It's certainly not down to intelligence, education, or "secret knowledge"! I believe that two of the main reasons are a lack of focus and an inability to follow a proven system.



Internet Marketing is the new "Gold Rush" and, just as in years gone by, people are rushing off into this great unknown to make their fortune.

The results are much the same too. Most old prospectors made little or nothing, or perhaps just enough to get by. So it is today, the massed ranks of "wanna be" Internet Marketers are rushing onto the net completely unprepared, digging everywhere, spending money, finding nothing, and then retiring from the field disillusioned and broke!

I have spent a large part of my life training in the martial arts, and there is an often used Japanese word that is really important - kime. Kime is the point of focus of a punch, block, or kick. It is something you strive for all the time - that perfect action with absolute focused power.

Beginners in the martial arts nearly always lack focus as they wave their arms and legs around in an uncoordinated fashion. Usually plenty of enthusiasm, but no focus!

Lack of focus, kime, is also the biggest problem for anyone stepping into the world of Internet Marketing for the first time. In fact a lack of focus is probably the number one cause of failure. People hop from one "Red Hot Opportunity" to another without ever following anything through and giving it a chance to work.

Building an online business is a bit like trying to roll a snowball down hill. To start with you have to put in lots of effort to get the thing going, but as it gathers weight and momentum the ball takes on a life of its own and races downwards.

That point of "critical mass" is not reached instantly - it takes time and effort. If you are not prepared to give your business time to reach the point where it gathers momentum you will never make money online.

On every forum on the Internet there will be people asking how they can make money - even when they are told less than 1% of them will actually focus on a project and take it to the point of critical mass.

People get so caught up in the "get rich quick mentality" and jump from idea to idea, terrified they are going to miss the latest trick and not make a million dollars overnight. If you want to make money online then it is VITAL that you focus on what you are doing and are not distracted.

So you have your chosen business and you understand the importance of remaining focused so, what next? There is a very famous quote attributed to Ray Croc of McDonald's fame: Systems work, people fail. It is because the business is so systemised that they can get spotty 17 year olds to make half decent burgers.

If you want your online business to succeed you must follow the plan. The more disciplined you are with your time and energy today, the more relaxed you can be in some future tomorrow.

Choose your online business carefully. Once you decide commit yourself to really focus on it and avoid the many other distractions out there. Jumping from plan to plan is not the answer!

If you really focus, and work the plan, then success is pretty well a 100% guaranteed!

Copyright (c) 2009 Steve Cowley