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Strategic Alliance Of The Century
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Two Titans of Internet Marketing Have Joined Forces To Take YOUR Online Business To A Level You’ve Never Imagined…
Watch as Rich Schefren and Brad Fallon reveal:
- An unprecedented Internet marketing event (sure to raise your bottom line)
- How they're harnessing Strategic Alliances (and how you can easily do the same)
- How to leverage the strengths of others (and send your sales through the roof)
- And grow your business by leaps and bounds (faster than you've ever imagined)
View Rich Schefren and Brad Fallon video
- Aug 15 2007
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101 Comments
Eliminate Information Overload
Published in Blog, Effectiveness
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If you’ve ever experienced even a twinge of information overload, here’s a unique solution that will get to the root cause of the problem once and for all.From what I can see, most recommended solutions are Band-Aids at best. That’s because they only deal with the symptoms you’re feeling and not the root cause. So they never really eliminate the problem once and for all.
Since the cause of information overload isn’t obvious, let me ask you a question.
Back when you were in school, did you ever get nervous before a test?
Almost everyone I’ve asked has always said “yes.” Primarily because there’s always some worry about the information you’ll need to understand and hold in your memory once you sit down to take the test.
If you’ve ever asked a teacher "Is this going to be on the test?" – like when you had to memorize the times and dates of obscure Civil War battles – you know that feeling of anxiety.
Of course, the answer you were silently praying to hear was always "NO."
The reason is clear: You know what you know, but at that moment you were also keenly aware of what you didn’t currently know.
For most of us it’s what we know we don’t know that is so scary. And that fear never goes away no matter how many tests you’ve aced in the past.
The subtext of the question "Is this going to be on the test?" is another question: "I don’t want to waste my brains on information that isn’t relevant to my immediate future, so do I really need to know this?" The feeling is so prevalent in school because we often find ourselves studying and being tested on information in which we have very little interest.
Somehow, when we become entrepreneurs, we forget this survival mechanism from our past. Rather than getting very clear about what we already know and what we still need to know to do well (like we did when we were students), we chase scattered information from everywhere – considering all sources we think might have something useful to share. The net effect is we waste our time, our resources, and our intellectual capital in pursuit of new discoveries. And within the blink of an eye, we become victims of information overload.
There is an underlying cause for our haphazard information gathering and it’s resulting information overload. Believe it or not, it comes down to self-esteem.
You see, instead of trusting what we already know, we’re afraid of everything that we don’t know. It’s this fear that becomes the road that takes us off course. We’re trying to prepare for the non-existent test that has EVERYTHING on it and it leads us down a rabbit hole of procrastination that kills productivity.
You may even be on that “bunny trail” right now.
Serious online entrepreneurs are arguably still students themselves. They are searching for solutions and strategies that give them an edge. But it’s self-directed learning, so those of us who succeed develop the profitable ability to focus on what information matters most to our core business goals.
In baseball terms, entrepreneurs can “drive the fastball” when it comes our way, no matter the velocity. We know it is coming and we are ready when it arrives. But as soon as someone throws us a curveball by introducing something new, it challenges our comfort zone. We’re left flailing and unsure of ourselves.
Believe me, I know the feeling.
And that, my friend, is all it takes to get the anxiety wheels rolling. Doubt creeps in, self-confidence plummets, and market opportunity is lost. Spooky, isn’t it? And it can happen in an instant.
We’re left thinking and worrying about the curve ball as the fastball whizzes by. In shock, we ask ourselves, “How could this happen to me?”
This scenario occurs each day with business leaders who experience information overload.
Entrepreneurs are bombarded by information. Not all of it is beneficial to their business goals. Yet, if you try to absorb it all – if you feel a need to gain and retain all information – you’ll lose sight of what is most important. You end up frazzled and overwhelmed – the proverbial “deer in the headlights” paralyzed by fear and unable to avoid certain disaster.
