Like most people, some mornings I wake up and feel less than enthusiastic about working.
Sometimes, this feeling doesn’t stem from laziness or apathy, it’s a stronger power, a sense of futility and helplessness.
I know a lot of people look to my story of success as a source of inspiration and that is one of the greatest benefits I enjoy as a blogger, but – and I’m not afraid to admit it – I don’t always feel energized to pursue business.
Sometimes in my darkest moments, I even consider throwing in the towel.
This feeling is not so common for me now as I have lifestyle flexibility, a more stable income and a better mindset about work, but earlier on, it definitely was a problem.
I want to explain how I overcome these moments (and still do the same thing now on occasion) to stay on track, and how you can even have a productive day when you are not really feeling the mojo on the inside.
I expect you have felt similar feelings of despair or a lack of motivation at different stages of your business development.
This is especially true if you are yet to establish an income stream that is sufficient to live off, or you are right at the beginning and you have not seen one cent of return for the work you have put in.
What Do You Feel When Others Succeed?
Depending on your worldview and personality style, when you hear of the success of others you may either feel inspired or dejected.
While it’s obviously more fruitful to look at other people achieving what you desire as motivation, as a fallible human, jealousy, depression, and anger may be your initial responses.
Your mind is your greatest asset for success in business, but it can be just as strong a force of hindrance, sabotaging your efforts, destroying your work ethic and leaving you with no option but to return to the soul-destroying job you promised yourself that you would never go back to.
How To Work When You Don’t Feel Like It
One of the characteristics I believe is at the heart of my success and the success of most entrepreneurs is an ability to keep working in the face of failure and an ability to force yourself to be productive when you don’t feel like it.
I remember many a time promoting my first business, an essay editing service called BetterEdit (I sold this business in 2007), walking around university campuses placing posters on boards, experiencing a feeling of impatience, a lack of confidence and a constant inner-questioning of whether what I was doing was a waste of time or not.
It’s very hard to be confident of success when you have yet to seriously experience it.
In many ways, at this stage of your business career, faith and fake-it-till-you-make-it confidence in your idea have to carry you through the self-doubt, the setbacks, and the slow growth.
Nothing goes right all the time.
Sometimes clients will ask for refunds, or they won’t be happy with what you provide or the universe creates a circumstance you had no way of predicting, which you just have to deal with.
For you beginners out there, one of the greatest challenges you face is your battle with self-doubt.
Others around you will scoff at your attempt to buck the trend to start a business, your own results will come slowly and for a long time, you will have to work every day for little reward. Patience and willpower are necessary at this stage.
BetterEdit offered a great lesson for me.
Placing posters on university campuses proved an effective marketing method, but the return on investment was delayed.
I put up a poster and it would not elicit a response for months – sometimes even years – so my pay off for hard work was far in the future.
This meant that I had to believe that clients would come if I just kept at it for long enough.
In hindsight, faith in an outcome is easy once you’ve already experienced the outcome in some shape or form.
Before this, you’re playing with chance and believing in the possibility of success without tasting it.
If you don’t have tolerance for ambiguity, you better avoid the entrepreneur’s journey.
What Can You Create Today?
One of the things I did and still do whenever I feel less than enthusiastic is to focus on output, rather than the external elements that bring me down.
I might feel utterly crushed, but I know if I create something or take any productive action, I continue towards my goals.
The great thing about output is the power it has over your mood.
Negative emotion breeds negative action.
Lying in your bed or watching TV for example – or a lack of any action at all – are negative for your business.
If you focus on creating something and just take one little forward step, the physical effort you exert effects your inner emotional state.
Your ability to soldier on in the face of emotional dissonance can carry you through the darkness and return you to a state of congruent activity and thought.
Why Do Entrepreneurs Keep Working So Hard?
To all my wonderful coaching members, those of you working to create online businesses and build an income stream from the words you publish online, you know what I mean when I talk about keeping the faith and fighting through self-doubt.
Creating content to make money online is not a quick-returns business model.
Because of this, you will question whether the work you put in will ever bring the desired outcomes.
It’s not rocket science, but as moody and imperfect human beings, there is a challenge to overcome oneself.
I remember publishing content to my blog during the early days, content I thought was pretty good, but no one left a comment and my traffic wasn’t exactly skyrocketing.
After posting my masterpiece article I’d head out to other blogs and diligently make my presence felt by leaving quality comments.
I came across blog articles covering similar topics to my own that, in my opinion, were not as good as my articles, yet this blogger had a following of thousands of readers and lots of comments made to every post.
I wondered whether I was doing something wrong or was there something this other blogger was doing right that I wasn’t.
I can’t equivocally answer that question, but I suspect, especially now in hindsight, it was simply a case of patience and dedication to the process I was executing.
I needed time to get to where I wanted to go and I needed to believe that my actions day-in and day-out would take me there.
I quickly learned with blogging that I had to enjoy every small success and focus on the commitment towards a goal, with at times blind faith.
That motivation and commitment, even when I felt less than excited about my progress and very uncertain about whether my blog would ever take off, carried me onwards.
The end result was YEARS of publishing content to this blog every single week, no matter what mood I was in.
This is not something every person can replicate. Regardless of life situation, access to free time, resources or any external variable, simply put – most people don’t have the motivation to finish the race.
It’s Not Blind Faith
Bear in mind I’m not promoting BLIND faith, merely consistent effort based on a solid belief in an outcome.
There is a point where you need to take stock of progress and make changes or even quit altogether.
Unfortunately, most people take the exit door all too early and this lack of action merely reinforces the already prevalent lack of results.
It’s not rocket science, but as moody and imperfect human beings, there is a challenge to overcome oneself.
This is, and always will be, your greatest challenge in life.
If you truly want to realize an outcome and taste success, then you must complete the necessary steps to get there. Not some of them and not just during your best days.
This must be congruent and forceful effort regardless of external circumstances or internal turmoil.
So why not go take some action right now?
Yaro
Motivated
P.S. Building a profitable blog isn’t easy, but it’s incredibly rewarding when done right.
A blog can be more than just a place to share your ideas, it can become a platform for building a cash producing business.
Whether you sell your own course, a book or ebook, physical products, tickets to your events, coaching, launching a startup — whatever your business goal, you need some kind of platform online to reach people — and that is what a blog is.
Over the years I’ve helped thousands of my coaching members develop their blogs into real businesses.
If you’d like to know how to do that, sign up for my free online workshop – The Platform Launch Plan
Thanks Yaro for sharing your success story! I really loved to read it. Nowadays, we often compare ourselves with others success or fame which makes us unhappy and impatient and thus raises the question of self-doubt. Rather one should just run the race with focus and lot of patience and wait for the end results. Don’t quit midway is all I want to say!
Thanks for your post. It has somehow helped reinforcing my motivation for the current project I’m dealing with. I told myself earlier today that I would quit, no matter what other members of the group would say. But now I have enough motivation to carry on thanks to your advice.
It’s true that the longer the road to your goal, the harder it gets to take even just one little step. And the only thing that can keep one going is faith, until it is tested.
In my opinion the easiest way is to just start doing it. Like me, i’m sometimes extremely lazy, but when I start something I’ll do it as good and as perfect as possible. of cource it helps when you actually blog about something you like and are interested in and don’t dream about the money so much.
By the way I love the first two pictures, especially the second one :D.
Good article !!!
Hi Yaro, insightful post indeed.
What do you feel when others succeed?
That’s an amazing question to ask oneself when they are NOT feeling motivated to work towards their goals. If you’re not feeling energetic or motivated when others succeed, you’re either in depression or lacking self-confidence.
You should come out of that zone first before you want to hustle hard for success. The key here is to change your mindset and surround yourself with people who push you harder to achieve your goals.
As you said, will power matters a lot especially when you don’t feel like working. Motivation is also important. Read books, listen to podcasts, attend seminars – just make sure to motivate yourself and figure out ways to gain will power.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with us, keep posting more as we love to read your blog posts.
To your success,
Anil Agarwal
Thanks Yaro for sharing the times you found difficult, it does help to know that someone who has ‘made it’ struggled to stay motivated at times.
I totally agree with the tip about taking action, any action. Seeing a result is encouragement to take another step, and so on, until the feeling of despondency passes.
Yaro, thanks for this post. Sometimes we all suffer from lack of enthusiasm and it is definitely compounded by the fact that we don’t get instant results. I struggled with this in the first few months with my blog.
I was writing but no one was reading but eventually I reached the tipping point. My blog traffic is still very low but crossing the 100 subscriber mark certainly helped motivate me to persist.
Thank You for providing such great resources for the community.
Great post Yaro.
I love what I do and enjoy earning money online. I love it so much that I have a hard time staying in bed, so I get up every day at about 5am and never have to use an alarm.
But some times I don’t wake up as positive as other days and today was one of those days.
Yesterday set the stage for how I felt when I woke this morning.
It started when I installed a WordPress plugin that would let me create RSS feed from a few of my favorite blogs and I made the mistake of thinking it would show in my sidebar, but I was wrong and woke today to many posts that were not mine.
The plugin put the feed in my blog as posts, full posts without giving credit to the owner of the post. Instant depression and to make it worse I had emails wondering why I would do that.
Most embarrassing. Next time I think I will actually test a plugin using my own blogs in the test instead of other people’s blogs.
So I just spent the last 3 1/2 hours stressed trying fixing my mess.
My blood pressure is returning to normal and I love what I do, again. 🙂
Yaro,
Thank you for sharing the “other side” of blogging. The side that requires patience, persistence, fortitude, and a determination not to quit no matter what. It’s nice to hear that even someone with a successful blog occasionally has periods where it requires sheer grit and determination to keep on goin’ on. Great tips. Great blog.
I have arrived into my office today 4 hours late, because i had completely lost all motivation and wanted to quit. I have my own online business and it definitley it is a long hard road. Thanks for this post. It has helped me already!
hey yaro.. i really love reading your blog.. you really have quality content. keep it up.. i’m actually a new blogger.. my blog is only a few mths time and i really feel like giving up at times..
but i keep telling myself, i shouldnt just give up like that.. i must continue my journey and beat 90% of the people out there.. thanks for the inspiration!
Hi Yaro,
Thank you for sharing your feelings and these tips on dealing with hard times in business.
Very useful blog post.
Susan.
Hi!
I am also thankful for these tips and think it´s good the read about hard times to.
After all noone is walking on the bright side all the time and I think we learn about ourselves when others can talk about difficulties. I´m no blogger (I wish I was) but I really enjoy to read about experiences and tips in this blog. So Yes I think it´s very useful too.
Elinor
You can not imagine how timely it is. I believe strongly that we get answers when we need them badly. I know that I need the solution for the mood I am in, I was not looking for the answer, I was not browsing, I was watching TV till 3 in the morning. Today…I just glanced at the right side of my google homepage where your site is subscribed, and the answer is waiting form me.
Thank you very much.
Excellent point about ‘focus on output’ and all.
This is a great kick in the pants, Yaro.
My blogging journey has been full of many ups and downs and they always surprise. As you point out, it’s only action that gets us closer to our goals, and every time I take a lot of action, I see results.
Yaro,
This is a fine post. A lot of time I felt the impatience as well as frustration waiting for my business to develop and start producing. Regarding your statement – “negative emotion breeds negative action” – that what happen next on my business – failing 😛
I prove in my entrepreneurial journey that positive attitude MUST be fought for.
It’s not all about “where can I get more money to grow my biz?” “How can I improve my biz?” “How can I achieve X revenue by the end of this quarter?” etc,etc… but it’s all about attitude: “How can I stay positive in the face of adversities?”
Cheers!
How to be a successful entrepreneur | noobpreneur.com
You couldn’t have picked a better post for today. The picture at the top of the post, that was me this morning. However, after reading your thoughts and experiences, productivity levels have increased. Thank you for your in site Yaro.
Yaro, I appreciate the posts like this one that take a break from the technical details of internet marketing. There’s definitely an element of persistence that’s required to make it past the initial stages, and it’s nice to know that at times even you struggled with issues of faith. Keeping that in mind should give us all a boost when we need it.
Seems to me that “Inspire” is stronger than “Require” to get us going. We are inspired to produce something that will change the world. We are inspired to reach a desired outcome. It provides the catalyst to keep us moving forward.
Having said that, there comes the time where we need simply to “Require” ourselves to do the next thing on the list.
In light of being inspired (reminding ourselves of the noble cause we are engaged in) we press forward through the obstacles of all that would drag us down, hold us back and in general create barriers to progress. We press forward by ‘requiring’ ourselves to complete the next item on the to-do list, write the next column, make the next call or whatever it is.
Even inspired needs discipline. With our eye on the good outcome …
Yaro I agree with everything you have written in this post but I would add a couple of things to it. When I feel down, or feel like my time is being wasted, I find it really helpful to take some time out and really reflect.
First of all I take a look at what I’ve been doing and I try to explore my feelings around the subject. What feels right, and what doesn’t? If something doesn’t feel right on a consistent basis I drop it. As entrepreneurs I think its important to try and feel good about our work.
This is something I intend to blog about soon as this reflection time for me has lead to some strategy changes.
The other thing to add is to try keeping a log of productive stuff done. Sometimes a week can go by and you think to yourself, what on earth did I achieve? It feels as though the week just flew by. By writing down little daily achievements, you can feel much better about yourself by the end of the week and that can generate the enthusiasm to keep going.
Hey Yaro,
Thanks for this great post. I’m full of doubts everyday, but I’m almost 100% sure that these doubts come from me not knowing much yet, I have not learned enough to make this work on my own so I read blogs like yours to get me pumped again. I also do have patience and I believe it is possible since my main motivation is to QUIT! my job and have more freedom, I’ve been doing it for a long time so I want out bad.
Thanks
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
A much needed article!
Oops, I forgot to add, when I did feel like this I realised I had to look back upon my real reason(s) for blogging (which was and still is to benefit others – truly!)
When you have a strong purpose behind your goal(s), it is much easier to hit the target, regardless of the status quo. One action can deliver numerous consequences/results!
I read this article when I’m about feel demotivated, it open my eyes and indeed very true. It seems like I have missing something all the while, the will to success. Thanks Yaro
Thank you for posting this ‘aha moment’. Your empowerment and focus are a topic we all need every now and again. As Coaches, Mentors and Leaders we are responsible for our teams.
You add the value they deserve…CSea
i just about feel that way all the time. Thank you for the head lift. I do at times, just walk away from what I am doing, especially if i feel like I am completely going no where and feeling unfocused. I find writing to-do lists help a lot and talking out loud what needs to be done.
Thanks Yaro… You gave me some motivation for keeping strugle with earn money from blog. even i’m new blogger, but i always keep trying.
Thanks Yaro, enjoyed this post! Entrepreneurship is certainly an emotional roller-coaster at times.
Amazing article!
And even more amazing is the timimg.
I was feeling exactly how you described when I received your newsletter in my email box.
I have unsubscribed from other newsletters but there is no way I will unsubscribe from yours.
You have such awesome information.
Time after time you come out with golden nuggets.
I was starting to doubt myself and then I came here and read this.
I have to keep going ad not look back.
