Each and every day thousands of people turn to the internet in hopes of finding a “perfect” Online Business opportunity either to replace or supplement current income.

The problem is there are so many options to choose from, so many biased reviews, so many false promises… after a while everything can easily become a huge blur and despite the research you do you’re often left more confused that when you started!

I also know from first hand experience the thoughts that cross the minds of a ‘newbie’ to the industry:   As you surf around the web part of you is filled with excitement, and hope as you imagine the possibilities, but there’s always those ‘other’ thoughts and questions you ask yourself… such as: “I wonder if all these stories of healthy earnings are true’ and “I wonder if I could succeed with no experience and knowing nothing about the industry”.

Whilst it’s perfectly logical (and even recommended) to be cautious … and to even have a little self doubt,  based on personal experience, I know that regardless of who you are, prior experience, age, or tech savvy, you have the exact same chance of achieving success as anybody else.  You just have to be sensible and think things through.

Knowing what I know now, (with over four years into this industry) I have come to learn that often you never will find the “perfect” online business opportunity, but depending on how you use it or what you’re willing to turn it into, it can often be tailored to be an excellent fit for you and serve you very well for as long as you wish.

Of course there are a few things to keep in mind which I will share below before you dive into anything, but I will also share a few considerations to ponder in hopes that might find it easier to make a decision to at least get started moving in the right direction with some form of clarity.

When choosing any business opportunity these are essential considerations:

Ensure the business is absolutely solid and legitimate.

It is essential you perform due diligence on any online business opportunity (or ‘offline for that matter).  Make sure the business has a solid foundation, talk to others involved if possible and preferably investigate the age, location and track record of the company itself.

Never sign up for anything unless you have spoken with someone (verbally) to get your questions answered.  What I mean is, don’t be sucked into these fancy pages you come across with images of mansions, Porsches and money flying at you urging you to join and start earning right away.  I can guarantee you that if you fell for such claims, you could wave goodbye to your hard earned cash the minute you press “submit”.

Secondly, (and this might be solely my opinion… even though I’m sure there are many who would agree) there should be real benefits both personally and financially and it’s helpful if the general theme of the business is something that interests you.

I’ll explain my second point so you clearly understand what I’m saying:

The business opportunity should benefit you personally:

As you might already know, there are so many business opportunities to choose from; some are Multi Level Marketing endeavours, others might be Direct Sales.  Whilst I don’t want to get too much into which is better (because that’s personal choice) … I do feel that whatever you decided to promote should provide life enhancing benefits in addition to compensating your fairly.

For example, if you are considering marketing a health and wellness product line or a personal development business opportunity as I do, I feel it’s imperative that regardless of ‘what’ it is, it provides real value to the end user.

I can’t even begin to tell you the number of things I’ve tried over the years that had absolutely no improvement on my life whatsoever, yet managed to drain my bank account sufficiently that I was irritated beyond words.

I’ve marketed health products, juices, and other programs that despite my effort to convince myself I either ‘felt’ or ‘thought’ different… the truth is, at the end of the day many of them didn’t make a scrap of difference except to the weight of  my wallet! L

Because many people have had similar experiences, which is why so many are ‘turned off’ it’s particularly important to take note of reviews and talk to people about results.

Now of course there are always ‘caveats’ to this rule as you should also bear in mind there are some people will make trouble in Heaven. 

Lets say for instance you spoke to someone who really didn’t care about the ‘quality’ of product they chose to market, and only joined for the “financial gain” but did nothing to work at building their business; you’ll likely find ‘these’ types will pick holes in the business, products and anyone marketing the business based on their own lack of work ethic and instead look for anything or anyone to blame other than themselves.

The bottom line is, you’ll have to turn on your own filters and use some common sense.

Is the Business Opportunity affordable?

The last thing I would ever do is recommend someone joins any business opportunity that they cannot afford.

Again, there are a plethora of choices when it comes to selecting the perfect business opportunity and many have varying levels of entry.

There are some that have multiple investment points; in fact even the business opportunity I enjoy has three investment levels ranging from very affordable to (in my humble opinion) ridiculously inflated!

The main consideration to keep in mind is to choose the one that will suit your budget and regardless of what anybody says, NEVER invest more than you can afford.

Never be sucked in by focusing on the higher commission level associated with the higher entry point.  Start small and build from there.  I am living proof that healthy incomes can be earned (providing you’re willing to work it) by sharing lower priced products or ventures.  I mean, Heavens, there are people earning excellent incomes by g selling paperclips aren’t there?? (Literally).

Does the Biz Opp.  offer trial period or a money back guarantee?

Whilst I never recommend joining a business opportunity or even purchasing things based “solely” on the fact there is an easy way out, I do feel that providing you set an intention to do your absolute best and put the “pedal the to metal” to work towards your goals, it can be comforting to know there is a “safety net” in place just in case you can’t seem to wrap your heart around it.

There are a handful of businesses opportunities I’ve investigated over the years who will offer a trial period or a money back promise providing you commit to giving it your best shot within a designated period of time.

To me, it doesn’t get anymore ‘fair’ than that and shows the company has enough faith in their products / services / support, etc., that they are willing to be open and allow you time to have a fair ‘test run’.  This is always an option for the ‘nervous Nelly’ types!

Is support, coaching and mentoring provided to help you learn to market your business opportunity?

Many companies these days will provide a certain level of support however when it comes right down to it, most of this support will be the responsibility of the person you join. (i.e.: sponsor).

When looking for the perfect sponsor, ask the hard questions such as “how will you help me?” or “what type of coaching do you provide?”, then at least you will know what to expect and know what is expected from you as well!

Based on personal experience, as well as hearing the same stories from others, there are many times you’ll start a business venture and sign up under people who virtually disappear once they’ve got you on board, so taking the above steps and choosing your sponsor or mentor carefully will give you a better idea as to what you can expect and something to refer to if you feel they are not upholding their end of the bargain!

Now… with this said, again, there is a caveat… and that is that you cannot expect your coach or mentor to hold your hand forever, but they should at least help you build a solid foundation and be there to answer questions or help you through any challenges you may face for a minimum of a couple to three months. (My own opinion).

It’s a fact that everyone at some point has to be willing to roll up their sleeves and take responsibility for their own results after a certain period of time, but again we’re all privy to the same set of chances as the next person for achieving success if we put the effort into learning skills that work for us.

I personally have always kept in touch with my partners, at least the ones who have not lost interest and I find our close relationships make for great masterminding sessions every so often.

So, at the end of the day, what is a “perfect” Online Business Opportunity then?

At the end of the day, the truth is, what’s right for some people may not be ‘right’ for others, but again, we do live in a time where there are so many options that I do believe there is something for everyone!

If you can choose something that will provide benefit, it resonates with you, it’s affordable and you can get the help you need when you need it, the only thing holding anyone back is you.

I’m of the firm opinion that providing the business opportunity is legitimate everything is what YOU make it.

I started with my business at a time I knew nothing more than how to send and receive emails and on a good day I could send an attachment.

At the time I made the choice to start where I was, use what I had and continue learning and working it to make it work for me.

Since that time, the growth has been an awesome experience and I’ve managed to build on my initial starting point to branch out in many directions.

Because I made a solid commitment and firm decision to consistently work toward clear goals, have I have added additional sidelines such as coaching, life coaching and even incorporated and learned to market  a few affiliate products to compliment my initial income stream all as a result of making the decision to get started.

Regardless of how many people you see around the World Wide Web screaming out loud that their business opportunity is better than the next one, always bear in mind it has to be something you are comfortable with.

If you keep an open mind and you’re willing to learn and follow direction the world can be your oyster and eventually you will be able to go modify and tweak anything you choose to be the “perfect” online business opportunity for you.

If I had a dime for how many people I know who worry about what other people think rather than give themselves credit for their own ideas, I’d be rolling in them! (Dimes that is!)

As you might already know, I spend a lot of time on calls either coaching or doing follow up and it seems that when it comes to people wanting to make “out of the ordinary” life changes but feel too stuck to take action,  more often than not, the reason they don’t move forward is almost always related to  what others think of their decisions.

What I mean is, the people I talk to are more focused on “caring about what others think” rather than caring about themselves and putting their own needs and desires first on the list!

Now don’t get me wrong, there is nothing un-toward about getting input or decent advice.  The problem is however, it seems many comments from “peanut galleries” these days are often not supportive and are from people who don’t have a blinking clue.

