just enter your email address below to get this blog's updates, news, and more!Getting to “Game Over”
Internet marketing sounds fun, right? You get to use technology and the internet, learn about “secret tricks,” and work 4 hours per day from home while earning money in your sleep, right?
It almost seems as cool as hacking did back in the mid-eighties, except this time money is involved. And there are all these “gurus” going around saying that it’s really easy and if you give them $2997 they’ll send you their 38 DVD course that’s basically a “done for you blueprint for $20k per day” (essentially a business in a box).
It seems like a game, right? Especially when you’re brainstorming lots of ideas and writing them all down and having great insights left and right.
The problem is that internet marketing is a game a lot of people lose. The vast majority of websites created to earn money never ever ever do. (The failure rate is so high because the barrier to entry for an internet business is so low).
Anyway, most people lose the internet marketing game because it never ceases to be a game in their mind. They never put their foot down, declare “this is MY business,” and work like a madman to make it work. They never tell their family about their business (but they might tell amused friends at a cocktail party), they never pursue it full-time, they never stop entertaining other business ideas (or business models), and they never stop building new websites.
They also never liberate themselves from their day jobs.
There comes a point in every successful entrepreneur’s life when they stop considering every business idea that floats through their head and say to themselves “this is my business,” “this is how I will feed my family,” “this will be the main focus of my career,” and “this is something I will pursue for the next 2+ years.”
I call this point “game over.” Because, at this point, their business had ceased to become a game. It stops becoming a game because they don’t just do it when they want to. And when it’s fun.
They do it when it makes them sick to their stomach with anxiety. They do on days when they don’t want to get out of bed and face the world. They do it because it’s the fucking 20th and if they don’t hustle their ass off, they won’t make their mortgage payment on the 30th.
They do it because the game is over. They do it because it’s their business, their livelihood and their identity.
Their is no blueprint for “getting to game over.”
But if you never get there, your business has a snowflake’s chance in hell.
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Well said Clay. People do not realize just how many people get all “hopped-up” on the kool-aid and then burn out in two months. This is a grueling industry. There is no easy button. Those that make it bust their ass, each and every day, despite what the big dogs might have you believe. You want bread? You gotta work. There is no set it and forget it….This business ain't Ronco.
Everyone's been there, and I'm not saying there isn't time for entrepreneural euphoria, but it's something we all need to get past at some point or another.
Nice. Well said Preston.
I just reached that point of “this is my business” not that long ago. I had been messing around with affiliate marketing from time to time and all it did was frustrate me. Now I'm focused and ready to go. Great post.
Congrats, Nate. That's huge.
You hit the nail on the head. Well said.
Thanks, Sunny.
Woah… a snowflake's chance in hell. 
Great insight Clay. As always, we enjoy the thoughts you share.
Excellent post. I think that your point about never getting to “game over” is a mistake that so many people make. It may be masking a fear of failure.
Odd. My dad asked me today if I was budgeting money for this expense. I told him 'no' because I was budgeting it for my internet business. I hesitated at first, but then thought, if I can't tell my Dad then I'm not serious about it.
This is perfect. This is going on the wall NOW in my bedroom and bathroom. Select, copy, paste, print.
Amen, Clay. Glad you've found your game over…and motivated so many of us to find it, too.
You guys are awesome. We should chat on the phone sometime just for the heck of it. How the hell have you been recently?
Yeah, and I think one problem is that people don't treat their online businesses like real businesses. In fact, a lot of people don't even refer themselves to businesspeople, they refer to themselves as marketers. Don't know exactly why. I do business first, marketing second.
You're killing me with the “select, copy, paste” thing. If I were the kind of person who blushes then I'd be blushing.
Dude, Jared, you ever going to call me back? It's about time for another pointless conversation.
Great bit about the value of fear, even though you may not have necessarily meant it that way. I keep telling myself fear is instructional so I don't lose my mind. But the truth? I had a really good first month doing this. You know about it — REALLY good. Why? Because I was scared shitless. Like, I had no shit left whatsoever.
Clay, very sweet. 'Bout time we discussed the elephant in the room. Commitment is everything. I, for one, need to stop the insanity, and I appreciate you saying so. There's a tendency, I think, to believe that 'starting' is the hardest part. Sorry, that's BS. Starting is easy. Starting is fun. Exciting.
How about we work on finishing for once….Thanks for the reminder.
Thanks, Clay. I'm a fan of your work and I think you really hit the spot for me on this one! Keep it up!
Great post. I find that a lot of people half-ass it because they expect it to be easy. When they realize it isn't, they take their ball and go home. I'm glad in a way, because it leaves more room for those of us that want it more, but it is also sad because so many people are living a quiet life of desperation.
Great post. I find that a lot of people half-ass it because they expect it to be easy. When they realize it isn't, they take their ball and go home. I'm glad in a way, because it leaves more room for those of us that want it more, but it is also sad because so many people are living a quiet life of desperation.
Wow Clay! I can hear a lot of toes being stomped on right now…ouch! I have to admit, I'm one of them who jumps from business idea to another, but I'm working on it by gathering the info. that I need and actually testing my ideas to see if they're viable. I hope to hit the 'game over' button very soon!