Paradigm Shift #1 - 80% of Success is the Inner Game

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Updated 8 months ago

This article is part of the Paradigm Shifts series where I discuss the principles that should guide the creation of your online business.

Introduction

When I first began my online career (circa 2017), I went through the usual experiences of new digital entrepreneurs. First came the unrealistic income goals, then tech and information overload, followed by the shiny object phase where I was seeking the magic bullet to online success.

This lasted at least three years...

A turning point came when I began to focus on my expertise (and not chasing the hottest niche). This was also the phase where I felt like I had a handle on the digital marketing space. Thus, during this phase, I was able to create ebooks and video courses, plus a complete website and funnel to market these products to the right audience.

I wrote about 200 articles for my website, and at one point had 18,000 visitors per month. This took about 6 months by the way, using good SEO strategies. Several of my articles were #1 on Google Search.

Finally, I am at a stage where I have started developing my own "system" for helping the modern digital entrepreneur build out their online business.

80% of Success Is the Inner Game

Looking back over that entire journey, there was always ONE ASPECT that stood out.

80% of Success is the Inner Game.

Some folks call it mindset, others controlling your emotions. Luckily, I was fortunate enough to land in a training program where mindset was front and center. I could anticipate what was coming down the pike, from an emotional standpoint.

This allowed me to weather through.

But almost every new digital entrepreneur skips this concept completely. One reason is because the Internet is skewed toward the sensational promises of easy money. This puts you in hacks and tactic mode as you chase the next thing to online success.

By the way. There is no magic bullet to success. There's just your passion, hard work, patience, and most of all NEVER GIVING UP.

But continuing...

The inner game has to do with how you respond to difficulties, failed campaigns, failed expectations, the impostor syndrome, criticism, mockery (from friends and family who think you've joined a pyramid scheme), overwhelm, discouragement, fear, insecurity, and every other roller coaster emotion you feel as you navigate this exciting digital world.

The inner game also plays a part in how you compare yourself to others.

It's easy to see Sally killing it with her first digital product and think that you won't ever get there. Never mind that Sally has had to trek through long digital deserts to get where she is.

All you see is the success, and it brings you down.

You Must Accept Responsibility

And this is where most people sink.

They lack the conviction of their ideas, the passion, the inner drive or the patience to keep going against what seems like impossible odds, or a lack of progress or success.

This is also the stage where folks in digital communities start to complain and blame others for their own lack of progress. This could be criticizing the software, the process, the creator of the process or even the government or the economy.

In other words, they fail to take responsibility for their work.

Here's a principle I live by: EVERYTHING IS MY RESPONSIBILITY.

If something happens that is out of my control, I take responsibility for how I react. For everything else, I'm the boss. The buck stops with me. I am the one who is most responsible for my success, not the economy, who is President, or the software or the system that I am using.

Practical Ideas for Playing the Inner Game

So what are some practical steps you can take to master this inner game?

1. Expect failed campaigns and disappointment

As I mentioned, for me, knowing what I could expect was half the battle. No online business succeeds overnight even it if looks like that. What precedes true success is trial and error, mistakes, failures, and emotional downswings.

Now you know.

2. There is no true failure, only experience and data

This is not some rah-rah Edison took 1,000 tries before the light bulb speech. In the digital marketing world, you can pivot with experience and data from one campaign to the next.

In other words, it won't take you 1,000 tries.

All that is required is that you learn from what worked and did not work. In addition, learn to read what the data is telling you. For content marketing, this is where Google Analytics is helpful with time on page, and bounce rates.

3. Your idea, passion or desire must be deep (almost obsessive)

This will be expanded into its own paradigm article. For now just know that if you don't have an intense hunger or passion to build a business, you won't make it. You will fold at the first sign of stress and trouble.

This is why searching around for the hottest niches is not the best idea in my mind. You are going to be writing about this topic for a while, so make it something that you can't stop thinking or talking about.

4. Follow a system

Within the WA world, content marketing is central as is the training.

Just follow it. Step by step.

This keeps you focused. It also eliminates three of your worsts enemies: informational overload, tech overwhelm, and shiny object syndrome.

One more thing, if content marketing is not your thing, feel free to switch it up. Perhaps video or audio is better for you. Or perhaps another business model. Don't be afraid to find the model that suits you.

5. Play the long game

This too will becomes it's own Paradigm article. For now, remove the notion from your mind that you will be making $10K, or even $1K in three months. (If you have done this, bravo. You are the exception.)

Instead, play the long game.

Don't say I'll try this out for three months and see.

Commit to a year at least of consistent work. I remember with one of my sites, it took something like 20-30 articles to see a blip. I could have become discouraged after number 20.

It's like prepping, seeding, and watering a garden. It takes a while to see that first green shoot breaking through. But then the next day, several more pop through, and suddenly, growth seems easier as you add more and more nutrients (content).