The Absolute, Definite Number One Rule of Internet Marketing

[Allen Graves]

There are so many rules and concepts and ideas and techniques and tips and tricks and challenges in the ever-changing internet marketing world. So many, in fact, that no single person could actually fathom them all.

But there is one rule that I implement above all. This rule is a constant and will never go away. This rule is of the utmost importance. This rule cannot be overlooked if you stand a chance of keeping any sanity in your hectic life.

And that rule is...

Never forget the most important things.

Your children, your friends, your family, your partners, your colleagues (and even your pets). That's right, the number one rule of internet marketing ,in my opinion anyway, is to take time out to spend with the people you love and the people you love to be with, doing the things you love to do.

Isn't that why you work so hard at your business? Isn't that why we're all here to begin with?

I love 'You've made a sale' emails just as much as the other guy...but 100,000 of those emails doesn't even come close to the feeling I get when my daughter looks me in the eyes and says, "I love you, daddy," before I tuck her into bed at night.

Yes, I just put my daughter to bed. But I thought to myself as I was leaving her room that she (and the rest of my family) is not only the reason that I do internet marketing, but they are the whole purpose for it as well.

So stop every once in a while and think about the most important part of internet marketing. Your computer will be there when you come back. There is no guarantee that the people you love will be there tomorrow.

Respectfully,
Allen Graves

[Kevin Riley]

Allen

I so fully agree. My Rieko is the main purpose in everything I do. She knows that she comes before my business. I love my business and could work on it 24/7, but I will take time out to watch a movie with her, go for a walk in the evening, and today I'm shutting down to take her to an art gallery.

The main reason I run an Internet business is because it gives me that freedom to spend time with Rieko and take her places.

[TKO]

Great post Allen, having experienced this just recently your absolutely correct. Yes my computer is still there and will always be there. However my loved one isn't.

I would exchange all the money in the world just to spend another day, hour,minute with my loved one..

[sparrow]

Family first for me they are the ones I am doing this for

you couldn't of said it any better Allen, the innocence from young childern really hit home what matters

Ed

[Lance K]

Amen to that, Allen.

We're off to the hospital in the morning to welcome baby boy #4.

[Angela V. Edwards]

Originally Posted by Lance K

Amen to that, Allen.

We're off to the hospital in the morning to welcome baby boy #4.

Congratulations to you, Lance. Also, this is a great thread. It is uplifting to see so many people talk about how important the ones they love are to them.

[Allen Graves]

Kevin,

<fist to heart> I feel ya.

TKO,

There is nothing worse and I (all of us, I'm sure) wish you the best, bro.

Sparrow,

Innocence is bliss, isn't it!

Lance,

Best wishes today and for the next 18 years!!!!!

Hi Angela!

AL

[Sandor Verebi]

Hi Friends,

Excellent thread. Thanks Allen.

We may not to forgot our family because they are the sense of our life. And we only can thanks to God if they are with us.

I've readed your kind words and feel that what kind of feeling heart do you have. To this is not what to add. And I'm glad that I may be between peoples like these.

Lance, congratulate on your newborn and whole family. They deserve all your love.

Blessings,

Sandor

[Allen Graves]

Thanks Sandor,

I am seeing more and more often that there are a lot of "genuine" people that frequent this forum. It's truly a good place to be!

Go to any other internet marketing forum and see if you find people like you find here...ain't gonna happen.

Thanks again,
Allen

[rapidscc]

Allen, God bless you.

I don't know what to say. I don't want to be thought off as a sizzy but you almost made me wanna ___

Well, Almost :-)

~Omar

[naruq]

Great Post Allen! I would also add that make sure you take care of your health so you can be around for your family and friends. Exercise 3 or more times per week and eat healthy!

[NeelsTheron]

Good of you to remind us, Allen, to keep our priorities in order! And may I add to that list: that we also spend time ploughing back something into the wider community and world we are part of, where people with our skills and resources and commitment are sorely needed in many places

[Allen Graves]

LOL

Omar, there's no problem with shedding a ____ every once in a while. It just makes us who we are. Some may not understand, but I don't care.

AL

p.s. My daughter said hello to everybody!

