Write Your Own Success Story

In our last post on "Confidence", we urged every IMG.Ws Associate to write his/her own success story. Your life was, is and will become the sum total of the words you have used to direct your actions, create your thoughts or develop your ideas.

Your precepts, concepts, attitudes and general disposition can all be traced to the words you have thought, uttered or allowed into your life.

In this post, we will add some common sense approaches that will lead to more effective living. Our lives on this planet are short. So make the most of the time you have.


Whenever you become "Stressed and Depressed" remind yourself constantly that in everything you do, put GOD first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.

As Program Manager for Independent Marketing Group.Ws, I do not hide the fact that I am a Christian, I believe in Christian principles as outlined in the Holy Scriptures. When a man is trying to please GOD, GOD makes even his worst enemies to be at peace with him. GOD comforts us in our troubles so we can encourage others intheirs . For those of you that have a problem with GOD, put a universe in place then I'll consider your point of view. In all that I have seen, read and experienced I know without a shadow of doubt, there is only one GOD and his name isYHVH.

It is important that you understand that the sweetest songs often come from broken hearts. As it is written: "Weeping may endure for a night, but joycometh in the morning". Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell GOD your needs and don't forget to thank him for his answers.

As an IMG.Ws Associate it will be very helpful to further your understanding to include (among other concepts, precepts, and ideologies) the proper mental attitude in order to have an acceptable standard of living. Defer pleasure for a short while, save and invest your money wisely, and use the interest earned to buy the material things that add comfort and pleasure to life.

It would be a good practice to buy more for less and enjoy the things you want at discount; rather than full price. Strive to acquire material things at the lowest possible price. To put it simply; save, get the most for your money. Use interest earnings to buy at the lowest possible price in order to have more material possessions if this is your desire.

You must also understand that it is your responsibility to be in control of what you think and how you feel. In order to properly regulate your thinking, attitudes and feelings, engage in self-talk from time to time. What I have learned from my own self-talk is that it is best to set and pursue just one goal at a time. Change one habit at a time. Instead of trying to tackle many goals at once, it is better to concentrate and focus on a single objective that is readily attainable, something you are reasonably sure you can achieve.

In my self-talk, I have said the following many times. I become programmed. My programming creates my beliefs. My beliefs determine my attitudes, concepts, precepts, psychology and general state of mind. My attitudes create my feelings and my feelings determine whether I will take some action or not act at all. In the final analysis, my thoughts and actions will determine whether I succeed or fail. You will also benefit by having a similar "Self-Management Sequence".

As an Associate, you may need to acquire the habit of thinking differently if you want to have what you desire. Success is not something you do, it is the end result of an organized and intelligence process that is directed at achieving a specific objective or goal. When you want something you have never had, you must be willing to do something you have never done.

Determine to do that something different. If need be, change your focus, change your thinking, and if necessary change your goal. And with the power of GOD, you can change your circumstances. The decisions you make today, will determine what GOD will do for youtomorrow . Nothing times nothing equals nothing. Therefore, whatever you faithfully sow, GOD will use to multiply back to you. Of this you can be absolutely assured because it isGOD's Law. For it is written: "But my GOD shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19KJV)

It is your responsibility to develop a plan to guide your thinking and a plan to organize and focus your activities and actions. You also need a plan for your life. It can be very confusing to get somewhere, when you don't know where you are headed. A plan is like a road map. It tells you where you are and points you in a direction. It helps youstrategize how to get from point "A" to point "B".

Everything I have stated on these pages is no more or less than a brief paragraph in the "Story of Words". Whether you write them on paper, a computer screen, utter them on a recording device or use them in some other way, words are only the flint that strikes the fire. Use power words in your self-talk to set yourself up. Use them to challenge yourself. Change yourself if you want to change or to do better. If you choose to do better, by all means develop a plan of action to accomplish your objective.

No one else is going to write your story, you must do that. What you have done will be recorded in words, if not by you, by someone else. You are responsible for the words that will be written about your life. Your actions and activities will become the story of who you are and what you became in your brief life on earth.

We are a human race of living words. We live by words. Words create our emotions, thoughts and formulate the images in our minds. Words tell us where we are, what we are, and describe what we are doing. They tell us where we are going and why we are going there. Whatever you know about yourself, your words or the words of someone else told you.

To the uninformed and overly educated words are merely parts of speech. Nothing more than alphabetical characters organized into sentences and paragraphs. Something written in books, or spoken in an understandable language. Words are much more. They are the means by which we formulate and structure intelligent thought.

Every word you and I will ever speak, hear, think, write, see or read will have a picture attached to it and a meaning that informs or stimulates the programming files in our subconscious mind. We are affected and effected by words - each and every one of them. Our words carry the life giving breath of awareness that courses through our minds.