Thanks Yaro,
Eren
I feel quite often that I should give up even at this very early stage. I won’t say what stage that is precisely because I want to stay on track in my mind and not get discouraged. I know I’m going to succeed!
Now the “when” of all that keeps me up at night. I truly want it to happen soon. I too am out for *freedom*, and I will accept only that and better!
You’re so right. This is not about feeling. It’s about doing. Sadly, feelings are hard to overcome and most of us generally give in to them, especially when we haven’t experienced the slightest hint of success. I think about throwing in the towel way too much. You motivated me to keep pushing. Thanks.
Just wondering, how long before you started getting a good number of blog followers and decent amount of traffic to the blog you are talking about?
Thank you for this article Yaro, what you described is exactly how I fell right now. I have 4 blogs since last nov. , and I worked very hard on at least one of them. I`m resting a bit now, but I will not give up!
I agree with Caroline. It is important to stop and reflect.
Also it helps if I have a way to measure my progress – to know that I am getting better at something. At the moment I use my move up the Technorati rankings – am yet to install google analytics. (There don’t seem to be many measures that mean a whole lot in the blogosphere so I just use the ones that exist). It is good to have something outside me to fall back on.
Encouragement from other bloggers further along the path (such as Yaro) or from those who know about business (Don at Making Sales Making Money gave me some useful and encouraging feedback the other day) is also very helpful.
Thank you Yaro. Your post came in time to get me out of the rut of a huge mental block that i could not proceed in writing anything. i see your points raise and it get. thank you so much. Appreciate.
Hi Yaro,
my mentor pointed me to your blog ad i have been following you from time to time.
He pointed out this blog you just did and now i know why he did.He wants to see me continue doing what i am doing and not stop or give up.
I know the feeling of working hard and seeing no rewards. I guess this time around i have finally got ahold of my own head and decided this is it,I am not going anywhere else so i better settle in for the long haul.
Now reading your blog, you have just confirmed in me that is exactly what i am oing to do.
The link i posted here is my first attempt at putting together a Newsletter and the satisfaction i get is self rewarding and a lot of fun even though it is not so professional, I know it will be in time.
Thank you Yoro for your inspiration and helping me stay focused and on track
Richard
Yaro,
Great post.Like everyone else I to felt like quiting…more often than not.
But,everyday I keep going because I get some little glint of insperation,some little idea to look into that keeps me going,where from I don’t know.I just know I can’t give up trying.
You never know what’s around the next bend.
Great post Yaro! I appreciate you sharing from a personal place. Being a solopreneur, I know sometimes it has been hard to keep motivated and focused. I like your idea to focus on output….and just keep going. I see many entrepreneurs who expect instant results, then give up too soon.
This is definitely a post that will be added to the “motivation” folder in my favorites…I fall into this trap of being underproductive often and this article was a tremendous help!
Thanks Yaro!
man yaro, you hit it right on the head…today I was feeling exactly like that…I was wondering is this worth it?… Thanks man… I appreciate you!!!
Ryan
I mean I know that it is, because of people like yourself…and in my sales experience, I know that most people quit right before the project they were working on is about to take off… plus the old saying “if it was easy then everyone would be doing it” which would probably not make it worth it anyway.
Hi Yaro,
Great post and reminder of the need to be consistent and that even small things done well over a period of time can eventually lead to great results.
Thomas Edison said,
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
And so we have to be consistent and persistent with our efforts because you just never know when the tide is about to turn.
What? Now you are also a psychic? I am in the same boat as some of the others commenting on your post: perfect timing for my imperfect feelings about the newish old projects we are working on.
You have some great suggestions for fighting the blahs and some great additional ones from the people making the comments.
My thanks to Yaro for creating this post and to the others of you who took the time to comment. I already have a smile on my face where there was once a frown this morning.
Thank you for your article. You reminded me of what I was taught in church on Sunday about faith: Faith without action is no faith at all. In your continuing to keep keeping on even when you didn’t feel like it is a true testament of faith, blind or otherwise. What you said about feelings is so true, but if we can just stick it out – feelings can be so fleeting and change constantly. I’m new to world of blogging and this article is definitely a keeper. Thank you so much!!
Thanks Yaro for a top post. I particularly could identify and agree with your comments about needing to complete all the necessary steps to achieve the outcome a person is aiming for. Reminds me of an example I read just recently where it was stated that a journey between point a and b always involves travel and time. There are no instant solutions and in any endeavour, there is always the requirement to undertake and complete the journey. But with all journeys, there are many different paths to the same destination – which is what makes it so interesting.
Regards,
Kevin.
Hey Yaro,
Great article on keeping that blogging hope alive within us. I think it boils down to the purpose of your blog. Is it primarily focused on creating value for the reader or making money for one’s self?
If you dont make a cent for years of blogging but you have created a blog that truly helps people, you will feel an inner sense of accomplishment.
That feeling of self doubt in regards to one’s usefulness will be replaced with a powerful feeling of gratitude and service to others.
Ironically, it’s this very release of needing money for blogging that will attract it.
How can you tell if you haven’t released the need for money? Ask yourself, “If I never got paid for blogging, would I still do it?”
I think you wrote about this type of passion in one of your newsletters and its a great way to look at it.
Consider what you naturally want to blog about and that will probably be the easiest to continue in hard times.
Cheers,
Ryan
Hi Yaro,
It’s hard to believe how many lives you’ve affected with this March 31st Posting…Especially since your postings have not only boosted up my production from the “git-go”, but this one really hit me at a perfect time. My sincerest thanks for your support and guidance.
Blessings,
Don Aronson
Knowing that you went through and overcame what I am feeling right now -like not working at all, the job is boring and may never bring results-thanks man. The work continues……:D
Hi Yaro,
I always find your blog posts interesting and informative. Yes, I get unmotivated too. With the amount of information now on the web I’m finding it really difficult to bring new content to the table. It seems that just about anything you want to know has already been written about and I don’t want o bore people with the same ol’ stuff which has just re-hashed but essentially is telling the same info. Any suggestions to get me through this lack of motivation? (though more like frustration).
Having been self-employed for most of my life (I am 53 – so that means I have been at this for a few years!), I have had more than my fair share of days when I just did not feel like putting forth the effort BUT….I also know that the best way for me to get through the ‘down’ days is to just keep moving forward. On the days when I can’t get motivated – I take out the old fashioned pen and paper and make my list things that MUST be accomplished that day, and tape the list to the side of the monitor. Somehow, just the action of finishing and ticking off a few action items seems to get me back on track again.
Oh yeah…and recalling that last year that I worked in the “dream corp job” with the corner office…that was really the job from hell??
That is also a very motivating and inspirational memory 😉
Sometimes we over think and over analyze – when the best thing to do is simply…DO!
Good evening Yaro,
Wish I had read this in the a.m. today because my day kind of started out like one of those that you were talking about. But instead of pulling myself out of it I just kind of went with it for awhile until I finally realized being like that was getting me nowhere fast. So eventually I did pull myself out of it and did start doing what I needed to do to get going and keep going.
I am going to print your post and use it as incentive when I need some positive reinforcement to get back in the right mindset.
Thanks.
Andrea J.
Hi Yaro,
Thanks for sharing the fact that you have days when being motivated is a challenge.
It seems like ‘making it’ should come sooner and it is a challenge at times to believe in what you’re doing. Your article does help as I ‘keep on’ while expecting to succeed.
Joan
Yaro, thank you
You are a pioneer in your own right. I am still very new to the process (internet wise). You bring a very personal encouraging quality to what you write. I really think you are the best at what you do.
My blog is sadly lacking at the moment. However, I expect that to pick up; literally any moment now :-). (Probably because I am pursuing the dream… with limited resources). Nevertheless, I look forward to your mails. The first thing I look for on Mondays. It kick starts my week. I have learned from you important attitudes, to keep in mind. Anyone who really explores your sites, would be blind to miss what you offer.
Thank you for the knowledge you share and the importance of “business” and the importance of “relationships” on the internet.
You have class and it shows. Good job, well done.
To Your Continued Success
Debi-Jene
Debi.Jene@gmail.com
A good article. The number one reason we don’t attain the success we want always boild down to not sticking to it. We can blame every sort of external factor we wish to, but it all boils down to doing something, and then doing something else, and then doing more… success is a marathon, not a sprint.
Thanks for sticking to it yourself and for taking the time to encourage people when you could be doing other things … it is appreciated.
Great Post!
I once read that every beginning is invisible. I have only begun blogging with the intention of making money. As you well describe, I haven’t made any sale and I haven’t received any comments. Earlier today I had decided that I wasn’t going to go post today. I didn’t see any point in it as self doubt crept in big time, but thanks to your posting, it changed my mind and as soon as I am done typing here, I’ll head over there and type.
Thanks!
Howard
I prayed for strength….I received your article….
Thank you Lord…..and Yaro.
Bobby Lee
Thanks for your advice Yaro. I think taking action is always a good idea. I always feel better after I have finished a task.
I have a little angel to help me with ideas for content – her name is Google Alert.
Every day, she sends me an email full of links to new web pages about my area of interest.
Some days, I don’t even need to look at it, but other days, it’s the only thing that enables me to get my fingers to the keyboard.
And some days, quite regularly, actually, there is a really inspirational story in there, and my whole mood changes!
But then, I have a fun subject to blog about.
Jenny Ford
http://www.raisingentrepreneurs.org/blog
Yaro,
Absolutely great post. When we can´t find the motivation to work hard enough, comments like yours help us a lot. Motivation for success should come from inside us, but it´s allways helpfull to be “pushed” a little bit by the words of others.
Thanks!
NR
What hit me the hardest was your comment:
“If you don’t have tolerance for ambiguity, you better avoid the entrepreneur’s journey.”
This is something that I’ve been struggling with the most for about 6 months. My online efforts have produced some extra income, but not to the point where I can quit my day job and do it full time. Because of that, I sometimes suffer with feelings of uselessness and the “why even bother” syndrome.
What keeps me going is looking back on even the smallest of successes and the positive comments I receive on my work.
People have said that I have an entrepreneur’s mind, but now I need to work on quieting the topsy-turvy emotions that come with it.
I’m sure that others feel the same as I do.
Thanks for the great post!
David
THatnks Yaro I think i will bookmark this post to help me push through all the reasons I should stop. Thanks also for the email as I would not of found this article otherwise.
Great stuff
Hi Yaro,
Your article can be summed up in one word – persistence…..at least that’s what I got out of it. 🙂
It can be hard though, when you’re going through the process for someone to say that you just need to persist and keep putting out stellar content even if you’re not seeing immediate results, but it’s the same case with everything, isn’t it? You must persist and be consistent to achieve positive results.
Thanks for the reminder Yaro, I can totally relate to what you’ve covered here. 🙂
Thanks for the inspired words! Your post really hit home and judging from the comments, all those in business for themselves struggle with the “what next” monster!
I have to remember to follow the advice I give many of my clients- “This won’t happen overnight!”
Like in your post, you helped me remember to celebrate the small successes!
Thanks again!
Thanks
Hi Yaro,
It’s comforting to see that I’m not alone in feeling unmotivated at times. Judging from the number of comments, I’m really not alone. Action is indeed the antidote to many procrastation and motivation problems. I’ve always known that but it’s easy to forget. Thanks for the reminder.
Thanks,
Ed Anderson
http://www.masteringyourquest.com
http://www.edcanderson.com
Yaro,
Wow that is timely comments for me. I am real new to this and the only money I have seen is it leaving my bank account. I am positive in my outlook and will keep up the pace.
Thanks for your article it is an inspiration to keep on keepin on.
Regards,
Darrin
Hi Yaro,
Thanks man, I needed to hear that. Because I’m one of those suffering from “self-doubt” right at this very moment. I appreciate the words of inspiration.
Regards,
Michael
This post was a response to some soul searching questions that I had just put down in a correspondence to a mentor. Immediately after sending the email, I read the email from Yaro and subsequently this blog post.
Thank you Yaro, this was exactly what I needed to hear, at the exact moment I needed to hear it.
Interesting post.
One thing I would like to add: when you do something where fighting self-doubt is one of the main challenges you face, be careful about who you talk about it with. Lots of people only try to drag you back down to their own level with comments like: “You’ll never succeed at this. It won’t work. Etc.”
In some cases, you might even have to put as much distance as you possibly can between that kind of “friend” and yourself.
Guy
Yaro,
Thanks for sharing your feelings and to give us some extra inspiration.
It is good to know that I am not the only one that feels that way.
Paulo
http://www.paulopics.com
i really believe that this is true what you write. the meanin gof life seems to be “keep on going”. The universe has really been sociking it to me these first three months of the new year, and occassionally my mantra has been-“i’m over it”, “i can’t do it anymore, i’ll go bush”, “i’m selling my soul and taking up full time work in bureacracy again.”
this week an advertiser approached me regarding my blog, and two students signed up for my services which will provide the funds to paint and clean which has meant i could borrow off friends to get two new housemates (move in tomorrow and sunday). their rent and bond will cover the bills for the housemates that skipped out.
today my motivation is to sleep! rest too is needed to keep going~ as i discovered last week when got very very ill from all the stress and work without immediate results.
thx for this post
Yaro,
Your timing on this article is just what I needed. I’ve thought about just giving up a lot lately because I can’t seem to get my hardware problems solved so I can actually write. The cooling fan is out on my laptop, and my desktop has something wrong that is probably spyware related, but I can’t find it after hours of effort. I keep getting IE popups even though I’m using Firefox and popups are blocked in IE.
Hardware is keeping me from taking action towards my work. I’ve spent hours updating anti-spyware programs and running them, finding spyware with each run after an update. I updated Friday and ran them all over the weekend, then updated today and ran them all again, and more spyware was found. I feel like I want to pull my hair out! I’m working from my son’s laptop right now since he’s asleep, and I’ve been checking email at the library.
On the upside, payday is Wednesday and I’ll be able to get the cooling fan in the laptop fixed. If I have enough money after all the bills are paid, I’ll take the desktop in to the shop if I haven’t found the problem by then.
Thanks for the inspiration to keep taking steps forward even if you feel you’re not going anywhere fast.
Sherri
Excellent article Yaro. You seemed to have struck a universal call for help, and I enjoyed reading that I was not the only one today who felt less than motivated and needed a little kick in the pants to keep going.
The entrepreneur’s journey is indeed slow and steady.
After 12 years of self-employment, I am still amazed at how surprising twists and turns can make a steady work situation topsy-turvy.
Making it through the rough times does make the success sweet when it comes.
Thanks for sharing such a useful and encouraging piece of advice.
All the best,
-Pam
I’m glad someone else feels like that somedays, after 10 hrs of working I quite often feel like just vegeing out at night, but I always make myself check out my sites, just to see if anybody has left a comment[zip, nada,zilch-so far].But i’m only new to this game,so I will persevere as I have myself a plan and sort of time table, so heres to sucess to everybody.
PS. keep those traffick tips rolling, much enjoyed.
Sometimes taking a “day off” from the race will usually will return the high energy back the next day.
Thanks for your inspirational blogs. Its keeping noOb like me motivated.
