Some people will go on about how it is impossible for the average person to be successful at affiliate marketing. They believe that those who are successful at affiliate marketing are people with large email lists, or individuals who can invest thousands into Adwords and other forms of paid advertising. So, if you ask them “Can I be successful at affiliate marketing,” you might feel more discouraged.

Then there are the individuals who have attained a little bit of success at affiliate marketing. They are the ones who earn a couple hundred bucks from Clickbank and other networks. So, unlike the group described above, they have seen that affiliate marketing can make money. But they don't make it a full-time venture because they don't think it is profitable enough to warrant giving up stable employment. So, when you ask them, they will probably say it's possible but don't get your hopes up.

Finally, there are the gurus. They are the ones that people love and hate as they have been able to discover the secrets at being successful. Most have acquired success by building up email lists while others have sought out joint ventures with fellow gurus. There are even those who have made money just with search engine optimization… writing good, keyword-enriched content and submitting them to article directories.

So, when it comes to whether or not you can be successful at affiliate marketing, which side should you believe? Honestly, there's truth to all of them. When you're first starting out, you have to be realistic with yourself. Affiliate marketing is not a get-rich-quick scheme, something that the first group mentioned in this article recognize.

However, on the same token, you cannot be so pessimistic that you automatically discredit other people's success because you haven't seen it for yourself. This is where the first group goes wrong. True, it's good that they aren't going to quit their jobs to work online, but they can't ignore their dreams either.

The second group, (those who have acquired success but still don't think affiliate marketing is the answer), have merits in their thinking too. In fact, if you don't mind having to work a 9-to-5 for the rest of your life, you can use this mindset to treat affiliate marketing as a hobby. If you make a little cash, good… if you don't well, at least you have something to fall back on.

The last group, those who have been successful at affiliate marketing, are the ones you need to look to the most if you plan on making affiliate marketing a career. However, don't measure your success with theirs, because they do have time and money to experiment with different advertising campaigns. Instead, look to them as a role-model. If you ever get discouraged thinking that you can't be a success at affiliate marketing, just read their stories to know that it is possible.