Online Income – The Secret to Success Is …

Online income is something many people profess to want – but few actually achieve it. Why? Isn’t terribly technically difficult – nope, is there really a secret – yes but not what you think. Online income, passive income whatever is a business – and a business is all about YOU.

I read a couple contrasting attitudes today – which I thought were relevant. Chris posted on The Keyword Academy forums:

To anyone whose article got returned on http://www.brightfluid.com,  I apologize, it definitely isn’t my style. With the craziness going on with the Iraqi government formation and the troop withdrawal, our base is taking a lot of mortars and rockets, and one just happened to nail our internet satellite.

They just installed a new satellite, and I worked through the 119 articles pending, but I know some got returned, and I’m sorry. For the next 24 hours I’m doing hourly submissions to make up for it (besides sleeping of course), so hit me with your best shot.

Just to explain – Chris owns a article directory on TKA’s postrunner system,  and if you don’t approve articles submitted within 7 days they are automatically returned to sender- something some people whinge about a bit on the forums.

Chris obviously has a full-time job – in a war zone – and he’s concerned that he’s let others down … It would be really cool if some of you could add an anchored link to his site … (and yeah I disagree with the US involvement in other people’s countries too – but this ain’t about politics ). Something tells me that Chris is going to succeed in this game.

Also this morning I got a PM through the same forum asking:

I need help and don’t know where to look or ask. I’m half lost in all of this. This is all new to me and I am trying to learn it by myself. I know I am missing several things, but don’t necessarily know what.

Note this was from within TKA – this person is already a member of the site that I push everyone to who tells me they want to make money online.  A site that provides a set of step-by-step videos telling you what to do. I tell people in emails – that they will teach you everything you need to know. If you follow the program you will succeed. But I think I left out a step. So I’m gonna rectify that.

Before you write that email and ask for help (and this isn’t just the above one – I get an email via the contact form at least once a week asking for similar things). And don’t get me wrong I would like to help – but before I spend 1/2 hour of my time giving you free specific advice (something BTW I’ve never asked anyone else to do for me) – I’d like you to spend the time to answer these questions:

1. Do you really want this? Do you really, really want to walk the road less trodden – ’cause this is what it is. If this is just a fill-in before you get a job, go to College, the kids go to school, – then frankly I doubt that you will be committed enough to make it happen.
2. Can you deal with being  faced with  blank incomprehension every time you are asked what you do for a living? Do you have an ego wrapped up with what you do for a living – then this is most definitely not for you!  Most people will think I am a web designer!  Can you  handle not being taken seriously: my own partner thought I was “playing online” until he saw the money, I got asked last week “when was I going to get a job”, again, the same person then turned to my partner and said “I guess you have no choice but to have a job!” . For some people even if your business is a success and you pay the bills (mine does) – that will never be good enough. Some of those people will be related to you and you will care that they don’t get it.
3. Do you want to own your own business. Can you handle the uncertainty of it – the fact that your income will go up or down, and its always gonna be like that ? Can you handle being the ultimate decision maker – for everything.
4. Do you like your own company? If you intend to do this full-time are you happy about sitting alone in a room, just you and the computer for day after day – believe very, very occasionally I miss the idiots I used to work with…
5. Are you prepared to take responsibility. Responsibility for your success as well as your failues.  For a long time  I thought I was scared of failure – but I was also scared of success – in the end I was just bloody scared!
6. If you are doing this full time do you have saving for 9-12 months of living expenses? If you are doing this part-time are you prepared to do this with no financial reward for 12 months plus?
7. Do you understand that Internet marketing changes all the time?  Do you consider that a challenge or a threat?
8. Do you realise that you can’t just blindly follow a formula – that at some point you will have to step up and do your own testing and experimenting?

Frankly most make money online blogs won’t tell you this – but the vast majority of people can’t make money in this game.  My first serious mentor told me that – and he was right. I’m border line – I nearly didn’t make it – I had no actual experience or natural ability in this game. Oh I understand the tech, the websites, enough html and css. That’s not the issue – the issue is self-belief and having a business plan. Anyone with a background in commission selling or successful MLM – will  do way much more with this business much faster than I did.

To the rest of you – you have a chance – but only if you really, really are prepared to throw all your preconceived notions out, forget about the sensible and logical thing your years of experience in education or being a good employee has taught you. If you’re not then – cut your losses – get out  – get a job – or take up a hobby –  that’s not so bad – its what most people do. Isn’t it?

Hey you’re still reading – must be stubborn…

Over 16 months ago, I wrote about the turn-around point in my business, not the moment  that I understood keywords, or understood  how to optimize WordPress, or how to find backlinks – but after I started believing in my dream.

In the next 3 months I doubled my online income. That wasn’t because I some how magically wanted it enough or any other “The Secret” bullshite – I stopped worrying about whether this could work and did the bloody work to make it happen!

I’ve said it before : I’m writing it down here so I can refer to the post the next time I’m asked :

If you have no money and no clue about earning online income:

• answer the above questions;
• still here? Enrol in TKA (handy affiliate link at bottom of post in blue box) and actually study the core videos
• find some keywords – build hubpages – they are quicker and easier to rank and make money from than anything else I know

If you have money, no time and no clue (aka a J.O.B or a partner with a J.O.B):

• answer the above questions;
• still here? Enrol in TKA (handy affiliate link at bottom of post in blue box) and actually study the core videos
• buy some domains and hosting and  install websites
• learn the basics of the business and then invest in learning to outsource, preferably everything, but starting with the writing.

If you have money, time and no clue:

Pretty much the same as above but you should be seeing results way quicker because you can afford to both reinvest in your business and learn it all at the same time.

The secret to success with online income – there is no secret – its just a lot of hard work.  But you do “meet” some cool people along the way.