Are you 'too intelligent' to make money in Internet Marketing?

71 replies
Since I started coaching Internet Marketing earlier this year I have noticed that some of the most intelligent people are those who struggle in this industry.

Why?

Often, the most intelligent people are those with the most doubts.

- The most intelligent people strive for perfection. And if their website, product, article or whatever isn't quite perfect in their mind, they don't launch.

- The most intelligent people think of an idea, then during the production process think of something better. Because the 2nd idea was better than the 1st, the 1st gets shelved indefinitely. During the production process of idea 2, the 3rd idea arises and the process goes full circle...

Some people who are less intelligent often have fewer doubts and fewer worries about the consequences. They put their idea to product and make $$$$$$$.

Some of the highest earners in this industry struggle to string a sentence together. They have ugly websites and poor quality videos. But they take logical action and that is the key to a good income.

So the moral of the story is stop over thinking things. Analysis paralysis will hurt your income. Take logical action and you will make money!
#intelligent #internet #make #marketing #money
  • Profile picture of the author zigizag
    Yeah, over thinking things can certainly put a dint in your progress. Just keep it simple and stick to a working formula and it will all work out.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Harris
    I think my doubt is what holds me back the most..

    Quite often I will see something, I want to attempt..

    Then I will talk myself out of it..

    I have managed to overcome this by setting myself
    daily goals and focusing on completing them..

    This has eliminated the doubt, and each day I feel a growing
    sense of achievement..
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  • Profile picture of the author johntucker300
    You are right but one need to plan and then go for it. People who always keep thinking NEVER DO ANYTHING. Thinking is good but always thinking too much is really bad. Just think, plan and DO IT.

    Doing is more important than thinking.
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  • Profile picture of the author petemcal
    I think it would be ironic to write an overly detailed or thoughtful reponse to this post. But I somewhat disagree, because there isn't in my opinion a clear link between intelligence and the ability to be pragmatic and get on with things practically.

    However I understand you are sharing from your experience coaching people so fair enough. Interesting topic!
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  • Profile picture of the author headmaster211
    Banned
    I like your post and what you have said.
    Taking actions alone sums up for 90% of your success. Not the case with intelligent people but with most of the people. Something always holds them back. They just can't believe it could be done.

    Frankly, I hav met guys who used to tell me 3 months back that they are going to do this thing, take actions and make money and they still tell me the same thing when I met them now. Take actions, that's all you need to do. You might not be successful in your 1st attempt but the experience you would be gaining is unvaluable. That cannot be learned otherwise.
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  • Profile picture of the author Terry Kyle
    Originally Posted by 4DayWeekend View Post

    Since I started coaching Internet Marketing earlier this year I have noticed that some of the most intelligent people are those who struggle in this industry.

    Why?

    Often, the most intelligent people are those with the most doubts.

    - The most intelligent people strive for perfection. And if their website, product, article or whatever isn't quite perfect in their mind, they don't launch.

    - The most intelligent people think of an idea, then during the production process think of something better. Because the 2nd idea was better than the 1st, the 1st gets shelved indefinitely. During the production process of idea 2, the 3rd idea arises and the process goes full circle...

    Some people who are less intelligent often have fewer doubts and fewer worries about the consequences. They put their idea to product and make $$$$$$$.

    Some of the highest earners in this industry struggle to string a sentence together. They have ugly websites and poor quality videos. But they take logical action and that is the key to a good income.

    So the moral of the story is stop over thinking things. Analysis paralysis will hurt your income. Take logical action and you will make money!
    Yep, some of the smartest people I know are the poorest.

    The richest, on the other hand, have a pigheaded determination to do whatever it takes to succeed and aren't loyal to a particular product, service or company of theirs but rather to success.
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  • Profile picture of the author Diana Meyer
    As for me, I never doubt... I just analyses and in the minute I take a decision and work on what I decided! Sometimes people say that I should ask more questions and research more in depth etc.... but those people are still not making any money online.... I'm not saying that they should do like I do because not everyone has the same goal in life .... I think that each individual should act as they feel best for them and focus on doing whatever they decided to work on ;-)
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  • Profile picture of the author Chri5123
    I think it all comes down to what you class as "intelligence" - if you are looking at IQ i.e the capacity to retain information and recall it then this will of course help you in IM but could be a hindrance as well.

    In my experience it is the "thinking through" and working out every little detail that holds people back.

    Not saying you should be reckless but you shouldn't think about every possible scenario because if you do it is FAR "safer" getting a 9-5.

    The main thing is to start down the path and correct as you go along - you will soon find out if IM is for you.

    Of course the MAIN thing that holds most people back is fear.

    Fear of failure, the fear that they cannot make it work.

    The people that succeed are MORE afraid of failing and find a way to make things work.