More power.
James
For us older guys you might add “in Retirement” too. Being a Baby Boomer I have taken on the challenge of creating Blogs on various topics. I could be lazy and apathetic and be fine. But Blogging challenges me. It is very much like stock trading and will find your weakness and try to make you fail. The perversity of the stock markets applies to blogging too.
You have just written your killer Post and three days go by with no Comments. It’s like suffering a large stock loss. The emotional loss is hard to take. It hurts that no one is interested.
But as with the stock market you move on and place your next Post and follow your system. It’s a numbers game. You’re next Post could be the one that starts the trend you are looking for. Once it starts you work like hell to stay on the trend by writing more good posts on topic.
So where does old guy and retired fit in? Well it is just that bit harder to get out of bed when you think up that winning post title and can’t find your spectacles so you can see to type it in the computer. Then you find them and someone distracts you. You then find yourself staring at the computer wondering what you were going to do. So you get up and retrace your steps several times hoping the thought will come back. Sometimes you are lucky. Other times you just move on. But you stick to the system anyway.
Now where was I? Who are you and why am I typing this in here…. ;0)
Excellent post. It’s certainly not easy maintaining a blog particularly during the first year or so.
One of the things I have learned over the years is to constantly visualize yourself being successful, and in relation to my own blogs I always visualize how my blogs will look in 5 years time with hundreds of pages and readers, all earning a significant income.
Excellent post. It can be tough to keep going. I remember to focus my outcomes. Running a business or a blog is like a martial art. You need to have discipline in order to achieve great success.
I take a day off away from the computer. I go for a drive, do something away from the house to clear my thoughts and mind.
When you have a clear mind you can increase your productivity.
Hi Yaro,
as usual you have given us a well written and motivating post. I find my hardest problem to overcome is “getting off my a–” to write a post. Except when I am passionate. As you have said many times before choose a topic about which you are passionate. Passion creates almost boundless energy.
I am working in Iraq for now and am trying to learn the ropes so I can earn a living on the Internet.
I am an original member of the MasterMind group and am still enrolled.
Thanks Yaro, I needed that kick in the pants!
Chuck Burns
Yaro,
You have outdone yourself again.This article is what any newbie online needs to forge ahead even when there is nothing to show for one’s efforts.
I agree with Caroline,that when you are feeling de-motivated,you probably need to take some time off,it could be the fact you have been overworking yourself.Taking some time off can allow you to take an objective look at your project and measure your success and failure.Then,you can do away with anything that will not contribute to your overall success.
At any point in time,track and measure your progress,this will definitely give you the motivation to move ahead inspite of doubts.And lest I forget,you need lots of CONFIDENCE.
Hi Yaro,
I agree totally. As someone who once had the (supposed) comfort of a salary it was difficult to keep doing stuff you weren’t sure would work.
But it does…!
Jim
Hi Yaro,
Thanks for writing this. I’m going through this right now — wondering why in the world I started this and will it ever bring a reasonable income. It seems so terribly far away.
You raise some excellent points, though. One is be productive even when you don’t feel like it. The effort to produce one good blog entry and/or website page will ultimately pay off in the longrun.
Making (good) posts and pages will pay off in the long run. Sleeping or watching TV won’t; they simply don’t produce income.
Anyway, thanks for your postings — I always enjoy them, even if I don’t always leave a comment.
I’m glad this struck a cord with everyone. It’s clearly a shared experience for us all and I’m very happy to hear so many of you benefited on a deeper level from reading this.
I was reading Caroline’s additions to my argument and it made me think of an article I wrote last year –
6 Tips To Reduce Stress
Which then led me to this article –
It’s Time To Reduce Your Stress – this has some great points about how your perception of time creates stress.
These two are good additions to read after this blog post.
Very clarifying post Yaro.
I find myself too in situations when i question myself if what i am doing now worth the long waiting results. I often question myself if i am on right path and my efforts will not be wasted.
But patience and willpower is what long-term business takes and it is something that entrepreneurs must accept.
Hype and exaggeration is what deluded most of new entrepreneurs and made them think that it is easy and they can expect fast results from online business.
I have to admit that there are days when i want eagerly to work on business, but often i have days when i feel laziness and uncertainty.
Maybe all this is because we are used to see paychecks month after month and know that after work we do, we will certainly get paid?
Thank you, Yaro. As always, you post so much great info and content. This one is extremely timely for me! I had been helping my wife and a couple of friends recently deal with these same issues, some dealing with internet work, others offline. What I find mildly amusing is how I can tend to be like so many others, great at giving top advice, but lacking in following my own.
Just this past weekend, I’d been struggling with the thoughts of dropping a lot of work I had put into place for building my online business. I even told my wife that I was done (while not really admitting it in my heart). So…on to your post to remind me that I have waded through these waters before, and I continue on, in the manner of what you wrote. Despite my own feeble attempts, and my limited view on my “successes”, I plug away, focused on my goals. There are always rough times we all go through, and “dry” periods when we don’t feel like working or writing. However, success is measured a step at a time. I hadn’t posted to my own blog in a number of days, and had been thinking of similar thoughts to write about, but you beat me to it.
Thanks again, “Dr. Yaro”, for medicine that is just what the doctor ordered!
QAgree with so many of the comments. Sometimes you just have to keep on keeping on. That’s why this information stuff is so good though because really all we have to DO is BE ourselves as most who start on this journey of trying to make some money online, never will unless they have integrity. Which I believe many of us do have, but you get it by not always taking the easy options! Anyway where else do we have to go?
Karen
Thank you Yaro. This article is exactly what I needed to read today. I especially like the point you made about producing/creating even when or especially when you are feeling discouraged. I had this experience this weekend, and I felt much better after I simply sat down and got to work.
I subscribe to your blog and enjoy the articles.
-Suzanne.
Well this has done well. Plenty more than 22 comments now. Everyone has bad days, and lethargy can set in very easily. Those with any motivation will always get through first.
we all have our high and low moods but for someone who is trying to make a living, we don’t have any choice but to get up and do what has to be done for the day. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. This is very motivating
I love the graphics! If you only tied the graphics together with a few statements, this post would have still packed a punch. Awesome!
Though i’m not a regular reader of your blog, I value high Yarro’s blog for he gives ordinary message in an extraordinary. Whenever I have a feeling a loosing my passion for my work, i would stop for few minutes to fresh myself and would get back to my table for calculating my progress as well as knowledge gained(never worrying the failure). Indeed I must say overcoming such a time isn’t easy at first.
thanks for your lovely post yaro.
“it was simply a case of patience and dedication to the process I was executing” and “enjoy every small success and focus on the commitment”
I think, that’s the point I of to keep productive ….
oh ya, how come you still blogging in bad mood or any mood you have… It’s hard to keep blogging when I’m on bad mood
A very good article…i am still in the learning process …like your advise on many sujets…this one here..is straight to the point..when i have no control over something i let go…somehow a new attitude surges and i,m back refresh an go on with my ideas…thanks for being there and being real
Hi Yaro!
I can totally relate to this post. I have a ton of content to add to my blog right now but I just can’t seem to get it on there fast enough. More and more content arrives every week. There’s just me and a huge pile of content the size of mount Everest saying “Please add me to your blog”. It gets me down sometimes. I work on my site all the time and even find myself working till the early hours of the morning just trying to keep my head above water. It’s not good because I’m not getting the amount of sleep that I need to be able to function properly. I’ve thought about outsourcing but it’s just not financially viable at the moment until the site produces enough income to support that. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the subject matter, I’m passionate about it. I just wish I could get more done.
Posts like this inspire you because you realise that you’re not alone, other people feel the same way too and you can take a certain amount of comfort from that. Keep up the great work Yaro, you’re one-of-a-kind.
John O’Hara
England UK
Hi Yaro,
Thanks for an excellent post. I sympathize entirely (fortunately, through your help a combination of Desperate Buyers Only and Product Launch Formula gives me a lot more confidence that I can create a successful business than ever before!).
It’s the difference between what we desire for ourselves right now in this moment and what we have in reality that creates all of our emotions and when the shortfall is great then we feel a lot of negative emotion. That’s a common sensation when you have high aspirations that take a lot of effort and that take a long time to fulfill.
To counter this I stay focused on the processes that will take me to my desire. Those are the things that I can control. By staying focused on what I personally can make possible from moment-to-moment rather than on uncontrollable outcomes I remain upbeat even on a long and sometimes dispiriting haul.
Understanding and maintaining a good attitude is crucial and good practices are very hard to put into effect without it. The lack of a good attitude blighted my development for years. My blog is almost entirely devoted to getting the right attitude, keeping it and then implementing excellent problem solving and productivity methods to get things done.
Hi Yaro,
You are absolutely right. Let’s give an example from basketball. Larry Bird was not a good athlete, but he was so persistent that he finally managed to become one of the most valuable player in the NBA history. I read an interview of him once upon a time, he was making around 1000 3 point shots during each and every training session. Blogging is more or less like that as far as i understand from your words, and from my own experience.
Wish you all the best!
Mert
Yaro,
Thanks for writing about the real world of online entrepreneurs. Dream – Believe – Achieve are based on minding your p’s and q’s: patience and persistance coupled with quality quilling.
Self doubt is an absolute killer and I’ve suffered from it chronically all my life. That said, I think if certain doubts keep returning then it may be wise to pause (like Caroline said) and reflect. These days I’m starting to sense the difference between genuine doubts that have valid triggers and doubts that stem from anxiety, old fears and general ‘head rubbish’ that I need to work on. I also think that it’s worth catching yourself in those ‘everything is wonderful’ moments and notice where those feelings are in your body and the thoughts they produce. These can be great guides for future reference!
Yaro,
Like others, I feel like this article was speaking directly to me. I believe this will be among your greatest hits for sure!
Keep up the great work.
Kevin Givens
Thank you for lifting me up today, I really needed a boost. Today was one of those days. Frustration is my biggest enemy. By keeping focused on the task at hand and trying until it’s right and not focusing on whats going wrong but on whats going right keeps me going.
Thanks Again,
Mike “The Interior Guy”
Hi,
This kind of article is inspiring, because we all have those “non-momentum” , “low-energy” kind of days. I appreciate your being open about this topic, which must be delicate to talk about. Now, I am going to take my fingers and and head back to “get some work done” on my PC.
Thanks again!
Take care!
Success, Happiness, Freedom to all!
Great post! The great writers/bloggers of today are those that can take the emotions we all feel and turn them into posts that make the rest of us say, “He’s talking about me.”
this is an excellent post…its always difficult to keep the momentum going when you don’t feel like it! keep it up Yaro…
http://www.mortgagefitness.com.au
Got my first GA check, earning rising, having more crowd at my blog.. and now writing book about blogging at blogger.. Blogging is fun and makes profit and might be fame to me 😉
I’m new to blogging. I truly enjoyed your post. It really hit home. I mean i know about wanting to give up and it can be really easy to remain in a state of inactivity. Just gotta remember why it is we do what we do, because deep down inside we know that we can do it, that we have the ability to succeed if someone just gave us a chance. Gotta keep the faith. Prayer always seems to help me.
Thanx Yaro, i look forward to many more.
This past week I had seriously thought of putting my Blogging days in the dumpster of failure. After reading your post my spirits have lifted and I am reconsidering the dumpster route.
Writing can be a lonely lifestyle but now I know it doesn’t have to be that way.
thanks!!!!
Aine
Yaro,
Whatever you’ve got – you need to bottle it and sell it as a motivational medicene!
Just what I needed on a particularly rough day!
Nikki
It’s great coincidence that you’ve written this post this week. I just wrote an update about my march earnings and touched about the same sentiments that I had about my online experience and how I felt like giving up sometimes but just kept pressing on. It was because I’ve kept going that I’ve managed to reach my goals.
I’ve concluded that the only way to stay on top of this game is to Keep Moving Forward and Never Look Back.
Thanks for your post, it reinforces the fact that I am moving in the right direction.
Thanks for the inspirational post. There is a force greater than I that is moving me right now,,,,I’d be so grateful if it would stay. I know that down the road I will need this advice…a great reason for printing the article! It might have to go up on the wall in my studio immediately.
Hello Yaro – I feel your pain(!…)
Whenever I get up in the morning and can’t face getting down to work I say to myself:
If you do nothing, nothing will happen.
I may have to say (or shout) this several times to myself but in the end I come round to the ‘Carpe Diem’ attitude and I get to work.
😉
Sarah
Thanks Yaro! There’s not a lot of people out there who stand on the beaches of success and shout encouragements to those of us struggling to swim to shore.
An Appreciative Swimmer,
🙂 Linda
Hi there Yaro.
Great topic. When I first started my ebay business, I often had days like what you described in this post. As far as blogging goes, my biggest problem is the time factor, rather than motivation. There was one day in the beginning of the new year, where my blog traffic just dropped completely for a week. I tried to figure out why this had happened, and I associated the traffic drop from my changing my blog design theme, and a day later changed the theme back and sure enough a day later the traffic was back, but during this traffic drop, I was still writing content, and still trying to do what ever linking that I was able to do with my ebay store. For me personally, the biggest motivator I have, is wanting to see my ebay business grow because of my blog sending customers there, and I can tell you that I have seen a bit of an upturn in sales with the source of traffic to my store coming from my blog, and at some point doing more monatizing of the blog itself. My other goal with the blog is to generate enough income from my blog, to let the wife retire, and let me walk away from my 8-5 job. That’s why I continue to do what I do with my blog, that’s my goal and my motivator.
Again, thanks a bunch for this article and to your and everyone else’s continued success in our blogging journeys.
Lew
http://www.fln50.com
Hi,
Thanks for the article. Talk about synchronicity! I belong to a mastermind group and yesterday we talked about how us non tech people get so upset by technology not working, all the things going wrong that we don’t understand. We always end up blaming ourselves. Then we are trying to fix it. Often it is a glitch that has nothing to do with our inability but we don’t know that. So we waste lots of time that could be better spent producing content. All of us have been in tears in front of our computers and all of us had many days where we decided to get a “real” job. I even went and put some job applications in…Often I wake up just thinking: What will go wrong today?
The best thing to overcome that is action – I then do something: write an email to my tech person, write an article, listen to an educational audio….or I get outdoors for an hour or so and give my mind a complete rest and fresh ideas will bubble to the surface.
Hi Yaro, another great article. Must admit theres been the odd time when I get in from the day job and have to start work again on my own projects thinking all I want to do is go out on my bike or go down the pub and see my mates.
Even being in the early stages of business I’ve found two things really helpful, one’s been planning my week out on a wall planner above my screen so it’s really in my face what has get done as opposed to having it hidden away on a computer file I can ignore (been there), another is a big A2 board next to the planner with pictures of things I want to achieve in 5 years time just to remind me why I’m doing what I’m doing, it just gives me that little extra push.
Also seeing people like yourself doing well is a great motivator, if I didn’t hear of any success stories I’d probably be wandering off down a completely different career path.
Hello Yaro-
Very good post indeed. Timely as well. I often struggle with motivation as I work from home. Today was just one of those days. I have so many projects to work on that I couldn’t decide which one to work on.