For example… I was talking to a fellow the other day (I’ll call him Bob) who wanted my honest opinion about starting an online business and whether I thought it might be a worth while endeavour for him.

Well… naturally, as you may have guessed, I feel that anyone who wants to try their hand at being an entrepreneur… should!  I’m not saying jump in and throw down a huge lump of cash or anything like that…but if you wanted to perhaps take a kick at the can with, let’s say affiliate marketing, blogging, or marketing an online business opportunity… I’ll always be the first one to say “go for it!”

So… after I told him to “go for it”… and give it a whirl, he told me the reason he had been holding off was because one of his friends feels that all internet marketing ventures are scammy!

Hello?  I mean what the heck? (I thought) … how are all internet marketing businesses scams?

Clearly this term is so broad that it makes no sense… does it? I mean, isn’t it obvious that “Buddy” there didn’t have a clue what he was talking about?  So why the heck then would Bob give two shoots about what his friend said?

I mean…okay… yes… there are some ‘scams’ online… but there are as many offline or anywhere else you look.  Making a broad statement like this is like saying everyone on the planet is dishonest!

So anyway…  I said to BOB… “Well that’s a ridiculous statement … what do you think Bob?”

Well Bob told me he personally didn’t think that all  internet marketing ventures were scams (again the whole sentence makes me want to scream)  but he knows there are some that are not cracked up to be what they say… and so… he really wasn’t sure whether to take a chance… or not.

With one eyebrow raised, my next question to Bob was… “Bob… if you started a business and decided to market it online… does this mean that would make you scammer or do you believe you’d be building a solid business with the utmost integrity?”

Bob said… “Well no…I wouldn’t scam anyone,  but what if I decided to market a business opportunity and is was a scam and even though my intentions were honest… what if I found out later?”

I said… “Bob… can’t you think for yourself?  I mean… naturally you’ll have to do some research and look into things and perform due diligence… but if you find something that resonates with you and you feel ‘comfortable’… so comfortable that  it feels right … and it’s something you can afford to invest in… and you’ve asked around….then maybe it’s not so much your fear of ‘scams’ but rather it might be your personal belief system that needs looking at?

“Yea maybe” (says Bob) “but what he (Buddy) said really made me lose nerve to a point…. and then I started thinking about the fact that I don’t know anything about online marketing and the fact I’d likely have to start writing articles or doing video’s… and I was worried about ‘what other people might think’ if I mess up….. or don’t have the right way of getting my message across, yada yada yada”….(long run on sentence I know…)

Although my inner voice wanted to come out in the form of frustration… I also know deep inside that this “worrying about what others think”  is what prevents thousands of people from taking a chance on anything in life.  In other words… ‘Bob’ is not alone.

The thing is… I suppose we all have an inner need to succeed and we all would love to come across flawless.  We all, in a perfect world would feel better with genuine support from our friends and family.  We’d  also like to be seen as “having it all together” right from the get go.  Let’s face it,  everybody fears failure… particularly in front of our peers.

The truth is though, that anything in life that is worth doing in order to create positive change… (the  kind of change we desire in the centre of our hearts), often does require “personal”  willingness to take a risk.  Not only that but we also often have to learn to  say “to hell with everything and everyone… I’m going for it”.

Sometimes… (often really) in order to get ahead we have to put on a brave face and step out into the great unknown in order to ‘know’ if our choices are the right ones.

The only alternative is to have that nagging-panging feeling that tugs at our inner self that will continue plague  our minds forever, forcing us us ‘wonder’ if we should have just taken that brave step when we were so close to doing it… but didn’t.

In other words… sometimes we will never know what “could have been” if we don’t just step up to the plate and find out first hand!

You know, when it really gets right down to it, most people who give negative advice only do so because they A) don’t know what they are talking about, B) really don’t have a grasp or understand everything about the topic, C) try to protect you from making a mistake  or… D) Secretly would hate to see you get further ahead than they are.

To be honest, the reason often has a lot to do with “D”… like it or not… after all, misery loves company and never wants to be left behind or see others take a chance on something that is much greater than anything they’d have the guts to try.

Then of course there’s the “Bobs” of the world; those who take the advice of others and end up doing nothing  instead of following their own dreams and trying new things.

Usually those who care about what other think  A) lack confidence and need to learn to get a handle on limiting beliefs and inner critic, B) really don’t want what they say they want badly enough, C) they are too lazy to work towards their dreams, or D) don’t feel they are worthy or capable of success.

Whilst I do tend to think that more often than not, it’s lack of confidence or a poor self image that holds people back, I also feel that a combination of all of the above is intertwined with limiting belief and is why many cannot seem to trust their own common sense decisions or follow their own hearts.

I’ll give you another example about how caring about what others think can hinder personal fulfillment

This is a true story that does not pertain  to starting a business but rather is about  a friend of mine who wanted to train for the Vancouver Sun Run.  (It’s a marathon held every spring in my neck of the woods).

Now I’ve done this run… even though I’m really not a runner… well at least not these days. (It’s just not my “thing” anymore… but I digress..).

In any event, my friend was “humming and harring” as to whether she was going to start training for it….

When I asked her why she was waning on her enthusiasm… she told me that “her daughter and her husband didn’t think she’d make it!”

Upon hearing this I naturally would have liked to crack all of their heads together… including hers.

I mean… how ridiculous!!…seriously!!  Here’s my friend who really wants to do this run and she’s listening to what others think she can or cannot do??  Gimme a break. ((Please!))

First of all… who the heck are ‘they’ other than her family that is… which sometimes I

think is unfortunate… (I don’t really I’m being a bit sarcastic … but it does burn my britches!).  I just can’t believe that anyone who’s supposed to ‘care’ about someone would say that they’re not capable!

The Vancouver Sun Run is something that anyone can do if they really want to do it.  It’s only 10 kilometres which in the big scheme of things is NOT a huge deal!  I mean, this run can be done in anywhere from 50 to 90 minutes… not much more if you walk it…. but yet… she’s thinking about scrapping the idea of  participating because her husband and daughter can’t find it in them to support her enough… and she’s allowed them to convince her she might not make it??  (Aaaarggh!)

Mind boggling… I know… but why??

Worrying about what other people think always makes me crazy.

Particularly if what YOU want to do… is harmless… I can’t get my head around why a person wouldn’t try anyway.

The bottom line is that if you truly want to make some sort of change or try something new… whether it’s starting a business, training for a marathon, learning to play piano, taking singing lessons, writing a book… whatever it is you want to do … you need to do it FOR YOU.

If you allow yourself to worry about what others think… you are not living authentically.  That is the bottom line!  You will likely go through the motions of living the rest of your days never having the feeling of being truly satisfied with life.

The things you prevent yourself from ‘trying’ will always weigh on your heart if they meant enough to you to have thought about in the first place and I can guarantee in 10 years, 15 years, 20 years down the road you will always look back and wished you had done the things you wanted when you had the chance.

I will also guarantee that when the day comes that you ascend to the “pearly gates” you will not look back on your life and be ‘glad’ you didn’t try something new and exciting and missed a bunch of opportunities in life.

The take away to this rather long post is that whatever you need or want to do… you should do if it will fill a void or you feel there is merit in doing so.

Again, it doesn’t matter what “it” is… it could be learning to earn online, it might be skydiving for that  matter… the bottom line is if it will help you become more fulfilled, give you a feeling of accomplishment  and perhaps get a couple of things checked off your bucket list… do it.

Life is far too short to worry about what ‘George’ down the street thinks and I say it over and over again that we should all latch onto a perspective shift and learn to live in the moment.  One day the nay-sayers might be ‘thinking’ about what you’ve done in a positive way with admiration… which at that stage of the game will just be wind beneath your wings  and put an extra feather in your cap!

Everything is do-able if you want it badly enough.   If others have done it… you can too… so “bugger” what others think… worry about what YOU think!

As Napoleon hill says, “”What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve””.   Let this be your mantra and if you need help or empowerment along the way, contact me and lets get the ball rolling!

Put YOU at the top!

I’ve done a lot of talking lately on how to be happy with yourself; not necessarily on this blog but while out with friends, during casual conversations, etc., and was amazed to learn how many of us rarely put ourselves at the top of our own lists.

I mean, think about it!  Do you put YOU first in anything?

I have to be right up front with you and admit I never put me first… ever… and whilst I will always do everything in the best interest of my children… (They are my BIG why after all)… I know that sometimes… well “often” really I may not always do the best job of being completely focused on them because I’ve been busy thinking about other things that concern me.

