Want to succeed? Quit your job.

Thanks man, and to you too!

It is frightening and daunting and you will find very little support from friends and especially family.

That's the biggest hurdle to get over to be honest. But that motivates me even more... that 'I told you I'd make money this way' day.

Happy times... back to work then

Just make sure you have a daily task list and COMPLETE THE LIST.

Stick religiously to the list

Yeah I agree.. maybe you should come up with a working system for online business first before quitting your job. It's not as easy as it used to be a few years ago on IM. But yep best of luck buddy!

Some people need this to *get going.* As he stated, he only suggested this for his self, not others. But I will say I did the same thing...I was only making like $200 a month from my offline business, then quit my regular job and went full time and it was the best decision I ever made If I would have stayed, I would not have a successful offline business right now and I am only making about $2000 a month, but unfortunately, that's more than I was making at my job, so some people do need their *back against the wall* to stop procrastinating. But I wouldn't suggest it for others because some people would still just procrastinate. lol Oh, another thing to do if you're desperate for money....telemarketing

This is a good point...

And I'm in my 20's.

My background isn't very scary. I don't have any debt, I don't face any bankruptcy and I am able to dedicate all my time to this stuff. I'm happy to be making a living online already, so that's good.... I also didn't go to college.

But what motivated me the most before that, was the fear of moving back into my parents house!!!!!! REALLY!

I'd RATHER face bankruptcy (an adult situation) than have to move back in with my parents! It's not an abuse kind of thing, they just raised me well and I have a very independent personality. Like I just wanna be ON MY OWN!

I literally gave up everything to chase down IM success... did this stuff since I was 18 years old... trying to break through for YEARS. And it wasn't until I was full-time on it, forgetting about a job, that I finally found success...

My #1 tip to ANYONE in a bad or good situation who wants to break through:

DON'T PUDDLE JUMP!!!!

Pick ONE tactic, STICK WITH IT until you MAKE IT HAPPEN.

That's all from me.

Peace.

Luke

Been there, done that. Some things need to be learned the hard way, I guess.

Don't quit your job until you've got he IM thing producing at least a sustainable income for you. It's tough, but if you can build it at least to that level while you're still working at your job, THEN you can take the plunge if you think it makes sense to do the IM full time.

Word to the wise.

I personally wouldnt advise anyone quitting their full time job to do IM until they can fully support themselves on their IM income.

ideally you want a years worth of your current wage in a savings account (in case of emergencies) and then make sure you are making enough from IM to cover your monthly wage.

I would probably recommend getting a part time job if your not able to get a full time one and combine this with IM

I think that if people want to take off work they sure can. You really got to focus your full efforts on IM( well some people do)

I can certainly appreciate why you'd do this. But like the others, I think it's a bad idea -- even if you are single with no children.

I'm also single, with no children. I lost my job last year and saw it as a tremendous opportunity for my IM business. I tapped my retirement funds to start it and got all the way to launch...and had to postpone the launch because I had a cashflow crisis -- there really is NO MORE money at all until I can find a job.

The job hunt has been lengthy and discouraging -- to say the least.

You can start and run an IM business on little money -- but not on NO money. You still need to be able to pay your personal expenses (rent, phone/Internet, car insurance, food, etc.) plus the basic IM expenses like hosting and autoresponders.

If you can't pay your basic living expenses (nevermind the basic IM expenses), you won't be able to market -- and you won't be able to get your business off the ground (or grow it).

Like you, my family won't let me starve or be homeless. But they're not paying my bills either. Things are TOUGH right now.

I had some tremendous opportunities right after I lost my job and I don't regret tapping my retirement funds. But for cashflow reasons, I simply can't launch until I get a job and get the basic bills covered.

You've made a choice and taken a risk. Hopefully you have some money to cover your expenses for a while, which means you really are in a race against time. Since you don't have a family, I suppose you can afford to take that risk.

Given my own situation though, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else -- even if they are single with no kids. If you end up needing another job, you'll likely find it very difficult to get one. At least, that's my current experience. The job market is still very hard.

Once I get a job and get my basic bills covered, I can launch. And I wouldn't quit that job until I had a cash cushion AND some consistent income from the business (even if it wasn't a lot).

I wish you the best and hope it's the right choice for you.

Michelle

Everyone that's against this is correct but the one's that are for it are also correct. Everyone has their own path, some people work better under pressure, some people fold. The key to this situation is to know yourself. There are many successful people that were broke and even homeless at one point due to chasing their dreams but they were determined to succeed. I'm a firm believer of the saying anything is possible, especially when your willing bet everything on your achievement.

We are in the same shoe. Luckily, I have no wife, children and debt am making some money with IM business and my only obstacle is procrastination. Good luck to you!

History remembers those whose gambles paid off.

Looking at one factor and attributing that to success is over simplistic.
I'm sure there were months of planning prior to the expedition even setting sale, and training, equipment and better armour may have been even more important to the victory than burning your fleet

One thing is for certain - Cortes victory has precious little to do with whether the OP will succeed or not.

He may succeed, and I honestly hope he does, but I think leaping head first towards bankruptcy as a means of motivating yourself is madness, when you can deal with the root cause in a far more sensible and less risky manner.

Love that Quote...

Yes Burn the ships...

Man life is to short to be doing something you HATE doing.

I wish you all the best.

Work hard and stay focused and it will probally be the best thing you ever did...

I love when people are willing to risk EVERYTHING to get what they want in life.

It's called FREEDOM and few people ever get to experience that.

Come visit me in Thailand when you can and we will do a little celebration party for you.

It is not a story, it is a history. It happened when the Moors came to Spain first time, eventually made the most advanced empire in that era (at Cordova).

WOW! I totally LOVE this post!

Toniy and Jou, I wish you guys the best of luck!

Sounds like you guys have weighed the pros and cons and you've already burned the bridges. Good for you.