I’ve learned that writing down goals for the day keeps me motivated throughout the day.
Thanks again for your tips.
-Adam
Another great post from Yaro, good job, sometime we feel like giving up on what ever we do, not just blogging,like me, i feel like giving up on blogging, its hard to get traffic to my site,:( but i will try hard and not giving up, if i didn’t read or hear about successful stories like you Yaro, maybe i’ll just give up long time ago, thanks for this great article man, keep up the good job, as for me i will not be giving up on traffic to my blog, 😛
The-Online-Quest
Thanks for the great post YARO!!
this really summed up this morning when i got out of bed… sometimes the internal wirings so bad, it really sucks. Just have to pour on the juice and get on with working the easier tasks first… persistence pays well.
Like many others here, i work from home too and early in my business, it was hard even to get up in the morning, and maintaining a rhythm of progress throughout the day.
Here’s a few things that helped me along the way, i set my alarm at 0730 each morning and make sure i get up no matter what time i sleep the night b4, it sets a good rhythm. B4 i sleep, i make a mental to do list and jot it down in a diary. ( yes, pen & paper), somehow desktop calendars just don’t work for me. and prioritse work when things get heavy and leave non critical paperwork stuff for sunday nites. 🙂
And yeah… the great outdoors is an amazing recharger too!
Hi Yaro.
This is the firts time that I have my any comment on any blog!!. your comments really showed me that time is the key to any success and that deadication and time go together. Its been 4 weeks since I launch my blog and it has been been really difficult as I have never been involved in online sales and my knowledge on IT is limited so this last 4 weeks has been a masive learning curve. I think everybody shoud have a dream of being able to work from home and do a job they really love and enjoy it just needs faith, motivation and a willingness to go that extra mile. I am 49 years old which I hope will show people tat age should be no barrier to starting somthing new and that if you want to make tat change go for it. For everybody remember time is the key, every day brings a fresh challenge and opportunity, never finish a day without giving 125% – Life is for enjoying!!, sorry for the soap box rant, Great article Yaro.
This is an excellent post. I am always admirer of Yaro. This post again proved that I was not wrong. This is not the issue of the day. Each of the successful entrepreneurs has to go thru this tough phase. When you want to do something different, you need to bear the pain. I also faced the same problem when I started my Internet marketing career after leaving my secured job of software engineering in one of the best software development company of the world. . The best way to achieve success is to learn how to be cheerful when you are in trouble. I bet you that the best learning phase of your life is when you are in crisis. Don’t take this period as negative. When you relish your success in near future you will realize that this struggling period is the golden period of your life and you will find that in this period you learnt the maximum. The ‘mantra’ of success is simple – just try to be productive everyday, try to be positive, try to give your best. And the truth about success is – Learn to dream big and work accordingly – success is inevitable. The day when you are not earning your living could be the best day of your life. For your kind information – I am telling the truth that my product Net Profit Magic has achieved the desired success after a long struggle as well as the best learning phase of my entire life. Now, I can tell you, this could bring MAGIC to your life forever if you want to succeed in your online career. This is the unique & all in one solution of the Internet business.
Wow, I think the responses are as inspirational as the original post. I actually got a tear in my eye while reading them.
I’m just starting out in the world of blog and I am ever so glad that I found all of you early.
Thanx Yaro, Treading water now guess I need to start swimming again (nice analogy Linda).
Mark
Hey Yaro mindset is so important because this is the STEM of success into the phsical. When I talk to prospects I always began with Mindset before Marketing. Nice post bro..
Thank God! An Internet Marketer who actually admits publicly what we all feel from time to time. It is a long, challenging climb, but worth it in the end (or so I’m told:)
I think you just have to keep plugging away as an entrepreneur. If you work hard and dont give up, you will make it.
Exclellent Article… Everyone should bookmark this article and read it once a week.
Words are powerful… So therefore Yaro… You have the power to influence. Success in business is mastering the ‘self’; especially with the slow response time for the internet.
It maybe that I need to ask to put this article on my Wisdom website.
Cheers for now… Speak soon
For me too in the times where I don’t feel motivated to work on anything I remember why I’m doing it, and that’s to have the BEST in life for myself and my family. Great article!
As a writer, blogger, university lecturer, inernet-marketer, I recognise all that you say. But I believe that you ahev to keep faith in yourself, build up credit in the self-estemm bank and at the same time be open to comment and challenge – use it to examine your efforts and see if they can’t be even better.
Incidentally, I’ve frequently found I write better on thso days whne I seem to struggle.On the days when it all flow, the written is often less godd – but fixable, even so.
For one is the realization that failure is just a step closer to success.
Then this little push will keep you going.
Yaro, your article is so timely for me. My blog has been live for almost four months and I don’t have much traffic. People aren’t commenting on my posts. Yes, stumble helps at time with temporary surges in traffic.
I’m tired and I don’t know what to do.
Good post, I think we all get to that point at times and it is refreshing to see how others handle this, gives you ideas on how we can handle it next time. Thanks for the info and advice.
Pugsley
Yaro –
Fantastic article and just the extra motivation I need to keep my blog going.
\
Thanks for the terrific blog post. I’ve been blogging for just over two years, partly as a way to make money but at the time mostly as a way to stay productive while looking for another job. While my ultimate goal is to make a full-time income from my blog and not have to work, it has been frustrating at times to realize that progress has been slow in coming, though I am steadily getting more traffic and income. I feel as though I’m in a “tweener” stage, where my work hasn’t been as successful as I hoped it would be yet not a complete time-waster to the point of giving up. Of course, this reminds me so much of all of the successful entrepreneurs who toil away for years at their businesses without any recognition, often eating ramen noodles for sustenance, and then they hit the big breakthrough which brings them financial independence and “overnight” success.
Many thanks Yaro for an honest and still uplifting post.
Hi Yaro, your comments are like a friendly kick in the backside, thanks for sharing your thoughts so honestly. I do want to start a new blog and revive my current one, just need reminding of the basic give out = get back equation.
Isn’t blogging wonderful? Your kind words have reached an Armenian Londoner living in a mountain village in southern Spain. Thanks again.
Arpi
Truely inspiring and motivating blog. Awesome post. Keep it up!!!
Yaro,
Don’t you think that by focusing on output when you are down, it will show? I know if I don’t feel much like working on my blogs or niche sites that the quality suffers from it.
Sometimes, at least for me, just taking a day off to clear my head usually helps.
Yaro,
Thanks for this article, it really help me to keep going.
Regards,
Roberto from Mexico City
I’m just new to blogging and I’m so glad that your blog was one of the first that I visited to find some talented peers. I am a hypnotist and certainly know and respect the power of the mind that either takes you to where you want to go or where you don’t want to go.
Thank you, again, for your talent.
My best,
Rudi
http://www.ShowMeTheMoneyDreamTeam.com
Thank you! I needed that today, as an artist, a mom, and an entrepreneur.
Pressin’ On,
Mechelle
mechelleschloss.com
Good one…..we work constantly and it takea forever and we wonder….will this really work ?
But your right…it takes time, confidence, persistance and a deaf ear to those that shake their head and say we waste our time and energy….but … we know that learning to play the piano was much more work than we thought…or even ever could have expected….but it comes little by little and then it takes shape. Everything worthwhile is worth the efforts.
It is a mind set for sure…positive mind set.
We have to push aside the doubt and fear and push through. No fun…wait it is fun. It is a matter of devoting the time and sticking with it . Priorities too and a written out plan that defines the goals and destination details or it is a dream of idears only. Start now….never quit.
9 out of ten may drop out….not me….never…thanks for your timely stuff. Back: to work 🙂
I am sure that you have read “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill, and I urge anybody who didn’t to read this book. It is in the public domain now so I thing that it is easy to find it on the internet.
When I hear about others success I am not inspired or dejected, especially if that person is succeeding in an area that doesn’t interest me. I have tried an online business, blogging, affiliate links, master resell rights and gave each a strong effort. And I made money. But so what? I didn’t enjoy the work. Pretty much everyone says how easy it is to make money online, and maybe it is for some. But I found it hard to stay motivated because the work involved bored me. Even making money couldn’t motivate me to do more because I realized that such an online business did not suit me despite. The key to staying motivated is to find work that you love to do and would continue to do even if you didn’t make any money. I have decided to sell my domain names and move on to what I really want to do with my time. I am now doing what I love and the money is coming in. I have jumped off the Internet business bandwagon. And now I have no trouble staying motivated.
Ellen, can I ask what you do now ?
Hi,
I agree with patience and perseverance as important for success.
However saying anybody can do anything with enough of pateince and efffort though well meaning does not seem to be correct with latest research into human mind. Many reasearchers (in particular Gallup research which has interviewed millions of achievers) has concluded that each human being has a set of pre-dominant pattern of behaviours (most of them at birth and anyway fixed by the time one is 16 or 17). It is believed a person has maximum chance of excellence if she or he focusses on these natural dominant patterns. This does not mean others cannot achieve success, yes they can can , but not so often and not easily and they will never enjoy it. If one pursues (or is given to pursue by an institution), work which is in sync with a person’s dominant beahiour patterns, excellence come naturally. Forcing a person to achieve excellence because of societal pressures irrespective of her/his dominant behaviour patterns is quite inefficient, but unfortunately very prevalent in the modern qucik fix, success at any cost society.
What seems to be nice in this approach is that, everybody can excell in something. The trick is to have a systematic way of knowing each peron’s dominant behaviour patterns. That alas is not easy. But if you have people who can spot this in other people and them position them accordingly, you have the makings of a great institution.
Hi Yaro, wow, this is such a great post! Are you into self help & personal development also? Another of the “greats”
waow this is a great self motivation article.. thanks needed it..
What a great post, I can tell by your style of writing that you have alot of experience. I find myself from time to time also having a lack of motivation, but like you say, if you just do it, and start working on it, you really get into it!
Great artical Yaro . I can relate to what your saying , been there before , don’t want to go there again . Sometimes life does get you down and you lose focus on many of the most important things that makes you a winner or an also ran . Being a farmer most of my life I had to deal with a lot of frustration and downright depression , to the point of almost pulling the trigger one night because I was in a corner I could not fight my way out of. What saved me was that I had at that time two young children , the thought that they would see me as a loser was enough to motivate me to work my way out of this dreadful hole I was in . Today my focus is on a life of having a winning attitude , things are not rosey all the time but I know there is no going back I can , and will , be successful if I follow the path of those who know success and are willing to help others , just a word of encouragement can be your tipping point .
I have been fortunate to meet Ken , he has inpired me to make the most of my business interests.
I loved this post. I felt every word you were saying. I know how much work and diligence this takes, and hearing it from others is just refreshing.
I have friends that get so impatient, when their blog traffic doesn’t explode! I tell them, “dude….your blog isn’t even half a year old!”
I also agree that self doubt is one of the main obstacles that you must overcome.
I’m sure, with all your content, you probably don’t have time to read every comment, but, I just wanted to say thanks, I can’t wait to read your blog blueprint.
Great article and definitely inspiring when you are particularly feeling low. I think a key factor in staying productive is also to delegate a part of your tasks and free up time. A healthy work life balance is absolutely necessary for any entrepreneur. Read more at http://outsorcerer.com/blog/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=16
I agree , delegating work to others is worthwhile to maintain good work life balance . I have found that time leveraging through networking is most effective if you understand the benefits that come from helping others to achieve their goals. The concept is simple , but many over annalise the issues involved and miss the benefits .
Yaro, this is the best news I received today. You have gave me inspiration and empowerment to forge a head in my business journey… Seriously, this could not have come at a better time. Thanks for that!
Yaro, Never have I been so motivated as with what you wrote. I have been sorely tempted to give everything up every now and then. My self motivation stems from watching folks in the corporate arena who have hung on in one single company and are now VPs as a reward for hanging on 🙂
Your article is straight from the heart, and while I have dissected the write-up a zillion times mentally, the message is pretty clear. So thanks fro helping me stay on track !!!
What a great article!
I wholeheartedly agree with everything you had to say. It is very hard to soldier on some days but beleiving in the outcome is crucial to success.
I think everyone, especially in the beginning of a new venture has a degree of self doubt – this subsides with victory, but what if that takes a while?
I love articles like this – they keep me inspired and focused. Even I have days where I plain and simply ‘can’t be bothered!” Those are the days where I check out what others are writing about. Today is one of those days and I am glad I found your blog!
Well I feel some action coming on….Thank you for your post!
It’s true, some days it is hard to not to give up, and just throw all your hard work away.
Some days, I forget to have fun and enjoy my work. I get bogged down in the grind and forget the bigger picture. For me, the key is to walk away from my computer, get out of my house, and just regroup. Usually, a good workout, some yoga, or a coffee with friends will do the trick. The suddenly life doesn’t look so bleak and I am ready to begin again.
Thanks Yaro for that bit of wisdom, today I need it.
Yaro,
Is there any topic on which you don’t sound like an expert? 😉
Good stuff. Keep it coming.
Barry
Thank for sharing the info, have a lot thing to learn to make money online legally..
Thank you! I needed that today, as an artist, a mom, and an entrepreneur.
Pressin’ On,
Gokhan
I get this feeling a lot – but u just gotta focus on the good that you can to in the day and have a form of motivation
The second picture represents the man who works online 24 hours per day, make some good money, he tries to make himself smile or be happy, but he realizes in a way how tired he is.
By the enormous number of comments, I see this excellent article struck a cord with many people.
Strangely, I was sitting here feeling exactly what you mentioned:
– I put so much work into my blog, A1Phototips, when will I see any results?
– This other guy has fantastic success, yet I write better than he does!
– What is the use of going on, in this unfair world?
And at that precise time I happened to stumble on your article!
It sure lifted my spirits, just to realize I am not alone.
Thanks again, Yaro. You really are wonderful!
Yaro , I gain so much from your blogs. Thankyou.
I am in a little crisis right now, well it feels like a crisis, really its just a blank spot in my brain where I can’t get from A to B. The comments on your blog tell me that its not really a big problem just a negative mind set I have fallen into.
Subscribing to your site is one very positive and refreshing experience.
I feel better now.
It really can be hard sometimes. I think this is what really separates those that make it from those that don’t. I’m sure you’ve all heard the expression “ideas are a dime a dozen”, it’s all about execution, and part of that is the drive to soldier on during those moments when you’d just rather be doing something OTHER than the things you know you SHOULD be doing.
When it comes to success in general I think what most people do is they visualize how great it would be to have the success. To have the freedom to work from wherever without the limitations of a job, and to have the financial resources available to them to be able to buy all sorts of cool toys. But they don’t visualize the hard work. You have to enjoy the struggle to be successful. You have to enjoy your work to bring out your personal best.
As I write this I’m also reminded that talk is cheap, and that action is most important. So on that note, I had better get back to work : )
You have to be able to take risks when trying to accomplish anything worthwhile and when you feel like there’s nothing left, you can surprise yourself when you see how far you can really go.