I don’t always come clean, but like everyone I have my own unique set of circumstances that can become heavy after a while.  I’m not playing my own violin (I’ve said this before) but the last few years has been nothing more than “challenging”.

In a funny sort of way… I’m totally OK with it.  The challenges have helped me grow into someone completely different to who I was in my old life.  These last few years since starting my business and diverting into my coaching career the experiences have taken me down the most unbelievable paths and taught me to truly focus on the positives and grow in ways I never thought possible.

Despite the awesomeness of it all… which I know is all for a reason by the way, … I still have shreds of discontentment that I tend to put on the back burner and if truth be told have ignored them for a very long time.  That is until these last few weeks.

You see, since being in this wonderful world of internet marketing and being so absorbed in personal development, my conversations are much different these days than the way they would have been a few years ago.

Never before would I have taken the time to see beyond people’s exterior and have the insight to pick up on bits and pieces of things said…or to have the insight to see into the souls of others the way I can these days.

I may have never opened up and shared my feelings either, at least not the way I do these days, in fact on second thoughts, I may have never even “paid attention” to things that may have needed attention in the first place.

A few months ago, quite unexpectedly I met a lady with whom I have grown a fond connection.  She is completely different than my other ‘friends’ in the way that she is a little off the wall, loud, crazy fun … and at the same time she is VERY wise.

She has certainly had her challenges in more ways than one but has managed to get a grip on life to the point where she does her best to live in and enjoy the moment.

Last week we were talking about being “authentic”.  In other words: Are we (or most people) as happy and contented on the inside as we are on the outside.

If not… what’s the issue?

(Most people are not by the way… but I digress)

I can only surmise that perhaps she sensed something from “me” that many people do not.

If truth be told, although I am happy, I am incredibly grateful, I do look at the positive; I am very intuitive and can see solutions for others…but the funny thing is,  I often can’t or don’t pay attention to what’s best for me.

This is not unusual, as many of us don’t look at our own issues.  Instead we more often than not tend to brush them off, but when it boils right down to it… it’s not right.

What I’m trying to say is I truly believe that we should all put ourselves first in life no matter what… and as selfish as this may seem… It’s not.

Here’s why:

By putting yourself first, means you are looking after not only your own emotional well being, but also your health.

When you feel emotionally balanced you have much greater energy to put into anything you do in life and as a result you always do the best job possible rather than only doing things ‘half-well’.

When you put yourself first and know how to be happy with yourself, this resonates in an authentic way and you exude greater positivity which benefits everyone around you.

What I’m trying to make clear is that if there is something you have “thought about” or always wanted to do… yet you haven’t … or if there’s something you wish you could do, but for some reason don’t think you can… ask yourself “why?” or “why not?”

I believe we can (and should) do ANYTHING we want.  …Really!! (I do!)

The fact is we only have THIS MINUTE.  Life is fragile and can be snatched away in the blink of an eye.  Then what?

I don’t know about you… but if I croaked tomorrow… I’d be as mad as a wasp that I missed opportunities or prevented myself from being kind to myself….  I’d much  rather pop-off  with  no regrets!

Believe me… there have been times when I’ve thought… hmmm… so I guess this is “it” for me then….. and lately I’ve just thought screw to heck with that!

So anyway.. my point is…DON’T wait till tomorrow, tomorrow may never come.  I’m not trying to be morbid… rather I’m being realistic.

• If you wish you could take more time out to go to the spa… do it!
• If you wish you could learn to earn more money by starting a business or trying something new… DO IT.
• If you want to travel more… figure out how to make it happen!

If you are in a relationship that isn’t making you happy and you wish you could do something to make it better… DO IT… or end it.

Furthermore, if you want to do things for YOU and they are harmless and fulfilling… GO FOR IT.

You only have one life so you should put yourself first.

You also need to embrace that what you want needs no apology.  There’s nothing wrong with wanting some YOU time to fulfill your desires in any way you see fit  … and if others can’t or don’t  “get it”… bugger them!  Seriously!!  (This caring about what others think will be discussed in the next post).

If you truly want to live an authentic life, you have to stop preventing yourself from doing so… and as difficult as you might ‘think’ it will be to make time or allow yourself the well deserved space to do it, it rarely is.

I say, if there is a will there is a way… so get busy, take control of life and make it happen to you.

Put yourself in your own drivers’ seat for once… hell… if you’re not willing to nobody else will do it for you!

What’s at stake? 

You go through this gift of life ‘wishing’ shoulda, woulda, coulda but didn’t… for the rest of it??

I don’t think so!

Get on with it! Learn how to be happy with yourself! Search your soul for the things you really would like to do… or things you would have done if you could live your life over!

In other words…Be kind to yourself and put yourself first.  I guarantee, YOU and everyone else around you will benefit because you have.

Do you give too much?

Having worked online for the last four years both promoting a business opportunity and coaching online, I am in full alignment of with the concept of serving others and being a ‘giver’.

I also am a firm believer in Zig Ziglars quote:

 “You will get everything in life that you want if you just help enough other people get what they want.”

 The problem is though, that as an internet entrepreneur, it can become difficult in knowing where to draw the line so you don’t sell yourself short.

There are so many marketers these days who provide excellent assistance, but because of this ‘be a giver’ trend being hammered home, and the fact there is so much free information out there, the public at large now almost ‘expect’ everything to be free and often cant decipher between ‘free helpful assistance’ and the clout of making a worthwhile “investment”.

In other words, people have become spoiled on one hand, while many entrepreneurs on the other hand have started to devalue their services and in the long run sometimes end up ‘giving’ where they should be ‘earning’ …and I know it can be really tough.

Don’t be fooled by my ‘matter of fact’ attitude here.  If truth be told, I’ve been there too, but what I’ve learned through trial and error is that there has to be a fine balance between providing excellent advice and assistance… without selling yourself short and devaluing your self worth.

The truth is, if you don’t find that balance, you will soon find you’ll spend day and night plugging away at your blog or at your marketing and working for nothing if you’re not careful.

This year… I decided to approach this head on:

• I have decided I will no longer waste my time on people who question the cost of my services.

• No longer will I waste time with people who want what I have. but don’t want to pay.

• No longer do I offer my time for free to those who can’t see the value.

You see, it sounds peculiar, but… most of the time people don’t appreciate the things you give them for free… rather they more appreciate the things they buy.

It sounds a bit strange… but it’s true!

As of this last week or so, I have started to increase some of my coaching fees.  I have also turned away a couple of people who ‘hummed and harred’ over the price; I simply told them that if they have to question whether they feel that are worth the investment (to themselves) … then how could I persuade them to feel any differently?  Far be it from my responsibility to try to convince them otherwise.   

I found that by taking this approach, two out of four people joined me… and because my prices are more or less double what they were, I haven’t lost a cent.

It all boils down to the fact that even though I truly am  for ‘helping people’ and even though I am all for being a giver and even though  I will truly go to the ends of the earth to help anybody who needs assistance… I am not only willing to go flat out for those who are NOT serious about success or helping themselves.

I’ve learned the hard way over the years that most people these days are not willing to take a chance on helping themselves …and sadly,  this is where this whole thing has become an issue.

I have also realized that even some of my friends don’t appreciate my help.  I’ve  had friends over to my house where I’ve actually spent an afternoon building a site for them… and once they’ve left, they’ve never looked at it again.  Furthermore, they’ve never even tried to build on it.

One friend went home, looked at the site… had a few questions… but didn’t even bother to find the answers  and otherwise abandoned the site!  At the end of the day had he in fact not only wasted his time but also wasted my time that I could have used doing something productive for myself!

I have had a number of girlfriends within the last month or two ask for information on ‘getting started’ online, or asking for help and advice on how to promote existing businesses.

Since my door has always been open, I’ve even gone to the lengths of calling them up to remind them that I’m willing to help “whenever they are ready”….  Sadly, and much to my chagrin, it has seemed that when it’s time for  getting off their proverbial duff to put in the effort…they rarely take me up on it.

One friend is almost desperate to look for something to do from home and has asked me for help, expressed huge interest in gathering information about online promotion and despite the fact she is a smart cookie and I ‘know’ she could do very well, even she has yet to step up to the plate to get the wheels in motion.

I can tell you one thing… and that is I’m sure as heck not going to chase her. 