The net effect of the info-overload is that we diminish our ability to discern the great from the good and, in the process, make ourselves mediocre by measure.
Through our abundance and ambivalence, we lose our business edge – and profitability suffers.
Don’t become a paralyzed entrepreneur mesmerized by the flashy headlights of all the information coming at you. You have to push yourself away from the bountiful harvest of information and only select what you truly need to fuel your business growth.
Another great way to look at it is similar to the way we are told to look at food. I’m sure you’ve heard the fitness mantra, “food is fuel.” The same can be said for the role information plays in your life. Anything more than you need will just leave you bloated, inefficient and insecure.
It’s time to start trusting your instincts more. You have to be confident enough to work intelligently toward your goals – whether it is passing an exam or developing a profitable Web site. What you absolutely must not allow to happen is to become paralyzed by the fear of not knowing "everything" and the fear of failure in the absence of knowing exactly what you must know and what you don’t know.
In fact, the ability to make decisions in the face of ambiguity (like this) is a key trait of successful entrepreneurs. Your expertise in this area comes from experience.
There’s an old adage: “No one is an expert in his own backyard.” It’s relevant for entrepreneurs who struggle with information anxiety.
Like Boy Scouts we should “always be prepared,” but we can’t assume that we’ll be perfect. We can’t possibly “know it all” and we can’t expect everyone to believe that we do, despite what Stuart Smalley tells us to repeat to ourselves in the mirror: “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and gosh darn it . . . people like me.”
So, value what you know already. It’s a lot more than you probably give yourself credit for. Real growth, the type that translates into wealth, is more often accumulated through your direct experience. You can search for more knowledge – Hey, I spend time daily searching for the latest and greatest but I don’t discount the value of the wisdom I already possess, and you shouldn’t either.
Odds are, unlike me, you’ve never read a sales letter written to sell the knowledge you already have trapped inside your brain. But take it from someone who knows: If you had my close friend, world-class copywriter John Carlton, pitching your ideas, you would immediately place a lot more value on what you already know (You’d also get a lot more buyers).
Too often we take for granted what is already familiar to us. We devalue our own knowledge gained through experience in favor of “outside sources.” We erroneously place a higher premium on information that others create and sell. This is seemingly contrary to entrepreneurial impulse, yet it happens again and again.
Remember: You cannot conquer uncertainty by burying it with more information.Wisdom comes not from devouring information, but by filtering it through personal experience and taking action on it. It’s the action or reaction, not the information itself, that makes us wise.
I have much more to share with you about this, but first I’d like to hear your thoughts.
Do you see this as a pattern in your own lives? Are you constantly devaluing your own knowledge – minimizing your own experience – in your quest for greater wisdom? Let me know by commenting on our blog.
What are some of your secrets for remaining confident and making decisions in the face of ambiguity?
How do you overcome the feeling of inadequacy when faced with overwhelming amounts of information that seem important, but you’re just not sure?
My readers are a sharp bunch. I know you’ll have some great tips and suggestions to share.
We’ll follow-up in another blog post with a continuation of this conversation. I’m looking forward to your ideas.
To Higher Profits,
Rich SchefrenP.S. The Attention Age Doctrine continues to move forward. Me and the entire Strategic Profits team are busily preparing the next installment. For a “retro” trip back to our previous media reports, get your keys to the Profit Vault here:
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101 Comments to “Eliminate Information Overload”
I’ve been on the bunny trail you describe, and love how you explain the idea of “need to know” information.
I used to be a pack rat with information - my web favorites showed it.
Now I have a bookmark folder for the subject I am seeking info on, and after I have found it I simply delete the sites that didn’t yield the information I ultimately needed. It’s hard thing to do, but necessary. It let’s me trust and use my sources instead of having a huge set of bookmarks that I could never go through.
Thanks again for your great advice. I look forward to the next installment.
