Don't give up your day job!!!

There have been a number of threads recently along the lines of:

- You will fail
- Why you will fail
- Give up
- IM might not be for you

There are also a lot of people who are in debt, sometimes crippling debt, and think that IM is an easy way out.

There are some who hate the idea of a job so much that they insist on being technically unemployed, while trying to build a business from scratch - allowing the debts to compound.

There are some lucky warriors, myself included, who have been able to give up their normal job and live on the proceeds of their online income.

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I'd like to offer some tips to those who want to quit their normal job and pursue IM as a full time career...

1) Think about the decision first...

a) Do you have enough money in the bank to cover your bills for x months?

- it can take time to grow a business, you might not start to see income for a few months. If you don't have enough working capital to live on, you will probably find it difficult to focus on the tasks necessary to successfully grow your business. Impending bills can help to motivate you, but they can also be a hindrance - making you look for the 'easy money' opportunities that won't help you grow your business.

b) Can you do both?

- what is stopping you from building your income while still working? A lot of people claim that they don't have enough time, assuming that 'keeping busy' equates to working. If you spend just ONE HOUR per day dedicated to growing your business, you're probably doing more than 95% of anyone else involved in IM.

- what is stopping you from cutting down your working hours? If you can afford to live off the income of a part-time job, you will free up a lot of time to devote to growing your business. If your current job doesn't allow for this, why not look for another? This is one situation where ALL or NOTHING, isn't necessarily the best option.

c) Why leave?

- what is it, specifically, that compels you to leave your job? Do you feel insecure? Do you dislike the management? Do you feel it is your right to work for yourself? At times where you're desperate to leave your job, I'd urge you to let your head rule your heart... I'm not saying "stay in your job forever" but consider the alternatives, focus on saving your earnings so that you have some working capital. Emotional decisions can be costly if they're not balanced with common sense. Sure, there are people who think "screw it, I'll just do it now!" but if you don't have the immediate success that you need, in order to stay afloat financially, what then?

2) Why I.M.?

What is it about the idea of being an Internet Marketer that makes you want to do it?

- the money?
- the lifestyle?
- the freedom?

I won't bore you with statistics, but I'll put money on the fact that most people:

- don't earn a full time income online
- sit hunched over their computer for more than 8 hours per day
- can't afford to do the things they want

There are ways to resolve ALL of the above, but unless you have a clear plan, goals and the determination to see them through, despite being tired and broke, you might as well be an employee who:

- works 8 hours a day
- can afford to eat, live and have fun

Don't get me wrong, I've been there and I'm still FAR from my goals, I know what it takes... I just don't like to see people jumping in at the deep end, leaving their job and ending up in debt, unable to pay the bills when there are other alternatives.

So, my parting message:

If you have the choice, (and you probably do)... don't give up your day job... (unless you can afford to)... grow your business first and hit the ground running.

If you can find the determination to grow your business while working a full time job, you have most of what it takes to succeed.