    One thing I have found out is that you NEVER get to a place where you throw your hands up and say:

    "I have done it! Now I don't have a thing to worry about!"

    If you want to be successful in IM or anything, get ready for MORE stress, more things to keep an eye on and more to do...

    BUT the main thing is that you HAVE to enjoy it...

    If you don't enjoy IM then it defeats the object of breaking from the 9-5.

    Just my 2 pence.

    Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author GetShorty
    Well that certainly rings true. I have to stay I over think things too much, I wish I was more of doer instead of a thinker. I also avoid finishing things by distracting myself with other projects and never quite finish the one I started because it wasn't "just right".
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  • Profile picture of the author retsced
    This may very well be down to Intelligent people over-analyzing the situation, where less intelligent people just keep it damn simple. That's the key to everything in life I feel, keeping it simple and just getting it done.
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  • Profile picture of the author andrewkar
    I would like to be one of the most intelligent people but...

    Anyway, for me the hardest part was (and still is but I learned to control it) to stay focus. And you are perfectly right saying that

    people think of an idea, then during the production process think of something better. Because the 2nd idea was better than the 1st, the 1st gets shelved indefinitely. During the production process of idea 2, the 3rd idea arises and the process goes full circle
    So to control this somehow self-sabotaging system, I'm writing down every idea that comes to my mind and save it for later evaluation. I have special book with those ideas. After few years it will be good fun (or who knows... maybe some inspiration or I will kick myself for not working them out).

    Definitively, that simple "system" helps me stay on right track.
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  • Profile picture of the author kayfrank
    You are so right! I like to think of myself as intelligent (well I should be as I have a PhD!) and I do tend to think about things too much and want everything to be perfect and in as much detail as possible. I am preparing a 12 week listbuilding course and I keep wanting to add more and more helpful information to make it better and better! It will take forever at this rate!

    Therefore your post is very timely for me. Thank you. I shall stop analysing what I have already written and just get on and finish the whole course!
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  • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
    Originally Posted by 4DayWeekend View Post

    Since I started coaching Internet Marketing earlier this year I have noticed that some of the most intelligent people are those who struggle in this industry.

    Why?
    It sounds like you're just looking for a reason why you've struggled and consider yourself to be intelligent.

    Success is not related to intelligence anywhere near as much as it's related to action.

    However, some people blindly find success but then struggle because the idea of success they had when they started does not translate into the wonderful lifestyle they thought it would.

    Success usually results from and in - hard work.

    Some people are too stupid to realise their idea is not great and go ahead and make it successful anyway

    Others are intelligent but are always thinking "there must be more too it - I'm missing the 'secret'" and just don't take consistent action.

    It's the reason why if I speak at events now I rarely speak about the mechanics of making money online, but rather about the mindset of how to approach it and ensure you are consistently motivated to take action.

    Lack of consistent action will kill a business quicker than anything else.
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    • Profile picture of the author 4DayWeekend
      Well I've never struggled myself and I'm far from intelligent. So not at all

      From my experience the intelligent people are those who have so many 'what if's' before they launch.

      Of course, this could be coincidence.

      You are right though, it's all about continuous action. If you continue to action plans through from specification to delivery you will make better money than those who are constantly thinking of ways to better their idea before it ever reaches production!


      Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post

      It sounds like you're just looking for a reason why you've struggled and consider yourself to be intelligent.

      Success is not related to intelligence anywhere near as much as it's related to action.

      However, some people blindly find success but then struggle because the idea of success they had when they started does not translate into the wonderful lifestyle they thought it would.

      Success usually results from and in - hard work.

      Some people are too stupid to realise their idea is not great and go ahead and make it successful anyway

      Others are intelligent but are always thinking "there must be more too it - I'm missing the 'secret'" and just don't take consistent action.

      It's the reason why if I speak at events now I rarely speak about the mechanics of making money online, but rather about the mindset of how to approach it and ensure you are consistently motivated to take action.

      Lack of consistent action will kill a business quicker than anything else.
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    • Profile picture of the author Michael Harris
      Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post


      Success usually results from and in - hard work.
      Not sure I agree with what you say here, I spent 20 years as a concreter,

      I didn't experience a lot success from doing that..
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      • Profile picture of the author dcristo
        Originally Posted by quantumtiger View Post

        Not sure I agree with what you say here, I spent 20 years as a concreter,

        I didn't experience a lot success from doing that..
        Very true. You have to work hard, but you also have to work smart. The same thing can be said about any industry.
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        • Profile picture of the author cashp0wer
          Don't you have to be smart to be able to do this? I can't see a (I don't want to say dumb) person doing this because they would have a very hard time understanding it.
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          • Profile picture of the author Mike Anthony
            Premise of the OP is WAY off. Intelligent people know action has to be taken or they are not very intelligent.

