| Recently, I read a comment by Ken Reno that | | | | |
| people lose large amounts of money when they | | | | I enjoy teaching my martial arts students but |
| keep "buying but never applying" internet | | | | I have several instructors who could stand in |
| products and services. What are the solutions | | | | for me and who would enjoy doing so for a |
| to this problem? | | | | time, at least, while I focus on my other |
| | | | projects. |
| Incidentally, the solutions may well apply to | | | | |
| offline as well as online activities since | | | | As I have said, most of the above advice |
| many people, whether they use the internet or | | | | applies to off line as well as online |
| not, are too lazy or lacking in confidence to | | | | activities. Don't buy unless you apply. If |
| read and apply the information they buy even | | | | you pay for lessons in line dancing, show up |
| though it is about their favorite activities. | | | | at all the lessons. Don't forget to practice |
| | | | in between the lessons. |
| I am an expert at buying and not applying. | | | | |
| Buying is easy and getting into credit card | | | | Again, I find myself lacking in the way I |
| debt as a result is also easy. | | | | approach offline activities as well as online |
| | | | ones. I have bought about fifty cookery books |
| I am a real sucker for a good sales letter. | | | | and not even applied one of the recipes. |
| It opens up vistas of hope and easy money. It | | | | |
| is easy to buy but not so easy to read and | | | | I have been put off by the huge number of |
| apply the info you have bought. | | | | ingredients they involve and possibly an |
| | | | early experience in the boy scouts when I |
| Within 24 hours, along comes another sales | | | | ruined the Sunday lunch by dropping the roast |
| letter or email glowing with enthusiasm and | | | | beef on a grassy slope. You can imagine what |
| excitement. My enthusiasm for a course lasts | | | | happened to the roast beef! |
| for a day or two till the next compelling | | | | |
| email arrives! | | | | What is the difference between roast beef and |
| | | | pea soup? It is easy to roast beef! In my |
| I have about £20,000 worth of internet | | | | case, both are difficult! |
| courses and seminar DVD's in my spare room | | | | |
| which I haven't even opened. I have hundreds | | | | I usually fall back on spaghetti bolognaise |
| of resell products on my computer that I | | | | which I learned to cook many years ago. My |
| haven't yet attempted to sell. | | | | brother, on the other hand, has bought far |
| | | | fewer books but actually follows the recipes. |
| All the money I have spent is a mere drop in | | | | He now has a reputation as an excellent cook. |
| the ocean if I actually use what I have | | | | |
| bought. If I make a million from it, it will | | | | I once took guitar lessons with a top |
| be one of the best investments I could have | | | | flamenco guitar player. I was disappointed |
| made. But if I don't read and apply what I | | | | when he refused to teach me anything new |
| have available, I will have wasted every | | | | until I practiced and memorized what he had |
| penny. | | | | already taught me. I avoided doing the |
| | | | homework he set me but still wanted to learn |
| The question then becomes how to start | | | | something new. |
| applying instead of buying. If you are in the | | | | |
| same boat as me, it is probably best to start | | | | In the end, I cancelled the lessons but now |
| with the most recent courses and the most | | | | realize that he was right. He knew the |
| recent saleable products since the internet | | | | importance of applying and using what you |
| changes so quickly. | | | | have already learned. That is why he was a |
| | | | great flamenco guitarist and all I could do |
| Just grab any recent info product you have | | | | was strum a few flamenco rhythms. |
| bought and read one or two pages from it and | | | | |
| then apply one of the suggestions you have | | | | If you buy a book, read it and do your |
| read about. This will at least make you feel | | | | homework by applying what you learn. Only |
| better about the money you have spent! | | | | about 90% of people actually read the first |
| | | | chapter of a book. Only about 1% actually |
| Why don't I and other internet junkies open | | | | finish reading a book. |
| the packages and read and apply the wisdom | | | | |
| and knowledge that doubtless exists in there? | | | | Of course, don't feel guilty if you don't |
| There are several reasons. | | | | complete a book that is not worth reading but |
| | | | at least find out if it is worthy of your |
| We may already be entranced by the next | | | | attention by reading one or two chapters. |
| fashionable course or product. The solution | | | | |
| may be to avoid reading any emails or | | | | Believe in your own ability to carry out the |
| advertisements which are likely to contain an | | | | plans and systems you read about. Ignore the |
| irresistible offer. | | | | voices from childhood and school days which |
| | | | tell you that you can't do something. You |
| We may not believe deep down that the course | | | | won't know until you have tried and tried not |
| we have bought will help us. There is only | | | | just once or twice but consistently for |
| one way to find out. Read it or listen to it | | | | several months at least. |
| or watch it bit by bit every day and try out | | | | |
| one suggestion a day. Even trying out one | | | | If you are having problems in achieving any |
| suggestion a week would be an improvement! | | | | of your goals, don't give up. Get help from |
| | | | someone who has achieved that goal. They |
| We may believe that the course is a good one | | | | probably experienced the same problems as you |
| but have doubts about our ability to follow | | | | somewhere along the line. |
| its teachings. Ability grows as you attempt | | | | |
| what is difficult. It also grows when you | | | | Do some buying but, unlike me, make sure you |
| start believing in yourself. | | | | do plenty of applying before you start buying |
| | | | something else! I am planning on taking my |
| Shakespeare summed up the problem centuries | | | | own advice. |
| ago: | | | | |
| | | | Today, I actually started reading an info |
| "Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose | | | | product on advertising by Brett McFall. I not |
| the good we oft might win, by fearing to | | | | only read about two key advertising skills, I |
| attempt." | | | | actually applied both of them on two of my |
| | | | websites. There is hope for me yet. |
| More recently, Dr. Maxwell Maltz wrote: | | | | |
| | | | So then, believe in yourself and in the |
| "Within you right now is the power to do | | | | author of the info product enough to read and |
| things you never dreamed possible. This power | | | | apply the ideas in it. See what happens. |
| becomes available to you just as soon as you | | | | Don't be put off by past experiences or by |
| can change your beliefs." | | | | critics who belittle your abilities. Ignore |
| | | | your own self-criticism which is often the |
| If you still lack belief or lack skills which | | | | most unjustified of all. |
| can take a long time to learn, get help. I | | | | |
| pay a web designer whose brain seems to work | | | | Don't keep buying new info or paying for more |
| better than mine! I see him once or twice a | | | | lessons until you have applied what you have |
| week at my house for two hour sessions at a | | | | already learned. If necessary, cut down on |
| time. | | | | some of your projects so that you can |
| | | | concentrate on the most important. |
| This way, I can watch what he is doing and | | | | |
| fire as many questions at him as I want. If | | | | Buy and apply. Buy and apply by starting to |
| you can't find a local expert, study the | | | | take action to achieve your goals. Don't buy |
| video tutorials which are easily and cheaply | | | | any more products or services until you have |
| available on the net. Don't just download | | | | studied and applied at least some part of |
| them. Watch them! | | | | them in either your online or offline |
| | | | activities. |
| We may have too much going on in our lives | | | | |
| and need to focus on fewer goals. We may need | | | | You will then begin to achieve your goals and |
| to train up other people to take over some | | | | avoid wasting your money. |
| part of our lives. | | | | |