There are times when I've sat in a conference, looked around a room full of bright, hopeful entrepreneurs and wondered how many of them will become successful.
I don't mean how many of them will be successful this time next year or how many will be millionaires in five years' time.
I mean how many will be successful at all.
Sure, I'm looking at a fairly self-selected group. If someone has made the effort to attend a marketing conference, that's a pretty good sign that they're serious about what they're doing. They're prepared to invest, to learn and to take the time to build their business.
Those are all important. But none of them mean anything without drive and confidence.
I really do believe that anyone can build a successful online Internet business. I don't think there's anything particularly special about me and none of the people I've seen talking at conferences were superheroes either. We're all just regular people who built successful companies on the Web and want to see other people do the same thing.
But we all did one thing that helped push our businesses forward and take them to the next level.
We kept going.
We didn't expect to see giant results right away. We might have hoped that within a month of launching a new enterprise, we'd be rolling in cash and lying on the beach but we didn't expect it. Instead, we assumed that we'd move forward gradually, experimenting and learning as we went.
Most importantly, we expected that there would be times when growth would be flat and might even shrink. But instead of tossing in the towel and opening the vacancies page in the classifieds, we looked at what was going wrong, tried different approaches and kept going until things picked up.
We didn't think we'd see success overnight but we were all absolutely certain that with hard work, dedication and a willingness to learn, we would achieve success one day.
That kind of drive and confidence isn't something you can see in an entrepreneur's face. But it is the difference between those who gave up halfway along the road and those who go all the way.
It's Del.icio.us!
Furl It!
April 4, 2009 10:23 AM
Your message should be pinned over every bathroom mirror, office desk, bed. It needs repeating until everyone gets it!!!
April 4, 2009 10:25 AM
How about those bright budding young entrepreneurs of "The Next Internet Millionaire"?
The problem I see with the success rate is the mentality of the approach. People are approaching Internet businesses without truly weighing the costs and evaluating themselves.
I personally don't agree that everyone has what it takes to run a successful business online. I think you are very special and have a certain disposition (as well as other successful marketers) to be driven to succeed.
~ Jason
April 4, 2009 11:46 AM
Hey Joel,
Man, you hit the nail on the head. I'm glad to be in a position to understand "Keep Going". I am certainly one who can say that it is "that drive" which is the most helpful in overcoming some of life's challenges, as we get sidetracked in our journey toward goals.
I appreciate the words of motivation, because no matter where we are, it's always helpful to get inspired to persist past obstacles.
Success & Health... Happiness and Wealth,
Aaron A LaRiche
www.twitter.com/seaofsuccess
April 4, 2009 01:37 PM
Well said Joel
I am amazed how many newbies still fall victims
of the "quick money" scam spreaders.
You're perfectly right. Success is a result of dedication
On pursuing one's goals and never quitting.
Thanks for the insight
April 4, 2009 02:57 PM
Love listening to people like you. Success is a function of hardwork, commitment and putting your leg on the ground until there is light at the end of the turnel. The fraudsters will tell you that you don't have to do anything at all on the internet and money will just begin to pour in. You have tried your hands on somany things, but today your story has been a success one. Its a pleasure to read this piece.
April 4, 2009 03:16 PM
Success don't come easy, but hardwork, deligence and commitment will pay off at the end. If you stay focused and put in some efforts in the right direction, this will tend to success. To be successful on the net, you need to be mentored by those that have been successful. You don't allow some fraudsters who come up claims that cannot be substabtiated becloud your plans. I am happy that there are still some people who are clean on the net.
April 5, 2009 10:20 AM
I always pride myself on being very pesistent and never giving up on my goals!
April 5, 2009 12:30 PM
Good stuff Joel, I think with the internet people expect stuff to happen so quickly, but not only that...they don't expect to actually have to WORK.
Work is needed man, you have to do it, no matter if it's online or off, you have to keep with it.
Thanks for the post, keep bringing the goods.
April 5, 2009 12:56 PM
Joel-This is so right on...and it doesn't matter what industry or field a person is in.
Successful people do one thing: they get up and dust off one more time.
And repeat.
Keep up the great work of leading by example!
Your fan,
Christy
April 5, 2009 06:31 PM
That's AWESOME advice Joel.
The sad truth is that 90 percent of people fail in businesses. The ones that float are the ones that keep going.
-Will
April 5, 2009 09:58 PM
Joel, this is so very true. In a world of burger king, mcdonald's, microwaves, and dunkin donuts, we can easily adopt a short time horizon that wishes for immediate results with low cost. But the truly great enterprises are etched in sweat, vision, and a long term time horizon. Nothing great is built without a cost. Are we willing to pay the cost? And are we willing to burn the bridges behind us on the way to our destination?
April 7, 2009 01:42 PM
Joel,
Very timely post, as I am currently fragmented in my on-line efforts.
Authoring Seven blogs, and Host Gator hosting with no admin skills!
Won your Twitter Power book from Zac Johnson, just won a Flip Mino HD camcorder from my ad network, but I don't have a "brand".
Also won an Online Profits course, but running out of time during the day to watch, read and implement all that is required.
My Lijit Stats state that I have seven to 10 visitors per day to my blogs, and I twitter, follow your UStream shows every Wednesday with Dan Nickerson, and just watched your Microsoft visit UStream from your iPhone.
My problem is distraction and focus. How do I learn all of the skills required to host my blogs on WordPress on my own domains, and get off of blogger? .PHP .CSS .html and XML are confusing and difficult.
Then there is the sheer mystery of how people buy online, and how to afford the click-budget costs while 'experimenting' with ad copy.
The challenge in 'sticking it out' is that I am also unemployed with about 60 days left in income.
I need a miracle if I am to make a living online, and I have been trying since September 2008 with $8.00 profit to date.
Respectfully,
Nicholas Chase
www.twitter.com
April 8, 2009 02:10 AM
Hi there,
I guess there are some people who were motivated when they first start off their business but somehow have this delusion that they have already made it just by setting up the company's name but are just not pushing hard enough to make it big, for real .
April 15, 2009 09:44 AM
this is really great exactly what I wanted and needed to hear.
November 4, 2009 09:02 AM
Joel
Great advice. As a Coach I am often amazed that people assume they have a business, because they made a small initial investment of time & money in something. They have no plan, no clear vision and aren't clear on what their product even is, but they are frustrate that they are not making money.
Then I encounter great entrepreneurs who have it pretty well together and are mustering throgh with realistic expectations that need the advice of this post--Keep Going. Make adjustments, correct course, but most importantly, keep doing.
My football coach taught me to keep my legs moving until I was laying on the ground. "Keep making progress even if they are pushing you backwards, do not give up."
Thanks for the posts. Look forward to more.
Sean Mc Carthy
ColoradoCoachingCompany.com
CertifiedCoachesFederation.com
twitter.com/SolutionCoach