Words are the very essence of our understanding and they direct our motions throughout our entire lives. Therefore the words you use in your self-talk will tell you who you really are, what you are really feeling, and what you should be doing to accomplish your goals and objectives. Words have the power to do this every moment of your entire existence. Therefore, write your success story and live by the words that bring joy, meaning, happiness and success to your life.

In my next post, we will continue our series on why so many fail in home businesses with reason number 5, "Poor Management".

Confidence

Before we continue our series, it is important that all IMG.Ws Associates understand the nature of the beast. From the time we are born to the day we die, we are taught to doubt ourselves, have negative feelings and question ourselves. This is totally normal.

However, as an Associate, you must understand that self doubt will not allow you to stand out above the crowd or be truly successful. You must have confidence in yourself.

Confidence, Confidence, Confidence, is the one thing all successful men and women have in common. They have confidence in their knowledge.

They have confidence in their abilities. They are confident they can accomplish any task. Confident that hard work and commitment will be rewarding. Do these successful people have doubts or negative feelings sometimes? Of course they do. How they overcome negatives in their lives is the difference and naurally makes them successful. Successful people breathe and eat positives; especially when it comes to what they want to accomplish! Their positives tremendously out weigh all the negative influences and doubt they encounter. They block out negatives and negative people.

Successful, confident, positive individuals are happy with themselves, satisfied with their surroundings. People enjoy being near them. They have magnetic personalities, they attract others and flood their entire area with confidence and reality based thinking.

Think for a minute, had you rather be in the company of a dull negative person or one that is enthusiastic and confident? Negative people bring you down, depress you, cause doubt in your own abilities. Positive people raise you up, make you feel better and being around them gives you more confidence. Negative attitudes are like viral diseases, they spread quickly to the weak and uninformed.

Not all "millionaires" are successful. Not all successful people are millionaires. Money alone does not mean success. Perhaps some inherited their riches, some achieved their riches with blind luck like lottery winners. One thing you can be sure of is this: All self made millionaires that achieved success had confidence and a positive attitude. They think like "millionaires" even when the bank account is empty.

Do you want to wait for an inheritance or luck? Or would you rather start thinking positively and use your "GOD Given Abilities"? Why not build your own success story? Confidence not only builds your bank account, it also improves your physical and mental health. Both mind and body are necessary for absolute positive unbending confidence!

How do you attain this attitude? "Knowledge is Power", but knowledge not used is wasted. However, knowledge will give you confidence to achieve any goal you set for yourself if you remain committed and positive! Knowledge can be acquired, so can confidence and a positive attitude. You and your commitment are all that is required to move forward toward your goal of financial independence.

Ponzi and Pyramid Money Schemes - Part IV - A Supplement To "Unrealistic Expectations"

The below article was posted in the Conquer Your Niche forum by Josh Anderson and I think it deserves more attention. The article is very important and should be read and heeded by IMG.Ws Associates and all new marketers looking to start a business on the Internet or offline for that matter.

As in my previous blog articles, this very important point has been made over and over. There is no free ride, there is no miracle money, no easy money, all businesses require work and effort on your part to achieve success. Please read and heed Josh's post below.


I notice a lot of fairly new warriors posting questions about things like "randomizers," "investments," and other scams. These "newbies" are looking at these programs and their offerings with serious interest and feeling the temptation that comes when promised easy money. I am going to be strait forward and completely honest:

1. When you are getting started online it is hard to hear the legit opportunities because of the multitude of scams and Ponzi schemes.

2. Opportunities that offer you fast money by making an "investment" into a "matrix" or "randomizer" or other such Ponzi scheme are almost all illegal.

3. There are so many illegal schemes online that it may seem like very few are exposed and prosecuted by the authorities but this does not make them any more legit.

4. In the US 70% of your revenues must come from the direct sale of goods or services and only 30% can come from the recruitment of other distributors in order for the opportunity to be legal. This is known as the 70/30 rule and is used by the feds when taking on mlm and other opportunities. Otherwise the companies are getting into "Ponzi" and "chain" schemes which are federal offenses in the US.

5. "Referral sales" are illegal in all 50 states. A referral sale is where you offer a discount or other value in exchange for "leads" or the names of prospective purchasers (do a search for legal info regarding "referral sales" on Google and you will learn some very interesting facts). Here is a link to a page with some basic legal definitions for Ponzi or pyramid schemes and referral sales: http://www.sec.gov/answers/ponzi.htm

6. A program does not have to pay out in the form of a "pyramid" to qualify as Ponzi.
http://www.impulse.net/~thebob/Pyramid.html

7. Just because their is a product or service offered as a front does not mean that a program is not Ponzi. Here is a good example:
http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Crimes/InPerson/MajorPerson/telecom2000.htm

8. There are many involved in Ponzi who will claim that their program "works" and has passed the scrutiny of the FTC... most of them have no clue what they are talking about and are simply subconsciously excusing a lie that they have convinced themselves to ignore.
http://www.onguardonline.gov/spam.html

9. Self deception is a destructive illness. I got on the Internet for the first time in 2001 and began researching Internet business. I was stuck by the amount of "investment" and "matrix" opportunities that were available. Many of them were "ground floor" start up opportunities that claimed they were going to sell a product or service once they got off the ground but that they needed a few "investors" to grab "top positions" before they "launched." I found that almost all of them never actually offered a legit product or service and operated as an unabashed and obvious pyramid scheme.

