This post won’t be long.

It probably won’t share any break-through information.

But that’s the point.

I’ve been working in the world of online marketing for six years now and have looked up to a lot of people because of their “success”.

I’ve also looked DOWN on a lot of people and organizations because of their “success”.

I was inspired to write this post this evening because of some excellent insight from Leo Babauta in an article titled “Why I Don’t Care About Success!”

These paragraphs couldn’t be any more clear:

If all you’re striving for is money, you’ll do horrible things to get it. If all you want is a successful business, you’ll screw people over to get it. If all you want is fame, you’ll give up your dignity to achieve it.

I could probably get a book on the New York Times best-seller list if I really tried, but it’s not something I care enough about, and I know I’d have to do things I wouldn’t be happy doing in order to get there. I’d have to make promises I couldn’t deliver on, sell something to people who are looking for answers I don’t have, trick them into buying the book.

I could make a lot more money than I make now, if I capitalized on all the readers I have and pressured them into buying more things. But I don’t think buying a lot of things is a good thing, so I’d feel crappy doing that. It’s not worth it.

It was interesting and ironic to stumble upon this article today: I’m also reading a book by Ken Blanchard titled “The Power of Ethical Management“.

In the book it addresses business ethics (and ultimately success) with 3 simple check points:

1. Is it legal?
2. Is it balanced?
3. Does it make you feel right?

I have a feeling that if people and organizations used this 3 step ethics check, their decisions may not always lead them down the “successful path” they are currently on.

So what is true success?

Do you have to be “un-ethical” to get there?

Defining Success

Leo hit a home-run with his definition of success:

Success isn’t about achieving something in the future, but about doing something right now that you love.

AMEN! AMEN! and AMEN!

If you want to be truly “successful”, focus on what you love and then go and do that.

Am I Successful?

After reading Leo’s article and expounding on it here, I asked myself this very question – Am I “successful”?

I’d like you to ask yourself the same thing – Are you successful?

To assess my current situation, I made the following list based on Leo’s definition of success:

• I love teaching.
• I love baseball, soccer, and clogging.
• I love online marketing, but not every aspect.
• I love to write and share information in a straight forward, simple approach.
• I love business partnerships and joint ventures where the sum is greater than the parts by themselves.
• I love being with my family.
• I love entrepreneurship.

What I’ve determined is yes, I am successful. I’m doing things right now that I love.

Are YOU successful?

What do YOU love to do?

Are you doing those things right now?

HEADS UP: This post doesn’t necessarily follow anything I generally talk about at Moller Marketing; however, it shows that running a business takes work and effort, characteristics that it appears Darryl Strawberry doesn’t have anymore – he quit the Apprentice because he was tired.

As many of you know, I’ve been an avid New York Yankee fan since I was born (and I’m from Idaho for crying out loud).

I’ve followed the Yanks through the thick and thin.

But what happened tonight on The Apprentice really let me down for a former New York Yankee super star.

Darryl Eugene Strawberry (born March 12, 1962) is a former American baseball player who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off of it. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Strawberry was one of the most feared sluggers in the game, known for his prodigious home runs and his intimidating presence in the batter’s box with his 6-foot-6 frame and his long, looping swing that elicited comparisons to Ted Williams.[1] During his 17-year career, he helped lead the New York Mets to a World Series championship in 1986 and the New York Yankees to three World Series championships in 1996, 1998 and 1999. (bold added for emphasis) Wikipedia

What Darryl Strawberry did tonight was far from an “intimidating presence”. Controversial isn’t even a great description.

What Darryl Strawberry did for his charity of Autism and for his reputation as a baseball player and person overall was flat out GUTLESS!

It’s kind of funny, this blog actually started back in December of 2006. I’d just watched the Apprentice and saw Michelle Sorro QUIT before she got fired by Mr. Trump.

I wrote a post titled “Michelle Sorro, The Apprentice Quiter” which got me over 1,000 unique visitors in one day as a brand new blog.

This episode tonight, in my opinion, was even WORSE.

Michelle Sorro was and really still is a no-body.

Darryl Strawberry, on the other hand, is was a baseball icon, someone that people looked up to.

Now, he’ll have an asteric next to his name like other baseball players of his era.

Darryl, if you read this, I send you my condolences for making a crucial “error in the World Series” of an autistic persons life.

I can’t do this…

That costs too much money.

This takes too much time.

I can’t find wholesale suppliers.

I didn’t think it was going to be this hard.

I thought I could make money overnight.

I didn’t think I’d actually have to DO anything.

If you’ve ever heard these excuses or been the culprit of saying them yourself as you build your 1st online business, CHANGE NOW or forever be stuck in the rut you’re in.

Yes, unfortunately, I’ve heard all of these excuses multiple times as I teach clients how to start an online business.

At first, I just laughed them off or ignored them.

Then, I would repeat what they just said in the form of a question.