I made similar decisions a while a back and it had a little to do with reading "How to Get Rich" by Felix Dennis.

He says that having a regular paycheck is like being on crack cocaine. (And the guy knows what he's talking about with cocaine, he spent 100 mil on whor es and cocaine a couple decades ago).

It's a weird feeling having a job where every day is stressful to the max and all you want to do is go home and eat ice cream, watch sports, relax (and not work) and YET, you know that you have a paycheck coming in...

To me I just could NOT take the feeling that I would have a crappy job for the rest of my life, or go to school to finish a degree so I could get another stupid job that would hopefully allow me to retire when I'm 65 so I can play bridge and golf and travel in my old wrinkly skin...............nah

But like Johnny said, there are probably tough days ahead. And I know what it feels like to have to pay minimums on credit cards with a reserve credit account from your bank because you don't have cash. It sucks.

You have to daily overcome every doubt and negative feeling and expectation you have in your mind and body. Or the doubt will consume your psychic energy just like your job did.

For those who had made up their minds and burned the bridge, you should ONLY listen to people like Johnny here:


So don't listen to the doubters because they probably WANT you to fail.

And you actually might "fail" this time. But in my opinion from reading many stories MANY of the people who are now wildly successful came from desperate circumstances.

And you guys know what you're doing. You're creating for yourself a desperate circumstance where you MUST succeed. So do it!

Here's some stuff that I think might be encouraging:
-Raising Eyebrows (about Dal Lamagna who accumulated 150k in debt from business loans in the 80's and failed over and over till his 30's)
-Read about others who failed for a long time in order to do what was MEANINGFUL to them. Like Sylvester Stallone, Donald Trump, etc.

Because it's not about just surviving.... it's about thriving right?

Where are you now?

I'm in the same position, however, I do have a bit of a cushion to protect me if things get rough. I guess I also have age on my side, still in my early 20s so I can pull 14-16 hour days without too much trouble. Gotta make this into a fulltime income gig before the summer, seems reasonable since I have a detailed action plan. Go for it, if it doesn't pan out the way you originally thought it would, dust yourself off, get a part-time job if you have to and try it again. Go hard and never give up.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT IS KEY! Glad someone said it. I concur!

Good luck and we wish you all the best! Keep us informed.

It's scary giving up your regular day job to IM. Better do both for the time being, and when you're online income is substantial enough to pay your bills, then we can live like those online people who are earning 5 figures a month just because they introduced or invented something fresh or useful to the online community. Just my two cents.

Wow,

First I would say that I hope you are as passionate as it sounds. I hope you have at least made some sort of relatively steady IM income. Or at least when you focused you succedded. If you are 125% passionate I think you will eventually come out on top.

If you are not 125% passionate about it then I would be seriously concerned. I still consider myself as a newbie. (I.e. someone that has only made one sale and has spent far more than that trying to create money!) If you do procrastinate (as I do ) then I'm not sure facing bankruptcy would help.

Best of luck, I hope you have a backup plan. And if not I suggest indeed.com and craigslist.com In case you have to come back to the grind. Perhaps you should schedule your day?

At any rate, Best of Luck!!

With the current climate in the UK, there's not many people that would give up their job. I think it shows a certain amount of courage.

Now you've set yourself a goal (you'll be surprised how many don't). You need to get a plan of action together in order to meet that goal.

You must be prepared to put in the hours now, which will probably mean working harder than you have ever done before. But remember, it does not necessarily have to be like that forever.

Don't waste too much time searching forums for a get-rich-quick solution, you probably won't find it; but if you've got five months then in my opinion, you've got plenty of time to turn this around. I've seen quite a few people do this in the last few years.

I'd also suggest not to spend loads of money on downloads and ebooks etc. It's absolutely not necessary.

Many people have become successful because they are prepared to take risks. Others feel like they are backed into a corner in this situation. A few years ago I would have been one of those. But being my own boss in IM has taught me many things.

I hope you will be able to learn quickly too and quickly take your first steps to becoming a success.

Agreed that everyone is different, I've seen people succeed from both approaches and I've seen many more fail with both approaches.

In my case I definitely started with overlap and it turned out exceptionally well - no problem motivating myself for 3-4 hours a night.

The ideal situation for many would be...

1. Transition from a heavy commitment job where yo uare sapped out time and energy wise to a job where you can get some time to work on your business (perhaps at a lower wage, but a wage just the same to get you through the learning, experimental phase)

2. Or...a job that is more in line with your goals, that gets you experience with either you rmarket or with the marketing techniques you will use to market your business. That way you can get paid for learning while you build your own business on the side

3. Or...you are open to augmenting your business with some freelancing income in the short-term (this obviously depends on whether you have a value that you can freelance and are open to taking on some projects while you build your business)

4. Or...you have a payout that lasts you 4-6 months (at least) to give you time to get your legs under you.

I am all for giving 110% and going full-bore at your objective, but there are multiple learning curves on the way to setting up a full-time income generating online business.

Best of luck mate!

Jeff

Wow I do not know if I would go so far as to quit my job. I am not saying that it can not be done, but security does have it's privileges. The only concern that I have is that you mention procrastination. This is one thing that is so very detrimental to any business and to anyone that is self employed.

I would say that one of the things that you should consider is if it is procrastination or fear. Both of them are legitimate, but it is best to know which you are facing.

So I would make a list of reasons (you know this is what we call our excuses for not getting stuff done) and get to the core of these. Then make an action plan that you can add to your list everday to make sure that this is not going to hinder you during this time. Your need to be focused and to work on task will be a great factor in this endeavor that you have embarked on.

I am not discouraging you. I think it is dang awesome that you have taken to doing something. It is my advice to anyone, you just have to start. I mean there are no real risks here. You succeed. You do some, but not enough to live. Or you flop flat on your face. But you will never no if you don't get out there and do something.