Most sites would disappear within a year and I would see the same founders starting different opportunities with varying "payout" plans all of them Ponzi. I also saw that some of these Ponzi creators spent time posing as "consumer advocates" for those who had lost money in other schemes. These Ponzi scammers would lure in victims of other failed Ponzi schemes by publishing submitted complaints on their websites in behalf of the victims. They would act as if they were trying to assist the victims in recovering their lost "investments." I would then see these very same "advocates," after building a list of victims sufficiently large enough who trusted them, launch their own Ponzi schemes with claims like "everyone gets paid" and "guaranteed not to fail." They would tout themselves as saviors claiming that no one would get hurt and that they were out to help everyone who lost money when other companies failed.

10. A majority... let me say that again a MAJORITY of opportunities I see advertised in safe lists are illegal investment schemes. The reason for this is because most people who are attracted to these type of opportunities cannot build a mailing list to market to (the reason is because the mainstream business world immediately sees you as illegit) and they congregate in safe lists in hopes of spreading their opportunity virally. Most members of safe list communities (the one's who spend every day reading and mailing safelists and investing in Ponzi) are inexperienced deceived and looking for easy money.

*I know I will get heat for saying that but I also know it is true. There are legit ways to use safe lists but the majority of the opportunities advertised in them are complete garbage.*

11. Light attracts light. Darkness attracts darkness. Scammers attract easy money seekers who have deceived them selves into believing their lies.

12. There are many members of this and other marketing forums making money in illegal investment and Ponzi schemes. There are many members of this and other marketing forums loosing money in illegal investment and Ponzi schemes.

13. If you align your self with such opportunities (even if you make money) your business will be seen as illegit and your own reputation will be tarnished by those whom you associate with.

14. It is illegal to offer an investment opportunity, collect funds, and then spend the money on other projects: Read the Matthew Bowin example on this page: http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/cyberfraud.htm

Not to long ago dozens of warriors were lured into investing in a software development opportunity run by a well known marketer that was never fully delivered. I settled out of court with that marketer to regain my own investment back after I threatened to bring in the FBI and SEC.

15. It pays to educate your self on the laws that govern your business. I have personally interviewed attorneys, legal experts, authors, and a federal expert witness on the subject of mlm, one up referral, and Ponzi style compensation programs during my own investigation into the online "money for nothing" phenomenon. http://www.firstgov.gov/Citizen/Topics/Internet_Fraud.shtml

16. You should also read what the SEC has to say about "Internet investment" schemes. It may shock you to know that: "...the following companies must file reports with the SEC: All U.S. companies with more than 500 investors and $10 million in net assets;" Companies that fail to do that are in violation of federal laws and many cases send the owners of such companies to prison. The SEC governs most "investment" opportunities and when their hammer falls on a company it is not pretty.

Anyone interested in online business opportunities should read this page about "Internet investment fraud:" http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/cyberfraud.htm

Also it may surprise you how many Internet businesses violate these areas of the law:
Franchising - http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/franchise/netrule.htm
Endorsements - http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/guides/endorse.htm
Earnings Claims - http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2003/11/dojsweep.htm

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2005/11/wealthsys.htm
http://www.lawpublish.com/mlm.html
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1998/05/greenhorse.htm

17. Robert Fitzpatrick is one of the foremost experts and has served as an expert witness in many federal cases, been published on the subject of Ponzi, and has been featured on nationally syndicated television shows speaking on the subject. His website is one of the greatest resources for educating you self against Ponzi and other related illegal scams: http://www.pyramidschemealert.org/PSAMain/home.html

Mr. Fitzpatrick's site is not another anti scam site where people post their grievances it is one of the most educational sites on the subject of Ponzi and mlm legal battles on both side lines that you can read. I don't care if there are any detractors to this post. I am not going to debate what I have written. I have written it for the benefit of those who are truly interested in educating themselves on the subject and making educated decisions based on the laws that govern the businesses they are getting involved in.

There are many on the Internet and in this forum who will seek to excuse their illegal activities and continue to live in self deception. That is fine. Everyone is entitled to their own decisions and opinions. This post is to provide a powerful education to the multitudes who desperately need it including the newbies who keep posting questions about whether such scams "work" in various marketing forums around the Internet.

