Does anyone ever really know what they're doing when first starting?

5 replies
To those that are currently experiencing success...By success, I mean anyone that is generating monthly income of $1000+ from online passive income... Did you have any idea what you were doing when you first started?

I know that I went into this somewhat blindly with my only sources being The 4-hour work week, Steve Pavlina, and eventually a $497 eBook course.

About a year later I now have a decent-looking website with about 30 articles and 5 eBooks all related to my niche. I've sold a few copies of my eBooks both on Amazon and on my website. IOW, I've experienced "trickles" of passive income.

I'm now giving this whole thing a lot more effort...cleaning up my sales pages, creating more social networking leads, constantly researching and thinking of ways to attract legitimately interested traffic, etc...

My interest leveling this IM stuff has skyrocketed, as I firmly believe that there are literally MILLIONS of potential ways to make a living online. Despite what the older generation, such as my parents, may think...I legitimately believe that if I don't attempt to build something valuable for myself online, then I'd be foolish. The Internet is literally filled with opportunities to achieve financial independence.

However, despite all of those beliefs and actions, I still feel doubtful about my own capabilities. I'm going to keep trying and trying and trying...but I feel like I'm taking a shot in the dark sometimes. How exactly will I know if/when to bail on my current project/niche... Because I feel that I'm doing it out of passion as opposed to "finding a need then filling that need with a solution". I've put tons of time in so far, mostly in creating the website's content and my 5 eBooks, and a 6th which is given for free in exchange for an email address.

I guess I'm not sure what exactly I'm asking here. I guess I'm just wondering...How do you know you're doing it right?

Google analytics?
Amount of people visiting my site?
Total number of sales?

I feel that I've learned a ton in the last year or so, but I still feel like a complete armature amongst lots of successful online marketers.

Does anyone really know what they are doing at first?
#starting
  • Profile picture of the author writeaway
    You're asking for personal metrics of success? Most people measure their success based on the following equation:

    AMOUNT OF EARNINGS *DIVIDED BY* AMOUNT OF EFFORT

    I have a slightly different spin on this... I factor in the amount I learn. I am in this because I love seeing my ideas become a reality.
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    • Profile picture of the author goindeep
      Your definition of success is different to mine, this could be because of where you live and your priorities.

      My definition of success is working only four hours per week, enjoying my family, my dog, my friends, my life, cold beers in the sun, travel, sleeping in if I feel like it, spoiling people on their birthdays, not worrying about bills, being able to help others in need and having the time freedom to have enough me time each and every day

      And to answer your primary question, no. No one really knows what they are doing when they first start.

      You have to crawl before you can walk and any human can master anything, even business and money making, it's just another program
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      • Profile picture of the author Bkelly301
        Originally Posted by goindeep View Post


        My definition of success is working only four hours per week, enjoying my family, my dog, my friends, my life, cold beers in the sun, travel, sleeping in if I feel like it, spoiling people on their birthdays, not worrying about bills, being able to help others in need and having the time freedom to have enough me time each and every day
        Yes, that certainly is the end goal!

        However, I'm not quite sure how to define "success" in the beginning stages since I've only experienced trickles of passive income.
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  • Profile picture of the author cupcakemonster
    Lol. Totally relate. It's been over a year for me and I have very little idea of what I'm doing most of the time. Still, I've done okay
    I guess that's part of the fun with this, though. There's literally thousands of ways to generate income online/build a little empire for yourself and that is truly awesome. You're very right about that: it would be foolish to not pursue these opportunities. Every generation has a "thing"...this is one of ours...
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  • Profile picture of the author bilbobaggins
    The secret is to find something that works. That you know can generate an income as a repeatable process. Even if its just $1 a day.

    Once you have that its then a case of scaling it up.And you cant buy your way to success. You have to do it the hard way.
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