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Are You Willing To Do What I’ve DONE?
As we come to the end of 2008, I am making an effort to get everyone fired up and ready to really get to work in 2009. This motivational period doesn’t involve only make money online tips, but also some ‘food for thought’ as to the mind-set behind making all this work. 2008 has been an amazing year for me and my little business. I managed to start in early 2007 with nothing as far as internet marketing knowledge and create something that has been life-changing. Do you want that too? Do you want to do what I do?
What DO I Do To Make Money Online?
When I first started, not too many people put much thought into what it is I actually DO to make money with my computer. My husband tells others that one day he came home from work and I announced that I was going to make money online as if I was announcing we were having chicken for dinner….haha!
He quite simply asked me, “How?”
My only answer – and my honest answer – was, “I don’t know, but I know I can do it.”
Couple days later he tells of coming home from work one night and I am sitting there staring at a completely white computer screen. He asked me what I was doing.
“Making a website”
He then asked a logical question – “Do you know HOW to make a website?”
“No. Not a clue.” But by golly, when he got up the next morning, I had a website online.
My first website was horrible… a great big banner brigade… just UGLY with a capital U-G-L-Y. But, it was MINE and *I* made it (just a fun fact, a few months later I accidentally erased most of it in my quest to learn ftp….but that’s a whole ‘nother story).
That first website went live February 18, 2007 and I have not looked back since.
It’s been HARD. Many days it was mind-numbing and over-whelming. There were times we were just a millimeter away from me having to get a “real job” (I shudder at the thought! haha!)
I don’t know why, but I never doubted the potential of internet marketing. I knew it was just a matter of time until it “clicked” for me.
And click it did!
I figured out a method that I could “rinse and repeat” and money started coming in – but no money was going OUT in my attempts so it was all profit. Yes, that is the system many of you have read in One Week Marketing.
When I learned that basic groundwork for my internet business, I felt empowered. It was liberating and exciting… and simply wonderful.
Turning NOTHING Into SOMETHING
It still amazes me. I sit at the computer, take an idea, and make a web page out of it – and then it generates income. How cool is that? No set hours, no boss, no time clock, no requesting vacation time, no child care, no commuting, no career-wear…NONE of it.
I have managed to take nothing, and turn it into something. And this something earns me more than ANY past job or career I’ve had. Learning how to make money online has changed my life in many ways.
The internet is open 24/7, 365 days a year. At any given time, I can work. Also, at any given time I can choose NOT to work (BUT, I still make money….gotta love passive and recurring income!)
Please understand, I am not saying any of these “my life is so wonderful” type things to brag or anything insulting like that – I want to INSPIRE you… I want to motivate you. I want this for you.
For Example, What I Did TODAY.
Today was a very exciting day for me as a mom. My daughter, who is only 17 and graduated High School a year early, had college registration and orientation. I went with her and it was just so wonderful to share this exciting time with her. I didn’t embarrass her TOO much – I only teared up twice (that she saw…lol)
Here’s the thing – While I was sharing that priceless and irreplaceable moment with my daughter, I was still making money.
Why? Because I spent a year doing what others WON’T do.
I spent hours and hours creating many, many web pages that are each on a very specific topic that sell very relevant products to their visitors. Some of those web pages are great – and some totally suck. But they’re all out there… ALLLLLL over the internet. People who search Google find my web pages and sometimes they buy things. When they do, I make a commission.
Yes, the short version is just that – and if you don’t over-whelm yourself or complicate things, it can be that simple.
How Many Hours A Day Does It Take?
This is a BIG question I get – How many hours a day do I have to work in order to make money online? I have people email and tell me they only have one or two hours a day. They have families, jobs, commitments, etc, and I totally get that.
Can you make money online by only working an hour or two a day?
Sure you can! But here is my question BACK to you –
Will you be PRODUCTIVE during that hour? By productive, I don’t mean reading forums or reading the latest-and-greatest from the Guru of the Day.
To me, productive means actually making web pages and getting them on the internet. I don’t care if it’s a Squidoo lens, an article, a post on a niche blog…. just SOMETHING online that is another potential stream of income for you.
Will you do that for one solid hour every day? If so, you’re off to a great start…. maybe even a BETTER start than those that spend 8, 10 or 12 hours a day online “working”.
How Much Money Do I Need To Get Started With Internet Marketing?
None. Seriously, you don’t NEED anything other than a computer, a connection to the internet, and a plan of action.
As you make money you can then invest in tools that make your work easier or better, but you don’t need a DIME to get started and get money coming in.
But you need to want it. You need to want this so badly…maybe as badly as you’ve wanted anything in your life. I’m not talking about wanting the money, either. I am talking about wanting the whole package…about wanting the end goal.
You also have to resign to the fact that making money online is NOT an over-night thing. I don’t care WHAT you’ve read, or what is sent to you in your email, or what the Guru of the Day tells you.