I wish you the best of luck and look forward to hearing how your endeavors are going. I do hope that you will make a guide out of your experiences if this crazy ride you are taking works. It will make on heck of story at least.

Wow... there's been a few replies since I last checked in!

Well I have news... but first thing's first

(I'm sure I could boost my post count if I replied individually :p No accounting for taste I suppose)

TSuccess - Thanks man, you have no idea how inspirational it is to hear from folks who have tried and made it!

ColinChia - I know I'm as shocked as you are! I read this post a little while ago actually and I've been using the term 'it's all about the hustle' since then. And you are right... money isn't really even a motivator... it's what you DO with the money that gets you going. The freedom. The opportunities. You've done incredibly well, congratulations! It really is all about heart. And when you know there's nothing else in the world you'd rather do... I think you probably got heart.

Hobo82 - Thankyou sir! I would LOVE the highest success... and of course the same goes right back to you.

Ginandtonic - You are not wrong. I've recently looked into a procrastination program to get that all sorted... not because I wasn't working hard enough, but because I was starting to get myself down. If I wasn't working, I wasn't doing ANYTHING. I've been in kind of a rut and the program has snapped me out of it. It's all about choice! So I can happily say that I won't be procrastinating anymore. The world just seems different now. I'll talk about the program at the bottom there. Good advice though.

Bhuff85 - Awesome post man. I feel the same way. That's no judgement, one way or the other, but I absolutely can't be an employee. I don't need the supposed security that comes with a job as I'll find that myself. I know some of the best paid people in the world are employees (salesmen...) but I need to take care of business myself. I don't know why... maybe there's a little arrogance there. But maybe it's because I know how much of the world there is to see and I want to see it before I'm dead. Can't do that in the 20 days paid leave they give you.

Wills - YES, procrastination is probably the only real enemy of any potential entrepreneur or successful person of any breed. It's tempting to spend a little time here but of course it can be a very useful element of your marketing plan This place is awesome though, the temptation is certainly there. But if you got a direct plan of action, it's not so bad. I find that immersing yourself here at WF is generally down to 'searching for the bullet'. Could be wrong, but it's worth thinking about!

TurnkeyBusinessBlogs - Hey... unemployment benefits. Yes, I gotta get that sorted :p Not really even joking... every little helps in the early days. Uhhh.... expect a PM.

O0o0O - I had to sober up before writing your name properly! Totally agree though. When I tried this a year ago there was so much 'unconscious incompetence' that things just went nowhere. To be honest I'm still paying for that mistake now. But a year later, the plan is in place! Time to unleash...

Gie Grace - That's a really smart move. If I had known what I know now about how to handle procrastination, I may have done the same. In fact if the worst came to the worst, I could probably do something similar. As long as the misery and exhaustion didn't set in. I really, really hope you do well, you seem to deserve success.

Kenwa87 - Well said. And that is most certainly my thinking!

Sarah Bosen - That was very sweet of you to say, thankyou. I think we share an understanding!

John Breeze - THAT was a cool post man, made me feel awesome, cheers! Kind words.

Monique3000 - I hate it when that happens soooo much. And yeah you know I was never more than a minute early. That's the on time as in 'we don't cut your wages' on time... rather than the 'come in ten minutes before the shift' on time! I think I've done something similar... dabbled in a few different areas but settled for now on what I KNOW I can make money with, since it's a skill I possess and people will pay for. I gotta say though, I never got sacked!

Nightengale - If nothing else I think we could happily dedicate this thread to hating call centre jobs. Never did customer services though... people were always trying to move over to inbound calls!

Smartalec - Wow man, I think you've been through more hell than I have. But I feel the same... I took longer to get things up and running but I've spent a lot of it learning. Now... it begins! Good luck mate.

jgant - Thankyou for your kind words there. I've dived in head first, that's no secret, but I have the same concern. The way I'm making money right at this second is very time consuming, but necessary to guarantee an income to see me by. Dedicating an hour or two to more passive incomes will turn the tide soon enough though!

Brad789 - Thanks Brad. Those are some inspiring words and yes, the key really is to plan and work it. Stick to the plan, trust yourself to plan for yourself the right way. Your blog looks excellent by the way. Easy to navigate and really nicely organised, it's a pleasure to use, congratulations!

Tim3 - Some brevity! Wonderful... And thank you sir, it means more than you know.

Paulie888 - Although you weren't necessarily talking to me, that's excellent advice! I realise now that having all the free time in the world means NOTHING without realising that the time is precious. It needs to be utilised but more importantly you need to CHOOSE to utilise it. Otherwise you run the risk of feeling like you're employed again and you'll rebel by watching daytime TV instead! (Not what I did but... you know)

Bradmarcus1 - Thanks Brad! I know what you mean and I suppose in a sense that's what I've done. Fortunately what I'm doing is do now is 'a job' I enjoy that will facilitate my Business really soon!

Davechan - Nice Work! Care to name the celebrities? Moreover... care to share their emails? Joking aside, that's not a bad target. Well played!

Wayne-JJ - Wayne it doesn't matter that you come up with something original as long as it's sincere... thanks a million!

Buckeyes09 - That's what I'm hoping! There is a huge leap, but there's also a phrase 'nothing ever changes until it hurts enough'... the job was making me miserable, I just wanted to leave. I used this as an excuse to leave I think, in the beginning but am I ever glad I did!

Ofthemix - Very cool, awesome post and very glad to hear it! My income has essentially increased 999,999,999% since taking this full time, but only because I had never made a dollar before hand! The financial reports look amazing by percentage :p But yes, procrastination is really the only enemy. Thankfully I've now got a handle on it and I'm getting paid!

Chris30k - Too late :p I like the idea and I'm sort of doing something similar (doing basic work to fund the business... and live)... but on my own terms now. Happiness is there now, which facilitates great work!