I am at this point, convinced that the bottom line is… you can almost throw yourself in front of someone in the middle of the road offering a huge ball of assistance that just might be the ‘one thing’ they need to really help them change things up… but unless they care enough to invest a little time and in some cases a little money… you are almost always wasting your time by serving yourself up on a silver platter.

It’s so important to remember, we all have the right to make a living.  That goes for me, you and even those who are too complacent… but if you do nothing more than give, give give, you certainly won’t get paid for what you are worth or might get cornered by those who take, take, take.  but never actually go any further because they think the freebies will always be there.

The reason I’m writing this is because it’s time!!  It really needs to be said!

I know so many incredible people online who possess awesome talent, are  helpful and share knowledge  freely to boot, yet are getting nowhere fast.

I even know people who were on the ‘rise’ in their online career who have given so much of themselves, kept super busy helping, helping helping, that, because they were not making it pay what they were worth, ended up throwing in the towel on their businesses because they did not achieve that balance. 

The trick is that you simply must position yourself as a leader… if indeed you are a leader.

You have to stick to your guns on what you are worth or you will indeed work your tail off for nothing in return.

I’m not sure exactly what it is… but I do have an inkling that part of the problem is that deep at the core of most of us… we DO want to help.  We have great intentions; we want to be seen as givers because at the heart of our being we are.  With that said though I think we’ve all become so entrenched in this ‘go giver’ thing that the line has been crossed by some people and they now feel  ‘badly’ about accepting payment for what they do.

It’s ludicrous!  Really it is!

I firmly believe everyone deserves a helping hand and solid advice.  I think it’s great we give it as well, but on the other hand however, we all have the right to make a living and if you do indeed provide quality services and assistance, you need to earn fairly for what you provide.

I have also found that by spending time with people who are serious about what you have to offer and letting the people who are looking for handouts go, in the long run puts you in a much better position.

Yes… you will say ‘bye bye’ to some contacts.  You may pass up more than you feel comfortable… but at the end of the day you will rarely lose out.

The truth is, the people who are not serious about helping themselves, deep inside couldn’t care less if you presented everything to them on a silver platter.  They still won’t do anything productive with everything you do for them … free or not. 

In case I’ve scrambled your brain with this home truth, I’ll give you an analogy based n my industry which of course is anchored in personal development and empowering others into entrepreneurship:

If you were to approach a well known luminary such as Bob Proctor, T Harv. Eker… Jack Canfield, etc., (all in my industry) … do you think they’d spend any time trying to talk you into hooking up with them? 

Didn’t think so.

Now don’t forget… these gentlemen started out just the same any anyone else.  They’re just flesh and blood, started from nothing… but because they knew the value of what they know and teach… and stood by their own self worth… the end results are blatantly obvious.

Now this analogy may not be suited to your industry… but you can apply this example to anything you do in life whether you’re a personal trainer, a dietician, a beauty consultant or whether you promote a business opportunity and mentor a team.

In fact, you can be  to much of a giver  in regular everyday life whether a business is involved or not.

Another analogy about giving and preserving value is a thought  that comes to mind when I think about  my lawyer.  Yes… I do have one as unfortunate as that may be. … and I do try not to think about this too often!

The deal is, my lawyer is high end.  (Again unfortunately)… but as much as I hate to say it, he is worth it.  (When it comes to lawyers that is)

Before I hired him though, I went on numerous consultations and sure, … I found lawyers who were not ‘quite’ as high end.  I even knew a lot of the answers to what I was looking for… and even had ‘free’ information to help me with some of my concerns. (Imagine that).

The thing is though, I wanted to make sure I had the best legal team behind me…and knew that once we got into the ‘guts’ of the issue, I’d be  much better off moving forward with someone who knew the ropes inside out even if that meant paying!

The decision was obviously mine.  I had to decide whether my time/ or whether “I” was worth the best care (so to speak).

I can assure you my lawyer didn’t spend any time trying to sway me to his firm; he just knew that if I didn’t want his level of advice… it’d be my loss. 

Inside I knew it too and was very aware that if I wanted to get things seen to, quickly and professionally, I had to bite the bullet.

He on the other hand knew how to preserve the value of his services.  (as  most lawyers do… and so should we BTW)

Did I do a cartwheel right off the bat?? (Hell NO!)

Am I glad I bit the bullet?  (Hell Yes!!)

And this is just my point about knowing when to be a giver and when you’re giving too much to the wrong people!

You want to attract “hell YES”  people to you… because whether you realize it yet… or not… you and your time is worth something.

With that said, if you feel your time is NOT worth paying for, and then you need to bring your skills and services up to the stage where you feel they are.

Getting on your blog each and every day singing the praises of giving, giving giving yet you’re not making a red cent is doing nothing but eating our time and you will soon find out you’re burned out to a crisp.  The sad part is unless you really think about this you you’ll keep spinning your wheels for next to nothing.

The bottom line is, I am not saying “don’t be a giver”… I do think you should be, but not to the point you’re selling yourself short to people who just don’t give a crap care.

One must find the balance between providing valuable direction and advice, but also reap the fair well deserved rewards for their efforts.

Have you been in this trap?  Are you giving a lot more than you receive? Are you afraid to admit it??

What’s your take on this? Have you found a balance?  Have you been a ‘taker’ perhaps… and if so does this ring a bell with you?

Spill the beans… let’s talk it out!

Starting an online business is an extraordinary experience.  Not only is it easier than ever to do these days, not to mention affordable… it is one of the most transformational endeavours anybody… (And I do mean anybody) can enjoy!

The problem is however, there are so many fools… and tools that spoil it and make it sound far too complex and have the knack of convincing you that without their “magical systems” you will miss out on “must have” tricks of the trade and will surely fail!

On the other hand these marketing tactics also lead you to believe that success is almost guaranteed…as long as you cough up and buy into their ‘closely guarded success secrets”.

The Internet is FULL of hype and is enough to make anybody wonder if success is even possible unless you’re in the “in crowd” or “in the know” and in essence scares so many people away because they feel convinced that unless they “know what they know” they don’t have a chance in hell of making it.

For instance, there are so many ad’s broadcasting how you can make $10K per month effective immediately with this ‘secret weapon”  or … websites sporting cocky looking humans leaning on Porsches parked outside mansions… with lawns littered with $100.00 dollar bills! (Urrggh)  It’s enough to make anybodies head spin!

It drives me absolutely WILD and I don’t mean in a good way… because these marketing tactics do two things.

They mislead and convince the ‘desperate’ to part with their last few dollars… (Sometimes if in a terrible situation, people will try ‘anything’ and often don’t see the lunacy).  Instead they’re lured and just dive in on a wing and a prayer ‘hoping’ to have found the solution to often very serious financial problems.

Alternatively many  ‘would be entrepreneurs’ see the hype a few too many times and form the inaccurate conclusion that ‘everything’ on the web is a scam.

Both of these scenarios are so unfortunate because, whilst there are many scams online, there are just as many awesome and legitimate online business opportunities available to anyone who wants to buckle down and work them.  You just have to use a bit of common sense when making a selection.

The reality is, there are millions of ways to make a million dollars… but success rarely happens overnight and most definitely will not be in the form of sighing up for a ‘push button’ system to create instant wealth on auto pilot!

You simply don’t need an abundance of programs, or gadgets promising the world… in fact you don’t need to by any tools from fools who choose to litter the web.  All you really need is to ignore the external noise and get cracking!

Believe me; I know how confusing it can be.  I also know how blasted and overwhelming it can be… particularly if you’re new to the industry… but please… for your sake, take the first step and start right where you are, use what you have and do what you can… even if  “all you have”  is the head on your shoulders…you will move forward.

You know… even as a full time internet entrepreneur who is already ‘out there’ and easy to find I still get bombarded with nonsense; I get calls on an almost daily basis from ‘fools’ who harvest my phone number and send me pre recorded messages telling me how ‘their push button, hands free system can dramatically build my business!

Here’s the deal people: Lose my number… (Seriously!)

I don’t want your tools… and frankly even if I did, I wouldn’t be hooking up with someone who doesn’t have the common courtesy to  ‘talk’ to me… and chooses to send a pre recorded message instead.  (How tacky… is that?).

Starting an online business is again, an excellent opportunity to create a better financial situation.  Like anything else in life… you do have to work at it and you do have to invest.

These days however the ‘investment’ part does not mean you have to pour a ridiculous amount of cash into getting the wheels in motion.

Truthfully, the most important investment is time.  That is YOUR time… meaning you have to be ‘present’ and play your part in creating your own success.

