Who would ever think of paying $100 for a glass of water? Well, if you were one of the gold-seekers on your way to California in 1849, you may have been one of the many who did. The gold rush enticed all kinds of people back then, people who wanted to "get rich quick" and blindly took off for an unknown territory, totally unprepared for all the hardships they would face. They were basically city folk who had no idea of the hazards and challenges that the frontier had to offer. Mob mentality took over, and everyone joined the wagon trains, blindly following the leader, who was busy kicking dust in their faces.

Some people chose the sea route, which they saw as a shortcut to riches, but in fact went all the way down around the tip of South America and took six months. Some were desperate enough to sign up for a trip to California by propeller-driven balloons, offered by a clever entrepreneur, but lucky for them, that idea failed.

And yes, some paid $100 for a glass of water, because the hot, dry deserts of Nevada didn't have water fountains and rest stops and people underestimated what the desert heat could do. But a few smart California entrepreneurs saw an opportunity in other peoples' desperate plights and traveled east to take advantage of the poor people who were on the verge of dying of thirst. They made a quick killing.

Ever hear of Sam Brannan? He became one of the richest men in California during the gold rush, but not through mining gold. He ran through the streets of California, shouting out the news of the great gold discovery. He then sold shovels and pans to the would- be miners and made a fortune. Can't mine gold without the proper tools.

So the question is... How many people got rich from actually mining gold and how many got rich from using their knowledge to take advantage of others who would do anything to get rich quick?

There's a similar gold rush going on today. Some people are still opting for the "get rich quick" scheme. They are more than willing to send in $25 to learn the secrets of addressing envelopes at home, or $50 to find out how a high school dropout made a million dollars in six weeks. They are desperate to find that gold and they're not thinking clearly anymore. They're certainly not asking themselves if the ideas make any sense at all.

Everyone is trying to making money on the Internet. Some are looking for the easy way and sign up for the propeller-driven balloon ride to save time and money. Some blindly jump in and spend lots of money and end up dying of thirst. Some just take advantage of the desperate plight of others and sell outrageous scams to unsuspecting fools. Some are the experienced miners, the marketers who know what they're doing and are prepared with knowledge. They have the right tools, go to the right place and find their fortune.

Who are you?

What do you do if you want to join this gold rush? Well, learn from history. It's just a matter of going about the journey the right way and you can be one of the smart ones who find that gold. It takes time, planning, the right tools and certainly a knowledgeable guide at the very least.

Here's some tried and true rules to finding the road of success:

1. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Identify what you're good at doing and follow that path.
2. Have a goal in place, but more importantly, a plan to reach that goal. The reason that most people don't reach a goal, is that they don't develop a plan of action and follow it.
3. Prepare yourself with the correct tools. Don't try to mine gold without a shovel.
4. Get the knowledge you need to be successful. Find the right mentor and follow what he did. Be prepared! Don't try to cross the desert without water.
5. Realize that there really is no way to get rich quickly. It does take work. Don't waste your money on every get-rich-quick scheme out there. Don't buy a flight on a battery -operated balloon! It may be the last flight you take!