Unless you have cash to last a lifetime a work from home online business is probably the best way to integrate making money with your desired lifestyle.

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So much rubbish is written online about internet riches, overnight fortunes being made and instant millionaire creating products. As a result many people simply avoid any mention of an online business and yet if you know what you are doing an online business may well be the perfect solution for you.

No more rushing to get the train to work or sitting in traffic wasting away your life. Work when you want in a niche you love. But…

It is not a magic formula

Despite the hype, there is no such thing as a plug and go, turnkey, cash spilling system that will make you your fortune overnight. Everything comes at a price and an online internet business is no different.

There may be a steep learning curve and it will involve you in some good old fashioned hard work. But, there are some great systems that will make your life so much easier and give you a head start because much of the work is done for you.

Here’s my word of warning – before you jump onto a product because you’ve read a great salesletter and have been convinced by the testimonials and promises think very carefully about the type of business you want to be involved in. Think through what you want the business to do for you and what commitment you can make to it.

For example, do you want to earn an extra $1,000 a month to cover the cost of say a dream car? Or do you want a full blown business that can replace your existing income? Or are you looking to build an empire that you can ultimately sell for a small fortune?

Whatever your objectives, if you’ve not run a business before you need to learn the basics first or you’ll simply run into a brick wall.

The main reason why I’m so positive about working online is that you can succeed in virtually any market, with little experience and with no prior list of customers. Of course, it is more difficult, but there is evidence everywhere of people making money in obscure little niches without a big budget or indeed massive traffic to the site.

Will that work for everyone? Almost certainly not BUT with the right information and support it can be done.

When I first started online I followed a course by a guy called Michael Cheney and everything fell into place.

He is now about to launch his Golden Thread product (it will only be available for a very short time period so if you are reading this after mid October 2008 the doors will be closed) and this promises to be a fantastic start for anyone looking to start a work from home online business.

Although there will be some work to do, everything from website page, script, products to sell and full training will be provided.

You can read my review of this product at Cash Cannons

If you are looking to start an online business watch the video at Michael’s page about a work from home mom who makes around $1,000 a month from a very small number of visitors to her website. In fact it’s only one page, so not even a website really. This should be an inspiration to us all.

So whether you want a little extra income or a full time work from home online business you can learn something from Michael’s videos – whether your interested in his product or not.

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The Secret TV promises a life of abundance but do you sometimes feel you’re on a road to nowhere?

You’ve watched the movie and have learnt a bit about the Law of Attraction but still there’s no change in your life.

I honestly believe the film has done a mis-service to so many people.

It may have awoken them to the Law of Attraction but like everything else in life there’s a lot more than just being aware. Take a simple word – application.

Yes, I’m afraid without application – or more directly – ACTION or doing something about it, nothing is going to happen.

You need to accept that the Law of Attraction WILL work. What you focus on WILL manifest itself in your life so you need to ensure you focus on what you really want. But…

You also have to be very aware of what turns up. If you’re focusing on money – it is very unlikely a wheelbarrow full of notes will be left on your doorstep.

More likely, an opportunity will present itself to you. An opportunity for you to make money. It may be a new job, a chance meeting with someone or an article you read that stimulates an idea. It will come but you have to be open to following up on that opportunity.

And that’s where The Secret has left so many people short changed. I honestly think there are thousands if not millions of people around the world who are just hoping it will work, that a cheque will arrive in tomorrow’s post.

From the secret tv this video clip is really motivational. Watching each day is a great way of focusing and keeping positive. But, again the warning, watching this without taking any action will not create the things you want in your life.

Bob Proctor, who is part of the cast of The Secret, has a program called Science of Getting Rich and offers a free 7 part email course that will get you started thinking deeper about the law of attraction and what it really takes to make it part of your life.

I’ve followed this course myself and found it a great help. Not only does it cover the Law of Attraction it shows how to gain control of your thoughts, how to clarify your goals, manifest whatever it is you seek BUT it also discusses a pet subject of mine, how to get into the right mindset to achieve success.