Here are some facts about starting an online business:

Never in the history of recent civilization has starting a business been so easy.  I’m not saying success is ‘easy peasy’ but it certainly doesn’t have to be ‘hard’ either.

What I’m saying (whether you want to hear it or not) is don’t chase “push button” and don’t chase “auto pilot” because if you waste your time looking for these two fallacies, you will never find them and you will never succeed.

It might be a hard pill to swallow but it’s the truth, despite the leaps and bounds technology has taken these last few years there are no tools… and never will be tools that will build your success for you.  Period!

I will never get my head around why so many people think that “working” is no longer necessary but I will share a few things you should get your head around if you’re willing to take heed:

1)      Anyone can start an online business to create success.

2)      The only tools you will ever need to get started is the personal belief… and knowing you have the same set of chances as anyone else on the planet to earn a sustainable living.

3)      There are millions of ways to earn an income…just pick on and get moving!

4)      You will need to put in the time… and even if you don’t have a lot of extra time… a little time each day… or at least a few  hours per week are enough to get things done.

5)      The sooner you start the sooner you’ll reach your goal.

6)      You do not need to spend a lot of money or more than you can afford.  Many people have built businesses on pennies per day… (literally)

7)      Everything is in YOUR control.

8)      If it’s worth dreaming about, it’s worth working towards.

9)      Nothing is impossible.

10)  If you don’t create changes, nothing will change.  Like Tony Robbins says “If you do what you’ve always done, you will get what you’ve always gotten’

11)  There are no shortcuts, there are no get rich quick methods, and no tool on the planet will generate cash on its own.

12)  The choice is yours… you either get started or not.

13)  Time is truly of the essence and is the most valuable of all commodities. You’ll NEVER recoup or recreate time… but you can create income.

14)  You have just as much personal power, capabilities and just the same ‘rights’ as anyone else.  Simply move forward in the direction of achieving your goals because if you don’t you can only blame yourself.  In other words, just exercise the power of choice to make changes!

If you waste your time… and / or money listening to all the fools flogging their get rich quick tools you will quit and you will never view this industry as being anything more than a scam; the sad reality is that is why so many people fail.

Chasing things that don’t exist instead of using common sense and buckling down will get you nowhere or worse off than you were when you started.  At the end of the long stint of chasing shiny sparkly things, not only will your waste all of your time with nothing to show for it, you just might end up more broke than you were when you started, not to mention, exhausted, angry and disappointed.

No matter who you are, where you are in life, or regardless of past experiences, anybody can build a successful business.

You just have to be open minded and willing to try something different and learn a few new skills one at a time.

If you don’t know where to start (ask for help / direction if necessary) and put your new found knowledge into practice one baby step at a time.  You will be amazed at how ‘awesome’ you feel with each and every accomplishment and how it soon becomes second nature.

Get the wheels turning now and you’ll be amazed at the ground you can cover in a month!

Always remember too that we all started in the same place… knowing nothing and implemented the necessary actions to get to where we are today!

Amateurs built the ark, professionals built the Titanic.

Although there are ‘things’ you can ‘invest’ in to make your journey easier and in some ways, hasten results, for now… you  only really need to use the ‘tool’ between your ears to plan your own destiny and take control of your own economy simply because you can!

Feel free to contact  me if you’re ready to get cracking!

Have you ever gone through a stage in life where you’ve lost track of the real you?  Lately I know I’m just not in my game the way I’m meant to me and to be honest have felt these last few months to be living some sort of charade.

The problem is, I’ve come unglued, unfocused and have been wondering lately where the real me got to.

It’s frustrating, because to be quite frank as I’ve traveled a number of amazing paths during my lifetime and even more so these last few years and learned an awful lot, met and worked with some incredibly inspiring people.

Of course there have been times I have gained ground in leaps and bounds and really knocked it out of the park and other times I’ve slipped and allowed some goals to fall completely off the radar.  Lately however, I really feel to have sucked the big enchilada and simply stagnated!

Not only haven’t I acted on all of my goals in the way that I could, haven’t been out there as much as I should… I’ve gotten hung up on a few things I’m not sure how to ‘do’.

The result is my time management has flown out of the window, my focus and positive mindset has in some ways dwindled down the loo a bit and to be honest, there are some days that I’m  nothing more than ‘blank.”

I have felt to allow my shortfalls to get the better of me and I just haven’t known where to focus my efforts.  On top of all of that… even my blog Alexa ranking has skyrocketed from slightly under 100 to 280+K… which those of us in the online world know that in this case more is NOT better.

To add insult to injury, there have been days I’ve dreaded coming over to “tickle my blog” with pink and frilly topics, mostly bursting with positivity and motivation, particularly when feeling somewhat opposite to the ‘shite’ eating grin on my header… (Above)… which incidentally due an overhaul in the not too distant future.

SO What’s the deal with the ‘real me’ and what’s changed?

Well I do have some ideas (thankfully) in fact they’re more than ideas; I’m pretty sure they’re bang on.

First of all, I’m human, and we all have ‘things’ that clog our energy flow from time to time.  There are some things I’ve carried around that have become heavy and need to be ‘put down’ to lighten the load.  All of these roadblocks are things I’m revved up to tackle… and I have set my intentions to make changes effective immediately.

Another thing that’s ‘bothered’  me a bit lately (well there’s actually two things..) is that I spoke to a lady who said “she wished she could be more like me… having it all together… as she felt she never would”.   I almost had to look behind me to see if there was anyone standing there who she may have been talking to instead.

Then… another acquaintance / come friend told me she felt like “the universe just tossed her a huge ball of awesomeness bringing me into her life”.   How lovely is that?

Well… as  much as a compliment and boost to my ego these ‘beautiful statements’ are… they have also caused me to feel a huge surge of guilt.

You see, even though I am positive… and I do have a great work ethic… and I do have motivation for the most part and admittedly I’m fairly busy… lately I sure haven’t felt to be living up to my own standards.

I mean, I’ve never though I am “the great I AM”… far from it… but lately if truth be told I’ve been the ‘great I’m not”…

I am only  human just like everyone else and even though I can still empower others… and get all revved up helping people lay their foundations in various aspects of life… when it comes to me… I’ve just ran out of “energizer bunny rambunctious ness”.

The thing is…I do realize it’s just a ‘stage’… and I’m certainly not going to beat myself up and throw in the towel or anything stupid like that.  This just goes to show you that no matter what ‘industry’ or ‘profession you’re in (mine being an empowerment coach) proves that we all run out of steam occasionally and have to regroup.

Despite the lovely compliments above… the truth is, I’m made out of the same stuff as any other human; if I get cut, I bleed, if stub my toe, I say ouch… and none of us ‘trump’ in baby powder scent!

The only thing that sets me apart from some of the people I coach is that I started pumping up the volume and got my business under way four years ago and definitely know a thing or two about a thing or two, perhaps a little more than they might at this stage of the game.

With that said, there are occasions still, where  self doubt can creep in and even the fear of failure can try to block me when I run headlong into a wall and have to grapple to break through it.

With all of this said and off my chest…  I’m ready to re launch the real me again… I’ve missed her to be honest… so I thought I’d share a few things I’ve done to renew and re-vamp.

The other day I looked in the mirror.  (As scary as that may sound).  I literally said “self… it’s time to make changes and get this show back on the road”…

I realized I hadn’t been following my advice lately nearly as much as I’d been dishing it out.

I’ve also been focusing on the ‘wrong’ things too.  Things that keep me ‘still’ instead of getting out there and shaking my booty… like we all should regardless of what we are aiming to achieve.

I decided to get my bottom anchored firmly on my chair… at my desk in order to regroup and reflect on why I do what I do in the first place.

The answer is … to earn a comfortable living from home so I can control my destiny and enjoy the blessing of raising happy, confident kids and live a more fulfilled life with my children.

That’s really the bottom line… Sounds pretty simple really… and it is.  Nothing frilly, nothing outlandish… certainly nothing that can’t continue.

Here’s the deal though.

I have taken on a few too many things and even though they’re all important pieces of the ‘Jayne journey’ I do have too many irons in the fire, hence have become scattered and less focused.

I picked up my pencil.  (You know… those skinny  yellow things with lead and I also pulled out my pad of paper… with lines ).  In other words… I didn’t type into a Word Doc… as writing is really waaaay more effective!

*First of all I listed all the tasks I MUST complete… and planned a few next steps.

