4th WAnniversary
Today I just realized that I have been with WA for 4 years.
I have created several websites in my time here. Some are doing well, some not so much.
Others have taken these occasions to break down what they have learned from WA so I thought I might take a look back and identify some of the things that I have gleaned from WA.
When I started here at WA, I was searching for a way to protect myself from the vagaries of the business market here in Western NY. I had fallen into a job market where I was not really happy, never seemed to put in more than 2 or 3 years at one employer and was making the same money that I started with 25 years before. Just never seemed to advance or progress at any of these places. They were all related and most of my employers were competitors of one another. All were either factory automation engineering or developing automated equipment for various industries. The hours were incredibly long for the most part and since I was a salaried employee, all the additional hours over 40 were unpaid.
While doing this, I trained dogs in the background, first for Upstate Guide Dogs where I was the Puppy Bootcamp, then when they went out of business, I volunteered my efforts with the head trainer for several years. I certified 3 Therapy Dogs of my own and raised a couple of litters of Labs. Never made any money at it but it felt good to be helping people with their dogs. Now, two of my Therapy Dogs still visit nursing homes and the Third is in training for Search and Rescue.
When I started at WA, I was proficient in several antique programming languages and was adept at PLC programming. Build a Website, ha. I had no idea what HTML even was much less know how to build a site. WordPress was relatively new and nowhere near as sophisticated as it is now.
.css and .php were unknown terms to me.
So I jumped in with both feet, started to learn about building websites. I had no idea that online marketing was called marketing for a reason. Converting customers and researching niches were also foreign to me.
I looked back to my early posts and thought I would share one from a couple of months in
https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/labman/blog/emotional-rollercoaster
This was a tough time for me, I was so confused, I didn't know which way was up. Not sure if I should keep at it or just give up.
But I made a pest of myself and persisted.
Eventually, I grasped the concepts, started making progress and now can toss off a site in a matter of hours. I have built sites for myself that are bringing in regular income, I have built sites for others and even have been paid for some of them. I still give a lot of my time away free but I'm learning that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and giving does pay off in the long run.
Here's another early post that might be helpful to some. https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/labman/blog/the-4-levels-of-learning
I guess my message here is that, when you feel like quitting, there is another option and that is keep up the good work. You learn more here than anywhere else on the planet. If you really want to change your life. Stick with this.
I think perhaps some of you will agree that if nothing else, I am making a difference here at WA.
Craig
Recent Comments
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Craig, I have gotten some direction from a number of posts during my few months here as I feel sure many others have. When I see questions, I quite frequently see you involved in being helpful to someone. Thank you and I hope this has been equally good for you.
Harold
Happy Wanniversary! Glad to see you're making progress and sticking around with all of us. Best of luck as you head into year #5!
Happy Wanniversary you wascally wabbit! :). Seriously, Craig, you have been a true help for so many here and a leader for all. Your trainings are bang on and you're always able to help in Live
Chat. I know I haven't been on the after-wabbies for awhile but...you always leave me hanging...upside down :(. All the best to you sir.
Well, I'm hoping that Google corrects that issue eventually. You are always welcome to come and hang around.
Yes I would agree. You have helped me so much, as well as many others. It has been an honor to have the opportunity to learn from a master such as yourself. I knew marketing, but what I did not know was how to translate that to the web. thanks for you several years of help whenever called upon. Thank You. :)
Well, I am still trying to master things, and I know that many others including yourself have skills that I still am learning. Glad I can help you to do the translation.
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Hello Craig, Happy 4th Yr. Anniversary. Your post is inspiring and heartfelt. You have done so much for other people and I take my hat off to you. Level 4 learning, like driving a car, is a place I'd like to be with this affiliate marketing. I'll just keep at it and get there as I'm sure you will quite soon. All the best to you. Cheers, Simon.
Unconscious Competence is a good place to be. It does have its issues though if you can't chunk down to a lower level.