Mike McAleer - Yeah, sure some people are just lucky. I guess I'm one of them since I always seem to land on my feet... of course so does everyone for doesn't give up on a long enough timeline!

Bestiphone5cases - You're totally right, it can be a drag and speaking to folks that are like-minded really really helps! I also know the exact wrong turn to make to get to Merthyr since I did it last week! Let me get things up and running and I'll buy the first round! Good luck mate!

anthony2 - I guess I'm kind of in the middle... I'm not a newbie, but I wasn't making any kind of online income either. My original goal was to earn $1,350 per month before I quit my job, but I just couldn't take it anymore and there was no guaranteeing how long it would have taken. Still, things seem to be going my way so far!

Rama - Certainly not a bad $0.02! The thing is Rama, I probably would have done that very thing but I simply couldn't take the misery of being at a day job anymore... I didn't really have a choice from that perspective.

Ricocrownmedia - I'm a real fan of the extremist method! To be honest, my folks wouldn't deal well with me moving back in and I would have to end up finding a job and getting my own place anyway. Also I got a girlfriend who wouldn't take kindly to moving 200 miles away. So... I don't have a back up plan! All I have is enough active debt to keep me alive for another 5-9 weeks and that's it! And fella... I'm feeling the fire and it's working!

Andrea Wilson - Very sensible Andrea. What I did was reckless and borderline stupid but I had a wealth of knowledge to draw on. Get some knowledge under a belt (took me about a year... although would have been much less if I had the teachers I have now!)... then go make some bad decisions!

AnneHouse - Thank you Miss House! Although what's becoming clearer is you need to know where to apply that action... still, live and learn!

msmir75 - You can't go wrong with the LoA... as long as you know you gotta do at least a little leg work (which will be instinctive to you and no hassle whatsoever) you'll be set! Just envision, appreciate and WANT!

Mreese601 - That would have been another tricky one to write But actually some incredibly advice that I would have loved to hear in the early days! As things move on the balance can shift but that's a great place to start!

iAmNameLess - Some great points, that can't be argued. The first and most important point... Yes, if I was operating the same way I was when I wrote the original thread, I would have found myself heading for full on 'broke' in no time at all. I was actually in a rut at the time and doing nothing that was conducive to success or even good health! Fortunately I hit the bottom and realise 'gotta change'. I took care of my procrastination issue and I've got my life back in order! As I said I'm about the launch my paid service and I think it'll go pretty well! But it hasn't all been roses, and it can be tough, but it still beats my day job. Especially now I've balanced my work with my life. Unfortunately I can't put my rent on plastic and I need to clear £400 per month, but as I said, I've got a plan to make this happen. I have to disagree that I've set myself up for failure and I also gotta add that this may have been the most negative post I've read so far! I have the knowledge, I have more than the required capability and I can only wonder is perhaps you'd be a little perkier about it if your move into IM was on your own terms, as it has been with me. That's a bigger deal than I think most people appreciate. You're right in that having 6 months savings would be safe (but would also take away the sense of urgency, pushing procrastinators to procrastinate) and that without the discipline to work one hour, you could never work 8+. Also, no this is not for everyone. Fortunately, it is for me. I hope this hasn't seemed combative either sir! It certainly isn't... once again, you're giving the advice you think would serve me best and for that I thank you.




Kezz - Hey Kezz, you're a cool lady! Thank you for sharing that, I wish I had been as dramatic! Unfortunately I left a good job where I liked everyone! (That's a good job on paper, not in practice!). My learning curve has been easier to manage and I basically spent my 'newbie phase' with a job I suppose looking back. Making up for it now though! Congratualations Miss!

LiamP - That first part was very inspiring, thank you. And that quote by Teddy is exceptional. Being true to myself is something I try to do every day... and giving it an almighty heave is something new to me... but I'm gonna make that a habit!



Genhorrall - Wow... just as I finish my replies for my belated update, you jump in to give me one more addition from the blue! Nice timing! And an incredibly valuable post too! As you can tell for the two week lapse of a reply, the procrastination was still leering a little. And it really, really had to get sorted. Not even so much for just IM but for LIFE!! I am so much happier now than I was only one week ago and more productive too.



I thought about documenting it all... and you just convinced me


Thanks to all... I'll have an update in the next post!

(I wish they gave more than 10 smilies for longer posts!)

Man, I think you're crazy! But sometimes we gotta accept the fact that a high percentage of successful marketers online got to where they are right now by making crazy decisions that no average joe in the right mind would be brave of doing. Do I make sense? LOL

I sincerely wish you the very best, bro! Keep us updated with your progress... Your journey can be an inspiration to a lot of newbies.


- Angelo

PS - Let this video help inspire you to overcome your limits and do whatever it takes to be successful. Watch video.

This is a great conversation because I think it really shows the "both sides of the coin" argument. Some people will rise to the occasion and accomplish all their goals, others need to work there incrementally. I tend to do my best when my back is against the wall and I absolutely can't procrastinate...but I've been homeless twice and know how hard it is to fight back once you hit that stage. It's a lot to think about and I've enjoyed seeing how many people are talking about both sides of the coin here.

WOW. That really can be scary but also it does force you to get on with it. When I was in corporate life I kept trying to start my own business but something would always come up and stop me. Though a part of me thinks that was really something I caused to keep me in that safe job. Finally took a layoff during a business down trend to get me to go into business myself.

I wish you all the luck and breaks possible.

First of all , I have to say that you got Guts . I like that . I like people that have the courage to do what they want to do and go against the norm .

Since you are ok with the worst case scenario , going bankrupt, I don't see why not .

When you know that the worst case scenario is covered , there is no reason not to go for it.

To beat procastination , i sugest having a negative consequence. If you know you would look stupid in front of your mentors or if you know you would go hungry if you do not make make some money or if you know IM is the only , you would act immediately .