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This post is the final installment in our series "Unrealistic Expectations" - the number 4 reason why so many fail in home businesses and was written by Josh Anderson

Ponzi and Pyramid Money Schemes - Part III - A Supplement To "Unrealistic Expectations"

"Unrealistic Expectations" can take many forms and will ultimately lead to business failure. In 1919 Charles Ponzi invited business men and women to invest in his business and promised to double their money. Returns were guaranteed.

Charles Ponzi recruited new investors and used their funds to pay earlier investors. Because his funding and payout method were unsustainable, the business eventually collapsed leaving a great number of people with nothing to show for the funds they had committed. Charles Ponzi was imprisoned and from that day, scams that mimicked this approach became known as Ponzi schemes.

On the Internet, many of these types of schemes go by the name of Doublers, Triplers, Bubbles, Cyclers, Gifting and other variations. Gifting is not illegal, when done according to legal statutes. It is not a crime to give someone money that you have earned legally. The vast majority of online money schemes fail the legitimacy test and are all basically modified Ponzis or Pyramids. As an IMG.Ws Associate, if you have joined or considering joining, a money doubler program, study it carefully to see if it operates as a Ponzi scheme. If it does, walk away from it.

Some Ponzi or Pyramid schemes provide you with a product or service in exchange for your investment. This is no more than a thin veneer of legitimacy. Don't be deceived! If a program promises everyone involved a complete return on his/her investment without limiting the number of applicants, this program is almost certain to collapse. Legitimate enterprises normally limit the number of investors or require members to achieve their own sales. In addition, legitimate business enterprises rarely ever guarantee a profit.

In America, operating, running, or investing in a Ponzi scheme or allowing a Ponzi or Pyramid scheme to be promoted through your website or advertising network is illegal. These money schemes rarely use the word Ponzi or Pyramid in their name. Doubler, Tripler, Cycler are all common terminologies for this kind of illegal business venture. Do not invest in any program or business venture that does not offer a legitimate product or service. Examine all income opportunities carefully.

Just because an online or off line income opportunity has Doubler in its name does not mean it is illegal. Determine how income is generated before you commit your time, effort and financial resources. If you knowingly involve yourself with a Ponzi scheme, you not only run the risk of losing your investment, you also run the risk of being prosecuted.

There are many people trying everything they can to earn effortless income on the Internet. Many, because they lack experience or they are consumed with a desire to get-rich-quick, believe these self-styled Gurus that reportedly have discovered the secret of profiting in illegal income programs. Their solution; which is no solution but a criminal act, is to join early and withdraw your funds before the program collapses. This is tantamount to running an illegal gambling operation.

When a Ponzi or Pyramid Scheme collapses, everyone who invested last loses their investment. In some cases this can affect hundreds or even thousands of people. It is so unfortunate that many people that fail in these ventures because of their "Unrealistic Expectations" automatically assume that it was the individual program, rather than the concept, that was to blame. Because of their desire for overnight wealth, these people will try again with a another program.

You don't need a PH.D in advanced math to project earnings in a Ponzi or Pyramid scheme. If you put any number in a calculator and multiply the result by 3 or 5 repeatedly, the number grows exponentially. Even the most well constructed Doubler will collapse when the number of new investors required to sustain payouts becomes unreachable.

All Ponzi and Pyramid Schemes Operate on the Same Principle

The last in always loses. There are no exceptions to this rule. As stated previously, by the time this happens hundreds, perhaps thousands of unsuspecting investors and participants would have lost their money. If you are an IMG.Ws Associate and has joined a Doubler program with full knowledge of how it works, you are giving your approval to a fraudulent business operation and outright thievery.

It is not necessary for any IMG.Ws Associate to participate in any illegitimate business venture. You have unlimited access to a variety of solid online and off line income opportunities. However, if you are not an IMG.Ws Associate, we recommend taking advantage of any one of the various legitimate services, products and programs that are being offered today. Simply click on this link, Independent Marketing Group.Ws, and go to our Opportunity Showcase. Leave these illegal money programs and "so-called" business opportunities alone.

What Works - Part II - A Supplement To "Unrealistic Expectations"

Yes... If

It wouldn't be honest of me to say that ANYONE can succeed in ANY business. There are simply too many variables. But that shouldn't keep us from looking at those variables and by doing so, giving you the information necessary to evaluate your options.

So... here are the variables. Read them carefully. Study them. Learn them. Then, as you're looking for a business that you can commit yourself to, use this list to help you evaluate that business.

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What's REALLY Important? And What's Really Not?

1.) Support. There's a reason why this is first on my list... and I'm not talking about the kind of support where you want to know how to change the email address you have on file. That's not REALLY important. I'm talking about getting honest answers to every question you have... NOW... wherever you live... any time of the night or day. I'm talking about having someone work WITH you... someone who's been where you are... who's building a business just like yours... a REAL person who REALLY cares about YOUR success.

