Lol. Okay, so bear with me on this one. It's gonna get wordy, but hopefully it will be worth your time. For starters, no - I'm really not going to wipe my ass with that check, mostly because a) the ink would likely be harmful to my sensitive bottom and b) I sure can use the money even though it's just over a measly hundred bucks. However, a venting urge has suddenly rose, where I simply cannot keep myself from posting this thread as a caustic reaction to all the other threads that pop around this place crying out and moaning about the CDR or the "sneaky" dormant account policy... Not to mention all the god forsaken mop-for-brains types who swing by with bursting naivety, clearly hoping for some kind of magical trick to be revealed just by asking, wherein they can make a thousand bucks overnight. Bunch of leeching freeloaders, that's what they are. Something never comes out of nothing, not in life and certainly not in Internet Marketing. Anyone who thinks otherwise is set for well-deserved disappointment and failure. You see, it's exactly two months this day since I made up my mind to quit getting exploited as a freelance writer and start raking in a decent profit with affiliate marketing, Clickbank being my initial IM playground. Looking back in perspective, yeah I sure am happy I'm already receiving my first check. Many people take a lot longer, many people take a lot less. Whatever, I'm not that worried about other people. I am worried about my own personal goals, and a hundred bucks is pretty much the same as diddly squat, as far as I'm concerned. Hopefully the day will come where I'll be able to pay someone else a thousand dollars to wipe their ass with a $107 check in my behalf. Granted, I won't just sit around with my arms crossed waiting for that day. Yes, I believe it's best to aim for the sky. Better still, I believe it's ideal to keep one's head high on the clouds, and one's feet firmly planted on the ground. All at once, in life as in Internet Marketing. Looking back over these past two months, the single accomplishment I've made was mostly concerned with what I've learned, not what I've earned. I find it extremely disturbing that so few people realize this principle. There is a uncanny, substantial amount of information out there in these forums. In fact, I want all newly noobs to rest assured: all that you need to become a successful marketist is laid out there: ripe for picking, free of charge. But you know what? Don't you expect for no one to hand down gems of knowledge of a silver platter. Don't sit around on your ass waiting for a magic formula. Above everything, don't expect anyone else to work hard in your place. Because if they do, THEY will succeed, not you. I could go on forever, but I suppose it's about time I get somewhere in the sense of a conclusion with this rant. That said, I want to thank all the seasoned marketists in this forum for the inspiration and knowledge they have offered me. I want to thank all the hopeless newbies for filling me with burning rage. I will need both things before I can start going somewhere. And you know what? Deep inside I feel I'm just about to... and that's despite the measly first $107 check I might as well wipe my ass with.
Hey bro, at least its a start and you can only go upwards from here dude, just keep doing what works for you and make sure that you stick to the plan. My first check was $100 bucks but I used it as motivation to get more!!
Congrats on the first check. Count me as one of those newbies, but I won't take offense to your rage. I am just finishing up a nice 16 hour day. Hopefully my hard work pays off one day as yours did....or has started to
Awesome Smitten! Completely agree! There are so many different gurus shouting the latest craze that it can be hard to tell what's what sometimes, but if you get out there and just start, and stick to your guns you'll start to learn.
I could not make out what you are communicating to us , the newbies, stalwarts,experts. billionaires and empty handed?!! I could get only one word "ASS" and I also understand that you were ripped off as a writer, and now as an affiliate too ?? At least we need to understand that marketing is not writing alone.
Anyone who is stupid enough to believe that someone would sell a system guaranteed to make you thousands of dollars for $49 almost deserves to lose his or her money. To make significant money online you have to either: a) be very smart b) work very hard c) get very lucky ...and having all of the above is even better...
I'm not really that frustrated as some of you might have assumed from this rant. I just see so many people out there whining that IM is so tough and it sometimes gets to my nerves. For one, I rather like it and think of it as a tricky, but really cool puzzle - one of which I have barely just started to put pieces together! I'll try to convey this latest epiphany of mine in a more polite, succinct manner: 1) the journey of a thousand miles begins with just a single step. 2) A single step will only take you one step further. 3) Keep walking and quit moaning.
Great thread, I think you are not in this game for long. You are not going to be a long term marketer even if you do manage to make good money. I think you may eventually quit this game and end up becoming a writer - a philosophical/motivational type author.. We will promote your stuff!!
It's about working hard, having a plan, and actually following it no matter how hard it is to get there.. where you want to get. It's not that say.. a System like the clickbank code by Michael Jones doesn't work.. It's the people not following the system. And it has been over discussed -- Only the brave will succeed. People end up frustrated and give up within their first weeks with Clickbank. Now, can I have that check please? Al.
Hmm...what I don't like is that you throw out the sense that IM is, in fact, EASY. Not exactly true. It may not be DIFFICULT per se, but it is far from EASY. Regardless of your belief, IM is a job. And a job is work. You don't want to get newbies thinking that IM is just a walk in the park. Because it's not.
IM is not exactly easy, it can be at some point a lot easier than it was way back when you've started. If you follow my words above, you'll find a totally different meaning .. People are just too lazy, and they have a lack of ambition in general and that's why most of them end up complaining instead of trying a little bit of that and that.. you know.. Al.
@jacky8: You may be joking, but that's actually a good reading. Despite rather enjoying marketing puzzles I really am a content creator at heart. @precious007: You can have the check if you're willing to use it to wipe your ass on video AND give me exclusive promotion rights of the footage. Concerning the easy/hard debate, I'll say IM is definitely easy for someone with the 3 magic ingredients mentioned by dlm: intelligence, diligence and luck! If at any point you miss one of these ingredients the going gets quite tougher. And yeah, to get decent results a lot of time investment is usually required - in that sense it really is like any other job.
there is something to have a good mindset i can't explain it but there is a mindset to all of it that makes it a lot easier. it's been helpful for my success