If you do not succeed in Im , what would happen

All i can say is that You take massive action on what is already working for you , form some strategies alliances, some mentors to guide you through the process and go all out to make the next 5 months a success



Proud of you dude , Go FOR IT !!

Hey:
Just want to say that I think you're very brave!
But I did the same thing. Facing bankruptcy, I turned my energy toward Im-ing and haven't looked back.
But, I'm also doing ghostwriting on the side to pay the bills. Gotta have my tv and keep my dog in treats!
Good luck! I'll be following you.
Beverly G.

I also quit my job to do IM full time. Thankfully I had the support of my husband, who told me that I should quit my job to pursue something that I would enjoy more. That being said, we are able to live off my husband's income and we have savings for three months of expenses.

I do not think that I would be able to quit cold turkey like you did, but I wish you the best of luck.

Wow, fair play to you for trying man.

No point listening to people saying that your mad, because what's done is done.

Now, just make sure you don't spend too much time, procrastinating on the warrior forum and not doing any work. That is an easy slippery slope to fall down, with all your extra free time.

Gie, it's great that your employer allows you such flexibility with your work schedule. You're absolutely right - by compressing your work week into just 3 days, you'll get to be a lot more productive for the remainder of the week.

Just make sure you focus and tune out distractions that are inevitably going to arise - with so much free time on your hands, there'll be the temptation to go off on unproductive tangents or just do unproductive things on the computer. Take stock of what you're doing on your days off, and ensure that you're focusing primarily on activities that let you progress forward in IM.

Paul

Monique,

My last job was a call center job and I was laid off last year. I HATE call center jobs with a passion! What miserable work. So glad you were able to make a success of IM!

Michelle

Good luck. What's the worst that can happen? You have to find another job.

I'm approaching leaving my line of work a little more carefully, but then I don't hate my non IM work (it's a service business I own). I plan on making the leap to full time IMer when I earn from IM 1/3 more than I presently earn for 3 months straight. Yes, pretty cautious, but my offline business isn't too bad.

Besides, with a little hustle you can earn decent money offering services online. My fear with this approach is that I would simply be trading one service business for another. However, if I was working in a job I hated, I think I'd be inclined to take a bigger risk.

My aim is earning income solely from affiliate marketing which will take longer than offering services online.

I wish you the best. Yes, this is an excellent thread.

Andrea have a little more faith in yourself. If you follow the marketing plan you will make money. Most people want follow the plan.

Win, lose or draw - it sounds like you're being (a) true to yourself (b) giving it an almighty heave. That's all that is required. Life is short, life is risk. You'll do great so relax, enjoy and keep us posted. And on the tough days, remember your dream.

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." Theodore Roosevelt

Ever the contrarian, I am.

I was laid off 2 weeks ago from a job I rather enjoyed. It just so happens that said job taught me a fairly good deal about IM but I had never put it into practice. I had a blog that earned .37 in AdSense, exactly 1 click (which I haven't got to spend yet because I haven't reached the payment threshold).

I was self employed a number of years ago, loved it and was successful. I've been laid off so many times now I can hardly count. I'm sick of it.

Soooo, I says, "Wife, do you mind being broke for a few months?"

She says (along with many other things), "Do you think you can do it?"

I replies, "I have no question I can".

She rejoinders, "And what if you don't?"

Me quips, "I go find a job."

The lovely woman kisses me on the cheek and says, "You can do it honey!"

So here I am, nine days later, with $89 in Clickbank sales in the last 24 hours, my very first (3) sales.

I know what made these sales and I know how to do the last two weeks as many times as I need to until I reach a level of comfort. I'm pretty jazzed.

No, not everyone can do this. But I have a plan, my risk is highly calculated, and I refuse to fail.

OK... so here's the update.

WHERE AM I NOW?

I've started writing. As you can see in my signature at the time of writing (and that's the last active promotion I'll do in this thread), I am now a freelance writer.

I offered out my services to 6 (in actual fact 7) clients in exchange for testimonials and the feedback was incredible. The work is tough, but infinitely more enjoyable than what I have been doing.

I have also found my first paid work (made $200 so far, while only publishing my 'FREE' service :p) and managed to secure a handful of long term clients as well. Yes... I'm quite good

All joking aside, things are looking up. I've used the first part of my week to write up my ad copy and keep up with clients. I've also looked into my procrastination, which is something that I'll cover in a moment. Finally I've managed to set myself up in a diet that I'm actually going to apply successfully at last!

Everything is looking up. I have around 5-9 weeks to get my funds up together and at this rate, it's more than possible WHILE leaving room for my other projects... and talking to you guys!

Perhaps I'm lucky to have a skill worthy enough of employment, maybe it's my business philosophy, maybe it's just that I've done enough good in my life to deserve a break, but so far I feel as though I've landed on my feet.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Write. I'll be writing a lot for the next few weeks and I'll be further establishing my client base. I'm also getting some assistance from a very kind gent in applying to an online publishing house to ensure that there's always at least some work there.

I have 3 or 4 other projects that I'd like to see make it to fruition... one will provide a passive income between $470 and $9,400 per month (from my calculations ), the other will build a brand, and another will be a healthy mix of the two.

Lessons Learned So Far

You have absolutely GOT to defeat procrastination. I hadn't as of starting this post and thankfully I seem to have now. Not completely, but enough to be optimistic and I'm getting better each day.

It's all about getting the right idea about what procrastination really is... which is a huge subject worthy of 5+ hours of pure listening, but I'll type something up another time once I've got it fully internalised.

For now, all I'll say is PLAN and INCLUDE your fun activities in your daily schedule, and make sure that everything you do is on your terms, one way or another.

