Do You Force Yourself to Adhere?

13 replies
Hi Warriors!

I recently learned something awesome and I know when I talked about it to my list, I was shocked that so many others had the same problem.

For a long time, I bought IM guides and did it verbatim (when they had exact steps LOL). But anyway, if I encountered something I couldn't do, like maybe a tool I couldn't afford or a step that confused the hell out of me, I'd get that yucky panicked or uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach.

It told me if I didn't do it exact, then I would fail.

Finally............I learned how to let go of that!

Now I don't force myself. In fact, I'm free and easy with my implementation ways! If I study a course and it tells me to get Aweber and I can't afford it (for example), I'll find MailChimp. If it tells me to buy do something I don't like ethically, I skip that part and do something I feel might be equivalent in being helpful.

I think of it like this - I'm baking a cake at home and realize I ran out of eggs. What do I do? Stick some applesauce in the batter. Works like a charm.

Do you feel the freedom to do this or do you feel that old ball and chain of "following in footsteps" gnawing at you?

tiff
#adhere #force
  • Profile picture of the author discrat
    Tiffany,
    I have really never thought about this but when I do I can see what you are saying.

    You know I have always just bypassed the Step if I cannot adhere to it. I never really stress out about it and I just move on and make the best out of it. And I find a way to make it work.

    But I am sure there are many people who get sidetracked because of this and end up not going forward as a result.
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    • Profile picture of the author affilcrazy
      I think this very much depends on your level of experience/knowledge within the given field. A prime example of this - I'd never consider "apple sauce" and would simply have run out quickly and bought more eggs. (Actually, who am I kidding, I would never have been making a cake in the first place, although I trust you understand what I mean by this).

      In all honesty, I believe this is one of the biggest stumbling blocks that a person new to IM will encounter. Now many people may fail to take action simply because it appears to be too much hard work, or more work than they were led to believe, whereas for others, it may be a case of giving up after encountering numerous "hurdles" that their current level of experience/knowledge cannot cope with.

      You see swapping Mailchimp for Aweber is something you will only learn through research and learning (although MC is no good for promoting products as an affiliate, and there is another example of something that you will only learn with experience). The vast majority of IM guides are aimed at complete newbies, however, not all newbies come into this industry from the same starting point. I, myself, only actually knew how to send an e-mail and write a word document up until a few years ago. So when I, initially, came across guides talking about e-mail marketing, blogging, affiliates, paypal, etc. I was ready to jump off a cliff! (Not literally). I had no ideas about alternate ways to complete a task because my knowledge and experience hadn't allowed for this...yet.

      I guess the point I'm trying to make is - What may be obvious to one person can be complete gobbledy gook to another!

      Cheers
      Partha
      Signature
      "There is no fixed teaching. All I can provide is an appropriate medicine for a particular ailment" - Bruce Lee, Tao of Jeet Kune Do (on Zen)
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  • Profile picture of the author theory expert
    Banned
    Tiff:

    This is the reason noobs feel cheated because they cannot do all task in the product. You mentioned mailchimp...I have heard of it though never used it and didn't know it was free. Which brings up another point. I read that if you use free autoresponders you may need to buy software to use it. Note: The product was a tad dated I read this from.

    See how things can get blurry fast?

    Anywho, the tech stuff is a little out my league, so, this is where I digress.
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    • Profile picture of the author sfrewerd
      I remember feeling that way many times, especially when I was starting out in IM. I looked for alternatives most of the time but felt like I wasn't quite adding up somehow. I got over that too. Took awhile, but it feels good when you can make something work well by using another method.
      Signature

      Sherry Frewerd
      Family Niche Marketing Network
      http://familynichemarketingnetwork.com

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      • Profile picture of the author Kay King
        Good points, Tiff - fully agree. I've always taken that path perhaps because I cook that way, too:p

        What's important is to follow through to the end even if you substitute tools or tactics along the way. Too often, people just stop and say "I can't do this because...."

        kay
        Signature
        Saving one dog will not change the world - but the world changes forever for that one dog
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    • Profile picture of the author Stephen Bray
      Originally Posted by janok View Post

      Tiff:

      This is the reason noobs feel cheated because they cannot do all task in the product. You mentioned mailchimp...I have heard of it though never used it and didn't know it was free. Which brings up another point. I read that if you use free autoresponders you may need to buy software to use it. Note: The product was a tad dated I read this from.

      See how things can get blurry fast?
      MailChimp is quite a good service,
      my wife uses it as do some chums.

      I went onto AWeber because Alex
      Jeffreys told me to during his first
      coaching program.


      I'm glad I did because previously
      I was hosting my own auto-
      responder program on a Bluehost
      site.

      Bluehost did some tweaking and
      now it doesn't work. I could have
      lost my list were I relying on my
      previous system.