**I then analyzed where I currently spend my time and discovered that apart from going around in circles, it seems that although I have built up a decent (ish) clientele… I have also been attracting the ‘wrong’ folks… and lots of ‘em!!

I have spent an incredible amount of time with people who ‘claim’ they want to make changes… like to shoot the breeze, play a violin, cry… whine and complain… but truthfully have no intentions of actually doing anything about it.  To tell you the truth it sometimes feels like I’m flogging a dead horse!

That… is coming to an end… clients or no clients.  I can no longer afford to spend time stroking people who don’t want to ‘make things happen’ it wastes time… mine and theirs, not to mention drains my energy and  pulls me down a bit too.

I have enough clients who are action takers… and those are the ones that lift my spirits so I’m definitely being more selective when it comes to choosing who I work with.

***I then made a list of the things I want to do… but don’t know how to.

I’ve often said I’m a bit of a technophobe… and I am.  Instead of hitting the challenges head on, I’ve allowed myself to drag my feet on the things I need to get a handle on.

Not anymore… I’m getting out there to find the help… and will even ask some of my online friends for assistance. (So fasten your seat belt if you’re part of the posse who’s bailed me out before… just a warning!) .

I have also decided to alter some of my marketing strategies.  .  Not only am I exercising some new marketing techniques… some that I’ve used in the past with decent results… but I have also examined the benefits of exposing my business locally in addition to online.

I have recently realized just how many  people right in my own back yard need the type of help I provide  yet I mostly work wit h people abroad on Skype!  I know it sounds funny really… but it’s amazing how many customers we have in our own neck of the woods, yet we overlook that market share … daily.

Since talking with a few people close to home, I decided to launch a Womens’ Empowerment group in my home town along side of the owner of a local spa catering to mostly women.  A friend of mine is also very empowering and has a lot to add… so it really feels nice to work with people I know ‘personally’.

I also met another fellow who runs a successful business and we are in the midst of organizing a new monthly Mastermind group for folks who currently market existing businesses.

Although there are still a couple of details to iron out on both of these fronts… we are getting these off the ground in March come hell or high water!!

Phew getting this off my chest just feels good… and I already feel to be back on the path the finding the real me again!

It’s amazing what making a  firm decision or two can do for your well being… and I’d highly recommend self analysis if you feel to be a little off kilter.

Here are a few suggestions if you feel you’ve lost focus and need to get a grip on the real you again:

First or all, don’t worry about it… know you’re human and don’t take yourself too seriously!  Certainly don’t let a little slump put you off.

Then:  Revisit your BIG why. Getting clear on ‘why’ you do the things you do.  This incidentally doesn’t matter if your goal is to get in shape, lose weight, get organized or improve your outlook.  Just get IT straight and you’ll find everything will start to feel more worthwhile. 

Make a list of the specific actions you need to take.  This includes easy to do and the things that stall you.

Tackle the tasks you can do by yourself and then figure out a way to resolve the ones that pose challenges.  Always… always ask for help if you need to as it will save you so much time. (Take it from me…)

Create a schedule,  taking time out  and then comitting to  focus on one thing at a time… or at least set aside certain times of the day to work on separate things.  Don’t cross paths and jump from one to the other as I have lately.  It doesn’t work.

Pat yourself of the back and acknowledge your personal power… then continue to keep moving and take massive action!

So why did I write this post about finding the real me?

I wrote this post to come clean and get things off my chest because I know for a fact there are so many people silently struggling with feeling stuck in a rut and not wanting to ‘say’ anything for fear of looking not so on top of things.

My take on this is that it’s often a natural transition and can even be called “growth”… and even if you don’t buy into the ‘growth’ aspect… I do believe everything can be an opportunity for improvement.

Everyone goes through stages.    Sometimes we’re up and sometimes we’re down… and getting stuck is normal.

Making a fresh slate and sorting things out is a great way to set yourself straight again so you can stop pretending to have the world by the balls… when sometimes the balls have you instead.  (Scuse the phrase… it just works!)

I have also found that getting ‘out’ and networking is really refreshing.  If you’re anything like me and work solely from home… even though I may have personal contact… it’s rarely ‘in person’ contact where I can ‘reach out and touch someone”…   it really is a nice change.

Re connecting with the real me has also made me realize I still have some pretty steep hills to climb… but by publicly announcing it in some ways helps me stay accountable as well as I have found a few people have shared their own feelings of frustration and make their own changes along with  me.

This has caused me to consider starting a forum or group where we an all share advice and help each other with challenges pertaining to various areas of life or business.

What do you think??

You don’t have to answer that if you don’t want… but the bottom line is… I know for myself it’s time to shed the “fuzzy pink blankey” and start making some more meaningful tracks and doing a few things that are perhaps a little scary!  After all that’s what I preach to my clients.

In the past I’ve always done whatever I have set my mind to doing… I think it’s time I reached down and caused history to repeat itself even though I might be at a different stage in my personal endeavours.

We all have the power to achieve any amount of success if we truly want to and if you’ve feel to have lost your momentum… or the real you as I felt to have lost the real me… (Regardless as to what you may be working on or facing) the only way to tackle it is to get a grip, get organized, pick yourself up, brush yourself off and take massive action.

This year is the year I plan to make huge changes and take great strides… no more pussyfooting for this chickadee… all I get out of that is cat shaped feet… and they’re just useless for a big girl like me!

What are your thoughts?

Do you want to start your own business online… or have you been busy thinking  “instead of doing”?

If you’re like a good handful of people I’ve talked to this week… you’re doomed from the get-go… unless of course  you snap out of it and get cracking!

Why? 

Because it seems you’re not as serious as you say you are.

Instead (it seems) you’d rather complain about the economy… or the fact you’re laid off.  You’d rather spend the day on Farmville than improve your circumstances

You come up with every excuse in the book… rather than read a book that’d do you some good.

You talk yourself out of getting started because you can’t bear but to remind yourself ‘you know nothing about ‘internet stuff’…or  that “you’re not techy”, or “you’re not a sales person”…. and… that “your friends and family think you’re nuts” for even considering it… and besides… you “can’t afford to spend much” to get started.

So instead, you surf the net (cause that’s easy right?).  You fill in forms to get free reports.  You read some of them… but most of them sit and never get opened.

Why?  Because you tune out after the first thing you read that doesn’t feel comfy and ‘easy peasy’…. And that’s about as far as you go… until of course,  you phone me… and recite the above.

To be honest… It has a way of making my hair curl (can’t you tell?)… and I can’t help but think you’re getting exactly what you deserve.

I mean….Helloooow? 

It’s my opinion that anyone who wants to start a business should get off their butt and get the show on the road and not worry about any of the ‘other stuff’.  Getting started is the only thing you need to worry about right now.

Forget that you hear than only 3% succeed and 97% of businesses fail.  So many people get hung up on those figures.  I mean it might be a fact but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get your rear end in gear and  join the 3% if that’s where you want to be and instead of soaking up the negativity, focus on the other side of the dotted line instead.

I guess though, that at the end of the day the choice is yours and nobody can force you out of your rut except you..

Still… the big questions remains… and that is:  deep inside…are you serious about success or making changes…?  Or  do you just like the sound of your own voice?

If you are serious you’ll do what the rest of us do and get cracking!  You’ll acknowledge that right now…you might not know anything about getting started (just like the rest of us when we started), BUT.. and it’s a big BUT…you’ll be ok with it… because you are committed to buckling down and learning a few skills that you’ll put into action and moving in the right direction! …..Right??

If life really sucks the say you say it does, isn’t this small commitment worth the effort? It’s really the choice between staying stuck or taking a step in the direction of change!

If you’re using the “I can’t afford it” excuse … wouldn’t you agree that perhaps it’s something you can’t afford NOT to do??  Particularly if, as you say there’s no work?

Although admittedly I am a proponent of investing in my business because I know I’ll get back more than I put in, I  know many people have an aversion to spending a few dollars.  To me the only two reasons for this is because they either should  work on their belief system to overcome the fear or failure… or… they don’t want it badly enough.

If truth be told, I don’t think anyone ‘loves’ the sensation of pulling out their credit card BUT when you are making an investment into your knowledge or into something to move you forward… it’s always money well spent.

Now I’m not saying you have to spend much at all.  The fact is, there are all sorts of solid low cost business opportunities on the internet.  While some do require a larger investment than others… there are plenty that cost mere pennies per day that require a larger investment of time and effort than anything else.