            Self doubt and anxiousness stop both kinds of people. It has nothing to do with intelligence. Please lets stop any theory that would lead people to believe that dumb people do better at Internet marketing. Theres been enough dumbing down in this market as it is.

            Theres not a day that goes by that some of us don't see lots of shall we say "less than intelligent" people in Internet marketing. If that was a key to success in IM the success rate of those in IM would be magnitudes higher.
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            • Profile picture of the author 4DayWeekend
              Originally Posted by Mike Anthony View Post

              Premise of the OP is WAY off. Intelligent people know action has to be taken or they are not very intelligent.

              Self doubt and anxiousness stop both kinds of people. It has nothing to do with intelligence. Please lets stop any theory that would lead people to believe that dumb people do better at Internet marketing. Theres been enough dumbing down in this market as it is.

              Theres not a day that goes by that some of us don't see lots of shall we say "less than intelligent" people in Internet marketing. If that was a key to success in IM the success rate of those in IM would be magnitudes higher.
              Maybe there isn't a correlation with intelligence and craving perfection. I don't know. There certainly seems to be with the people I have worked with, but that would only make a very small case study.

              The thread wasn't created to suggest dumb people do better at all - I'm merely suggesting that someone who takes action will do better than someone who doesn't - regardless of their intelligence.

              So, I think you've missed the purpose of the thread. Which is fundamentally to encourage people to take action. Particularly those who are striving for perfection before they put their products out...
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              • Profile picture of the author Vlad Romanov
                I must be a genius
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              • Profile picture of the author Mike Anthony
                Originally Posted by 4DayWeekend View Post


                So, I think you've missed the purpose of the thread. Which is fundamentally to encourage people to take action. Particularly those who are striving for perfection before they put their products out...
                No I didn't miss it at all. Its the title of the thread AND intelligence is what you in fact talk about most in your OP. Frankly the more I analyze it the more I find its the opposite. Frank Kern to hear him talk and write is a pretty intelligent guy. SO is Allen from what I have seen of him. Paul as well. In fact everyone I see is not only intelligent but articulate. Don't know about formal education but thats definitely not a necessity for IM. Even the "successful" Ripoff artists in IM tend to be smart. You have to be fairly intelligent about human nature to be able to part enough people from their money willingly

                It takes a whole pile of intelligence to be successful in IM. Action is often times over rated. Plenty of people take action on many WSOs and flop. Truth is you probably need an equal portion of each.

                I understand your action component I just don' t think it has to be put in the context of lacking intelligence . Like I said I think the industry has been dumbed down enough.
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          • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
            Originally Posted by cashp0wer View Post

            Don't you have to be smart to be able to do this? I can't see a (I don't want to say dumb) person doing this because they would have a very hard time understanding it.
            The dumber person will be the one to follow exactly what the guru or authority says and take action.

            Intelligence gets in the way unless you have something that pushes you.
            Like staring in the face of being homeless or someone dying will give us more push.

            Even money to us is not a motivator, because the more intelligent the more you see that money can help, but money can also bring other problems.

            Imagine you're a billionaire and have to call security before you open a curtain or run to the store.
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            • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
              1 Realize that there is always going to be something new to come along.
              2 Set Goals Focus and Take Action
              3 Best to have some type of plan, then you won't have to deal with to much distraction when the new stuff comes out. You will know if you need it or not.
              4 Find something that motivates you not to do it tomorrow but to do things Today.
              5 See yourself completing things, because sometimes if the focus is off you will embrace the process more than completion.
              6 Surround yourself with people you want to immulate
              7 Don't hang around losers or you will become one.
              8 Complete one project at a time.
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  • Profile picture of the author Matt Carlson
    High Intelligence doesn't stop anyone from making money(or succeeding in any other fileld).It is the inability to take action that keep them paralyzed.

    It is very easy to be distracted when there are so many methods and models of making money online and many smart people get caught in the thinking that they need to have perfect knowledge before they start doing anything.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve L
    "The way to succeed is to double your error rate." Thomas J. Watson
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  • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
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    Originally Posted by 4DayWeekend View Post

    Some people who are less intelligent often have fewer doubts and fewer worries about the consequences. They put their idea to product and make $$$$$$$.

    Some of the highest earners in this industry struggle to string a sentence together. They have ugly websites and poor quality videos. But they take logical action and that is the key to a good income.
    That's what I look for when buying a product. Ugly websites, poor quality videos and pdfs written by someone who struggles to put a sentence together. :rolleyes:
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  • Profile picture of the author Tony Humble
    Banned
    I don't think intelligence really affects this - it's more about prefectionism.
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  • Profile picture of the author brettb
    Nice thread topic OP.

