5 Key Lessons From My 1st Year at Wealthy Affiliate
This year ends in 14 days - 2 weeks. I am focused on closing the year, winding up Client projects, opening new ones and scheduling my action steps for 2021.
There are 5 key lessons from my 1st year at Wealthy Affiliate (WA) that stand out for me. Perhaps they will help you along your own WA journey and move you towards greater success next year.
1. Remember Your "Why"
Define why you are here at WA, building an online business from day 1.
This is critical as it will be your compass for those days when you feel like giving up or are struggling. You will have those days and being able to re-group and remind yourself why you are here will get you through.
Remember this is YOUR why. It is not anyone else's achievements or success or goals.
This is YOURS!
Once it is authentic and powerful enough, it will get you through those tough times.
2. You Must Be Resilient
There will be challenging and tough times. No apologies for saying that. It is what it is.
Too many people are caught up in the bling and glamour of what is flippantly promoted as an online lifestyle. By the time you get to WA you may have all these false expectations that you will make millions in no time.
It does not work that way at all.
You are building a business. A real business, just like an offline one but on the internet.
- You will make mistakes.
- You may have to start over.
- You 1st idea may not work.
- You may not figure it out many times.
- You will struggle.
This is a business.
3. You Have Support
You have real support here at WA. No false promises or disappearing acts around here.
You are fortunate to have a 24/7 community of support that is always willing to help you get through whatever you are struggling with.
I can almost guarantee you that if you have a problem and put it into our community, someone, somewhere will reach out and provide you with a solution or where to go for one.
We are wired that way. It's in our DNA. We Pay-It-Forward.
I know that receiving help may be a new phenomenon for you but it is a way of life here.
Get used to it.
4. Build for the Long Term
Every day I see people flooding into WA all bright-eyed and excited. Many of you are attracted to the bling and false-promise hype out there.
You are looking for a short turnaround dollar. It will not happen here.
Building a solid, online business must be approached with the same mindset as building an offline one. You must think long term and approach your business seriously.
Even if this is a side-kick, approach it seriously. Learn, train hard, invest in your business and you.
Trust the process and you will welcome the success that befalls you.
5. Pace Yourself
I saved the best for last.
If you are aligned with numbers 1 to 4, then this may well be the most critical aspect of achieving success at WA.
Please, please pace yourself. In my 1st year here I have seen many people pass through, pushing themselves furiously at the start and then burning out in a short time.
This could be because of the false expectations or because they have set their aspirations based on what they see others achieving here.
Do not be in competition with anyone else but yourself.
Know your capabilities and time available without having to compromise your well-being, family and lifestyle.
Working within our WA environment can be addictive and consuming. Know how to manage that and when to go and come.
Do not let it control you.
Cassi
Now in its 16th year, Wealthy Affiliate is a global 24/7 online community of over 2 million that supports Online Entrepreneurs, Content & Affiliate Marketers, Publishers, Bloggers, eCommerce and anyone who is serious about learning how to succeed within this vast and often intimidating space.
There is no other environment that facilitates the depth and breadth of learning as we do.
See for yourself.
Recent Comments
122
As a new-ish member here, thank you for the clarity you give in this post. Everything is honest and useful that you say. This will be my guide to working through the layers of material and knowledge to be learned.
I hope, one day, to be able to say, "Hey Cassie! Look at me!"
Cassi, I am in my 9 months with WA and can tick off on every point you have written about and admit that I am guilty of every one of them to a more or lesser degree.
The important thing is to recognize when you are taking "a wrong turn" or are being "inadvertently" diverted, and take the necessary steps to get back on track again.
Roy
Roy, it is that awareness and honesty that will get you closer to your goals and success.
Many travel in denial, lack awareness or choose to stay in ignorance and then wonder why they are not experiencing success.
You are progressing with a solid foundation and I continue to admire that.
Thank you for sharing.
Cassi
As always, a perfectly crafted message of hope and inspiration.
One point that hit me is where you say, "you may have to start over." I wasn't okay with that a few weeks ago as I didn't want my hard work to be in vain. We only have so many hours in a day, and we want each one to count. So, I naturally want NOT to make any mistakes.
However, I now realize that if I make a mistake and have to start over, which is all but certain to happen, there should be a lesson(s) learned from it. And each new lesson leads to proficiency, which is essentially the goal of becoming an expert in your chosen field.
Congratulations on your inaugural year with WA. I can only imagine what next year will be like for me. I know that if I continue to model the success of you and others here in WA, I will be very proud of what I have accomplished this same time next year.
Happy holidays to you and yours, and may you have the most blessed New Year!
Regards,
Introverted Barry
Barry, this is such an all-encompassing summary:
"However, I now realize that if I make a mistake and have to start over, which is all but certain to happen, there should be a lesson(s) learned from it. And each new lesson leads to proficiency, which is essentially the goal of becoming an expert in your chosen field."
These are the footstones that pave the way for becoming an expert in your chosen field (Niche).
You will do great here at WA and in your chosen field.
All the signs are there.
Keep learning, implementing and moving steadily forward.
Thank you for your kind sentiments.
I wish you and your family and loved ones happy holidays also.
Cassi
Thank you Cassi for the tips. Pace yourself is one thing I had to learn in those first three months. I ran through many of the lessons, granted some things were easy to understand and embrace because being in the IT/Computer science field made some of it easier.
I can honestly say that I had to recognize the fact that this is a long-term business and that I needed to pace myself. I now start by just writing first thing in the day. My goal 1000 words.
After that, I make way for everything else in my life. My goal is to commit to writing this way daily for two years. I'm up at four bt I start writing at 5:50 with the aim of finishing by 7:30/8.
I'll make adjustments along the way as the need arise but I try hard to do my best work at that time. I don't publish every day either. I just get back to the articles the next day and the next.
I read daily on this field but not to take notes, just to grow mentally. Again I don't try to read a lot just enough to kick off my day and learn something new.
That's is my commitment to the long term, building my knowledge.
I believe the resilience for this is hardwired for me. Let's just say getting into affiliate marketing has been like finding my niche for life. Time will tell.
Yes, the support is the best here and I value it highly.
The why is easy and never forgotten.
Great post.
Candy Benn
Candy, this is a timely share for persons who are also trying to set a regular schedule for themselves at WA.
It is so easy to get carried away and caught in a current that takes you away from your own goals.
I like how you have structured your day.
Mine is similar, waking early to get those best hours for my highest priorities.
Everything else falls into place, once I achieve that.
Thank you for sharing.
Cassi
So true about the mornings. You just brought up a good reason to stop burning the midnight oil--there can never be enough hours in any day but there can always be a new start every day.
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Thank you Cassi
It is a timely reminder for me.
I have thought, how can I be successful & have a business.
Seeding self doubt is not an approach I will do.
I remind myself - Rome was not built in a day.
The wonderful support & guidance provided by the WA Family
is the diamond, if one takes action.
Denis
Denis, we are TRULY blessed to have our WA community to support and guide us.
What I have achieved in 1 year is absolutely remarkable and can be achieved by anyone.
Follow the training.
Invest the time.
Success will follow.
Cassi