How do you cope with information overload and wso addiction

[Tomwood]

When i first started in Internet marketing all I did for buy the latest products especially w.s.o.'s, searching for that elusive shortcut to internet riches more traffic or whatever was promised.

I took action on very little and what I did was very sporadic as result I just pour money straight down the drain.

Obviously there's a learning curve and you have to spend money to learn the ropes but where does it stop I was addicted to wso and information but didn't have clue about taking action.

I was simply overwhelmed by the enormous amount of information that I had poured into my brain.

My first step out of this morass was to realize that I had a problem the second was to learn to stop buying things on impulse and to ask myself if I really needed this product.

Over $10,000 in debt ( a good proportion spent on wso's and other IM purchases) also helped to focus my mind.

I still buy wso's but I am much more choosy now.

So back to my question how do you cope with wso addiction and information overload

[Peter Adamson]

I don't know but I would bet you don't have a written business plan.

Write down your objectives. Express them in terms of revenue you want to earn (be conservative), vehicle (affiliate sales, adsense revenue or whatever) and niche (dog training, toenail fungus remendies...).

Once you have done that eliminate everything from your agenda that does not fit in. Unsubscribe from any mailing lists that are off topic. Stop reading threads and articles etc.

Now write down the number of hours per week you have available. Divide them up into learning, and doing. Now make a list of specific activities such as content creation, traffic building, web site creation whatever. Assign a number of hours to each activity and stick to it.

Compare your progress with your goals on a weekly basis.

All this must be written down.

[Tomwood]

Good advice peter I didn't have any sort of plan back then I do now. I also make a daily priority list of all the tasks I have to do before I can indulge In anything else

[Elvin Tiong]

What I am doing is trying to avoid myself from entering the WSO forum, although there are many good products with special price out there.
Only when I feel myself lack of certain information, then I'll look for warriors advice and recommendation.
A daily plan is really good as suggested by Peter.

[digitalboyz]

I use to experience the same thing, bought lots of product, and left it in my hard drive for a long time doing nothing.

However, later I decided to just go for one method and worked on only one project. My experience talk-->Do whatever you can to make your first project a success, do nothing else, JUST THAT.

be patient and hardworking then the money will come in.

[Mark McClure]

Following up on Peter's biz plan advice... consider including a goal that allows 'your biz' to spend, say, 5% max of gross monthly income on education - books, courses, WSOs.

Wanting to buy WSOs then becomes linked with an incentive to blow past a specific business goal.

As for WSO addictions... I wrote a blog post on dealing with what appear to be 'bad' habits. See my sig file. The solution aint willpower...

[acedalright]

I think you need to set a limit on products and look for ones that actually do help.

As for opportunity hopping and information overload, it's a pretty simple assumption to expect that successful marketers don't suffer this affliction

[oneplusone]

A lot of marketers use this piece of software to help them focus and take action:

Get Things Done! - The Action Machine

I purchased it based on someone mentioning it on a similar thread a couple of months ago, I think it is very good.

[awesometbn]

Hello Tomwood,
Your experience of spending $10,000 on products and Warrior Special Offers and not getting back a lifetime of income producing results sounds shocking to me. Would it be possible for you to track each of these items, and figure out if they were in fact capable of generating income if you followed their instructions? If not, you might be sitting on a gold mine yourself. Consider writing about your experiences, what did and did not work. Might become a good guide for others to use, sort of like a real life review that has cost you $10,000 of your own money. Either a blog, or a book, or paid consulting to tell others what to avoid. I'll bet you stand a better chance of making your money back by creating and selling your own product, instead of spending one more penny on someone else.

[catherine ford]

Originally Posted by Tomwood

When i first started in Internet marketing all I did for buy the latest products especially w.s.o.'s, searching for that elusive shortcut to internet riches more traffic or whatever was promised.

I took action on very little and what I did was very sporadic as result I just pour money straight down the drain.