Is there a place where you can find that kind of Five-Star Support? Yes, there is. The reason I know that is because I have that in my own business... and you should too. Let's be clear on this... if you already knew how to be successful in business, you probably wouldn't be reading this right now. Knowing that, why would you ever choose to try to build a business where you couldn't get the help you'll need?

If you're considering a business, find out about the support FIRST. If they don't have EXCELLENT support that is available to you any time of the day or night at no cost... walk away BEFORE you waste your time and money!

2.) Training. This comes VERY close behind support. Have you ever joined a program where you were promised that you'd have all the help and training you need... but once you paid your money everything just... disappeared? How did you like being left on your own, not knowing what to do? How did that make you feel? Do you know why that happened? It happened because the program owner already made his money off of you. Now you're no longer important. Plain and simple.

So the SECOND thing you need to find out when you're evaluating a business is... "What INCENTIVE does anyone have to continue to work with me AFTER I send in my money?" If you can find no incentive for anyone to keep working with you, then chances are, nobody will.

3.) Business Plan. Is there a well thought out Plan for the business? Is there a solid strategy for growth from the perspective of the individual Members as well as from the perspective of the overall business as a whole? Is there evidence that someone is working to keep the business out in front of the competition? Is there an ongoing investment in things like programming improvements and hosting capacity? Are the concerns of Members addressed and resolved in such a way as to maintain the integrity of the business?

4.) Current Environment. What's that mean? It means you need to know how things are going for that business NOW... not last year or next year... but right now. Forget about testimonials. They mean nothing. Things change FAST on the Internet. Find out what ACTIVE Members feel about the business TODAY!

Here's an example of what I mean: There's a solid, well-respected business on the Internet and on their main website they have a list of testimonials. The first one is from... guess who... me.

As I write this today, that testimonial is over TWO YEARS OLD... and the program that I was expressing my pleasure with has changed dramatically. Not only would I not participate in that program today, but I've advised my friends and colleagues not to participate as well. But my testimonial is still there.

Believe a testimonial on a website? Not me.

5.) Direction. By this I mean where a business is going. Are they working to make improvements? Or are they just riding it out until they close it down? Are they geared for the future? Or did they register their domain name for one year? Is there a specific plan that you can follow? Or will you be following them down the drain?

6.) Cost. As a general rule of thumb, expensive programs pay better... but are MUCH more difficult to promote and build. Inexpensive programs are easier to promote and build, but offer little in the way of income.

Programs that charge a monthly subscription can be a good combination because of the recurring income... but that's also the main drawback because you'll have a lot of people quit if they're not in profit right away and that can destroy your group... and your income.

7.) Product. While you might think that this should be first, it's right where it belongs... and here's why. Whether you like a particular product or not isn't important. What's important is how many OTHER people want and/or need your product.

I might be in love with hot dogs, but if nobody else is, what kind of business will I have?

If you want to give yourself the best chance for success... and why wouldn't you?... find a product that millions of people want and need... a product that can be created instantly and delivered immediately over the Internet... a product that costs little and delivers tremendous value... a product that people will not only appreciate buying, but also want to sell in a business of their own!

8. Website. This one might surprise you. You need a website that accurately explains your business and your opportunity... NOT a website that "sells".

Your website should be a filter that identifies and eliminates the wrong people, not a net that catches as many people as possible.

But wait a minute. Don't you WANT as many people as possible to buy your product and join your program?

That's what you've always been told, isn't it? Sell, sell sell! Recruit, recruit, recruit! That's how you make money!

Sorry, but that's a lie. You've been told that by the gurus and the program owners because... are you ready?... that's how they get YOU to make money for THEM!

The truth is this... ONE good business partner... someone who sees your opportunity and decides to build a business and in the process builds your business... is better than one hundred customers.

Knowing that, why would the gurus and program owners encourage you to sell and recruit as fast as possible without regard for whether or not a particular person might be a good partner? Because they make money when you sell and recruit!

If You Fill Your Business With Lazy, Dishonest Partners... That's Your Problem!

So the next time you look at a website, ask yourself this question... "Is this website designed as a filter to help me find the RIGHT people for my business? Or is this website designed to be a net to catch me and everyone else just so the owner can make a fast buck?

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It's Time To Go Find Your Ideal Business!

Now that you understand what the Internet can and cannot do... and you realize that you cannot be successful without the help of others... and that you can enlist others to help you succeed by providing them with the same opportunity that you have... and you're aware of the many advantages and massive potential that InterNetWork Marketing offers... and you know what to look for (and what to look out for!) in an online business... it's time for you to take the next step and begin your search for the ideal business.

Does A Business Like That Even Exist? Yes.

You can read the remaining sections of "What Works" at INETGiant as well as their business proposal. We have provided a link for your convenience. For IMG.Ws Associates, feel free to explore as many business avenues as possible including this one. Independent Marketing Group is not the end of your journey to financial security. We are just the beginning and we will be here, whenever you need us.

