Hello all,
This is going to be a long post, but I feel like if it helps more people prepare for the race, while maybe deterring people who are going to do little more than get in the way of those who are in for the long haul; then I will have succeeded.
A good friend of mine makes a living playing poker and has done so for nearly two decades. It is only in the last five years, though, that he has actually made enough money to join the elite. In fact, he now has sponsors, is invited to private games, and has been on television more than a few times.
Last time he was here in Sacramento we sat down and had one of the longest conversations we've ever had. We realized how alike we were in our professions. How we spent hours a day, everyday, for years, grinding and growing, to be where we are today.
When we first began, we were both losers. Spending more time and money than we were making. He was losing tournaments while I was lucky to make a few cents on a post that took hours of research, backlinking, and marketing. We both read everything we could get our hands on, studied out not only our craft, but looked at those who we would eventually sit across from the table from. Figuring out how to end the day with more chips than they had.
We both pushed ourselves well beyond comfort and took every failure personally. On more than one occasion we often wanted to quit. Feeling that our time would be better spent working for a promotion at our current careers than trying to strike out on our own. We both hit a wall. Pushing and trying our hardest, only to find that our efforts were doing little more than breaking even.
Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. Months turned into someone wondering if it was worth it. And for a short time, it wasn't. We both quit, walking away and vowing never to turn back.But just as a chef has to watch cooking shows, both he and I were watching those around us. He was watching videos and shows of fellow poker players, while I was reading forums like these and watching trends.
Then it happened. As it always seems to happen. We were outside of the fishbowl looking in. We both saw something that the fish in the tank didn't. Our epiphanies were both exciting and frustrating at the same time. Exciting because we both realized that a few changes could make all the difference. Frustrated because we hadn't seen it sooner and felt weak for giving up.
So back to our chairs we went, sizing up the competition and choosing our games appropriately. We prepared for the long game and within a matter of months we both quit working for others and began working for our new bosses who we saw in the mirror every morning.
Affiliate marketing is a long, long marathon. Nobody here knows your strengths, what you are best at writing at, your passions, your desires, or even your key demographics. Nobody here knows your audience size, the number of people competing with you, or who you are affiliate writing for. Nobody on any site knows what makes you tick, keeps you motivated, and who the biggest players are in your market.
But what everybody who is successful here knows is that if you aren't dedicated, driven, and self motivated, you will fail.
For my friend, Texas Hold'em wasn't his game, Omaha was. For me, writing about real estate, legal, and sports wasn't my passion. Business, fishing, and cooking was. While he became an authority in Omaha and has to enter a tournament late because people wold withdraw otherwise, I have people on full time, writing articles on my sites, making videos for my loves, and have affiliates customizing their programs for me.
So, if your goal is to make a living with affiliate marketing, don't for one moment waste your time in a quick sprint because you see a higher return in something you aren't passionate about that is oversaturated. Instead, train and run the race for what you are passionate about that may not make you as much money up front, but will pay the more solid dividends in the long run.
Hope this helps.
This is going to be a long post, but I feel like if it helps more people prepare for the race, while maybe deterring people who are going to do little more than get in the way of those who are in for the long haul; then I will have succeeded.
A good friend of mine makes a living playing poker and has done so for nearly two decades. It is only in the last five years, though, that he has actually made enough money to join the elite. In fact, he now has sponsors, is invited to private games, and has been on television more than a few times.
Last time he was here in Sacramento we sat down and had one of the longest conversations we've ever had. We realized how alike we were in our professions. How we spent hours a day, everyday, for years, grinding and growing, to be where we are today.
When we first began, we were both losers. Spending more time and money than we were making. He was losing tournaments while I was lucky to make a few cents on a post that took hours of research, backlinking, and marketing. We both read everything we could get our hands on, studied out not only our craft, but looked at those who we would eventually sit across from the table from. Figuring out how to end the day with more chips than they had.
We both pushed ourselves well beyond comfort and took every failure personally. On more than one occasion we often wanted to quit. Feeling that our time would be better spent working for a promotion at our current careers than trying to strike out on our own. We both hit a wall. Pushing and trying our hardest, only to find that our efforts were doing little more than breaking even.
Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months. Months turned into someone wondering if it was worth it. And for a short time, it wasn't. We both quit, walking away and vowing never to turn back.But just as a chef has to watch cooking shows, both he and I were watching those around us. He was watching videos and shows of fellow poker players, while I was reading forums like these and watching trends.
Then it happened. As it always seems to happen. We were outside of the fishbowl looking in. We both saw something that the fish in the tank didn't. Our epiphanies were both exciting and frustrating at the same time. Exciting because we both realized that a few changes could make all the difference. Frustrated because we hadn't seen it sooner and felt weak for giving up.
So back to our chairs we went, sizing up the competition and choosing our games appropriately. We prepared for the long game and within a matter of months we both quit working for others and began working for our new bosses who we saw in the mirror every morning.
Affiliate marketing is a long, long marathon. Nobody here knows your strengths, what you are best at writing at, your passions, your desires, or even your key demographics. Nobody here knows your audience size, the number of people competing with you, or who you are affiliate writing for. Nobody on any site knows what makes you tick, keeps you motivated, and who the biggest players are in your market.
But what everybody who is successful here knows is that if you aren't dedicated, driven, and self motivated, you will fail.
For my friend, Texas Hold'em wasn't his game, Omaha was. For me, writing about real estate, legal, and sports wasn't my passion. Business, fishing, and cooking was. While he became an authority in Omaha and has to enter a tournament late because people wold withdraw otherwise, I have people on full time, writing articles on my sites, making videos for my loves, and have affiliates customizing their programs for me.
So, if your goal is to make a living with affiliate marketing, don't for one moment waste your time in a quick sprint because you see a higher return in something you aren't passionate about that is oversaturated. Instead, train and run the race for what you are passionate about that may not make you as much money up front, but will pay the more solid dividends in the long run.
Hope this helps.