Buying and not taking action means that you are addicted to the information. You obviously need to do soemthing with it. Make the plan long term goals ie where you want ot be i na years tiem and three years tiem and write down what you have to do to make them happen. That should allow you to have the short term goals sorted. I like to mkae my short term goals three months and then review how much closer you are at the end of three months
Catherine

[Kappa]

I barely buy anything at all, people here are too nice. If you just pm or post a thread you get all questions answered, so why buy anything?

[MarkAndrews IMCopywriting]

Originally Posted by Tomwood

So back to my question how do you cope with wso addiction and information overload

I wrote an introduction to a product covering this very topic for discussion only a few days ago - coping strategies for information overload, putting myself directly into the shoes of someone, just like you.

Ran it past a good friend of mine, he said, "Mark, you've nailed this to a tee, I instantly saw myself in your sales copy."

I'm tempted to post it up, albeit that would kind of defeat the purpose of spending a few hours producing the copy in the first place - though there is a lot of useful information in there for you.

Let me talk straight instead, pulling no punches.

Sales copy, which is my craft - it's a wily old devil, designed to suck you in, nudge you over the edge of that slippery slope, where upon reading past the 3rd sentence, I've got you well and truly hooked and you don't even often know it.

Down you slide through the funnel, (gravity pulling sales copy), helping you to think, 'this is the next best thing to sliced bread'!

You feel compelled to keep reading, you can't help / stop yourself and at the end, (in this perfect buying environment), you click on the Buy Now / Order Now button - just knowing that in order to end your emotional pain, the solution right now to move towards emotional pleasure -- is to have this latest shiny new object, product of your desire.

Whatever you do, if you are overspending, over-stretching yourself financially, at least make yourself very well aware of how exactly sales copy works psychologically. When you know and understand the beast and see it for what it is, you might just end up a lot more shrewd, on your WSO buying decisions.

Business, being in business, for yourself means developing the art shrewdness.

You don't need every WSO - remember that old saying, 'All that glitters is not gold'.

You need to first define your strategy and after this your tactic, for getting you from where you are now, to your destination.

This will NOT require every new shiny tool on the market.

Decide what you want to do, what tools you need, how you are going to implement a plan of action - and then, stick to it and give it your very best shot.

If after a few days to a week, you decide that this is not the right path for you ... you've either not thought it through completely, your entire strategy - then it could well be good for you to ask a good friend or family member to give you a straight talking to. For success and money online, does not generally speaking, come to anyone overnight.

If you treat your business so flippantly, why oh why should your business instantly treat you very well? Stop flitting around, landing on every new object, decide what you need to do to achieve the results that you desire in the most optimum timeframe possible.

If you really want to split hairs, it's all nothing but different buttons on your keyboard being hit in a certain sequence, (no matter what you do) - so boredom cannot enter into the equation, you've just got to get on with that plan of action -- whatever it takes.

Either you can keep on pouring money down the drain, or you can act on the information given to you in exchange for your money. If you choose to do this, you won't suffer information overload, for you will only buy the exact tools that you need right now to get the next stage of the job done, as expediently as possible.

Ooh look! Something shiny! Resist it, put the bleedin' brakes on, go make a cup of tea, chat to your girlfriend, boyfriend, partner, lover, mum, dad, friend, believe you me that will more valuable to you than wasting more money like a drug, buying more information, that eventually will just make your head explode with far too much useless knowledge.

You don't need so much information, you will never ever stop learning in this business, you can never know it all - as fast as you think you know it all, off it leaps again.

Just be content with the tools at your disposal right now. And with those tools, start chipping out a new lifestyle for yourself.

As more money comes back in, you can then and only then, start to think about reinvesting your spare money in higher value information, but again, only if it helps you to get to your destination faster as per your medium to long term, strategy plan.

If you don't have a plan, stop altogether, step back and think about what you are doing.

