In the movie, A Few Good Men, Jack Nicholson’s character screamed the infamous line… “You want the truth?… You can’t handle the truth!” and I feel the same way while writing on this topic, because most people can’t handle the truth.
The Truth being, “Anyone who can send an e-mail, has the ability to be an Internet Entrepreneur!” However, many people start out not believing that statement… because, they can’t handle the truth!.
They may have had predetermined ideas of what an INTERNET ENTREPRENEUR is, does or has to do and they discount themselves without even looking into it, while others, automatically decide they are too old, too busy (or too something) to even think about learning something new. The worst part is, when people think “it’s too good to be true”…just because it’s not the norm.
The old dog new trick theory is set aside when people find out how easy it is to become an Internet Entrepreneur. There are many resources to assist you in building an online business and examples of how much money can be made right from the computer you are reading this on.
So… Don, what does it take to be an Internet Entrepreneur you ask…? Fair question!
Have a Burning Desire… No matter what you decide to do in life, Desire is a core component of success. If you want to do anything, there has to be a “why” behind your plan, otherwise it will run out of steam with the first gust of “the winds of change”…
You gotta have goals… The great motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar, is famous for the phase… You gotta have goals! He would repeat it over and over in his seminars and audio series…to the point where you realize… you gotta have goals!
Specific, clear, definitive and in written goals stating exactly what it is that you want to accomplish, seems to be the common denominators of the process.
Once you have a clear vision of your goal(s), things happen (somewhat magically) to bring your goal to fruition. Call it the Law of Attraction, call it focus, energy and attention, call it what you want… there is no denying that a person with a burning desire and goals can accomplish anything!
Find a Mentor or a Coach… This is so important, A good mentor is going to assist you in developing your desires and goals. A Mentor or Coach is someone with experience in similar situations and who has some kind of knowledge you may lack or has been educated by the experiences, successes and/or mistakes of others. They have succeeded in business and life and are looking to assist others to success. A mentor is passionate about you, your business and your future, and has you in their thoughts even when you’re not on their “clock”.
In the online world, there are countless people, books, programs, documents and seminars (both on and off line) which all profess their ability to coach you to success. It is important for you to develop a keen eye for what is real and what is “sales speak” (…you know, commentary to get your dollars from your pocket to theirs). One way to do this, is to find a coach with online experience. This way you have a sounding board to assist you in evaluating the multitude of offers you will see coming your way.
I know in my own coaching practice, my clients (in many different industries, of which I have never worked) have seen their businesses transform, their horizons expanded and their futures become brighter from the conversations and pursuant confidence that comes from our ongoing sessions.
Pay for your Education… Education is expensive, time consuming and cumbersome but invaluable, because once you have it, it’s yours forever. Most people find working on the Internet is much easier than they originally thought! There are millions of sites to advertise on, countless resources to answer your questions and programs to make your learning curve much faster.
Developing skills, education and experience as an Internet Entrepreneur doesn’t come without making an investment of time, money and focus. Let’s address those 3 areas now…
Time: If your business requires you to interact with people, demonstrate product or attend meetings, then you need to commit more time to it and you are limited to 9am to 5pm or acceptable business hours (i.e. 7-10 pm).
Thank goodness the Internet is open 24/7 and can be accessed when I want to work… I find that an hour or two a day will get most projects done…depending on the scope of the project.
Money: Being an Internet Entrepreneur means you have your own business. As such, it takes capitol to run a business. Some people will take out loans, others will use credit cards and some will use savings. 74% of all small businesses are self funded by the owners with personal savings or credit lines (or credit cards).
Many people look to traditional businesses like franchising or “brick and mortar” retail formats to start a business. Today, even owners of traditional businesses are gravitating over to the Internet… Doctors, Lawyers, Executives, Realtors and more are all moving to work online…. The main reasons are; lower cost of entry, no employees, lower overhead, ease of access, no inventory or shipping and fewer headaches in general.
Another alluring part of being an Internet Entrepreneur is the aspiration of residual income. This is money that continues to come in, without any additional effort on your part, this is how freedom is obtained.
When you are looking at any business model, make sure that the system is able to be done by anyone! Essentially this is how I found the income I enjoy and the freedom I was looking for.
Focus: It has been said by many, “you can’t serve 2 masters”, and in most traditional business, that is correct. A traditional business needs 100% of your focus and energy to succeed.
My philosophy has changed as a result of becoming an Internet Entrepreneur. Now, I “focus on life” and my business should be what pays for it…not visa versa. For over 25 years, my focus was on business. Recruiting, training, managing, building, convincing and stressing over the next conquest, life was what happened around the business and sometimes got it the way…
Now, my focus is on living it to it’s fullest, enjoying family and friends and connecting with people on a real level (not with the intent of recruiting them into a business opportunity) but to brighten their day, learn something about them and myself at the same time… to completely enjoy my freedom and assist others in doing the same…
Understanding Risk vs. Reward… An entrepreneur is someone who takes risks”… Actually, a risk taker is someone who plays the lottery, visit a casino or eats food from a can without a label on it. An entrepreneur makes qualified decisions in business, has the ability to influence those decisions with their actions, can react to situations that arise and has the knowledge and experiences to have an expectation of a specific outcome.
As an Internet Entrepreneur, I feel I have total control of every aspect of my business, my life and my future. I will never have to answer to corporate down sizing, changes in management or economic adjustments. As long as I stay connected to my Desires, Goals, Coaches and Mentors and give my businesses the Time, Money and Focus they deserve, I will always be profitable and successful.
The Rewards far out weight the risks, for the Internet Entrepreneur. To know that for a minimal investment, low overhead and to have total control of what your do and how you do it, given the proper system that will automate the processes for you, anyone can be in Internet Entrepreneur!
If you feel this way about yourself (even if it’s down deep inside you waiting to come out…) then, YOU ARE an Internet Entrepreneur! The way to start is to decide and accept that you are an Internet Entrepreneur, and go for it… As Napoleon Hill said in his book, Think and Grow Rich, “what a man can conceive, he will achieve”. Once you believe it, the rest will simply fall into place.
I wish you the best of success, happiness and profits as you embark on your journey, whatever path you follow.
~ This article is an unabridged version of a free e-book~
About the Author
To find out more about Don’s online business venture visit http://www.thousanddollarprofits.com/77381
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