      As to following advice meticulously
      that's what I did with Alex's program.
      In the end that proved to be a
      disadvantage because at the time
      I wanted to learn how to build a
      list to sell my photographs on-line.
      He insisted we all focus on Internet
      marketing and associated products.

      The result was I came across some
      really great people but didn't sell
      any photos until long after the
      coaching finished and I went back
      to putting some energy into selling
      them.

      One problem with coaches is that
      you have to separate the message
      from the person imparting it.

      Alex, for example, is high octane. He
      likes to take his students to Las
      Vegas, engage in high risk activities
      and party, party, party.

      I live on a Mediterranean beach. I
      like to do a little work, go for a swim,
      have a cup of tea, hug my child,
      have another swim, write a few words,
      keep Mrs. Bray happy before doing
      it all again.

      Alec likes power drinks, I like
      green tea. I'm sure you get the
      picture?

      Some might think me a hermit but
      I do venture abroad sometimes.

      The point is we are who we are,
      and people teach what they teach.
      If a noob doesn't follow a prescription
      to the letter they'll never know if
      the product, or coaching, they
      bought works.

      Even if it does work, however, it
      still may not suit them.

      Stephen

      Signature
      Send me a DM, or visit my support desk to contact me: http://support.stephenbray.com
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      • Profile picture of the author theory expert
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Stephen Bray View Post


        Alex, for example, is high octane. He
        likes to take his students to Las
        Vegas, engage in high risk activities
        and party, party, party.

        I live on a Mediterranean beach. I
        like to do a little work, go for a swim,
        have a cup of tea, hug my child,
        have another swim, write a few words,
        keep Mrs. Bray happy before doing
        it all again.


        Alec likes power drinks, I like
        green tea. I'm sure you get the
        picture?

        Some might think me a hermit but
        I do venture abroad sometimes.

        The point is we are who we are,
        and people teach what they teach.
        If a noob doesn't follow a prescription
        to the letter they'll never know if
        the product, or coaching, they
        bought works.


        Even if it does work, however, it
        still may not suit them.

        Stephen

        Oh i see your point
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  • Profile picture of the author Freelancer's Mind
    Hey Tiffany,
    I know exactly what you're talking about - I was just like you, when I didn't do exactly what the manual told me to do I'd fear failure. My advice now: Stop being a perfectionist.
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  • Profile picture of the author AshleyB
    In theory, yes I feel the freedom to deviate from the plan. However, I still feel like a green marketer, and I don't trust myself to set out on my own path yet. I am hoping once I have some success I can break away easier.
    Signature
    Media Buyer and Communications Specialist with Clickfunnels
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  • Tiffany... you were making sense... until you talked about applesauce in the cake batter? That would make for an interesting tasting chocolate cake...

    Kind of like substituting salt for baking soda, because they are both white

    Originally Posted by TiffanyDow View Post

    Hi Warriors!

    I recently learned something awesome and I know when I talked about it to my list, I was shocked that so many others had the same problem.

    For a long time, I bought IM guides and did it verbatim (when they had exact steps LOL). But anyway, if I encountered something I couldn't do, like maybe a tool I couldn't afford or a step that confused the hell out of me, I'd get that yucky panicked or uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach.

    It told me if I didn't do it exact, then I would fail.

    Finally............I learned how to let go of that!

    Now I don't force myself. In fact, I'm free and easy with my implementation ways! If I study a course and it tells me to get Aweber and I can't afford it (for example), I'll find MailChimp. If it tells me to buy do something I don't like ethically, I skip that part and do something I feel might be equivalent in being helpful.

    I think of it like this - I'm baking a cake at home and realize I ran out of eggs. What do I do? Stick some applesauce in the batter. Works like a charm.

    Do you feel the freedom to do this or do you feel that old ball and chain of "following in footsteps" gnawing at you?

    tiff
    Signature
    Pick a product. Pick ANY product! -> 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      In a different venue, you'd be talking about making the leap from line cook to chef. From simply following a recipe to understanding what the various ingredients contribute so you can make acceptable substitutions.
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      • Profile picture of the author paulie888
        Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

        In a different venue, you'd be talking about making the leap from line cook to chef. From simply following a recipe to understanding what the various ingredients contribute so you can make acceptable substitutions.
        This is so true. Following that same cooking analogy, being able to improvise and adapt quickly to unexpected changes is what separates a line cook from the chef at a three-star Michelin restaurant! The internet marketers that are constantly innovating, testing and creating/offering value are the ones that will excel and stand out, so I don't try to obsessively stick to the instructions in any IM report I read anymore.
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  • Profile picture of the author TiffanyLambert
    Speaking of cooking...it's funny. If I cook a new recipe, I never deviate! I'd go out and buy eggs too. LOL! But if it's a recipe I grew up watching my mom make, I don't have a recipe - I just toss stuff in and work it. Confidence grows over time I guess.
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