If your job is to be a painter and decorator, I'm sorry but you don't need to buy a bloody dumper truck to paint the ceiling, when a step ladder will do the job much easier. Think about it!

Good luck and here is wishing you all the best!

Kindest regards.


Mark

[xtreme newbie]

I'm laughing out loud because my business partner (and sister) and I just had a discussion today about this very topic. We've jumped into affiliate marketing over the summer. My sister swears I'm distracted by what she calls "bright shiny objects". And I confess I am - WSOs, especially those first few websites we bought that really aren't what we want to focus on now that we have our business plan in place.

But we both agree that one of the best WSOs we bought was your series of ebooks on desperate dollar niches. From the advice in that I focused in on "acid reflux", not because it was first on the list but because it sent me to the emergency room on New Year's Day. As I read your section on this niche, it took me back to those days I spent scouring the Internet for an alternative to the medicine prescribed by my doc.

Since I understand that desperate niche all too well, it was a natural. I'm now working that niche and the website went up last week. Even my sister agrees that some of the WSO bright shiny objects really do pan out to be gold - as long as they fit the business plan.

Thanks for this timely discussion.

[yellowboy]

Man I had the exact same problem. I bought WSO after WSO, felt like I was addicted and I did not take any action. Instead of taking action I bought another product.

I did two things to stop this expensive cycle.

1.

I decided that I will only spend money on WSO's/Products/Services where I can get a direct result. By that I mean either outsourcing articles, blog posts, video creation or building a site for example.

So whenever I buy something right now it must give me results very soon that I can actually see or at least help me solve a problem that I currently have with a project.

2.

Now the following tip had the biggest impact. Money-wise and in terms of getting things done.

BEFORE I start my computer I ask myself this question:

'Which task would have the biggest impact on my business/project? What should a work on or accomplish in the next 90 minutes that would give me the greatest outcome?

I then write the answer on a piece of paper and place it beside my computer. This could be things like 'Keyword Research', 'Creating Content', 'Building Backlinks' or anything else, depending on your project.

I then force myself to ask myself every 20-30 minutes the following question.

Am I working on this most important task right now?

If yes - awesome. Keep going.

If no - STOP whatever you're doing and GET BACK to working on your task!


This is so easy to implement and it has transformed my life. I went from buying WSO's and doing nothing to creating WSO's myself and making money with Article Marketing.

Implement this one single tip and you can get more done in 90 minutes than you ever thought.

You don't need to create a business plan, read books about time management or anything else. Just make sure you determine what would help you the most before you go online and then focus on it for 90 minutes!

Cheers,
Mario

p.s. I almost forgot. It's important to take a break after 90 minutes!!! It's tough for our brain/mind to focus on one thing only (that's why we always get distracted. Make sure that you take a break for 90 minutes and try to completely change channels.

Go running, watch a movie, take a nap, spend time with your family. Do not answer e-mails and stuff like that. It's recovery time.

Then, when you start your next session you will be able again to focus on one thing. Following this procedure your are going to get more done in less time on a higher level of engagement.

Make it happen!

[Aitor Astobieta]

I think we have all had this problem at some point in our Internet marketing careers.

The solution for me was to realize that there is no secret.

I realized that the wealthiest internet marketers have 4 things in common:

1. They have a product or several products.
2. They have a list.
3. They have great traffic generation systems.
4. They take massive action.

Product + list + traffic + action = internet wealth.

There is the "secret."

Once I grasped this basic truth, I stopped buying infoproducts, and choosing only selectively the best products out there.

Then I put all my attention on making things happen. You have to stop buying stuff, and reading, and just take action.

I have learned more from taking action, than from reading tons of ebooks.

I have learned more from my failures than from my successes.

I think that at some point we just need to experience in change in mindset. Until then, the vicious circle of buying ebook, not taking action, blaming lack of success on others, buying another ebook in hopes of making money and going through the same cycle that never ends.

My mind is like a filter now: takes out the bones and only chews on the meat.