Bang on target Rich. I know enough to keep a company running successfully and still, I spend at least 3-4 hours daily searching for the elusive magic bullt that will get my rich overnight. Happy to get rich slowly through a constant improvement of my regular business model.
I will be more restrained from now on - thanks for the swift kick in the @#$
A great deal of the problem that you describe is caused by the huge number of messages received each day all promoting reprots and/or programs.
I have found that could reduce the amount of useless information that I received by eliminating as much duplication as possible, I accomplished this ofer a short period of time by opting out of lists. If your were constantly sending me messages promoting affilliate programs you were gone ! If you sent me product launch information and you were not one of the principals, you were gone. If you sent a free report that you had written and it did not contain any new or valuable
information, you were gone- etc.
I now have time to read the good stuff because I am not wasting so much time
on the bad stuff. ( I now receive 30 to 50 messages a day from information marketers in stead of the 300 to 500 that I was receiving prior to implementing this elimination program.
Hope this helps !
Steve C.
stevec@allbrands-hottubandspa.com
Thank you Rich
Great info as usual.
Abundance to All
Croz from OZ
www.croz.com.au
Dear Rich,
Basically, in terms of trying to earn a living via the internet, I feel you have hit the nail on the head….a great majority of we hopefulls are meandering around hopelessly caught up in the quick sand of your revelations. And unfortunately, like the greatest part of our society…..on line as well as offline have blinders on as to what is really going on politically that could result in all of our efforts on the online environment being for naught. If we don’t wake up, we will all be taking our place in the
It all comes down to who you think gives the most valuable advice and that’s an individual thing. Generally those people have their fingers on the pulse and you obtain all the necessary information you need from them.
Seeking out the the best will provide you with the best so your ‘bookmarks’ never expands much.
Your ideas on the overload are correct - we never value what we know- the tendecny is to think that everyoine else knows better or more.
People to follow … Schefren … McCarthy … Carlton … Page …
Thanks for your work.
John
What a way to wake up in the morning! You brought me the exact reminder of what I am trying to accomplish right now. I have heard it from you before on a coaching call. I even remember you advising a student who kept on resisting your advice with ‘but my situation is different!’ There is not difference no matter what you do for a living! Information overload is overload period that causes one to stop functioning at top peak performance as so many important items get dropped to the side in this frantic search for the perfect morsel of information! You are on a mission that will uplift so many people to a higher level and this will result in so much abundance that I cannot even imagine it! Thank you for being there and I thank God I found you and your teachings!
Sunita Pandit
Fear is one of the most crippling emotions for all people. Fear of failure often keeps us from taking action. Often we keep acquiring more information so that we can put off pulling the trigger. At some point (and often its sooner rather than later) you’ve got sufficient information and should just act.
As always, you hit the nail right on the head. I may unsuscribe to many lists but not to yours. Thanks for the insight.
Dan Scott
www.mywealthfortress.com
As an engineer with over 30 years experience, I can say with certainty that the more you know, the more you realise what you don’t know.
Whenever I do a new project, there’s always something new to be taken on board. That helps me to shamelessly asked “them what know”or seek out new information without feeling inadequate. This must also apply to the marketing world
Rich, it was only when I decided to unsubscribe from many lists so as not to get distracted and focus on what I knew that I started making money online and attracted the right kind of clients in my practice.
Thanks for the gentle reminder to keep going down that path and keep strengthening my strengths. There is one thing I’v been putting off for fear of not knowing enough (and the truth is, I really do know enough) and your blog post has prompted me not to leave it another day.
Thanks for such sound advice.
Rich
I feel like you just read my mind completely - you described my current predicament in frightening detail. I’ve been caught up on the “bunny trail” for way too long - though I was afraid I Was never going to get off (as I didn’t really realise I was on it till I read your post).
I am going to start filtering (and ignoring) a lot more of the “information” that comes my way and concentrate on what I know - and hopefully start to build my confidence back again.