It’s a great course, delivered to you by email in installments. Recommended.

Hope you enjoy the video above and watch it often.

Let me phrase that slightly differently – “did you create your lifestyle or did it develop the way it is because of someone else’s wishes?”

I was reading a post written by Sasha Xarrian from Outrageous Mastery (she’s been a real positive influence for me) in which she poses the following question:

Are you living your life because that is what you want or because someone else wanted it for you?

I talked about this at a top level in my Mummy State post a few weeks ago. Sasha’s question, however, made me think a little deeper.

Is this about personal development – choosing what you want for yourself – or does it go much, much deeper into our childhood?

Thinking back to my childhood and my early years at work I know that I was living my life according to someone else’s rules. I was doing what was expected of me rather than what I wanted. I wasn’t happy as a result!

People pay lip service to this, with comments like “do what you want – as long as you are happy”. But, as soon as you tell them what you are thinking of doing the objections and negatives start:

• “There’s no money in that”
• “That’s a dead end job”
• “You won’t enjoy that”
• “You have to think about the future”

Because we have little experience when just leaving school we tend to fall in line with the wishes of “society” and those we know best. Not, necessarily because we trust what they are saying but because we don’t know any different nor do we know for sure what we really want. At least most of us don’t.

Those people offering the advice aren’t trying to talk us out of what we want to do because of malice. No, unfortunately, they don’t know any better – they are just copying the example of those who went before. However, the question is “did / are they living the lifestyle they really wanted or are they themselves living according to someone else’s rules?”

It’s nobody’s fault – we just see life from our own perspectives which are ingrained through teachers and parents and our own experiences. So how are we to know any better?

The answer is to be free thinking. To challenge everything we know and work out for ourselves whether there is any basis to what we are told and the information / advice we are given. Or you could choose to live your life based on old wife’s tales and outdated strategies.

We live in an age when doing what we want has never been easier.

Most of us has access to credit – so money to start a business is not normally an issue

Technology and transport means we can work from where we want.

We are no longer tied to working where the “boss” set up the factory.

Yet, many of us still live by outdated values based around the way life used to be.

It’s time to take a real close look at our belief systems and make the changes we need to life the lifestyle we truly want and not the lifestyle created for us by someone else.

RELATED POSTS

I was doing my daily Stumble and came across a great post at Today Is That Day where Aaron Potts talks about successful people and the way they do things differently. He contends the really successful ignore the rules. Although I don’t totally agree with that,  without doubt  to be outrageously successful you have to  believe differently from the norm. Great post you should read.

Coincidentally, I just looked at today’s Mind Food quote and it is spot on with this theme:-

• The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want.
  ~ Ben Stein

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Working from home is brilliant. It has some drawbacks for sure but the many, many benefits far outweigh those.

Unfortunately, for most people they cannot simply move what they currently do into a home based business.

• Work on an assembly line?
• Customer facing office job?
• Call centre?

Forget it.

So unless you are fortunate enough to be in a job that allows working from home you’ll need to set up your own business.

But who can afford to take such a massive jump with all of the uncertainty and risks attached? Would you know what to do anyway?

The only way most people could consider this is to make a start by setting up something they can do part time initially. At least until some money is flowing in and the confidence that it will work has been gained.

I was in the fortunate position that my original business could easily be run from home but the business itself has too many constraints and doesn’t allow me the lifestyle I really crave. It ties me to the phone and meetings where I really want the freedom to play golf when I want!

About 18 months ago I stumbled across a blog written by an Australian guy named Yaro Starak. He had started his blog almost as a record of his journey as a businessman. He was running a “real world” business but wanted to move more online so that he could control when he worked and allow himself to do what he wanted, when he wanted rather than live in the 9 – 5 world!

