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The Something-For-Nothing Syndrome
Author: Angela Wu
You've had a long day.
You're tired from working all day long and tired of having
to watch every penny you spend. For the millionth time,
you wonder what it would be like to work from home and
make good money while you're at it.
A lot of people understand and share these feelings.
Unfortunately, it's all too easy to get caught in the trap
of expecting 'something for nothing' - you've worked hard,
you've heard all the good things about how people are
getting rich on the Internet ... isn't it YOUR turn?
Heck, if OTHER people can do it, why can't you?
You can. Just don't fall into these common traps ...
__Looking for the Easy Way Out__
Some people expend a great deal of time and effort looking
for just the 'right' opportunity, thinking that this one
mythical and magical opportunity will instantly transform
their lives.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING. Sure, there will be opportunities
that suit your personality and skills more than others ...
but ALL of them require hard work and staying power. None
of them will make you rich by working only 3 hours a day,
and none of them are 'automated cash machines'!
Forget the endless and ultimately fruitless search for
that one magical opportunity. Pick a good opportunity -
or create one of your own - and then commit yourself to
working hard. Instead of wasting effort *looking* for
opportunities, put the effort towards *building* one.
__Expecting Everything For Free__
'Why should I PAY for something when I can get it for
free?' I've heard this so many times that the phrase
sometimes echoes in my dreams.
The Internet is an excellent source of free information,
no doubt about that. When you're building a business,
though, you can shave off MONTHS from your learning curve
just by making a few smart investments.
The problem with free information is that there's so much
of it. How do you manage it all? Do you have the time to
sort through it, compile it into something that you can USE,
and then finally act upon it - if you're not too tired or
frustrated by then?
Then there's the issue of investing in products or services
for your business. Web hosting is a good example; although
there are numerous free websites available, that doesn't
mean you should use them! 'Free' websites are not actually
free; you 'pay' for them by allowing the host to place ads
on your website. Would YOU trust a company that couldn't
even afford to pay a few bucks a month for professional
hosting?
On the Internet you can do a lot with a limited budget ...
but you can't do it all for free. Invest wisely; it will
help your business to become profitable more quickly.
__The 'Hobby' Rather than the 'Business'__
Building a business on the Internet is the same as building
a business in the "real world". It takes commitment. You
CAN build a profitable Internet business working part-time
(which is how many of us start) ... but there is a world
of difference between working on your business "part-time"
and working on it in your "spare time".
If you want to become profitable, then commit yourself
to it. Be firm! Set a minimum number of hours per week,
and then DO IT. Work those hours regardless of whether
or not you 'feel like it'. If you have to give up your
evening 'TV time' to fit it in, then do so.
Is it possible to make a decent income from home? Sure.
People from all walks of life are doing it ... but you can
bet that they worked hard to get where they are today! The
Internet only offers an *opportunity* to make money from
home; YOU have to shape that opportunity into a profitable
business. Success is in your hands!
About the AuthorAngela is the editor of Online Business Basics, a newsletter
that offers detailed, ongoing help for eBusiness beginners.
OBB is available through the eWorkingWomen's professional
members site. Would you like to be a part of this exciting new community?
Join us at http://www.eworkingwomen.com/obb/start.html
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