What are the reasons that people fail?

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Was just listening to an interview by my favorite internet marketing mentor, and the question that came up was:

"What are the main things that hold marketers back from being super successful online?"

And without missing a beat, he answered, the problem is YOU.

It's you that are holding you back.

I have to agree too.

So own up, reply and say how you are holding yourself back. Or what you think others are doing or *not* doing that is holding them back. Start by saying if you agree or not and then list one or more things that are holding you back. I'm sure many of us would like to know and perhaps we may even be abke to help each other overcome some of these obstacles to success.
#main internet marketing discussion forum #fail #people #reasons
  • Do you really need to ask this question?

    Who else could possibly be the cause of your success or failure?

    what else there is to say about it.
    • [1] reply
    • Thanks for responding. I was more interested in the *what* holds people back more than the who. More specifically we can all say that we need to take action, but that's still focusing on who not what.

      Many people take lots of action and consume lots of info but still don't have much success. So consuming lots of info and taking lots of action is not the full recipe, and on the flip side not taking actions that seem logical is also a mystery - is it that people are just afraid to fail, or just don't know what advise to trust?
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  • Lack of discipline. I'm guilty!!!

    Manny
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    • I don't believe in discipline. After all, can you name a person who is disciplined 100%? Even the gurus don't have the discipline to stick to what they are doing - it is natural for human beings to be diverted.

      The only solution is to enjoy the actual task that you are doing and forget about the results. This will push you to show up everyday and keep on moving forward.
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  • Good advise and i've come to that realization some time ago. I think that a lot of people are misled into thinking i can just sell an ebook to a million people. A lot of offers are marketed as complete solutions as well when in reality they only help with one aspect of running a business.

    I know i'm guilty of not putting a lot of things into practice. I like the idea of working on your business and have started using strategy and monitoring my whole business as a whole. Some of the best advice i've recieved is not to buy somethiny unless it is inline with my goals, to take consistent action toward my goals each day, and to know my numbers so i can focus in on the 20% that is resposible for 80% of my results, and above all not to sell, but to just be helpful as often as possible and people will see all the help you give instead of 'buy this, buy that' and they'll want to know more about you and seek you out almost magically.

    So i'm focusing on being a helper and a giver in as much places and ways possible, and i got to say it's already working, it all seems so logical now and i'm learning a ton, planning way into the future, watching my numbers and even trying out a little automation and outsourcing.

    I think that planning ahead and seeking out best teachers in each area along with consistent action are the key things that i was not doing but have now started.
  • Anybody else care to post specific examples of obstacles that are currently holding them back or how they plan to overcome them? Any game changing advise? Or things you have learned that have made a big difference?
  • What you think others are doing ? Thinking too much !

    What they aren't doing ? Taking action !

    People, think too much about what will happen if they actually take action, instead of just taking action. "Fail trying, but never fail to try" Probably the most inspiring quote for people looking for success.
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  • Failing is good.. well if you learn from it. Fail lots = lots of knowlege. This is why it's good to have a mentor who already has done the failing for you. It should save you some time, but the fact is many people can't even learn from their own failings. At the VERY least make sure you are not one of these people.
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  • I really appreciate your efforts to succeed, but I believe you re going about it the wrong way.

    If I wanted to learn how to be a doctor, I wouldn't ask the butcher what not to do; I would ask the doctor what to do.

    Focusing on what makes people succeed will do three things:

    1. It will show you what it takes to succeed.

    2. It will make you successful much faster.

    3. You will automatically get past the things that are holding you back.

    I have a belief that goes something like this: there is only one thing holding us back at any given moment, if you can overcome that one thing then you are closer to success. HOWEVER, you do not overcome that one thing by focusing on the solution, not the problem.

    So, you may need to acknowledge the problems, obstacles, and failures, but studying them is counterproductive. To put it another way, if you want success then focus on success.

    All the best,
    Michael
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
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    • Just to clarify, i'm not failing, just wanted to explore this topic in more depth as it relates to online marketing. So i'm really asking for people that have achieved succes ti share their wins. As well as asking those struggling to post what they feel is holding them back, maybe we can learn from each other in the process. Those struggling can pick up some nuggets of wisdom and the rest of us can learn more specifically what others need help with.
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  • The reason many people fail? Here's one: For every 10 ways to make money online, there are 100,000 ways that don't work. If you don't fail enough, you won't find success.
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  • yes i agree. this is not a question that should ask. it is your self letting you win or failing you. it is your ability to deal with problems. if you can't deal then you fail again.
  • They often ask MBA students similar - but why do companies fail?

    All these MBA students will come up with hundreds of different ideas - poor management, lack of strategy..the list goes on.

    Ultimately it's due to one thing - they run out of money. And it's the same for us. It doesn't matter what mistakes we make (even if we keep making the same ones) as long as we don't run out of money.

