The dictionary definition of guru is as follows:

1) A spiritual teacher.

2) A charismatic leader or guide.

Okay. Now what does this mean in terms of The Internet?

As far as I can tell, both of these definitions do apply to Internet Marketing in that once a person gets hooked on a particular "guru" it's almost like a religious experience.

You buy all the eBooks; you buy all the "recommended" products; you buy all the software you never actually get around to figuring out how to use; you wait anxiously every day for your gurus email, so you can suck in all that new information.

You start to visualize yourself "making money while you sleep" while suppressing any thoughts about the real amount of work it actually takes to pull off this kind of success. I call this the "newbies dream".

Is it a religious experience? Perhaps, but my advice is this: if you are following a "guru" and keep falling into the "newbies dream" it would be much wiser to stop immediately and think carefully about what you're doing because unless you're actually applying what you're "learning" there is no guru on earth who can help you.

So how does one become an "Internet Marketing Guru?" There is no doubt the way to get this label is to make lots of money (I mean LOTS!) and to "help" others learn how to do the same thing. But is making money the only thing that people are obsessed with on the Internet?

No, but sometimes it seems that way, especially if you are someone who has decided to try to figure out how to make some money online. Once you make that decision, something very eerie begins to happens. You immediately begin searching for ways to go about reaching your goal and before long, you find yourself under the spell of one guru or another.

Now, if you've discovered a guru that teaches you everything you need to know about making a living online, then congratulations. There are a few out there but they are not always easy to find. Unfortunately, for many of us, the search for the "Ultimate" guru was never ending when we started online.

The reason? Because there are so many classifications of "gurus" ? you've got "semi" gurus" ? "self-proclaimed" gurus ? "I'm not a guru yet, but I will be soon so you'd better buy my new eBook if you want to succeed" gurus ? "I'm going to sell you every product out there" gurus ? "You'd better buy this deal now at this low price because you'll never get this chance again!" gurus ... and so on and so on.

Since I've been studying how to make money on the Internet I've realized there is only one correct way to do it, but there are many variables to that correct way. You can become an affiliate marketer, you can offer a service, you can sell digital products, you can get involved in MLM and "business opportunities", and you can also lose yourself a lot of money trying figure out how to do things the "correct" way.

The job of a Guru, as far as I can tell, is to help you make money the correct way. However, if you've come across some of the "self-proclaimed" or "I'm going to sell you ..." etc. type gurus and try to follow their methods, what you end up getting is "information overload" and a very big headache trying to find your way through it all.

So what is the best approach when following an Internet Marketing "Guru"? For me, it's determining first where I'm at on the learning curve and then seeking out specific information on a need-to-know basis that will get me to the next level without causing too much confusion. If your chosen Guru is throwing everything but the kitchen sink at you, the danger is you will get so frustrated and confused you will just give up.

Don't do it! Just be careful. Internet Marketing Gurus tend to care about one thing -- selling their product to as many people as possible. And you know what, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that ? they are not babysitters and they are definitely not responsible for your inability to find your way through all the confusion.

The bottom line is to carefully choose your "guru" or mentor or whatever you want to call them, because they are probably an essential part of the learning curve. If you can stick to one or two good ones, all the better. Jumping from one to the next to the next is guaranteed to give you a massive headache and, in the long run, jeopardize your chances for success.

I won't name names here, however, if you are interested in my review of "My Favorite Gurus" go to my website at http://www.zxcomm.com/gurus.htm. This is where I name names and give you a quick and honest review of the best of the lot.

Remember, not everyone has the talent, desire or stamina to become an "Internet Marketing Guru" but you know what? You don't have to be one to make a living online. If fact, millions of people all over the world quietly make at least a portion of their income from their Internet businesses. If that is your ultimate goal, it is doable if you have patience and a keen desire to succeed.