For example,  with the exception of perhaps of investing into a solid marketing course that can be picked up for less than a hundred bucks, I find affiliate marketing can be an awesome way to learn the ropes and it’s a business that can literally be run on about 40 cents per day.  Seriously!
If you’re worried about what others think about your goals to start a business online… who cares?  I mean seriously, if you’ve got a buddy or a family member who’s knocking you for spreading your wings, all you need to do is take one look at their situation.  If they’re not living in a mansion on the hill and earning big bucks… and willing to show you how to do the same, then why on earth would you take their advice in the first place?

I know lack of knowledge can be stifling and make it difficult to ‘know’ how to proceed and even I have a couple of tasks I have yet to implement.  The difference is, I will find the solution and do it… the question is will you?

You see, when I’m stuck, I ask for help or find the resources to get me though it and believe me… I’ve been stuck like glue on a number of occasions… but I’ll talk about that in another post.

The truth is however, the same opportunities are available for you too.    You can always reach out… find a coach or mentor and/or do your own research to get your questions answered… but for heavens sake… at least make a start and get the ball rolling!

The deal is… anybody can succeed if they’re willing to shut up and actually DO something… and not talk themselves out of it before they get going.

I personally know many people who have been flat broke… ready to lose their home and just about everything in it… but because they had a deep desire, the just buckled down and DID something about it, instead of think of all the reasons they shouldn’t … eventually one thing lead to another and many of them are now making an income most only dream about.

Now,  I will admit success does not always come overnight… but it will come a hell of a lot faster than it will if all you’re doing is sitting, thinking and making excuse… because as you might already know,  that won’t do a blasted thing.

The best time to start a business online is right now.  Period.  With all the opportunities at our fingertips since the internet came into our lives… you’re just starting a gift horse in the mouth if you don’t partake in the blessing.

If  you really want to create changes and need a hand getting started, contact me and lets yet the show on the road…. But only if you’re serious

In case you haven’t noticed I’m definitely blowing steam today… and yes there have been a couple of folk who have caused me to talk with my inside voice a little louder than I normally might. (They’ll know who they are if they read this post… and I’m all good with that). 

If you relate to anything I’ve said why not  get cracking and at least make a start today?

Like my coach says… “You don’t have to get it right, you just have to get it going”… (Darn, how I wish I could claim that as my own) J

I’m not saying in any of this that there are any ‘guarantees’ in life… there aren’t for any of us, but there is one thing for sure and that is if you don’t get off your fanny and do something about making tracks, you just might be playing Farmville for the rest of our your life.

If your inside voice is saying you are serious about success… and you just need a little lift to get you going… contact me at any time.

 The worse thing you can do is waste time… because that’s the one thing you can’t get back… and I’ll give you some examples in my next post on this.

Just remember, we all start a business with the same set of fears, questions and hesitation, but it’s breaking through that barrier that causes things to flow… just do one thing, then move onto the next… but taking action and getting the show on the road is the only way you’ll ever see results.

Wishing you a wake up call and the best that life has to offer! 

Have you ever given any thought to the fact that just one thing can profoundly affect your life?

It’s true… and it’s something I’d like to discuss today.

Naturally, ‘the thing’ could be as  different for all of us as are the results and consequences it brings about.   If  you’re unclear as to what’s running through my tiny mind… please allow me to explain! :

The one thing (sorry) … I’ve learned through  coaching is that each and every one of us, at one time or another experiences something to shape our lives; sometimes “it” can ‘break us’… and set us on a slippery slope of hell… or it can ‘make us’..  and completely change our lives for the better… usually when we least expect it.

I’ve often heard people say that “one thing severely altered their life and totally set them back” … but I’ve also heard amazing stories as well… from from others who shared how “just one thing  changed the course of their life in ways they would have never imagined”. 

This morning I spoke with a lady who has struggled like mad to build her business… but finally had a breakthrough and feels so much better that she’s almost walking on air!

A few months ago however, she questioned her decision to become an entrepreneur in the first place and almost threw in the towel all together.

You see… entrepreneurialism is a new(ish) experience for her.  In previous years, she was always very satisfied climbing the corporate ladder and working her high paying managerial  job of 15 years.

Then, last year, her company downsized… and eliminated  positions starting in higher management.  Sadly, she was one of the first to go.

Naturally she was devastated and started frantically applying elsewhere.

As each interview came and went, and she learned she was not the successful candidate, she resented the fact that she had always been taught the only way to get ahead in life was  to complete her education, get a good job… and  after that she’d live happily ever after.

Obviously… that wasn’t the case for her so  when she started  her business venture… she was a little out of her comfort zone  as she had never before considered “creating her own economy”.

She realized the way she was taught had  indeed shaped her life… but certainly had not prepared her for her current set of circumstances.

As I was tidying up the ‘bedlum’ after dropping the kids off at school, I was thinking about her situation and the one thing in my own life that shaped me and set me worlds apart from her.

I thought back to when I was 14 years of age when my dad asked me to attend an ‘own your own business’ seminar here in Vancouver.

I can remember thinking:  “What?? Own your own business seminar?  Are you kidding me?  I’m only 14!”

In any event, I went with him.  As we drove in the car, he explained to me that being an entrepreneur and learning the skills to be self sufficient would be the one thing in life that could keep me afloat above anything else if I played my cards right.

He also shared that the world is our oyster and if we are willing to embrace it, the possibilities are endless.

That conversation was something that always stuck with me, formed my belief system, and helped me to see the world through rose coloured glasses…. and for that I am very grateful.

With that said, “one thing”  can always  knock you on your proverbial bottom too … when you least expect it!

As some of you may know already, when I was in my mid 30’s I built a  successful offline business with my husband and life was awesome until our marriage failed and just about killed me in the process

After spending a good 8 months playing my violin, curled up in the fetal position, I thought back to my dad’s advice and decided to pull myself together and snap out of it and take control of life again.

I chose to search the internet for income earning solutions as well as a way to rebuild my self esteem.  After kissing many toads I came across the business opportunity that set me on a whole new uplifting and fulfilling path.

Admittedly I encountered my share roadblocks and challenges, but eventually I found that with the right attitude that one thing leads to another… and it did… & thankfully the big wheel started turning.

Now you see, if I had decided to give up… or completely discount my own personal power, I would have never experienced some of the wonderful turning points and opportunities that presented themselves along the way.

I truly believe that for anybody can excel and create positive results regardless of their situation as long as they keep an open mind and don’t quit.  It only takes ‘one thing’ to turn things around again… and you just never know what ‘it’ will be… and eventually ‘something’ will  ‘just happen’  or come into their life and  cause all the chips to fall into place.

This isn’t something I’ve only  just thought about either….

Throughout life, I have heard many stories about people who in some cases, met someone new,  out of the blue who helped them transform their life.

I’ve also heard of folks who found answers to their problems by reading a book, attending a seminar, or hearing a quote that affected them in a profound manner… enough to give them a light bulb moment to alter their own direction and cause them to make incredible changes for the better.

It also could be just finding ‘something’ that works for you… by stepping out of the dotted line and taking a chance on something unusual.

 Since running this blog I have also met many people who have struggled in life due to carrying baggage that should have been ‘put down’ years ago. 

Funnily I have a handful of ridiculously popular posts that I wrote some time ago pertaining to holding grudges, forgiving others, self forgiveness and embracing the power of apology.

On more than one occasion I’ve been told that ‘something’ within these posts has struck a cord that has caused them to take the step to reach out and patch things up with others, or has helped them deal with, or get the help to deal with their own emotions.

Sounds crazy doesn’t it …that people (and I’ve been there) sometimes just need to hear, read, or see ‘one thing’ that can be the answer … or just what they need to set them free?

These are just a few examples of my own… but I’m sure you’ve likely heard people say:

“Oh if I could just deal with this ‘one thing’ I’d be happy” or “there’s just one thing that holds me back from feeling stress free”… etc, etc, etc,

So you see, sometimes in life…  something simple can set you on a road to freedom, personally, financially or otherwise… it’s just a matter to of ‘knowing’ believing and keeping going that has a way of making things work out.

Bear in mind however, that whatever you are struggling with… whether it is growing a business or just living a fulfilling life… things do work differently for some that they do for others

My advice is always to remember to keep your chin up.… and even if you fall and occasionally fear failure… just know that eventually with the right attitude and the tenacity to keep on trucking… you can succeed.