Thanks for a great post - can’t wait to read some solutions that will hopefully be posted.
I read your latest report, and I learned a lot from it. What saved me from information overload is that most of the stuff you read online isnt helpful at all.
It ads confusion on your confusion.
Rich,
Again very insightful. Instead of taking in the ‘next big thing,’ all the while, I tend to shelve that particular ‘bright shiney object,’ and if in a month of so’s time, then I will include it, but this is happening less and less. I also tend to just pay attention to just a handful of information sources, and even then just to try to focus on a couple of their strategies but it is hard but I am finding that the more I do trust my instinct more, and let go, the more I am able to bring more of me to the table no matter when experts in whatever field are saying, as I am valuing more and more what I see, I sense, and I know from my unique perspective as being highly valuable and important to share.
Rich!
Just entering the world of internet entrepreneurship, I was doing all these things to find the fastest , easiest least expensive way to “make a lot of money”. Going thru tons of e-mail from non-principals, I needed this message to keep me focused on the “KISS” principle…keep it simple, stupid. [or at least as simple as possible]. Thank you, keep the wisdom coming.
Hey Rich, as always great message.
Just recently I became acutely aware of how much time I was wasting trying to find ‘just the right thing’ that ‘other bit of essential information’. all I was doing was having an excuse for not actually DOING something. So I went straight in and unsubscribed from everything that didn’t actually contribute to my business or actually show me something new. Then on into my Favourites and culled those too. Only kept what I do refer to, everything else I checked and if I didn’t need it right now - gone. By the time I was ready to find out more/do whatever the site had to offer, it’d probably be gone or the information would be outdated anyway.
Soooo much better. But I won’t be unsubscribing to yours Rich, you actually do inspire me.
Thanks so much.
Although I suffer from the symptoms you recite to a certain extent, for me there is a bigger issue in information overload which does not result from lack of self-esteem. I find the world a fascinating place. I love to explore why and how things work. But the universe is infinite and filled with an infinite number of wonders to explore. So I am forced against my will to narrow my focus to the information I “need” in order to “fulfil my commitments”. What a shame and what a waste! I would rather be exploring and learning whatever happens serendipitously to come my way. But even if I had all the money in the world, there would not be enough time to do that. Wonderful, exciting “undesirable” distraction…….
Thank you, Rich - another insightful article. I find I’m able to think and act more clearly and decisively now that I’ve unsubscribed to several waste-of-time sources and decluttered my inbox. Thank you also for assuring us the experience and wisdom we already have will be enough to move us forward. Of course we need to learn new things in order to evolve but we’re rarely encouraged to use or sell what we know already.
Thanks and best wishes
Viviana
Rich, spot on! I specialise in cutting down on the overwhelm in the Turkish property market. I have a keyhole criteria … it works!
Maybe we should have “Fear of Information Overload” instead of “Fear of Missing Information” as we try to pack as much data/stuff/info into our craniums as possible!
I’m as guilty as the next person, although I’ve gotten much better lately
Hi Rich,
Thanks for the wonderful article. After implementing a strategic business process map system using the software at EdrawMax, my business has increased from an one-man outfit to a company of over 100+employees.
I just thought that you would like to know and say thank you.
All the best,
Doug Barger
Rich,
I’ve been lost in “information overload hell” and couldn’t focus on what I needed. I’d get interested in a particular strategy only to lose interest in it when the next one came along (and there’s ALWAYS a next one). Although the desire to be successful is hugely important, the same desire can be our downfall when it’s unfocused.
Mike Hughes
Hi Rich and all,
I have been a constant follower of Rich’s for 4 years now and learned a lot but not enough to stop me from falling into the bunny hole.
As Tesra, Steve C, Dan Scott and Michael Sells have stated I am going to get rid of a lot of emails to as they are a great cause of worry because I have been saving them for the 4 yrs I have been trying to get my web sights up and although there is a lot of good info out there you never seem to get that one thing you are looking for that is holding your goals back.