For example, I write because I want to earn money. I watch a film because I want to relax. I go for walks because I want to get in better shape. The thing is, even though I'd like to do one more than the other on occasion, I strike a happy medium between work and play. And I know that the work I CHOOSE to do, when I CHOOSE to do it is leading me onto what I WANT even more.

Mix up your work with something fun every few hours, and you'll stay motivated, knowing that you're getting a lot done, your attention is always high and keep on keeping on! Coming fresh from an hour's break on a work day leaves you actually WANTING to work!

When a lot of people say they work 16 hours a day... how much of that is actual work? If I WORK for 5 hours now, then that's pure work. Ever read the Solitaire Study?

I stay happy, sane, relaxed and productive, in all endeavours.

It's scary not knowing when the money will come, but it's comforting knowing exactly how it will come and that I'm doing everything right to expect it.

I'm procrastinating less, not altogether finished, but the situation is so much more improved it's ridiculous. I could have spend all last week writing, but I didn't. I did some writing, some emailing, some walking, some reading of a specific diet book, and some listening to the procrastination tape. All of this was productive and in some way conducive to my success.

The writing makes me money.

The emailing creates an environment to take on more work, and grow my talents, to make more money.

The walking makes me feel like I'm still active and that makes me happy.

The reading reminded me of the set up of my chosen eating plan to lose some weight and that will makes me happy.

The listening helped me realise that doing all this is the right thing to do, even if it isn't directly profitable. It's an investment in my time.

Previously I wouldn't have even finished the book. In fact, this was my fourth time trying it and this time I succeeded!

Ultimately you don't have to do anything. You choose what to do. The power is with you. Sometimes you choose to work because you're being mature and know what the right thing to do is, for you. You work because you want to earn because you want better happiness. Equally you play because that gives you happiness right now. Mix the two, don't neglect either.


Now that's a horribly simplified version but I've covered the parts that were an epiphany for me.

I was previously in quite a substantial rut. Even upon starting all this, I was miserable and doing nothing conducive to good health or happiness. I got in an argument with my girlfriend (my fault) and realised... wow, I'm not happy.

So I took some time to be introspective and figure out exactly what was wrong. I found it, and looked for a solution. I applied the solution and now my life is different and back on track to incredible success and happiness.

And if I'm happy, I work better. Simple as that.

The final thing I've learned through reading the replies from you guys is that even though I harp on about taking action, taking the risk, believing in yourself... there really is a MASSIVE point that I glanced over.

YOU NEED TO HAVE A PLAN.

That plan needs to take you from where you are now, to cashing your cheque, with every single process in between mapped out so you are then essentially painting by numbers.

Then you take action

So I find you now, feeling optimistic, having seen some success, and about to embark on something huge.

Look forward to speaking with you all again,

Wish me luck,

Adam

(Oh hey check my signature... I'm hustling )

(No more of that...)

Then you'll probably never be ready

Over the years I've been a member here at the WarriorForum, there have been several posts like this...with strong opinions on both sides of the argument.

Personally, I think it is a decision that is different for everyone.

Some people have to give themselves no other options in order to succeed....while others can't deal with this sort of pressure. They need stability and security in order to succeed on their own.

Everyone is different.

So far, it seems like things are going well...

By reading your posts, I think you probably made the right decision.

It seems like you KNEW you wanted to write and knew you could make money doing it...and the job you HATED was holding you back.

That's much different than some of the people who make these kinds of posts.

yes, but there are hundreds of products that you can sell with instant commissions paid via PayPal - available at rapmall.com or rapbank.com for starters...there are others, as well.

He can make instant money creating and selling his own product too.
Anyone can make money online within a week or less. It's not hard.

Again, I strongly suggest that Toniy focus on "can-do" rather than "can't"
and listen to positive people who tell him to go for it.

and that goes for anyone else who's reading this thread. Don't listen to the dream stealers who tell you all kinds of reasons why you shouldn't start your own business. You will never have freedom unless you work for yourself and you'll never be rich by making someone else rich (your boss at your job) And being rich doesn't just mean having tons of money. Being rich is having the freedom to do what you want when you want, and living the life of your dreams. Money is just the tool.

A true entrepreneur is not afraid of risks and is not afraid of failures. Failures are lessons, and if you give up because you've failed once or twice, then that is really a shame, because sometimes it takes many failures before you make it big. (ask me how I know, lol)

Live large and dream big!

Joewriter - It may still prove to be!

Ayoungmillionaire - That was very cool... I know exactly how he feels "Don't quit... don't quit.... well I actually quit" I get what he's saying though... have a job to tie you over, give yourself all the support you can get. I feel that my two month buffer is enough!

Jeff Elia - I'm really glad to hear that Jeff, for both you and your friend. To be honest, I may not have quit my job had I been able to conquer my procrastination beforehand... but I didn't, so here I am!

jbsmith - True... but considering they were about to hit the slopes (unless they were just going for a ride...) and also considering they only had 8 minutes I guess they had to pick their topics carefully. And there's a good chance he's bored of talking about AM by now!

calente - I've heard that phrase... work smart, not hard. I think that's a similar thing to what I've realised just recently too. Prioritise your work, figure out what's most important to you and choose how you spend your time carefully. Being a procrastinator is very similar to being a workaholic... neither knows how to manage their time the right way!

multiplefigureincome - I've been called both before, though never in the same sentence... thanks!

bpollina - Thankyou kindly... You are 100% correct, without self-development I wouldn't be where I am today and I certainly wouldn't be able to make stupid decisions like these! :p Ever since I realised that there was a way of improving and bettering who you are and how you live, it's been basically smooth sailing ever since.

ramone-johnny - Probably being the operative word there Johnny Give the poor guy a break, he'll come round!

mccartyjess - Thankyou Jess, it's very rarely I get thanked for my honesty and that means a lot... it's the only way to fly in my opinion. Hey even if this goes horribly wrong I'll admit it... of course the trick is, it won't!

angelosayson - Crazy Toniy is how I made most of my friends today actually I've started documenting the journey actually... I think it was when I read your post last time that I started, so thanks! And also that video was one of the best things I've watched for ages! ... until I saw that kid in a tank top, what was that about?

uleesgold - I don't want to sound like an asshole in an action movie... but I believe we make our own luck. Still I'll take anything that's going!

saiyid - Thankyou, sir! I plan to

edlewis - Ed, thanks. That's probably the best summary of this whole thing I've read so far! I haven't got myself into anything I'm not prepared for... I see the world differently from most, I admit that and I'll put myself in situations that would stop most people sleeping. But I have faith Or I'm a delusional :p

terrencewan - Well said Terrence and congrats on your choices! I'm making my basic living with freelance work where I can but I won't stop developing my skills at any point! We all get in this for our own reasons.