More often than not, you will run across one amazing thing that will lift you up and put the wind beneath your wings to take you to a place in your life that you may have never thought possible.

I sincerely hope this post might be the one thing  that may  lift you and help you to remain open to YOUR own possibilities and value if you felt to be lagging. 

Can you share ‘one amazing thing’ that helped you make positive life changes?

Have you ever given thought to the fact that the key to success is based on the decisions you make?

The problem is,  most people don’t achieve success is because they haven’t decided exactly ‘what’  it is they want!

Can you believe it?  Well… believe it or not… it is the truth!!

If I had a nickel for the number of people who have told me they want more out of life and wish to make some changes for the better… yet don’t know ‘what’ they they want specifically… I’d be fully retired and writing this post from the Caribbean.  No wait… I wouldn’t be writing this post at all.

The first key to success…  is always deciding what you want.

… after all,  how can you aim for something… if you’re not sure what the target is??

You really do need to get very clear:

Do you want to earn more money?  A happier relationship?  Do you want more confidence?  Do you want to be an entrepreneur?  Do you want more time to travel? A new house?  etc., etc., etc….

What is it?  If you feel you want something… you have to identify to the letter what the heck it is and whilst I realize it might take some time to get focused and iron out all the fine details… it’ll be well worth your time in the long run.

Spend some time here and focus on what your ideal life would look like…and what it will take to  make it happen and then write it down in detail… then let us know!

After you have decided ‘what’ you want in life you’ll automatically feel more serious about success… (whatever that might mean to you).  The second step is to spend some time determining what you will need to do to make it happen.

Will you need to work longer hours?  Do you need a coach?  Do you need to find another job?  Do you need to step on the wild side and start your own business?

Then decide on the “how “

Will you ask the boss for more hours?  Plan some strategies with a life coach… or by yourself?  Quit your job to go on interviews?  Learn new skills to start your own business? Get a second job to buy that house?

Decide exactly what it will take!

Once you have  determined the necessary steps, the third decision you will have to make is to get off your backside and do something about it!  You will have to be determined that come hell or high water, you will do whatever you need to do to get through that list of steps no matter what!!

Thinking about making life changes or ‘wondering’ what the key to success is… isn’t going to do a blasted thing except cause you to focus on what you don’t have and keep you wishing for the vision you have in your minds eye.  (Which by the way should be crystal clear now because you’ve spent the time hammering it down and mapping it out!)

If  you don’t make these critical decisions you’ll be doing the same thing  as you always have, yet expecting different results.  The reality is you’ll  just be stuck  in the same boat throughout your life …and we all know you can do much better than that!  Right??

You know, I have a saying… that I picked up from my high school teacher … and it’s something that has stayed with me.   That saying is: “we all come into the world the same way, we’re all going out the same way… while were here, we need to make the best of it…. and we all have the option”.

If you’re looking  to achieve anything, it’s has to start with making the right decisions to change your current circumstances… and finding ways to make dreams come to fruition.  After all, one decision can change your life.

After you’ve become clear on your goals and planned the necessary steps to achieve them, don’t forget that nothing happens if you don’t take action.  After all action is an integral key to success… regardless of what ‘success’ means to you!

Is there anything you’ve been wanted to change for the better yet haven’t taken the time to properly pin it down?  If so I hope this short and simple post struck a cord… after all it’s the same for everyone no matter who you are.

If you need help ‘deciding’ on the changes you want to make and need help mapping out the necessary steps…contact me at any time. It’s one of the things in life I love the help with.

Just remember the key to success… no matter what it means to you … really is all based on making decisions. That key by the way fits every door on the planet!

Please share your thoughts and any experiences below.

As some of you may or may not know, I own a few affiliate marketing niche sites as I feel it’s an super way to earn a few additional streams of income in conjunction with my personal development and coaching business.

Up until about a year ago however, I had never really focused on affiliate marketing much at all, although I’ll be the first to admit I enjoyed earning commissions occasionally by recommending the odd product here and there but that was as far as I went.

It wasn’t until I wrote an article a while back where I happened to make a casual suggestion based on my positive impression of a product I use… and earned a big fat commission… well a few of them to be honest.

This, as you can likely appreciate caught my attention!

I thought, if I can earn commissions… by not even ‘meaning to’… just think of the untapped possibilities that lay before me if I focus more seriously on affiliate marketing and try my hand at building up a couple of niche sites.

Now as a caveat … that’s not always the way it goes… the flood gates don’t always open like that,  much to my chagrin!   but that’s a whole different post.

Now, I already knew how affiliate marketing worked but I was interested in learning some of the really effective way of building a few additional little income streams on the side and wanted some pointers to improve from someone I knew I could trust.

I decided to dig a little deeper into this affiliate marketing business model and turned to a fellow I admire and whose list I’ve been on for a number of years.  His name is Matt Carter.

Matt has been an affiliate marketer for quite some time now and currently earns a ‘more than full time’ income doing what he does best!  That is of course,  affiliate marketing!

Matt also created an affiliate marketing course early last year and because I admire his integrity and down to earth nature the way I do, I jumped on board and purchased it immediately.  There was no question in my mind as to the value it would provide and to be honest it was likely one of the best little courses I have ever clapped eyes on.

I mean if truth be told, I have purchased in the thousands of dollars of courses over the years… enough to fill a small library (believe me).  Some good, some bad… and some well… let s not even go there.

Since following Matt’s instruction … almost to the letter, I have done quite well to be honest.  I still could use a little improvement here and there, but since the affiliate marketing has been more or less a side line for me, I have to say I’ve very pleased with the results I’ve gleaned this far.

Now, I did write a post last year about his course …the post is titled Two Awesome Affiliate Marketing Courses you can read it  if the mood swings you.

To this day, I stand by everything I shared in that post… the two courses I recommend I also own, and have to say they are worth every penny.  (Which by the way they are ridiculously affordable)

Well, the reason I’m writing once again about Matt Carter and Rapid Profit Formula isn’t at all to ‘flog’ his course but more to share with you how awesome Matt really is and give credit to a very decent human… where it’s due.

I am so impressed with this young fella and to be honest I truly feel  that anyone who wants to learn from someone who has a good solid head on his shoulders and doesn’t beat around the bush… he’s your man.

You see, Matt has already done quite very well with his product Rapid Profit Formula.  He has earned many positive reviews and the product has rightfully gained well deserved recognition.

Now here’s the thing that blows me away though:  As many of us who are already in this internet marketing industry know, there have been a few significant changes with Google this year which has caused many of us to make a few changes in the way of our marketing efforts.

Well, because Matt is always at the top of his game, he stays up to date with the “wave”… and does an excellent job of explaining some of these necessary changes to his readers.

The part I just couldn’t wait to share with you (wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t) was that Matt, instead of creating a new product to outline these changes (which he could have very easily done… and done quite well with at that), has instead re-created over 80 percent of the Rapid Profit formula course to take into account the recent changes and apply to the here and now.

What’s more this is like a free upgrade so to speak.  Those of us who own RPF already, automatically benefit from his upgrade… without upgrading or having to fork out any additional funds to learn the new information.

How many guys would do that?  I mean seriously??

He has more or less, re-written the course (so to speak) at no cost to those who already own it.

I personally, don’t know anyone who would do that for their customers and I do know a few internet marketing “gurus” in their own right.

Most people would have created a ‘new and improved’ Rapid Profit Formula… or “Rapid Profit formula 2″… but not Matt.  No Siree, he went and created new content and replaced the old just because that’s the way he rolls.

I really feel that anyone who is interested in Affiliate Marketing and would like the help of someone who truly knows the industry, cares about his customers, is no BS and bursting with integrity,  not to mention teaches nothing  but sheer value, Matt Carter is definitely that person.

As far as Rapid Profit Formula goes, it is the one course I refer to over and over again and for the price tag, you just can’t beat it.

Like anything you wish to master, you do have actually do the work and do the tasks he teaches… but he’ll be the first to spell that out to you.  If you’re interested in learning about affiliate marketing and you want to learn from the best, Matt is your guy hands down!

I truly believe that if  you are a ‘leader’ and create your own products, it would be a wise move to take a leaf out of Matt’s book and look after your customers in the same way.  It’s something that will come back and pay you in spades down the road and do wonders for your reputation.

To learn more about Affiliate Marketing or Matt himself, pop on over to Matts Blog.

Is there anyone you admire and would like to share credit where it’s due?  Are there any awesome products you would recommend? Leave us a comment below and lets spread the word!