How Do I FOCUS?

a fellow warrior,peggy baron wrote a book about staying focused in IM.....it's brilliant

i suggest you shoot her a pm to find out how you can get a copy

Let me get this right.

You have Amy's blogger course program right?

I've heard some great things about it.

Does it or does it not give you clear step by step instructions to follow?

If it does, then start all over again and follow the steps.

Nothing personal, but if the course has a clear step by step plan and you can't follow it, there may be a chance you have ADD.

Hope This Helps!!

TL

I can definately relate to the dilema your in....I myself have not long started in this business and chose site flipping as my starting project.
I was told at first to pick direction i was going in, stick to it and learn it.
As I progressed I found myself going in all directions, like starting aff programs learning seo etc this left me with allsorts of unfinished projects. I find theres all kinds of offers out there that can distract us off our work in hand.
I now gladly am getting to grips with staying on one project at a time and im finishing all my unfinished projects.
I hope this helps you knowing that your not alone and i think this is quite a common problem IM's of all levels.

David.

Charity,

Can I suggest something?

Your ability to write is an asset and I would first capitalize it by offering ghostwriting services of some kind.

Use the money you earn from your service as the budget to invest in bettering your services, websites, tools, etc. But use ONLY the money that comes from this activity.

Have these money deposit directly into your Paypal, which pays for things like hosting (directly and automatically from Paypal). Now you're not touching any of your money or credit card.

In the beginning, I used to feel that using my own money (or credit card) was a good debt as if it would generate return on investment immediately, but it could take time and if it doesn't, money is coming out of your pocket every time.

So I would first focus on something that would generate cashflow immediately. Then leverage the money into something that can multiply your activity on autopilot.

In the meantime, I would suggest getting to know the forum members who have lists in the same niche as you do. Add them on your Skype list, get to know them better, swap ads or buy ad space in their list to mention your list, using all of the money generated from your primary activity (writing, you're good at that).

If you don't know what to write, perhaps looking up SpyFu - Keywords with Highest Cost Per Click

Then either offer to write something about these topics or offer set of articles you write as PLR in WSO.

Being a former journalist is a resume you can difinitely uniquely position. You can offer to write press releases, conduct interviews (assuming you know how to ask good questions), write report on how to use the media offline.

You can follow other people and do article marketing, squidoo marketing, nothing wrong with these actitivties, but I believe you own set of skills that might give you huge advantage.

Here's what I suggest.

Give yourself a deadline about what niche to target. Let's say 90 minutes
(I use an electronic timer for this). During that time slot, organize all your
material to help you decide how to rank them according to profitably and
personal interest to you. What ever is on the top of your list when your
alarm goes off is the one you focus on 1st.

I sometimes have two or three projects running at any one time.. One has
my main focus, but sometimes shift the focus if I need a little bit of
change for a few hours, Again, I use my timer to remind me to get back
on plan.

HTH

Glenn

Great responses so far!

It seems you are getting pulled into the trap that I'd guess is the eventual cause of the majority of people quitting IM.

They never see a project all the way through (well, I guess projects are never "through", but at least to where you are making a profit and have the hang of things), and they get started on a new project. They stay in this cycle until the frustration of not making money becomes too much.

Just apply the advice in the previous responses and you will go a long way!

To your success.

Stephen Henderson

I have created a list of "must do" items. I make myself take care of that list before I visit forums, twitter, etc...

That list includes some mundane stuff like dealing with mail, book keeping, etc.. and is a reminder of some of the portals and marketing channels I need to check on.

When that stuff is done, I let myself play ... read forums ... tweet ... go out for dinner .... smoke a cigar ... etc...

Squidoo lenses and articles are a great place to start.

Check out One Week Marketing if you are interested in using squidoo. (google it, I am in no way affiliated with the product)

Additionally, you are not going to see huge results quickly unless you are pumping out 10 articles a day, 7 days a week. Give it some time and be patient.

The fact that you are a journalist is GREAT. You can use that to your advantage. Do you know how many folks would trade for the skills you have?

My advise is focus on ONE THING and just one thing. I had the same problem as yours. I would buy products after products without ever implementing anything that I purchased. The result was an information overload that I didn't know what to do. I worked for 16 hours a day and I was tired, frustrated, angry and down in confidence.

Then I realized that I could not do everything and in fact I shouldn't do everything. Everything is in abudance in this world except your time. You should outsource your work whenever possible.

If you were to focus on ONE THING, I highly recommend you take the 'Squidoo route.' Why? Because it is perfect for someone like you. You are a former journalist, you love to write, it is easy for you to develop quality lens that attract the reader's attention, develop a fan base and use that to drive affiliate sales.

Focus on completing atleast one Squidoo lens per week. But aim at providing maximum value to the community. Take a look at the link below for reference

Squidoo Top 100

KEEP THIS RULE

I WILL NOT BUY ANY MORE PRODUCTS UNLESS I GENERATE SALES THAT WOULD PAY FOR THE NEW PRODUCTS.

stop reading this thread and F_O_C_U_S on work!

Easy answer from an Aries ...whom focus is not a normal thing!

Pick three strategies...and practice using them everyday you are free...just three..that's it..and yes..it's that simple. Do this for thirty days and you will have mastered the focus...you need.

The problem with the internet is there are too many choices...pick three and then change one at a time at the end of each month..as neeed..if necessary. Been working for me wonderfully..

I swam around the IM sea for a year buying this and that. A few weeks ago, I bought a course instead. That one course was a traffic course, but it somehow taught me focus.

Due to that traffic course, I learned a complete business model:
-niche identification
-building the website
-monetizing the website
-SEO
-driving traffic to the website

I think investing in a good course would focus you. Of course, that's the paid way.

The free way would be to force yourself to realize that if you truly did want to succeed, then you would force yourself to focus your efforts on one business model. If you still can't focus, then perhaps a large part of you might be afraid or reluctant to do so. If you can make yourself see the benefits of focusing and the pitfalls of not focusing, then perhaps it might be easier for you to achieve and maintain focus.

the key to Focus is to Timeblock what is important.
Example, your doctor says you will have an appointment at
3pm next monday - that is focus. You have a court date at 11am 10 days from now - that is focus. Would you miss those? Would you do
something else when that appointment comes up? No - that is focus.

Being able to write is a HUGE advantage on the Internetz.

I'm jealous.

What I've done that helps is work in blocks of time, and cut all interruptions. I close the door, put up a no disturb sign except if the house is on fire. I cut the phone line, I put on headphones and play classical music, set a timer, and work until it beeps. I don't THINK about anything else but the task at hand. Completely in the zone. When it beeps I stop and do whatever.