Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Ben Franklin's Secrets For Success

by John Colanzi

Are you overwhelmed by all the advice on the Internet about running a successful small business?

The sheer volume of information is overwhelming and often the "experts" disagree.

Every so often my business will experience a slow down.

This week was one of those weeks. I could easily blame the holiday or the normal summer vacation period, but that wouldn't solve my problem.

I needed to step back and rethink my business plan.

The response for most online business owners is to pick their favorite "guru" or "gurus" and start studying their advice.

That works well for a lot of marketers, but sometimes I like to think outside the box. There are some time tested ideas that are universal and will work if applied to any situation.

I studied Ben Franklin's simple system for self- improvement. The system may be simple to develop, but that doesn't mean it's easy to follow.

In his autobiography Franklin talks about his need to constantly monitor himself. Old habits are hard to break.

Although Franklin used this system to reshape his personality, it can just as easily be applied to improving your skills as an online entrepreneur.

If you're looking for a quick fix, this isn't for you.

Here's a step by step plan for becoming a more successful entrepreneur.

1. The first step is to pick the 13 areas of your skills that need the most work.

Step back and take a look at your business and find 13 skills that would improve your performance.

2. Put the 13 skills you've listed in order of importance.

Label them from 1 to 13.

3. Decide to spend one week working on each skill. Spend time every day for a week working on improving one area of your business.

For example if you chose writing better ads as an area needing improvement, spend a week working on your ad writing skills.

4. After you've spent a week working on your number problem, move to problem number 2.

5. After 13 weeks go back and work on number one again.

Follow through on each skill for another 13 weeks.

6. By the end of one year you've spent four weeks improving each roadblock to your success.

At the end of a year re-evaluate your business and determine which skills still need to be worked on and which ones you've mastered.

I know this seems like a lot of work. It's taking time away from making your first million.

Well I have to let you in on a little secret. Making a go of your online business isn't easy and if you're not willing to work at it, you'll spend your time asking:

Is anyone really making money online?

Well there are small businesses making money online, but they've done their homework and honed their skills.

If you're truly serious about making money on the Internet, this plan is as good a place to start as any.

Don't rely on luck. You'll find the harder you work, the luckier you'll get.

Wishing You Success,
John Colanzi
http://hop.clickbank.net/?wsnet2/johncolanz

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Copyright (c) John Colanzi.

John Colanzi uses the Plug-In Profit Site
to earn multiple streams of income from
home on the Internet. What about you?...
http://www.pluginprofitsite.com/main-5689

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Saturday, July 04, 2009

Failure is the Line of Least Persistence


by Dr Tony Alessandra

There likely will be setbacks and occasional self-doubts on the road to maximizing your charisma. You're going to need patience and persistence. But it's important to keep moving toward your goal.

I'm reminded of a friend who had a life-changing experience in a cross-country ski race in Minnesota. He had moved there not long before. In an enthusiastic, if not realistic, effort to adapt to the local culture, he bought some skis, practiced a bit, and entered an advanced competition. He took off like a flash at the sound of the starter's gun. But after the first quarter-mile in near-zero temperatures, he knew he was in over his head, hopelessly outclassed by other competitors swiftly gliding past him. He was soon alone in a frozen wilderness, and his thoughts turned gloomily to fatigue and defeat.

He had initially hoped to finish in a couple of hours.

But as the cold seared his lungs and the exertion weakened his arms and legs, he all but gave up on his goal. If there had been a way to surrender, he would have. But being in deep snow in the middle of the woods, his only way out was to ski out. So he pushed aside the pain and pessimism, and kept skiing.

He imagined a lodge with a roaring fire that might be just around the bend-but wasn't. He imagined a rescue vehicle slicing through the drifts to pick him up-which didn't. He even imagined a helicopter dropping down to whisk him away-but, of course, that never materialized.

So on and on he skied until, at last, he came to a sign: FINISH LINE, 1/4 MILE. He couldn't believe it!

Energized, he sprinted that last quarter mile and finished in a time not far from his original goal.

My friend often repeats that story, the winds more frigid and his muscles more aching with each
retelling. It's become a part of his self-identity, and the memory of his endurance and ultimate triumph has gotten him through other of life's difficult scrapes and struggles. The moral, as he sees it, is that if you keep slogging ahead, refuse to give up, and stay as positive as you possibly can, you'll accomplish your goal, or something very close to it.

I could hardly argue with that. So even if you have trouble imagining success, keep moving along that snowy path in the woods. And before you know it, you'll have success beyond your imaginings.

Dr. Tony Alessandra helps companies build customers, relationships, and the bottom-line. Tony has a street-wise, college-smart perspective on business, having fought his way out of NYC to eventually realizing success as a graduate professor of marketing, entrepreneur, business author, and consultant. Dr. Alessandra earned his MBA from the University of Connecticut---and his PhD in marketing from Georgia State University. He was inducted into
the Speakers Hall of Fame in 1985.