Thank you so much for this article. I read this at the end of a weekend that has been both energizing and challenging in relation to my blog. I’ve only been blogging for about 6 months and I’ve learned so much. I just finished creating my first “official” site and will be transferring my current wordpress blog on to my own server over the next week or so. I really feel what you are saying about will power and continuing no matter what. Just one month ago, I felt like I was losing energy for blogging. Traffic started to increase and so did the realization that I was making a difference. I am currently managing two blogs with a third set to launch at the beginning of the year. Excited for me right now is an understatement! I love blogging. I love the blogging community. If you are a newbie blogger, I urge you to hang in there. All it takes is one instance…a boost in traffic or a comment from a reader….and you will know without a doubt that you are doing the right thing. You can check out my Top 10 Blogging Lessons Learned so far here http://tinyurl.com/9z465m
Kimmy B. “The Prosperity Blogger”
http://www.prosperityblggger.wordpress.com
Unfortunately life deals you lemons sometimes, but it is those who keep chuggin’ on that will produce the sweetest lemonade in the long run. This doesn’t mean that your brow beat yourself to make things happen, but like you said even the smallest of steps or actions will put you closer to your goals.
You should republish this one with an update for 2009! How to keep your spirits up when all around you are flagging.
😉
that is what i was feeling just now and i read this article. And I decided to take action. I set myself a small task on commenting on 10 other blogs. Not just any comment … Take my time to read the post and right what i really thing.
Thanks Yaro
Thank you so much for this post. Right now is’nt the best of times for me. I feel like I have been working non-stop for 3-months strait, but yet, only moved an inch. This really helped me re-realise what exactly I’m doing this for. This is exactly what I needed to help me get re-focused on my goals. Thank you!!!
Yaro,
I have enjoyed and benefited from every article of yours that I’ve read, but this one is particularly uplifting and useful.
Thank you !!!!
♥
I think this has to be my favorite article on the site. It is somehow really motivational to know that everyone struggles with the same feelings of doubt etc at times. This is something that surely affects everyone at some point.
Yaro,
Once again, you knew exactly what I needed to hear, the moment I needed to hear it. Today was a bad one, lots of disappointment, and setbacks. And then I saw your name in my inbox and followed the link to your How To Master Your Inner Game Of Business And Life post. I was reading it somewhat listlessly, in my doldrums falling prey to the “enough of the mindset talk – I wanna make a little money for my efforts!”and then about halfway down saw the link to this post, which I hadn’t unearthed on your site before. Thank you for the perfectly timed cross reference!
Yaro,
I know this is not a new article but I was LED by spirit to read this TODAY! You will never know how positively this article impacted my life today.
Many, many thanks.
Carmin Wharton, Founder
e-BlackWomenNetwork.com
Entrepreneurship on Your Terms
Yaro,
Not much else to say, than thanks a lot for your inspirational and motivational words of wisdom. As you say, it is very easy in hindsight to know the right thing to do, or know what you should have done. But its a lot harder to know, when down and feeling worthless / hopeless, to keep trudging on. It is those that continue through the obstacles and rough times that end up shining at the top. Thanks again. I have bookmarked this article as a motivation for those rough days.
Yaro,
I understand there may be doubt on trying to have a successful business like a blog, but I look at my past as inspiration. I was able to get through basic training in the U.S. Army that lasted eight weeks and I figured if I can get through that then I can get through anything. They had a saying that went something like this: “Motivation and dedication is the key to graduation.” I just kept saying to myself that I can make it through basic training when the days were long and I felt like quitting. I had set out on a mission and I wanted to finish it.
There is something else that I’ve read about people that are very successful such as billionaires in the Entrepreneur magazine that I’m subscribe to. There was a trait that all of them possess and that is tenacity which is the condition or quality of being tenacious. These people are relentless and will continue working on something until it happens, never giving in or giving up. You just have to persist until your dreams come true.
I have read this article before, but I felt I had to say something after reading it again.
Take care.
Best regards,
Rick Resch
A very interesting post indeed. The situation that you have explained in here is something that I presume every entrepreneur goes through irrespective of whether it is online money making or, anything else. When I started off in the internet arena, I too was super-excited with the hype but as days went by I realized nothing is as easy as it sounds. But the key to success is persistence and consistency. You need to put that extra push in to what you are doing, whenever you feel like giving up. 2 years full of days when I felt like what you said and I kept pushing and today I earn a decent income (not a millionaire income though, but I am satisfied) from my internet businesses and I have been able to start this new blog to help others make money online. I have always enjoyed reading all of your posts and the information contained therein.
Keep motivating people like us.
Thanks for a well needed post. Sometimes you just have to “push through.” I’m taking action right now. Well, when I wake up in three hours, anyway. I have to take a break and get some sleep — I do have to wake up, LOL.
Thank you Yaro.
.A very encouraging article…I started online in 1999…i am still waiting for the pay back…i have tried to contact many guru’s like you and wonder why they dont use my system for testing ideas and offer it to ther subscribers, when it’s free.. but no one ever replies or dont use it …………..
..so you think perhaps it’s rubbish….but you know it’s good so you press on…
I am now getting 30 a day opting in so they can view the test ..but my problem is although the list is over 1,500 i dont know how to monetize it..which makes me more depressed when ..THE LIST is supposed to be the gold mine ?
But like you say keep on filing forward…then one day..it might click !
Thank you again for your encouragement..i read all your letters…
ian
Hi Yaro,
Great post – I can apply it to other projects of mine. I have been receiving your emails for some time and only recently started blogging myself
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anne-naylor/3-keys-to-personal-accoun_b_169736.html
I appreciate your qualities of empathy and enthusiasm.
Thank you!
Anne
I am a true believer in that the universe will provide for you what you are really desiring.
I normally don’t read blogs unless I am directed to them from a friend, but when this came to my email today I decided to see what it had to say.
Well it provided for me, the positive re-enforcement to keep me on track with my business. I have been writing lens on squidoo.com for my inner release for our life as a family, and what is happening in and around us.
Giving up is so easy to do, but staying focused and on track with my goal book is even easier. So reading this tonight made me more determined than ever to keep working towards my outcome, knowing that I will get there with my dedication and the knowledge that it has been done before me and will be done again after me.
Thanks for your dedication.
Lisa from ourpathtoprosperity.
Yaro,
Wow, this is so true for me as my business partner has lymphatic challenges and recently had a bout with a bacterial infection that sent him back into the medical fields of drugs, IV’s and more drugs of which poison an immune system already challenged with bacteries.
I blog daily on health matters and eating an organic food lifestyle and offer tips of health only to see someone that I care for go back to the drug industry for help because of losing his job 3 years ago and living on assistance so the raw foods are not within reach at all times. We both do the vegan lifestyle and so this is so frustrating to see this happen.
I am very discouraged at this point to see if it truly helps in what I am trying to do to help others avoid cancers and other health challenges by eating properly. So Thank so Much for this article, I really appreciate you.
“80 percent of success is just showing up” — Woody Allen
“Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never–in nothing, great or small, large or petty–never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”
Winston Churchill’s “Never give in” speech to Harrow School students (1941).
Persistence is the essence of success. A colleague said, “Just being on line for years gives some credibility.”
Writing when no one cares (notices) takes courage, fortitude, vision, and commitment.
Thanks for the reminder.
Hi Yaro,
You have given us one of the best tools in life. I read your previous post about how our emotions and how we feel are far more important than our thoughts. Today you helped us to go another step further to push ourselves to reach our goals and dreams. In fact, I have been applying these methods about positive feelings and they are the strongest weapon within us which many still do not know.
Thanks for the hard work.
Wilfred
You’ve inspired me once again. As a self-employed freelance designer for over ten years, I know the angst you speak of.
And knowing it’s a cycle of energy helps– sometimes I’m up, sometimes I’m down. All things move along this continuum in perfect time.
I have found results in action that may seem totally self-serving on the surface. Taking ten minutes for a brisk walk in nature or an hour for an unplanned trip to the gym is a great way to show yourself that giving to yourself is as important as giving of yourself.
And your improved mood yields benefits that spreads to others.
Thanks, Yaro!
I really love your blog!
Good point, Karen, about taking time to clear your head. I have a great quote that I always come back to when I’m feeling stuck or in a rut — “Never would Pascal contemnn such pleasures. Even he, the least therapeutic writer imaginable, admits that diversions can help to heal the beset soul.” -Edward T. Oakes, from “Pascal: The First Modern Christian.”
Hi Yaro:
Wow, your article really hit the nail in the head. I must admit there are times when I want to give up but writing helps me eliminate those feelings and move forward to the next task at hand.
I know that with faith, hard work and dedication my goals will be reached and allow the motivation I need to keep going.
Thank you for showcasing that even you feel that way too. After all, we are all human.
Great article! 😉
I instead got up every day less powerful (pratically is the opposite of you, Yaro) 🙂
But this article let me recover my lost forces and restart again, also I with my newborn blog.
Thanks, I really appreciated your contents.
Goodbye.
Alessandro
Hi Yaro!
This is a very inspiring post!
I believe that it is always good to be proactive over reactive.
First be good to yourself and do what you love.
I have made changes in my life and continue to make contact with the outside world as well as the cyber world (while I’m trying to get the exercise thing in) and find that the balance is working for me!
I believe so much in trying to keep contact and share experience with family.
Doing for others really take your mind off yourself and allows you
to grow as a person.
And even though I am growing, I am grateful for all of have learned
about internet marketing from others. I see this as time well spent so that when business really takes off, I’ll be in position of know what to do to duplicate success and teach others.
I love the 6 month and 1 year rule. (It all depend on where you are
in marketing knowledge/experience, time you invest, money you invest, and the type of program you want to market.)
If nothing is happening in 6 months, Stop and evaluate; do an assessment of what you want to do with your program and what you need to do. If you are a newbie, this period is your training ground.
If nothing is happening, after 1 year, clean the slate and start over!
Start with a new plan, a new program, and a new you!
Much Love and Success to Everyone!
Be glad you’re Alive!
Thelma
Yaro,
Thank you for the encouragement. I wonder now that the economy is in much worse shape than when you wrote the above blog post, has anything changed? For example, is even more perseverance for an even longer period needed, or are there more online opportunities for blogging?
Peter Rubel
Yaro
Thanks for the heads up on this post.
It is human nature to have self doubt and give up. That’s wht most people never succed financially or emotionally
This is compouded by the fact that we have all become so impatient and expect instant results from the internet.
The fun thing is that The Internet is totally predictable.
Do what others have done and you WILL get the same results!
Paul
Great advice Yaro and I might add timely. I am facing a lot of issues right now with my business and it is hard to have to fight so hard sometimes for your dream. I have been marketing online for about 16 months now and while that seems like an eternity to me, if I put it in perspective I guess it is not that long to have started a business and I know I expect too much too soon sometimes. What I keep hearing in my head is the true story of the gold miner who gave up digging just a foot from hitting the largest strike of gold in history at the time. Someone else got that reward. So I press on and this article has helped set my course back on track. Thanks.
This is a great article that will help beginners in any business as well as blogging. In the early part of any business, The situation may tell you hard facts you are not willing to take.
I have had to ask myself sometimes why results on my blogging does not justify my effort. Later I saw that people who are up there today have started five -ten years ahead of when I started, so If they started out early why then do I want an overnight success?
Let us keep doing what need to be done and keep the faith it will work.
You have put into words exactly how I can let myself feel. It was also inspiring to have you detail how you deal with these feelings. It reminds me of some famous writer, whose name eludes me who when interviewed about his prolific and well received novels said something like “I only work when I’m in the mood. Every morning at 9am, I make sure I’m in the mood”.
Thank you.
Yaro, we’ve been receiving your emails for a long time, along with other motivational emails for building online income opportunities. We haven’t even opened all of them. We’ve become frustrated with the whole process at times. Reading this article has given us a boost. Knowing it’s not just us really helps to renew the excitement we first felt going into it. Thanks for that! You bring your own experiences in such a personal way. We won’t be passing your emails by again.
Hi Yaro, the feelings of helplessness and uncertainty you describe thankgoodness are easier to deal with because of example-setters like yourself. Who inspired you when you were learning blogging? I’ve subsribed to 3 or 4 pro-bloggers for perspective, however you seem to communicate a true,sincere love for the art of blogging. It’s great, really nice, really helpful. Thankyou for that, it’s appreciated.
Sincerely,
Peter Horrill
Thanks for the boost. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one feeling so intimidated and unmotivated, lacking the confidence,energy and drive that I need to “hang-in there” and see myself through to success. Seeing that there are so many others just like me feeling exactly the same way is encouraging.
When I feel like quitting, wondering why I even started down this pathway at all, I try to think about all I have learned to this point and realize how far I have come instead of how far I still have to go!
The Queen Bee
Yaro,
Very thoughtful article and much appreciated. Yes we must not only plant the seeds of success but continue to water and nurture them no matter what. With our consistent efforts and the benefit of time we will see commensurate results.
Keep the inspiring thoughts coming.
Cheers, Gery
Yaro!
I so identify with this post. Although not exactly a wet behind the ears newbie (I consider myself as finally having graduated the equivalent of grade one in internet marketing), I decided at the start of the year to go back to basics and lay down a good foundation for my online success by starting a blog. Actually, to be absolutely on the button , I was reading Caroline Middlebrook’s blog (who I believe is a very successful student of yours), and I thought EUREKA! Follow Success. I decided to follow her path … well not exactly, but you know, blog on blogging and being up front and transparent with results.
I blog at least once weekly … my plan was 2 or 3 times, at times I do and at others I do not. I look at my statistics and wonder when will I ever see more traffic. I don’t have an enviable graph that grows each month. It has, after all, been 3 months and counting at this point. Then I look at what is good, and inspite of the low traffic I have found some encouraging stats, search engine percentage growing, good percentage of return visitors, and a “following” that consists of people I do not know WOOHOO!. and many other small wins.
What I found Yaro, was that by doing this, I have learned a lot. First, the very excercise of writing the blog has had me look up details to make sure they are right, so my “authority” on the subject is improving. Looking for saviours in my stats, I am beginning to appreciate the value of the information and it gives me something to work towards. I love that I know which of my posting pulled in the most interest (and I am even getting a comment left periodically).
I find that by continuing I am beginning to be more literate in the speak/thought/action of this business. I feel more comfortable when I speak with other internet marketers about our business … I mean, I really know at least what I am talking about, and am better able to grasp new ideas (to me they are new …lol…) and understand what others are talking about, especially the more experienced ones. Adsense is disheartening, but I did make my first affiliate sale. And…. I have people emailing me with a question here and there. So, traffic is still just a trickle, but as an internet marketer I feel I have grown …. and that keeps me going during the tough times.
Thank you Yaro, for all that you do for those of us who look at IM and Blogging as a future income that will provide us with the lifestyles we think of and deserve.
To Your Continued Success…………….valentina
Wow, that article was just the thing I needed to see today. The things you have said in here are things I say to myself and to others when inspiration is needed; it was quite validating to read them from someone else. A thousand thank you’s!
Yes, when nothing works, one tends to still further dilute one’s actions yet possibly thus more contribute to the spin of no success. It is indeed important for those moments of misdirected action or, worse inaction, not to take over in our daily toil. It is my believe that no matter what one must focus each day on something finite, some project, task, even if trivial, that can be completed in its entirety, as only that way one can always look back as having been making progress, and through perseverance and the compound effect of completed tasks, the ultimate outcome of success will be inevitable.