Aaron Elliot - Man I would love to have the spare cash to outsource at the moment but literally all I can afford right now are my $20 WF bumps! Also, I need to be earning straight off the bat, so my freelancing is my launch pad. It's the perfect start for me personally, just need to refine and repeat!

Steve Forster - I can't help but feel that you bear a slight resemblance to Bruce Willis, Steve! It's not a bad idea to be honest... I actually considered the possibility at one point of getting my old waiting job back for three days per week to cover the bare essentials... I just sincerely hope I don't have to consider it again!



On a side note, I've made a small investment in my skills using my credit card.. that'll knock about a month off of my medium term bugger but it should also have me earning a great deal more in a much shorter space of time!

Being able to manage my time effectively now means that I can develop and produce at the same time. If you can't do this then you shouldn't even consider leaving steady work or going into business for yourself at all in my opinion.

For example I've written a thread on how to provide a 5-star rated service / thread... of course the repurcussions of having question threads, service threads and this thread may lead people to think 'Oh man... THIS GUY??'

On the other hand... I'm doing everything I can to make sure I learn everything there is and provide the best of my abilities to my clients. Value over and above what's expected is what I aim for and it should be the same for any business I feel.

I'll leave it there less I start marketing myself again... :p

Stay well friends,

Adam

MichaelHiles - Woah... Michael, you seem upset? Not a single person here has advocated going broke... in fact everyone here has either said 'Don't do it, it's nuts and irresponsible', 'It's not what I'd do, but good luck' or 'Yeah I did it and it went ok'. I personally made a POINT of telling people not to follow my lead because I know how dangerous it could be. I have a plan, that's why I made this decision. I'm happier. I also don't plan on setting up a web development company, I don't have employees, I don't require copy machines and I don't need healthcare or any other securities companies provide. Our businesses and our situations are completely different, so I'm not sure exactly what it is you're getting at? To be honest, at this stage I'm not even setting up a business... I'm providing enough money for myself to live and enjoy my life without having to work somewhere that makes me want to die. So as it happens... I suppose in actual we agree On a side note, I've tremendous respect for what you've done there... fair play sir

carcrazy - A lot of people do it seems... you're certainly not alone! And it's definitely the smart thing to do. Personally, I'm impatient and impulsive and constantly striving for happiness. If your work makes you happy then you have already found more success than I have. Regardless, best of luck with whatever you choose to do!

Newtoebookswriting - It's a great feeling to wake up on the monday knowing you don't have to get up and go to work... of course it's another feeling completely knowing that you are truly and honestly taking care of yourself now... there's nobody keeping you safe and secure, it's all on you! Make the best of it bro ... Also I thought your name was 'New Toe Books Writing'... New Toe is a catchy name

ME ME ME!! I CAN!!

Just kidding... the only person who can guarantee that is yourself.
And I don't even recommend it. It works *sometimes* as you'll
hear in some success stories. But overall, not good for the general
population!

Peace.

Luke

Toniy..
Good on you butt like inni... (sorry, Rhondda accent)
I have moved from there now so I got to stop that nonsense dribble
I think sometimes that all I need is a good couple of months off work to really get my online plans fully going... although its going pretty well with a full time job at mo...
Be nice to catch up and go for an IM mastermind walk along the Gower coastline maybe 1 day.. I'm working in Port Tennant so not far away..
Really though, awesome what your'e doing, nothing better than being your own boss eh...? I can't bloody wait... nice
Nicky

I'm not Tony, but I know about unsupportive family members.

The first step is to show your parents you can make money. So provide a service--making webpages/designing logos/providing backlinks/whatever. You can get clients on Fiverr or through classified ads. This way you will have a little money to show your parents and some income. You can keep working on the passive income while you do this.

People don't appreciate something new until they have someone to show them that it works. Working in IM is similar to telling people you're going to fly in an airplane--in 1901.

I'm fully understood your advice that you gave me, ya, and yet, I also roaming around on many kind of IM world , or even eBay makes me get interesting on it. Recently, I always thinking either go for affiliate or eBay, and which is the best I can do and then make it as a test for me in the route of entrepreneur.

Perhaps, when there is monthly money support , there is online money coming too. I'm truly honoured from this conversation. Thanks !

It's the perfect time for you to TAKE a risk if you want to.

You are only responsible for yourself right now - and you aren't relying on parents or others to support you. You also have a disaster plan as you can move back home if it comes to that.

As you mention procrastination several times (a problem I have as well) keep in mind that once the initial excitement has settled down you will tend to keep the same traits you had in the past unless you work to change them.

A job takes up your time but also keeps you on a schedule. Get used to working on your own (flexible) schedule so you don't go back to procrastinating after a few weeks of working on your own.

kay

Good is The enemy of great and

The safe comfort of a salary when you can wing it, call in sick or get paid to surf endlessly on the WF :p

- can be the enemy of getting focused and moving from great ideas to money in your wallet from your IM efforts.

Ultimately, while your choices may be scoffed at by those near and dear to you, YOU must be brutally honest with what you do with your time and your ROI on your im efforts and activities from here on in.

