What Years At Wealthy Affiliate Have Taught Me (Beyond The Training)

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3.3K followers

What Years At Wealthy Affiliate Have Taught Me (Beyond The Training)

I’ve been a member of Wealthy Affiliate since 2013.

When I first joined, I was a complete beginner. I didn’t really understand how websites worked, what was involved in building one, or whether I was even capable of learning it all. The training mattered a great deal to me at that stage. It gave me structure, reassurance, and a sense that I wasn’t fumbling around on my own. Of course the community was paramount to my training - always on hand and so helpful.

Over time, though, I realised that some of the most important lessons I learned weren’t actually part of the training itself. They came from the staying, the trying, the pausing, and coming back again.

Here are three things that stand out for me.


Progress Is Rarely Linear

When you first start, it’s easy to imagine progress as a straight line: learn something, apply it, move forward.

In reality, it rarely works that way.

There are bursts of energy, followed by quieter periods. Times when things seem to click, and other times when nothing appears to move at all. I’ve learned that this doesn’t mean nothing is happening. So frustrating! Often, understanding is settling in quietly, even when it doesn’t feel productive.

Looking back, the periods that felt like “stuck” were often part of the process, not a failure of it.


Consistency Looks Different Over Time

Consistency is talked about a lot, but it’s often imagined as doing the same thing, in the same way, every day.

For me, consistency has changed shape many times over the years.

Sometimes it meant regular writing. Sometimes it meant reading, learning, or simply keeping the site ticking over while life took priority elsewhere. There were seasons where progress was visible and seasons where it was mostly internal.

What I’ve learned is that consistency doesn’t have to look impressive to be real. It just has to fit the life you’re actually living.


Confidence Comes From Staying

Confidence didn’t arrive for me after finishing a course or reaching a particular milestone.

It grew slowly, almost unnoticed, from staying involved long enough to see patterns, to recognise my own judgement improving, and to realise that confusion doesn’t last forever. This confidence grows constantly although I have to admit it can take a bashing sometimes.

Staying meant I stopped expecting certainty before taking the next step. I became more comfortable not knowing everything, and more trusting of my ability to work things out in time.

That, more than anything else, is what has stayed with me.


The training at Wealthy Affiliate gave me a solid foundation, especially at the beginning. But the deeper lessons came from time, patience, and allowing myself to build in a way that suited me.

Staying matters more than speed.

Have a fab diddly day

Jackie

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Recent Comments

19

Thank you Jackie, for sharing your what you have learned. I agree with all the above, the one that resonates the most for me that you said is "That progress is rarely linear," as this is what I found too when circling back and redeveloping my posts and pages.

Very Encouraging!
Rhonda

3

Hello Rhonda
I find life is rarely linear and sometimes we need to circle back to remember the things we have learnt and realise how far we have come.
J

Beautifully said.

I understand what you mean - life happens around us every day and I would love to say I’m immune to the ebbs and flows but that’s not true.. Your explanation hits to the core for me as consistency takes on a different shape to all of us on this path.

4

Hi Drew,
I don't think anyone is 'immune to the ebbs and flows'. We all have to find our own levels and work towards them and then find the next level. Consistency is the base though.
J

Hey Jackie, thanks for sharing your story...there have been many of these in recent months and the community here is blessed to have such amazing members and contributors!

I really like one thing that you pointed out here, and that is that consistency looks completely different over time. We adjust based on our schedules, we spend more time when we are working on big ideas or projects, and sometimes life can get in the way and pull back our time commitments.

But one thing holds important, and that is continuing to be consistent through the arc of time...as that will lead to success, and that ability to get through the downturns that come with business (all of them) as time goes on.

Brilliant stuff here!

4

Thank you Kyle,
I think it's changing your perspective on 'consistency' that makes a difference. It's like making a New Year Resolution and having a relapse in week 2 so giving up. It doesn't have to be full on 100% of the time. Sometimes, showing up is as consistent as we can be.
J

Good morning, Jackie.

Thanks for this.

It is very inspiring for the long haul.

JD

3

Hello JD,
we just have to keep moving, preferably forward.
J

Morning Jackie
Excellent post, on point. I especially liked you statement 'consistency looks different over time'.
Because it does and having the ability to recognizes shows true maturity.
Well done, I enjoyed it immensely ^_^ Cheers

3

Hello Paul,
you've been with WA nearly as long as I have! Lol, I'm not sure 'true maturity' describes me but I'm striving forward.
J

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