Hi Yaro!
Heads UP! This is a MUST-read not only for ‘newbies’ but seasoned and “up-and-coming IMers” (like myself) LOL. Everyone needs a BIG PUSH like this one. You’ve packed a winner punch here. Sometimes I also fall into this same mischief of giving up when it all seems “nothing is working out”.
I’d be applying the tips you posted here,
And ALWAYS,
Keep packing those PUNCHES!
THANKS again,
~ rommel ;p
Hey Yaro, how many of the above bloggers are still with it? You know, are they still in business or not???
Yaro, your message is very timely. I have been battling with this myself but your line “One of the characteristics I believe is at the heart of my success and the success of most entrepreneurs, is an ability to keep working in the face of failure and an ability to force yourself to be productive when you don’t feel like it.” is something I choose to remember always. It’s great to know that I am not the only one who feels like this and the motto “Press On!” is truer now than it ever was. Thanks again Yaro. Cheers, Niro
Hi Yaro: I am one of your readers and affiliates. You talk in terms of blogging, but these feelings raise their ugly heads whether you’re working on a traditional Web site, blogging, or marketing affiliate programs. And it’s hard to fight those feelings when your online endeavers take too long to reach levels that are considered successful. I think the true test of whether a person is cut out for this business, no matter how discouraged one gets, is if you continue working even when those inner voice are telling you you’ll never make it. I think those inner struggles are the first sign that you will eventually enjoy Internet success. If you stick to it. It’s a lot of work, and it’s easy to get discourage if you believe those guru’s who tell you that it’s simple, easy and takes no time at all to be successful online. Good luck to you Yaro’s. All the free content you share with your readers is priceless.
what a great article and it seems it is something that I needed to read. I do believe that I will achieve success in becoming a leading jewellery designer, but there are always elements of self doubt that slow the progress. Your Artilcle hit a chord with me and thank you and I am constantly reassuring my self to keep at it and there are always messages or songs I hear the reaffirm my believe to keep carrying on and not to give up too soon.
oh my god !
U r great yaro. your sharings are too good for us to encourage ourselves to be in blogging for achieving our goals.
Now, I am in the place where u struggled in ur early days of blogging. your article gives me a lot of confidence to achieve my goal.
I am surely be one of the Best Blogger in future !
once again thanks,
yaro……..
Thanks Yaro. I’m sitting here in my pyjamas before 7am on a Saturday morning. I have a baby, a teenager and a husband who all require my time as I continue on my journey to create a successful – that is profitable – business. (My family, I guess in a need to illustrate this point has just interrupted me. I have done a nappy change and sent them on their way…) In my “big picture” I am focused and know what I need to do to get where I want to be. But the every day realities constantly challenge my enthusiasm and, God knows, my stamina. It is very difficult to stay on focus and on track when finding, taking or “stealing” the time to do what it takes is an everyday challenge. As my “working” hours tend to get pigeon holed into before 7am or after 9pm when the family commitments are most likely less pressing than at other times in the day, just sitting down at the computer can be a major challenge. There are times when sitting down in front of the television with chocolate bar in hand are far more enticing than logging on and getting down to business. So thank you Yaro for reminding me that yes, the journey may be difficult, but if I continue to “take action” one little step at a time I am indeed getting closer to the destination.
Yaro –
This just goes to show that this message is really timeless. Self doubt can definitely take us off course. I appreciate your candor and transparency in showing us that we all at times struggle with our days and staying motivated.
Focus on output is now my new mantra.
Thanks for delivering this message exactly when I needed it – it’s the way of the universe!
It is most probably the most successful that have endured the most depressive of moments. We all have them. It is how we over come them and use them to our advantage that matters most. Always have hope. Always have Faith.
CouldB
Thanks for the post. Short and Sweet.
By the # of comments here, I can see that many people can relate to the difficulties of keeping up a blog or any business for that matter.
thanks!
Your Message
Hey Yaro, impeccable timing as always 🙂 I don’t know what cosmic wave you’re on, but it always seem to wash things my way in the exact moment in really need them. I’m having one of those flat days today, and it’s great to read something to help me through it and remind me i’m not alone with this struggle. Thanks, and cheers, xn
Hi Yaro, thanks for the great inspiration! I just finished reading this and your other post, “If You Want Success Today, Let Yesterday Go and Start Seeking Tomorrow”. I have to say, you really have a way of hitting the nail on the head. These are the first two posts I’ve read of yours and look forward to more. I’m right at the start up stage with a new website. I’ve had failures in the past that definitely make me feel anxious about the future, so it’s important to get motivation like this. Keep up the great work!
Dude..your post came at just the right time. I love music marketing and getting this blog off the ground has been frustrating and blessed at the same time.
Thanks for the candid insight.
This has been a great pick-me-up post at the right time for me!
thanks
This has to be one of my favourite articles on this site so far.. Found it through your internal links.. and it rocks!
Thank god you didn’t give up in those early days, and have still avoided it..
Hi Yaro…
Great Article, very inspiring to know that when you have good days and bad days, you struggle to keep productive, and lose lack of action than other days, I tool Ebens Wake up product course, and some amazing & kind of wired exercises that make you charge down that wall, and be productive as you possibly can
Thanks for inspiration Yaro
Danny
Thanks Yaro! While I have just started to blog and realize how much time it can take, your down to earth style and upbeat mannerisms are a breath of fresh air during these times. I will continue my journey as you are helping me in the nooks and crannies of my day – more like tiny holes usually! I know that this is something I will do when I get to “retirement” age. Keep it coming……
I think the best way to do is to stay away from blogging for a few days. When your passion is back, get back to writing.
Hi Yaro,
just a note: i’m not english. I often read blogs like Problogger and Copyblogger; it’s not the first time that i’ve noted that your english is much more difficult for me to read than the english written on that blog. In a good part of any article, i cant really understand what you are talking about.. Can you try to write in a simpler way?
Think on it, it may boost your readers 😉
Yaro,
This is a totally uplifting article and, even though it is over a year old, the advice you offer is timeless. Many people do not understand the power of the Law of Attraction and that keeping your attention on what “isn’t” will attract more of that. It really is so simple … focus on what “is” and the potential that you have to create more of that and more of that good stuff comes your way.
Being an entrepreneur is not an undertaking for people who like to feel comfortable with steady income. It takes “heart” and an unshakable belief in your ability to succeed. Lately, I’ve been writing articles about this on my own blog.
I’ve subscribed to your feed and newsletter. I hope to learn a great deal more from you. Thank goodness people like you are out there for those of us beginning to find success or who are just starting out.
Regards,
Marj Wyatt aka Virtually Marj
I really appreciate this statement “There is a point where you need to take stock of progress and make changes or even quit altogether. Unfortunately most people take the exit door all too early and this lack of action merely reinforces the already prevalent lack of results.”
Periodic review of progress along the pathway to a specified outcome will help to both realize the small gains, ones to celebrate, and find areas for improvement to further ensure reaching the goal. Never stop learning both by internal review but from others who are doing the same or similar things.
Very inspiring! Your articles are very, very informative. I do like reading your articles. I always learn something.
When I feel I am giving up I take a look to my affiliate network accounts and on the earnings. But this is not the only method to get back power to work more. It is the whole internet lifestyle. To see my son everytime I want to see him and play with him, to work where and when I want. This is a very good motivation to go on with my work!
Cheers,
Volksphone!
Thanks for sharing your story. Each and every one of us the ups and downs in life. When I read your post, It reminded me of my own struggle, when I started my business. There are too many self doubts and too much self questioning, but when you overcome these self doubts there is not stopping in your success.
Yeah, I must have the will power to reach the finish line! Thanks for your sharing. I’ll try my best to be more consistent, even though I’m just one of the beginners.
A testament to the power of the internet, my reading your words a year and a half later. They remain relevant. Thank you.
Yaro, You never cease to amaze me with your helpful posts, this post is exactly what I needed to keep going forward even if it’s baby steps. Thank you.
I think everything you touched on Yaro is something that everyone experiences regardless of the line of business they are in. It is easy to get discouraged when you know you have put so much passionate effort in without achieving the results you hoped for. Patience is key with so many people finding their place in the virtual world. It’s about building relationships and discovering opportunities that present themselves along the way. I agree about focusing on output; remembering that output comes in many forms. Sometimes I find my energy is more productively used sharing knowledge with others and assisting them with their own business needs. Even though their is a part of me that feels pressure to focus on my own projects, I think it is important to recognize when your efforts will make a greater impact helping someone else. It’s good Karma.
Thank You Yaro,
I often have those days of doubt but I try to stay focused because I know all my work is going to pay off one day. It encourages ones heart to know that you have been down this road also and can give this great testimony.
Your articles are always so inspirational.
Thank You again.
Your Message
I’m reminded of a saying I taped to my desk and inspired me for years: Successful people do….what other people don’t.
So simple, eh? Just keep on keeping on No Matter What.
Thanks for sharing and inspiring, Yaro!
Thank you Yaro for being truthful about your blogging experiences. At least I know that I am not alone being doubful about myself. I think to be successful in business in the beginning one has to practise patience, persistence, productivity & tolerance in order to reap the rewards.
Thank you once again for all your inspirational newsletters which I have read.
Thanks Yaro,
I have started to read your blog articles with interest and finding some quite useful. Recently I wrote an ebook that took many months of work to complete and now I am trying to promote it but finding it hard to keep the motivation going on a daily basis. It seems slow going when you are a one man business.
Sorry to read about your flooded house on twitter!
Ashley
Thanks Yaro for this insightful write-up. I have the dream to be a successful entrepreneur one day and though the road is so uncertain and full of disappointments, it’s faith that things will turn out for the better that makes me hang on. Now more than ever I realize that the greatest battle I have is not with other authority bloggers or competitors but with myself. It’s stories like you have that keep me motivated that things will turn out better in time.
Wow! This is amazing. These comments have been going for well over a year now. It’s been about six months since I commented here. Every so often my inbox carries a message that this post has another comment.Mostly I just read the comment as part of the email notification – today, I thought I’d just amble on over here.
I reread your original post … it rings so true. Year one is drawing to a close with my primary blog venture. Most recently I have made some strategic changes – not all strategically correct. A small tactical error. It has cost me. Frustration set in big time. Felt like throwing in the towel and the computer right behind it! Walked away from it all for a few days. Returned resolved to continue. Faced with a choice to return to the old & do some more changes, or work with the new situation, I opted for the latter. The base is there, the knowledge is better ingrained and perhaps soon, Google will give a nod of approval.
Here is what I find most interesting. Since making the decision to move forward, I have more energy, am far more focused, have increased my output at least threefold (and possibly fivefold) and can see in my mind’s eye, a significant upswing in the coming year two.
Perhaps the glitch was just a test. Would I cut and run or persevere?
Wishing you Yaro continued success in all your endeavours.
best……………valentina
Your Message
Hi Yaro
Thanks for an extremely well written post. Not that any of yours aren’t!!!
Certainly rings a lot of bells with me and I can relate it totally to the main area of my interest which is Meditation and spiritual development.
I have been a serious Meditation student now for 20 years and there have been so many times when everything seemed to be going backwards that self doubt and the strong desire to throw in the towel were pretty overwhelming.
Somehow I managed to keep doing my practice even though it seemed so utterly futile and at times appeared to just make my life even more difficult.
Wasn’t this whole process supposed to help me I kept asking myself.
Anyway to cut a long story short it is only recently after these 20 years that I am beginning to reap some serious benefits from my perserverance.
I hope my blog doesn’t take this long to get itself together but as is often the case the best things in life are worth perservering and waitng for.
May all your students succeed and thank you again for your honest description of the realities of success.
Linz
Great post Yaro, I experienced it in my business when my father passed away in the first year. Sometimes you just have to do things you don’t want to just to keep moving. There’s nothing worse then letting everything grind to a holt and then have to start again to build it back up and get the critical mass going again.
One of the things I used to do was put on the cheesiest music in the background, crank it up and get back to work. Works a treat. 🙂
Ben Angel
Hey Yaro,
This is a problem I face a LOT! But I have to say one thing that has always kept me motivated is your FREE MP3 downloads of interviews with top marketers and your students who are successful! Just listening to the MP3 podcasts really gets me back on track! Thanks and keep up the amazing blog!
Staying motivated and focus are two of my biggest challenges as a blogger. When several weeks pass without any noticeable progress, it’s hard not to think about new projects. Thanks for your encouragement.
Yaro,
I totally get what you wrote about in this article. Even though I haven’t gotten very far in your Blog Mastermind or Membership Mastermind courses yet, I still DO NOT GIVE UP! Here is a little saying that I made up that I tell myself and others from time to time: “When you get to the point where there are no more options left other than success, then you are ready to begin to succeed.”
Anyhow, I’m thankful you didn’t give up because I trust what you are doing and my life is already better because of what you teach. And that, to me at least, is success in the best sense of the word. You are making the world a better place and there is no money that can buy that sort of thing.
Thanks again for doing what you do,
Joy
Well, this is the first time I’ve read a great article on the importance of resisting self-doubt and negative emotions, then had it end it with ‘most people don’t have the willpower to finish the race’!
I know that you’re proud, and I’m sure justly proud, of what you’ve achieved, but it doesn’t seem logical to exhort your readers to be positive and then bum them out. I’d suggest an edit there because the rest of the article is fantastic.
This is a very on-point article which raises many apt and personally relevant attributes.
For me, the one thing that finally got me to exorcise all the excuses, whether it was my mood, not thinking my efforts were worth it, procrastination or what have you… was becoming FED UP.
I got fed up with not having enough money, time, and ability to enjoy both. I was sick of using methods that yielded me little to no results and just left me frustrated, even angry. I was bitter and disappointed in how long I had been “working”, and the only thing I had to show for it was mediocre results.
There came a point of critical mass when all that frustration, anger and disappointment simply surfaced into a laser-focused desire to achieve, no matter what. If I had to work 18 hours a day 7 days a week, I would do that. If I had to spend $1000 on advertising in order to earn $1100, so be it. I was totally fed up with my personal situation and I HAD TO CHANGE.
This absolute “MUST CHANGE” attitude will do it. But it’s not an “okay, I’ve changed, now let me go surf the internet for entertainment” kind of change.
No, this is a deep, deep sense of unquenchable desire. It simply MUST be done. There is no alternative. You can feel it quite explicitly in your body.
So, channel your energies into becoming fed up with your circumstances if you aren’t satisfied. Tony Robbins put it best when he said (paraphrased) “it’s at the point when you want to change drastic change that pain becomes your friend.”
Excellent article, Yaro.
Dear Yaro,
You are definitely an inspiration to any new or veteran blogger. I started my blog just a few months ago with your e-book in hand. The information in that book was written so well and with such conviction that I could feel the emotion that went into it.
As far as this article is concerned, you have identified feelings that I have gone through putting this new blog online, and burying a previous online endeavor that taught me a valuable lesson. This time I’m going to succeed, no matter how long it takes. Your words in this article reinforce this. Thank you so much for this article, for the hope it brings to new bloggers and for the reinforcement and encouragement it gives to veteran bloggers.
