One of my readers wrote me recently with a common problem that so many folks have when it comes to starting their internet home business, the problem is fear. Here's what one of my readers wrote me…
"Hi Ms. Liz,I'm so concerned with making a time commitment I end up being unable to get started or I worry about getting ripped off that it’s keeping me from moving forward. I check your site constantly and get all motivated and then I chicken out."
It's not unusual to be afraid of starting your own internet business. It can be hard taking that first step, but you will find that by making the commitment and taking action things will happen fast. But you have to take action.
By getting started I don't mean creating a website or buying a bunch of products and services, instead start by researching ideas. Don't begin investing a lot of money either, start with thinking about what interests you then join associated forums and talk to other business owners. Understand how you will create your business and how you will make money. Learn tips, tricks and ideas that help make others successful. Study them and put your plan together.
Your next step will be to plan your time wisely. Without good time management you'll not only waste your time, it will be a lot easier to lose focus.
I have a friend who tells me all the time that she wants to write her own e-Book, the problem is that she can't seem to make it happen, whenever she starts to set he goals and make a plan it never materializes. What she's doing is sabotaging with negative thoughts. In other words she's sabotaging herself before she ever gets started. The interesting thing about this is that these people never realize they are doing this to themselves. It's a common symptom of lack of confidence. When this happens, building self esteem and confidence is so important. Without it you can't take those important first steps or keep the momentum going for long term success.
I'm certainly not perfect and my internet business has had its ups and downs, but I've always been much less worried about failing and kept my focus on being successful. I never wanted to be that person who looks back ten years from now and says, "if only I'd taken the opportunity when I had the chance". Change your focus and you'll change your life.
If you're worried about getting ripped off or losing money, don't be. Never to let money be your main guiding force, sure money is important but you have to be in business because you truly want it and love it. If you're worried about money before you ever get started you're letting fear be your guide and that's setting yourself up for failure.
Researching and investigation are the things that will save you from losing your shirt. Be practical and realize that nothing can make you rich overnight. Find people that you trust and follow their example. Business opportunities that brag instant riches with little work and no knowledge should send up a red flag.
My advice is to make a simple plan and take it one step at time. If you have a business in mind and you have business goals, perfect, but if you aren’t sure about what business to start, you're going to have to look at the options and make a decision. That all takes time, but it's time well spent.
In my internet home business ideas guide, I outline some of the most profitable internet business ideas, but you will still need to do your own research. For example, I'm heavily into affiliate marketing and information products but jumping into either of them without careful research is a mistake.
Building your website or blog without knowing what you plan to do with it or how you will actually make money isn’t wise. I might be able to make money with information products but there are a thousand different ways to do something and what works for me may not work for you.
Don’t jump into an online business without thoroughly checking it out and never start a business on a whim, but don’t drag your feet either. Start by making a long term plan for your business and make it realistic, for example, if you might want to be making $1000 a month within the next 6 months, sit down and make a plan for how you are going to do that and set aside at least one month for research. Don't feel compelled to start building a website or selling things until you have your plan in place.
Here's a checklist that may help get you started:
- Research business ideas.
- Narrow the ideas down to 2 or 3 that interest you.
- Find people on forums or in chat rooms that are doing these businesses. Read some recommended guides and ask lots of questions.
- Learn the process and make a list of the steps you need to take.
- Create a plan.
- Develop the tasks for completing your plan.
- Develop the steps to take for each task.
- Create a realistic time frame for implementing each step.
None of these things will cost you more than a few hours of your time. Once you have a plan in place, you’ll have more confidence to carry it out.
If you follow these steps and give yourself enough research and training time you can have a profitable business up and running within 6 months to a year, depending on how well you plan, it could be sooner.
You may not make enough money at the start to quit your job but within 3-5 years it's very possible that you will, but you’ll never get there if you don’t take action to get started.
Your thoughts?
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- Starting an Internet Home Based Business – What I’ve learned
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Like the new look! Thanks for the chance to check it out.
Twitter: incomesecurity
says:
Excellent advice, Liz.
Anyone afraid of making a start can view a FREE 60-minute online seminar presentation at http://MasterYourFEAR.com.
