You Choose the Ending
Do you remember the kid's books where you could choose the ending? You read part way then choose between several options and go to that story line next in the book. The story ends differently depending on which option you choose.
Here at WA we have similar options. We can be failures and not make any money at all. We can be moderatly successful and work at a casual pace, or we can be very successful even if it requires sacrifice and ultimate dedication.
That is an overly simplistic explanation of course. There are many extenuating circumstances Members may be working very hard to be successful then are struck with a dire illness or injury or have to take care of other family members and lose the time or ability to keep working online. They may be struck with a natural disaster and lose everything. These are circumstances where I would NEVER claim these people were failures. Those are circumstances beyone their control. Some people claim you can always be successful you just have to work hard. I don't believe that is always the case. For the vaste majority of us this is the case however.
If you want to be very successful online, you will likely have to sacrifice something now to get where you want to be eventually.
Some successful members here work multiple jobs (many of us do that in fact). Some very successful members no longer work a "regular" job but they had to do that in the beginning while also spending great deals of time developing their online business. Some recently have described posting every single day no matter what. Some miss out on social activities and don't go out with friends because they know they need to work on their business. Some miss sleep, or other activities. I don't recommend that!
Today I stayed home sick from work. I didn't feel like doing anything but I took advantage of the extra time at home and got a new post done for my second website which has been languishing. I got one done this weekend for my primary site as well.
I am willing to give up free time now (this is my third job) so that I can build an online business. I could push this even further and spend more time online buidling my businesses but I don't want to push myself that far. With health problems and three jobs I have to be realistic!
Therefore, I am not super successful yet. That is complely due to the fact I don't put as much time into this as some people. If this was my full time job I could make a great deal more money. It is wonderful to know that I have this option however and someday this may be my primary business.
So you get to choose your story's ending here at WA. You can do this as a hobby and just spend time as you can. You can work moderatly as I have or you can treat this as a full time job. How successful you become is up to you.
Recent Comments
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Spending the time now will pay off in the long run. How do you have free time when you work three jobs?
Well I have 1 regular job, then my husband and I run our own 4-plex which we live in. That doesn't take too much time generally but there was damage from the earthquake. Now we also manage a 6 plex however and that is taking a ton of time since it started out with vacancies and needing tons of work. So my websites are like my third job. I don't have much free time!
Great post, Jessica. Sorry to hear you're not feeling well. I can certainly relate. Have been under the weather fighting off a sinus infection since before Christmas.
Didn't go to doc because several people I know had been told that there is a virus going around that antibiotics don't work on.
My symptoms were similar to theirs, and very different from my usual symptoms when I am down in bed with a fever and bronchitis from sinus infection.
Finally went to Urgent Care on Sunday (after missing church 2 Sundays in a row) and was told that indeed, I did have a sinus infection, and was put on an antibiotic. Apparently my allergy shots are working wonders, because I sure haven't been as sick as usual, and didn't even recognize it as a sinus infection!
Feeling better now, but still coughing at times. Supposed to be drinking lots of fluids and getting lots of rest, but hoping to get my apt. vacuumed today.
Take care of yourself.
Carol
Sinus infections are nasty! I am glad you are on antibiotics now Carol! I hope you get over it soon. They have a way of lingering sometimes. My husband gets them often.
I am just going through a regular respiratory thing I think. It doesn't seem too bad at the moment. I think it started as a stomach thing and has progressed to the head part.
Yes, this one has certainly lingered on, but it's so much less severe than what I used to have that I misdiagnosed myself! I'm feeling much better after just 3 days of antibiotics. So thankful!
I hope you are feeling better. I have been feeling better finally but exhausted. I have had to sleep 10 hours a night which makes getting to work in the morning impossible. I am taking a lot of time off.
I'm feeling better since I've been on the antibiotics, but have started sneezing and coughing a little again today. Not sure if it's another relapse, or just happened. I understand what you mean about needing a lot of sleep and having to take a lot of time off. That's the main reason besides the problems with my neck and headaches that I'm on disability.
I was just reading this as my husband said "This isn't good". He can't get warm even though he is bundled up. Must have a fever. Not good timing since we are supposed to be doing more work on the building and his co-worker will be out on vacation yet again for 2 weeks so he has to do 2 people's jobs. He has a sinus infection. Ugggg.
Sorry you feel bad too. I hate the winter sicknesses.
Poor guy! Hope you're both feeling better soon. I'm still on antibiotics, but finally made it to church today, the first time since Christmas Eve!
Yeah. Now there is someone possibly interested in one of the apartments (fiiiiinally) and they are in a rush so we may have to go double time to get the first unit done. Mom and her boyfriend have been working on the second unit for weeks now and I feel bad we have not been helping them more. There were leaking pipes and a bunch of sheetrock had to be cut out, pipes replaced etc. They are putting in new cabinets as well as flooring.
We said we would do some updates but we both have jobs so we dont' have time to be over there every day. We thought big jobs would be hired out. They are choosing to do it themselves.
Lotsa work! Maybe they'll get smart and hire out the rest of the units' repairs. Hope so. I know it's a lot of extra work for you and Aaron at a time when you have a lot on your plates already.
Hi Jessica. Well said! I've had to step things up a bit. Reassess some goals etc. Hope your ok with the recent earthquake there?
Cheers
Dave
Our building has tons of cracks and it is disconcerting to see them. We don't know yet if there is any structural damage. We kept getting large aftershocks that widened the cracks. On New Year's Eve we had a 5.0. They seem to have finally settled down the last few days though. It was pretty much every day since Nov. 30th that we felt aftershocks.
Thanks!
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It's funny, I've thought of this as Choose Your Own Adventure as well. Some days feel like less of an adventure than others :)
My kids are on school holidays at the moment and I'm more conscious than ever that in whatever 'spare' time I have (lol!) it's about making sure they have some fun. So I haven't put enough time into my site at all these last 2 weeks, but that is OK for now. It has to be.
I hear you Jessica. I'm sure most of us here would love to be doing our sites full time. I know I would!!b It would be my dream actually.
Oh that is the word I was looking for "Adventure"! I couldn't remember exactly what those books were called! Thanks.
Yes, family has to come first so that is just the way it is. When some people say it is just lazyness that makes us less then wildly successful online I have to say I don't agree. Some of the people who are wildly successful are single and young and healthy and do this full time round the clock. That is great for them but we can't all do that. I take comfort in people like Kyle who have families and built up their business over many years.
I hope you do well in 2019!
Jessica