I have found that even my job (volunteer) secretary, public relations, designer for flyers, certificates and other printing things, bar person, kitchen hand & what ever else they needed; to a none profit organisation has suffered as I am told I am not doing this wright or that because it is not the way the president would put it.
Two weeks ago something happened that made me so made that I decided enough was enough and if they don’t like it get someone else. I have been doing it for 3 yrs now and I could use the break well and truly; I want to concentrate on getting my web pages up and start getting some money.
This may be of interest to those hoarders like me.
I originally had a 40 GB hard drive and filled it with info and downloads and affiliate sites, I had to get a new hard drive installed late 05 and it was a 80GB.
In that short time I am looking at getting a new one again because it is just about full. The PC is slow and error reports keep coming up.
I will keep my software downloads but I have started to do some hard cutting even before I read this.
Rich if you would not mind I need some help to put page links into my sights as well as transfers from PC to sights.
The above site has been in this stage for near on two years because I do not know how to get any further. I do my own designs and put it on the PC but this is as far as I get. when I put the links in they go anywhere but where they are supposed to.
I really appreciate your emails and I will certainly come here in a regular fashion as this is what I have been trying to get my teeth into.
Thanks.
Information overload? Bah. What is wrong with reading 600 newsletters, plus several ebooks per day, plus keeping up to date with the latest blogs?
Seriously though, when you sent out that free ebook about attention, I looked at the way that I work. Similar to several of the above, I unsubscribed from lists which weren’t telling me anything that I needed to know. I also only check my email between tasks.
I think this has made me a lot more productive.
It is all about striking a balance between getting the up to date knowledge of the Internet, that you need to do the job AND ACTUALLY DOING IT.
Cheers.
You promise to keep banging out good stuff, and I will keep my mouse away from the unsubscribe button.
Massively unsubscribe.
Especially those that insist you must grab so and so right now!
And delete ruthlessly.
This information marketing avalanche can suck the life out of you,
bring you no gain and cause anxiety.
Just choose something to focus on and do that.
Thanks Rich:
“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear”. I’ve been pondering this question for a while and you manifested the answer so clearly. I felt as though I was in a super market looking for brocholie, but passing by the bread, realized that ‘oh yeh, I could use that’, and then there’s the butter, oh don’t forget the mustard, ketchup, but my original goal was to buy brocholie. When I’m searching the internet I keep this in mind - whatever I have decided to focus my attention on, is what I focus my attention on. Except when I don’t ; ^ ) you’ve given me the impetus to be more aware of my intentions and to execute accordingly.
Superb post Rich
I certainly suffer from information overload in the online marketing sphere. Thinking back to previous jobs which involved huge amounts of information I notice that there was no information overload!
Amazing!
In those jobs I had a real confidence in what I did and what I knew and therefore no overload.
This is a real insight for me, thanks a lot!
Feeling Underloaded Already!
alex
Rick,
you are very right.
Doing business with an overload of information does not get you on track. It sometimes takes curage to decide what is really important information and what is not.
It in fact is a matter of choice management and not of timemanagement to be very effective in doing what you do.
I am so glad to have found two mentors who help me get everything on track and not overload myself with information anymore.
Margriet Boogaard
http://www.MagneticallyWealthy.com
Great information Rich. I travelled all the way to the World Internet Summit just to hear you speak and held onto every word. In my mind, your information cuts through all the rest. Once I see an email from “Rich Schefren” it gets read.
I have followed your teaching on strategising everything and then following through with it. The hardest or biggest distraction for me is exactly the Info Overload - what’s the latest buz, the latest idea, etc - partly for me, partly for my readers.
The reslult could get out of hand with the abundance of emails that come through the pipe. I have applied your philosophy of following the action plan that comes from the strategy and goals I’m following at the time. Then measuring everything by it. Does the information I’m considering reading or even buying fit into the planned strategy? If not, I file it. If it does, I “priorize” it.