    I'm not sure about your theory - I'm smart and wealthy. I've always been ruthlessly competitive which is a quality that does well in this game.

    I do need to "dumb down" more though. If my writing has one failure is that I don't cater enough for the common man. I watched a TV show about couponing last night. This mass market stuff is $$$$ (maybe not couponing, but it's essential to know what Joe Public (or his wife) are up to).
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    • Profile picture of the author 4DayWeekend
      By the way all. My comment doesn't apply to every intelligent person, of course.

      It is just generally, deliberation seems more common with the intelligent people from the group that I have worked with.

      If you're intelligent and take instant action, then great. The best formula.

      Originally Posted by brettb View Post

      Nice thread topic OP.

      I'm not sure about your theory - I'm smart and wealthy. I've always been ruthlessly competitive which is a quality that does well in this game.

      I do need to "dumb down" more though. If my writing has one failure is that I don't cater enough for the common man. I watched a TV show about couponing last night. This mass market stuff is $$$$ (maybe not couponing, but it's essential to know what Joe Public (or his wife) are up to).
      No doubt about it that you have to dumb content down to appeal to the majority. Best way to do it is get the least intelligent person you know to read over your stuff, if they understand it, it's good to go.
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      • Profile picture of the author David James
        I agree with a lot of what's been said on this thread.

        However, I think you are wrong to say this is about "intelligence". This is about "personality type" and I think it's debatable that there's much relation between the two. (i.e. intelligence type rather than absolute intelligence)
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  • Profile picture of the author SkyeFWP
    Originally Posted by 4DayWeekend View Post

    Since I started coaching Internet Marketing earlier this year I have noticed that some of the most intelligent people are those who struggle in this industry.

    Why?

    Often, the most intelligent people are those with the most doubts.

    - The most intelligent people strive for perfection. And if their website, product, article or whatever isn't quite perfect in their mind, they don't launch.

    - The most intelligent people think of an idea, then during the production process think of something better. Because the 2nd idea was better than the 1st, the 1st gets shelved indefinitely. During the production process of idea 2, the 3rd idea arises and the process goes full circle...

    Some people who are less intelligent often have fewer doubts and fewer worries about the consequences. They put their idea to product and make $$$$$$$.

    Some of the highest earners in this industry struggle to string a sentence together. They have ugly websites and poor quality videos. But they take logical action and that is the key to a good income.

    So the moral of the story is stop over thinking things. Analysis paralysis will hurt your income. Take logical action and you will make money!
    That is me to a tee!
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  • Profile picture of the author Justin Holl
    I have to agree. The other big problem is that there are soooo many options with how to make money, get traffic, and work with social media. There is no perfect option so you just have to pick a method and see it through without getting distracted by the new shiny method you see tomorrow.
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  • Profile picture of the author xemxie
    Originally Posted by 4DayWeekend View Post

    ...strive for perfection. And if their website, product, article or whatever isn't quite perfect in their mind, they don't launch.
    That's me! And because I enjoy the technical "fiddling", I go on and on trying to get it all looking exactly right - whereas someone non-techie might say "that'll do"

    Also, when I want to start something, I get bogged down in the "exactly how is this going to work?" I like the whole thing "visible" from the beginning. I see huge technical hurdles too! Whereas someone else might just get started and meet each challenge along the way.
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  • Profile picture of the author Challendge
    So would you really call those people "more intelligent"?

    I think that what you've just concluded is that there are different forms of intelligence. That's why the world works...different people are "intelligent" at different things. That individual who can succeed online might fail miserably in the corporate world while the other person can be a corporate juggernaut and have no success online.

    Your point makes a lot of sense and the main thing that you mentioned is those people who wait for all of the stars to align before launching....this in my mind is the biggest killer.
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  • I think it applies to every kind of business and to most things in life.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tim Franklin
    Well I think your premise or treatise, as you will is interesting but I think its not well titled, as some others also may have had a difference of opinion some of the post of course is entirely valid, but I think if you were to place some caveats on some of the points your making it would be much more applicable.

    I do agree that people with low confidence and or even low self esteem, may sometimes lack the confidence to launch a product, they may indeed have some of the issues suggested, but does that have more to do with psychological precedence or intelligence, I think that intelligence is not really a part of this discussion on its face.

    A person may be quite intelligent and not have any psychological issues at all, I feel that very often people jump into a business launch without considering the issues that commonly effect products, they in essence fail to plan ahead.

    Take for instance a very popular product launch in the past two weeks, they failed to plan ahead for issues that were preventable, but now you cant take it back they have a sullied reputation, all because of what a lack of intelligence or having too much intelligence, no that does not apply here what happened was a lack of planning and development.

    Of course its not the same thing but its a good example of what can go wrong when you fail to look into the crystal ball of the future tense.

