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