[Kim Standerline]

I've got my 4 year old grandson Adam stopping with me tonight (He invited himself)

It was nice to get away from the computer and play a few games, watch some TV etc with him (I also took him for his swimming lesson so it was a chance for him to show off)

Nothing better than when and his 2 year old sister Jessica sit on my knee fightening over who is hugging me lol

Thing is, you turn round and before you know it they are all grown up, I'm still not sure where the years went with my daughter, it doesn't seem 5 minutes since she was Jessica's age. (She's 30 now)

Kim

[origalex]

Great post Allen. It can be very distracting when you have chickens, many outdoor cats, dogs and other friends you want to spend time with every day. It demands concentration and I hope eventually it will lead to a richer ($$$) life. And congratulations to Lance on a new addition. We're expecting our fiirst grandchild.

Bill A

[Razorblade]

Hey, Allen, thanks for a very refreshing post. I just got out of bed and its great to start the day with a very down-to-earth post just like yours.

I still have to make my very first sale in affiliate marketing after starting a few months ago, I know the road ahead isn't going to be easy, and sometimes I feel so tired I entertain thoughts of quitting. But I want to be a good provider to my family, I want them to have a good life.

So I keep going... and keep coming back to sites like WF to learn more...

Again, thanks for a great post!



Blade

[jcmentor]

I am many miles further down the road than most of you here at this forum. And I will tell you that Allen speaks the truth here with a loud, clear voice.

All of this stuff here comes and goes, comes and goes throughout the course of a lifetime. But your children and your families are only that for a very short time and you will all be astonished to wake up some day soon, and it will all be past.

And you will glory in the memories and joy that you are experiencing NOW, or you will be filled with regret for paying too much attention to what "comes and goes."

What a great privilege it is to share these thoughts with each other here at this forum.

Sorry, gotta go. My wife is calling me to take a ride in the mountains and watch the sunset.

All the best,

Jack

[Shlomi Khutoretsky]

Originally Posted by Allen Graves

There are so many rules and concepts and ideas and techniques and tips and tricks and challenges in the ever-changing internet marketing world. So many, in fact, that no single person could actually fathom them all.

But there is one rule that I implement above all. This rule is a constant and will never go away. This rule is of the utmost importance. This rule cannot be overlooked if you stand a chance of keeping any sanity in your hectic life.

And that rule is...

Never forget the most important things.

Your children, your friends, your family, your partners, your colleagues (and even your pets). That's right, the number one rule of internet marketing ,in my opinion anyway, is to take time out to spend with the people you love and the people you love to be with, doing the things you love to do.

Isn't that why you work so hard at your business? Isn't that why we're all here to begin with?

I love 'You've made a sale' emails just as much as the other guy...but 100,000 of those emails doesn't even come close to the feeling I get when my daughter looks me in the eyes and says, "I love you, daddy," before I tuck her into bed at night.

Yes, I just put my daughter to bed. But I thought to myself as I was leaving her room that she (and the rest of my family) is not only the reason that I do internet marketing, but they are the whole purpose for it as well.

So stop every once in a while and think about the most important part of internet marketing. Your computer will be there when you come back. There is no guarantee that the people you love will be there tomorrow.

Respectfully,
Allen Graves

i totally agree with you
but now that kinda problem for me, when i need to concentrate on how to pay my bills and the fact i work 9 hours in my day job and the other hours on my online business

what would you do in my situation ?

[Allen Graves]

I was in your situation about 4 years ago. Things were pretty bleak at the time. It sure doesn't seem that long ago, though.

I just kept doing what I had to do. There were times when I had to "ignore" my family in order to get some things done...but budgeting just an hour a day can get you further than nothing at all.

Just keep going, keep thinking and work smarter, not harder. Spend all of your alone time (driving to work, in the shower, going to sleep at night, etc...) thinking about what direction you need to be going and the most efficient way to get there.

Suddenly you'll realize that you've got something good and you can go with it. I don't remember who it was, I think it was Anik Singal, but I was in your position and he said to stop going after every opportunity and settle down on the one that is going to make you money. Lo and behold when I did that, things started to work out for me.

There are a lot of folks here who can give advice to those in your difficult position. Hopefully this will pass quickly for you and you can make the jump into being able to run your business instead of it running you.

Keep going...it will happen.

Hope that helps,
Allen Graves

[jcmentor]

Here's a nice complimentary quote that arrived in my email this morning from Alan Cohen's "Daily Inspiration". Alan Cohen Website

"The act of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things."
Henry Ward Beecher

All the best,

Jack

[Zeus66]

Alright people, stop the lollygagging and GET BACK TO WORK! Sorry, I could only take so much uplifting and heart swelling.

