25 Moving Home To Be an Entrepreneur.... On My Way

I quit my J.O.B. November 09 with enough money saved up (I thought) to last me about 6 months. Of course right after leaving, the engine in my car crapped out and a good friend of mine got stuck in a bad situation and my bank account got drained pretty quick. Isn't that how it goes? LOL. Being young and having a supportive family = not too far to fall, and I've fallen flat on my face a few times haha. I've learned a TON since then and lately the amount I've been learning has been increasing exponentially. Funny how it works!

I agree with being willing to accept "failure" with every task you do, but I think it can be approached from a more optimistic or positive mindset which I believe does make a difference. Rather than looking at it as an opportunity to fail and learn something new, I consider the learning something new part of it a success. I think a TRUE failure would be failing to achieve a result you intended to achieve and not being able to try again with a better understanding than before.

As far as figuring out what to devote your time to, that can be difficult! My primary business is real estate, but I'm getting more involved with internet marketing as a part of that business. I can't really give you much advice on what specifically to focus on with IM, but my advice would be figure out a direction you want to go in, be willing to re-evaluate and re-organize along the way, but find a road to go down and stay on that one road, don't try and get involved with 5 or 6 different aspects of IM all at the same time. Your focus and energy will be scattered and you'll probably get nothing done. Find your one thing and focus 100% of your energy to that particular area.

I've met so many young guys like us who are all about one thing one day (real estate, internet marketing, forex / stock market, online poker, etc.) and then a few weeks later they've scrapped that idea and are jumping in to some other field. Because they give up so easily and don't stick with something, they don't seem to ever achieve much. I've been working at and failing in a pretty narrow part of the real estate industry for over a year and while my plans and goals have evolved I'm still going in the same direction and have accumulated a wealth of knowledge including what works better than some stuff, or what doesn't work as good. (example would be marketing... I've tried different kinds of direct mail, bandit signs, craigslist, cold calling, online ads, squeeze pages, networking, fliers, etc... while I've bounced around with my marketing a bit, now I know what works and what doesn't work as good, but I'm still going for the same goal)

Work on understanding who's really in control of your life (If you think you are, you're probably wrong), learn to focus your attention and train yourself to develop the habits you need to be successful (writing daily, spending time each day learning something new, etc.) so that they become automatic, and refuse to accept defeat. I always remind myself "If it was easy, everyone would do it!". The line between mediocrity and success is very fine, just a LITTLE bit more effort and persistence can be the difference between doing OK and doing incredible.

It'll be better for you to choose that stuff in which u r personally interested at. Don't go behind opportunities, there are many which u will find. Don't strain yourself.

Yes, I would love that. Please let me know

I could totally see that as an outcome with some. Being so secure that there is nothing driving you. But, I hate the town where I came from and I hate the fact of having to live with mommy so much that I will do anything to leave. I figure I would use it as a motivation to push me out of there because I dislike the fact that I am being supported by my mom. Thanks for the advice, that is definitely something to look out for!

Very true. That's something I've noticed with myself, the fire is under my ass to get out of here, but at the same time it's easy to decide "Ehh.... I think I'll call it a day, it's nice outside" when you can. LOL

Working with a mentor is great, even if it costs you some $$$$$. Find someone you can work with one on one though, not through some "tele-coach" that's hired by the "guru". Just my opinion on that one, but for me working one on one with the actual mentor is the way to go. I work with a sales coach (who's also a real estate vet, which works out nice) and after hours and hours (collectively) of face to face (skype) working with him I sometimes notice myself actually talking and acting like him when I'm on the phone making calls. I guess that's some "Fake it till you make it" kicking in, act like my mentor and talk like him and get similar results, which I'm getting closer to!

Zarith, 18 is the perfect age to get started! Actually you're at a bit of an advantage probably. I think Richard Branson wrote about this in one of his books too, that being young your mind is open to possibilities that older people wouldn't even consider.

This was part of the story about when he was trying to get a magazine for students started, and him and his friends/partners from other schools were writing letters and making calls to huge companies like Coke trying to sell ads to fund the magazine. Most people who have been out in the "real world" (limited way of thinking) would say "Me? A magazine I'm trying to start getting support from Coca-Cola? Not a shot in hell!"

Not knowing what's "realistic" or "impossible" is a great thing in my opinion. Possibilities today are literally endless. Learn as much as you possibly can, read books and talk to people in your industry, and when in doubt, DO!

Once you get past the fear of not knowing what you're doing or screwing up and you start making money it gets REAL fun!

Thanks bud! Ya I went to school for six years and I have been doing internet marketing for 8 months. I have learned for in those 8 months then I did in those six years hahha.

Yes, it makes it a lot easy knowing that you have people who believe in you and know you can do it. I really couldnt imagine doing it without them.. It really makes you want to succeed so much more because you dont want to let them down, which is a bit scary thinking you could let those who believe in you down. Although I have the support, I respect anyone who solely goes alone without any supprt. Those are the people who truly deserve it!

Great for you to pursue your dreams! I feel you on not wanting to work so others could make money. Work for yourself so that everything you put in you will eventually get back. Its definately the harder way to go being an entrepreneur but in the end it will pay off with persistence.

My mom was the same way. Other people find it hard that to see that being an entrepreneur is possible. Especially people that have worked the 9-5. I had a lot of people tell me that it wasnt possible and that I should just get a "normal" job. But I didnt care what they said because I know what I am destined to be. Hopefully your mom will see that you wont take no for an answer and this is what your destined to be.

I as well have had the same problem with information overload. I think as you move on and just actually take action and see where things take you, you will eventually find what your bound to do.. Keep it up and never let up. I know I wont. Eventually you will come through if you want it bad enough. I know Im almost there but not quite.

Im always willing to talk some more.

You approach things very pragmatically, Joel, and I find this is something that can be sorely lacking from many IMers who let success get to their heads too quickly - and as a result become very unrealistic and unreasonable in their expectations.

We all have to remember that IM isn't a job, and money doesn't flow in consistently always. For anyone thinking of quitting their job after just a few months of IM success, please don't. I tend to be very conservative about this, so I'd say that you need to be making money consistently for at least 6 months and have at least a year's worth of savings socked away before even thinking of quitting your job.

Income isn't always predictable with IM, so think about what would happen if you were 'Google-slapped' or something occurred to your main form of income generation on the internet - you want to be very sure about how well your internet business is doing (preferably you'd want to be diversified in at least several areas) before you contemplate leaving your job.