Why Being Grateful (Even If You Haven’t Made a Cent Yet) Matters in Affiliate Marketing

byJDenesovych

836 followers

10 months ago

Let’s be real—starting an online business can feel like screaming into the void. You put in hours of work, write blog posts, optimize for SEO, add affiliate links, and then… crickets. No commissions, no sales, nothing.

I know this feeling because I lived it.

For nearly a year into affiliate marketing, my earnings looked like something out of a sad meme—$1.15 from Amazon after six months. I could’ve let that discourage me. I could’ve thrown in the towel, ranted about how “affiliate marketing doesn’t work,” and gone back to a traditional 9-to-5.

But I didn’t. Why? Because I learned early on that gratitude is everything in this business.

Let’s cut through the fluff—most people don’t make money right away. The internet is flooded with “gurus” promising instant success, but in reality? Affiliate marketing is a marathon, not a sprint.

That’s why mindset is the real game-changer. It’s easy to feel discouraged when the numbers aren’t adding up, but being grateful for where you are—even in the struggle—is what keeps you going.

1. The Growth Was Happening, Even If The Money Wasn’t.Money follows value. I wasn’t making sales yet, but I was learning how to create something valuable—and I knew that was worth being grateful for.
2. • Every post I wrote made me a better writer.
   • Every SEO tweak helped my site gain traction.
   • Every failed attempt taught me something new.
2. The Freedom Was Already There.
   I didn’t have to clock in anywhere. I could work from my RV, take breaks when I wanted, and set my own hours. Even before the income, I was already experiencing the lifestyle shift I had been working toward.
3. Networking with Other Entrepreneurs.
   One of the best things about Wealthy Affiliate? The people. Being surrounded by others who understood the struggles (and victories) of building an online business kept me grounded. I saw members who had been at it for years finally start hitting their stride, and that gave me hope.
4. I Switched My Mindset from ‘If’ to ‘When’.
   At first, I kept saying, “If my website makes money…” Then one day, I changed it to, “When my website makes money.”That shift was everything.Suddenly, instead of feeling like I was gambling on something uncertain, I started treating my business like an inevitable success.

Look, I’m not saying “Just be grateful and money will fall from the sky.” But I am saying this:

The people who focus on what they don’t have… usually stay stuck.

The people who stay grateful for what they’re building—even if it’s slow—are the ones who keep going. And the ones who keep going? They win.

It’s easy to feel frustrated when you’re not seeing immediate results, but every step you take is setting you up for success.

• Be grateful for the lessons.
• Be grateful for the freedom, even before the income.
• Be grateful that you’re building something most people never even try.

Because one day, when the commissions start rolling in, you’ll look back at this phase and realize—this was when you built the foundation for everything.

Your Turn: What’s one thing you’re grateful for in your online journey so far? Let’s chat in the comments!