Make Money Online - Five Steps to Stay Focused
By Anthony Echelon

Do you know that 97% of people who attempt to make money online fail? 97%! Too many believe that all you have to do is throw a web site up and the party starts. Yeah right! I hate to be the party pooper, but when reality sets in, this could not be further from the truth.

One of the biggest hurdles to creating online wealth is maintaining focus. Believe me, I know. When I started out in this business I was lured by countless programs to make quick money and generate traffic in my sleep. I wanted to investigate them all and before I knew it, I was running in a hundred different directions and had no clue where to begin. It wasn't until I focused my attention in the right areas that I started seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

Staying focused is critical if you aspire to join the 3% of those that make money online.

I will assume that most of you have been through the get rich quick schemes that attracted many of us in the first place. You know the ones where you buy the program, press the button, cash the checks, buy the Ferrari, travel the world, retire in Tahiti and live the life of Riley, happily ever after. We're over that, right? Good!

Most legitimate programs will entail some variation of the following business model:

• find your niche market
• buy a domain name and hosting
• build a blog or web site
• create a product from scratch or sell as an affiliate
• build a list of subscribers
• offer products through email marketing to your list

Oh yeah, and the knowledge to put it all together. To drive traffic to your site you need ot learn about:

• keyword research
• email marketing
• autoresponders
• opt in forms
• pay per click advertising
• search engine optimization
• traffic exchanges
• social networking
• article marketing
• and the list goes on...

This is just a drop in the bucket and not even close to covering the ever expanding scope of making money online. Losing focus at this point is understandable and often inevitable, even for a veteran. Successful completion of these tasks may take weeks or months, if not longer. To stay focused you want to create a plan and diligently stick to it.

A Five Step Plan to Stay Focused and Make Money Online

1. Create SMART Goals - To achieve anything in life you need to set goals. This is no different when you embark on your journey to make money online. Things won't happen overnight and you need to have a clear idea of where you are headed. It's not always the most exciting part of starting out online, but will prove to be the most rewarding part. Creating SMART goals in the beginning will help everything else fall into place. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day - they had a plan and targeted goals. What are SMART goals? These are goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic (or relevant) and time-based. Identifying all elements of your goals will create focus around what you want to achieve. To learn more about SMART goals, enter it into Google and start learning about the process. It's a piece of cake once you get the hang of it.
2. Create a Schedule - This will allow you to work toward your goal. And by create, I mean write it down. This is a critical piece. Writing your goals and a timeline to complete them will increase your odds of success. Write down each step and determine the deadline for completing them. Google it! There are hundreds of resources online to help you with this process. Do a Google search to find forms or software for scheduling, goal setting, timelines, you name it. Pick one that suits you and use it.
3. Ask Questions - Ask yourself daily, "What am I doing now to accomplish my objectives?" Ask yourself if there is anything more you can do to improve the process. Don't drift. Keep yourself in check! If you don't know how to do something, ask someone who does. Once again. Google it. Millions of people have started exactly where you are right now. Learn from the experience and don't try to reinvent the wheel.
4. Eliminate Distractions - Prepare yourself so you can zero in on the tasks at hand. Allocate an area you will use specifically for your work, nothing more. Clean and organize your workspace. Turn off the television, radio and close the door. If you are prone to distractions from outside, close your windows. Identify everything that may distract you, and remove it from your workspace. When working from home, inform family and friends that you are unavailable during specific times. They will learn when they can and cannot interrupt your day.
5. Create a Positive Mindset - For many, making money online is a new and exciting journey. A positive mindset is key in advancing anything you do. Listen to CDs, watch DVDs and read books that motivate you. Keep positive friends in your circle to help inspire and encourage you. Avoid negativity as much as possible. You will have bumps in the road and setbacks. Stay positive and determined. When you do this, and your actions are in line with your thoughts, miracles can happen. Visualize your success and see it complete. When you begin to look at things in this nature, you begin to develop clarity and focus.

Follow this simple 5 step plan and your chances of success will be greatly enhanced. Take some time to put it together and you will make money online.

My name is Anthony Echelon. I am a 45 yr old retired hvac installer and full time Internet Entrepreneur. I was born, raised and currently reside in Southern California. Stop by http://theblogwell.com and post your comments or visit my review site at http://thewellreviews.com I wish you all the best in life!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_Echelon
http://EzineArticles.com/?Make-Money-Online---Five-Steps-to-Stay-Focused&id=2348739