If you get an opportunity, please take a look at my blog at http://www.wellbeingwealthnbeyond.com and let me know what you think. It is very new, but I followed your lesson plan to the letter.
Sincerely,
Diane
Great thoughts on persistence. I think it was Winston Churchill who once said Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.
I will say I’ve been blogging for a couple of years now and have done your blogging mastermind course which helped me with it and am just doing your membershipmastermind. However I really havent made much of an income from the blogging. I sell an ebook, have adverts and the income has really just been a trickle. My traffic has increased alright but its still pretty small.
A good survey to do would be to see what percentage of bloggers (active bloggers) make an income from blogging?
Cheers
Sean
Thank you for the words of encouragement. Persistence and self discipline will get you far in every area of life. God bless you in 2010!!!
Great article and very poignant for me and what looks all the people who have commented here. I was actually in the process of writing about the necessity of having faith the outcome of whatever we do and focusing on the process when I saw this article.
eminifuturesblog
I’ve been blogging on a specialized site for two months now, almost three, and it’s been a struggle because you don’t know where it’s going to lead. But if you see at the small victories, increased visitors, more recognition from other members of the community and happiness from the people you deal with, it makes you move forward. Focus, discipline and consistency. For me, these are the three key things we need to be able to move on and succeed in this struggle and journey to personal success, financial independence and work fulfillment.
he side that requires patience, persistence, fortitude, and a determination not to quit no matter what. It’s nice to hear that even someone with a successful blog occasionally has periods where it requires sheer grit and determination to keep on goin’ on
Thank you for this blog. I just found it when searching in Google as I am finding it hard to keep motivated, especially when nothing seems to be happening and I am working all day trying to make things improve. I shall not give up as I know I have a good website and products. Thanks for the motivation, just what I needed!
A really great and moving article. Just my 2 cents: be an enterpreneur is like playing guitar. It makes no sense to play 12 hours a day for 3 months, and then find yourself completely drained.
On of the hardest part is to educate yourself to be patient and consistent; the results come from a good execution of everyday’s routine.
Bye from Italy
Alessio
Hi Yaro,
I want to thank you for this amazing post. This post really hit right on target with me. I now need to sit down and rethink why I chose to pursue a business online and how I can keep myself motivated through the good days and bad days. I have all the tools in front of me, yet I just don’t know how to use them. I know that I have to stay active, motivated and aggressive if I want to obtain the life I’ve always wanted. Thank you so much for this post, it really hit home.
Scarlet
we all go through this phase its all about hitting the wall and getting the power to overcome it.
I have hit it many times and you just have to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
kind regards
sam
X
Thanks. It is really hard when you have to learn so much and even when you get it right, the big guns move the goalposts seemingly at whim.
Never give up, never surrender (Galaxy Quest)
he side that requires patience, persistence, fortitude, and a determination not to quit no matter what. It’s nice to hear that even someone with a successful blog occasionally has periods where it requires sheer grit and determination to keep on goin’ on
So funny…just ready Gary Vee’s Crush It…he calls patience the Secret Sauce, but that success requires Hard Work and Consistency too!
Love this … great reminder… inspires me to remind my clients that effort, patience, and persistence will get them to their goals.
Also, it’s a good reminder for me – not even a year into blogging regularly…to keep my nose to the grindstone.
In the beginning we all need as much motivation as we can get. Because sometimes it seems that we are not making any progress.
You message is very encouraging. I appreciated it very much.
Thanks Yaro for your blog post. It’s comforting to know that you had feelings of doubt as well. This posting gives me hope to keep on going.
I’m definitely going to bookmark this article, and read it whenever I feel like giving up. As a new entrepreneur, I’m putting a lot of effort and hard work into my new project. It’s definitely not easy, but it’s something that I enjoy doing it. However, there are times when I wonder “Is this worth it?” “Am I doing the right thing?” Thanks for the motivating words and great advise.
Yaro. I so needed this post today. Thanks for reminding me that I just need to continue taking actions large or small on a daily basis towards my vision. I know working through these days will help me build a strong will to accomplish more down the road in the face of challenges.
Why don’t I take some action right now?
Because it’s time for bed 🙂
I am already very motivated, but you just lit a fire inside of me. I can not wait to wake up tomorrow morning!
Yes, I’ve been there and am in the process of feeling that way. I know I won’t give up, but I can’t say the negative thought crosses my mind. Instead I have made a vision board, and when I’m down I focus on what I want and affirm that I will get there!! 🙂 You have to believe in yourself and your ability to achieve your goal and you will get there.
Hey, you know what, I just finished reading “A Journey to Personal Power and Possibility” by Jonathan Creaghan and I thought exactly like what your article says.
I am still in the process of building up and changing myself for the better, even though I am nervous about the results, I think all I can do now is JUST DO IT. It makes a lot of sense when you try to read up on more successful stories and think positively in order to motivate yourself for a better life that you like.
One of my favourite band vocal said this once, “Become a you that you will like” and I am really inspired by that. I hope that everyone who is reading this now is already heading towards the goal of becoming yourself, a self that you love.
Everybody gets ho-hum days. Sometimes you just gotta step back and try something new, get outside your comfort zone. I don’t mean jump, jump to a new opportunity. I mean look at it from a different perspective and try a fresh approach.
Revisit something that didn’t work before and see if ti will work again now that you’ve experienced it the first time. It’s actually pretty refreshing.
I really like this post. I wake up feeling down sometimes, and you’re right, it’s something deeper than mere apathy. I try to realize what it is I’m focused on and change it to something more positive while being grateful for all the blessing in my life. This usually gets be out of the dumps and back on track.
Hi Yaro,
Thank you very much for a very encouraging and inspiring article.
Best,
Klaus
I love this post! There are several moments when you really capture the self-doubt that everyone feels. This isn’t a get-rich quick or famous quick game.
One thing I struggle with is that authority is a Catch-22. You need some success to gain authority, but you need some authority to get success. I noticed you said ‘fake it til ‘ya make it’. This has crossed my mind many times.
I feel that the answer is to be sure to have some tangible success first, like a beautiful garden, a fit body, or some eBay sales, so that your information products have some proof and weight behind them. Thats my strategy anyway. What do you think?
Thanks Yaro for this post.
It has come at a time where I am putting in the effort and keeping the faith.
And yes, I do celebrate every little win!
Thanks again for your generosity in giving everyone who aspires to blog about topics close to their hearts access to so much free content and access to your brain cells!
Cheers
LW
OK, that’s it! I am officially a Yaro groupie. You have the most amazing way with words, and your honesty in telling it from the heart is something that I have rarely encountered online. I want more of this honest wisdom.
Have you visited http://www.divinecosmos.com at all Yaro? David Wilcock’s way with words is also very special, and his message is positive, strong and seriously paradigm shifting. Go take a look if you get some time.
Self doubt is where I am at right now. I work and work and can’t seem to get further than I was the day before. But.. I haven’t given up yet. I am still trying.
Gwen.
Well said.Its very difficult to stay calm and be productive when everything is against you and you can’t be able to find any solution.Thanks for the advice and tips.Keep sharing.
I couldn’t have read this at a better time! I needed this right now and am glad that I found this post. I have a better understanding of where I am — and why. Now it’s onward and upward!
Great post Yaro, I can see why you have made it one of your favorites. I have been feeling this a bit lately as we all do from time to time. I guess it was perfect timing for me to read this.
Hi Yaro,
Thanks for sharing your story. It’s so easy to get dispirited, particularly when other people around you are successful. It’s really inspiring to know that you’ve been through all this and made it out the other side. Just what I needed to read on a Monday morning.
Thanks and best wishes
Leda
Encouraging!
Now I feel I can keep on writing for the lovely but few readers of my books blog for a while longer.
Thanks!
This is really great It helped me keep focused on my goals! I was having a hard time staying calm and not just giving up i read this at the perfect time. Thanks!
Thank you, Yaro – I needed that coming from you. It’s a long haul and you reflect my sentiments exactly. I’m not sure why I haven’t quit up to this point because, like you did in the past, it hasn’t been a whole lot of fun in the “black hole” of blogging – but I do keep on going. I don’t want to earn millions and millions of dollars – just have a great lifestyle and good money to back it up – one or tow million would just be fine!
Anyhow, I appreciate your blog today – it’s very comforting to know that successful people like you have gone through the same feelings.
Hi Yaro:
I agree, Many days I wake up and question what in the world I’m doing and why did I decide to become a full-time writer.
But then, I get into my work day, work comes, and I feel better.
It was rough at the beginning, and it still is. But every day I say to myself, “Steve, you’re one of MANY writers out there, but the way YOU write is unique. What you offer is unlike anyone else’s.”
You have to know that you can do what you set out to do. PMA = Positive Mental Attitude 🙂
Thanks for the wisdom.
Sincerely,
Steve
This was a great article and has motivated me too. I am suffering from the same situation but I will be continuing what I am doing.
Thank You!
hi yaro.. it’s really motivational… we need to learn many things from you.. you are a great motivational speaker too… sometimes i also come across the same situations.. but now…i will definitely remember you at such times..
thank you..
regards
This is so true.. I think that when you soldier on, even when things are not working out,
1. You outwork most people
2. You begin to build that long term habit of focusing on your business, no matter what’s going on around you. Its just like brushing your teeth, paying bills on time, etc.. its conscious at first but eventually its just routine
Hi Yaro,
Thought it is some time since you wrote this blog, I gained heaps of value from it. I must admit though that my key motivator is actually thinking of my current readers. I only have a few subscribers but I know that they enjoy my blog and need it, to some degree to feel better. I get many emails and comments from readers thanking me for writing and making their life better with my blog. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to do this for people, regardless of the money side.
Though I am a business person and a sales person by nature, I must admit it is nice to finally do something which can really help people and offer me an income in the process!
You are a true inspiration to me and your course and your blog are so much more to me than just the financial benefit.
Thank you
Melissa
Like me, i’m sometimes extremely lazy, but when I start something I’ll do it as good and as perfect as possible. of cource it helps when you actually blog about something you like and are interested in and don’t dream about the money so much.
Thank you so much for this posting, Yaro! My god, so beautiful! I believe that reading other successful blogs, you can either be inspired or dejected. Sometimes I feel insired especially when reading it, but when it comes to my blog, I feel dejected. I just started my blog but I am already like confused or something. anywayz, this is a great post! I will surely do this. Cheers!
Sometimes it can be really difficult to stay motivated. i find if I take a break and go for a walk or play a video game for an hour or so then I can come back and regroup. You can’t force it.
Thanks for sharing this post with me Yaro, I agree with it entirely, having been in the situation many times and battled on through to the other side. I do believe the way to success is just not to give up, if you read the stories of the successful people they rarely got there without more than their fair share of rejection and dejection. It is good to have people remind us we are only human! but also realize that every little piece of action takes us one step closer to our goal.
If you want to remain productive When you feel like giving up, then you should that that’s the best time for you to yourself what to do next. Do more research about your business by reading books on your business topic or contacting your mentor or coach for help, invest into it if necessary…
When I get down on my luck and wonder if it is all worth it, I always go back to my personal “why”… why I started blogging in the first place. It helps me get grounded
and usually clears my head enough to get me rolling again.
I always challenge the people I work with to have a strong “why” before they embark on the journey of trying to make money from their blogging. If this why is strong enough, it will be a strong enough “driving force” to get them through the particular funk that afflicts them on any given day.
Thank for all the great info on this site. It is very helpful to me.
Great motivational read. I think it was when I accepted the fact that success online – or anywhere for that matter – doesn’t form overnight is when I was finally able to take a ‘deep breath’ and really focus on the more tedious, time consuming tasks that I knew had to be done, but wanted nothing more to avoid because I was sure there was a quicker, easier way out. Now these same processes are such a natural part of my daily tasks and routines that I can’t imagine achieving any level of success without them!
Owen
I’m late to the party, but this post is right on. Inertia can work for us or against us. It’s so hard to get moving when you’ve been laying on the couch for hours. In this case, our inertia is keeping us still. The only way to peel ourselves off is, as you said, to focus on output; I would add this starting with some small bit of output makes it easier to get inertia back on our side.
Yaro,
Thanks for this post. I think one too often sees the end results of someone’s journey and doesn’t understand what it took to get there. Everyone has to go on this journey and some arrive sooner than others, but what you state here is the key, consistency whether you feel like it or not.
Looking forward to more of your content,
Karen
I believe computer viruses ought to rely as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only type of life we now have created so far is only destructive. We’ve created life in our own image. – Stephen Hawking
Your Message Thanks Yaro for sending the newsletter out with this repeat article. I am new to your site and feel as though this article was written for me personally. The article gave me inspiration to keep going!
wow this is just what I needed to read today.
guess I am just feeling a bit low about the passing year and not hitting the targets I wanted to in my life and looking forward to the next year hoping the same results will not take place.
thanks for the post 🙂
Love the article it reminds me about what we can all feel like on times.
I have it tough lately with many problems and distractions getting in the way of me writing as I felt down because of them.
However the upside for me, as a new blogger, it cheered me up no end, after making my effort to write, that some one loved my article and I actually had an increase in visitors to my site.
This was a big pat on the back for me so will spur me on in the future when troubles and doubts arise.
Thanks as always for your great posts.
Yaro, you are always right on target just when i need that inspiration.your write-ups keep addressing present issues i am going through.trust me,this is another master piece.i have been putting quality stuff on my blog for the last 5-6 months but my traffic has not improved, and it can be frustrating but with your very handy pieces of advise now,i am motivated more than ever with the belief that some day the effort would pay off.
It is quite nice to be able to leverage off the experience of some one who has been there.
cheers.
Only just got round to reading this article but so glad I did as I found it really inspiring! I’m still planning my blog but maybe the reason I haven’t got it up an running yet is because i’m fearful it will fail. Need to put that behind me and be positive!
Manny thanks 🙂
Excellent message Yaro. I can’t believe I almost deleted your email. Something told me to open it up and read it. Voila, there was this link to this great inspirational message!
Even though I write inspirational materials, there are times when my biggest battles are those that i fight with myself.
Thank you.
Carlos
Yaro,
The message is still as valid, and inspirational, as the day you wrote it.
I believe that things have a way of working out … as long as you keep doing the next right thing. Sometimes that ‘next right thing’ is pretty small in overall scheme of things, but it’s so important to keep the forward momentum going.
Very timely message too – I wasn’t having a ‘throw in the towel’ sort of day, but I’ve definitely hit a flat spot. I’m glad I saved your email – it’s just what I needed to get going again.
Thanks,
Michael
Thank you oh thank you for this gem of a post. My new blogging career has not exactly taken off as one would have hoped. I had to rejoin the workforce recently to pay the bills, and the last few days(in the off line world) have cemented my desire to make my new internet career a success, I am not at all enjoying my day job. I will keep plugging on, adding what I believe is quality content to my blog, and read your blog regularly for the fabulous information and inspiration it gives and I know success will one day be mine.