What Works - Part I - A Supplement To "Unrealistic Expectations"

This blog entry is a supplement to "Unrealistic Expectations" - the Number 4 reason why so many fail in home businesses. It is an important addition for IMG.Ws Associates and interested members of the general public. We owe our thanks to INETGiant for making this entry possible.

I highly recommend you pay INETGiant a visit, if you are interested in quality online advertising at affordable price points. There are so many thousands of hard working honest people that have been scammed by Internet marketerers that promised much but delivered very little or nothing at all.


Many more have been duped into spending hundreds; if not thousands, of dollars for "so-called" secrets that would unlocked the illusive door to the reported riches that exist in cyberspace. Self-styled Gurus have bilked the unsuspecting out of thousands of dollars for programs and concepts that are literally worthless. Think about this for a minute.

If you had a secret formula that was making you 1 million dollars a month, would you tell the world and invite duplication and competition? You're right! Absolutely not. How much would you sell it for? You're right again! Not at any price.... because no matter how much you could sell it for, you could always earn 10 times that.

However, if your moneymaking formula stopped earning you 1 million dollars a month, how much would you sell it for then? You are right again! Whatever you can get. Even though the Internet is a marvel of technology and human ingenuity, it does not raise the dead or turn water into wine. It is not an electronic highway to overnight fortunes.

For those who understand the ebb and flow of the Net, a considerable amount of money can be earned. However, it all starts with using your intelligence and intellect to guide your steps on the slippery Internet landscape. Part I of "What Works" will help you understand why it is so vitally important that you control your expectations and temper your actions with reason, rationality and intelligence. Naturally, your first step is to take control.

Taking Control

What Works... And What Doesn't

Until you take control of your expectations... until you understand what the Internet can and cannot do for you... you'll continue to be an easy target for online crooks and scam artists.

So let's begin at the beginning.

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What Is The Internet... and What Can It Do?

The Internet is the most powerful invention ever created by mankind for communicating, for gathering information, for storing information, for processing information, and for delivering information.

But it's NOT magic. The Internet is an incredibly powerful tool, but it cannot create wealth out of thin air.

The Internet can enable me to share my knowledge, thoughts, ideas, and experiences with you... no matter where you live... even if I'm doing something else... but it cannot create money where money doesn't exist.

So does that mean you can't make money on the Internet? Not at all! Lots of people make money on the Internet. Some people have become extremely wealthy operating a business on the Internet.

BUT... they didn't become successful by thinking the Internet could somehow magically send millions of dollars into their bank account just because they signed up for a program somewhere. They became successful by using the Internet as a tool to make their business run better... to expand their customer base to include people from all over the world... and to gather, store, process, and deliver the information necessary for their business to grow and prosper.

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What does that mean to you?

Simply this... there are only two ways to make money. You can fool people into sending their money to you, or you can provide something they need and/or want so they will send you their money and feel good about the money they spent. No matter what you read, no matter what you're told, NEVER forget that fact. The Internet didn't create some magical "third way" to make money. There isn't one.

If your choice is to fool people, you can stop reading now. Nothing I say will help you if that's your objective. (And if you think it's OK to lie to other people simply because that lie worked on you... think again. It's not.) But if your choice is to provide something that people need and/or want, then your next decision should be WHAT you will provide.

You have three choices. You can provide a product, you can provide a service, or you can provide a product/service combination.

If you choose a product, you have two choices.

It can be a physical product, such as candles, vitamins, or auto parts... or it can be a "virtual" product, such as information, online advertising, or access to a private website.

If you choose a service, you have two choices.

It can be a service that you or an employee provides in person, such as house painting, landscaping, or interior decorating... or it can be a service that you could provide online, such as consulting, graphic design, or web hosting.

If you choose a product/service combination, your service will probably be determined by your product. If your product is online advertising, your service might be ad design. If your product is cosmetics, your service might be a personal visit and make-up advice.

But whatever you decide to offer your potential customers, your emphasis MUST be to provide MORE value than your customer expects. That's the key to success in any business.

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But wait a minute... that's all ordinary business knowledge.

Exactly! That's the point I want you to understand!

The Internet didn't change the basic way that all business is done. You still need to provide something of value to your customer... something that's worth more to your customer than the price you're charging.

All the Internet did was make it MUCH easier to conduct business... If you have a product, or a service, or a product/service combination that can be made available and/or delivered over the Internet.

Have you decided to offer home-made apple pies as your product? If so, you can offer your pies on the Internet, but you'll need to arrange for some other means of delivering them to your customers. That's one example of using the Internet to help grow your business, but in a somewhat limited way.

Compare that to a business that sells online advertising as its product. Not only can the product be offered on the Internet, it can also be DELIVERED on the Internet. Because it is a "virtual" product, there are no costs for manufacturing, packaging, warehousing, shipping, handling, or insuring your product. These cost savings can be passed to your customers or added back to your bottom line as profits. Not only that, but virtual products can often be delivered instantly... in "real time"... and without the risk of damage or loss during shipping.

