Rather than just scraping out a living build a legacy?

Well, I think that depends a lot about your financial situation. Can your afford yourself to think big visionary thoughts?

If you have a daytime job, and think it is fascinating to build spectacular computers in your garage in your spare time, your focus is to build something cool.

However, if you have bills to pay, and hardly can't afford food, I think your focus is on "how can I make money fast."

And even how big dreams you might have and all kinds of ideas, if you don´t have the money to finance your adventures, few ideas would really spin off.

So if Mark Zuckerberg was forced to work 10 hours a day flipping burgers, it might have slowed down the development over several years. ;-)

Wahooooo at last....

Build a site that adds value and the money will come.....

I have built a site for the last 7 years and it has only been the last 2 years that it has made any money to speak of.... well to be honest it has exploded and we are now a well respected authority in our industry and that hss only been achieved by hard work and determination.

Danny

Yes - it's a definite pipe dream. There's nothing wrong with 'making money' being your prime motive. As long as you 'add value' what's the difference?

Most people ARE NOT going to invent the next Facebook. Making an excellent living is a perfect consolation prize

Of course you have to build a legacy. Problem is that the majority possess a scarcity mentality or are simply in survival mode.

Too many see IM as a last roll of the dice to make money, so their core motivation is money-quick.

When your vision is about a legacy, you dream big... and act big.

So far on this thread, most posters are defining a legacy as a game changer. You don't have to be the next Zuckerberg or Jobs to leave a legacy.

How about a legacy to your family by making their life easier due to less financial worries... or you just making enough to send a child to college... or give to a charity?

Legacies can be small - yet can be life changing... even if it only touches one person - you've made a difference int he world.

Me? Well apart from the above, I believe that when you do try and leave a legacy, you create value... and when you create value that helps others... then the money takes care of itself.

On of the biggest lessons I was taught was to focus on helping others and not the money.

Sal

You can build a legacy and monetize at the same time. It's not mutually exclusive. Monetize in ways that help your readers is a good start. Avoid overdoing it. If the content/experience is great, people will forgive ads and offers that they aren't interested in. People aren't stupid, they know websites are making money somehow and they don't mind as long as they get what they're looking for.

Well, this is my opinion....When I first started making websites, I focused on SEO, SEO, SEO (not black-hat). It was all legit stuff, but I still got hit when Google made changes. The problem was that I was NOT building a relationship. My focus was in the wrong place. Sure, I made some short-term income, and I still make some of that sometimes, but it's nothing to count on. I'm in it for the long-term, so I think it does count to help people, and offer real value.

There is a lot of solid points here and everyone makes a very good point. I think I agree with response number 2. It definitely depends on your situation.

But on the other hand, some people are so driven to get their ideas out there that they will go to any length, even end up on the streets until they get their idea heard. This is really what makes things legendary.

If your not interested in being legendary, which some people aren't, then there is nothing wrong with that either.

Give me gobs of the money, and, i'll invest it in a legacy of charities Forbes style

It all sounds great in theory.

Sadly there are plenty of other people who went down the same road as Zuckerberg and Jobs and never made a cent. You are focusing on the tiny tiny minority that succeeded.

I do always agree though that the more you give the more you will receive and that's especially true in business.

Earning a living online is a choice, it does not have to be "a grand legacy" to me that sounds a little like something out of Hollywood.

I think maybe what you mean is work on something that you like and have a genuine passion for that you care about as much or more then the money, right?

There is a difference between doing this as a last resort (desperately trying to make money) and doing this as a preference that you have specifically chosen to do.

I do this because it has always been my dream to be able to work where, when and how I like on my own terms. A dream that is finally coming true. It's an exciting journey. I don't care about being the next FB . I am content with being able to earn a good income online and I'm grateful for what I already have.