This article was actually the end of another article but I decided to make it stand on its own because it started to grow and I didn’t think it did it justice as a conclusion to another piece.
So, what exactly does it take to be a “work at home” [tag]entrepreneur[/tag]?
I’ve seriously had to check myself and maintain a certain way about me to keep it up.
First, it takes a great deal of very, very, very hard work! You can’t give up after a few weeks. When I first began to build an online income, I used to spend hours on end, in most cases working till 4 in the morning, just trying to make a buck or two! I would work my butt off to get a sale. If it meant me sitting on Messenger for 2 hours with a potential customer to close a sale, I did so. Now however, I have some rules that I implement. You should try them too.
What if you still have a job and are trying to reach this point? That’s fine! We all need to work. Even if you give yourself a modest goal to try and get a few things done each night after work, I suggest you do so.
Don’t go nuts and stay up until 4 a.m. Not if you have a husband/wife or kids. It’s not worth it yet. Use a little rule I learned early on which I call “Fleming’s 8.” Just take a little sticky note, or use a word processor, and write 8 things you want to do when you get home from work.
Here is an example “Fleming’s 8”,
E-Mail Mark about Creating a New Site
Post a Rent-A-Coder Project for Article Writing
Clean up Text on “How it Works Page”
Check PayPal for Failed Payments and E-Mail Customers
E-Mail Mel about Affiliate Payments
Check Forum and Moderate Forum
Write a Blog Post
Send an E-Mail Broadcast
Sounds simple right? When you get home from work, do those 8 things. Do them. Finish them. And then throw away the page. Then, immediately after you’re done, write 8 things you want to do tomorrow. Some items may be on your list daily. That’s fine. Just make sure you aren’t carrying over unfinished items, unless you just can’t get them done today.
This is really a matter of training yourself to be an [tag]entrepreneur[/tag]. You’re creating a work schedule and you’re also setting your own deadlines. Get them done and meet those deadlines.
Here are a few other regimens I implement daily.
1) I get up at 6:00 AM every day.
2) I dress for work. Just because I work at home, doesn’t give me the right to wear jogging pants and sweatshirts. Dress professionally and you’ll feel like a professional. Sure you may feel odd getting into a dress shirt and dress pants at home, but it’s what will set you apart. If you have a job that’s messy, put on a nice shirt and feel good about yourself before you get to “your list of 8”
3) Finish my 8 things, and create a new list.
4) I outsource what I can’t do myself (I’ll write more on this later, because you don’t need, or want, to spend a fortune on outsourcing. Always bid low when outsourcing. They will tell you if you’re off the mark to think you’ll get your job done for that. But if you bid too high, they will take your money and do your job quickly)
5) Try and make things a routine. For example, I try and get my 8 things done between 9-5. If you work, it will be a bit tougher but try to do them between 6-8 or 7-9. Then you quit and live your life. I was somewhat of a workaholic for a long time, but I now try to take weekends off and finish my own work at 5. I may have to hop online in the evening, but I try and keep regular hours. I suggest you do likewise.
6) Set your goal and know that you will reach it. No matter what happens. I suggest starting with small goals like I did. I wanted a constant $1.00 a day, then $2.00, then $5.00, then $25, then $100…..Set it. Feel it. Do it. That’s it.
7) It takes money to make money, but don’t go nuts. I’ve had members of my membership sites spend $19.95 a month, make 6 websites, start making a little money and then give up. They lose their hosting, close their sites and give up! This is crazy to me! They actually lost much more than $19.95. Wasted domain registrations. Wasted time. Wasted effort! They lost a lot more than $19.95.
Do something, and stick with it. I joined programs 3 years back for $30 a month, $40 a month, and I’m still paying those fees. Some of them are income generating programs or forums I belong too. I may only get there once or twice a month but they are worth every penny. Don’t quit! Especially after you’ve put your [tag]money[/tag] into these programs. This is the worst decision!!
I hope this article was useful to some of you.
[tags] success, money, entrepreneur, motivation [/tags]