    So my answer is simple - Just make sure you get it right before you run out of money!
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    • I agree with this, Brian Tracy says 80% of businesses fail within the first 1-5 years. However more than 80% of businesses started by a person with experience running a business are successful. So knowledge and wisdom are key, along with planning and strategy and persistence.

      a mantra i like, also by brian tracy, is "Proper Prior Planning Prevent Poor Performance" - the key then is to really get good advice and be willing to test and track and improve each area.
  • Banned
    Focus, Shining Object Syndrome and also Discipline.

    Some guys don't want to learn, they just run after money instead of perfecting and learning a good system. And when they don't make enough money, the get frustrated and leave their method half away. Everything they learned is a waste now.

    Then they start searching for a new method and learn everything all over again. Same repeats. I have seen this numerous times. I would just say. What ever method you takes up, you need to stick to it, perfect it, don't leave it in between. You'll start seeing results and it'll grow exponentially thereafter.
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    • Wow, i think this hits it on the head for many newbies - they chase every make money tactic. shiny object syndrome.

      what i've personally decided to to is focus the majority of my efforts around advice from a proven mentor. i'm now directing all my traffic from lots of places to only one place - my blog - people can then learn about me, and get to like/know/trust me from my blog posts and blog comments left by others. So now i just focus on helping people by leaving top-notch feedback all over the web - so all those people that like my advice are ultimately funnelled into one place - my blog. I've seen a hug surge in traffic already and it is actually growing by the day as i interact and leave valuable comments wherever i go on the web. pretty cool - just help others with good free advise and they naturally want to know more about me, and most of these comments i leave will be online for a long time sending more traffic to my blog.
  • The biggest problem in the beginning for me personally... was chasing after money.

    Once you start doing things as a service and to truly HELP others, then that's when things start turning around.
    • [2] replies
    • Internet marketing whether you are failing or succeeding is an individual concept. Just like the game of golf. There are many ways to play the game but the end result is to shoot subpar rounds if you do this for a living. You're not going to shoot low scores if you don't work on your weakness, period.

      For me, I knew how to run a business so what I did was focus on my constraints! Everyone has traits and that is a good thing but I also believe that every human being has weaknesses. Example: if you spend the better part of your day reading e-mails from other marketers, to me that would be a weakness.
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    • This is exactly the conclusion i came to, but before i always expected people to pay first, but i've since learned that you have to give value first, just like an ice cream parlour that lets you have free samples - and even people standing on the corner hawking fruit - they often give a free sample so you can taste the quality before buying. so logical but yet such an insidious strategy.
  • I certainly agree to a certain extent as if you have that inbuilt drive to be successful online then you will stick at it through the good times are more importantly - the rough. And if you are passionate enough you will always be looking for what is the next big online thing etc.

    However, if your rankings fail because Google decides to drastically change what it likes about sites to rank them, then that is not really your fault. But the key to being successful is of course to pick yourself up from these falls, dust yourself off and learn from any mistakes made.

    If you do this then you will certainly reach your personal goal.
  • In most cases it will most likely be you. But which part of you? Discipline? Time Management? Risk taking? It is different for a lot of people.

    You just need to sit down for 10 minutes and think.What could you improve in your life to make more. Are you taking the wrong approach, trying to scam people out of their money instead of helping them? spending too much time on reddit instead of working? Figure out an change. It is going to be bloody hard at the beginning but you will overcome it with enough will power.
  • Banned
    [DELETED]
    • [1] reply
    • lolz. well all you have to do is plan out at least one thing you hope to do each day as far into the future as possible, and check them off as you go, seeing them crossed out will motivate you, and if you get stuck just ask for help from your fellow warriors.
  • Yes because no matter what your reasons are - be it lack of discipline, lack of budget, lack of consistency, lack of skills, lack of a good mentor to guide you - at the end of the day, it all boils down to YOU.
  • Lack of focus and commitment prevent most from succeeding.
    They "try" something.
    You should never "try" anything.
    Either focus and commit or give up.
    Most give up soon and keep "trying".
    Big mistake and they never learn the skills needed that you only learn by focus and commitment.
    Always looking for the magic bullet, but the gun they are using only shoots blanks.
  • Part of my learning curve in building my online businesses has been figuring out when, what and how to let go of certain aspects of the business. For example, I used to design all the graphics and write all the content on my sites. I write well, but am an average designer. Now, I hire great people to do graphics for me. So, I'd say that not knowing and playing to your strengths is a cause of failure in some cases.
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    • yes, indeed, you have to know what to keep doing(the 20% that is producing 80% of your success) and also what to stop doing(the 80% that only accounts for 20% of your success)

      either stop or outsource the 80% that is producing small results or find a better way to do these tasks so they are more fruitful.

      you should grab a copy of Rich Shefrens Internet Business Manifesto if you haven't read it yet, it's free.
  • There can be other reasons. Not enough knowledge, too much competiton and bad luck are just some of the other factors. I have seen people with 120% motivation fail because of these other factors.
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    • I'll just reply with a quote on this one...