Now I’d call Yaro a work from home success. I’ve followed his progress and seen some dramatic changes to the quality of his blog (where he still talks about his journey but also teaches others how to make a living by blogging).

What I particularly like about Yaro is his honesty and admission that he still has things to learn.

He wrote an outstanding post yesterday entitled How To Start An Internet Business in 3 Easy Steps and unlike many blog posts I was captivated enough to read the whole post! It’s not the usual “this is how you get rich quick” nonsense but a well structured piece that highlights the challenges faced by anyone trying to generate an income online.

So many “products” sell the myth that you just “open the box” and add traffic and a world of riches awaits. Unfortunately, getting enough traffic is the number one issue (I’ll testify to that as would most of the commentators at Yaro’s blog)

You may want to learn more about Yaro Starak and his outstanding BlogMastermind program.

This extract from Yaro’s post highlights the very challenges that I faced and I’m sure 99% of everybody with a dream of working from home online also have to deal with.

If It Is So Easy – Why Isn’t Everyone Doing It?

The problems lie in the details. While the explanation I provided in this article may present a process that is conceptually easy enough to understand once you get used to the basics of Internet marketing, pulling it off is difficult.

Most fail at step one – traffic. Despite best intentions and some initial hard work, people are sporadic workers at best, and without some kind of immediate gratification, give up long before results come.

Worse still, many begin an Internet business with existing hindrances that plague their ability to perform – things like mortgages, full time jobs, families to support, ingrained self defeating belief systems, unrealistic expectations, poor work habits, an inability to let go of control or hire help when required, inferiority complexes, low self esteem or all manner of roadblocks can get in the way.

For those who persist long enough minor results come there way, yet after such a long journey and so much effort, they are disappointed and discouraged – they expected to be making better money by now.

I’ll add one further reason why “everyone isn’t doing it”. The list of challenges seems too daunting and it is easier to stick with the devil you know. It’s the “it would be nice but..” syndrome.

I’m sorry to be so blunt but if that’s the way you think you’re just dreaming of a better future and it won’t happen.

You have to take action, you have to be brave and do something to make the lifestyle you want happen. As you will have heard me say before “Nothing Changes Without A Change”

Yaro Starak is living proof that you can be a work from home success and that it is possible to get started while you carry on your existing job.

I’ve talked about inspiration before, maybe Yaro could be yours. Get your free copy of his Blog Mastermind to find out…

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It’s unbelievable. So few people actually set goals and yet they are the same people who complain they don’t achieve success.

Everyday we achieve hundreds of tasks. And most of those, if not all, we do as a result of setting a goal.

Think about it. You have to go to work. Whether you think about it or not you set two subconscious goals:

1. Get to your place of work
2. Get there on time

If you left home with no idea where your place of work was would you get there, let alone get there on time?

As kids we used to play football (soccer) in the park. There were no goals and if we started kicking the ball around we soon got bored.

We needed goals. So we used our jumpers and bags. Why?

Firstly we needed a target. A reason for kicking the ball rather than an aimless exercise.

Secondly, we needed a measurement. How well was each team doing. How well we each of us doing compared to the others.

It’s the same with everything we do in life.

Without a goal we have nothing to shoot at. With nothing to shoot at it doesn’t matter if we miss – we’ll never know.

In my opinion that’s the number one reason why most people don’t set goals. They don’t want to risk failure. Without a measurement neither they nor anybody else will ever know. Are you guilty of that?

But, there is no point in having some vague goal like, to lose weight, to be rich, to change my job. There’s no measurement.

The goal has to be specific as to quantity and time (to have £$5,00 in my bank account within 3 months). But it also has to be achievable. If your mind cannot believe the goal is possible it will sabotage you.

Is it possible to go from broke to a millionaire overnight? Possible (lottery) but highly unlikely. That may be your dream but as it is not realistic it won’t happen because your mind cannot believe it. You need to break your goals down into manageable sections. Then measure your progress and reward yourself for success.