Now, I flat out call them on the stupidity of such statements.

I know, maybe a bit harsh, but I’d rather be honest up front.

Cold Hard Facts about Starting an Online Business

• Running a business is hard work.
• It’s not for everyone.
• It takes WORK.
• It takes creativity.
• It takes ambition and the ability to break your fears about the unknown.
• It takes a positive attitude.

Have you ever read this story?

As I was thinking about this topic, I found this funny video on YouTube. It reminded me about how some people, no matter what they get “thrown at them“, always have a positive attitude and keep moving forward (which is what you HAVE to do if you want to succeed with an online business).

If you’re reading this blog post in an email and want to see the video, visit MollerMarketing.com.

Here are some tips.

7 Tips to a Positive Attitude

1. Be yourself. When you constantly try to be the person others want you to be, you cheat yourself out of individuality and your own dreams. What do you want out of life? Once you can answer this question, the next step is to plan your daily routine to include at least one or two elements that bring your goals closer.
2. Even if you can’t control outside circumstances, you can control your reaction to them. If you’re currently working in a dead-end job with a boss who is demeaning, make a conscious effort to tell yourself that his poor behavior can make you upset only if you allow it.
3. Leave your work at the office, mentally that is. When you step outside after a trying day’s work, tell yourself that you have all day tomorrow to deal with the problems and mentally switch gears by thinking something positive or planning your next vacation, even if it’s months away.
4. Slow down. When constantly pressed to finish tasks, you can develop a negative attitude towards life. If time is a commodity, figure out how you can schedule your chores more efficiently. Just by rising 15 minutes earlier each day, you will have the time to eat breakfast, enjoy the fresh air, and plan the day.
5. Learn something new every day. What have you learned today? As a child, your curiosity led you to explore and learn. Recapture that feeling today by taking a night class, studying a new language, learning to garden or anything else that interests you. Subscribing to this blog via email could be one way to learn something new .
6. Focus on the Positive. What are great things that have happened to you today? Include achievements. Make a long detailed list of everything that you do well or at least that is not negative. Read the list when you need a mental boost.
7. Help others. Extending a helping hand to those in need makes you feel needed and worthwhile. Make it a habit to volunteer for charitable organizations. Helping others allows us to be thankful for the blessing we have and helps us maintain a positive attitude.

How do you plan to apply these tips (and the Laughing Baby example) to your online business building experience?

Do you really have to fail to succeed?

Or is that just one of those stupid cliches that people tell you to keep you motivated?

What are some of your biggest accomplishments?

In life?

In business?

In whatever?

Were you a first time phenom?

Or did it take a bit of time before you finally “made it” to the top of your “game”?

Starting an online business is HARD WORK! It takes self-motivation and persistence that some people just don’t have.

You have to set goals, monitor progress, and work hard through hard times.

So how do people do it?

Watch, listen, learn and apply!

How do you plan to apply this?

What’s a failure you’ve made today that is leading towards success?

I help clients start online businesses via wholesale solutions, dropshippers, affiliates and blogging.  I then help them market these projects online with search engine optimization and social media strategies.

I’ve worked with clients who are very internet saavy.

I’ve worked with clients who are in the “older years” and need a bit more hand holding.

What I’ve found through these experiences can be summed up by a famous American:

That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well. – Abraham Lincoln

So what does this really mean?

While doing my daily routine today of reading and commenting on blog posts, working on Twitter, etc. I found this cool video courtesy of @chrisbennett.

You don’t have to watch the whole thing (up to 3:11 is enough) to get the gist:

You can do WHATEVER you set your mind to!

Now watch this video!

6 Year Old Proves You Can Do Whatever You Want

Questions to Consider

Do you think this little guy was initially scared to hit those jumps?

Do you think he wiped out a few times?

Do you think this skill was developed overnight?

Do you think he had to practice a lot?

Running a successful online business is so much like this snowboarding video.

How to Make Money Online

You have to break fears.

It takes failure over and over again + learning to deal with it and move forward.

It takes time.

It takes practice.

And eventually, with persistence, you can succeed.

Notice I DIDN’T say you WOULD succeed. I said you CAN succeed.

Your initial idea my not be the “Million Dollar Maker”. In fact, it may completely flop.

Johnny B. Truant shared his philosophy on the ultimate formula for success as an new online business owner:

For many (maybe most) beginners, the surest way to begin building a good income online is to focus on networking and business principles, not push-button systems and arbitrage.

• How do you network?
• What are business principles?

If you have these questions, your first assignment is to find the answers, probably BEFORE you even start your first business!

My biggest recommendation for success with an online business boils down to this simple statement:

But be persistent and BELIEVE YOU WILL SUCCEED!

I believe Johnny’s formula backs up my words of wisdom:

The one and only one true formula for success

1. Try.
2. Repeat step 1 until the desired result is achieved.

How does this cool video help you believe in your abilities to be an online entrepreneur?