    Good content bad title, still you did cultivate a goodly response but like the example of the launch when you cant handle the support requests for a product somewhere someone failed to plan ahead and that is something that can be prevented.
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  • Profile picture of the author andreabolder
    Wow..just had this conversation with my mentor yesterday...smarts is not the same as savvy and those that make it online are savvy enough to know that if they just go for it, instead of trying to make things perfect, or waiting to get the best system in place, etc, etc. are the ones that grow the fastest, gain the most confidence and make more money. Don't think it, just Do it!
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  • Profile picture of the author CurtisSWN
    Intelligence is not the issue, running a good web business demands brains. It's not wanting to do the daily grind as a worker drone, trading freedom for some semblance of security.
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      The phenomena you're describing has much more to do with discipline than intelligence.

      Your title suggests that the reason I'm not retired to the lifestyle of the rich and famous is that I'm just not dumb enough...
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      • Profile picture of the author 4DayWeekend
        Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

        The phenomena you're describing has much more to do with discipline than intelligence.

        Your title suggests that the reason I'm not retired to the lifestyle of the rich and famous is that I'm just not dumb enough...
        But i think there are 2 reasons why people fail to take action.

        1) They don't have discipline (lazy)
        2) They over think things and don't put anything out because they're a perfectionist.

        It is number 2 that I'm talking about and I think you're talking about number 1.

        Of course intelligence is irrelevant if you're lazy though.

        As for the title, it isn't about me. I'm happy where I'm at right now and I certainly don't regard myself as intelligent
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        • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
          Most psychologists would contend that extreme perfectionism is more associated with ego, self-esteem and insecurity than any characteristic of intelligence.

          The tendency to over-think matters is more a trait of an intellectual mind.

          And while there are some who struggle to express themselves, the vast majority of successful entrepreneurs are smart as a whip.


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        • Profile picture of the author Mena Jo
          Originally Posted by 4DayWeekend View Post

          But i think there are 2 reasons why people fail to take action.

          1) They don't have discipline (lazy)
          2) They over think things and don't put anything out because they're a perfectionist.
          I believe that 'taking action' runs way deeper than the above.

          You have to look at the underlying self limiting beliefs behind why someone presents as lazy.

          What's stopping them from realizing their dreams/goals? Fear of faliure, humiliation, success, change. What is it? People aren't just 'lazy'. There is something going on with them on a deeper psychological level that is causing them to act out in this way.

          The same goes for people who feel the need to always have everything just so. What's the reason for this? Is it an approval and/or self-validation thing? Something else?

          I guess you could say that I fall into the perfectionist category. My natural defense when I get freaked out about comfort zones is to procrastinate and kid myself that I'm not ready to go live with a product just yet. It's not perfect enough.

          I am constantly checking in with myself to smash that negative internal chatter, because if I didn't, I wouldn't get a darn thing done. I guess I too would then be labeled as just another lazy so and so. Because that's all that word is -- a label. Don't get me wrong, I've been guilty of using it too. Conditioning I guess.

          As for correlating intelligence with business success, if you are talking about academic intelligence, then you may have a valid point there. But there are always exceptions.

          Besides, as we are talking about business success, surely it makes sense to speak of business intelligence and perhaps even emotional intelligence... not academic intelligence. Who do you think is smarter in this context? You can't compare apples and pears. In their own environments each is a queen (or king).

          Excuse the pyscho babble nature of my post... this is a really interesting topic and I just got a bit carried away.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark72
    There is no correlation between IQ and level of success. You only need to look at celebs to see that.

    Success is more to do with mindset, beliefs and attitude towards "failure".
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    • Profile picture of the author Mike Anthony
      Originally Posted by Mark72 View Post

      There is no correlation between IQ and level of success. You only need to look at celebs to see that.
      There IS a direct correlation - with the intelligence of their fans.
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    • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
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      Originally Posted by Mark72 View Post

      There is no correlation between IQ and level of success.
      There is also no correlation between success and stupidity.
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  • Profile picture of the author panton439
    Originally Posted by 4DayWeekend View Post

    Since I started coaching Internet Marketing earlier this year I have noticed that some of the most intelligent people are those who struggle in this industry.

    Why?

    Often, the most intelligent people are those with the most doubts.

    - The most intelligent people strive for perfection. And if their website, product, article or whatever isn't quite perfect in their mind, they don't launch.

    - The most intelligent people think of an idea, then during the production process think of something better. Because the 2nd idea was better than the 1st, the 1st gets shelved indefinitely. During the production process of idea 2, the 3rd idea arises and the process goes full circle...

    Some people who are less intelligent often have fewer doubts and fewer worries about the consequences. They put their idea to product and make $$$$$$$.