Very down-to-earth and a real eye-opener about what fear is — and isn’t! — and how to overcome it.
John Counsel
CEO, The Profit Clinic Home Business Success Centre
Hey John, Thanks for the free video. I listened and there’s some good food for thought there, definitely worth the few minutes to listen to it
Twitter: yearn2earncash
says:
I can honestly say that I have not had any fear when trying to start my businesses online, because I knew that they were the only way out of a working life I always hated!
I may not have been any good at creating the businesses, but I never feared setting them up because I know that I need to make a success of them in order to change the inevitable (which is another 40 years of warehouse work, then retirement on a meager pension)
Thats why I wanted to start my own online business reviewing internet marketing products.
Nobody should be afraid to setup their own business online and I wish everyone well that is currently trying.
So glad to hear that Paul. your confidence has set you free! But I think the other part of getting started is having the patience, persistence and confidence to make it work. Good luck with your business, I wish you much success.
I appreciate all your mails. May God bless you for your offer to help me start internet business.
The problem is that I am unable to own a computer system at present due to financial constraint.
I sincerely want to know how to design website and blog ,but at present I don’t know how. Some of your offers require money which I do not have at presently.
I am looking forward to when I shall have a laptop and connect it to internet.
Thanks Liz for your informative share. The biggest myth about making money from home online, is that it is hard to get started.
Yes, and I think that’s the issue for most people. There’s a lot of talent and hard work out there waiting to be unleashed, but people are often a little afraid of wasting their time and money or they just don’t know how to get started. It’s a big step but an awesome one
Excellent article Ms. Liz, great job! The only thing that beats a failure is a try. Some skepticism and fear is healthy, but if it renders you comatose then this is not a good thing at all. If you have dreams and aspirations of starting a home base biz, act upon them. The hardest thing is to get started. Once you get started though, my experience has been that things start falling into place. Our fears, I believe is just holding on to our old bad habits, mixed in with our ego’s.
Twitter: prfuller
says:
Excellent advice Liz
I hear that all the time – worried about time commitment and worried about being ripped off
I say they should worry about their future instead
Thanks for the informative post
Hey Peter, you’re so right! You’ll never reach your dreams if you don’t first try. If you worry about being ripped off, you’ll never do more that worry about being ripped off. Thanks for your input
Twitter: MavisNong
says:
Great advice for anyone afraid to start an internet business. If you don’t get started, you’ll never know what’s in store for you – what the business will actually do for you.
“You don’t have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great.” ~ Les Brown
Thanks for sharing your insight.
All the best,
Mavis Nong
Hey Mavis, Love that quote! so true
Twitter: WebTrafficCafe
says:
“Change your focus and you’ll change your life.” – I love that, Liz.
Many people don’t achieve because they don’t make it there priority.
Was it scary for me to start m own business? Of course. Had I not started it though, I would’ve been still scared now.
Thanks for the great post, Liz.
Ana Hoffman
Yes! you’d still be scared with nothing to show for it.
People often ask me how long would it take to start making money with an online business. Everyone is different but if they hear it could take a year or more they cringe and give up on the idea. But I’ll guarantee after that year goes by and they think back on how they could now be making money in their own business, they regret it.
In the grand scheme of things, a year isn’t long compared to the rest of your life
Great checklist of practical things do in the planning stage. In addition I totally agree with the perfect balance throughout the article between “get going” and “slow down.” Action is required absolutely, and failure to act is a cause of failure. But just as bad is acting without good judgement.
I think the “fear” comes in because of unrealistic expectations – that somehow it will happen overnight. And people can’t quite see how that makes sense. So people are caught between the foolish expectation created by “get rich quickers” and their own realistic appraisal. So you provided a good dose of reality mixed with encouragement.
Thank you so much Richard …and I agree, unrealistic expectations can be a hindrance. I try to be real with people without squashing their enthusiasm. I know it can be done and I want others to realize that as well. The problem comes with individuals that have unrealistic expectations or perhaps aren’t clear on their direction.
Concise, commonsense and practical advice Liz- continued Success
Cheers kiaran
Thanks for sharing some tips in terms of indulging in an online business. I was thinking of doing a home based business, your advices and tips have been helpful.