The worst distraction is email. I developed a folder system and committed myself to emptying my personal inbox each time I check it - either by deleting or filing. I then act upon emails according to the plan.
Even writing this comment develops purpose in the plan.
Thanks Rich for your great advice, as always. You ALWAYS give value.
William Sinclair
www.thequickandeasyguide.com
Home of the free fast start to online success
Rich,
Excellent article!
Al Diaz, Author
www.thetitusconcept.com
Rich,
Will you be doing anymore
informational videos soon?
Janet McNair
http://www.invisibleworkers.com
“You Can Offer Office Support from Home!”
Wow, did you hit the nail on the head. I am experiencing this, big time. I need to get rid of something. I do wonder if we shouldn’t have more then one method to promote our business, but accepting more ways is the pits.
I get offered so many suggestions, that I have gotten to the point of scrolling to the bottom of the offer to see the bottom line. They all have very interesting reading and reasons we should use their methods, but I don’t have time to read it all.
THEN, get this, this is the worst part. I get so many things and try so many ways, that some actually come around in another fashion or from someone else with a different headline and I don’t even know that I have signed up for it before.
There has to be a way - - - - - -
Some methods include everything you need in one place, yet that can become so overwhelming trying to use it.
On top of that, I believe that the methods offered are often for people that understand how to use THEIR method, whether it is adwords, or google or something that racks your brain until you are too tired to work.
Let’s KISS.
“Avoid the side effects of prescription drugs and financial woes.”
I have been mentor to a number of young and not-so- young entrpreneurs in a host of business lines.The main task I found for me was to relieve most of them from the information deficit anxiety which is a great paralyser.
By the time one is ready to start an enterprise, one would have accumulated enough of home grown wisdom or have had a professional training in the field. The actual knowledge deficit, if any can well be made good as we go along.
The practical solution I had been recommending is for them to write down the specific areas of knowledge deficit they perceive and then to discuss the list with them in a session where the subject is talked about but no mention is made of the list. The result has been wonderful. Most of them end up recalling enough of ideas and points of worth to their business that they are immediately convinced of their preparedness being adequate and the going becomes smooth.
Rich,
It is so easy to get lost in the avalanche of “got to have it” products arriving in the inbox every day. I subscribed at first to see what other marketers were doing and found it hard to get out of the habit of subscribing to more and more newsletters. So learn the basics, rely on what we already know and take daily action. Thanks for addressing an issue that plagues so many entrepreneurs.
Ted
Thanks Rich for reminding me to get back to where I was during the 5 years I was sailing. We had no TV, internet mostly at internet cafes, and very few magazines or newspapers; therefore, information overload simply wasn’t a problem.
You learned what you needed as you needed it. You relied totally on your inner resources to help you deal with a problem, i. e. when something on the boat broke, you figured out a way to fix it. If you couldn’t figure it out, there was no shame in asking another sailor for help. You quickly learned what was really important and focused on that.
Now that I’m in the process of moving back to land for a short time, I really appreciate the reminder to get back to the basics of life - starting with weeding out my email and bookmarks list.
Way to go, Rich, always giving me exactly what I need when I need it most. Many thanks.
Pam
P.S. Anybody want to try out my info overload solution for themselves? S/V Blue Star is for sale. Contact me through my web site for details.
Interesting post, and I think I agree to some extent. But how do you think a balance should be drawn? After all, I don’t think it helps anyone to become a know it all…
Personally I think it’s really healthy to be constantly aware of how little you really know. And I think that an important benefit of absorbing a lot of information is that it gives you a better grasp of how much more there is out there that you really don’t know much about.
And a good grasp of what you don’t know can help in the critical decision that, in my opinion, should come before every other important decision: “do I know enough about this to make a sensible decision, or do I need to learn more or find help first?”
Discipline gives you freedom.
Yes, it is short and sweet but speaks volumes!