[Michael Mayhew]

Originally Posted by Tomwood

I still buy wso's but I am much more choosy now.

So back to my question how do you cope with wso addiction and information overload

I try to stick to the WSO's with PLR or rights products. You spend maybe $10 up to $500 but one email out to your list and your in big profit. I've made hundreds of thousands off of WSO plr.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I try not to buy that latest secret. Not only does it overload you as you've already found out but in alot of cases doesn't help you financially.
However, sticking to the ready made solutions I can modify, upload, and email in a matter of minutes. My heads clear and my bank account is getting overloaded

[dndoseller]

By harboring a personal hatred for spending more than I make.

Seriously, that's the only way I force myself to work.

Going bankrupt 5 years ago was also an excellent kick in the butt!

[avenuegirl]

So back to my question how do you cope with wso addiction and information overload

You can find out how in my WSO coming out in about an hour. It's called "You too can cope with WSO addiction and information overload."

It is over 80 hours of step by step video, 200 page ebook, a lot of PLR bonus downloads, and a membership script I created to start your own support group on the subject. :P

[madison_avenue]

Information overload and WSO addiction are two different things. WSO addiction is a problem, but information overload is not necessarily a problem, but inevitable because the amount of information you have to absorb is massive.

Perhaps you don't feel you want to proceed from ignorance. Develop your own plan after you have absorbed the information and have come up with your own analysis, one that you feel comfortable with. Develop your own individual theories, strategies and insights from which you can see the big picture.

All people are different, some are able to start with sparse knowledge and working on a single tactic but others only feel comfortable implementing their plan from a position of total knowledge or as near to it as you can get.

You are maybe of the latter type. I like to learn much as possible, before coming up with a highly detailed and comprehensive plan . It has taken me a long time to get there, but it is now paying off big time.

So don't be deterred from absorbing as much information as you can, it will all come in useful at sometime. You can get as much information as you want for free from this forum. But there is no need to shell out for anymore WSO's.

[tradermike2008]

The answer to your question is simple - start doing work.

[dwinland]

I am currently developing a WSO that provides a list of the best WSO's. Message me for details.

--------------

You're not the only one struck by WSO addiction. My problem has been confusing studying the latest technique, strategy, etc. with real activity and work. Amassing all this wealth of information does nothing if you do not take action.

So...here is what I try to do:

1. Limit myself to 15 to 30 min. on forums.
2. Spend 30 min on studying WSO's or other IM courses/information.
3. Work my to-do list (pertaining to my IM business).
4. At the end of the day, spend 15 min. making my to-do list for the next day.

Maybe someone should start a WSO Anonymous.

[davidomni]

Focus!
Take action!
Believe in yourself!

[thegreenninja]

I'm having trouble with this very thing right now. I love the learning and creation process and hate the marketing. So, I decided to stop making sites until I can get at least 80% of my current sites in the top 5 google rankings. Wish me luck.

[acedalright]

This is a great question, because personally I have always believed too many people spend too much time looking for the best new product to speed this up or automate that.

Meanwhile how much work gets done.

I can write 10 articles on IM in 1 hour and have them submitted to the top 10 directories.

I could actually write and spin 1 article in an hour and use a mass submitter, but most of links wouldn't get indexed, and the articles would be poor on quality.


I can bookmark 50 pages intermmitently over 4 hours in between writing or I could use a bookmarking submitter that submits the same text and title to 100's of sites, all of which don't get indexed.

See my point?

The more manual work you do, the better quality you'll have.

I prefer products that can simply help me do what I already do, just speed it up.


To everyone out there - Stop looking for the next big products and write articles and build links that matter.

[ic7]

Originally Posted by Aitor Astobieta

I have learned more from my failures than from my successes.

That's a really important insight that most people don't want to talk about. But it's true. Taking action opens a doorway in the mind. Your mind can't generate related ideas only based on theory. New ideas come from doing things and then saying, What went wrong? What went right?

Paul