    Some of the highest earners in this industry struggle to string a sentence together. They have ugly websites and poor quality videos. But they take logical action and that is the key to a good income.

    So the moral of the story is stop over thinking things. Analysis paralysis will hurt your income. Take logical action and you will make money!
    Agree 100%. ... but inteligent people who can't see that happening are maybe not that intelligen ))
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Ten
    Lololol. Yeah. This could be my problem. Maybe I need to start drinking more and more regularly. Lololol. This, what you posted OP, not drinking more, is good to think about!
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  • Profile picture of the author Rbtmarshall
    Possibly the thread topic should be: "Are You Too Anal & Lazy To Make Money In Internet Marketing?"

    Overthinking isn't an intelligent factor by itself.

    Overthinking and not taking action are also symptoms of more than just IM failure.

    Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, Anxiety, Depression; these are just a few other results of over-thinking and lack of an action plan.
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  • Profile picture of the author mondays
    So what is the blueprint to follow to keep from didiating?
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    • Profile picture of the author ArcherWylde
      This is a rather interesting concept and it seems to be almost backwards from how the real world works.

      Some of the most intelligent people in the real world come off as "weird" or "stupid", but in the IM world it's the opposite?

      Certainly something to keep in mind as I am new to IM world...

      "Those who can do, those who can't teach."
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  • Profile picture of the author playhard
    Yeah, I think the OP is right. Stay focused with what you are working on...
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  • Profile picture of the author Tayman
    It's more about mindset, specifically self-limiting beliefs, than perfectionism.

    A product doesn't need to be perfect, it needs to be excellent. There is a difference. Shooting for 10% better than the competition can result in $$$$$ in profit.

    Outsource what you don't know and focus your efforts on the tasks that will reward you the most. 80/20 rule
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve B
      I hate it when experienced marketers say things like ... "Don't overthink it - just take action!"

      Action, in and of itself, doesn't lead to success. It never has. Don't let anybody tell you it does.

      You can jump on a treadmill and take all the action you want and you still don't get anywhere.

      You can jump in your car and push the gas pedal as long and as hard as you want and you will not move forward an inch if you're in neutral!

      It takes more than random action. Think about this ... if all that was necessary was action, you could absolutely guarantee anyone would be successful by simply "putting in the time." Internet success doesn't work like that!

      If you're not applying that action to all the following, you're not going to be successful:

      - A niche with buyers ready to consume;
      - A product that is in demand;
      - An enticing, convincing, and converting sales offer;
      - A stream of targeted buyers that actually see your offer;
      - A hassle-free financial transaction mechanism;
      - Product pricing that makes sense;
      - Trust on the part of the buyer toward the seller;
      - Every other hurdle that keeps prospects from purchasing.

      It's my contention that the reason so many fail at Internet marketing is because they don't get all the little details right.

      It's very true that "taking action" is critical. But that's just part of it -- it's never all it takes!

      Action applied to faulty, improper, or worthless methods, products and niches will never make one successful.

      Think about that the next time you are tempted to buy a money-making product or system. Are all the little details covered?

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Zend
    I agree, no way people can keep moving forward of they keep over thinking the result. Just do it! Do it with decent strategy and logical approach. These attribute is only work for someone who have the bravery. Intelligent doesn't always work better.
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  • Profile picture of the author nasuryono
    Excellent sum up! I used to suffer from paralysis analysis syndrome when I first started as well. What's even worse, I'm a pretty good college student so I want to suck in all the materials first before I even start.

    Well... that didn't make me any money so I know I needed to change. Whenever I see a new technique, instead of criticizing it, I immediately apply it. After I apply it, then I can begin my analysis.

    Promising myself not to criticize or analyze anything before I do it has helped me tremendously. Hope this will work for others as well.
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    • Profile picture of the author ijustwanttosleep
      Banned
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  • Profile picture of the author BlueOak
    Sadly this is word for word one of my biggest problems, in life in general as well. In all aspects of my life it seems I'm always shelving one idea for one greater. I don't get far until I finally buckle down and DO SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!
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  • Profile picture of the author Dariuszden
    I think you give too much credit to to the over-thinkers.

    I don't want to over analyze your post but "most intelligent people think of an idea, then during the production process think of something better. Because the 2nd idea was better than the 1st" You can argue that an intelligent person would improve the 1st idea and then work on the 2nd. Of course a truly intelleginet person wouldn't have a abd idea

    But I think the main reason we scrap ideas is being afraid to fail. But instead of just quitting we try to come up with a better idea to scrap the first one, and so on.
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  • Profile picture of the author Chetz Togom
    I agree. I have a degree in Engineering and it took me 7 years to really make money online. So much of intelligence eh?

    I observed those who make millions online are the ones used to struggle and worked at blue collar jobs.