*I* am telling you that this is a process. This process takes time, and patience, and lots of PRODUCTIVE effort.
And it is SO worth it!
I KNOW it can work…. and I know YOU can do it!
Out Of Your Comfort Zone
The hardest part of all this is learning something new and what you’re learning it is not something we are conditioned to understand… or to trust. You will also find that OTHERS don’t trust it and won’t be excited about your internet marketing efforts. Doubt from others can be a huge road block for many people.
All in all, you are immediately out of your comfort zone when you come in to the internet marketing world and it’s so easy to just give up when results aren’t seen right away.
Internet marketing is not a “fast fix” for a bad financial situation, but it IS a wonderful way to help ensure that you won’t be in the same financial situation at this time NEXT year.
Like most wonderful things in life, it takes time.
I think my children are the most wonderful, amazing, perfect creatures in the entire world (as I am sure your kids are to you…lol). But you know what? It took NINE MONTHS of growing them to get them here (or, in my daughter’s case, just about TEN months. NOTHING like being over-due pregnant is the South during July. Oh, I was so cranky…lol).
My point is this – great things, life changing things take time to grow. This internet marketing thing is not something you just try for a few days or weeks.
It needs to be something you DO.
It’s like dieting in a way. People are always looking for the fast answer – something they can do really quick with little effort but will produce life-changing results.
If you want life-changing results, you need to change your life.
That change you make could be as simple as committing to write one article or make one Squidoo lens every day. Yes, at first it will be out of your comfort zone, but like the dieter who finally decides to make simple life-style changes, it eventually BECOMES your comfort zone.
On December 18, 2009, how many of you will come BACK here to PotPieGirl.com and tell me YOUR success story? Who is willing to do for a year what others WON’T do?
If You Want Success…
Tonight, I was technically “unproductive”. I allowed myself some free time online and just clicked things that interest me. I found a fantastic video from a wonderful fellow internet marketer. It seems his message to his readers is about the same as mine….and I think that’s pretty cool 😉
He says in this video,
“A lot of people want to do what I do, but not a lot want to do what I’ve done…..”
That speaks volumes to me.
Introducing Ryan Wade
Ryan is a young internet marketer from Florida….. and from what I’ve read tonight, he is something else. I like his style =)
Please take a few minutes and watch one of his videos. It’s good stuff.
His internet marketing blog is fantastic. I really enjoyed his insight. If you have time, stop by his If You Want Success post and tell him “hello” or a “thanks for the video”.
Let’s all get fired up about 2009! I hope many, many, MANY of you get to tell me YOUR life-changing success story one year from today.
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What a great example with “babies taking 9-10 months to create”. It is a very inspiring post and I thing you are absolutely right that most fail because they give up too quickly.
I’ll definitely come back here in a year and tell you that I’ve made great progress online 😉
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Hi Jennifer,
Wow… what an awesome story! That was really cool to read because it seems like we share similar situations, even having the teen daughter. Mine is 16 and in 11th grade.
To do what you do, and believe me I know, it takes a lot of determination, especially with the learning aspects.
Getting stumped on even the simple things can drive you nuts. Simple things like trying to get a blog theme to look right, or try to get a certain CODE to display correctly.
There are so many little things that should be simple, that become complicated. In many cases, its not just about learning how to make money online, its learning how to get yourself set up in order TO make money online.
Great post and I am glad I found your blog. I enjoy reading your posts.
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Great post Jennifer – I’m going to bookmark it & read it again when my motivation starts to flag. And yes, I’ll be back in a year to talk about how well I’m doing : )
I enjoyed Ryan’s video too – thanks for the link.
Hey Jennifer,
Thanks for mentioning me on your blog!
This is actually the first time I have heard about your blog too … great content!
I have bookmarked it, and will be coming back.
Have a great day,
Ryan
Ryan Wades last blog post..Build A Scalable Business, and Stop Trading Your Time for Money
Once again thanks for the motivation. I tend to get bogged down by the daily “excuses” but thank God I receive these emails. Thanks for the “kick” Jenn
Hey Jen,
Another great post. It’s always good to hear the reminder to just keep putting pages up. 🙂
Thanks for all you share!
Jackie
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts.. I find it very motivating.. plus the video you just shared is a great inspiration..
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I like your motivation! I really began looking at making some fundage from my home computer around July 2008, about a year and a half after your light bulb moment and I’ve been trying to follow a similar path (although without the successful portion so far).
I am planning on ramping up my efforts in the new year and reading your post (and your other posts) is making me want to get started now! What better time is there? Well maybe Feb 2007, but it’s a process. Okay, enough commenting. I gotta get to work!
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Jen,
Thank you so much for this post. You always have a way for bringing my thinking back on track, no matter how many hands I have in the cookie jar.
I will definitely be back next year.
Brenda
It is a very inspiring post and I thing you are absolutely right that most fail because they give up too quickly.