on the Internet can be lonesome. I learned early that everyone I encountered needed some encouragement. Technology can be ruthless. Positive words in your emails, social media posts and interactions will draw people toward you.
  • Build your network – Believe it or not, two people qualify as a network. I meet people every day. Listening to others provides insight as to whether I can assist that person or not. There are people who are simply crossing my path on their way to some destination.
  • Find someone to help – I hear people express their concerns that they have nothing to offer. Everyone has something to give to other people. A listening ear might be enough to solve the problem someone else has struggled with for a week. Proofreading an article for someone could be the best help. Creating a simple graphic might save someone an entire afternoon.
  • Existing opportunities – Many of the chances to meet others and tell people about our ventures were nonexistent in the recent past. Now, we try to make simple ways for everyone to be noticed. Your connections will happen when you participate consistently.

Don’t Stop Trying

Above all else, the only people who do not find success in this business are the ones who stop trying. Tenacity is a character trait for all of the people who have made a difference in this world. Every day, I talk to people who have made some important observations that will serve them well.

  • Expect to learn – I find something to learn every day. That might sound surprising, but it is true. Starting any new venture requires us to learn new skills that we never dreamed we could master. You will make great discoveries about yourself along this journey.
  • Think differently – A person who repeats the same task every 90 seconds thinks very differently from an entrepreneur who must keep up with the rate of change in the Information Age. Your thoughts will evolve at a pace that will make your head ache at times.
  • Solve problems – I love to solve problems. I really do! Some of the problems I encounter now are outsourced to people who can find the solution faster. “Never giving up” means that problems will not stop your progress on the road to success.
  • Life will interrupt – Events in life will happen before you reach your coveted level of success. Every time you encounter one of these obstacles, people will welcome you back. You can depend on people you have met to encourage you to stay the course.

Is Your Motivation Enough?

Many people that I meet tell amazing stories about the ways in which their new venture will revolutionize their current lives. I do not know why some people stop at various points along the way. Maybe the “why?” is the most important factor. Wanting to make more money is a fairly good reason. Needing to make enough money to survive is an even better motivator. I have found that people who must make more money to meet the needs of other people are even more driven to succeed.

If you wonder what it takes to succeed in business, discover your “why?” and set your course.

What is your “why?”


    10 replies to "Is Motivation Enough to Create Success?"

    • Wael Kaheel

      Great subject John, discover your WHY indeed . One of the most important to consider is time management, one of the elements of success there are tons of things to do online and most of them will earn you money. We just need to find and apply for the best one that we enjoy doing most .

      Stick to your plan unless it’s necessary to change it sometimes there are situations that entails a person to deviate from its original plan or objective. This is fine, just as long as we do not lose focus as to what is our end goal. In addition, having a backup plan that could bring us on schedule could also help.

    • Jesse Munguia

      My “why” is my family. Being able to provide for their needs and well being is the most important for me.

      Great post John.

    • German Calvo

      Thank you John for such an excellent post. So well structured as well and with great advice coming from a guy who has so much experience in this business.

      The sub-headings are great as well with involvement advice in the “Participate” for instance and ‘Life will interrupt’ in the “Don’t stop Trying”. Most importantly is defining clearly “What is your Why?” and I agree
      it better be as strong as possible to have clarity and determination to succeed in business.

      German

    • Trevor

      Hi john that is a great blog John and it is true I get times when you really do struggle with computers and like you say if you walk away go back some time later it works but that is my biggest fear buying say a course online not being able to master it but you did so there is the answer
      Cheers John

    • Tasleem Khan

      Great post!!! I believe we need motivation, HARD work and clarity in our work to succeed.

    • John Antaya

      This post was very enlightening John. I agree that knowing your “why” can lead you into the right direction by learning what is needed in internet marketing to continue without quitting. I’ve been at this for a long time and maybe should have quit several times but I was built to succeed and intend to at whatever it takes. John De Lemme of the Life Style Freedom Club is a person who can also help you to find your why.

    • Steve Thomas

      Great post John,
      Lots of insightful information to take away from this.

      My Why is the reason why I’ve worked so hard at this business for so long, and sometimes it seems when you’ve reached the lowest of the lows you make that little breakthrough and it puts a little bit of fight back in you to go at this again and again.

      One of the key things that have helped me so much are the to do lists I make and work on. There’s reams and reams of to do lists that I work through every single day, week and month in order of priority and have found like you mentioned the added benefit of outsourcing all the little tasks that are collectively very time consuming.

      One key thing you’ve taught me through a number of your products and on some of the calls we’ve had is about giving first, and delivering massive value to your existing audience and soon to be subscriber base and then, and only then shall you receive what it is you are working for, in other words, your ‘why’.

      Thanks for all your help and support over the last year or so.

      • John Antaya

        Hello John
        I Enjoyed your post and I have a motto that I use all the time
        “Always Striving To Help Others” and I use this motto so I do not forget to help others first. By helping others first you end up with a better audience and a devoted one at that in most cases.

        John

    • Michael Gorman

      Looks like a new blog John, very nice and clean mate…yes I was writing along a similar vein earlier today myself, we all know the amazing statistic that up to 95% of people who start out to make their lives different online fail to make even a few dollars. The reasons are complex and down to the specific traits of the people involved. Tenacity is essential, being able to listen and take in new information is critical, having the desire to implement that learning is even more important. I have heard of people paying thousands for mentoring, training who then fail to put any of it into action – almost they shoot themselves in the foot before they begin. I personally think ‘mindset’ is the most important factor – you can always learn a new skill, or outsource it, but you cannot convince someone to believe in the outcome if they do not have the hunger and dream to put it all into action.

    • Keith Avis

      Great post John,

      I think having an achievable “Why” is critical to the success of anyone in business. So long as you take a laser beam approach to achieving your goals, set yourself milestones along the way and make sure people recognize you for what you are trying to achieve, you should have all the motivation you need…well that’s the theory anyway.

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