How to Make This Year Your Best Year Ever
Every year I've been in business for myself online has
been better than the previous one. Recently, I decided
to create an "Apprentice" program (Yes, even before
Trump) and I was extremely pleased that we had nearly
100% of my Apprentices get an online venture up and
running.
I've gone back and thought about their projects and how
they developed and I came to a striking conclusion that
will be worth a lot of money to you this year if you
heed it. There was one key aspect that got them off
their butts and making money and it came down to one
thing...
...A Deadline!
As
simple as that sounds, once a firm deadline was
established that's when the rubber met the road and all
obstacles melted away like snow flakes in a frying pan.
I'll give you a perfect example for one Apprentice we
were going back and forth a bit tidying up some
finishing touches on the project and trying to get it
out the door. Many times people can try to make
everything too perfect and it never gets out making
money so we said we are launching this project at the
LIVE Apprentice Summit. That was it and that was final.
The
date of the Summit was getting closer and closer and I
could see this Apprentice start to sweat a bit. But I
made him make the commitment to this deadline publicly
during our group call and he couldn't back out now.
Fast forward to the day of his launch he had multiple
obstacles that would normally have put the project on
hold get swept away but not now. With the firm deadline
in place and the opportunity for him to be embarrassed
our fine Apprentice finished his project. We hit the
'send' button and he made a tidy sum from a tiny list
over the weekend. And this was just the start because
his project has made well into the five figures already.
And why did it get finished?
The
deadline once again.
What's your deadline for your first project or your next
project?
Is
it something that's in your head? Not a good idea. It's
pretty easy to keep moving that forward or letting other
things take precedence.
Who
knows about your deadline and who's going to hold you to
it? In some cases it's not a good idea to share your
deadline or goal with another person, especially if
they're the kind of negative energy vampire a lot of
well-meaning friends and family are. But if you've got a
group of colleagues all with the same thinking use them.
This works especially well if you don't want to look
like an "idiot" in front of them and they are people you
really respect.
I'll tell you what works for me and maybe it'll work for
you too.
For
me, I work best when I absolutely "have to" perform.
For
instance my first product on Internet marketing might
never have been made (or at least it would have taken
much longer) if I didn't sell it before it was done. In
2000 when I first started marketing online a lot of
people wanted to know exactly what I did and how I
started making money so fast.
Well, I got my first opportunity to share my story in
Atlanta at an Internet seminar. I was extremely nervous
and my heart was beating out of my chest to go talk in
front of 100 strangers. I gave my presentation and then
I sold this product (yet to be created).
I
told people it would be delivered in a few weeks so they
knew it was a prepublication offer. I walked away with
10 orders at $200 bucks. All well and good except I
couldn't charge anyone until the manual was done. Even
though it was only $2,000 (less what I had to pay the
promoter)
I
knew that at least people wanted this information and I
could keep selling it once I finished it. I probably had
a week or two of 3 o'clock in the morning work sessions
but I completed it and charged the cards. I was under
pressure to get the manual done because these people
paid me (though I didn't charge them) and I owed them
the material.
Since then I've updated my course material and it's been
worth well into the six figures just because "I had to
do it".
How
can you set something like this up for yourself? If you
can stand the pressure - you can decide to put on a
tele- seminar. This is one of my favorite ways of
creating product by a deadline. You can do either a
one-time tele- seminar or series of tele-seminars and
you get paid to produce the product. How great is that?
It doesn't matter if you have 1 person or 1000 people on
the call because this is forcing you to create product
and perform.
Once you've set your deadline for anything you'll
"magically" see certain resources fall into place. Trust
me, it's a bit eerie but when it occurs every time you
set a firm deadline you know there's something to it.
Just the act of making the decision sets these events
into motion for you. It's also because what you focus on
becomes your reality. Your perception has changed. Your
internal "radar" is now attuned to resources, allies,
etc that can help you get your project completed.
Now
I leave you with one more secret...Set "mini deadlines".
When you're looking at the whole task of setting up an
Internet business (or anything really) it's easy to get
overwhelmed. But if you break everything up into small
tasks with their own deadlines you'll be at your
destination before you know it. I promise it'll work for
you. In fact, that's one of the reasons I really like
Franklin planner systems (now Franklin Covey). I've been
using them since 1998 and that's when I first started
making some significant changes in my life.
Actually the founder of Franklin, Hyrum Smith has a
great book called "The 10 Essential Laws of Time and
Life Management" - this should be required reading for
you!
Even though I hate ad slogans (since they don't work)
this one should become your mantra for the year - "Just
Do It".
As
cliché and overused as it is - that's all it comes down
to. Whether you're willing to roll the dice and put
yourself out there a little. I promise whatever the
worst case scenario you're thinking, it is far from the
reality.
And
if you need someone to send your deadline list to – go
ahead and email it to me. I'll keep it confidential and
we'll celebrate together when you reach your
destination.
(c) Surefire Marketing, Inc.
Yanik Silver is recognized as the leading expert on
creating automatic, moneymaking websites...and he still
doesn't know how to put up a website.
He is the author, co-author or creator of several best-
selling online marketing books and tools, including his
newest resource for making this year your best yet - http://www.33DaysToOnlineProfits.com
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