The Mindset for Online Success Mistake You've Been Making
(preface - I wrote this blog for the final step in Lesson 10 to become Wealthy Affiliate Ambassador. I wrote it to all of the WA Member and for my Blog. )
Four Fundamental Personality TypesBefore you read any further, the mindset I'm referring to has nothing to do with technical knowledge. The mindset I'm talking about is what needs to be in place before you start expecting results.
First, see where you fit in one of the four basic mindsets of people listed below:
- Sanguine - a very social person who likes to be with people. They’re outgoing and usually the most impulsive of all the temperaments.
- Choleric - is strong-willed, practical, confident and decisive. But can be abrasive, impatient and seemingly rude
- Melancholy - are self-reliant individuals who are thoughtful, reserved, and often anxious. They often strive for perfection within themselves
and their surroundings, which leads to tidy and detail oriented behavior
- Phlegmatic - they tend to be relaxed, peaceful, quiet, and easy-going.
Most people have one of these personality traits as their dominant personality traits and then one or more as a secondary personality trait
and then a few of the others mixed in at one time or another. Each person reading this will be at a different stage of their online business building journey.
The purpose of starting this blog off with the four personality types is because of a saying that I have always used when it came to raising my children or when teaching others new tasks. "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will spend the rest of its life thinking it’s an idiot.” -Albert Einstein.
What I mean by that is this, that if I suggest a book or a teacher that was written or directed to a Choleric and someone with a Phlegmatic personality reads or hears it they may feel that they wouldn't be able to accomplish what they were being told to do. The book or speaker will have to be discovered by you.
I joined a Network Marketing company near the end of my college career and began listening to a portion of an audio cassette a day, usually a recording of various stories of successful people and on success driven principles, and reading a positive mental attitude book every month. It took me 6 years to get my college degree but that system of books and tapes rivals the best college course in the world on personal self-growth and relationship building that I know of. After completing six years of college I understood the saying, "Education will make you a living. Self-education will make you a fortune". There are no guarantees in life. However, I can guarantee you with almost 98% certainty that if you don't try and improve your attitude you will fail.
The Mindset for Online Success Mistake - Goal Setting
One of the books that I read along the way in my success journey was The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989) by Stephen Covey. One of those habits was you must begin with the end in mind. If you've not read the book here are the 7 steps:
1. Be proactive
2. Begin with the end in mind
3. Put first things first
4. Think win win
5. Seek first to understand then be understood
6. Synergize
7. Sharpen the saw
It’s a fantastic book and I follow it’s tenets today however there is one caveat that I want to mention that is VERY important and that is “begin with the end in mind.”
I'm sure Stephen Covey was smart enough that he didn’t have to worry about what I am about to tell you but I grew up in a tough environment that wasn’t the best for building up self-esteem and self-confidence in a young child’s mind.
All of us are taught, or have some self realization, that if we want to achieve something we must set a goal (Begin with the End in Mind) however we have been programmed by our parents our environment or our own choices on whether or not we will ever achieve that goal. This simple graphic explains why most people who do set a goal never give themselves a chance to reach it.
I'm going to put two graphics below that will explain what I'm talking about. Todd Herman, a success coach I follow, has a concept called the OWW brain and the WOW brain
In the image on the left, The OWW Brain, it starts with looking at current results, or where you are at, and compares against ideal results.
In the WOW Brain it starts with looking at current results, or where you are at, and measures improvement.
In Step 2 the OWW Brain sees you are not where you wanted to be in the end and the self-talk of judgment and criticism begins and there is no forum of support or any positive programming to fall back on. There is only self-talk of judgment and criticism.
In the WOW Brain there begins self-talk of encouragement and support and if you don't have any internal programming that offers that you have a forum of thousand's of people at Wealthy Affiliate that are there to offer you encouragement and support to push you forward to steps three and four.
Wealthy Affiliate and Your Own Effort
Wealthy Affiliate is an excellent program that will teach you how to make a living in the Internet and Affiliate Marketing Arena. WA is what I recommend however, after your Free Trial if you don't want to stay with us that's fine however, don't quit on the idea of creating a second source of income. Today's job market predicates you have one and affiliate marketing offers you a world wide 24/7/365 market place to operate in.
What ever you choose to do you need to be educating yourself beyond whatever the program you are part of as to offer. If you come to something you don't understand - educate yourself. Get on the internet, do the research, answer your own questions, and become self-reliant. If you stay with WA you will always have the WA forum to reach out to.
Take this to heart - Internet Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, ANY Marketing, ANY BUSINESS takes time and effort. We has a society are conditioned that if it doesn't happen fast than it's off to the next thing, the next channel, the next restaurant. People join Internet, or Network, Marketing businesses when they're in need of cash and when they don't they quit. Like I have always said - ordinary people of average ability achieve outstanding success because they don't know when to quit.
To Your Success
"Nothing in this world can take the place of Persistence.
Talent will not; nothing is more commonplace than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.
Education alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and Determination alone are omnipotent."
If you feel comfortable doing so, share with me some of the lessons you've learned in your success journey
Recent Comments
4
This is so timely, Mark. I’ve identified as a Melancholy and my upbringing didn’t imbue me with self-confidence, rather, the opposite. I joined WA a week ago, full of hope, and promptly got sick so haven’t kept up with anything. I was feeling that I’ve missed my chance, but reading this, I’m encouraged. I know I have overcome some big challenges in my life, I will persist and be determined and I will get there in the end! Thank you. Nelia
Very interesting blog. I have bookmarked it and
I'll have to come back to it to study it in more depth later. Thanks jim
Thank you Mark. You encouraged me because I know I am not a genius, but I am plugging along. I am learning so much that I think I will have a self earned Master's degree in Affiliate Marketing. And I am gaining tons of knowledge about my niche as well. So a Master's degree in natural pain remedies. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be doing this.
Barb
A thought provoking message, Mark.It demands a second reading to get all the information in my head. I identify as Melancholy but I see a little of the others in me too.
The one thing I always dwell on is that I've spent too much time on this adventure to quit. I remind myself of this whenever I want to throw up my hands and walk away.