Cheers Yaro and thanks again
Joy
Yaro, thanks for this post. Sometimes we all suffer from lack of enthusiasm and it is definitely compounded by the fact that we don’t get instant results. I struggled with this in the first few months with my blog..
I was writing but no one was reading but eventually I reached the tipping point. My blog traffic is still very low but crossing the 100 subscriber mark certainly helped motivate me to persist..
Thank You for providing such great resources for the community..
Whao! I’m inspired with this your great post, to be honest with you, I’m fed up because of the so much effort I have put into my blog but I only get little or no return at all, I’m consider quitting the online business before. But now that I have read this your wonderful post, I’m now inspire to carry on. I now know why I fill frustrated on online business which of course my impatience being a new blogger. Thank you and God bless you if not for anything but for this motivating post that come to me at the right time.
Hello Yaro,
You raise some really good points about Blogging online, with passion and a willing to succeed no matter what life throws your way – that is the formula for success.
Blogging is not a quick rich scheme and it does take time to have a good number of followers. Once you have an idea of what you want to write about, know what keywords the viewers are looking for and know where to set up blogs then applying yourself each and every day – that is how anyone can succeed with blogs!
Since I have discovered my passions, and my desire to live a life full of possibilities that has made a huge difference to my blogging style, tips and outlook. Having the right mindset will lead to a life of blogging that is fun yet also makes money.
Thanks for sharing Yaro.
Cheers
Lisa
Thanks, Yaro. This article is really helpful and quite timely. It’s just the gentle nudge I needed to keep pressing on and focusing on output despite my self doubt, anxieties and lack of tangible results. Again, thank you.
AWESOME!!! I really needed that. This is truly inspiring and yet motivating. At the beginning I was almost in tears. Everything you said I have felt. I have been trying for five years to establish something online with no luck. I know now I must continue regardless of how I feel about my situation. I am definitely going to keep a copy of this. THANK YOU!!!
Very true, the day I discipline myself to write an article no matter how I feel, just because I have to, is the day I’ll be on the highway to success.
Absolutely on point! I remember a saying which goes something akin to “when a voice within tells me not to paint, I immediately start painting until the voice is silenced”, 🙂
So, it’s important to keep doing it even when we don’t feel like; that will make us eventually overcome that initial feeling.
Thanks for sharing this, Yaro!
I found physical activity being very helpful when I feel like giving up; good work out is always helpful to change the state of mind, if working out is not your thing you can swap it for other productive activity just don’t settle for something passive and mind rotting like watching TV and eating junk food.
Really appreciate this OLD post. Going through this post, I figured out that, Getting down and getting out is like Sitting and not Standing.
Getting Down is Common and has to occur to put you on the highway to work better in future. Since there is nothing written in Black and white to follow about oneself success, we have to get inspiration from others example .
Yaro I don’t words to describe your blog post ! Superb ! you spoke my mind and got myself and many others immensely motivated. Thank you.
Yaro I don’t have words to describe your blog post ! Superb ! you spoke my mind and got myself and many others immensely motivated. Thank you.
Thanks Yaro. Glad I’m not the only one who gets hung up and has trouble focusing from time to time.
You know what, Yaro?
You’re the best, man. Someone I want to hang out with sometime in the future.
Oftentimes, I wake and all I can say is “What the heck? Why am I still blogging when my mates are out there focusing on their studies?”, but there’s simply something unique about me and everyone who want to get anywhere – our dreams never die 🙂
I just had to cut this out from this post “…and while it’s obviously more fruitful to look at other people achieving what you desire as motivation, as a fallible human, jealousy, depression and anger may be your initial responses.” Alright! Oftentimes, I get depressed and angry at myself that I can’t measure open to your success or that of others but that’s when I start falling of course 🙁
Great post, Yaro! Keep it up, man.
Procrastination or Incubation?
Great article, Yaro!
Sure enough persistence is the key to success, be it as a manager or business owner. At the same time, the concept of “forcing myself to be productive when I don’t feel like it” does not always work for me. And I have observed that it does not work for a certain type of my clients either.
Particularly it does not work for me when creative work is involved. If I force myself and I simply don’t get into the flow, the result will be rubbish – and often a complete makeover is required. I have learned to accept that sometimes I may look unproductive on the surface, but down below my unconscious mind is highly active. All over sudden it will all come out in an outburst of energy and activity, and things just flow.
For me it helped to discover when I am my personal best, and not to beat myself up on an apparently unproductive day. Or as a friend of mine called it: it’s not procrastination, it’s incubation!
I think it is also about keeping yourself happy. Keeping yourself in a state of mind that allows you to fight against your own procrastination. Every tiny success in the present is worth celebrating. Sometimes we worry too much about failures ( in a bizarre future) that may never happen.
Thank you Yaro. I love how the Universe works. I am truly at the beginning of being a blogger. Actually, I haven’t even launched my blog yet as it is still a work in progress. I was feeling very frustrated and questioning myself today. When I went to check my e-mail to divert myself and re-group,
I found your e-mail re: this post. How timely and thank you again Yaro and the Universe. This has happened so many times since starting blogging and social media development. I have a question and/or I wonder what my next action should be and an article shows up with just what I needed at the time. This is another affirmation for me to keep on, keeping on and that I am on target.
Enjoy your day,
Sue
Hey Yaro!
You must be psychic lol … this couldn’t have come at a better time for me. Having recently started my own VA Company there are days when I wonder if all my hard work will ever pay off but then I know I can blow client’s minds with my service and have a very strong belief and vision for my business and THAT is what keeps me going.
As a single parent with two children and working every spare moment to establish my business I can empathise greatly with your post 🙂
Thankyou!
Tracy
Thank you. This is exactly what I needed! 🙂 Just a little effort every day can help me overcome this frustrating sense of a downward spiral of failure. I AM capable. I just need to prove it to myself. (:
Thanks so much, Yaro. The roller coaster of the entrepreneur journey certainly is a rocky road. I appreciate your encouragement because what you said is exactly the way I feel most of the time. But I’m patient. I know I’m going slowly, but steady. Thanks again!
Hi Yaro!
I love this post. In the past 2 years or so I have followed your site and listened to your words of wisdom, however none really hit home like this one did. I live in the Riverland (South Australia) and often get caught up thinking that I’m in the wrong place to be successful online. I’ve been writing on my site for over 12 months and still struggle to get traffic. Funnily enough, even as I write this I am procrastinating….
Thankyou for your brilliant website, keep up the good work. I’m off to actually achieve something on my site today!
I just need to prove it to myself too!
I do believe that many people feel like that everyday in their lives with respect to work, volunteering, schooling, community projects etc. It is really hard to push through that’s why I am not surprised when some people need to quell disappointments with bad yet distracting habits. It is also frustrating when all the odds are constantly against you no matter what you do – even if you try to make drastic changes in hopes for the better. Ah well.
Thank you so much! I needed to hear this. I was getting very discouraged and needed to know there is still hope!
This is a gem. Thank you Yaro.
yeah that what i need now patience and will power. I hope i’m doing right with my time online.
thanks and more power!
I have to say that remain productive when you don’t really like it is really a tough thing to do.
This is something that challenges your mental state and discipline.
Very good tips. Presevance is the most important part in blogging with the hope that someday, one day ;p
“Bear in mind I’m not promoting BLIND faith, merely consistent effort based on a solid belief in an outcome.”
Wow. This is my absolute favorite sentence from this article! I’d been whining about the fact that self-sustained persistence is difficult because I need “faith” that someday it’ll be profitable – but I need to cut that out, because I KNOW my niche is profitable (others have thriving businesses in it). Usually it’s best to tell the self-doubt to shut up, and just keep working.
Hi Yaro,
I got to this blog post after reading your new post about Theory of constraints. I liked that too, but thought this post was particularly good. I like the fact that you don’t sugar coat things and tell beginners it’s going to be easy if they just follow your method. You inject a bit of reality into things without killing the dream all together, after all you made it eventually! In a nutshell, I think you’re honest and somebody to be trusted in a space where the next best thing quickly becomes yesterdays news.
Good job!
Leigh.
Thank you. An hour ago, I gave up on yet another technique to kickstart my dream business. This one too has failed, the same as all the other methods. I was so thinking of giving up for good. I came to the computer to check my emails, and give myself breathing space -and, to be honest, to look for a different idea altogether. Lo and behold, there was your email; and now my negative attitude has shifted. I will try again, and bugger it, I’ll keep trying until it works because I love what I am doing. Thanks for your absolute honesty. It is welcome here at any time!
Yaro,you are definitely right; it is difficult to continue to push yourself when things become unbearable, and negative emotions are just too much to bear. Looking within and staying focused on outcomes is something I have done as well to achieve what I need. It is good to be reminded of this again. As usual, you are just fantastic; you tell it like it is. Thanks heaps.
Hi. And thank you.
I just got to know about your blog through the forum 5 Star Affiliate Programs (a thread about motivation). Your blog post was exactly what I needed, as I’ve been feeling a little low these last few days. Guess I’ll just have to soldier on for another couple of years in the hope that my website will eventually pay off. 🙂
It’s always good to read about successful people having their ‘off days’ – and also their initial struggle toward success. It helps me to realise that my feelings are legitimate – and probably a part of the road toward my goals. Seeing that other people have felt the exact same way makes me realise that this is a normal part of building a successful business – and so I continue on, taking baby steps, knowing that each one brings me closer to my goal. Thanks for sharing 😉
I don’t think I could have found this post at a more significant time. It is genuinely reassuring to hear these words and to realise that we’re not alone with these thoughts of throwing in the towel. Blogging is certainly hard work and the time and effort expended to receive little to no feedback/interaction is certainly disheartening. But the love of it keeps me going. Thanks/
Hello, Great Article
I have been running a blog now for almost a year and have yet to see much results. I know it is all about patience and sticking at it. But today I really felt like throwing the tow in. So I decided to google running a blog and ready to give up , I knew there I would get some positive direction. This is where I stumbled on your blog. The post has gave me that nudge I needed thank you.
If you feel like browsing my site here is the link. http://www.iamthelawofattraction.com Keep up the great work. INSPIRED, MOTIVATED, I will keep on going Thank you
Yaro, Thanks for sharing such useful insights. I think and agree with you on focus on outcome/result – this definitely motivates me time and again.
Remembering the reason why you are doing what you are doing and reminding your self the same time to time also keeps you motivated in difficult times.
Though the traffic to my site is low, all I care about is, if at least one other person is benefited from what I am doing, I believe, I succeeded in my effort. So if I have more than one visitor I am excited :-).
Sometimes, keeping the goals low can motivate you to keep going! 🙂
I recognize the conditions you illustrate Yaro, and while I have not been a ‘blogger’ in the same way that you are I have experienced enough success to let me know it is all worthwhile if you can steel your will and have faith in your vision. Sometimes it is true that the people you seek to help are just not around to appreciate they are being offered help – it is often a question of finding them and communicating effectively. Anyway mate, you certainly offer inspiration to those of us who can see what you are doing 🙂
Hey Yaro, great pillar article! And a very useful content inside:) I often feel like you are describing.. But it’s interesting, last time I felt like having a self-doubt, I wrote a post about how to overcome that 🙂 (http://aiflai.com/how-to-kick-off-the-self-doubt-feeling-when-you-are-starting-from-scratch/) was that your case as well?
Thank you Yaro, for an insightful article. If there’s one extremely valuable lesson I’ve learnt in my life, it’s that I must commit to taking the necessary action regardless of inconvenience. Regardless of what mood I’m in. Regardless of ANYTHING.
Being a bodybuilding fan, I’m reminded of how bodybuilders commit to their training and diet no matter what. They eat when it’s time to eat, they pack food anywhere they go, they train whether rain or shine. And doing all that, they TRUST it will all bear fruit a few months down the road.
No wonder they have physiques to die for.
Building your own business is definitely different from running a franchise-type of business such as financial planning, real estate sales or network marketing. We don’t have a template of actions that we should take, we don’t have people reassuring us that “If you do this, within X months you should get X results”, and so on.
It’s all up to us to educate ourselves, and without a business structure that franchise-type businesses have, sometimes we wonder if what we’re doing will ever bear fruit, how longer should we persevere, and the most dreaded question for every entrepreneur: Should we quit?
Personally, I find that having a mindset and attitude of looking for the blessing behind everything, instrumental to overcoming any obstacle. It certainly makes me have a spirit of finding out how to make things work, instead of resigning to the ‘fact’ why something won’t work.
Regards,
Mer
http://www.UnbreakableWill.com
Not often do I respond to post. However, I had to comment. This was my Monday motivation. As a writer I doubt myself often and feel restless in the journey towards building a solid foundation as a ghostwriter. Many times I feel I can’t go on. Many times I question if this is the right career for me. Entrepreneurship is not easy. It’s a journey and as you’ve mentioned keep going and take the necessary steps to realize the outcome.
Thanks
Hey loved the post ! Great article and congrats on Reaching the Top 50! I will be back to visit often
Hi Yaro,
I got to this blog post after reading your new post about Theory of constraints. I liked that too, but thought this post was particularly good. I like the fact that you don’t sugar coat things and tell beginners it’s going to be easy if they just follow your method. You inject a bit of reality into things without killing the dream all together, after all you made it eventually! In a nutshell, I think you’re honest and somebody to be trusted in a space where the next best thing quickly becomes yesterdays news.
Good job!
Leigh.
This was so good to read. As a blogger, I often felt that my work goes unnoticed and that I’m not well worthy of getting the traction that others are getting. Sometimes, that feeling still creeps in, but I know now how to deal with it. I’ve faked it long enough until I saw that by actually working consistently on a project, I can achieve the intended goal no matter what gets in my way. However, I don’t want others to get lost in the illusion of making it without actually having made it. There is nothing worse than believing your own lie and forgetting that it was such. Thanks for this amazing post, Yaro!
I’m glad to hear it resonated with you Stefan. Keep up the good work! Yaro
Yaro, thanks for this post. Sometimes we all suffer from lack of enthusiasm and it is definitely compounded by the fact that we don’t get instant results. I struggled with this in the first few months with my blog.
I was writing but no one was reading but eventually I reached the tipping point. My blog traffic is still very low but crossing the 100 subscriber mark certainly helped motivate me to persist.
Thank you so much for this post! I too am a blogger and just starting out- I never thought it would be so difficult to create a following and sometimes it resolves in a lack of enthusiasm because it feels like my blog traffic is not growing. So it is great to hear that others too have these difficulties and that it takes quite some time to get where you want to be.
Great Post! It’s hard to keep being motivated when it takes time to make progress. This was very encouraging for me to keep on writing blogs. Thank you!
Yaro, You never cease to amaze me with your helpful posts, this post is exactly what I needed to keep going forward even if it’s baby steps. Thank you.
I needed this so much. Hope I can stay positive and keep working hard. Thanks!
Yaro, thank you for this. It’s so easy to get into a rut and feel like there’s no way out.
Thank you for this amazing and inspirational reminder to stay focused!
Oh, this is such a good read. I’m reading this in a time where I feel especially motivated and “on point” yet somehow I am even further inspired.
Thank you!