      "Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." -- Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States

      and bad luck unless it's an act of nature is usually a result of poor vision not necessarily bad management. good management gets you up a ladder into a tree picking fruit as fast and efficiently as possible - but with poor vision you'll often find too late that your ladder was leaning against the wrong tree - you'll end with lots of lemons instead of oranges. so your vision is most important followed by management of the associated tasks.

      cheers. off to do some back to school shopping.
  • Banned
    Lack of focus and productivity is the biggest killer. It's hardest in the beginning when you haven't made the first dollar online yet
  • People fail due to lack of focus, determination, perseverance and proper guidance. Families financial conditions can also effect a person's mindset. However, I believe its all about our mindset. I mean how we think positive or negative.
  • Are you creating a new course ... ? I am guilty in analysis-paralysis ...and being forever student... I will buy 20 courses and take 1 action...so my ration is 1/20 , which means 0.05 productivity.

    Time management is the second issue...
    Prioritization- is the third one.

    Cheers, Elena
    • [1] reply
    • no, i'm just teaching what i've learned, as i find others that need help. i'm continuously learning myself, and i've finally taken most of the 'sticks out of the fire' and focusing in on just a few things that are closely related to each other.
  • I think people fail because lack of knowledge, planning and organizing, discipline, consistency. Sometimes we all forget how it's important to write our goals! Goals give as a strength to succeed! It's all about setting a proper mindset for success, creating value and helping others.
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  • Not having a simple plan
    Not having focus
    Not taking risks

    Be relentless but take things easy - sounds like an oxymoron but it's ok because things are weird when you're self employed
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    • Sometimes the smarter you are the less likely you are to Action.

      Gut instincts. If you can focus on the question the answer will come from
      anywhere, but you have to be willing to accept the answer and not write it off
      as to simple.

      I don't know about money better to have some than to need some, but at the same time to much money can be a waste. Imagine the guy with 100 books that he doesn't read. And the guy with 1 book that he knows from front to back.

      Just be the warrior and realize that most on these forums do little or nothing, but won't hesitate to talk about it. lolol So, as a warrior you are going into the unknown and need to take the basics and find out which works best for you.
      • [1] reply
  • I think the biggest reason people fail is failure to adapt, I think the same is true for many businesses.
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    • well this is certainly how DNA works - evolve or die. you may not be 100% optimized for your environment, or even 70%, but as long as you can reproduce and keep the line going you're offspring will eventually become better in the environment.

      but i think this is only partly true, you can survive in business for quite a while without adapting in many cases... but ultimately not adapting could be the linchpin. but sometime you do well and one big screw up can lead to a big lawsuit, or sometimes you can be wiped out by a force of nature, or just have a huge company like wall-mart move right next door - so adapting is not necessarily the biggest reason, but i'm sure it's way up there.
  • If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Sometimes we give up far to quickly when something doesn't work. It's amazing how much you can learn from your failures
  • I sort of agree, but that answer could not be more vague.

    The true and more specific answer is:

    -A lack of clarity about what it is you're trying to do and furthermore,

    what you're trying to accomplish.

    That pretty much sums it up.

    -Justin
  • Lack of focus
    Not knowing where you're trying to go
    Doing ZERO networking
    Lack of focus
    Not treating this like a business
  • Doubt. Once you dump all this money in and sit back and think about it its hard to keep going.
  • Reading tons of books but never acting upon them... NEVER.
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    • Not developing leverage.

      Not developing multiple streams of revenue.

      Not defining milestones.

      Multi-tasking randomly instead of batch processing systematically.

      Chasing success instead of excellence.
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  • Shiny Object Syndrome has been my downfall for too long. I've got somewhere about 500 gigs of videos, ebooks and audios. What I am starting to do is really set goals. Something else is to treat IM like it's a job. I'm self (un)employed and have set the goal of working on IM for 8 hours a day. Now I might break it up a bit, depending on my schedule, but focus and discipline on creating my business.

    No matter WHAT you decide to do in terms of product, it seems that Listbuilding and some sort of SEO should be included in whatever we do. Refine those skills, and everything else will be just a little better.
  • People fail also because they cannot focus in one thing long enough to see the profits coming, you just have to motivate yourself every day so you won't give up so easily.
  • Things that hold people back:

    1. Uncertainty - they don't take that first step until they know everything. But they will not know everything until they take that first step.

    2. Pain - the pain of writing products, articles and building backlinks turn people off so they just look for another task to do - like watch TV or play video games (less painful and more satisfying).

    3. They don't like what they are doing - This is connected with number 2. Since they associate the task with pain, they don't do it. The key to solving this is to find the amazing thing about the situation and to enjoy the process and not the results. It is quite similar to exercising to lose weight. If you enjoy the process, you'll do it everyday.

    So I agree that we are the only ones getting in our way. It is either you like to do a particular task or not. If you don't like it, then outsource it or go find another way to make money and stop wasting your time.
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