Is it any wonder that virtual products account for the vast majority of online sales, with advertising still leading the way?

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Now that you understand what the Internet can and cannot do, you're ready to stop believing the lies and hype you see every day... and take control of your online business by applying tested and proven business principles to a business that can be operated over the Internet.

Would you like to know how you can use the Internet not only to offer and deliver your product and/or service, but to actually EXPAND your business to a point where it will continue to grow without your active participation?

In other words, would you like to utilize the amazing power of the Internet to help you create and build a business that will allow you to retire... and continue to receive a solid, growing income from your business for the rest of your life and beyond?

Unrealistic ExpectationsThe Number 4 Reason Why So Many Fail In Home Businesses

In this post we'll discuss "Unrealistic Expectations" - the number 4 reason why so many fail in home businesses. Before we continue let's format all the reasons why so many fail into an outline. This will help you follow our discussions.

#1. Poor Mind-Set
#2. Chasing The Wrong People
#3. Unsuitability
#4. Unrealistic Expectations

Annette is 19 years old, 4' 7" inches tall and weighs 87 lbs. She is physically well built for her size, agile and quick on her feet.

Her goal is to play professional basketball. Is this a realistic expectation for Annette? Naturally, this is an unreal expectation for Annette. Unrealistic expectations are rarely ever mentioned by motivational speakers and self-styled Gurus.

It is not profitable to tell the teeming masses that there are many things they can not have and will never succeed at. It does not matter how motivated, enthusiastic, positive, persistent and determined they might be to achieve success or realize a dream. Before you decide upon what you are willing to do, first determine, whether or not what you want to achieve is realistic for you the way you are right now.

Having a positive mental attitude is not only not enough, it can be dangerous and unhealthy if it is not firmly rooted in actuality and reality. You can be as positive as like about jumping out of a plane at 50,000 feet without a parachute. You can do it, but you won't live to tell about it. This is an unrealistic expectation.

If you are a 21 year old male 5' 4" tall and weigh 115 lbs, chances are excellent you won't be playing basketball for the L.A. Lakers, football for the Dallas Cowboys, baseball for the New York Yankees or be considered for any other high profile professional sports team. The price you are willing to pay, and what you are willing to do to accomplish this goal become irrevalent considerations. It is simply not going to happen in your lifetime because it is an unrealistic expectation.

The same holds true for income opportunities. Marvin's goal is an Internet Based Business Group that generates $70,000.00 a month. Is this a realistic expectation, considering where Marvin is right now? Presently, Marvin can't afford to invest heavily in advertising; nor can he afford to find others that are also willing to invest heavily in advertising. He can not afford to go offline and bring people online. At this point in his planning, Marvin's goal is unrealistic, regardless of what he is willing to do or how badly he wants to achieve it.

Johnny just joined an online business opportunity and sincerely expects to be a millionaire in 3 months. Allison signed up with a real estate program and is already telling her friends she'll be moving into a mansion within 30 days. Hyacinth just bought Joe Gurus lastest book on Internet Marketing and fully expects to have a million signups in 90 days. Pedro recently opened an online store and fully expects to be selling a million a month by the end of the year.

It is virtually impossibe to ovecome unrealistic expectations without a heavy dose of reality. This heavy reality dose will always have a positive impact on your life and your plans for personal achievement. The diminutive male and female in our examples can realize their dream of becoming professional athletes but in entirely different sports.

If Marvin paced his growth and expanded his business ventures over an extended period his goal becomes more realistic. In order to have realistic expectations in any endeavor, give yourself a heavy dose of reality. This will always improve your thinking and planning.

Unrealistic expectations also work in the reverse. You can underperform, underachieve and not reach or realize your full potential, creative ability or ascend to the heights you were meant to attain because unrealistic low expectations. These low expectations can cause any rational human being to undervalue himself/herself, his/her abilities, capabilities as well as,everything and everyone around them or anything and everything he/she is associated with.

Unrealistic expectations produces it fair share of business and life failures. It really doesn't matter whether it is high or low, it can be a source of anguish, anxiety, frustration and demoralization. It can rob you of performance, sleep, your health, your family, sanity, relationships and even your life. To avoid this failure trap, never divorce yourself from actuality and reality. In our next post, we will discuss "Poor Management", the number 5 reason why so many fail in home businesses.

UnsuitablityThe Number 3 Reason Why So Many Fail In Home Businesses

In our previous post, we identified the number one reason - "Poor Mind-Set", and the number two reason - "Chasing The Wrong People", as to why so many people fail in home businesses. For an in depth discussion of, "Why Your Mind-Set Is Important", please go to the home page at our "Information Warehouse".