That way your motivation stays high. Your belief system grows – you know you can do anything if you’ve done it once. And your confidence is boosted allowing you to take on new challenges.

Before you watch this video think about what you want and more importantly why. If it doesn’t really matter to you whether you achieve the goal then you won’t.

Goal Achievement – Magic Hundred From Dax Moy

Having a bad day? Things not going to plan? This guy is absolute inspiration.

Listen to his background, the challenges he has overcome and be inspired.

Whatever you face this puts it into perspective. Challenge yourself to overcome any obstacle – keep W Mitchell in mind, I think you’ll find him inspiring:

Goal Setting | Motivation | Frank Furness

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Positive motivation comes from within each of us. But, sometimes an inspiring motivational quote, a beautiful photograph or piece of music can help lift the spirits and stir us into action.

Personally I find photographs of nature totally inspiring and when combined with great music my mood and motivational level can be shifted immediately.

I’ll be posting videos here that I have found to help me. I hope you like them.

The first combines motivational quotes (you’ve probably heard most of these before), photographs and music. Very peaceful.

Motivational Quotes & Quotations

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Do you lack motivation to:

Play golf

Play guitar

Play football

Read novels

Do anything you really enjoy?

I thought not.

Somewhere, sometime in the past, society decided that we need to work on boring, day-to-day activities in order to get by.

This “rule” has been perpetuated and we are brought up and taught in schools that we have to go to work to earn money. We are programmed to live our lives believing this to be the only way.

“”It’s outrageous and a downright lie!”

Yes, we need to generate a living. Yes, we need to have enough money to provide for ourselves and our families, but no we shouldn’t just go to work for that reason.

How many people hate their jobs? I can’t begin to count the times I’ve heard that phrase. Are those people motivated to work?

Our goal in life should be to understand what we really love doing and find a way of making that into a business. We should go to work for the satisfaction of what we do.

Surely like me, you want to spend your days doing what you love.

At the weekends do you really do things you don’t want to? Doing what you prefer to do is what life is all about!

There is nothing but pain and drudgery if we are compelled to do something that we don’t like or that we’re expected to do.

Would it be hard to maintain a positive attitude and stay highly motivated if every day you woke up in the knowledge that you were going to do something you loved?

So there’s your challenge. As you create the lifestyle of your dreams focus on what you love. Build your life around that and you’ll be healthier, wealthier and any lack of motivation will be a thing of the past.

OK, OK, I hear the complaints…

But this, but that.

But “what if it is possible to do what you love everyday?”

Use that as your starting point and focus on the positive and you CAN & WILL find a way.

Focus on the impossible and it will be just that.

Go on, do what you love.

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• Why “Just Do It” Just Doesn’t Do It for You

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I spent months pondering that question: “How to work from home”

For nearly 15 years I’ve worked alone from an office at home and I love it. But…

…Before you jump straight into working from home I’d like to tell you my story. It might help you avoid some big mistakes.

Back to 1990

For years I’d sat in traffic jams or smelly crowded trains wasting hours a day travelling to and from work.

I hated the work, I hated the boss, in fact when I think back I don’t know how I put up with it for so long. I was simply wasting my life away!

I knew I had to find a way out and do something else.

At that time I just wanted a change and hadn’t got as far as thinking about working from home. No, all I wanted was a change of career.

It wasn’t an easy ride, I freely admit that.

In fact it didn’t actually happen in one step.

I was working for a national bank. It was a “good job”. You know the sort – go to school get an education, get a good job and retire happily ever after. What “they” forgot to mention was to live a bit along the way!

Sleepless night after sleepless night, cold sweats, what should I do. I worried about staying, I worried about going, I worried whether I was doing the right thing.

The support I received was outstanding:

• “you’re stupid giving up all that security”
• “you’ll never get a job as good as that”
• “you’ve spent years getting to where you are – don’t throw it all away”

Looking back those “advisers” were just too scared to do anything about changing their own lives and didn’t want to see me break free. You’ve probably got some people in your life like that.