    I think the problem with "intelligent" people mostly because they love to THINK and ANALYZE stuff.

    And when they want to create their own product, they want to make sure that it's PERFECT and they would buy a lot of other people's products first which make them poorer and taking them longer to succeed.

    Once they bought the stuff, they think, think and think again and feel overwhelm and then some just gave up and continue at with their job since the society around them would tell them, "Why the heck you spending time with this Internet Marketing scam? You are engineer/doctor/lawyer/lecturer/chemist etc. That's very good already".
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  • Profile picture of the author SteveSRS
    I often have the problem that when I'm building something I just keep adding new stuff and just don't get to launch the product.. however this isn't related that much with high intelligence (maybe a little ) but also with creativity.. BUT most of all BAD planning.

    People (including me) need to write a good product specification document outlining all functions. Then build that AND ONLY that.

    When you good new ideas pop-up for that product WRITE THEM DOWN. You can add these good ideas in next versions of your product!

    Moral: write stuff down and keep yourself with what you write

    End conclusion: problem is not intelligence it is DISCIPLINE
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    • Profile picture of the author Walter Parrish
      I will say this much though. With most of us being intellectual types we probably got a lot of models, plans, ideas etc that will kick a lot of Guru's azzes.

      The problem is that we are selling to mostly people who are not that bright. So, what happens is rather than the customer listening to what we are saying or writing, they are looking for us to show them the money lolol.

      The million dollar homes, the cars, screen captures of our paypals, clickbank, clicksure accounts etc.

      Now I haven't actually hit the market yet, but will cover the make money niche and a few others. I'm thinking it may well be true that the make money niche is rough, for the reasons mentioned above. When we are starting out we have no screen captures to show or anything to show that we made money with our models.
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      • I think it is because:

        - marketing is based mostly on human emotions , a lot of customers do not make decision logically
        - a lot of smart people refuse to use tested and efficient methods , because they think "they are above it" or they know better
        - mental blockages , some think "I will not use this sales copy because it make me look like greedy , pushy salesman" and want to maintain the self-image of how polite and educated they are

        thats my $0.02
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  • Profile picture of the author David Sneen
    If given the choice between an intelligent guy, and one who is not...I will bet on the intelligent guy.

    But, if you dig a bit deeper and the intelligent guy is a know-it-all who is not teachable and is not willing to find the answers him/herself...that is different.

    The key qualities are the willingness to learn and do.
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    that determines what you will be able to
    do when everyone is watching.
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  • Profile picture of the author starcraft2
    Banned
    I guess the notion of being too intelligent to succeed in IM might be related to the idea that an excessively academic rigid approach to business isn't always a good thing - being too unflexible, or not enough street smarts might be detrimental rather than helpful
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  • Profile picture of the author Nightengale
    Oh. My. Word.

    You have SO described my situation!

    I'm college-educated and prefer to know what I'm getting into. I'm not very spontaneous and research anything/everything I attempt. Upon entering any new field/endeavor/whatever, my first impulse is the buy the top 5 books on the subject, whether business, dating, etc. :p

    I see a lot of people in IM going off half-cocked, without anything resembling a reasonable plan. And then they wonder why they're not making any money!

    I prefer to research what I want to do, get the info and resources I need, create a plan and THEN do it.

    All well and good. But I tend to go overboard to the opposite extreme:

    I over-analyze everything and have analysis paralysis. For YEARS, I felt I didn't know enough and I needed to know more to get started.

    I advise EVERYONE to invest in at least one good comprehensive IM course. Too many people buy one e-book on, say, CPA or affiliate marketing (for just $37 don'tcha know!), run off to make their millions and then wonder why they're not making any money!

    You can't start/run a sustainable business on TACTICS. You need a complete blueprint/strategy (with tactics in it). (Too many people don't realize they're chasing tactics instead of getting a comprehensive blueprint.)

    I know this and started investing in comprehensive courses and training programs. ONE would have been good enough. But I took it to extremes. Bottom line: I've spent YEARS (12 to be exact) studying IM. Yes, I've made some money, but nothing consistent and sustainable because I didn't commit to one business and FOCUS. I wasn't jumping around from bright shiny object to bright shiny object per se, but I was constantly "researching" (code for procrastinating).

    Over those years, I've spent THOUSANDS of dollars -- on really GREAT info, mind you. I now DO have a SOLID education in IM. Some of the things I've bought over the years:

    1. Ali Brown's "Online Success Blueprint" -- 2 copies (1/year for 2 years in 2008 and 2009) at $1500 each. This is THE course that gave me such a solid grounding in IM and gave me my first COMPREHENSIVE IM blueprint. It's PHENOMENAL and I'm forever grateful to Ali.