I too have wrestled with the wily procrastination beast myself and took my share of time sucking defeats.

On those days that my goals have survived, I find that it is little corny systems, structure and short term conseqences and rewards that shaped the moment by moment and eventually weeks and months of
continued frustration or breakthroughs from one success to another.

On a practical note, now is the ideal time in your life to make these bold moves- when the family comes along, leaving that golden chain of a salary will be much, much tougher, if not impossible.

Be Blessed. On On.
Stay Sunny

Michelle B Williams

Originally Posted by Wealthyclark Everyone that's against this is correct but the one's that are for it are also correct. ..... I'm a firm believer of the saying anything is possible, especially when your willing bet everything on your achievement.

The only thing impossible is unreasonable. You just have to recognize it instead of wasting time "because rich people never give up" which is B.S. Rich people NEVER QUIT giving up on crap that doesn't work. They find what does work for them or they wouldn't make any money, would they?

Originally Posted by ramone_johnny Youre doing EXACTLY what I did 4 years ago. The best advice I can give you is eliminate the negative people around you. This is absolutely VITAL. Anyone that says no, cant, dont, too hard, or job - cut them out of your life. Go for it dude. You can acheive whatever you want.

TWO MORE KEY POINTS ABOVE! Back in the day I heard this so many times, I started to believe it: "The first thing you do when you decide to start your own business is get a divorce. Saves a lot of time and money to get it out of the way now instead of later." __Old Boys Club

Originally Posted by Will Edwards Good luck to you Toniy. Will

Mr. Edwards! Still Love your website after all these years!!

Originally Posted by sdentrepreneur I left 18 years of owning gas/petrol stations in 2007 to become an Internet Marketer, earned $3K my first month and never looked back. Don't get me wrong...it has taken hard work. In 2007, I learned to become expert in Google Adwords and sold Internet Education online. When Google started slapping people, I had to learn new methods and become an expert in other fields like Social Media Marketing and Video Marketing. It also requires a different mindset that not many people can grasp. You have to believe in your heart and mind you can do this. I have a short paragraph that I read 100 times every morning that keeps me focused. Don't feel I should share it here but if PM me, I will send it to you. You can adjust it to your life/goals.

This success story is from the mindset of an OWNER with enough drive to succeed because he knows who he is - a business owner, not an employee. You must THINK like an owner to succeed with your own business.

Originally Posted by Joe.Mc I tried this and it was the best decision I ever made career wise... but not for the obvious reasons. I left a job I absolutely hated to try and make it online but after 6 months and very little profit I realised I would have to go back to a "real job". Got some temporary work for 2 weeks through a friend and that quickly turned into a fulltime job with great pay and a really interesting working environment with room for career progression and possible even working abroad in the future. . . . . .Anyway, good luck!

You didn't just not like your job...you "absolutely hated" it!! That's why you used starting an online business as an excuse to quit that detestable job you hated daily with a passion. Congratulations on finding exactly what you wanted - it's got a future, great pay, interesting work. You got everyone wants, proving your own business is not the only option for doing what you want.

Originally Posted by Guru_Marketing Great discussion! I start doing IM with having that part time job at the restaurant. However, I seemed to be distracted by the NEW way of thinking about business. I just had a job, and trying to build a business. Both worlds seem to conflict with one another, so I decided to move back to my parents house, where I do not need to worry about bills and rent, and work the hell out of it, to make this IM business work. Many people get stuck in having a job. I remember Robert Kiyosaki did a funny statement a while ago about jobs. J.O.B. = Just Over Broke You have a choice, if you want to do something better with your life, make a decision to start an online business. Cheers, Chris D.

JOBS and running your own business do conflict with each other and anyone who doesn't learn the difference will eventually fail. You can't be an owner and an employee unless you hire someone to run the business for you while you do whatever you want.

YOU OWN IT. You can do that now. You can do whatever, whenever you want but first make sure your business is being run properly by you or by someone you hire. No leader = no results = no money.

SMART CEO's hire someone or even a team of board members smarter than he is and let them run the business while he takes a personal interest in the health and welfare of the most important assets any company has. PEOPLE.

Put the owner (even a cranky owner) in the trenches with the workers and treat them like adults with rights and that company will prosper. That is the ONLY way you can be both an employee and an owner at the same time. SEMCO is one company who treats employees like grownups and so does BLUE HOST which is one of the biggest reasons they are so popular.

One little problem with that idea: if you find someone smarter than you to run your business, chances are they won't want the job! You will have a tough time with that part but it sure sounds good, doesn't it!!!!

btw - I like the way you acknowledge everyone's comment. I can't tell you how much difference that gesture makes to your profit margin due to the results even a small ripple effect makes over time. Ask Marlon Sanders, Michael & Sylvie Fortin and lots of others who "know".

Knowing WHY you WANT to do something is more important than WHAT or HOW. People respond to WHY you do something not WHAT you do. And if your reason is "make money" so you can have a better life, forget about it. Nobody cares about you making any money or everyone would flock to affiliate links all day long!

That's why GURU's make sure we get the right idea about their products - they sell products for one reason - to help US make money because that's what we care about. We buy what we care about and we want to know why we should buy what we want from YOU and not the guy down the street. Shortcut: audience optimization!

You'll love this video: http://wealthlpp.com/realsecret
..

When you've been working at just about any job for a while, it can be difficult to transition from an employee to employer type of mindset, and when you're quitting your job cold turkey without any experience or income buffer, it's going to be far from easy to become successful at IM (but not impossible).

I can see that you have thought your situation through quite carefully, and you should do well as long as you don't get distracted. Since IM is essentially going to be your career now, focus on getting into a regular schedule where you do predefined and productive IM tasks every day that will get you closer to your income goals. As long as you treat this seriously, you should start seeing results fairly quickly.