To learn more about "Chasing The Wrong People" go to our Information Warehouse to the information bin entitled: "Let's Talk About Money". Scroll down the page to the sub-heading "Why Some People Will Never Earn Any Real Money". To get to this bin, click here.

In this post we will discuss "Unsuitability" - the number 3 reason why so many fail. Far too many people are not suited for the product or service they are marketing. Many join opportunities because they saw, heard or responded to an ad in a media presentation. They gave little or no consideration as to their suitability for the venture they signed up for.

For example: Fred is basically a loner with low self esteem, few or no personal friends or contacts and he's not very aggressive, yet he joins a company that requires him to be an agressive marketer. Unless Fred grows dramatically, he will more than likely fail in the venture he decided to join.

Margaret is a petit, 5' 4", clear-skinned, long-haired blonde that weighs 101 lbs. Yet, she joins a company that sells diet and skin products. She can't talk about what the products have done for her because doesn't have to use the products she is marketing to others. Johnny is detail and fact oriented, yet he is trying to market a product that requires him to stress features and benefits, not details and facts. Hannah is gregarious and a great conversationalist, yet she joins a company that has a mentoring system that always pushes her into the background. Mark loves being outside. He enjoys meeting people and talking with others, yet he joins a company that requires him to spend most of his time inside on the computer.

Mary works from 9-5, has 3 girls and a failing relationship, yet she is trying to be a travel representative. Phil has a long commute to and from work, a job full of stress and rarely has an opportunity to talk to anyone except his immediate co-workers, yet he joined a company that requires hime to bring people to weekly conference calls. These examples are not even the tip of the iceberg of what actually happens to people that join the various income opportunities that are available.

The biggest unsuitability trap for a great many people is the Internet itself. Many believe the hype that the Internet is the do-nothing-road-to-riches or the cyberpath to overnight millions. Far too many believe the principles that apply to businesses in the real world, do not apply to businesses or income activities in the cyberworld. Quite naturally, nothing is farther from the truth or farther from reality. Internet based income opportunities is not the right venue for many.

There are other factors as well, such as time, personality, capacity, intellectual, moral, social, economic and goal suitability, just to mention a few others. The moral of this post is simple: Before signing the dotted line, ask yourself the question: "Is this income opportunity right for me, the way I am right now"? For an additional disscussion on this post go to: "Why Affiliates Fail In Home Businesses".

In our next post, we will discuss "Unrealistic Expectations" - the number 4 reason why so many fail in home businesses.

The Real Reasons Why So Many Fail In Home Businesses

It is a known fact, that over 95% of the people involved in Internet sales, marketing, sponsoring or recruiting fail at it. There are reasons for this huge failure rate. 95% of the time, the vast majority spend most of their time searching for a magic bullet, a magical program or method that will unlock the reported easy-no-effort wealth that is suppose to exist on the Internet.

Success is the intelligent and persistent application of knowledge, understanding, method, skill and insight that works over a period of time to reach a desired goal or aim. The reason why so many people fail in business and at networking is not because of a lack of information, training, will power, resources, intelligence or the system.

The number one reason why so many fail is this: They never examine the knowledge they carry around in their heads or how they got that knowledge. If you don't have the right mind-set, it is much more difficult for you to increase your income by any means.

Rather than getting the right mind-set that requires increasing knowledge, gaining understanding, organizing methods or systems, acquiring skills and gaining insight, they desire to get-rich-quick with little or no real effort.

The number two reason is: The overwhelming majority of all the people involved in home businesses fail because they spend most of their time, money and effort chasing the wrong people. The vast majority of income opportunities and business ventures of any kind are not designed for, nor intended for the timid, lazy, cowardly, faint hearted, egocentric, status conscious, self-conscious, undisciplined, those wanting great rewards for little or no effort, the fearful or anyone who is comfortable hiding out on the Internet.

These people are the wrong people for any income opportunity beyond a 9-5, get-rich-quick-scheme, overnight millions or Internet junk programs. These aren't bad people. In fact, the vast majority are decent, honest people. They are just the wrong people for any home business enterprise that requires discipline, self growth, self development, self management and courage.

This does not mean that one or two people can't succeed with some of this stuff circulating on the Net. The odds are stacked against the vast majority. That's why the failure rate is so high. And...if anyone has any one of the above mentioned character traits, he/she won't earn any real money with any opportunity program, unless he/she is willing to grow and change. There is no such reality as something for nothing and no pies float in the sky.

In 6,000 years of recorded history no lazy, cowardly, fainted hearted, timid, or fearful person has ever amassed great wealth or ever had any great accomplishment. Online and off line "Self-proclaimed" Gurus rob the masses blind, by deceiving them, and perhaps you, that you can do little or nothing and amass great wealth. It is not going to happen....at least not with any frequency on planet earth. You are going to have to work, discipline yourself and find the courage from somewhere to succeed.

In our next post, we will discuss "Unsuitablity" - the number 3 reason why so many fail in home businesses.