    What I loved best is that it was aimed at REAL business owners, not other IM wannabes. It was the first time I'd ever spent that kind of money and I was really nervous about it. But it was fantastic info and Ali is as solid as they come. She's still around over 12 years after she started, coaching entrepreneurs. (And is currently in the middle of a new launch, in fact.)

    I SHOULD have stopped here and put it into action, but no. OF COURSE, I had to keep "researching", mostly because I felt insecure, like I "didn't know enough." (Ha!)

    This was my first "big ticket" purchase and the one that taught me to begin trusting people and made me more willing to spend bigger money.

    2. Miscellaneous small-ticket items (from $47-$200) from Carrie Wilkerson. She's also a phenomenally successful IMer and offers solid training.

    3. Jeff Walker's "Product Launch Formula." ($2K) I bought this just last year, after hearing such good things about him for a LONG time. Did I really "need" it? No. (Ali's course is pretty comprehensive.) But insecure scaredy-cat that I am, I convinced myself I needed it to know all the nuances of a launch because I needed to launch my new venture soon.

    4. Coaching, workshops and infoproducts from Sheri McConnell (my primary mentor). I've been in her programs in both 2010 and all of this year for a total of $8K. (That doesn't include my travel costs plus the other implementation costs -- $3K+.) She is PHENOMENAL and worth every penny!

    I dabbled during those years and yes, I HAVE made some money, but it wasn't until 2010 when I "found" Sheri that I found "my thing" and finally made a commitment to one business. It's taken some setup and I dealt with an 18-month unemployment period in between. But I'm finally ready to roll!

    Of course, this doesn't count the dozens and DOZENS of other things I've bought over the years: e-books, audios, courses, etc. They've been much less expensive, but of course, it all adds up.

    I confess, I've dabbled so long and spent so much money "researching" because of insecurity. I have a college degree and consider myself a smart person. But I always felt I didn't "know enough." I also didn't want to go off half-baked either. ("If you're gonna do it, do it right!" as my parents said.) So I've put a lot of time and money into my business and even wrote a book which was published in 2010. Yay!

    It's cost me 12 years and THOUSANDS of dollars in lost revenue. (Literally!)

    With all of the research I've done though, I really DO have a solid IM education. Sheri's coaching has addressed the "mindset" issues I have and I finally feel ready to step out -- for real (instead of just dabbling). Of course, there's still fear and uncertainty. But after 12 years, I've learned that no amount of knowledge will make it go away. I really do have to step through it to reach my goals.

    It does help though to really KNOW what I'm doing and have such a solid foundation.

    Hope this makes sense!

    Michelle
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    • "You can't start/run a sustainable business on TACTICS. You need a complete blueprint/strategy (with tactics in it). (Too many people don't realize they're chasing tactics instead of getting a comprehensive blueprint.)"



      Amateurs talk about strategy , professionals talk about logistics
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  • Basically this all boils down to something I've experienced myself in my own business projects: imperfect implementation beats perfect analysis.

    I dont think it has anything to do with IQ, education degrees, etc. It's just that some people tend to get stuck at the never-ending planing stage without ever actually launch anything.
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    • Profile picture of the author Nightengale
      Originally Posted by Anonymous Affiliate View Post

      Basically this all boils down to something I've experienced myself in my own business projects: imperfect implementation beats perfect analysis.

      I dont think it has anything to do with IQ, education degrees, etc. It's just that some people tend to get stuck at the never-ending planing stage without ever actually launch anything.
      That's what I said!

      Michelle
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      "You can't market here. This is a marketing discussion forum!"
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  • Profile picture of the author Ian Varnava
    Regarding the OP: We often see this in just about every profession out there... not just internet marketing. You often see people in high positions in different companies, who may not be the best speaker, or the best writer, or the best problem solver, or the best _______ (fill in the blank); but they hold one trait in common. That trait is the zeal towards the realm of having a better lifestyle for themselves and/or their family, being more financially secure, working towards a certain goal such as a car/house, etc. This 'zeal' is often so strong that, to others (especially to those 'smart' ones), it can come across as 'annoying' at times. But, another trait they share is that they do not care what people think of them, if people think they're not deserving of their success or are annoying, or whatever; they keep going.

    Then, we often see those "man he/she is too smart to be in this low-paying position". Often times you walk into different outlets, such as large retail stores, and you see some of the smartest people on the planet (or they seem so) working jobs such as cashier, stock, etc. Not to say those jobs are 'low' or anything, but just trying to make a point.

    Of course, this is not to make a blanket statement to group all "smart" and "not so smart" people together... but as the OP pointed it, it is something to ponder over.
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  • Profile picture of the author WarGasm
    My biggest obstacle to success is procrastination. I think tomorrow I'll stop procrastinating.....
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