Stay Hungry; it is the best thing you can do for your business.

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There is one reason we come to the online marketing world. We want change. We want to move our lives from where we are to a better place.

In the beginning, we don't necessarily understand that or how we are going to do that. Like being a preteen, looking at teenagers, I know they have fun and get to do cool stuff. It is a mystery, but I want it, I need to be like them.

Like life it's self, I want a better experience.

It is something that resides in all of us; it is a hunger that needs feeding; it is a deep-seated desire. Then life happens, and tomorrow is bin day your turn to put out the garbage on the way to doing that job that doesn't remotely inspire you.

To top it off, you are staring down the barrel of another 30, 40, 50 years of the same thing. Don't great me wrong; some folks love what they do, the majority I would tend to think do not.

It is the dislike that incubates the need for change, and it is something that grows inside, it gets stronger and stronger until we need to do something about it.

When your life is a busy gig, it is so hard to keep juggling all the balls, especially when you have the feeling that your hands are shrinking.

An already busy life can be one of the main reasons that many do not make that final step of going into business for themselves. The stats for startups do not make for good reading. We don't even want to go there. It is far too depressing.

For the folks that do it is a long haul, you work so much harder and longer than your contemporary's that work for that paycheque, and if you want holidays, benefits, and time off, you have to plan and schedule it.

No work, no pay.

The driving need for every business is to affect sales, and in that process, continually acquire new customers or retain existing ones. If we want to be successful, we need to become very skilled at doing both.

Business can be Scary

Going into business can be a scary prospect, one of the reasons that so few do so, and even fewer succeed. From observation, currently, the ability to create an online business is desirable; the bar to entry is quite low. It is an opportunity that can be pursued from the comfort of your own home; it doesn't require considerable capital expenditure. Like all businesses, it does require time, the time to acquire and implement knowledge and the time to create content and the time to manage and promote that content, and the time to work out the best and most effective way to do that.

One of the biggest show stoppers is that there is an expectation created in the many sales pitches that making money online is an easy road to creating that change and securing a comfortable and successful life.

The internet is awash with happy-clappy, and to a degree that can take you so far. The reality soon bites that the sales pitches do not paint an accurate picture. Many come with an expectation that has been inflated to the extent where it is not a workable proposition, given your current situation.

One of the hardest things for any aspiring online marketer is to bridge the gap between where they are and where they want to be.

It can be the biggest challenge.

It was for me, that challenge to continually motivate your self, in the face of the many obstacles that we face. When we first set out, we are filled with motivation and the desire for change, the thing that will fuel that motivation is results. The only problem is that the motivation can start to wain before we see tangible life-changing results.

Slowly people drift away; they miss a beat and then another and another until they become disconnected. It can be a slow process, but once started, it can be hard to reverse.

If we are trying to create an online presence, we need to be continually monitoring where we sit on the scale of things. The exit sign is always in the corner shining bright.

So revisiting, the biggest issue for any business is bridging the gap. It doesn't have to be as hard as you think. If we think about it, how much change do we have to initiate to make a difference?

Break Even

In business, there is a critical point that is commonly referred to as the break even point. Where income and costs are equal, you are not making a profit, but also you are not losing money.

This concept and formula can be applied both to business and life. By focusing on our costs, we then know how much money we need to generate to break even. If we use the concept of promoting Wealthy Affiliate, which is a business in a box because all the processes are set up, and we don't need to do any reinvention.

How many referrals do you need to break even, or if you have that niche site or online store, how many sales commissions, or revenue from freelancing do you need to break even?

Do you know?

If we go through the process of working it out, we may be presently surprised, the mountain may not be as steep as you think it is.

A business based on facts works way much better than a business based on dreams and desires. Once we have that understanding, we can set about creating the opportunities for that to happen.

It can be a tangible thing; it can be when the good stuff happens immersion is one thing focused immersion is a different beast and brings better results.

We write down our money goals, do we step back and create a plan on how we are going to achieve that, or do we just keep dreaming and living the routine of our previous life?

Once we establish how much we need to break even, we can set about making it happen; it is surprising how creative we can become. More so, it can give us definition, especially if we take the time to write down that plan.

Stepping out on a limb, blogging can be a particularly hard path to tread, one of those times when we need knowledge, resources, and support. Here in Wealthy Affiliate, we have that and more. The biggest challenge that we all face is getting the most from what is available.

We owe it to ourselves to give it the best we can.

Currently, I am watching people in drift mode; some have let go. When we arrive here, it can be euphoric; you mean that people actually care about little old me. Wow never experienced this wash of energy before; thinking back, it can be a bit unnerving, it is not the general flow of life.