Eventually I made the decision – the fear disappeared overnight to be immediately replaced with relief and optimism.

I took a new role – an adviser, self employed, only a tiny basic income, effectively commission only, no benefits like Private Health Care or Pension but the “promise” of a great income for a great performance.

Maybe I was naive but it didn’t matter because I believed it was possible.

I went from empty desk and no prospects to successful financial planner in 3 years BUT the problems continued.

I’d given up one boss for another. I’d given up the daily commute for late night working. I was still driving miles and although the income was higher I was wasting hours every week travelling from client to client. Where was the perfect lifestyle I was looking for?

Time for another change. This time I didn’t worry. I’d learnt to make big decisions and I knew things would work out OK.

LESSON ONE – AVOIDANCE

But here’s the issue and one you need to think about very carefully…

I was avoiding the pain of the existing job – boss, travel etc etc rather than focusing on what I really wanted.

Please, re-read that sentence and whatever you decide to do in life do it because of what you really want not to avoid something. If you take nothing else from this site please take that message with you.

So, I set up an office at home. I was free of bosses for ever. I’d reduced my travelling time to a minimum. Everything was looking great and then I realised I given up one set of challenges for another.

LESSON TWO – CHALLENGES

My wife returned from work one day. She’d put the washing out to dry before she left that morning. During the day there’d been heavy rain. The washing was still on the line. I was to blame! I should show more concern. I was at home and now I should pay attention to such things.

STOP RIGHT THERE!

I was at work and anything domestic was not my concern. If I was out at work the washing would have been out in the rain. There was no difference. But there had been some assumptions made and assumptions I didn’t like!

No ground rules had been set. This was quickly put right but a lesson had been learnt.

Make sure when you are “at work” everyone at home knows that you are working and you will not get involved in anything but your work. If you choose to do so make sure it’s on your terms and please don’t let it become a habit. The boundaries will slip and you’ll have an issue on your hands!

But also be aware of new challenges.

In the office there is always someone around for a “chat”. Someone to ask a quick question, someone to talk about the match.

Working alone at home can be lonely.

I love it. I can focus and get things done. I’m extremely disciplined – I start work and I’m in the zone. I don’t need constant chat – I like it this way.

But for many being alone is a big challenge. They can’t get motivated – they wander around the house thinking about work but with nobody cracking the whip never get started. If that’s you think very carefully whether working from home is really for you.

LESSON THREE – WHY

After a while it became clear. I was still doing the same work and I’d just changed my place of work. That was all I intended at the time but now I know better. I was looking at the wrong problem.

I had removed many of the problems – noisy colleagues, constant interuptions, negativity but I really wanted to change my lifestyle and thought that changing my job, my boss, my place of work would resolve my challenges.

Maybe it was necessary for me to go through those steps to identify what I really wanted. Maybe you too need to go through a number of steps.

But maybe, if you really dig deep to find out what you really want you can avoid the pain of too many changes and the frustration of finding out that you still hadn’t found what you were looking for. (Great line for a song there!)

So in answer to the question “how to work from home” I pose three questions:

1. Are you trying to avoid something?
2. Have you thought carefully about the challenges of working at home?
3. What is it you really want?

When you’ve answered those questions you’ll be ready to decide whether it should be a different question you are asking.

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Hot on the heels of my post about Motivation Paste I received an email from Joe Vitale.

It seems he has his own Motivation Paste in the form of a What If Up Club

You may question “what the devil is a What If Up Club” – it’s much less complicated than you might think!

Simply answer the question “What If” with a positive.

So instead of thinking about the possible negative outcomes you only focus on the potential positives.

So I’m currently motivating myself with the thought “What If I get 1000 Stumbles on my Motivation Paste post”

Now that an great example of Internal Positive motivation. I’ll keep that thought for a few days – that’s how to stay motivated!