I am as guilty of info over-glutinous consumption as anyone so I know from experience; if you want to make headway in your business and personal life focus on the basics, keep a list of what needs to be done and discipline yourself to get those basics done first.
Then once you are done doing what NEEDS to be done you can waste your time reading whatever other junk people are trying to sell you on. Or, you could go take a nice stress-relieving walk! Get out of the house, away from all the electronic devices and reconnect with the earth and your thoughts. Just let everything go and follow your bliss; breathe fresh air (unless you live in a city- then get out of town or go to the park).
Remember, you really do know everything you need to know to be where you want to be. Getting there is more in the doing then in the knowing; as you do you will learn what you need to know and refine your doing!
Here’s To Your Massive Success,
Sincerely,
Bruce Nelkin LMT
http://profitpowersecrets.com/
Why not go out on a limb?
That’s where ALL the fruit is!
Success depends on your backbone
Not on your wishbone.
Things Work Out Best, For Those Who Make The Best,
Of The Way Things Work Out.
Thoughts Determine What You Want,
ACTION Determines What You Get.
Hi:
Kudos to you and Amen to your super article.
Ditto to all those who posted unsubscribe to
irrelevant lists
Carol R.
P.S. When you find yourself signing up for another newsletter or list I now use the name “Sucker” so as I read the autoresponder follow ups I can keep in mind who I’ll be if I buy their stuff!
This helps cut down on the junk accumulation!
Hi Rich,
Of course, you’re right. If we cant, right now, honor ourselves, and the information we’ve gathered or that we already have access to, why jump through more hoops? The reason we started our six week course for entry level Internet marketers was precisely because we’d all experienced OVERWHELM.
In the IM world there is so much from so many, we loose track. Step-by-step and building a foundation with the knowledge you’re getting is the way to learn and apply. But when we just keep heaping diverse data on ourselves without a plan to apply it we’re like the losers in a pie eating contest. We’re just as full as the winner but he gets the prize and we’re all sick to our stomachs.
Write on!
Tom Justin
www.firststepinternetmarketing.com
Hi Rich,
Have you been following me around?
Wow!
Apparently these last few years are a universal experience…
at least for online business people.
I feel better because I know I am not alone but the problem
remains… What am I going to do about it?
Reading emails are definitely my largest time waster.
Some of them lead inevitably to sales pages and a
feeling of not wanting to be left behind.
I have purchase more products and information then I could use
in the next 3 years.
They serve only to confuse.
And when the business model is unclear… so are the results.
Thanks for your efforts to shine a bright light on this most disturbing issue.
Don P.
http://www.exerciseoften.com
I think your post has saved me again!
Like many other entrepreneurs, I am bombarded with new ideas on how to cash in on the latest email campaign.
But listening to your speach from an ETR seminar in 05- I have taken your advice on contracting out some of my work (no longer trying to learn it all). Using your school ex- the top Professors are experts in their field, they are not teaching every possible topic to every student, hopiing they don’t miss anyone.
I’m not sure you are saying this in the blog- but I am interpreting it to read that by focusing on the “Money Making Ideas”, and then taking action, I am staying on target. This doesn’t mean, learning everything there to know about building a site, doing all my own copy and so on.
I have taken the first steps of finding a Great Copywriter who understands my work. The next step is getting a webmaster who understands my needs.
By spending a bit of time surrounding myself with a team and spending money to get the ball rolling- I have taken action, which really does feel great.
Back in the day, taking action was buying anther product and hoping that it would magically make me $$. All it did was give me about a weeks worth of reading, learning and then the ultimate realization that it wasn’t going to make me rich over night, and that it would take time to learn and master- and after all that, it would probably work ok, but if I had XYZ- it would really work well……
Hell I’m the entrepreneur- If I wanted to keep working I’d sell my services on Elance like anyone else!
Later,
Shane Melanson
i want be fine in my life