Hungry for Change

We come here, hungry for change. We need it to create a better way of life, somewhere on the way through we can lose that momentum.

It can be hard to be; up's all the time there will always be the unexpected that will challenge us. From my time online, I know that when there is a definition, it makes the journey so much easier to keep on track.

To be honest, I make so many mistakes; I am sure it is more than the national average. One thing that I do have in my favor is that I know where I am going. That goal is to break even every day. The thing about that is that it keeps you hungry, driven, and focused on a bite-sized goal.

Don't worry about scaling your activities that kind of happens by default. The job is to keep that hunger spark burning, even when things start to happen, always strive to be the best.

The internet is all about solving problems; business is about providing solutions; there is a switch in there when we flick it, opportunities will present themselves.

Thank you for reading, and I am inquisitive; do you know what your break even is, both money and time-wise?

Alex Evans.

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Recent Comments

27

"When you are hungry for a life of quality you will keep growing. Stop and you will find yourself sitting around just waiting to die." Tom Short.

“Thinking of yourself as a success expands your ability's in life.” Tom Short.

“When you are dreaming you are taking everything for granted. A positive wake-up puts your dream into creation.” Tom Short.

Tom.

Hi, Tom, they are some real pearls of wisdom.

Thank you very much for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience.

Much appreciated.

Alex

You have said so much here Alex. A startup business is a big investment and a long term commitment.

We are so fortunate to have found WA. It too is a long term commitment without the high overhead. And we have such a great source for training and support.
What a terrific post. And no I dont know my breakeven point.
Wanda

Hi Wanda, thank you for chiming in, there is a huge gap between the startup bricks and mortar business and the startup of an online business. So being here in WA represents really good value for money both in knowledge and resources.

Classic unless we think about it, that break-even can be a fleeting statistic, even from a time point of view, the time spent doing and engaging in online marketing has a break-even point. If we overspend we find that we have to compensate somewhere else, to keep things on an even keel.

It is something to be mindful of.

Best wishes.

Alex

I really don't know, but I have perhaps met it, as my expenses for this business are very low...my $299 per year is about it. I have more time than most, as I'm retired, and can do pretty much what I want.

Staying hungry implies you are still looking for "feed" for that appetite. I call it a "sense of urgency." If we can keep that going, it will keep us motivated.

Sometimes sheer stubbornness can be helpful, as I simply refuse to quit. Sometimes have trouble figuring something out, but though I whine and complain, I keep going until a solution presents itself.

Hi Fran, thank you for sharing your words of wisdom, they would be impressive on your CV.

That is a cool way to express things if we can keep and foster that sense of urgency then we are continually looking to improve and extend our selves creatively.

That never-quit attitude can be the thing that makes a huge difference for us as we truck along.

Alex

A great post, Alex. That title really caught my attention. 'Stay Hungry'. Wow, this was one post I just had to read!

You have included so many valid points. In particular, 'business based on facts' rather than 'based on dreams and desires'.

Desires are good and can be built on. Dreams may work for some but not recommended. Business can definitely be built on facts.

To answer your question - well, in fact, I can't answer it exactly at present, but I would say that the past 12 months would not be a break-even due to having invested in too many paid tools. However, I'm sure the future will be brighter.

Best wishes,

Valerie




Hi Valerie, thank you for your response. The end of the year can be that time of reflection, and if I am honest I have painted myself into the odd corner.

It can be what we do to change what is occurring that can make a difference.

Sometimes the facts can be staring us in the face, actually seeing things for what they are can be the hardest thing to do. looking at the facts can help us to build on and create a solid foundation.

It can be like that at times, thee are so many tempting offers out there. I have decided to put the hand brake on when it comes to spending on resources. The key for me is now to get the most of what I have available. It seems to be starting to pay dividends.

Heres to a more successful 2020.

Alex

I think putting that handbrake on is a wise decision, Alex. I certainly will apply that throughout 2020.

Valerie

Thank you Alex, this is a very helpful post. I do know what my break even points are although they sit to one side and I never dwell on them. Taking consistent action with my business will balance things out and the balance will become a positive. I believe this because it is my intention to achieve. There are of course a few steps back but that's true in most of what we do. Success is a destination with many places en-route.
Steve

Hi Steve valid points, thank you. I like that saying in order to move forward at times we have to take more than a few steps backward.

I like the concept that all we do or attempt to do has to be accompanied by intent. I guess that can be the defining point in much that we endeavor to do.

Being aware of our current position can help with our focus.

Alex

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