Imagine being one month in since beginning your hard worked website and you have only received one hundred visitors. One month feels like one year and none of the advertising techniques you are using seem to be working.
Forget about the hope to make enough money to at least cover what you originally spent. No, it is far worse, you have to come up with the money to stay in the second month and you haven't earned a dime. What are you thinking? Do you feel scammed? Are you already losing positive emotions?
Or maybe things are not that bad depending on expectations. You may be getting a steady stream of traffic, and possibly pulling in a few bucks. But depending on your expectations, the money still isn't rolling in like you dreamed. You have read about all those people earning thousands a week and becoming millionaires practically overnight but now you begin thinking it was all lies.
You find yourself becoming negative and getting discouraged. After all, this was your dream and it was just another hope gone busted. You begin letting go of your dream, growing disgusted thinking you will always have to keep the job you despise.
You may begin finding more entertaining things to do than sit at your computer and work. You go back to the old ways before you became inspired to take control of your own life and make self-employment on the internet happen. Perhaps you begin to watch TV, surf the internet, play with your kids. Before you know it, you have given up on yourself and any chances for your own home business.
For What? ... Because it wasn't handed to you. You would rather go to work daily to make someone else rich while you complain repetitively than to truly give it a realistic effort.
Every business takes time to build. Let me say that again; every business takes time to build. You just gave up on something that never had a valid chance.
Well, stop! ... you started down the path to failure the moment you start thinking about giving up. Albert Einstein says, "Imagination is more important than knowledge". Do you know what he meant?
The truth is, positive thinking is far more powerful than knowledge. Don't set yourself up for failure. Make realistic goals and not longshot hopes. A very high percentage of people never do manage to earn a serious income online. And the reason is quite simple: they give up. They stop trying. They set themselves up to fail before ever starting. They decide that it all seems too difficult, and they go back to their steady low paying job they hate.
The price of success by Norman Vincent Peale is; dedication, hard work, imagination, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.
So, how do you avoid getting to the negative stage where you just want to quit? You lose all your ambition believing that you really tried when you in fact, did not.
First - Realize this is not a "get rich quick" scheme. This is much better than that. This is real, a business. You are the boss now. Some people find they are not cut out to be the boss. In this case, self-employment is not for you because you are the boss and nobody is there to push you but yourself.
Remember, as a self-employed business owner, you may have to act as boss and worker. You cannot believe all those claims about making money by sitting on the couch. Maybe some people have managed that, but I've never met any! If you want your home business to be a success, you will have to work, put in valuable time, and provide relentless effort.
You will have to work in the field and on the phone. People don't hire secretaries until they can afford to. This hard work is what will really make you proud someday. You must stick through the mud, but in the end, when you succeed, there is no more gratifying feeling. You' ll be singing, "I did it my way" by Frank Sinatra.
Clear a workspace in your home as if you were at your office. If you have more than one computer, designate one as your 'work computer'. This will help you stay organized. It will also mean that every time you sit down at your workspace, your mind will start to recognize that now is the time to start thinking about your business.
In your workspace, make sure that everything you might need is close at hand. If you suffer from procrastination, make sure you have everything before you start. If you are constantly getting up and down from your computer, you will never get anything done.
Remember, you are home, but not for relaxation. Home is now your workplace as well. At least for the time being, until you begin growing and taxes accumulate, then you realize the time has come to move from home to a real office. Trust me, this is a memorable day with a proud feeling of success.
Second - Set yourself a timetable and strict budget. Start work early just as you would if you had to report to work. Do not take the day off for recreation or get caught up watching television. These are bad habits that can be difficult to break.
Get yourself into a routine. Set up your monthly budget and do not over extend it, no matter what. This means that if the temptation to give up does arrive or spend money that doesn't exist in the budget, you will already be mentally prepared to shut down these negative, destroying emotions.
Remember, we are emotional beings. If you learn to always think with your I/E, things will go your way. I - standing for Intellect and E - standing for emotions. If you let your E control your I, serious problems are in your near future.
Third - Make sure your family members realize that you are working. This is not a game and you are not home as a nanny. If you are not taken serious by your loved ones, it will be hard to convince yourself. Sit your wife down and explain to her your goals. It is hard to expect anyone's support if you are not honest with them.
Remember, failing is not trying. Trying is not giving up without a fight. That is why it is so important to maintain a budget so you do not waste money. Approach openly and with confidence but remain analytical and methodical to get the most out of your efforts.
Make sure slowly that this is for you. Some people need a boss to push them. If your only goal is to make millions and become a playboy/girl, then save yourself the torment and keep to the road you are already on.
A positive family can also be a useful tool to support you and keep you from giving up. Admitting failure is never an easy thing to do. If you are the only person involved, it is easier to make excuses and just move on. However, the idea of having to explain it to your friends and family could be a powerful incentive to keep working! Everything helps...
In the end, it comes down to painting a real and positive picture prior to starting. I recommend beginning by creating a professional business plan just like you would for an offline business for any bank, grant, partnership, etc. In addition, it is always a good thing to have in case you ever want to apply for a loan or grant. Before any loan / grant officer even considers accepting an application from you, they will request a thorough business plan with future planning and goals.
Next, you have to treat your home business like you would a real job. If you are seriously thinking about quitting your day job, you first need to be earning a reliable and steady income. You can only get that by putting in the work.
Needless to say, quitting your job is not recommended. Plan out your available time and begin your business part-time if you must. Be positive but also be smart and realistic. Sometimes a business online or offline will take more than two - (2) years before an actual profit is felt.
This is not for everyone but for those who it is, don't give up on yourself. Hang in there and don't leave before "the miracle happens".