Great thread, Allen ::: mumble, grumble ::: Slackers. SORRY. Sorry, see how I am?

John

[convert2ev]

Take the time out for family and friends...
I remember one time I didn't, and my grampa died 2 weeks later. I could have gone and seen him, but I had so much work to do, and the kids wanted to go home, and a hundred other excuses, and..
The bottom line is that... the bottom line is not the most important thing.

[M4UNow]

Great post we should read this every day!
thank you
gina

[James Schramko]

Allen great point. I thought it was going to be "turn up".

Family is why I do it too. The other day I loaded all the photos off my mobile phone from when I quit my old office job. I realized I have spent more happy moments with my wife and kids since then than many years prior. It is a life changer.

We play guitar hero on the playstation and ride bikes in the bush...

[tommygadget]

My friends who live in Europe make fun of me for this very thing. They say that I as an American don't take the time to live life. They say you should work to live, NOT live to work. I laugh at them and tell them that they are a bunch of slackers. What they don't know is I have my own business because I want to live my life on MY terms, not that of an employer who does not care about me. Hats off to you Allen for pointing out something that should be most obvious (but isn't) to all of us.

TomG.

[Joe Russell]

Hey Allen, thanks for the kick in A$$ I needed that.

Joe

[dvduval]

Thanks for sharing. It is so important for me to continue to cultivate good habits including eating right, exercise, and get out and do things with my wife. Today we are going to visit the art museum. Thanks for the reminder!

[waken]

Originally Posted by Kevin Riley

My Rieko is the main purpose in everything I do.

How romantic Kevin ...

[Shlomi Khutoretsky]

Originally Posted by Allen Graves

I was in your situation about 4 years ago. Things were pretty bleak at the time. It sure doesn't seem that long ago, though.

I just kept doing what I had to do. There were times when I had to "ignore" my family in order to get some things done...but budgeting just an hour a day can get you further than nothing at all.

Just keep going, keep thinking and work smarter, not harder. Spend all of your alone time (driving to work, in the shower, going to sleep at night, etc...) thinking about what direction you need to be going and the most efficient way to get there.

Suddenly you'll realize that you've got something good and you can go with it. I don't remember who it was, I think it was Anik Singal, but I was in your position and he said to stop going after every opportunity and settle down on the one that is going to make you money. Lo and behold when I did that, things started to work out for me.

There are a lot of folks here who can give advice to those in your difficult position. Hopefully this will pass quickly for you and you can make the jump into being able to run your business instead of it running you.

Keep going...it will happen.

Hope that helps,
Allen Graves

that was inspiring my friend

thanks for the good words

[Jacqueline Watson]

My 10 year old daughter just called
me out about this one.

She came up with a little contract between
the two of us - we both had to sign it.

Smart kid.

It listed things like I would give her
at least 10 minutes of alone time every
day for girl talk.

What a wake up call!

My own child had to remind me that there is more
to being a Mommie than just payin' the bills.

I've been working so hard on providing for their
basic needs ie. roof over our heads, food on the
table, clothes, transportation - I let their emotional
needs slip a little.

NEVER AGAIN!

I CHOOSE TO FIND A WAY TO BALANCE IT ALL!

[Shlomi Khutoretsky]

tell it to my wife
soon she will pop me out of my house
with my laptop

[TLTheLiberator]

Your darn right!!

We should work hard and smart so that we can get to the point where - most everything is outsourced and we own our time and are still making big bucks!

Automation and the internet makes this possible.

TL

[Dick Doe]

Thanks for another valuable post, Allen. Sometimes we internet marketers forget that we have a family that is much more valuable than our business.

[Allen Graves]

Originally Posted by articlerelated

tell it to my wife
soon she will pop me out of my house
with my laptop

Yea, you're going to have resistance from your wife. I did too. We seem to have a lot in common.

I caught her in a good mood one day and explained to her everything I was doing and then physically showed her on the computer.

Once she knew I wasn't chatting with hot chicks, gambling or anything like that, she was OK with it and even supported me more. Of course, when the checks started coming in the mailbox, she was even more supportive.

AL

[AskJesusLeon]

Great Post, we must all remember to disconnect from time to time and spent time with the people we love and cherish